Your Beer Week itinerary is already populated with standing-room-only pint-hoisting opportunities, so why not grab a seat and take in some knowledge from the heavyweights? (You can still drink while doing this.) The Forum of the Gods panel discussion, scheduled for Thu., June 10, from 3 to 5 p.m. at Johnny Brenda's (1201 N. Frankford Ave.), will feature commentar;y from Jim Koch (founder of Boston Beer, aka Sam Adams), Phil Markowski (Long Island's Southampton Publick House), Tom Kehoe (founder of Philly's Yards) and Wendy Yuengling (no intro necessary). Moderating the discussion will be Daily News columnist Don "Joe Sixpack" Russell. Tickets are $25 and available at phillybeerweek.org.

—Drew Lazor

It's still considered heresy by purists, but to more and more bartenders and drinkers, the beer cocktail represents a bold new brew frontier. Once the realm of staid standards like the black and tan (stout/lager) and Black Velvet (stout/Champagne), the beer cocktails of today are more adventurous than ever, as mixologists continue to dream up some unique (Rodenbach and grenadine?), powerful (imperial stout and port?) and wonderful (IPA and rum!) combos. The city's best bartenders will converge on Smokin' Betty's (116 S. 11th St., 215-922-6500) on Sun., June 6, to see who can mix the best beer drink using Dock Street ales as a base. (We're hoping one of them will come up with something for the 8 percent ABV Bubbly Wit.) Tickets are $25.

—Tim Hyland

Beers Off the Beaten Pa...]]> http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2010/04/01/small-bites http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2010/04/01/small-bites [ small bites ]

Bhut Jolokia Hot Sauces at WMD

You’ve heard about the mythical Indian bhut jolokia, aka “ghost pepper” — it’s the hottest damn thing on the planet, clocking in at about 1 million Scoville units. But did you know people are making surprisingly palatable sauces with bhut, right here in Philly? Bobby Bolders, who owns WMD Hot Sauce (1212 South St., 888-WMD-HTSC, wmdhotsauce.com), currently offers a carrot-based bhut sauce, in four heat levels, that capitalizes on the pepper’s woody and smoky characteristics and cuts it with a sweet vegetal splash. Bottles range from $6.99 to $8.99; spice levels 1 and 2 are pleasingly tingly, while 3 and 4 kick you in the mouth in the best possible way. Though they’re not available for retail yet, Bolders is also perfecting bhut sauces with tomato, pineapple, mango and mango/curry bases.  —Drew Lazor

New Kitchen at Murph's Bar

Murph’s Bar (202 E. Girard Ave., 215-425-1847), in the heart of Fishtown, has completely overhauled its kitchen, and its entire approach to food along with it. New creations include the eggplant stack, with layers of breaded pan-fried eggplant, tomatoes and fresh mozzarella, topped with arugula salad, drizzled with balsamic reduction and skewered with a steak knife. There are now decadent two-person seafood pizzas, like Clams Casino and Shrimp Scampi (pictured), and sandwiches like the Chuck Wagon, stuffed with beef brisket slow-cooked for 12 hours. Murph’s new state-of-the-art oven system also allows them to make bread in-house, as well as ditch the deep fryer in favor of healthily baking bar staples like crab fries and hot wings. —Ptah Gabrie

Spring Cocktail List at APO

http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2010/02/11/small-bites http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2010/02/11/small-bites Chocolate Beers at Dock Street and Nodding Head

Halloween beats V-Day all to heck in terms of sheer sugar quantity, but Feb. 14 wears the tastiest treats on its paper-lace-trimmed sleeve — including beers infused with chocolate. Dock Street Brewing Co. (701 S. 50th St., 215-726-2337, dockstreetbeer.com) debuts Sexual Chocolate (pictured) on its draft tower today. The Belgian-influenced imperial stout is brewed with a unique yeast strain originating in the East Flanders region, as well as infused with 22 pounds of Belgian chocolate (all cocoa, no sugar) in the kettle to produce a velvety, 8 percent ABV ale that tastes smooth and a little oily on the tongue. Across the river, Nodding Head (1516 Sansom St., 215-569-9525, noddinghead.com) has just released its own 2010 Belgian Chocolate Stout. Twenty-six pounds of 72 percent Valrhona chocolate, a kilo of Dutch cocoa powder and Belgian yeast power yields a beer brewed to 7 percent ABV export strength. On Valentine's Day only, a special cask of the beer will be primed with dried cherries and cherry juice. Brewer Gordon Grubb describes it as "all the rich goodness of the chocolate stout, kissed with the flavor of cherry."

—Felicia D 'Ambrosio

One Shot Coffee in Liberties Walk (1040 N. Second St., 215-627-1620, 1shotcoffee.com) recently introduced a custom blend from Stumptown, the noted Portland, Ore., bean roaster that has infiltrated East Coast cafés within the past year. Known as No. 2, One Shot owner Melissa Baruno characterizes her new house coffee as complex, a cup that evolves as you drink it. The...]]> http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2010/01/14/small-bites http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2010/01/14/small-bites Burger Menu at Q BBQ & Tequila

Q BBQ's Kevin and Janet Meeker, along with partner/pitmaster Tom Stewart, have introduced a menu of burgers both fat and skinny at their Old City barbecue destination (207 Chestnut St., 215-625-8605, qoldcity.com). Griddled "quick burgers" (pictured) priced at $4.10 (single) to $6.20 (double bacon cheese), come with your choice of toppings and a paper bag of crispy shoestring fries. A long list of "gourmet burgers" ($7.30-$8.75) arrive stuffed with jalapeño cheese, infused with coffee or crowned with a piglet's worth of pulled pork, sausage, bacon, cheddar and slaw ($14). A Sonora Mexican hot dog ($4.50) comes wrapped in bacon, its buttery roll stuffed with beans, guac, onions, tomatoes and salsa verde and crowned with a squiggle of mayo. And of course, "you can't have a burger and fries without a shake," according to Kevin — especially when the 21-plus crowd can juice theirs up with bourbon, Kahlua, ROOT, Bailey's or flavored vodka. (More photos and the full menu on Meal Ticket.)

—Felicia D'Ambrosio

The gourmet vegan marshmallows in Sweet and Sara's Marshmallow Variety Sampler are worth a hearty toast. Each $2.99 package contains about one-and-a-half dozen marshmallows in four different varieties to tempt the palate — vanilla, toasted coconut, cinnamon pecan and strawberry. Nuke 'em for 10 seconds for perfect vegan s'mores, or drop a couple into a rich mug of hot chocolate for a frozen-tundra-thawing treat. Available at Spring Garden Market (400 Spring Garden St., 215-928-1288) or at http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2009/12/24/small-bites http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2009/12/24/small-bites Skewers at Solo

The only disappointing thing about Solo (50 N. 10th St., 215-238-0882), a new Chinatown restaurant serving super-cheap Chinese street food, is the other customers. They cook more than a dozen different skewers, but all I kept hearing was, "Can I get chicken?" For shame! My favorite here is the slightly crunchy squid tentacles, served in a light gravy and seasoned with pepper. Also good: the juicy, lightly roasted lamb kebabs and the chicken hearts. (As you might've gathered, this place will send your sodium levels soaring, but it's also really good.) Solo's a Chinatown eatery through and through, so don't enter expecting to ask a lot of questions. Just walk in, say "squid tentacles" — if you're worth a damn, that is — and have yourself a seat.

Lancaster Farm Fresh CSA

I dove into community supported agriculture (CSA) through Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative (LFFC) this fall because I wanted to support local food, but also because fresh seasonal ingredients are imperative for creating lip-smacking dishes with any regularity. At first I was concerned about price, but it ends up costing about the same, if not less, than what I'd drop at a market every week. LFFC offers two types of 28-week shares: full ($725, seven to 12 items weekly) and half ($420, four to nine items weekly), and provides several pickup spots throughout the area. They start with staples like potatoes and spinach, but also get into unusual items like tatsoi greens and Romanesco cauliflower. Sign up at lancasterfarmfresh.com by Dec. 31, before prices go up in the new year.

Every February, Tröegs Nugget Nectar drops a bitter bombshell on beer drinkers everywhere, blending five different hop varieties into an imperial amber ale with über-chutzpah. There's nothing that can stop the local hopheads from gunning for a pint of the Harrisburg-brewed hooch. Last weekend, the General Sutter Inn in Lititz celebrated Firkin Friday with a fresh cask of Nugget Nectar. "People were lining up outside," says the Inn's Danielle Youndt. Philly-area fans are in luck this Beer Week, as Tröegs will be hosting numerous events featuring the beer as well their newest creation, The Flying Mouflan, which co-founder John Trogner describes as "pushing Nugget Nectar off the side of a cliff." Check for nugged-out dates on the Tröegs Web site (troegs.com/phillybw09.htm), as you never know where a firkin could be lurkin'. —James Saul

Vegan beer drinkers wary of gelatin (hooves), isinglass (fish guts) and other questionable filtering agents can keep tabs on their bevy with barnivore.com. While a perusal of the free site's comprehensive database of vegan-friendly beers and spirits may reveal that one of your favorites is not on the safe list (R.I.P. Red Stripe), you can relax knowing no living beings were harmed, directly or indirectly, to provide you with a good time. —JS

Packed in potent tin six-packs, Buzz Bites are teeny pocket-size chocolate chews that pack a hell of a wallop. They taste innocuous enough, something like a slightly shudder-inducing Milk Dud. Once the thing absorbs, though — it's laced with copious amounts of caffeine, B vitamins, ginseng and taurine — you'll be fighting off the power jitters with a stick/climbing a mountain/roundhousing an infant. Available at vroomfoods.com.

-Drew Lazor

One of the many joys of Philly dining is our bountiful BYO scene — packing your own grape juice controls the final check, and you're usually in such merry spirits by the time it lands that you leave an appreciative tip. The only bummer? For those sporting larger sniffers, there's no way your nose is clearing the edge of the tiny jelly glass they've given you to sip from. Yardley's Peter Rigas, however, did not invent the Silhouette with the nasally blessed in mind — rather, the notch cut in the edge of the oversize glass allows you to better appreciate the bouquet of your wine. Rigas' company, Tomzi International, is boasting the $54 pickup as the first major innovation in wine glass construction in hundreds of years. Since up to 90 percent of taste is attributable to smell, the subtle aromas lurking in your wine glass should now come roaring up the old schnozz and explode on the tongue like fireworks. The Silhouette may stir some controversy among oenophiles and experts, but for those of us with nose enough for two, the innovation smells like roses. Available online at

Gray Kangaroo Liquor Filter

If the Gray Kangaroo Liquor Filter ($29.95, graykangaroo.com), created by Nick Esposito, made an appearance at every home bar in town, we'd acquire a higher appreciation for cocktail parties and keggers. The latest version, the mighty GK4, promises to class up your vodka, whiskey, rum, gin and tequila by removing particulate matter and toxins, thereby diminishing those headaches and hangovers — and, of course, lesser-grade flavor. You'll also get 5 minutes of rapt attention from your guests as you explain just how stupefying your new gadget is. They'll all long for one when they find out that Absolut can be magicked into a luxe Chopin.

Head up to Northeast Philly's Three Monkeys Café (9645 James St., 215-637-MONK, 3monkeyscafe.com) and check out chef Robin's Mighty Joe Young, a burger lover's dream and a nutritionist's nightmare. Made with Taylor pork roll atop a juicy Angus patty covered in cheese and served with homemade potato chips, the entrée is an almost overwhelming proposition. For those averse to mixing meats, fear not — the modest pork roll slice offers little more than an aftertaste complementary to the patty itself. This favorite is not a quick meal, and time between bites is best spent soaking in the ambience of the place — the café, once the home of the Torresdale Antiques house, comes complete with a refurbished, century-old bar...]]> http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2008/10/02/small-bites http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2008/10/02/small-bites

Beauty Shop Café (2001 Fitzwater St., 215-546-1002, beautyshopcafe.com) owner Jonathan Adler calls it a practical joke. We call it one way to put more pep in your step. The Sriracha Latte is easy to miss on the menu, and he's sold only three so far, but the unapologetic drink remains. When a former employee decided to use the tear-jerking red chili-based condiment as syrup and talked himself into liking it, the frothy kicker won over a few adventurous palates. Served best hot and with whole milk, Adler recommends mixing it stealthily and then passing to an unsuspecting friend — preferably one with a sense of humor. —Kelly White

Ethio Café (4400 Chestnut St., 215-222-2104), which reopened two weeks ago under the management of new owner Genet Bersoma, is the place to go for lamb kikil. Available as a sporadic special, the dish is predicated on luscious, slightly fatty lamb hocks swimming in a bright yellow turmeric sauce that stains your injera-wielding fingertips. Near-microscopic diced onions and garlic and dainty slivers of jalapeño pepper lend a little spice to each savory bite. Last time I was there, they'd run out of proper takeaway containers for the brothy delight, so they happily gave me one of their Tupperwares. Don't worry, Genet, I'll return it — it gives me a great excuse to come back. —Drew Lazor

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Say it's a secret and then you're pretty much stuck telling it. So when we found out that an underground supper club was throwing dinner parties on the sly, we debated sharing the information. First, the underground restaurant movement, big in Cali and New York, hasn't hit Philly just yet. But Northeastern Pennsylvania's Fork in My Hand has plans to infiltrate our culinary back alleys soon enough. The Fork Chef is dealing out food on the down low for a select few in the Poconos and the surrounding counties of Lackawanna and Luzerne. You must be invited to attend, and all members are screened carefully to make sure they're not, like, us. We read their manifesto at forkinmyhand.com, especially that part about not betraying the cause. Needless to say, we're not in the club. Especially after this gets out. —Kelly White

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Whether it's a recipe for a Japanese-style noodle salad with smoked salmon and avocado or instructions for a "Pan Bagnat" with tuna, hardboiled egg, black olives, green peppers and other delicious veggies (pictured), mediterrasian.com gives you the tools to make flavorful, filling and healthy food...]]> http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2008/08/28/small-bites http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2008/08/28/small-bites

The South American Palo Santo tree — it means "holy wood" — is said to have myriad medicinal properties, with cancer preventative and remedy for asthma, anxiety and migraines but a few. It's also now a handy self-medicant. Palo Santo Marron, a 12 percent ABV brown ale from Lewes, Del.'s Dogfish Head, is aged in 10,000-gallon vessels made of the Paraguayan timber (allegedly the largest wooden brewing vessels built in America since before prohibition). The brew itself is a nearly black maltsplosion with a parade of subtle taste notes (liquorice, wood, coffee, chocolate). The brewery's releasing it monthly through 2008, so if you see some, get some. —Brian Howard

Behind the perky demeanor and time-saving/Food Network-ruining tips, I know the truth: Rachael Ray is the spawn of Satan. Author Elizabeth Hilts agrees. In Every Freaking! Day with Rachell Ray, Hilts skewers the new queen of DIY. Using an uncanny Ray-alike as a stand-in, Hilts offers fake recipes (fun size candy bars + blue gelatin = delicious?) to shots of Ray's awesomely dysfunctional family reunion (where cousins Baby Ducette DuRay and "Ferrari" Scuderia get a little too close). These shots are interspersed with faux-Ray's reminders to "Buy something overpriced from my Web site" and to "LOOK AT ME, LOOK AT ME, LOOK AT ME!" —Molly Eichel

Memphis Taproom (2331 E. Cumberland St., 215-425-4460, memphistaproom.com) knows its neighborhood — so well, in fact, that its staff has been wearing T-shirts with the pub's name emblazoned over the legendary Arctic Splash iced tea logo. The black cotton tees are available at Memphis for $12. They can't be purchased online, which is all the more reason for you to visit the 'hood, snatch a pint and then get changed in the bathroom. "People love them. Or they don't get them at all, which is exactly the point," says co-owner Leigh Maida. We've already spotted locals wearing the limited-edition shirts (at Sketch Burger on Girard, no less), but we've yet to spot someone sipping a Splash whilst clad in one. —Kelly White

Liz Begosh is whipping up some new treats in the Betty's Tasty Buttons (bettysfudge.com) kitchen. Philly's reigning queen of artisan fudge kitsched it up a notch for Phluff, her take on marshmallow fluff. Of course, it's not exactly the stuff you remember from days of fluffernutters past. Begosh's cream is made fresh (she recommends refrigerating it and using promptly) with a short list of easily recognizable ingredients, starting with organic cane sugar and ending with sea salt. You can grab your own jar every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Headhouse Farmers Market. This is what it's great with: chocolate ice cream, Nutella, strawberries, toast (quiet down) and pretzel rods. This is where you shouldn't go: bananas, bagels and Cheez-Its. This is what we're trying it wit...]]> http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2008/07/24/small-bites http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2008/07/24/small-bites

In February 2007, 30-year-old Filipino-American blogger Marvin (he keeps his last name and outside-the-blog job secret) founded Burnt Lumpia (burntlumpia.typepad.com), a site chronicling his gradual rediscovery of culture through cuisine. Growing up in a Filipino household, the L.A. native often took his family's cooking for granted, but he's making up for it now with in-kitchen experimentation that marries tradition with playful innovation. (The blog's title refers to lumpia, the ubiquitous deep-fried spring roll.) He's used common Filipino ingredient ube (purple yam) to craft gnocchi, wrapped bananas foster in banana leaves, adobo-fied babyback ribs and infused vodka with the super-tart kalamansi fruit. "I knew if I didn't learn about Filipino food and teach myself how to cook it now, I'd be sorry for it later," says Marvin. "Our grandmothers, mothers and aunties won't be around forever, so it's probably not a bad idea to learn some of their recipes before it's too late." —Drew Lazor

Fresh fruit and veggie season is in full force, but Hiromi Paper's thinking ahead to the times when glistening produce isn't right at our fingertips. The California-based company carries inedible food-based papyrus that's so pretty, it's OK we can't have it for dinner. Crafted in Germany, the paper is made from ultra-thin slices of real produce that are delicately pressed and laid in charming cross-sections. From stunning starfruit mosaics to delish displays of oranges, carrots, lemons, eggplants, green tomatoes, bananas, persimmons and bl...]]> http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2008/07/03/small-bites http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2008/07/03/small-bites

It started out like any other day — Valerie Blum was in her kitchen toying with recipes for Lutécia, her quaint Gallic café on the corner of 23rd and Lombard (215-790-9557). Little did she know she was about to concoct a minor taste sensation. "We didn't use to make it as much," says Blum of her tomato bisque, "but people like it." What started as an occasional soup du jour became, thanks to overwhelming demand, an everyday menu item that always seems to run out well before closing time. It's not hard to understand why — the soup is rich and smooth, and leaves the spoon with a final tangy kick. (The secret, Blum confides, is a dash of piment d' Espelette, a pepper from a small town in France.) In a true testament to the bisque's popularity, they offer it throughout the summer. And yes, it still sells out in 90-degree weather. —Cecilia Razak

Before, I would have destroyed anyone who claimed Tastykake Butterscotch Krimpets could be improved. A former CP intern almost got fired for suggesting these exquisite iced sponge cakes were "like a Twinkie." (Sorry, Holly.) But behold this glorious variety I recently came across. Just as Krimpet-y and just as butterscotchy — but now they're bringing me closer to Mr. Chase Utley, one icing-covered wrapper at a time. According to Tastykake.com, sending in 10 wrappers will qualify you for a chance at a "meet and greet" with either Utley or some guy named Nick Markakis. Naturally, we'll assume that "meet and greet" means "marry and buy kittens with." Even if I don't win, I still get to ...]]> http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2008/06/12/gary-vaynerchuk http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2008/06/12/gary-vaynerchuk Thu., June 12, 4:30-5:30 p.m., free, Wine School of Philadelphia, 2008 Fairmont Ave., 800-817-7351, vinology.com

Wine guru Gary Vaynerchuk will be at the Wine School of Philadelphia today, June 12, to promote his new book — Gary Vaynerchuk's 101 Wines: Guaranteed to Inspire, Delight and Bring Thunder to Your World (Rodale Books, $19.95). Vaynerchuk— or Gary V, as his followers, the "Vayniacs," call him — is the director of operations for Springfield, N.J.'s Wine Library, but he's best-known for his high-energy video podcast on tv.winelibrary.com, where he moves away from stuffy wine practices by using terms like "sniffy sniff" and asking whether a bottle "brings the thunder" when he reviews them. The Internet celebrity has appeared on Ellen and Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and he's been featured in print in places like The Wall Street Journal, GQ and Time.

After my oral surgeon spent three hours ripping out my wisdom teeth and sewing my gums back together, he sent me home with a slightly loopy anesthetized feeling — and a care packet that included a gift certificate to Rita's Water Ice. I stopped over expecting to pick up a quart of an uninspired flavor like cherry to ease the pain. But through my codeine-induced fogginess, I was met, with pleasant surprise, by Rita's newest flavor — sweet tea. What's already everyone's favorite summer drink is now even colder. Try it with a scoop of lemon water ice to create the illusion that you've squeezed in some sliced citrus. —Danielle Zimmerman

Rachel Playe

Located in front of the Howard Gittis Student Center at 13th and Montgomery, Temple's Sexy Green Truck is the school's only eatery with a stated mission of sustainability. It's also one of a handful of venues around campus whose primary revenue isn't derived from the sale of free radicals on a bun. Owner Ruzhvi Gurra buys local to cut down on emissions, and no item is more local than the mini samosas, made right in West Philadelphia. Each samosa is part-soft, part-crispy shell with potatoes and a single pea inside — sort of like a pearl in a clam. Flavors range from citrus-y to spicy to tomato-y, so it's like a wax paper pouch full of surprises. And at six for $1.50 or 12 for $2, they're an inexpensive way to eradicate that last bit of post-lunch hunger. —Andrew Thompson

An exotic Tastykake surfaced in the CP office last week. Although it claimed to be a Krimpet, this little snack was barely related to its jelly and butterscotch ancestors. The limited-edition Pancake Krimpet was exceedingly dense and came complete with a maple-y frosting and butter-flavored cream filling. But instead of a flapjack, it tasted like Waffle Crisp cereal slathered in sugary goo — in short, delicious. Unfortunately, this little guy is as elusive as he is addictive. After surfacing for a couple of days at our beloved J&K Gourmet (58 S. Second St.), the pancake Krimpet has been MIA. Save for one sighting at the 7-Eleven at 11th and Washington, our Google searches have only resulted in some disturbing breakfast/cupcake frankenrecipes. If you see him, tell him we love him and just want him to come home — no questions asked. —Monica Weymouth

In a bizarre but inspired fake meat development, vegan snails have infiltrated Spring Garden Market (400 Spring Garden St., 215-928-1288) and are slithering on to a dinner plate near you. Sure, getting past the sheer existence of faux snails is difficult, but they are an excellent calamari substitute when beer-battered and dipped in cocktail sauce. A traditional escargot recipe is also nice, with the taro-based "snails" acting as a flavor conduit for pungent ingredients like shallots and garlic. The texture is remarkable, and at 26 calories for an entire package, you're hardly breaking the nutrition bank. —James Saul

God in a Cup: The Obsessive Quest for the Perfect Coffee ...]]> http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2008/05/15/veggie-burger-special-at-johnny-rockets http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2008/05/15/veggie-burger-special-at-johnny-rockets

If you're a vegetarian, there's not much incentive to go to Johnny Rockets (443 South St., 215-829-9222). It deals largely in meat stuffs supplemented by artery-unfriendly greasy-spoon fare. And who isn't just a little terrified by the dancing waitstaff?

In a curious partnership, the nationwide chain is teaming up with PETA to celebrate World Vegetarian Week. Buy any sandwich or starter and a drink at Johnny Rockets between May 19 and May 25 and you're eligible for a free Streamliner — that's a veggie burger (pictured).

Once you wrap your head around the concept of a meatcentric purveyor strolling arm-in-arm with animal rights activists and accept that all you're getting is a Boca burger, take note of the good deal. It's damn near impossible to go wrong with Boca, and JR's fries are notably delectable. If nothing else, it's an excuse to check the place out. Print out a coupon (vegcooking.com/johnnyrocketspecial.asp) and chow down — just watch what you request on the jukebox.

 

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sweets

The Sweet Spot's Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies

Before tasting Danielle Davis' red velvet sandwich cookies, I believed no recipe could ever compare to my grandma's dark red cake. I was wrong. Working out of her Allentown kitchen, Davis sculpts gigantic deep-red cake rounds stuck together with an impressive buttercream cream cheese frosting. Soft and embarrassingly addictive, the cookies are available only from her online shop, The Sweet Spot (thesweetspot.etsy.com), through which she crafts and ships made-to-order confections — free samples included. She also offers various choco-covered choices in addition to her crimson masterpieces because, as she says, "there is nothing that cannot be dipped in chocolate." I'm sure her mastery of classics like peanut butter and marshmallow truffles and Italian Torrones are making her own grandma proud. —Amy Strauss

eats

Vegan Mac and Cheese at Gianna's

Jewish grandmothers and their vegan grandkids will schvitz nachas for mac and cheese from Gianna's Grille (507 S. Sixth St., 215-829-GG4U, giannasgrille.com). Elbow macaroni and an avalanche of vegan cheese are crammed into a Kugel-like colossus of a dish, then buried under a layer of zesty crumb topping. For $6.95, you get a rich, hearty portion that can feed three or stuff two. A side of stewed tomatoes blends perfectly with the cheesy flavor and lends the crumb topping a Parmesan-on-sauce vibe. —James Saul

drinks

Ayala's Herbal Water

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eats

Burger King Ketchup & Fries Chips

If you love ketchup but find the motion of dipping fries into it repetitive, rejoice — Burger King has teamed up with the aptly named Intensely Different snack food company to bring BK Ketchup & Fries chips to a vending machine near you. And if there are two words perfect for describing Fritos' latest competition, "intense" and "different" are them. From the moment the bag is ripped open and the overwhelming scent of ketchup hits the air, it's clear that the tater is not the star of this snack event. The thin crisps pack a good crunch, but that's the only reminder that you're eating a chip; the taste of the fry part of the duo is all but absent. This is a snack reserved for ketchup addicts who need a more dignified way to get their fix than just sucking it straight from the bottle. —Sara Scott

sweets

Whiskey Doughnuts at Johnny Brenda's

Pound shots during brunch the way Homer Simpson would — with a whiskey doughnut. Johnny Brenda's glazed treats are the right way to ease yourself out of a hangover. Available weekends, the Jack-infused pastries sell like the hotcakes that they actually are, replacing the tasteless toast and dry muffins that typically accompany your morning meal. The golden rings are kicked up with the spicy tang of whiskey, soused in the deep fryer and plastered with sweet frosting. Don't worry if you're a lightweight — the only pound you'll feel from these will be on your thighs. —Kelly White

books

Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper: A Sweet and Sour Memoir of Eating in China