New product review: Dutch Bros. - Blue Rebel Energy Drink

For a while now, Dutch Bros. Coffee has been selling flavor infused Red Bull Energy Drinks, and selling quite a few of them.  Now, Dutch Bros. is ready to release their new energy drink, Blue Rebel.  With the slogan "Get up early.  Stay up late.  Change the world.", and working with Portland Bottling Company, they have come up with something great here.  

The flavor profile will instantly remind you of that other blue-canned energy drink, but life is made better by the subtle differences.  While it comes onto the pallet strong and with a high sour/acid feel, it leaves much cleaner.  The flavor stays with you a bit, but the acid after taste of Red Bull is gone, leaving you ready for the next drink.  While I would prefer a stronger natural fruit flavor to the sharp bite of citric acid that starts your taste of this drink, it is not as harsh as others I have tried.  I haven't tried an infusion drink yet, having been provided just a few samples of the canned beverage, but I expect that the smoothed out finish will really enhance the pairing with fruit flavored Italian soda flavors that have done so well for them in the past.  

I look forward to trying them on Monday when the drink is officially released.

Diet time

OK, things are going to be very boring for a little bit. For the next two weeks Carrie and I are going to be drinking protein shakes and Nothing else. I'll get back to recipes and restaurants soon.

iPad (3rd Generation) - the Fallout

For many of us, getting a new iPad means a trickle-down effect.  What to do with the old iPad it is replacing!  In my house, my old one goes to Carrie.  So not only do I go through getting it backed up to restore data onto the new one, but I need to back her old one up to restore the data onto MY old one.  Once all of that is done, we go through the process of making sure that everything is in working order for her to get back to work on Monday.

TJ Luoma over at TUAW.com has posted a great article on the basics of getting the old iPad ready for the next person.  What that means is going to be different for everyone, but it is a great start for you to make things easier on yourselves.  You can find the article here.

iPad (3rd Generation) - First impressions

WOW.  I was prepared based on what I had heard from others that the screen would be amazing, but it didn't prepare me for how good this thing is.  Better color, better brightness, and amazingly clear graphics.  The only bad thing I can say about this screen is that web photos really need to improve, because they look like crap a lot of the time on this screen.

The speed is the other thing that suprised me.  Having been in the tech business for a lot of years, I know that increased video processing can make a huge difference in games, but I wasn't prepared for how much it would improve every part of the experience.  Even opening and playing video from the web was amazingly improved.  Whether this is all due to the improved processor, or is also impacted by the increased RAM, it is really a sight to behold.

I haven't tried any really intense games yet, because most of the last two days has been using the things I always use everyday to see how they are improved.  I also have been repourposing my iPad 2 64GB 3G for the wife to replace her iPad 1.  Since she uses her iPad for work, getting it dialed in and making sure everything is working the way she wants it to in preperation for work on Monday has been a priority.

I will spend time this week really putting the NEW iPad through it's paces and reporting back here.

iPad release week - Must have accessories

OK, I know some of you have pre-ordered the NEW iPad.  Since I'm as anxious as everyone else, I thought I'd do some posts this week on things you can buy to get ready for it's arrival.  Most accessories for the iPad 2 will work fine for the NEW iPad, so most of my reviews will still be helpful to you all.  I won't know until it comes on Friday whether the extra .03 inches thickness will affect case fit, but I think my favorite cases should work fine (at least I hope I don't need to add even more to my collection!).  Even if the ones I have don't fit, all of the companies below either have announced or are already shipping cases that WILL.

First, let's talk about cases and covers.  There have been thousands of cases released since the original iPad was announced, and with all things some are definitely better than others.  The biggest thing to decide on is what TYPE of case or cover you are looking for.  If you want an integrated keyboard to turn your new tablet into a net book, ClamCase makes the the best on the market.  It will double the weight and more than double the thickness, but when you have a lot of text to enter (like writing a post for your blog or a long email), you'll appreciate having it along. I have the Storm Trooper limited edition, and it is the only keyboard case I use regularly.

If you prefer a case that looks like a book, DODOcase is my favorite. The folks at DODOcase have taken the best of traditional book making and brought it to the iPad in dramatic fashion.  I really am hoping that my DODO works for the new iPad, because I would hate to have to get another one (I have three already, and I don't know that the wife would understand the need for another).  They have several special editions, and just started offering several foil-stamping options to personalize them to your needs.

For those of you looking for something that looks great on your desk or the coffee table, but adds even less size and weight, a local Portland company makes my favorite case. Grove makes a beautiful bamboo case with your choice of felt or leather cover.  The Grove cases are not made to be ultra-durable, and I wouldn't throw one into a bag full of other loose gear, but they are awesome for what they are.  They can burn any design you want (including family crests, company logos etc.) into the leather, have several designs from local artists, and the build quality is top notch.  You need to check these things out.  They are handmade, so delivery times can take a while.  Get in line now if you want one.

For full coverage protection without adding much for size, my choice is the Marware MicroShell Folio.  Nice and slim case, stays on well and uses the SmartCover feature to wake your iPad like all good cases.  It is well made, and Marware has been in the accessory business long enough to have quality in every item they make every time.

It's going to be a great week for Apple fans. 

Review: iPhoto for iPad

At today's Apple Event, iPhoto was announced for iOS.  Not only is it well done, but it really changes the face of photo editing.

When you launch the application, you are greeted by the program indexing your photos, including your photo stream.

Once you select a photo, you can select edit, which brings up your tools, just like it does on the Mac

Your options are on the tool bar along the bottom.  From left to right they are: Crop, Exposure, Color, Brushes, and Effects.

While many of these don't seem too game changing, the biggest place the iPad version shines is the brushes.

Here is the picture I started with.  The sky was pretty washed out, but I like the way the trees and rocks look, so I just want to brighten the sky by over saturating the color.  I select the saturation brush, and pull up options.  I can turn the brush strokes on, showing me the areas I am adjusting:

 

As you can see, I used my stylus to paint the sky and clouds with the saturation brush, avoiding the rest of the picture.

Here is the before:

 

and the after:

If you have ever tried to do this kind of masking and color correction, you know how huge this is.  Imagine a real estate agent not needing to wait for a sunny day to take a picture of your house.  Just dial up the blue, and make any other corrections needed so that the picture looks just like the house (we all have seen pictures where colors are off just enough to make a difference in your impressions of the subject matter).

And everything, from taking the picture to the editing and uploading to the web, or emailing the photo can be done with one device.

The best part though, is all of these things are possible in your iPhone now too.  This really is the post-pc era, and Apple is leading the revolution!

Bacon Night! - Gluten Free Bacon Chicken and Dumplings

One picture sometimes really is worth 1,000 words. Creamy chicken soup with bacon, potatoes, and gluten free dumplings will warm anyone on a cold winter evening.  I love this recipe, and will definately make it again.  To deepen the flavors I used chicken thighs instead of the breast meat the original recipe called for.  The only other change I made was using gluten-free biscuit mix from BetterBatter, which worked exactly like it was supposed to, always a bonus for gluten free cooking.

The recipe is here, and you can find BetterBatter gluten free products here. 

Apple Special Announcement - The NEW iPad

Well, the event is over, and new products have been announced.

The new AppleTV came first.  Not a huge update, but good news none the less.  The AppleTV has been a long running hobby for Apple, and they are making some improvements.  1080P video (up from the 720P maximum before), a new interface that looks more like the home screen of an iOS device.  I was hoping for FaceTime with an integrated camera, but it did not come yet.  Once it does, Apple has reinvented the set-top box.  Apple just posted an update for the current AppleTV, so I will update you and let you know if the new interface comes to the "old" device.

The big news is the new iPad.  Same price, 4x graphics with the new A5x processor.  Full 1080P HD video with the new retina display, better cameras, 4G LTE internet with speeds up to 72 MB/sec.  They improved everything that has made the iPad stay ahead of the tablet game so far.

Also announced was iPhoto for iOS (no word on whether this will work with other devices), updates to iWork and iLife applications like garage band and iMovie.

Apple has now put the video up for you to watch here, and updates for all of your iDevices are available for update as well.

Dinner Time - Gluten Free Baked Ziti

I love baked ziti.  Always have.  So much cheesy goodness.  Great meat sauce.  For those of you that have never had baked ziti, think a combination of lasagna and pasticcio.

Using the best ingredients, just like anything else in cooking, makes for better food.  So when I decided to try baked ziti gluten free, I was worried about the new pasta more than anything.  

The brown rice pasta held up perfecly, as you can see from the picture.  The cheese coated it perfectly, and it didnt have flavor or texture any different than a normal wheat pasta.

Try this one, you won't be sorry!

Recipe is here.

Bacon....wait for it....Jam!

Yes, you read that right.  Bacon Jam.

I ran across this recipe on Pinterest, and the idea seemed too good to pass up.  Bacon Jam??!??  Are you kidding me? How could I not make something called Bacon Jam?

The flavors of the salty bacon combine with the brown sugar, maple syrup, and apple cider vinegar to make an amazing flavor profile that cannot be missed.  I will be making more of this as soon as what I have now is gone.

Now this is why we call the place Fat Boy Heaven!

The recipe is here.

Dinner Time - Gluten Free Lasagna Cupcakes

I love lasagna. Cheesy meaty goodness can never be over stated. However, doing it wheat and gluten-free has been a struggle. I was at NewSeasons Market today, and found a gluten and wheat free lasagna noodle and thought I'd give it a try. To change it up, I decided to do them in individual servings using a muffin pan.

They came out tasting great, but didn't hold together real well.  I think more sauce may have been what it took to make it hold better.

If you can't find the gluten free noodles, you can buy a roll of pre-made polenta and thinly slice it.  Polenta is frequently used as a substitute for pasta, and would be great here.

Give it a try, the flovor was great, and the fun change with the serving had the wife and kids raving.  The recipe can be found here.

Food Cart Review: Altengartz German Brand Bratwurst

I met a buddy in downtown Portland for lunch today, and since it wasn't raining we decided to hit the food carts at Portland's oldest food cart pod, on Alder Street.  For those outside Portland the concept may be foreign, but here food carts gather like teens at the mall on a Saturday afternoon.  Large groups can be found at several locations around town, but Alder Street is the oldest and largest to be found.

We made the loop of the full city block that is the Alder Street pod getting samples of foods that looked interesting to us.  I spotted a Green Bay helmet magnet through the window of a little Brat cart, and sampled one of the best Bratwurst I have ever tasted.  My mind was made up.

Since wheat and gluten were out, all I needed to do was get my brat with kraut sans bun and I was set.  George Wittkopp, the owner of Altengartz was quick to accommodate my request, and soon the smell of a brat frying with kraut filled the air.

The flavor was amazing.  A nice deep brown on the ends showed a well seasoned grill had been used, and the blend of spices was perfect.  George told me that Carlton Farms was making his sausages for him from his own recipe, and that old-world flavor shone through perfectly.  The sign of a good Brat is the lack of need to use condiments, and this one sure fit the bill.  I ate it as served and was not at all disappointed.

If you want more information on Altengartz Bratwurst, their website can be found at www.germanbratwurst.com

Definately a little piece of Fat Boy Heaven.

Cooking with Beer Wednesday: Braised Boneless Beef Ribs

Braised Beef Ribs served over riceOne of the things that happens in every household is opening the fridge and finding leftovers that are too good to toss.  Tonight I got to thinking about the leftover French onion soup I made the other night, and had an idea.  If I added a beer to it, there would be enough liquid to braise some beef!  Boneless ribs were on sale, so they got added to the plan.  Here's what I did:

Pre-heat your oven to 350.  Brown 3-4 pounds (6-8) Boneless beef ribs in olive oil over medium high heat in a dutch oven.  Add 2-3 cups of that left over french onion soup along with a bottle of beer.  Throw the covered dutch oven into the oven for 2 hours.  Increase the heat to 400 and remove the lid of the dutch oven so that about 1/3 of the liquid evaporates (about 30 minutes).

Serve over white-rice and enjoy your little slice of fat boy heaven!

Dinner Time - Gluten Free French Onion Soup...with a twist!

I love french onion soup, and this seemed like just the day to enjoy it.  I modified a recipe from AllRecipes.com to fit my tastes and our dietary needs, and it came out fantastic!

Adding the apples and bourbon gave it a very complex flavor profile, and using cheddar cheese to the top really helps set the combination of flavors off.

Recipe is here.

Dinner Time - Gluten Free Biscuits and Gravy

I know Wednesday has been cooking with Beer night, but I was craving biscuits and gravy tonight.  It's hard with needing to keep things Gluten free, but it came out really well!

Biscuits:

2/3 Cup Milk

2 cups Gluten-Free Bisquick

3 eggs

2/3 cup shortening

Directions:

1. Cut shortening into bisquick until pea-sized chunks form

2. Add milk and eggs, stiring until mixture forms into dough

3. Use tablespoon to drop dough onto ungreased cookie sheet

4. Bake at 400 degrees for 13-16 minutes

 

Gravy:

1lb Ground Beef or Sausage

3/4 cup White Rice Flour

2 cups milk or milk substitute

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Brown meat in large skillet on medium

2. Sprinkle flour over meat until all grease is absorbed and no loose flour remains in pan

3. Add milk, stirring consistantly until gravy thickens to desired consistancy.  If gravy gets too thick, milk can be added to thin it out.  Continue to stir until ready to serve.

Dinner Time - Gluten Free Bean and Corned Beef Soup

Tonight I wanted to try something different than the old standby soups I've been doing lately.  I saw a recipe idea for bean and brisket soup and modified it a bit to meet our dietary needs.

The soup turned out great, getting rave reviews from the family.  The corned beef made it a bit too salty for my taste straight from the package.  I should have maybe soaked it in water to try and get some of the curing out, but otherwise it was amazing.  As with any soup, the true test will be how it is the next day after the flavors have married together overnight, but I'm calling this one a hit.

The recipe can be found here.

Fat Boy Heaven: Kenny & Zuke's Delicatessen

Display case with hand-made specialties like Knish

One of the best places in Portland for a casual night out is Kenny & Zuke's Delicatessen on SW Stark at 11th in the heart of downtown. Mile high sandwiches and the best pastrami in the state can be found along side deli favorites like bagels, lox, knish, and latkes that remind me of my dad's kitchen growing up.


The counter for to-go orders

My wife and family had already ordered the signature pastrami cheese fries when I arrived, and they were almost gone. A large portion of perfectly cooked fries topped with a mound of crumbled pastrami and covered in cheddar make this a meal in itself, but we were just getting started.


Latkes
It is a bit of a cold evening, so latkes were on my order tonight, along with a side of flat-top fried pastrami. I love bacon, but it would be banished from my kitchen if I had a never ending supply of that pastrami in it's place.
The latkes were perfect, a nice mixture of potato and onion with just enough matzo meal and egg to hold it together to look much like a crab cake. The fresh sour cream and home-made apple sauce completed the plate in traditional fashion.

Grilled Pastrami

If you have not yet had the pleasure of sampling the traditional fare at Kenny & Zuke's, you owe it to yourself and your taste buds to give it a try.  It really is a little piece of fatboyheaven.

Bacon Night! - Alsatian Pork and Kraut

Alsation Pork with Sauerkraut

An amazing one pot meal. A great combination of flavors and textures that will please everyone in your house. Prep takes a bit, but the results make it all worth it.  The sugar and aples take away all of the sourness usually found in kraut, and leave a nice soft flavor from the fermentation.  

Come on, how many dishes have Pork, Bacon, Sausage, and fermented cabbage?  This is a great dish, and makes for amazing leftovers as well.

You can find the recipe here.

Old-school fun for the family!

The guys and gals at ThinkGeek just sent me one of the coolest toys I've gotten so far this year.  The Retro-Duo takes the internals from both Nintendo's original NES, and those of a Super NES to allow you to pull out your old carts and give them new life.

Since most modern TV's have made the old 75ohm connectors we used to attach cable boxes to disapear, the output boards allow for composite (Yellow video, Red and White audio) or S-Video output.  I had to hunt through bins at 3 different Goodwill stores to find games (my NES stuff went bye-bye a LONG time ago), but was able to turn up Ice Hockey and Golf to give it a spin last night.  When you can find them, carts are a lot cheaper now than they used to be.  I got both games for $6.00.

10% off orders $55 or more! Enter code: cmsave10

My son and I had a blast (after I was forced to explain that these were actually good graphics when I was 10 years old).  It took him a while to get used to the strange controls, but we had a couple of good games.  I beat him, of course, but it was still some nice father-son time.

Cooking with Beer Wednesday: Crock-pot Chicken

We had some chicken in the fridge that I needed to use tonight, but it was cooking with beer night.  I wasn't sure what to do, but I figured anything cooks fine in a crock pot, right?

The kids went back for seconds, and my Daughter said it was the best thing I've made since we started the cooking with beer segment here on FatBoyHeaven.com.  Enjoy!

As always, the recipe is here.