Elliot Boblitt

Nothing to see here, guys.

Really, you wouldn’t like this. Who’d want to drink a half-frozen blend of strong tea, lemonade, orange juice and bourbon garnished with fresh mint on a sticky, hot summer day? It might give you a little brain freeze. It would probably feel like liquid air conditioning. It could improve your outlook to the point that you might forget to dread the next heat wave. Nothing good could come of this.

Trust me, I know from experience. My friends brought bags of this slush up to their roof last month and I had but a few crunchy sips before I turned to my husband and said, “I think I’m starting to like summer in the city.” He said, “Whoa. Slow down there!” And we both agreed that this was a very dangerous drink to have on hand and that we should only finish our glass and at most one more to be safe.

... Read the rest of bourbon slush punch on smittenkitchen.com

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© smitten kitchen 2006-2012. | permalink to bourbon slush punch | 79 comments to date | see more: Drinks, Lemon, Orange, Photo, Summer

Leave the Teva-footed throngs at American Museum of Natural History and the Met behind. Here are a few lesser-known gems for you to pass the time. [ more › ]

The folks at Ben's Deli at 32 Avenue B recently expanded their food offerings … adding a steam table, among other things.

EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by for a look here between East Second Street and East Third Street.





She found Ben's son, Mohammad, wearing the (new) blue Ben's Deli T-shirt working complete with a broken hand…



There's also a coffee station now, so Oscar has a little more time to make sandwiches.





And here is Fadhle Suliman behind the register with his 12-year-old son, Mohamed ...



Anyway, the food is quite good … and reasonably priced…


[EVG took this photo]

Oh! And Awww! Some hawk love (Christo and Dora???) atop the Church of the Most Holy Redeemer on East Third Street between Avenue A and Avenue B …



Photos via Rob & Mike

[Click on map for a better view]

Michael Natale, a longtime LES resident who maintains the GammaBlog site, has been keeping tabs on the trees in Tompkins Square Park for the past three years.

He posted an updated map (above) this week.

Mostly I’ve indicated which trees died over the winter (X marks the spots). We lost three large Crab Apples within the Park, and several other small trees on 10th Street. The street trees along 10th Street have a high mortality rate, probably due to proximity to the Con Edison steam pipe running next to the south curb there. Also I’ve added an icon for all the Shingle Oaks that were planted around the perimeter this Spring.

Tomorrow, Natale is hosting two tree walks in Tompkins Square Park. (This is free, by the way.) If you are interested, then you can meet him near the Hare Krishna Tree in the Central Plaza of the Park at 9 a.m. or 5 p.m.

"We'll walk around and share our knowledge about the trees and the Park," he said.

You can print your own tree map here. (He'll have extras in case you don't have the chance to print one.)

"I'm particularly hoping that we'll attract local tree experts who can identify the few trees that have eluded positive identification," he said. "I'd also love to have gardeners on hand to help identify the various flowers and bushes, etc."

From an EVG reader:

Can you ask readers to weigh in on the best coffee shops in the neighborhood with WiFi? Please help!

OK!

So I can't help … I only know about the places with good Fax machines.

Anyone? Coffee and WiFi?

-------------

We often get reader queries ... asking for help with, say, donating clothes or books ... or finding an East Village-based caterer... If you have a question for the masses, then try the EV Grieve email...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Reader mailbag: Places to eat that have that old East Village vibe (45 comments)

Reader mailbag: What do I do about my new neighbors who smoke pot all the time? (52 comments)

Reader mailbag: Where is a good place to get a cup of coffee in the East Village before 6 a.m.? (25 comments)

Reader mailbag: What has happened to the Cooper Station Post Office? (41 comments)

Reader mailbag: Can the landlord 'drill' the lock to gain access to my apartment for simple repairs? (15 comments)

Reader mailbag: Should we receive a rent abatement for having sporadic heat and hot water?

Reader mailbag: How often does your mail get delivered?

Photo from the Tompkins Square Park dog run via Bobby Williams.

Don't you wish you were a little river otter, bobbing in and out of the water right now? Just look at these little guys, they get to go cliff jumping all day long #SUMMERFRIDAY: [ more › ]

The squirrel was in a taunting mood ... and managed to escape... Not everyone was happy.



Photos by Bobby Williams

Photo by Bobby Williams

Since the end of last year, Americans have been listening and dancing to the hypnotic DJ Snake and Lil'Jon tune "Turn Down for What" and its obsessive chorus, "Turn down for what? Turn down for what? Turn down for what? Turn down for what? Turn down for what?"

But, there seems to be a bit of confusion in some segments of the population as to what it means. Here, for your consideration, is a basic explainer.

Okay. Let's have it. What does "turn down for what" mean?

In order to explain "turn down" you have to first understand turnt or turnt up. That's slang and a way for people to say that they're having a really good time, sometimes with the help of alcohol or weed.

Over the past couple of years, turnt has worked its way into music. One artist who likes to sing about being turnt up is the criminally under-appreciated singer known as Ciara. Ciara, who once had a feud with Rihanna and was hardly ever heard from again, has a four-minute song about a man who makes her feel super turnt up:

Beyonce, who has wider appeal than Ciara, has sung about being turnt too. She guest stars on The-Dream's track "Turnt", singing "Turnt up to the ceiling/Burnt up, till you ain't got no feeling":

If being turnt up is so fun, why would someone want to turn (turnt) down?

That's the point.

"Turn down for what" is a song about keeping the partying going. "Fire up that loud/Another round of shots" is Lil Jon telling you or someone to keep the party going. (Loud is slang for good quality marijuana.)

"Turn down for what?" is a rhetorical question. There's nothing, at this moment in time, that's worth coming down from this high, Lil' Jon feels. What would make you want to sober up instead of being drunk/high/having a good time?

Nothing.

There are things worth turning down for, right?

Well, it depends. I firmly believe in a theory that age has a direct effect on the propensity for turning down:

Hangovers and morning-afters get harsher the older you get. These things could affect your ability to stay turnt up all night. The people who can get away with never turning down are primarily babies, very rich rappers, socialites, and college students with afternoon classes.

There are some things that are truly worth turning down for. A few thoughts:

• Fresh sheets
• An early morning meeting
• Nando's Peri Peri chicken
• Feeding the cat
• Hunger
• Fear you left your straightening iron on
• An important family event
• Avoiding an Uber price surge
• An upset stomach
• Dark Sky telling you rain is coming
• Getting eight hours of sleep
• Morning yoga
• If the police ask you to
• Chicken parm
• Self-reflection
• Mud mask
• Responsibilities
• Pedicures
• Cake
• Cooking lentils
• Netflix
• Tinder
• Never wanting to get turnt in the first place
• Game of Thrones

Last question: will people judge me for turning down?

Maybe. They might be too busy being turnt to even notice you ghosting and turning down. You should just do you.

For months we've been looking at the exterior of the new building at 227 E. Seventh St. just west of Avenue C.

We received the pricing last week ($1.45 million for floor-through two-bedrooms and up to $2 million for the garden unit and penthouse) for the six condos.

Now we can finally see the inside... at least via the listings, which are now online at Douglas Elliman.

Here are two shots ...





And here is Curbed's analysis:

With a facade of brick and oversized multi-panel windows, it blends, for the most part, into its surroundings. Now that the interiors have revealed themselves, it turns out that they, too, look pretty nice and inoffensive — the large windows give the living/dining rooms that luxury development feel and the backyard, while not large, is filled with grass and, you know, exists.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Asbestos abatement on East Seventh Street, then a new 6-story building

New building at 227 E. Seventh St. — revealed (28 comments)

Teaser site up for new East 7th Street residential building that people don't hate

[227 E. Seventh St. from September 2012]

[One of the youngsters via Bobby Williams]

Well, baby hawk No. 3 finally left the nest on the Christodora House last Wednesday... which is why you don't see passersby staring up at the building anymore on Avenue B and East Ninth Street.

So where are the kids? (Fortunately, is has been fairly drama-free since Shaft left the nest.)

Goggla continues to keep track, and has a report over at Gog in NYC.

One observation:

They're getting accustomed to trees, having spent their entire lives on an air-conditioner. I find it interesting that all three birds fledged to the buildings across 9th Street and seemed to prefer roofttops to treetops.

She answers other pertinent questions too, such as, Where are their parents, Christo and Dora? Do the siblings get along? And are the squirrels in Tompkins Square Park playing nice?

Also, Francois Portmann has posted the last of the nest-cam photos here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Red-tailed hawks nest on the Christodora House

The hawks of Tompkins Square Park have laid an egg at the Christodora House

Breaking (heh) news: The hawks of Tompkins Square Park are officially parents

OMG baby hawks! (UPDATED WITH VIDEO!)

The baby hawks of Tompkins Square Park are ready to leave home (also, fledge party alert!)

This black rice salad is full of color: avocado and cilantro for a shock of green, mangoes, and oranges for some stark contrast, followed by a sprinkle of red onion and a shower of earthy, crunchy pepitas, all tied together with chili and cumin-spiked orange vinaigrette. Read More

As we first reported on June 23, Goat Town, the 4-year-old bistro at 511 E. Fifth St., was closing by July 4 to make way for a new concept.

The restaurant between Avenue A and Avenue B is now mostly empty …



There isn't any mention of the closure on Goat Town's website or Twitter and Facebook accounts, which haven't been updated since February. (There isn't any outgoing phone message either.)

A Goat Town rep told Eater that the new restaurant, called GG's, "will serve a very different menu than the current New American menu, but will still include ingredients sourced from the restaurant's back garden."

Owner Nick Morgenstern's rep said that he hopes the new place will "serve the East Village community in a broader way."

George Cohen shares another photo with us.

I took this from the taxi I was driving. I saw Mousey's Bar, a little island in a pile of rubble, i.e. Avenue C and 13th St. in 1976.

As I raised my camera to my eye, this guy comes to the door, sees me and grabs his crotch.

That was the shot.

Indeed.

Today, Campos Plaza stands at this location.

As for Mousey's ... according to Jimmy Peanuts, Mousey's had the best stickball team of any bar in the neighborhood.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Meanwhile on St. Mark's Place in 1968…. (22 comments)

I remember exchanging emails with Kimberly a ways back about the book writing process. I was humbled she asked me, as I've known that Kimberly would create a beautiful and inspired book by echoing the same style she shares on her blog. There seems to be a common thread between those who set out to create and photograph their own cookbooks - an equal measure of uncertainty, fear, excitement and determination. Truth is, I am not exactly sure what I am doing either and I stumble over how to guide someone else. We sing a "learn by doing" tune over here. How I respond to those emails asking advice for books or starting a blog, friend or stranger alike, is less with direction and more with encouragement to be more deliberate in doing what you already know. Authenticity is of greater value than you expect. Thankfully... or at least I like to think. I don't believe there is a formula for success with creative work. There are people who have done extremely well, make a nice living off blogs and books, but they cannot tell you how to do the same. The theme I see throughout the books and blogs I am attracted to is they are real people simply sharing an extension of something they are passionate about. Start a blog because you have something to share or make a book because there is a story you need to tell about food. Clearly it's not the end goal, but you should want to create despite how many people read your blog or book. It should begin because YOU need it to. When you hit a wall or get negative reviews, that's what you'll have, a project that nourished you first, and it makes you want to keep going. Sure it takes time and intention to design a beautiful space or a compilation of recipes but I think a desire and hope to create said things is a majority of the key to success. And ok, reading this over I may sound a little hippy dippy but my kumbaya message can apply to a lot of things - just find something that fills you up. 

That said, Kimberly's book is a job well done - a real treat for anyone who cooks with a lot of produce. It's colorful and seasonal and delicately assertive if I may use such a juxtaposition. Hats off to you, my friend. These summer squash noodles are simple, quick and super light for how warm it's been. I'm going to grill a big filet of wild salmon this weekend and this will make a perfect side to fish. Happy 4th weekend to you all!

SUMMER SQUASH PASTA WITH GREEN GODDESS DRESSING // Serves 4

Recipe barely adapted from Vibrant Food by Kimberly Hasselbrink

This makes for a cold zucchini salad and the drained shreds have just the right amount of crunch. If you prefer it as a warm side, give the zucchini a quick saute in a slick of olive oil after you press out the excess water to warm through.

I upped the goddess dressing amounts so I'd have enough for leftovers. Extra dressing never goes to waste around here. This is the peeler I consistently recommend, it's great. 

• 2 lbs. mixed summer squash
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 cup plain whole milk greek yogurt
• 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup fresh chopped basil, plus more for garnish
• 3 Tbsp. fresh chopped parsley
• 3 Tbsp. fresh chopped chives
• 2 Tbsp. fresh chopped tarragon
• 1 small garlic clove
• 1 anchovy (minced) OR 1 Tbsp. drained capers
• 1/4 shaved parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
• 1/4 cup toasted pinenuts
• fresh ground pepper

 

Cut the squash into thin strips using a julienne peeler or spiralizer. Sprinkle the squash with salt, toss gently, and place in a colander to drain for 20 minutes. Carefully squeeze the squash over the colander to release excess liquid and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel. 

In a food processor or blender, combine the yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, basil, parsley, chives, tarragon, garlic and anchovy or capers and blend until smooth.

Toss the drained squash with the parmesan, pinenuts and desired amount of dressing. 

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with more parmesan, pinenuts and basil and serve immediately.

Happy hurricane season, America!Just chilling, for now, off the coast of Florida, soaking up those bad Florida vibes, is a tropical depression expected to become the first named Atlantic storm of the year, Arthur. Winds this morning were hovering around 35 mph as Arthur grows into a tropical storm, according ... More »

Today is Monday and, as you know, scientific research conclusively indicates that the best thing for your health at this time is to spend a recommended 60 or so seconds watching GIFs of cute animals. Because Refinery29 cares about your health and safety, we are here to provide for you.

Above, a pugnacious dog (not a pug, incidentally, but we'll let that slide) is seen nose-bopping a sweet little kitten. This is also a helpful check to see if you are a living, breathing human being or not. If you don't find this extremely adorable, you may want to seek professional medical help immediately.

P.S.: Shoutout to /u/Sethos88 for bringing this to our attention on Reddit.

Read More

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Narcissister: The Anonymous Artist Freeing Nipples In NYC (NSFW)

Running #LikeAGirl Just Became A Good Thing

ESPN's Body Issue: Which Athletes Made The Cut?

[Photo from February by Dave on 7th]

Pricing is now available for the new classic brick building at 227 E. Seventh St. just west of Avenue C.

People who signed up to receive more information on the building's teaser site got the details yesterday.

We will be offering:

A Garden Unit of 1,631 Sq ft with two bedroom two bath and recreational area with 707 Sq ft private back Yard for $2,000,000

Two Bedroom Two baths floor through unit of 1,067 Sq ft, with two balconies (excluding 2nd floor) starting at $1,450,000

And A Penthouse Two Bedroom Two baths floor through unit, of 1,067 Sq ft, with two balconies and private roof for $1,900,000

Floor plans and pricing should be online soon.

Prices aside, EVG readers were generally appreciative of the building's look and design ... respectfully in scale with its surroundings.

Previously on EV Grieve:
New building at 227 E. Seventh St. — revealed (28 comments)

Teaser site up for new East 7th Street residential building that people don't hate

If you made it to one of their pop-up dinners you already know about the Southern-flecked ethos of Top Chef alums and exceedingly pretty people Jeffrey McInnis's and Janine Booth's Root & Bone, which opens today on East 3rd Street in Alphabet City. The space has the twee Brooklyn vibe down pat, like you're dining in aneccentric farmer's country kitchen. Think repurposed school chairs, mismatched china, bones and antlers as beer taps and so on. They're getting cute with the menu too, with sections including "Bread Service" and "Bucket of Bird" accompanying small plates, "bigger plates" and sides. [ more › ]

I can't say I have a lot of personal experience when it comes to getting my face shaved. But from what I hear, a straight-razor shave at the hands of a skilled barber is a rare delight, an old-world luxury worth the extra dough even though a pack of disposable razors from Rite Aid will kill a five o'clock shadow for cheap. Vintage-style barbershops have been making a comeback lately, with jazzed-up, fedora-wearing barbers vying to recreate shaves and cuts from the days of yore, and while they're fun for a visit, there are also a few red, white and blue-poled remnants left for those looking for the real thing. Here are our favorite old and new spots for a shave in the city—leave yours in the comments. [ more › ]

Above the glowing iPhones capturing photos to Instagram, artist Michael Arthur sat in the balcony's stage booth at Webster Hall last night to visually document the shows in another way: reliable ol' ink. Below are some of his observations, adn click through for his sketchbook report. [ more › ]

[Image via nycgo.com]

According to a tipster, Goat Town, the nearly 4-year-old bistro at 511 E. Fifth St., will close by July 4.

The new concept: "some kind of pizza place," per the tipster, who notes that the staff was given less than two weeks notice of the impending closure. (We understand that ownership will remain the same, with a shift in management.)

The restaurant between Avenue A and Avenue B arrived in the farm-to-table heyday, with Goat Town staffers setting out to grow herbs and vegetables in the backyard garden ... and as Eater noted in December 2010, "all pickling, preserving, and jarring" was to be done in house.

The address has been home to several restaurants since Le Tableau closed in December 2007. Before Goat Town, the space was home to Seymour Burton and Butcher Bay.

Updated 3:04 p.m.

Per Eater:

The new restaurant, called GG's, will serve pizza and other dishes that, just like the current New American menu, include ingredients sourced from the restaurant's back garden. A representative tells Eater that Morgenstern hopes the new place will "serve the East Village community in a broader way." GG's is slated to open in September.

[A baby hawk practices yesterday via Bobby Williams]

They grow up so fast! (Faster than Hanson.)

The baby hawks arrived on May 8 (May 10 for the third egg) up here on the Christodora House on Avenue B and East Ninth Street. And the latest nest cam photos from Francois Portmann show that Christo and Dora's offspring are ready to start driving, dating and using fake IDs to get into bars...


[Photo by Francois Portmann]


[FP]

Francois figures the young ones will be ready to fledge starting at any moment.

What might happen? We'll turn to Goggla, who has been following the hawks from Day 1. She wrote this in a post last Thursday.

I'm hoping they fly out and land either on the rooftops across 9th Street, or in the trees of the park. They'll likely be on the ground, though, so if anyone sees the birds seemingly lost on the ground, it's probably going to be ok.

In case the young hawks end up on the sidewalk below on East Ninth Street or Avenue B ... Francois someone has posted these flyers with key contact information ... So in case something goes wrong...


[Click on image to enlarge]

And now a flashback to May 16...


[FP]

Visit Gog in NYC for many more excellent hawk photos.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Red-tailed hawks nest on the Christodora House

The hawks of Tompkins Square Park have laid an egg at the Christodora House

More eggsciting hawk news from the Christodora House

Breaking (heh) news: The hawks of Tompkins Square Park are officially parents

OMG baby hawks! (UPDATED WITH VIDEO!)

VIDEO: Watch the baby hawks of Tompkins Square Park dine on some rat

I've seen the waterfalls and the hot springs and the rocky desolation, but I didn't know that Iceland was also this:

I mean, come on. Photos by Max Rive, Menno Schaefer, and Johnathan Esper. Many more here. (via mr)

Tags: Iceland   photography

Biscuits from The Loveless Cafe in Nashville, one of the highlights of our cross-country road trip. [Photographs: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt]

My wife Adri and I arrived safe and sound in San Francisco a few days ago, after a 10 day trip from New York that took us through New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Utah, and Nevada. We're happy to be out here in a city where the average produce aisle has 17 types of sweet potato alone, but man, did we eat some good things along the way. Here are some of the highlights.

(P.S. You can consider this my temporary good-bye. My wife and I will be traveling through Southeast Asia all summer, so please don't be offended if I don't get around to responding to comments until the fall!)

Hoagie From Jackson House in Harrisburg, PA

After some rather disappointing chicken wings at a sports bar in downtown Harrisburg, we hit up Jackson House, a Philly-style hoagie shop serving cheesesteaks, burgers, and great Italian combos, like the Mrs. Andreoli with sopressata, capicola (yes, they write "gabagool" on the menu board), sharp provolone, and the works (say yes to the hot cherry peppers). It's all crammed into a fresh South Philly roll, delivered daily.

Chicken Biscuit From Chick-Fil-A

There's no denying that Chick-Fil-A makes the best fried chicken and biscuits in the fast food business. Real chicken dredged and fried in-house, biscuits rolled and baked on premises. It's not the kind of breakfast you can eat every day, but what are road trips for if not an excuse to indulge in fast food?

Don't have a Chick-Fil-A in your area or want to avoid it for some reason or another? Just make a replica at home using this fried chicken recipe and cramming it into these biscuits!

Poutine, Burgers, and Barbecue From County Club in Lexington, KY

We met up with my good friend and fellow adventurer in the far reaches of culinary nerdery Stella Parks (you probably know her as Bravetart) in Lexington, KY, where she hauled us and the pups over to County Club, a barbecue joint run by a friend of hers. It's not classic barbecue by any means, but where else in the world can you find Vietnamese-style soup made with brisket ends and smoked fish sauce-marinated pork shoulder griddled on skewers served with a roasted Jalapeño nam chin?

Their burger and poutine aren't half bad either.

Biscuits From Loveless Cafe in Nashville, TN

I get it: true Nashvillians know that the Loveless Cafe, a Nashville institution, just hasn't been the same since the new management took over and commercialized the business.

But to this East Coast Northerner, the idea of bottomless biscuits delivered to your table as soon as you sit down still tickled me silly. Golden and buttery, these biscuits are softer than the toilet paper in heaven when the angels decide to spring for the fancy double-ply stuff.

If that bottomless pile with free preserves isn't enough, you can get them stuffed as well. Fried chicken and sausage were totally passable, but the fried green tomato with pimento cheese and sliced country ham were legit. (Take a closer look at the fried green tomato in B.L.T. form here)

The chicken fried steak with country gravy, fried eggs, and cheesy hash looks impressive, but I wasn't a fan of the bread crumb-style coating.

A Smashed Burger From Carl's Drive-In in St. Louis

It's rare that I come across anything I haven't seen before in the burger world, but it's safe to say I've never had a burger like the one they serve at Carl's Drive In, an old-school counter-style burger joint in St. Louis.

The burgers are cooked smashed-style on an old griddle, but unlike most smashed burgers, they're left on the griddle on one side long enough to render out fat and juices until all you're left with is a crisp shell of a patty. Imagine a beef-flavored parmesan crisp and you've getting the idea.

With that much browning, the flavor is insanely intense, though there's not much juiciness to speak of. It's ok—the cheese slice they slip between double patties when you order them (and you should, a single is just too small) makes up for it.

I'll have to do a bit of experimenting when I'm back stateside.

Pizzas in St. Louis, MO

You don't think pizza when you think St. Louis, but when someone like Alex Talbot of Ideas in Food tells you to check out a restaurant, you do it. My wife Adri and I made an extra pit-stop in town just to eat at Pastaria, and man, are we glad we did.

Adri is not the type of woman who is prone to hyperbole, which is why it shocked me when she took a bite of the nduja pizza, made with the heavily spiced Calabrian sausage, slices of garlic, and a drizzle of honey on a Neapolitan-style crust and declared it the best pizza she's ever eaten. It certainly ranked up there in my book. Their house-made pastas, in particular a pistachio-stuffed number with brown butter, are also fantastic (not to mention generously sized).

On the opposite end of the St. Louis pizza spectrum? A pie from Imo's, the mini-chain that specializes in that strange thing known as St. Louis-style pizza. It's not actually a particularly unique style—cracker thin unleavened dough, cheese and toppings pushed to the edges so they brown and crisp, and served cut party-style in squares—but it's the cheese they use that makes it different. It's a processed cheese called Provel that has a texture somewhere between American cheese and mayonnaise, with a flavor to match.

If the tweets I got from St. Louis natives are anything to go on, some St. Louisans seem rather embarrassed by their native pizza style. They shouldn't be. It's a perfectly fine type of pizza so long as you top it up and don't expect the crust to be much more than a well-seasoned delivery system. To Imo's credit, the pizza was still crisp and crackery the next day, and I've got to admit that cold Provel is probably better than melted, mayonnaise-like Provel.

Chicken Fried Steak From Hays House in Council Grove, KS

Driving through I-70 in Kansas sure is pretty, and for the most part uneventful. Adri and I were glad to get an invite from Serious Eater Steve White who told us to drive down to the small town (population: 2,200!) of Council Grove for a chicken fried steak lunch at this historic Hays House, a tavern that's been in operation since 1857.

I've gotta admit: by this point in our trip, Adri and I were getting a little tired of driving through parts of the country where it seems the only vegetables available are in the form of chopped iceberg with a side of ranch, but damn if this chicken fried steak wasn't worth the two hour detour. Thanks Steve!

It's not easy driving on a full stomach, so Adri and I took a break for a quick swim at the local reservoir before heading on to western Kansas, where we were confronted with the strongest thunderstorm I've ever seen (80 mph winds!). But that's another story for another time.

Sliders From The Cozy Inn in Salina, KS

I've found slider nirvana, and it is in the farmlands of western Kansas. Salina is the largest town you'll hit on I-70 before you make it into the mountains of Colorado, and it's worth a stop for more than just refueling the tank.

Operating in the same space (and on the same griddle) for nearly a century, the Cozy Inn serves up as archetypical a slider as you could ever hope for. Small balls of beef are smashed down onto an ancient cooktop, then scattered with handfuls of diced onions.

You sit down at the bar, and they start feeding you tiny burgers and don't stop until you cry uncle. It'll take you a while to get there, because these things are tasty. In many ways they're similar to the sliders you'll find at that Hackensack institution White Manna, the major difference being that Cozy Inn doesn't offer cheese (you don't need it), but unlike White Manna, does season their patties well with salt before sliding it into a soft steamed bun with a couple of pickles.

It's hard to imagine that this winning formula has changed much over the years, and even harder to imagine that it ever will.

A Cheeseburger From Burger Radio in Denver, CO

Colorado—Boulder in particular—was an oasis of vegetables and awesome beer. We spent two nights there feasting on local produce in various forms. That said, a good, messy burger is still darn easy to love, and the guys at Burger Radio, a Denver-based food truck, do it right.

It's pretty clear they read Serious Eats from their menu. They've got Shake Shack-style shroom burgers, smashed patties, and of course, their own take on Adam Kuban's Fatty Melt (that'd be a burger with two grilled cheese sandwiches as its bun).

But the real draw is their straight up Double Cheeseburger. Two ultra-messy patties cooked on a flat top and held together with passion, hope, and a bit of American cheese. Griddled onions, bacon, and chopped pickles finish it off.

The burger is huge, but if you've got the space, check out their poutine, one of the most authentic renditions I've seen.

Pupusas from Pupusas Sabor Hispano in Boulder, CO

I've been in love with pupusas ever since working with a Salvadoran prep cook ages ago in Boston. She'd make up batches of the disk-shaped, cheese-stuffed corn cakes for family meal. It's tough to find great pupusas in general and I didn't expect to run into them in Boulder, but there they were, in all their crisp, light, cheese-stuffed glory.

Pupuseria Sabor Hispano deigns to serve their pupusas with rice and beans instead of the traditional chopped cabbage curtido, but it's a minor complaint that's easily made up for with a top-notch salsa bar.

Chile Relleno From Fiesta Mexicana in Moab, UT

I have a soft spot in my heart for "hot plate" Mexican food (you know, the kind of place where the waiter tells you "careful, hot plate!" every time they serve you?), and it might just be that I had a less discerning palate when I was a little kid, but I feel like I haven't had a really great platter of Mexican-American food for year, and it's not for lack of trying!

Fiesta Mexicana in Moab, UT solved that dilemma nicely with an exemplary chile relleno platter, complete with refried beans, ice cream-scooped guacamole, a gigantic well margarita, and red rice that was just starting to get crusty along the top from a stay in a wicked hot oven.

The giant red plateaus and arches around Moab also made for one of the nicest drives in 10 days of gorgeous driving.

[Photographs: Donna Currie]

I'm not exactly sure what to call the Lekue Silicone Bread Maker ($35). I mean, they call it a bread maker, but it's really more of a bread pan that can be used as a bowl. It doesn't actually do any making of bread.

The idea is that you can mix your bread ingredients in the bowl, do the kneading in the bowl, close it up and cover the open ends to let it rise, then shape, rise, and bake, all in the same container. It all makes perfect sense for me, except when it comes to kneading in the bowl—if I'm hand-kneading, I prefer to do that on a clean counter top. But I suppose there might be reasons why someone would prefer to do their kneading in a container.

The best thing about using this as a bread pan is that the resulting bread is a unique shape—a cross between a football and a submarine, with slices being nearly round. I've bought plenty of baking equipment just because I like the shape, so I'm more than happy to add this to my arsenal.

A bonus is that because the bread bakes in an enclosed space that holds in the steam, you get a crisp crust—one that browns nicely, to boot. And, since the bread maker is made from silicone, it's microwave (and dishwasher) safe. Not that you'd bake bread in the microwave, but it's perfect for cooking, say, zapping some corn on the cob if you're so inclined. If you leave it closed after cooking, it will also help keep the corn nice and warm.

And, of course, you can cook, bake, or roast other foods in it as well. I'd like this even if it was just a bread pan, because it turns out beautifully-shaped loaves; the fact that it can be used for a variety of items is just icing on the cake.

About the author: Resident yeast whisperer and bread baking columnist Donna Currie also has a serious gadget habit. When her father-in-law heard about this column, he upgraded the nickname for her kitchen from "gadget world" to "gadget heaven." You can find her on her blog, Cookistry or follow her on Twitter at @dbcurrie.

Disclaimer: Testing samples were provided to Serious Eats.

The Unicode Consortium has spoken! The world will receive 250 new emoji next month, which means 250 new ways to express feelings, thoughts, and sexual intent when all our words fail us. Among the highlights, including a variety of weather emoji (for better texting small talk?), there is finally (finally) ... More »

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Photo by Dan Celio via Facebook.