BOOK’S FOODIE: Are these “the 20 best Italian restaurants in America”?

An article at TimeOut.com claim they’ve found “the 20 best Italian restaurants” in the United States but have they been to each and every one, or are these just “the ideal ones”? I love Italian food but I’ve done a minuscule amount of traveling, so I can’t say I’ve been anywhere out of my region for some mind-blowing Italian food. There is a local Italian restaurant called Carmine’s, that was excellent and sadly I only went there once. A part of me would love to go to someone’s house and sit in for dinner, just to have the food “within a circle of family and friends”, but I’d be afraid I would be there until the next morning.

Nonetheless, who are on this list of the Top 20? On the west coast, there are some restaurants in Los Angeles and San Francisco but as for up here in the Pacific Northwest? You have to look at the 503 (that’s the area code of Portland) to see what is being put on the plate in Rose City. You can take a look at the full list by clicking here.

BOOK’S FOODIE: The guy who survived on pizza for 25 years (from Munchies)

If I could have survived on pizza for the last 25 years, it would have eliminated some of the things I’m going through right now. I absolutely love pizza, and perhaps it’s true about consuming things in “moderation” but for me, I wish I was a bit more strong in that department. However, the man in this video says he has eaten pizza for 25 years and apparently is healthy. This comes courtesy of the Munchies channel.

BOOK’S FOODIE: Side Dish: In the Kitchen with Andrea Volpini

Discovered a new channel this weekend called Backyard Bite and this video was of interest to me. I love the Italian food I’ve tried so far and would love to try and know more. Backyard Bite creator Amy Shuster spoke with chef Andrea Volpini to talk about Italian food and find out how to make tagliatelle pasta al ragù. Good stuff.

BOOK’S FOODIE: Tiny Spaghetti Bolognese (Edible) (from Akameru Kawaii)

Before watching this video, I didn’t know Kawaii Cooking was a thing, but apparently it is. Kawaii Cooking is also the name of the show which focuses on tiny cooking, and in this case “tiny” means miniature. Watch the video and you’ll understand. The recipe here is for “tiny spaghetti bolognese” and yes, it was made with a tiny stove. It’s a bit curious but interesting in its own way.

This comes from the Akameru Kawaii channel, where the host has over 60 other videos to check out.

BOOK’S FOODIE: Microwave Mexican Lasagna – 3 Minute Recipe (from The Brothers Green)

When I saw the description of this, I wondered would I actually make an effort to make something like this? There are a few reasons I would:
1) I’m hungry
2) I don’t have much money in my pocket
3) I have the ingredients immediately available
4) I’m broke, still

The Brothers Green come to the rescue again, and don’t excuse this as being something that’s only for college kids but if you are attending college and don’t feel like a super wizard chef, you don’t have to be if you want to be fed. Three minutes isn’t a lot of time, and you probably spend three minutes picking crud out of your toenails while watching Judge Judy, so make something that smells and tastes much better than toe crud. You might be able to impress someone with your cooking skills, however minimal. That other person may have some Parmesan cheese, but please make sure it is cheese and not someone who colleges baggies of their toe crud.

BOOK’S FOODIE: A Pasta Story (The Perennial Plate’s Real Food World Tour)

Put together by The Perennial Plate and posted on the Tastemade YouTube channel, A Pasta Story is a 5-minute video that focuses on a family in Italy who have a true love for pasta making.

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BOOK’S FOODIE: Japanized Spaghetti? Recipe for “wafu pasuta”

Spaghetti was my formal introduction to Italian food, and I would love to explore more styles of Italian food, perhaps with a trip to Italy one day. I love spaghetti, and I also enjoy it when I hear about different cultures mixing up different styles of cooking to create a dish. I’ve never heard of Japanese spaghetti, but is it possible? Obviously, anything is possible but it’s another thing to see that anything turned into something, or a bit of reality. Richard Blaine of the MrEZCooking Channel on YouTube has a number of fine videos featuring him cooking delicious-looking dishes, which must be even more tasty in person and this one sparked my interest. It’s someting he calls “wafu pasuta”, and he gets more in detail on the page for the video. I must try to make this someday.

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