Is there a more tempting sign? (Photo by House of Sims) That perfectly round circle of dough: sometimes glazed; sometimes filled with sweet, sweet jelly; always fluffy -- and best when "Hot Now." Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Krispy Kreme donut. Like the millions of others who have succumbed to the sweet indulgence of this little ring of flour, yeast, and sugar since July 13, 1937, my own first encounter with a Krispy Kreme was an instant revelation: I had to have a second one right away! The company's success story began in Winston-Salem, NC, when Rudolph Vernon, who had previously worked in donut shops with his uncle in Kentucky and Tennessee, decided to open his own shop. The legend says that he chose Winston-Salem after looking at a pack of Camel cigarettes and seeing they were manufactured there. Using a recipe his uncle had bought from a Frenchman in Louisiana, Rudolph began by selling donuts to stores around town, but soon customers, attracted by the irresistibly delicious smells emanating from the Krispy Kreme kitchens, wanted to cut out the middleman and buy directly from Vernon. When mechanization came along the 1950's, the days of hand-cut donuts were over, to be replaced by Krispy Kremes that were cut, cooked, and glazed automatically. The donut-making theatre became a local attraction that expanded to New York City in 1996 and Los Angeles three years later. The world had to wait until 2001 to eat Krispy Kremes, though, when the company expanded to Canada, Australia, Mexico, and England, adding to the happy throngs who can enjoy the sweet treat. Once you've sunk your teeth into the 200+ calories, it's time to exercise! And what better way than the "Tour de Donut," which has been held annually in Staunton, IL since 1989? Participants of this 32-mile race get minutes deducted from their total time for each donut they eat during the two pit stops. You can also take the "Krispy Kreme Challenge" in Raleigh, NC: run two miles, eat a dozen donuts, and run two more miles -- all in less than one hour. If you're more into savory pleasures, the "Luther Burger" will definitely end your hunger. Popularized by the Gateway Grizzlies minor league baseball club. it consists of a cheeseburger, two strips of bacon, and a sliced Krispy Kreme instead of a regular bun. For the investment of only 1000 calories and 45 grams of fat, you get a full combo menu ... and maybe a heart attack! Suggested Sites... Krispy Kreme: The Success Story - detailed chronology of the maker of the "original glazed." Krispy Kreme Fun Facts - in one week, Krispy Kreme produces enough doughnuts to stretch from Los Angeles to New York City. Around the World in 80 Donuts - from the French beignet to Iceland's kleinuhringur, all the international variations of the donut. National Museum of American History: Krispy Kreme - corporate records and history from 1937 to 1997. Mmm Donuts - words of wisdom from Homer Simpson.

Directory categories: Donut Shops, Donut Recipes, Desserts and Sweets, Restaurants

Archived under: 1930s, American History, Anniversaries, Baking, Brands, Desserts, Donuts, Eating, Fast Food, Food and Drink, Fried Food, Hamburgers, History, In Character, Inventors, Junk Food, Races, Restaurants, United States

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The Automat in 1936 (Photo from Bob Bobster) Once upon a time, five cents went a long way. You could make a phone call, ride the subway, or buy a newspaper (though you couldn't get a "good cigar," apparently…) This was especially true in Manhattan, when New Yorkers with a fistful of nickels could eat, if not the best food in town, certainly the fastest, by going to the Automat. Automats in America were an invention of the Horn & Hardart Company. While there were never more than a handful in New York and Philadelphia, they made a quick and indelible mark on American society, beginning on July 7, 1912. The idea behind the restaurant was simple and democratic. Anyone with a nickel -- from socialite to panhandler -- could enter the restaurant, sit at one of the immaculate tables, and enjoy hot meals, sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, pies, and what was reputed to be the best coffee in town, served hot from a chrome dolphin’s head. Horn & Hardart pioneered drip-brewed coffee and the java served was never more than twenty minutes old. In the 1950s, they served more than 90 million cups annually. (By comparison, in 2006, Starbucks sold nearly 1.5 billion cups of joe -- but since they had more than 12,000 locations; that's only 125,000 per store.) While the bill of fare at the Automat was never more than what you’d find at a really good cafeteria, it was the uniqueness of the method of payment that brought folks back. Patrons could enter with bills or coins, go to the central change booths (staffed by "nickel throwers"), and get as many nickels as they needed. Once they had their change, diners would proceed to a wall of small glass doors (behind which waited cold and hot foods), and drop as many nickels into the slot as were needed to pay. They’d then slide the door open, remove the food (which was instantly replenished from the huge kitchens on the other side of the wall), and sit down (or stand at the post office-like counters for a "perpendicular meal"). Of course, for some, not even nickels were necessary; many Depression-era diners were able to enjoy hot meals by making "Automat Tomato Soup," which combined the restaurant’s free hot water and ketchup. As with most good things, the Automat couldn't last. The combination of rising prices and the proliferation of fast-food restaurants (not to mention real estate values) made the Automats museum pieces, fit only for nostalgists. The spaces were converted to Burger Kings, and in 1991, the last Automat closed. (And even that space has since been turned into a Gap.) In 2006, a trio of entrepreneurs opened an updated version of the concept in New York's Greenwich Village, but it, too, shuttered earlier this year, a victim of costs (and mediocre reviews). That may seem like the end of the road, but a 35-foot section of the Philadelphia automat lives on at (where else?) the Smithsonian Institution in Washington. Unfortunately, there's no pie behind those windows any more. Suggested Sites... The Automat - the history, recipes, and allure of Horn & Hardart's masterpiece. Meet Me at the Automat - history of the restaurants from Smithsonian Magazine. Bamn! - the recent attempt at recreating the Automat format. Automat Recipes - recreate the mac and cheese, baked beans, and creamed spinach. Last Day at the Automat - listen to an audio report on the closing of the last Automat.

Directory categories: Restaurants, Fast Food, New York Restaurants, Manhattan History, Food and Drink History

Archived under: 1910s, 1930s, American History, Anniversaries, Disappearances, Eating, Fast Food, Food and Drink, New York, Pennsylvania, Restaurants, Tourist Attractions, United States

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"What are YOU doing this weekend?" (Photo by Veronica ML) Ah, the lazy days of summer are here. Wait -- "lazy?" We Americans are lazy enough already, according to this month’s American Journal of Medicine. That means it’s time to get out, get active, and to take advantage of some summertime activities! Nothing on your calendar? No problem! Ours is packed through the season. Here are just a few ideas for just this weekend: In major metropolitan areas, of course, there’s always something going on. If you’re anywhere near Chicago, this weekend is "Taste of Chicago," with free admission and filled with food and music. Speaking of music, everyone in Dallas is likely lined up for the "American Idol" auditions. If you missed registering in Texas, get your plane tickets now for one of the upcoming auditions in Los Angeles, Orlando, or Denver. Are there events geared toward those who want to get or stay fit this summer? Certainly! Remember the "Seinfeld" episode where Kramer swims in the East River because the pool is too constricting? It turns out there's a gaggle of like-minded New Yorkers who are swimming around Liberty Island today. If you can't make it, don’t worry; they have more events scheduled. Of course, you don’t have to live in the big city to find cool things to do. Wherever you are, you can still participate in "Take Your Dog to Work Day" (provided your employer approves, of course!), Some folks in Petaluma, California, however, will be skipping work with their pooches to visit the Sonoma-Marin Fair and enter the "World’s Ugliest Dog Contest." If the thought of big crowds and rats on leashes makes you want to just stay home -- or if you’re just saving all your energy for the Fourth of July weekend -- you can still get involved by watching other people push the limits of hockey, golf, or pure speed. Just don’t say you’re bored!

Directory categories: American Idol, Recreation in Manhattan, Chicago Travel Guides, Activities for Dogs, Sports

Archived under: American Idol, Animals, Boredom, Calendars, Chicago, Cities, Contests, Dogs, Eating, Entertainment, Events, Festivals, Food and Drink, Health, Outdoors, Pets, Recreation and Travel, Regional, Seinfeld, Sports, Summer, Swimming, Tourist Attractions, Travel, Vacations

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"Bottoms up!" The Elite Cafe's oyster shooter (Photo by jessbess1) Of all the foods that can evoke strong feelings, the oyster takes the crown. It can provoke swoons of delight or disgust. It is an aphrodisiac and a delicacy. But did you ever think that the oyster leads "a dreadful but exciting life" characterized by "stress, passion, and danger?" Those are the words of M.F.K. Fisher, the celebrated food writer who died 17 years ago this week. Of her many books on eating simply and well, my favorite is "Consider the Oyster," published in 1941. Reading this slim book inspired me to go on an oyster crawl in my own San Francisco neighborhood, where the oyster has become a staple of happy hours. My fellow Yahoo! editor Jessica and I began our "Pac Heights Oyster Crawl" at the revered Swan's Oyster Depot. To be honest, in all my time living in San Francisco, I had never once ventured into this famously divey seafood bar, despite walking past it every day. We sat down just in time for the friendly guys behind the bar to serve up some super-fresh seafood cocktails (shrimp, crab, lobster meat, and clams topped with a big Blue Point oyster) and sourdough bread. Halfway through my beer, our oysters arrived: two kinds of Miyagi oysters (one local from Tomales Bay and the other from Washington state) and sweet Kumamotos (Jessica's favorites). All were crisp and clean. The oyster starts out his "devil-may-care" infancy as a male, but that quickly changes. Fisher tells us in her book that "one day, maternal longings surge between his two valves in his cold guts and gills and all his crinkly fringes. Necessity, that well-known mother, makes him one. He is a she." Just as quickly as the oyster changes its identity, we hopped into a cab to hit our next oyster destination, The Elite Café. The restaurant's $1 happy hour ends at 6 p.m., and we were not about to miss it. From the handful of oysters at the bar (two types were $1, the rest were $2 each), we sampled the buttery Skookum, the strong, bright Hama Hama (my own favorite), and a few Kumamotos. The bar's exceptional cocktail list includes an "Oyster Shooter" (an oyster swimming in jalapeno vodka and cocktail sauce). While Jessica sipped on her very sophisticated Blanton's bourbon over ice, I dared to down the shooter. Only when the oyster becomes a female does it gain the appearance that is familiar to most diners. "She has grown into a gray-white oval shape, with shades of green or ocher or black in her gills and a rudimentary brain in the forepart of her blind deaf body," Fisher writes. Oh, no, the oyster has a "rudimentary brain?" Feeling guilty about subjecting the poor oyster to jalapeno vodka (and my esophagus), we moved sluggishly onto our final destination, the Woodhouse Fish Company. A new addition to the ‘hood, this small local chain's $1 oyster happy hour offered creamy Dabob Bay oysters on a bed of seaweed and ice. (We didn't have the stamina to sample the restaurant's BBQ oysters.) Our resolve to sample the slippery, raw bivalves was wearing thin, though the restaurant's potato gratin and French fries more than rounded out our meal. The life of an oyster is short, Fisher writes. "Its chilly, delicate gray body slips into a stewpan or under a broiler or alive down a red throat, and it is done." And so was our first oyster crawl -- but it is definitely not our last. As Fisher writes, "[The oyster's] life has been thoughtless but no less full of danger, and now that it is over we are perhaps better for it." Suggested Sites... What Kind of Oyster Eater Are You? - shrinking violet, brine hound, or the wild one? How to Order Oysters at a Raw Bar - ... and look cool doing it. The Oyster Guide - like wine and cheese, oysters owe much of their flavor to terroir. How to Shuck an Oyster - without injuring yourself. SF Weekly: The Dollar Oyster List - the best in bargain Bay bivalves.

Directory categories: M.F.K. Fisher, Oyster Recipes, San Francisco Restaurants, Seafood Recipes, Food Writers

Archived under: Authors, California, Eating, Food and Drink, In Character, Restaurants, San Francisco, Writers

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Rachel Carson in 1940 A couple of months ago, First Lady Michelle Obama planted a vegetable garden at the White House with the help of some students. Hers is the first such garden at the White House since Eleanor Roosevelt's during World War II. Her efforts reflect the nation's growing interest in organic foods, but some agronomic professionals seem to fear that Mrs. Obama does not recognize the benefits of pesticides and fertilizers for our modern food supply. In fact, the Mid America CropLife Association (MACA) addressed a letter to her detailing the important role conventional agriculture plays in "feeding the ever-increasing population, contributing to the U.S. economy, and providing a safe and economical food supply." They also hasten to mention that "children are unaware that the jeans they put on in the morning … are available because of America’s farmers and ranchers." MACA's letter most likely will not change Mrs. Obama’s gardening methods, but they get points for trying. Whatever the reason for the rise in popularity of organically-grown foods, suspicion of chemical pesticides and new technologies in agriculture is nothing new. More than fifty years ago, in fact, a seed was planted in the mind of marine biologist Rachel Carson when a friend wrote her a letter out of concern that a number of birds near her home were dying, apparently as a result of aerial spraying of the pesticide DDT. Although Carson was already concerned about this issue, her friend's letter highlighted the need for action. The seed from that letter would grow into "Silent Spring," her famous book that was first sampled in serial form in "The New Yorker" in June of 1962 and harvested -- er -- published in the fall of that year. Carson's exploration of the potentially harmful effects of DDT on animals, the environment, and humans was of immeasurable benefit to the modern environmental movement. While her book was immensely popular from the start, it was not met with universal acclaim. One former former chemical industry spokesman claimed that if Carson's teachings were followed, "insects and diseases and vermin would once again inherit the earth." DDT has been banned in American agriculture for some time now, but as technology presses on, new chemicals are being created, and with them come new problems. A pesticide that was sprayed in communities on the central coast of California was blamed for bird deaths and human health problems. Use of that particular chemical appears to have been shelved -- at least for the moment. Wherever you stand on the issue of spraying crops, you may be one of the many people who are currently putting together a backyard vegetable garden. Here at Yahoo!, we recently saw a surge in web searches by folks seeking information on how to start their own home gardens. Inspired by Michelle Obama? Avoiding the bug sprays but not wanting to shell out for pricey organics? Heck -- not wanting to shell out for pricey conventionals? Whatever your reason, we have many resources for you in our Directory, whether you want to compost and raise chickens, or just want to grow some tomatoes in a pot. Bon Appétit! Suggested Sites... HGTV - Vegetables - videos and articles with ideas for your veggie garden. Companion Planting - guide helps solve garden problems without chemicals. Path to Freedom - a journal for urban homesteaders. Rachel Carson Homestead - learn about Carson's legacy - you can even buy a pound of Rachel Carson coffee! "A Tale of Six Cities" by John F. Lauerman - read about the history of laws that protect public health.

Directory categories: Rachel Carson, Environmentalism, Vegetable Gardening, Organic Gardening, Crop Protection

Archived under: 1960s, American History, Authors, Biographies, Books, DIY, Environment, First Ladies, Food and Drink, Gardening, Green Living, Home and Garden, Insects, Pollution, Scientists, Society and Culture, The New Yorker, Vegetables

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