SeedSing Classic: An Ode to a Tomahawk Steak I Recently Ate

This article was originally published on March 3rd, 2023

During Valentine's Day my wife got me a tomahawk steak. I have seen these on cooking shows a lot and I was intrigued. These steaks are humongous and they have a bone sticking out of them. They are marbled nicely and from what the people on the cooking shows say, they taste great.

This is a Valentine's Day thing in my house. We don’t do big gifts, but my wife does like to make a nice meal. That is my gift, the meal. So when she surprised me with these tomahawk steaks this year I was stoked. We didn't really know how to cook them, but my wife was determined to figure it out. I usually do the steaks and burgers in our house, but as the other part of my gift she makes the meal. My wife also loves to cook and is far better at it than me. What she decided to do was give them a nice sear on a flattop that her mom gave us. This flattop is amazing and I cannot recommend it enough. So she seared them and finished them off in the oven.

When she busted this steak out to serve my eyes nearly bulged out of my head. I could not believe what I was seeing and I was here for it. The steak looked immaculate. My wife went simple with seasoning, salt and pepper, and let the meat do the rest of the heavy lifting. I am usually a strip steak guy, and it is still my personal favorite cut, but this tomahawk cut is right up there. My wife said the same. She is a filet fan but she was singing its praises as we sat down to eat. My son had to try some as well, he loves steak, but my daughter was not interested. All good, more steak for me. I got a full one to myself. When my wife plated it, the bone was hanging off the edge. It also looked like some marrow had cooked out of it. I was super tempted to try it, but I've never had bone marrow before and was hesitant. I think when I do finally try bone marrow I want to get it at a steakhouse, or a restaurant that knows what they are doing. But this steak, my goodness, was tasty. It almost did not even need a knife. It was buttery and so easy to cut. The marbling on it was like eating butter. It did not need a sauce or any jus because my wife got a perfect mid rare cook on it. I would cut a piece, dip it in the, not to be gross, but blood, and chomp down on it. It was a euphoric eating experience for me. I was so happy. I had a smile on my face the entire time. Add on the fact that it came with a lobster tail and creamed spinach, this meal was meant for me. I tried as hard as I could to eat the whole tomahawk steak but it could not be done. This thing was massive. I did overeat and felt very tired afterward, but it was totally worth it. I asked my wife and son if they enjoyed the steak and they both nodded in agreement. In fact, my son and I were just talking about it the other day.

Not finishing a steak usually leads to mediocre leftovers, but not with this tomahawk. When I have leftover steak and try to reheat it I always go over. The tomahawk kept a very solid mid rare temperature and was fantastic with some eggs and coffee the next morning for breakfast. It was the fanciest steak and eggs I have ever had.

If you are a meat lover like myself, and have the means to get one, try one of these tomahawk steaks. The novelty is very cool and all, but these steaks, if cooked properly, are very, very good. As I said above, I would still pick strip steak over any other cut, but tomahawk is now a firm second option. This steak was fantastic. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Reese's Peanut Butter Cups with Caramel Do Not Mix

Over here at SeedSing we like to come in hot with our views on certain things. It can get spicy at times. We can divide the internet. Today I have a fire hot take that will most certainly get people on the internet up in arms.

Recently I went to the store as part of my weekly errands. While at the store I like to get myself water and a nice little treat. On this particular day I went for the Reese's Peanut Butter cup with caramel. Let’s discuss.

I'm a Reese's fan, and I like to try their new creations. I've had the peanut butter cup with Cocoa Puffs and the one with potato chips. They are fine, but never as good as the original. Reese's has the best peanut butter on the planet, and whatever chocolate they use works so perfectly with their excellent peanut butter. But I still give the new creations a shot. I wasn't expecting much with the Reese's with caramel, but who knows. I love caramel and this seemed like a great pairing. But after eating it I was left kind of empty. It was good. It tasted just fine. But I felt like the caramel took away from what makes the original peanut butter cup so perfect. It was too much. It was too sweet. It was too goopy. It just didn't work. Maybe it was just not for me that particular day.

Well, I was at the store this morning after coffee with my dad and I decided to give it another chance. I made up multiple excuses in my head when all I really wanted was a sweet treat. So I got one big cup of the Reese's with caramel. I got in my car and proceeded to give it a go for a second chance. I was left feeling the exact same way as the first time. It just wasn't working for me again. I was pretty disappointed by this. The Reese's with Cocoa Puffs at least has a nice crunchy element to it even if I'm not that big of a fan. The Reese's with potato chips has crunch and salt added to the peanut butter and rich chocolate. Of all the Reese's creations, the peanut butter cup with chips is the best version they have come up with to date. So the fact that the Reese's with caramel does nothing for me disappoints me even more. I get that this is a total champagne problem, but here we are. I have a platform and I feel like griping about this snack today. It was the same issue I had the first time. The caramel doesn't add anything that I want in my peanut butter cup eating experience. It is too sweet. It is too sloppy. It adds an extra goop that is so unnecessary. And the caramel takes away from the excellent peanut butter and chocolate that the Reese's company has perfected. It doesn't work.

This is a misfire. In fact, Reese's doesn't need to do any of this nonsense. This is like when Oreo comes up with a bunch of different flavors. There is no use. They have the perfect formula. There is no need to mess with perfection. They don't have to make all these wild concoctions. They have a proven formula that pretty much everyone already adores. I'll stick with my original Reese's peanut butter cups. I don't need the additions. They don’t work for me. Skip the Reese's Cups with caramel. They don't work. They mess with a classic, and that is not needed. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Go Get Yourself a Gochujang Snickerdoodle Cookie

I like trying different foods. There’s not much I don’t eat. I don’t like artichokes and olives. That’s about it. There’s other things I want to try. I’ve never had bone marrow. I’m interested in offal. I’d try done exotic meats. I’d like to eat durian. But, I’ve never had any of those, and I may not like them, or I could love them. Who knows. I also enjoy combo foods. I’m a fan of salty and sweet. I like combining veggies for salsa. I’ll do a chocolate covered potato chip. Give me some wild food combos, and more likely than not, I bet I’ll be a fan.

One such food I just made, and really love, is a gochujang snickerdoodle cookie. I was looking at interesting recipes online and came across a New York Times article where they mentioned this cookie. I was intrigued. When I looked at the recipe, I had most of the ingredients, and it was simple. The only outlier, gochujang.

For those that may not know, gochujang is a Korean spice. And it’s good. You may have had it without knowing it. Chinese and Japanese restaurants use it a lot. Fast food Asian inspired restaurants use it a lot. I believe my first encounter was at a Panda Express, and I’ve always been a fan. So, when I saw this recipe was calling for gochujang I decided I had to try it. Snickerdoodle cookies are my absolute favorite. A sugar cookie rolled in cinnamon and sugar? Yes please. I can eat way too many of these in one sitting. But, adding a spice that is spicy, that sounded good to me. I like a Mexican hot cocoa. I’ll eat a spiced chocolate bar. I’ve been known to add cayenne to my coffee from time to time. I thought of all those things and decided then that I was going to eat these cookies.

Again, all you do is make your basic sugar cookie. Then, instead of rolling in cinnamon and sugar, you make a mixture of butter, brown sugar and gochujang. Then you set that mixture aside while you make the cookie dough. After adding all the other stuff together, you swirl in the gochujang mixture. It almost looks like an orange cinnamon roll after swirling in the mix. Then you bake the cookies for about 13 minutes and let them totally cool before eating.

When I ate one, I loved it. It’s a sugar cookie with a Korean spice I love. Every bite your greeting with a classic cookie, but then the spice hits you. But it’s not overpowering at all. It’s nice and underlying. It’s a slow heat, which I love. My lips were tingling in the best way possible. I am a fan.

I think people who like food combos and a little spice will enjoy them. Try these out. You won’t be disappointed.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

An Ode to the Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie I Ate for Breakfast

I watch a good amount of cooking videos. They calm me down at the end of the day. I like the soft music they play, the food always looks good and I get a ton of ideas for new recipes while watching. Dessert videos have become my absolute favorite. I have a sweet tooth, I like almost all desserts and most of these videos make the food look extra delicious.

One thing I have seen a lot of lately, but haven't tried yet, is people cooking food in brown butter. It is pretty self explanatory. You put butter in a pan and cook it until it goes from gold to brown. I always think it looks good, but as I said, I have not had it, nor have I made anything with brown butter yet. That changed this morning.

I went out for coffee with my dad, and since I hadn't eaten breakfast, I helped myself to a brown butter chocolate chip cookie. Yep, dessert for breakfast today. I don't see how eating a cookie is any different from eating waffles or pancakes. Anyway, this cookie was divine. It was a big, big cookie too. I got it to go, with my espresso and tonic, the best iced coffee drink in my opinion, and the cookie filled the entire bag. When I took it out it looked different from most cookies. This one was darker. Most chocolate chip cookies have a lighter, closer to whiter color. This one was dark. It was almost caramel colored. I was instantly intrigued. I have seen other cookies this color, but not chocolate chip. And the chips in this cookie were the biggest chips I've seen. They were almost Hershey Kiss size. There were only three or four chips in the cookie, but that was more than enough.

Back to the taste of the cookie.

The first bite was pretty amazing. That is the sign if food will be great, okay or bad, that first bite. And this delivered in flavor. There was salt and sweet, but it was not overly sweet at all. That is a big sign of a solid cookie for me. If the baker does a good job of parsing the ingredients properly, the pastry or cookie or whatever should be dynamite. This baker nailed it. Then there was this nutty flavor. This was totally new to me. I have had a lot of cookies in my life. A lot. This was a whole new world for me. I have to imagine this comes from browning the butter. I don't know where else the nuttiness could have come from. When you combine that brown butter with flour, eggs, sugar and salt, and whatever else they add, that is a wonderful combination of awesome flavors. I enjoyed every last bit of this cookie. I had my dad try it and he was equally impressed. He also appreciated the balance of ingredients. My dad is not a big time sweets guy, so for him to enjoy a cookie this much, that is a big deal. And when we chatted about the cookie, we both came back to the brown butter aspect. This has to be the magical/secret ingredient that really made the sweet sing.

I am a fan and will be using brown butter much more often. I am eager to try it at home now. I think using it in a pasta dish could be a magical addition. If you all have not had brown butter yet, I highly recommend giving it a taste. It is very, very good stuff. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Go Out and Get Yourself a Pomegranate

I watch a lot of cooking videos, most of them on Instagram. The videos I watch have made me want to cook more and more, and I have made quite a few recipes that I have seen on Instagram. Because of my love of cooking videos another type of video that shows up in my algorithm pertaining to food is people cutting fruit. It is mesmerizing. I watch the fruit cutting videos when I'm winding down for the day. They calm me before sleep. These videos have made me try a few of the ideas out in the real world as well. One such video that caught my attention was a person cutting a pomegranate.

I fully understand that I can go to the store and buy pre cut fruit, but did you all know it is far cheaper to buy the whole fruit and cut it yourself? I'm sure a lot of you already did know this, but it has been a relatively new found thing in my life. So now I pretty much exclusievly buy whole fruit and cut it at home. Thus making these videos all the more relevant in my life. So this pomegranate one was quite intriguing.

I bought a whole pomegranate and cut it up at home. It was a mess, but it did the job and I had a bunch of pomegranate seeds to snack on for a few days. And I have to tell you all, this is one of my new favorite snacks. Fruits and veggies cut up have become a new thing in my home since we have had kids. We try our hardest to give them quality snacks, and fruits are a good entry way to other, better for you snack foods. So when we had this pomegranate, everyone was a little confused. But then we all tried them and loved them. I love how it is a burst of flavor. Those little seeds pack a punch, a tasty punch at that. And there are so many of them in one single pomegranate. I almost filled a small tupperware. The flavor is awesome. A pomegranate is like a cherry mixed with fruit punch and adds the smallest bit of sour. With each bite I want to eat more and more of them. At first I would grab a few with my fingers. But after a while I was eating the seeds by the spoonful. I couldn't get enough of them. I would come home from a run and eat some of the seeds as a snack afterward. It was great. My son would come home from basketball practice and want some. My daughter would eat them after karate and my wife chose them after some of her bike rides. The seeds were a great way to trick my kids into thinking they were having sweets. The sweetness from the seeds is right up there with some candy, but the pomegranate is a little better for them, and my wife and I. We eat grapes and cantaloupe and apples in my house. My son and I love pineapple. My wife enjoys a good banana. But pomegranate seeds have made their way into our rotation now. I will usually get two at the store just to have some extra in a tupperware.

I understand that I am late to the pomegranate game, but I'm fully in it now and I couldn't be happier about it. Pomegranates rule. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

An Ode to My Wife's Chocolate Pecan Pie

Wrapping up my week of talking about food I want to talk about my favorite dessert that I had yesterday.

Thanksgiving is pretty notable for turkey, potatoes and dessert. That is the icing on the cake at the end of the meal. Everyone always has a little room left no matter how much you ate prior to dessert being put out. It is the best part of the meal for a lot of people. And there are all kinds of desserts. Yesterday, at my wife's uncle's house, they had an entire buffet of desserts. There was pie, cookies, rice crispy treats, alcohol and coffee. At my folks house they also had a buffet. This consisted of the same things, except coffee since this was dinner. My kids love desserts too. Their little eyes get big and I usually give them a bigger portion than normal, which they love. And they tried a little of everything yesterday. The rice crispy treats were an obvious hit. My in law is gluten free, she has celiac, so rice krispy treats are a must. These are classics for a reason. The sweet, the crunch of the cereal, the butter, it all works. I love these, as do most people. We had pumpkin pie. This is another obvious hit. Pumpkin puree, more butter, a graham cracker crust, what's not to love? Put some whip cream on top and it is a near perfect fall dessert. There was chocolate silk pie. This is rather new for me, but it is a hit. I love the chocolate pudding, the whipped topping and another graham cracker crust. It is another near perfect dessert. There is also apple pie, some places have blueberry, others have blackberry. I'm not much of a fruit pie guy, I am not too big a fan of hot fruit, but on a day like Thanksgiving, these just work. I'm not an alcohol guy, but I know some people like a post meal drink. I do enjoy coffee, and having a hot cup after a big meal can be very comforting. But the one dessert yesterday that I woke up thinking about this morning was my wife's chocolate pecan pie.

I have never thought much about pecan pie. It falls in that category of sweet potato for me. While it is very good, I never have it if it isn't a holiday. So when my wife said she was going to make a chocolate pecan pie I thought, if I remember I'll have a piece. She reminded me at dinner and I made sure to cut a good piece.

This pie was dynamite. It was gooey and chocolatey and crunchy and caramelly and perfect. Every bite was better than the last. The crust was savory, but the pie was not, and that was key. There were so many chocolate chips. They were semi sweet, which made the pie even better. The pecans had a sweet crust that was so good. They got candied during the cooking process and that took them to a whole other level. The caramel bits made this thing even better. I loved every bite of it. I wish I had brought it home, but my mom and dad asked to keep it. That is high praise from them. This pie is the best thing I had all day yesterday. I will be asking for it again. I hope my wife will make it, I'm sure she will.

Chocolate pecan pie is my new favorite Thanksgiving dessert. It is a taste treat sensation. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Smoked Turkey is the Best Turkey

I'm coming at you all with another Thanksgiving food hot take today. Let’s go.

As far as turkey goes on this upcoming holiday, there are many ways you can prepare the bird. My wife has done the traditional way. We have salt brined a turkey together. I've had tofurky when two of my brothers and my sister in law were vegetarian. I've had a preordered Cajun turkey. I've had a bite of a turducken. And I've had smoked turkey. All of these preparations have their place. Traditional turkey can be hit or miss. They can easily dry out. And a dry turkey is brutal. You have to really plus it up to make it work if it is dry. A well done traditional turkey is classic, and it is classic for a reason. I love a good, properly done traditional turkey. But it isn't my favorite. The salt brined turkey was gross. I think we overdid it when we brined it. We tried to follow a recipe, but it was far too salty. It also really dried out the turkey. We tried it, but it didn't work. Tofurky is odd, to me. It is tofu, which I'm not crazy about, but I get why vegetarians like it. It scratches that itch. It also comes in a box and you can make it look like a turkey. It is a neat concept. I'm just not a tofu guy. The Cajun turkey was really good, but it became too much near the end of the turkey. It came out with a bang, but then it was just overkill. The seasoning became too much in the end. The turducken was almost as odd as the tofurky. I felt like I was in Hedonism eating that turducken. It was all things that I like, but it became, much like the Cajun turkey, overkill. I love turkey, chicken and duck. But putting all three together was almost, dare I say, too flavorful. I couldn't get a full grasp on one single taste. It was all coming at me way too fast. My brain couldn't process it all.

A smoked turkey, that is, in my opinion, the best way to prepare a turkey. It stays moist. The smoke flavor is such a wonderful addition. I like the color of the turkey. You get a bark that is extra flavorful. It is good the next day in a salad. I love taking it, chopping it up and making smoked turkey salad by adding a little mayo and mustard with some spices. A smoked turkey lends itself so well to sauces like gravy and bbq sauce. I love having a bite of smoked turkey mixed in with mashed potatoes, or my very favorite, stuffing. Smoked turkey, for me, feels lighter than any of the other preparations I've mentioned as well. I feel like that is the best way to get my protein on Thanksgiving when I indulge in some turkey. Smoked turkey is the way to go. It is my personal favorite way to have turkey anytime of year, but especially on Thanksgiving.

Go ahead and smoke a turkey of you are on the fence about how to prepare your turkey tomorrow. You won't regret it. 

Let RD tell you why you should skip the turkey this Thanksgiving. Listen to the latest X Millennial Man Podcast to hear him explain.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

An Ode to Stuffing

With Thanksgiving around the corner, my family celebrates it, I have food on my mind this week. Today I want to talk about what I think is the best food to have at your table if you celebrate Thanksgiving. That food is stuffing.

Stuffing is kind of the jack of all trades when it comes to side dishes for the holidays. Fact of the matter though, I'd like to eat stuffing year round, and as an adult, I eat stuffing now more than ever. It is kind of perfect in my eyes. I like it because it is not only filling, it is also incredibly flavorful.

The thing with stuffing is, it takes on whatever you cook with it or whatever you add to it. Sometimes I like to go simple and just add gravy. The gravy makes it slick and, depending on the flavor of gravy, the stuffing takes it on and adds a new dimension. I also like to take my turkey on Thanksgiving and add that along with the gravy. This is my perfect bite on the holiday. It combines my three favorite flavors of that day in specific. It is like a meat extravaganza, but the only meat is turkey. I know a lot of people that like to add cranberry sauce to stuffing, get the salty and the sweet. I do not like cranberry sauce, but I get it and I support anyone that wants to try it out, or continue to eat those flavor combos. I also enjoy taking leftover stuffing and making my version of stuffing pancakes. They are like potato pancakes, only they are made of stuffing. These are great, and if you add gravy to it, it is the best version of a savory pancake. I do also enjoy taking a fork full of stuffing and eating it with mashed potatoes. It can be doughy and bready, but it is damn delicious.

I should make myself clear when I speak about what kind, what brand that is, of stuffing that I like. I know people like to take classic stuffing and do some wild stuff with it. My brother makes cornbread stuffing. People have started to add sausage and other meat to stuffing. I know that some people make sweet stuffing. While that is all well and good, I like the boxed stuffing mix. I like the one where you add either water or broth. I prefer broth, but I'll eat it either way. I don't really care what brand it is either. I get the stuff from Aldi, Chef's Kitchen it is called, but I'll take a Stouffer's or whatever other brand is out there, as long as it is boxed. It has the salty and meaty flavor I crave. I like how simple it is to make. I like that I can add stuff to it from my plate and that stuff will make the stuffing even better. It is a malleable food that works on so many different levels.

Stuffing,  you are the best. My son and I both like to fancy ourselves the "Stuffing Kings". It is a dish that should be, and can be, year round, as long as you let it be. My hat is off to stuffing. What a dish. 

Want to hear RD totally disagree with Ty? Check out the latest episode of The X Millennial Man Podcast.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Thoughts on Weird Food Combinations

Yesterday I was making myself some lunch, a grilled cheese with some ham and turkey on it, and I decided to spice it up a bit by adding some potato chips to it. My son saw this and was shocked. He kept asking me why I was doing that and if it was any good. I let him taste it and he enjoyed it very much, because of course he would enjoy ships on a sandwich. This inspired us during lunch for he and I decided to talk about other foods we thought would make good pairings.

We started with the chips on a sandwich. He mentioned that he likes to put fries on a burger. I enjoy that as well, especially on a McDonald's double cheeseburger. I told him, in the vein of salty on sweet, that fries dipped in a shake is very good. He now wants to try this asap. This conversation went on for some time and we decided that we were going to look up some other odd, or different food combos. We came across a pro football player who puts his Oreo McFlurry on his McDonald's cheeseburger. Sounds odd to me, but I will most likely try it in the future. We saw all the post Thanksgiving leftover sandwiches. I'm talking about the sandwiches that have turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and some kind of cheese on there. I have never had this sandwich, it sounds like far too much and I don't like cranberry sauce, but people really seem to enjoy this as a leftover sandwich. We watch a ton of cooking shows in the house and one of our favorites is "Carnival Eats". This guy has tried some of the wildest foods we have seen, some we want, others, not so much. He has had fried watermelon. That sounds strange, but I'd try it. He has had corn dog jalapeno poppers. That seems like too much to me, but my son loves spicy food and hot dogs, so he is in on that. He has had some crazy pizzas and pastas. Those seem ripe for food additions, especially pizza. I've seen mac and cheese on a pizza. That is not for me, but my kid is itching to try that now, almost as much as fries in a shake. We have seen gyro pizza. I love gyros, and if the dough is somehow pita, that would definitely be something I would love. I've seen dessert pizzas, which are really just doughy cookie cakes in my opinion.

I think the world that odd food combos fit best would be sweets. Sweets are perfect to add flavors to. I love adding M&M's to popcorn. It is a wonderful, classic combo. I've had a burger where the buns are Krispy Kreme doughnut buns. And it is one of the best hamburgers I have ever had. Chicken and waffles is a perfect combo, especially when you mix hot sauce and syrup together. Hot honey is a new fad, and it is one that I am fully on board with now. Hot honey is great on everything. Another one of my favorite breakfast items is a cinnamon roll with bacon on it. Also, pancakes with bacon in the batter, chef's kiss. I guess I am coming at you all today with some odd food combos, what I consider odd I should say, that I really enjoy.

Dear reader, I have homework for you. Give me some odd food combos you all like. My son and I are very much into trying different food combos. We are not very picky either. But I want to know what you all like. And don't be gross or vile. I'm serious. I want to try some different stuff out and see how it tastes. I'm genuinely interested in taking two foods that shouldn't work and making them sing. Let me know, and I preemptively thank you. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Go Out and Get Yourself a Pistachio Croissant

Today while I was out for coffee with my dad and a buddy of mine I decided I was going to get some breakfast. This happens from time to time. On coffee days I decide to skip breakfast at home and decide I want a pastry. We went to a coffee shop that we hadn't been to in a bit and they had new pastries on the menu. So I decided to go for it, as did my buddy. We both got a pistachio croissant. Let’s discuss.

I enjoy a good croissant. I like how flaky and delicious they taste. I enjoy the sweet and savory croissants as well. I will more likely go for sweet if that is an option. That is what the pistachio was today. It looked very good on the countertop, so I figured it was going to be tasty. I was right. The look was that of a classic croissant, but it was covered in pistachios and powdered sugar. It also had a crust on top. I was sold on the "you eat with your eyes" thing first. Then we were given the croissants, and man did we both enjoy them. They were very good. They are definitely one of the better croissants that I have ever eaten. My first decision was to rip a piece off the end of the pastry and give it a taste. This was the correct choice. The inside of the croissant was like any other one, but there were pistachios and a pistachio glaze. The first bite was pretty great. It was soft with a crunchy exterior. The inside of the pastry was nice and chewy. The pistachios added an excellent crunch. And that glaze was to die for. The glaze was sweet with a hint of saltiness. The pistachios must have been ground together with sugar or something to form a jelly-like texture. That went throughout the entire croissant. It was something else in a very, very good way. Then we have the outside of the croissant. The crunchy top was akin to a crumble top. It was like the best part of a cinnamon crunch bagel or a pie crumble. It was sweet and added some wonderful taste. The pistachios were all over the outside of the dish. It had big pieces, it had slivered pieces and it had crushed pieces. And it all worked to perfection. The powdered sugar wasn't all over it either. I like that. When a coffee shop makes pastries and they add sugar on top it sometimes comes out too sweet. The sugar on top can overpower the rest of the dish. That didn't happen this morning. The powdered sugar was like a dusting of snow. It was enough to taste it, to get a little bit of sweetness, but that was it. It added to the flavor. It helped to bring out the other flavors of the croissant. It was a nice finishing touch on my breakfast.

I want to go back and get this croissant more and more. I hope it isn't a seasonal thing. I love the taste of pistachios and the way they made a jelly-like substance out of the extra pistachios. This is a home run dish. I highly recommend you get a pistachio croissant if you have the chance. It is very, very good. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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The Dunkin Butternut Donut is So Good I Wish I was Eating it Right Now

One of my favorite splurge breakfast items is a donut. I love them. I like all flavors too. Even when the new hip spots do some wild stuff with donuts, I'm down to try it out. I think it is the sweetness and the fact that I can eat them for breakfast and not be judged is why I love a good donut.

One of my favorite spots to go grab a dozen donuts from is Dunkin Donuts. They have a system that works and they pump out some pretty solid donuts. One of my favorites is the butternut. This donut is the best thing they have on the menu in my opinion. My wife went to Dunkin recently to grab some donuts but told me they were all out. I hope she meant just for that day because I would be legitimately bummed if they discontinue this item. Trying to describe this donut is where it gets tricky. It has flavors of coconut in it, but I don't think there is any actual coconut. Coconut is usually a non starter for me, I don't like the texture. But, I love the flavor of coconut. I like how tropical it tastes. It makes me think I am on vacation. I like how sweet it tastes. So, if you can get rid of the texture and just give me the flavor, that is a win. Then, the glaze on this donut is very thin and very mild. It is almost as if it is not there, but you know it is. There is a schein of the glaze that gets on your hands. I think it is just to give you even more of a feeling of a donut. And how light it is spread on the donut doesn't take away any flavor from the coconut flavor. The little crunchy stuff on the donut adds a nice texture element. Again. I don't know what it is, a quick search could tell me, but I like thinking about this donut as a mystery, that makes it even better for me. So whatever these crunchy bits are on there, they add some great flavor. I also like that you have this soft thing juxtaposed with a peanut like quality, but I know it is not peanuts. My daughter is allergic to peanuts and we asked and they assured us there are no peanuts in the butternut donut. Then we have the donut itself. It feels like a mix between a cake donut and a Krispy Kreme donut. It is light but filling. Two of these donuts are more than enough for breakfast. They will make you feel like you've had a good sized breakfast. And if you are patient enough to take your time with these donuts, the delight you will feel while eating them will make your breakfast that much better. I love the butternut donuts so much that I won't even dip them in milk or coffee. I feel like that would take away from how delicious these donuts taste. I don't want to take anything away from their greatness.

I highly suggest you go to Dunkin and get a butternut donut. And if they are discontinuing them for some crazy reason, that would be wild. These are the best things they have going on right now. I'd much rather have a dozen butternut donuts than munchkins or any other donut on the menu. Butternut donuts rule. 

An Ode to the Greatest Coffee Drink Ever

I write about coffee a good amount on this site. I’m a fan. What can I say? I like to try a bunch of different coffee too. I’m no traditionalist when it comes to coffee. I like flavored coffee, coffee with cream, coffee with cream and artificial sweetener. I’ll drink pretty much any coffee drink except Frappuccinos. Those are too sweet for me. Today I had the best coffee drink in my 10 plus years of drinking this wonderful beverage. Let’s discuss.

I took my folks out to lunch after running with my buddy. We went to a local bakery that also does sandwiches, soups, salads and drinks. All three of us got a coffee soda to drink. The menu listed three ingredients, cold brew, citric simple and an orange peel. Pretty straightforward. This was my second time trying the drink. My dad and I had it awhile back. My mom had it for the first time. When they brought the drinks to the table it looked like any other iced coffee. Then we all tasted it.

This drink is incredible people. You have to get the whole idea of cold brew out of your head. I know the traditionalists won’t like the sound of that, but that’s what you have to do. Yes, you can taste the coffee, but what makes this drink so amazing is the citrus. I could not get enough of the citrus. It adds a very good taste that I would never have thought would work with cold brew. People my age will remember Citrus Cooler Gatorade. That is the greatest flavor of Gatorade ever. Full stop. This coffee soda reminds me of that. I am a big citrus freak, so this is right up my alley. This shouldn’t work, but it just does. Each sip gets better. The citrus flavor comes through fully and it is a quenching drink, but also caffeinated. I was extremely happy when my mom had a few sips left and let me finish.

This is the GOAT coffee drink right now. I love how refreshing and citrusy it tastes. I cannot recommend it enough. If you have the ingredients, make it. If you know of a place that sells a drink similar, go buy it. You will not be disappointed.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Panda Express is the Greatest Food Court Restaurant of All Time

Is there a more reliable food court restaurant than Panda Express? Let’s discuss.

My wife had to go to the mall today to get some stuff. She said that if she had time she would bring home some Panda Express. I thought that would be dope if she did, but she probably wouldn't have the time. She did find the time though and brought it home, she worked from home today. She got the old reliable too. We had orange chicken, chicken and veggies and Beijing beef. Our starch was fried rice and chow mein. The only thing that didn't hit me today was the rice, but I am not a rice person. When I went low carb, rice was the easiest thing for me to drop. And, as a kid when I would go there I always opted for the chow mein. I prefer noodles. So, the chow mein was a hit, as always. The chicken and veggies was a nice palate cleanser, as always. The Beijing beef had a very good spice today, which was nice. And the orange chicken, which I saved for last, was as good as I remembered it. Whoever the chef was today put the right amount of sauce on the orange chicken. It was sweet, but not overbearing. The spice was there too. And the fry was really solid. It was still a little crunchy even with a 15 minute car ride home. But I do not know what else I was expecting. I had Panda Express during summer break when I took my kids to the mall and it was just as good back then.

When I was a teenager and we would hang out at the mall, nine times out of ten I spent my money at Panda Express. My folks used to take us there because it was a cheap way to get us to eat veggies. Panda Express has always been as reliable as McDonald's for me. I am never super stoked to eat there, but after I'm done with my meal, I'm always satisfied and raving about how delicious it all tasted.

I need to get over this feeling of not wanting it. When I end up deciding on Panda Express it always feels like it is my last option, but it is so much better than other food court choices. I'll take Panda Express over Sbarro any day. Sbarro's pizza is not good anyway. We have a few of these hot sandwich shops at our local mall and Panda Express blows their food out of the water. There are other Chinese food options, but none of them taste as good, or are at an equal price point to Panda Express. I refuse to eat at Chick Fil A because they are not inclusive, so Panda Express is always a better choice. And I am a Qdoba guy when it comes to fast Mexican, and all we have in our mall's food court is Chipotle. Panda Express is a much better choice than any of the places I mentioned. They have been making quality food for such a long time now that it isn't even really a question anymore.

Panda Express is the greatest food court restaurant that has ever existed. No doubt about it. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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SeedSing Classic: The Definitive Top 10 Little Debbie's Snacks

This article originally premiered on June 7th 2019

Growing up in the 1980’s and 90’s meant that your house probable had a few different boxes of Little Debbie treats. We would get one after playing outside, have a box handy when we played games with our friends, and definitely had one in our school lunches as our nutritionally mandated dessert. My lunches always consisted of a sandwich with mustard and one piece of Carl Budding ham, a baggie of chips, some form of fruit, a Mendota Springs, and a Little Debbie. That overtly sweet snack cake was the highlight of my entire school day.

Today I am feeling a bit nostalgic and thought it was high time we gave a definitive ranking of what are the ten best Little Debbie treats from my youth. I know there are some new treats in the collection of Little Debbies, but I did not have those in my lunches. If it came out after 1993, I did not eat it. Also there will be no “rolled” cakes on here. The rolled cakes suck, as do the Banana Twins and any marshmallow pie. Take my advice and skip those boxes.

Remember this is the definitive list. We have performed super science to get the correct rankings. Don’t agree? Come at us.

10. Pecan Pie

The mini pecan pie in the tiny aluminum tin is hard to find these days, but it does still exist. Many people hate this extremely sweet and sticky creation. Those people are wrong. The pecan pie has it’s problems (the sticky and sweet parts) but it was always a treat to gulp down a whole round pie in two or three bites. Just make sure you have some Mendota Springs to wash all that sweetness down.

9. PB Crunch

The PB Crunch was like a lower grade peanut butter Twix. Cookie, peanut butter and chocolate, plus the Twix like shape could confuse anyone’s eyes. While the peanut butter Twix is super deliciousness, the PB Crunch had a little blandness. Yet, peanut butter and chocolate can never be a total disaster.

8. Caramel Cookie Bar

Another Twix clone but switch the peanut butter for caramel. Also the shape was flat and not long and slender like the PB Crunch. The caramel was mildly gooey, and could mess up your nice Izod shirt with the popped collar, but was still a decent end to a balanced meal.

7. Cosmic Brownies

Many people are more familiar with the Walnut version of Little Debbie brownies, but if you got the candy sprinkled top of the cosmic variation, you were in luck. The brownie itself is another love it or hate concoction. It was more of a fudge like consistency and a fairly mild chocolate taste. Add the thick frosting (usually half the damn thing) and the colorful candies, the Cosmic Brownie was a faux chocolate delight.

6. Fudge Rounds

Here is where you start getting into some of all time great Little Debbie treats. The Fudge Round had a great cake top and bottom, and an awesome low grade chocolate mousse in the middle. All parts of the Fudge Round tasted amazing, it just usually suffered from not enough of the middle part. Many times that filling only covered half the cake sandwich. Little Debbie needs to do better.

5. Zebra Cakes

The two square cakes that come in the plastic package have many different versions. There are fancy, chocolate, and a variety of seasonal offerings. The OG Zebra Cake has them all beat. You can actually taste the chocolate and vanilla together. When you sit and peel the cake apart, outstanding. Pulling pieces of frosting off and unwrapping the cake was like a zen ritual to get you through the rest of the school day.

4. Oatmeal Creme Pie

I am not that big of a fan of oatmeal as my cereal or my cookie, yet the Oatmeal Creme Pie is all kinds of awesome. The grittiness of the top and bottom cookie combined with the ample amount of creme in the center is a tactile and taste sensation your tongue will thank you for.

3. Cherry Cordial

For some reason the Cheery Cordial seems to be a seasonal offering (Valentines Day I think?). That is not right because this is hands down a culinary masterpiece. You have another cake sandwich with a creme like filling. This time it is a cherry filling, vanilla type cake, and the entire thing is encased in a chocolate shell. The edges always have a little more crunch than the center, and it is glorious. This needs to be a year round thing.

2. Nutty Buddy

Peanut butter and chocolate are almost perfect. Add a couple layers of wafer cookies, and Little Debbie achieved near perfection. The Nutty Buddy is better than most candy bars, that is how good this thing is. It is another one of Little Debbie’s offerings that ask you to take the treat apart. Peeling layer after layer of cookie, peanut butter, and chocolate is the near perfect end to any meal. There is almost no equal to this delight.

1. Star Crunch

The Star Crunch not only equals the Nutty Buddy, it surpasses it. The caramel is not overly gooey, the cookie is the perfect balance of crunchy and chewy, the crisp rice adds an extra pop to every bite, and the chocolate brings the whole package together in one of mankind’s finest creations. The Star Crunch is a perfect dessert for any occasion. There is no snack cake/treat equal to the Star Crunch. It is quite simply the greatest Little Debbie ever made.

There it is, the definitive rankings of the ten best Little Debbie treats of my school days. You can not go wrong with any of these ten delights. One’s day is made all the better when devouring these creations. Now it is time for us all to go out and revisit some of the sweetness of our youth. I may just go and house an entire box of Star Crunch’s when I’m done writing here.

RD

RD Kulik is the Head Editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. 

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

There is a Right Way to Eat Cincinnati Chili

I live in Cincinnati Ohio, but I am not from here. One of the first things people had me try when I arrived in the Queen City was the city’s local chili. We went to the closest Skyline, and I ordered a couple of small cheese coneys.

I was not a fan.

As the years have gone on, I have given Skyline, and less often Goldstar, a chance. Many people, my wife included, have said I will get used to it. I have not.

Cincinnati chili has become kind of a joke outside of Ohio. Some people call it prison food, others have objected to its weird flavor profile. The fans of Cincinnati chili say it is misunderstood and say you cannot think of traditional chili when you eat. I have tried and tried but I can never get on the Cincinnati Chili bandwagon. Today I did have a dish made with the strange stuff and decided I have finally found the one good way to eat Cincinnati Chili.

My son and I bought a small package of Skyline dip this afternoon. It is a very simple dish of cream cheese with Cincinnati chili layered on top and a large amount of mild cheddar cheese on top of that. I got out some ruffled potato chips and took a dip. This is the way Cincinnati Chili was meant to be served. Something in the cream cheese and mild cheddar compliments the flavors of the chili so well. Add in the salty chips and this dip is a top tier party dip. The only unfortunate thing is when you buy the prepackaged dip and cook it, the cream cheese and chili meld into a gray looking nightmare goop. Once the cheddar is added the goop is hidden and the tasting can begin. I am not kidding; it is an incredible tasting dip.

I know there are many people out there that still think the best way to serve Cincinnati chili is to throw it straight in the trash. I do not totally disagree with that sentiment. I do encourage the haters to try some of this dip next time you pass a Cincinnati chili parlor. I think you will be pleasantly surprised that something so awful on its own, or over spaghetti, can be so divine.

RD

RD is the founder and Head Editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support us and the podcast on Patreon.

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Go Out and Try the New Churro Kit Kat

Yesterday while running errands my kids and I decided to treat ourselves to a snack. Since we were at a store I let them get candy. I figured I would indulge as well. I do not eat candy as much as I used to, so anytime I get it, it is a nice little treat. I don't go all out anymore either. No king size bars all that often, no Skittles or Starburst, no full packs of licorice. It is usually a small bag of some kind of gummy candy or a regular sized candy bar. Yesterday I went the candy bar route.

I have always enjoyed a KitKat. They feel almost healthy. I know they aren't, but let me hold on to that feeling. Don't judge me. I am the biggest fan of the original milk chocolate and wafer ones. But I do like to try some of the other flavors they've been cooking in their labs. I love the dark chocolate and mint one they have now. I also really like the plain dark chocolate. The dark chocolate and strawberry is a rare miss for me though. I'll eat it, but it would most likely be my last choice. I really want to try the ones from Japan that I've heard about. They have some interesting, and delicious sounding flavors. The white chocolate Kit Kat is fine, but it is too reminiscent of the white chocolate peanut butter cup. Those feel unnecessary. They perfected it with milk chocolate. The thins are good, but dangerous. I could plow through a whole bag without a second thought. Yesterday at Five Below they had a flavor I had not seen yet, so I kind of knew right away that was going to be my treat for the day. The flavor was churro.

I love a good churro. I still kick myself that I didn't get one while in Disney World last year. I hear they are dynamite there, but I opted for Dole Whip instead. I have had plenty of churros in my day. And when they are done well, you can taste it. The churro Kit Kat really nailed it here. I felt like I was having an actual churro with a chocolate coating. It was sugary and had cinnamon and the chocolate tasted like the icing you can dip them in if offered. I devoured this candy bar and I kept thinking about it the rest of the day. I felt like Homer when he ate that Yodel on "The Simpsons". It was so good that I do wish I was eating it right now. I think this is the best Kit Kat has to offer with their seasonal flavors. This one is much better than the white chocolate and dark and strawberry ones. This one exceeds the plain dark chocolate. The churro flavor's only real competition is the dark and mint, but I like the churro better. It gives me everything I love about a churro but in KitKat form. The dark and mint is still very, very good, but it doesn't fulfill, for me, what a Girl Scout Thin Mint cookie does. It comes close, but it isn't there yet. The churro is there already.

I hope they keep this new flavor around. I would love to indulge in this more than once. Go out and try one. They are very good. I assure you.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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Pepsi is Not OK

I’m coming in a little hot with my topic today.

Just a warning for everyone.

I’m currently on a road trip with my folks and my kids. My wife will be joining us in two days. We are heading to Buffalo for a family reunion. Me, my folks and my kids are taking our time. We had our first overnight stop in Dayton, Ohio. We are heading to Canton as I write this. My dad will hit about 500 miles driving after today. We have spent most of the trip in the state of Ohio. As you all well know I’m a Michigan guy. Ohio does have cool stuff, which I’ll touch on in the next few days, but Michigan is cooler. Hell, Saint Louis is cooler. But what I’ve really noticed, what’s really grabbed by attention, the state of Ohio is a Pepsi state.

I stopped drinking soda a few months ago, but prior to that I was a Coke guy. I grew up in a house where 2 liters of Diet Coke were prevalent. When I met my wife she was a Diet Coke person. She introduced me to chocolate Diet Coke’s, which are phenomenal. My brother’s still have Coke products. My extended family is a Coke family. I basically live my soda drinking life making fun of Pepsi. The old standby joke that everyone uses is, “is Pepsi okay?”, asking as if they’re apologizing. My answer was always to opt for water. Pepsi is too sweet. The diet versions are too chemical tasting. They removed their best soda, Sierra Mist, for Starry. Mountain Dew is basically a bottle of liquid sugar. Pepsi products, for me, just don’t add up. So it’s been odd to go places and only see Pepsi products the past couple days. The restaurants are Pepsi only. We went to a museum that had bottled drinks, all of which were Pepsi branded drinks. My kids have been confused as to why they have had Starry or Mug Root beer. They’ve mostly had water, but the few times they’ve had soda, it’s been those and they haven’t finished a single one. I don’t get why a place would only serve Pepsi. I’d gather that most people prefer Coke to Pepsi. I’d love to see a poll for the whole country asking that very question.

I guess Ohio figures Pepsi is just fine. I disagree.

Ty

Editor’s note: I currently live in Ohio and have been here for almost two decades. I am also a Coke person except in certain cases which I will address.

Coke is easy to find here in Southwest Ohio. One of the biggest employers in the Cincinnati region is Coca Cola. I pass the giant office every work day. The Reds stadium is Coke, I am unsure of Paycor Field and their soda selection.

As for everything Coke being better than Pepsi, I have a different opinion. Every other soda option is better in the Pepsi family. Mountain Dew is light years ahead of Mello Yellow. Mugs Root Beer crushes Barq’s, and I have not had Starry, but the only thing good about Sprite is that it mixes well with whiskey.

My counterpoint is that Central Ohio may swim in the terribleness of Pepsi, but us good folks here on the Ohio River know that Coke rules. That is Coke rules and all other Coca Cola products are not ok when Mount Dew, Mugs, and other Pepsi products are available.

RD

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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The Coffee Stamp in St. Louis Has Mastered the Art of the Empanada

On our coffee sojourn this morning, my dad, my son and I went to a local spot we enjoy called Coffee Stamp. The coffee is excellent and fairly inexpensive. But that is not the blog today. While at the coffee shop I decided I wanted some breakfast. I hadn't eaten, was going to be running later and decided I didn't want to do it on an empty stomach. The food product that Coffee Stamp is known for is their empanadas. I adore these things. I had never had a traditional one until I had one from here. I want to tell you all how delicious these things taste.

For those that may not know, an empanada is a fancy, flaky, crusty type of dish. It can be savory or sweet. I went with the savory route today. The empanadas I got had eggs, sausage and cheese. My son had one with peppers, prosciutto and cheese. Don't get me wrong, the filling at this spot is fantastic. I wish I could get my eggs that fluffy. I love the little hunks of sausage they use. And the cheese, it is ooey and gooey and delicious. But what makes these so good, what separates them from all the other spots is the crust. This crust is incredible. It is light and airy. When you break open the empanadas, the crust flakes to the side. But you don't just brush these crumbs to the side. No way. You eat these. You try to get as much of this crust as possible. When you bite into the crust it cracks and gives the empanada this excellent texture. It is the fanciest hot pocket you could ever want. The crust is buttery and flaky. It is hot and glistening. They fold it over perfectly. The empanada comes to you in a package, and when you open the package and take out the treat, it looks tremendous. They put the fork marks in the crust. It is folded like a nice present. It looks like a work of art. And then the tasting begins. I mentioned the butter. It is there, and then some. The butter gives it the right amount of extra fat. I don't know what all goes into the dough, but I would imagine they use some kind of shortening. That makes it even better. I assume the shiny glow comes from some type of egg wash, which adds even more flavor. The filling is nicely packed into the dish. It doesn't spill out. You get a good bite with each bite you take. You can taste it all at the same time. These empanadas are simply amazing. But it makes me want to try even more. I want to go to an even more authentic restaurant that specializes in these. I'm going to Mexico later this summer and I am hoping to get some real good ones. I want to try more combos of flavor. I want sweet. I want salty. And I want the two flavors mixed together. While eating this morning my mind was wandering thinking of what else they could put in these. I would love a cinnamon roll flavored one. Or maybe a pizza like one, to really get the full hot pocket feel. I would love a seafood empanada. I think a banana pudding empanada could be amazing. But what all these empanadas need to have is this delicious crust. If the crust is no good I have to imagine that takes away from the whole experience.

I am very happy to have Coffee Stamp in close proximity to fulfill my empanada craving. These things absolutely rule. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Drinks Cafe Du Monde Coffee

My folks went on a trip recently to celebrate their anniversary. They went to New Orleans because my mom has always wanted to visit there. They seemed to have a good time and, as they have done my whole life, they brought gifts back for everyone. My kids got some cool stuff and my wife and I got a gift bag of sorts. It had a few different items that we both enjoyed. One gift was a canister of coffee from Cafe Du Monde.

I know that place is known for their beignets, but my dad was big on the coffee. He would tell me about it when we talked to them while they were on the trip. This was a good sign. I decided to have a cup of this coffee the other day. We have a reusable Keurig cup, so I opened the can and put some coffee in the pod. It brewed, I made my foam and proceeded to drink it.

It was pretty damn delicious. I have had coffee like this before, but the chicory was not this pronounced. My dad and I go to all kinds of coffee shops as you all know. We have had all kinds of different coffee. We have had it iced, super hot, warm, sweet, charcoal infused, a latte with beet juice, we have tried a whole bunch of stuff. But this can of coffee from Cafe Du Monde is some of the best that I have had in my life. I usually switch up which coffee I use whenever I have coffee at home, which is almost daily. Lately though I have been solely using this chicory coffee. There is a woodiness that I have only gotten from this Cafe Du Monde canister. It has a wonderful taste. It may be an acquired taste, but I have acquired it and then some. The wood flavor gives the coffee this Earthiness. The taste, for me, is like the smell of being outside. It is like being in the woods on a trail run. I love the smell of the trees and the trail and the leaves. That is the feeling I get from drinking this coffee. It works so well for me. Yes, I do put flavored foam in it too. I still like my coffee to have some kind of sweetness to it. The foam I made this morning had cream, Splenda and vanilla extract. It was fantastic. But I could still taste the wood in the Cafe Du Monde coffee and it was glorious. I assumed the foam was going to take it away, but it did not at all. The flavor of the Cafe Du Monde coffee still lingered in all the best ways. The smell was there too. I thought the vanilla was going to take it away, but it did not at all. I was chopping some veggies for a salad and went for a drink. The first thing I noticed was the Earthiness smell. This translated immediately to the taste. And it was awesome.

I don't know if I will find another chicory coffee that is this good. I hope I do. I want to find the best coffee in the world. For right now though, this chicory coffee ranks right up there with the Sucker Punch Cold Brew I get at the Living Room, or the vanilla latte from Shaw's, or the hint of citrus coffee at Sump. Those are my three favorite local spots in Saint Louis. And those coffees are out of this world. The Cafe Du Monde original blend ranks right there now. It is a coffee I look forward to when I am at home. I will most likely order more when I run out. I am very thankful that my folks added this in mine and my wife's gift bag from their trip. This coffee is pretty fantastic. I think I may go have a cup right now. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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Go Get Yourself a Cast Iron Griddle

Recently my mother in law gave us a cast iron stove top griddle. I didn't think much of it at first. It was heavy and looked useful, but I did not know how much I'd use it. Well, I have been using that thing a ton. As has my wife.

This kitchen tool has become a big part of our cooking and I could not be any happier. This cast iron griddle is pretty awesome. My wife used it the other night to make pancakes. We had breakfast for dinner and pancakes are a big part of that meal. She decided to use the griddle and it was great. The pancakes had a nice crispy edge and there was extra flavor from previous meals. I clean the griddle, but some stuff stays no matter how hard you scrub. My wife made both plain and chocolate chip pancakes. Again, they were excellent. I have used the griddle to make fried eggs. They are dynamite. They have that same crispy edge the pancakes do. The yellow part of the egg tastes better. The color changes a bit, and that must be the added flavor from previous meals. It is a mess to clean up, but it is no worse than a waffle maker and it tastes just as good. My wife has done bacon on it before. My favorite thing to make on the griddle is smashburger. I love it. They are easy and delicious. Smashing the ground beef down and letting it griddle is the only way to cook a burger for me now. I have had them other ways, pan fried and barbecued, but the griddle is second to none. It gives it a better cook, a better flavor and melting cheese on the griddle is far easier than doing it any other way. My son has been digging them as much as I have lately.

I plan on trying many other foods on the griddle. I want to make sausage patties, like for breakfast. Bacon is already delicious on there, so who is to say that breakfast sausage patties won't be as well. I want to do veggies, fajita style on the griddle. I'd like to slice up a white onion, a bunch of peppers and some tomatoes and let them cook up on the griddle. I bet, with the right seasonings, it would be dynamite. I would also like to do carne asada and chicken breast strips on the same griddle. Again, I'm a big fajita fan, so cooking all the fajita stuff on a griddle would be ideal, and tasty. I'd like to take Pilsbury cinnamon rolls and try them on a griddle. I don't know if it would work, but if it did I bet it would be very satisfying. I've seen those pizzas you can do on a grill, so why not do that on the cast iron griddle? I'm sure it would work and I'm sure it would be dope. I'm even curious about doing white on a cast iron. I would have to assume it would cook like carne asada or chicken, you would just have to pay more attention so it doesn't stick.

Anyway, cast iron griddle cooking is the way to go in my home as of late. It is quick, easy and a simple enough clean up. The cast iron also doesn't go in the dishwasher, so you get extra flavors. For me that is enticing. If you don't have a cast iron griddle go out and buy one. They are definitely worth it. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.