Meatball battle!

I know I know...it's been a while but I'm not going to apologise. Most of the time I prefer to eat food rather than write about it. However you're fortunate that on this occasion I felt this particular event warranted a post.

This all came about when two girls had a very mature debate about which meatballs they preferred, Costco or Ikea. Now there's no better way to settle this than to prepare a taste test. There's no way the JFC would miss this, not even for a Felix Baumgartner skydive.

Venue decided, meatballs purchased, it was time to cook. The sauce and pasta selected for this test was largely irrelevant. Spaghetti is your obvious choice of pasta and despite my initial disappointment with an off the shelf pasta sauce, I was impressed with the selection.

Now on to the competitors! In the frozen corner we had Ikea's famous offering named Kottbullar that simply translates to Swedish meatballs.

In the chilled corner we have the Costco offering....quite simply put "Delicious hot or cold". Already a point to Costco on packaging and a dual temperature offering!

On to the most important aspect of the test, the taste. Initially we debated on whether there was a possibility both offerings originated from the same source but I was soon to find out this wasn't so. My generous chefs for the evening placed one of each meatball on my plate and based simply on appearance I couldn't tell them apart. To be frank though I don't think I gave myself enough time to admire them aesthetically before delving in.

The first meatball I bit into tasted very meaty and in some ways a little artificial. It reminded me a little of school dinners (which isn't always a bad thing). The second meatball was very similar in texture but with a more subtle and authentic taste about it. It was clear within one bite of each which one was my winner (I didn't eat them whole...honest!)

There were 4 of us voting and the overall result was....unanimous! Everyone preferred the Costco offering even the little petty one that originally sparked off the debate and favoured Ikea (and myself).

The JFC couldn't help but get his hands involved and also prepared some homemade alternatives that were pretty well received. If you're interested in the recipe then I'm happy to share that.

So the evening produced a unanimous victor in Costco. Do you have any suggestions to rival this wholesale meatball? I'd be more than happy to taste test them!

Reminiscing...

It is exactly a month to the day since I last posted on here, when I was still in the States. An epic journey driving across the country via Route 66 consisting of 2800 miles and 50 hours in the car. More importantly a lot of (junk) food was consumed in this period! I'm going focus things back on the East coast though for this post. The previous two posts have already detailed establishments that were visited on the East coast but I want to mention another, this time in New York.

On an early evening in NYC, having just made a trip to Staten Island we made the journey up to Chinatown.
Hungry and impatient, I made an executive decision not to wait 45 minutes for dim sum but instead to hail a cab to take us to New York's Lower East Side. What brought us there you might wonder? Well... a deli with over 100 years of history, Katz's Delicatessen.

Having featured on Man v Food, this alone was enough justification for making a stop, it would simply be rude not to right? Adam Richman came here and ordered a Reuben sandwich so you can figure out what I ordered from the menu. The Reuben sandwich consists of corned beef, sauerkraut, swiss cheese and homemade Russian dressing in between untoasted rye bread. However, just to make things more interesting I added pastrami to mine and I must say it's the best pastrami I've ever tasted! It simply melts in your mouth like a good steak.

As you can see in the above photo, I foolishly ordered a side of coleslaw with mine. I managed to devour the sandwich without any problems but I'm ashamed to admit I left about half the coleslaw. Despite this I popped next door for two scoops of gelato at il laboratoria del gelato.

The ice cream parlour is built upon a open kitchen that they call "The Lab". Chefs and caterers are actually encouraged to work with them to develop new flavours. That's certainly given me some food for thought... no pun intended there...honest!

I opted for passion fruit sorbet and tarragon ice cream just to be different for a change. The texture was spot on with just the right amount of creaminess. The tarragon flavour was surprisingly tasty and not too overpowering, the perfect accompaniment to the passion fruit sorbet.

So there we go ladies and gents...that's enough reminiscing for one night, it's getting late and I'm getting hungry again! 

As Seen On TV

Howdy y'all! Don't worry I've not turned into a American, not yet anyway. Although the way I've been eating the past week I'll soon feel right at home over here. So you must be wondering where my travels have taken me to now right?

Well..... Washington is full of landmarks like Capitol Hill, The White House and the Lincoln Memorial but before exploring these sites I visited a hidden landmark. Unfortunately for me it didn't involve a mysterious adventure like something out of National Treasure. A short journey on the yellow line took us to The Original Ben's Chili Bowl as seen on Man v. Food.

As you can see from the image, it clearly states that it's a landmark and even the likes of President Obama have eaten there so it can't be bad! There's a wall of fame displaying photos of celebrities that have visited the joint, something I've noticed that is quite common over here in eateries.

I went for the Chili half smoke as it's Ben's signature dish. This consists of a half pork, half beef sausage on a hot dog bun topped with mustard, onions and their home made chili. Surprisingly the chili isn't very spicy but did taste divine, I could easily have eaten another one but the long queues deterred me from doing so.

I must add that, I've been in the States for over a week now and it's still one of the best things I've eaten so far, especially if you take value for money into account too. Forget the other landmarks, you need to start your tour of the city with a stop at Ben's Chili Bowl.

Pound For Pound

It's been a good few days now in the United States for the Junk Food Connoisseur and his friends. We've been eating things such as bagels, Papa John's pizza to the more luxurious item of oysters in Boston. It's been a pleasant stay in Boston, walking the Freedom Trail and completing the 294 steps up Bunker Hill (to help stir up an appetite).

Yesterday we ventured on to Washington DC, the next stop on our tour of America. Having been in the country a couple of days it was probably considered a crime that we still hadn't consumed a burger yet. Well....clearly this needed addressing! Prior to watching the NHL game between the Washington Capitals vs Florida Panthers we stumbled into Fuddruckers. It was more a case of indecisiveness and there were hungry mouths to feed.

The first thing that comes to mind when scanning the menu is that the smallest sized burger is a 1/3 pounder with the largest weighing in at an entire pound. Had any doubts I was in America beforehand? No questions now surely! I've opted to start slow and chose a 1/3 pound Inferno burger consisting of jalapenos, caramelised onions and Pepper Jack cheese. You're even asked how you want the burger cooked! 

There's quite a considerable wait because the burger is cooked the way you want it and this time is also proportional to the size of the burger. The estimated cooking time of a pound burger is 15 minutes meaning a hungry man has to be a very patient one too.

There is a salad and sauce section upon receiving your burger that is entirely self-serve. I love my burgers fully loaded and put on plenty of lettuce, tomatoes and onions....oh and yet more jalapenos too! I do wonder how I would have managed to fit a whole pounder in my mouth with the salad.

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My burger was consumed within minutes and my only regret now is not opting for a larger burger. Next time I'll know better but as any good fighter knows, you start at a weight you're comfortable in and work your way up to heavyweight champion of the world!

Stateside

For those that don't know, the Junk Food Connoisseur is going Stateside on a mini adventure for a few weeks. The home of hamburgers, hotdogs and everything extra large super sized.

In preparation for my visit I've been watching a lot of Man vs Food episodes and researching on the web. As cliché as it may sound, the below McDonalds in Chicago is a must visit and there's no other way to satisfy your hunger out there than with a Super Size meal!

Just a few of the other places on the list include Gino's pizzeria in Chicago, The Cheesecake factory, Bellagio buffet and the challenge I'm planning on attempting at Orochon Ramen in Los Angeles.


Stay tuned, I'll be trying to post updates during my travels when I'm not busy scoffing my face! 

Sumo Sunday

Fear not readers, despite the fact I've probably gained a few pounds recently I have not taken up a new sport in Sumo wrestling. In fact the Sumo Sunday refers to the sushi buffet available at Yo Sushi on Sunday's. This was first made available around September last year (only on Sunday) but it wasn't until last month that I made a visit (or two) to sample the buffet.

Yo Sushi isn't new to me but I tend to only visit when there's an offer on. For someone that often eats plates into double digits this can become rather expensive! Oh how much more I must have cost my parents to raise compared to the average child?

The terms of the buffet state that it only includes plates on the belt. However, on my second visit I arrived with it approaching closing time. As a result of this I was able to order several items that I wasn't charged extra for so this is certainly worth bearing in mind.

Below are a few of my favourite items.

Gyozas

Chicken Katsu Curry

Beef Nigri

Let's be honest now, Yo Sushi isn't the most authentic Japanese restaurant around but I live in Manchester and there's a distinct lack of choice. At £18.50 for the buffet too, there are better options available if you're flexible with the type of food. Despite my harsh comments, I still made two visits last month!

The Cookie Monster

Today marks the 100 year anniversary of the Oreo cookie. It's still quite a popular cookie in this country but it doesn't seem to have the same popularity as it does back in America where it is the country's top selling cookie. The general consensus in this country is that they are over-rated despite their success. It seems that over the recent years, they've become more popular for their use in recipes such as milkshakes, cheesecakes and cupcakes rather than for the cookie itself.

You must all be wondering how I celebrated such a momentous day in history? Well, this afternoon whilst reading an article about the Oreo's legacy I came across several Oreo recipes. The one that caught my eye the most and appeared to be the simplest was one for Oreo truffles. For those interested, the recipe can be found here

As you can see, the presentation doesn't quite match that of the recipe. It's certainly tasty but they are probably too rich for most folk. I may attempt this recipe again but it depends how well received they are at work.

Meal Deal

There are occasions when timing is simply impeccable. Last night my cousin asked if I'd eaten dinner yet as she was offering to prepare a chicken sandwich for me. Fortunately for me I was only minutes for knocking something up myself.  Her meal may have only consisted of placing a few items in the oven but I'm still grateful for the offer. This also gave me a chance to review various new items in one go and besides, the Junk Food Connoisseur always has room for food.

Warburton's have yet another new product on the supermarket shelves. This time it's a bread based in white sliced sandwich thins. They look similar to a thinly sliced version of pitta bread.

Birds Eye Southern Fried Chicken can always be found in my freezer for unplanned chicken burger moments. They go well in a pitta, naan, panini or in this occasion sandwich thins. For those who like me who like a little spice in their life I would suggest the hot version.

The McCain Crispy French Fries are new to me, I'm not sure how long they've been around for but I've always favoured their Southern Fries or Curly Fries.

Yet another Birds Eye product, here we have a limited edition Crispy King Prawns Garlic & Herb flavour. I've never tried any of their King Prawn range so this was a first for me but a good choice for a side dish.

Here is the masterpiece in all it's glory. The southern fried chicken embedded within the sandwich thins was accompanied with a slice of melted cheddar cheese topped with mayonnaise and salad cream. The french fries were very crispy despite being oven cooked. I've tried a lot of the McCain range of frozen chips and this ranks up there as one of the best.

I usually make chicken burgers at home with panini bread but the new Warburton sandwich thins get the thumbs up from me and I'll be using these from now on. The fries are certainly worth having in your freezer but they could do with some light seasoning. It's important to space them out on the tray to ensure crispiness throughout. The crispy King Prawns were very strong in flavour but as you'd expect from frozen products, the quality of prawn will never quite match those of the fresh variety. However, they are a limited edition and based on the flavour they are a nice to have in your freezer.

There we have it, several new products at once that all get the thumbs up from me. 

Join the club

There's nothing more satisfying than picking yourself up a bargain. A visit to Marks & Spencer Simply Food last night had me scouring the aisles for items drastically reduced in price. The section I usually attack first is the sandwiches section. Even with closing time looming this section is often populated with reduced sandwiches. However, the fillings don't fair very well with a junk food connoisseur and usually consists of Egg and Cress or Egg Mayo. On this occasion the Club sandwich caught my eye and at a reduced price of £1.25 from £3.00 it was too good to turn down.

Anyway, enough about discounts, after all this isn't a money saving blog. Let's move on to more important matters such as what the Club sandwich contains. Each half contains 3 slices of toasted oatmeal bread filled with chicken, bacon, mature Cheddar, vine ripened tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce and seasoned mayonnaise. There are a lot of ingredients but they all fuse together very well with the seasoned mayonnaise and Cheddar having a prominent flavour. The cucumber offers a nice crunch in between the 3 layers of bread. It's the toasted bread that I'm not overly a fan of but it wouldn't be a Club sandwich without this.

As you can see from the nutritional information, it's a sandwich any junk food connoisseur would be proud of. Weighing in at 575 calories per pack with 26.7g of fat. Throw in a packet of crisps and an orange juice and you're looking at a whooping 1000+ calories lunch. Despite it being a favourite of mine this heavyweight sandwich is not recommended for regular daily consumption.

For a sandwich that's purchased from a supermarket this certainly ranks up there as one of the best and at the price I paid, it tastes even better. A deep filled sandwich at discount price to keep my pockets deep filled. Do you agree with me or is there another supermarket sandwich that can rival this?

Do you feel like chicken tonight?

I came across a news article tonight about a girl who has eaten nothing but chicken nuggets since she was two. Despite reading this article on a UK based news website my initial thoughts were that she probably resides in the US not UK. I must admit I was also expecting the girl to be obese but was surprised to see that she "appears" to look healthy which goes to show that appearances are deceiving after all.

It's astonishing that it's taken her this long to concede that her chicken nugget only diet is having a negative effect on her health. There is a plus side to all this though, least she's a cheap date for her boyfriend.

For those that aren't aware, chicken nuggets are generally produced from bad chickens grounded to the bone and combined with preservatives. There are many videos on the web that illustrate this and one particular clip I'm a fan of is Jamie Oliver's, from his US school dinners series. Unfortunately in the US version he fails miserably to convince the school children that processed meat is bad.

Admittedly I do find chicken nuggets tasty but as with everything else in life, they should be consumed in moderation. Alternatively, you can try making them yourselves and then you're guaranteed they'll be free of preservatives.

This is just another reminder that despite the fact I promote junk food products, it's very important to have a varied and balanced diet coupled with regular bouts of exercise. Go on, treat yourself then!

Meals on wheels

Laziness is an obstacle in life that we must overcome on a regular basis. The ever growing popularity of the Internet has hindered rather than helped our idleness. Gifts, groceries and even takeaways can now be ordered online and delivered to your door step thus removing the need for the little effort it requires your legs to carry you through the aisles of your local supermarket.

At work this week a trolley service has been introduced by a firm named Superior Sandwiches. Quite simply put, it's a lady (maybe a cleaner) pushing a trolley full of refreshments for sale around the office floors during lunch hours.

There are a wide variety of items available from pork pies to custard tarts, soups to yoghurts and of course the usual suspects like wraps and sandwiches. The three tiered trolley has attracted a lot of attention but either the quality or pricing has deterred the majority.

As good as food delivered to your desk sounds, they are not encouraging signs when several employees who could benefit from the brisk walk to the local convenience store are seen purchasing multiple items. To make matters worse, I noticed the lady do the rounds on our floor not once, not twice but three times. She's clearly discovered a few weak souls on the floor that she can capitalise from and fair play to her. As much I'm criticising the service, it's a welcome addition and there are occasions when this will be beneficial. Besides, their offerings are a far better option than the sandwiches available in our vending machine. 

Working in an office and being sat staring at a computer for numerous hours a day makes it even more important to get some fresh air at lunchtime. Despite the fact that I'm preaching this, I am often guilty of walking no further than 20 yards to the canteen.

Unfortunately for you readers I haven't sampled anything from the trolley service. Sooner or later though the laziness will overpower me. I just need to make sure I don't go for seconds!

Luncheon Meat

It occurred to me the other night that I'd not blogged yet this year and I know my readers in Singapore will probably be quite concerned that I'm not eating this year. Fear not Singaporeans, I am not on a diet!

As it is January I've been making a conscious effort to bring my own lunch into work. On Monday I had prepared Fried Udon with Luncheon Meat otherwise known as Spam. This brings me on to the product of Luncheon Meat, something that you're certain to find in the cupboards of a Chinese household. However, as controversial as it may sound, us Orientals don't opt for the Western option. Instead, we purchase our own variation from the East, Ma Ling "Premium" Luncheon Meat.

OK, you got me there, as it says on the tin it's produced in Holland but the essence is that of the East. Personally, I have no preference as to which brand I purchase but I do find that Spam is slightly saltier than the Eastern alternatives. Either way, Luncheon Meat is a great accompaniment to noodles, fried rice or in my case sandwiches too cooked or uncooked. If you've never tried it, give it a go, it's the future! It's meat in a tin, forget Tuna that's far too healthy!

For those of you intrigued by the lunch I prepared on Monday, below is a photo. Pan fried with garlic, onions and soy sauce it only takes a few minutes to cook yet even less to devour!