Need help finding the PERFECT Valentine’s Day Gift? Well, don’t worry, I am here…

Love Is In The Air! Celebrate Valentine’s Day With “THE LOVEBURGER”!

In the mood for love? I thought so…and what better way to show it than this perfectly shaped Valentine’s Day burger, just one of many crazy things happening between buns today!

Behold The “LOVEBURGER!”

It sure is, a nicely formed patty and bun that says “I love you!” And why not? There are worse things to do to a burger!

Behold The Perfect Valentine’s Day Gift – BACON!

There are all kinds of sexy ways to say “I love you” this Valentine’s day – like this amazingly creative use of bacon!

I knew I was “overdue on bacon”, so I put on my “INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER” cap and did some delicious digging for you: and I found the recipe for bacon roses!

I found this on the great website “TheDailyBacon”…and they posted a recipe for how to win your lover’s heart – through the magic of bacon:

Make Your Own Bacon Roses!

You’ll need: bacon, fake flowers, a muffin tin, toothpicks and tinfoil.

1. Soak the toothpicks in water (this keeps them from charring in the oven). Defrost the bacon. Line the muffin tin with foil. Turn the oven up to 400 degrees.

2. Roll the bacon to look like a rosebud, then stick two toothpicks in the bottom to hold it together.

3. Place the bacon rosebuds in the muffin spaces. The toothpicks should keep them from touching the bottom — you need that space for fat drippings.

4. Put the bacon in the oven. Cook 25-30 minutes.

5. Deconstruct the fake flowers. Pull the entire thing apart, get rid of the petals and put the stem back together.

6. Let the bacon cool, remove the toothpicks and stick the bacon bud onto the plastic stem. Voilà! Salty, crunchy flowers.

Now, if you aren’t quite so romantic, skip the design part of the process and go right to the bacon:

And thanks to the website “The paper mama.copm”, you can make bacon hearts as well!

I love how simple and fun this is…not sure I can make scrambled eggs in a heart shape, but I will try anything!

If bacon’s not your thing – although I’ll never understand why – you can also have Giordano’s pizza in Chicago make you this:

Open a nice bottle of red and call it a tasty night!

Wear A Delicious Valentine’s Day Outfit!

If you need any help dressing for your Valentine’s Day dinner, try this on for size:

And For The Ladies…

Make sure you buy the one you love something lovely like this:

A Bacon Scarf!

After all, it’s winter and we have to stay warm, right? It looks even better being worn:

And it even looks great on guys!

See, there are SO many ways to show your love in tasty ways….

Like Bacon Frosting!

What can I say, except to say that this is a way to top off ANY Valentine’s Day desert!

And when in doubt, there is always THIS solution! As always, our friends at White Castle are ready to roll out the red carpet for you this Valentine’s Day!

Here is a story about Macaroni and Cheese, and what happens when your son dares you to eat it on a burger….and so much more….it all began when I was sent this picture…

Behold The Bacon And Mac ‘n’ Cheese-Wrapped Corn Dog!

Lots of amazing food to share with you today, beginning with this picture of a bacon and mac’n’cheese wrapped corn dog!

Toni Molle sent me this picture…and it is as unique as it sounds…imagine wrapping a corn dog in mac ‘n’ cheese and then a bacon crust!

Kudos to “FoodBeast” for posting this picture…I’d love to try and make one, or just take your standard hot dog and drench it in some mac’n’cheese!

And now that we’ve opened the “mac’n’cheese floodgates”, let’s double down on some fun! Here is a tease:

Yes, what you see is majestic, but before he head to my own mac’n’cheese burger encounter, let’s start with that wacky world of mac’n’cheese hot dogs!

I LOVE HOT DOGS! AND I LOVE MACARONI AND CHEESE AS WELL!

Yes, hot dogs are always delicious! Wrap it in bacon and stuff it with man’n’cheese and the world becomes a better place…I mean, if you are too lazy to take this on, all you have to do is drench one in mac’n’cheese and you are set!

A Bacon-Wrapped BBQ Hot Dog Topped With Mac ‘n’ Cheese!

If mac’n’cheese isn’t enough, you can BBQ that bad boy and make it even better! Thanks for the great website “Todeliciousnessandbeyond.com” for this incredible food and recipe too, which you can see here!

http://todeliciousnessandbeyond.com/2014/10/11/bacon-wrapped-bbq-hot-dogs-topped-with-mac-n-cheese/

And if you like the idea of a “mac ‘n’ cheese dog”, then what about this?

Now it’s getting a bit crazy…the internet is filled with pictures of mac’n’cheese hot dogs – and they all look great!

And if you REALLY want to go man’n’cheese crazy, try this:

The Mac’n’Cheese Pizza!

And of course, even the simplest “bacon mac ‘n’ cheese” is special – here is a mac’n’cheese dish I ordered once – with bacon of course – and boy did they deliver!

And once you start twisting bacon around mac ‘n cheese, there is no going back – you end up with this:

The Bacon Mac ‘n’ Cheese Cone!

Yep, a cone filled with mac’n’cheese and topped with bacon – count me in!

Bacon Meatloaf – With Mac’n’Cheese Filling!

And even better is a bacon-wrapped meatloaf that has been stuffed with macaroni and cheese! It’s surprisingly easy to do: just make two small meatloafs, connect them with a center of mac ‘n’ cheese, wrap them up in bacon and bake! What you see is what you’ll eat, and how can you argue with THAT?!?!

Bacon Mac’n’Cheese Burger!

If you aren’t a hot dog or meatloaf fan, then you have another option. Yes, recently I bit down hard on a bacon mac’n’cheese burger!

OK, for some of you this is just to much to take, but stay with me and we’ll go through all of this majesty for you so you can understand why these are the greatest things ever created!

There are some wacky Chefs out there, and guess what? I found one too!

My Own Mac Burger Encounter!

Yes, my son Jeff jokingly told me to order a mac’n’cheese burger the other day…and never one to back down from a dare, I did!

Now isn’t that a thing of beauty? Not only was there a LOT of bacon on top of the burger, the kitchen actually used large macaroni noodles to really let it stand out – oh, and it came with tater tots as well!

So, if you want to know what it tasted like, I will say this: it’s like eating a bacon cheeseburger and stuffing a little mac’n’cheese in there to boot…a nice addition, not necessary in any way at all, but good!

The tater tots were a nice addition as well, but let me tell you, it’s a mouthful if you try to enjoy all of these flavors at once!

And since we are talking fast sensations, time to go back to our friend the hot dog:

I found that some of the best hot dogs in the world are sold on food carts on the streets of Seoul, South Korea! These ones were slathered in a sweet and spicy sauce, and slowly simmered for hours….

It was just one of my many food adventures in South Korea. If you want to see all of the unique items you can buy in Seoul, check out my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/07/10/seoul-food-bacon-hot-dogs-hanging-fish-a-delicious-korean-adventure/

I love to travel and eat hot dogs, burgers – well, everything, especially cheese-stuffed, bacon-wrapped hot dogs like this!

And to finish our discussion of mac’n’cheese, if you want to cut down on the carbs, just make the mac ‘n’ cheese your bun and be done with it!

Leave a comment and let me know what you love about mac’n’cheese!

Ready To Bite Down On Some Tasty “Frog?”

Solid investigative reporting has led me to THIS:

Yes, the Internet has given us more joy today – leave it to Japan to offer up a new classic meal in a bun:

The “Frog Burger!”

Here is how this madness got started:

Over in Japan, Sega and Yokohama’s Sunshine Aquarium have a Deadly Poison Exhibition, highlighting 25 poisonous animals from all over the world. As “RocketNews24″ reports:

“To commemorate the event, the cafe nearby at Orbi Yokohama has created a special menu featuring what they call “The Frog Burger.” If a deep-fried frog sandwiched between pitch-black buns sounds good to you, then fork over 1,000 yen (US$8.34)!”

If you have tasted frog legs, you know they taste pretty good, so why not enjoy them between two buns?

This story was originally posted by Michelle Lynn Dinh, the great Reporter for “RocketNews24″…who also reports that the restaurant offers an “Earth” burger as well…

That is certainly more dignified, especially with the “earth” bun that evokes the oceans…I’d bite down on this in a second!

To read the entire story, and all of their great reporting, check out “RocketNews24″ here:

http://en.rocketnews24.com/2015/03/03/frog-burgers-join-the-earthy-line-up-at-cafe-in-yokohama/

Kudos as always to “RocketNews24″, a terrifically entertaining website worth following!

And don’t forget, you have a chance to be part of Japan’s burger madness!

If you love Japan’s “Lotteria” burgers as much as I do, then time to cast your vote for their most outrageous burger!

As “RocketNews24″ reported, Lotteria wants you to vote for your favorite burger, like the 9-patty monster, or the shrimp burger! Check out the entire story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2015/01/29/vote-for-japans-wildest-burger-shrimp-stack-ramen-burgers-everything-burgers-lotteria-wants-you/

And once again, let me know if you are up for biting down on a frog burger!

Time for more of the world’s “wildest” burgers!

Behold The “Chomp Stack!”

So many incredible burgers to share with you – let’s get started at The Chomp Kitchen and Drinks in Warren, Rhode Island – and their “Chomp Stack!”

You see what it is: a massive beef patty plus a smoky ground pork and beef patty that’s topped with maple-bourbon fried chicken – with pickled jalapeňos, pepper-Jack cheese, ranch, lettuce, tomato and pickles!

Kudos, Chomp Kitchen! And also kudos to a terrific website that showcases these burger menus:

http://www.burgerbusiness.com

Burgerbusiness.com has great features on restaurants, menus, the business of running a burger business…check it out!

And get ready for this “masterpiece between buns”:

PYT Scores Again!

Yes, PYT burger in Philadelphia garnered lots of press coverage for their “deep-fried twinkie burger”, with deep fried real Twinkie buns! PYT takes a juicy beef patty and tops it with american cheese and bacon!

Dig in! And if you want to see more of PYT’s creative genius, here is my story about their unique menu!

http://johnrieber.com/2014/11/29/americas-craaaziest-burgers-adultshakes-sexy-food-madness-of-pyt-burgers/

PYT is making some of the most inventive burgers around…and it seems to be sparking a burger battle around the world!

The ZOMBIE BURGER + DRINK LAB!

Why not head to Zombie Burger in Iowa to try “The March Fatness” – a massively messy collection of beef, Tater tots, American cheese, waffle sausage dogs, Shiner Bock-bacon country gravy and mayonaise!

And if you want more of an “international” feel to your burger, let’s head to England!

Behold “The Gigantwich!”

Yes, it’s as big as a small child! Read all about it here:

http://johnrieber.com/2015/01/17/bite-down-on-the-gigantwich-behold-englands-biggest-burgers/

And if you want a burger that combines great taste with fine art, look now further than here:

“Porn Burger” – “I Woke Up Like This!”

As you can see, the web site “Pornburger.me” continues to post amazingly creative burgers on a regular basis. Read all about my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/06/05/pornburgers-the-delicious-online-world-of-burger-food-porn/

Let me know what’s your favorite!

Time To Celebrate Amazing Culinary Mashups!

Let’s begin with a tater tot topped with creme fraiche and caviar! This is from the great restaurant Archetype, located in St. Helena, California, in the heart of wine country…

Caviar Rules!

I love caviar, and I love tater tots, so this is a great great thing…peer upon it again:

The flavors of potato and caviar just sound right – and I found another example of this mashup as well, this time with caviar anchoring one end of a french fry:

And it reminded me that I once posted a story about this unique potato/caviar combo from Russia of course – the caviar flavored potato chip!

You can read all about this russian delicacy by clicking on here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/08/29/caviar-potato-chips-cajun-squirrel-chips-the-worlds-wackiest-potato-chip-flavors/

Sometimes the best food takes simple flavors and combines them in a unique way…and in America, perhaps there is nothing “simpler” than this combo:

Bacon And Egg Cups!

As you can see, this would be the greatest way to start your day! It all begins when you make yourself one of these:

A bacon cup is a thing of beauty, and you make them easily by draping bacon over an inverted cupcake mold…

Then you do a baked egg dish with the bacon acting as your “cup” and you are on your way! It’s just one way to enjoy an “incredible edible egg!”

Eggs are so versatile, I like them on salads, in noodle soups, and of course, on pizza!

Here are some other amazing taste sensations: imagine a spanish tapas that combines fresh baby squid and chickpeas:

This delicious dish is served at Barcelona’s legendary tapas restaurant “Cal Pep”:

It’s just one of a dozen memorable bites we had when we visited, and you can read all about the meal by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/05/20/barcelona-tapas-cal-pep-the-battle-for-tapas-supremacy/

And of course, if you don’t feel like a bacon-wrapped baked egg, you can always make yourself a “Bacon shell taco!”

And please don’t forget about my all time favorite food item – one that has made me re-think what it means to call something “dessert”:

The “Bacon Oreo!”

Yes, it’s the most majestic food item of all time – take some crispy bacon and nestle it right between those Oreo cookies, held in place by the silky frosting….what could be better than that?

Well, this for starters…

Oh, that’s right, you need a drink – so bite into this Bloody Mary! It’s a strange new trend – finding a way to pack a drink with plenty to eat – like a roast chicken!

See all about this new trend in “drinking and eating at the same time” by clicking on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/03/20/time-for-bacon-and-cheese-and-meat-oh-my-the-best-stuff-wedged-between-two-buns/

And if you want to eat healthier, but just can’t shake your love of bacon, well I have an answer for you:

“Bacon Bowl” Salad!

There you have it, a nice healthy salad – and you get to eat the bowl as well! Now all you need is a bacon Martini!

EVERYONE seems to be serving bacon in drinks these days, but this thing of beauty is from a restaurant in Montreal that is “ALL BACON ALL THE TIME” – read about them here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/08/22/bacon-bowls-bacon-martinis-an-all-bacon-restaurant-brutus-in-montreal-brings-the-bacon/

Imagine how great that Martini would taste with one of these!

Prepare Yourself For THIS!

Behold the Fried Chicken Hamburger! What a wild wild idea! And wait, there’s more!

Behold Minor League Baseball’s “Krispy Kreme Donut Dog!”

That’s right: a hot dog is being offered to fans at Wilmington Blue Rocks minor league baseball games this season! The “Krispy Kreme Donut Dog” is placed between a glazed Krispy Kreme donut, packed with bacon and topped with raspberry jelly!

Yes, RASPBERRY JELLY!

You can see the raspberry jelly oozing out of this hot dog, and it is impressively stuffed with lots of bacon as well…

My friend Casey O’Brien asked me how I felt about this, and I told him “unwell, I think…” But the more I think about it, I say, why not? In fact, it’s just one of a number of new, wacky food products for you to sample….

Deep-Fried Sandwiches!

Yes, you can also buy a “croquette deep-fried sandwich” too! So much deep-fried madness to share, let’s get going!

Osaka Deep Fries To Go!

Let’s head to Japan, where there is a restaurant in Osaka that has a “croquette” sandwich, which comes wrapped in a fried outer layer! “Tentora” restaurant is located on the Komagawa shopping street in Osaka’s Higashi Sumiyoshi Ward, and offers a wide variety of premade foods – here’s a look!

You can see they offer bento boxes, rice dishes – But the best packaged food is DEEP FRIED! Yes, there is nothing better than a nice, deep fried sandwich to go!

RocketNews24 Does It Again!

Thanks to the terrific website “RocketNews24″, we can now show you deep-fried croquette sandwiches, and they look GREAT!

Here is how “RocketNews24″ describes this treat: “Tentora starts by taking one of its extra-thick croquettes, then making a deep cut, turning the mass of fried starch into a substitute bun. Showing a surprising amount of restraint, Tentora’s cooks don’t cram yet another croquette into the incision. Instead, they fill it up with creamy egg salad, made with the store’s in-house mayonnaise. Next they add a tiny dollop of ketchup, plus a sprig of parsley.”

Yum!

As always, kudos to RocketNews24 – this website is full of great stories about Asia – and you can read the entire story here!

http://en.rocketnews24.com/2015/03/31/japan-sees-americas-double-down-raises-it-a-crazy-deep-fried-sandwich-of-its-own/

And RocketNews24 doesn’t end there: they also shared this!

Korean KFC’s “Bunless Burger!”

Here you go – a hamburger that uses FRIED CHICKEN AS A BUN!

KFC goes mad in South Korea with this “double down” hamburger! It’s a burger that comes encased in fried chicken buns! As “RocketNews24″ shows you, however, the reality of what you are served is a bit less impressive than the ad shows:

But that said, it sure looks BIG!

And while we are talking about deep-fried madness, don’t forget this:

KFC also “doubled down” on their hot dog in Asia – see how this baby holds up to scrutiny by clicking on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2015/01/26/kfcs-unbelievable-double-down-hot-dog-see-the-pictures-double-down-mania-goes-footlong/

I was able to wander Seoul, South Korea and discover an amazing array of street food as well!

These “bacon-wrapped hot dog” are sold by street vendors, who also offer hot dogs that are encased in french fries!

If you want to read more about my street food adventures in Seoul, click on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/10/28/koreas-crinkle-cut-french-fry-corn-dog-worlds-wildest-hot-dog-mashup/

And let me know if you want a “fried chicken hamburger!”

Thirsty? Then Bite In A Drink!

Here is why I love the internet…I can find great drink ideas like this –

Watermelon Mojito Popsicles!

Yep, the icy cold goodness of a popsicle with the tasty kick of a Mojito! I found a couple of amazing recipes for these frozen treats, and I wanted to share one with you!

Makes 12 2.5 oz Popsicles

· 8oz. watermelon juice (2 ½ cups chopped watermelon)
· 2 oz fresh lime juice
· 1 oz. simple mint syrup (recipe follows)
· 8 oz. light rum
· 14 oz. club soda

Here are your easy instructions:

1. Place chopped watermelon in a food processor or blender and process until watermelon is juiced (will be slightly pulpy).

2. Combine watermelon juice, lime juice, mint syrup and rum in a shaker and shake well. Fill popsicle mold 3/4 of the way up with mixture. Fill remaining popsicle mold with club soda and stir to combine.

3. Freeze for about 2 hours or until mixture starts to solidify enough to hold a popsicle stick upright. Insert popsicle sticks and finish freezing popsicles overnight. To release popsicles run hot water on the outside of popsicle molds for a 2-3 seconds.

Enjoy!

“Bustle” Up Some “Adult” Popsicles!

Alcoholic popsicles are quite the rage! I came across a number of great articles, including this one from the “Bustle” website.

Here is the entire article with recipes:

http://www.bustle.com/articles/27482-how-to-make-alcoholic-popsicles-the-most-perfect-of-all-frozen-summer-treats

And of course, remember you don’t need your alcohol frozen – IF you have a spare “ox bone” handy!

Behold The “Bone Luge!”

Yep, just grab a hollowed out ox bone and have your favorite drink served up fresh!

I love the “bone luge!” Not sure if you get that “meaty” flavor with your drink, but read all about this trend by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/01/18/bone-luge-bone-luge-i-call-it-planking-with-bones/

This is all making me hungry. Time to grab a drink with some good eating attached!

Bite Into A Bacon Martini!

Bacon is now being used for virtually EVERYTHING – and you can get your “Bacon Martini” recipe here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/08/22/bacon-bowls-bacon-martinis-an-all-bacon-restaurant-brutus-in-montreal-brings-the-bacon/

And of course, bacon is now being used in Bloody Marys, but it isn’t alone:

The World’s Wildest “Bloody Mary!”

Wacky bloody Mary recipes are now everywhere, and you can see them all here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/08/08/a-fried-chicken-bloody-mary-the-worlds-wildest-bloody-marys/

And from BIG, it’s also time to go SMALL:

The World’s Smallest Bars Are In Tokyo!

This alleyway leads to hundred of bars – welcome to Tokyo’s “Golden Gui” districts, where tiny bars serve 6-8 people…read all about them here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/10/16/alex-sim-wise-explores-tokyos-smallest-bars-golden-gai-mini-bars-i-love-japan/

Don’t expect a “Watermelon Mojito” there, so you will have to make your own!

Let me know your favorite drink!

The Internet Delivers Again!

Thanks to my friend Angie Brown for sending me THIS:

A Bacon-Wrapped Deep Fried OREO!

The image is from the website “ohbiteit.com”, and I thank them for the stacked majesty of their image…but I found the entire recipe for this new treat at a different site:

Angie sent me the link to “Elitedaily”, where there are pictures of the entire process for making your own bacon-wrapped oreo snacks!

Kudos To Elitedaily.com!

Thanks to this website for posting all of the pictures, showing you step-by-step instructions for making this delicious treat! Of course, you can see them all by checking out their website here:

http://elitedaily.com/envision/someone-invented-bacon-fried-oreos-photos/997097/

Thanks again to both “ohbiteit.com” and “elitedaily.com” for a great taste sensation.

As you can see, the “bacon wrapped” frenzy continued! Remember when I told you about this?

Bacon-Wrapped Pickles!

Yes, we are almost at that time again: bacon is once again being used to wrap just about everything!

As we head into summer, items like “bacon-wrapped pickles” are going to show up at state fairs across the nation!

State Fair Fast Food Madness!

It will be a summer of bacon-wrapped fun! Read all about the bacon-wrapped pickles and deep fried Krispy Kreme Sloppy Joe’s by clicking on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/06/14/krispy-kreme-sloppy-joes-your-state-fairs-deep-fried-madness/

It seems that the “perfect storm” of deep-fried goodness is always the state fair, where anything goes!

And finally, if this food just isn’t “wild” enough for you, then you need to check THIS out!

“The “Fish Dog!”

Somewhere in the world RIGHT NOW, there is someone eating a “fish hot dog”….it makes me feel good about the world…see some of the wildest food being consumed right now by clicking on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/08/13/top-ten-wildest-food-ramen-burgers-a-fish-hot-dog/

And if you forgot that I am always here to bring you the best tastes from around the world, then let me remind you of this:

Yes, you can eat a mac’n’cheese cone that is covered with bacon bits, just click on my story below to find out how:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/09/23/bacon-macncheese-cones-bacon-oreos-foie-gras-burgers/

Please leave a comment and let me know if you plan to make any bacon-wrapped deep fried oreos soon!

Look At This! It’s An “Italian Popper!”

Yes, it’s a hollowed out meatball stuffed with spaghetti – a true “Italian Popper” of an appetizer!

If you like that, then how about this?

A Fried Chicken Mashed Potato Wedding Cake!

Yes, it’s exactly what you think it is – a cake that is made of cornbread, covered in mashed potato and topped with fried chicken!

Where, you ask, did I find such amazing food?

Welcome To The Raucous World Of “The Vulgar Chef!”

This picture of a buffalo chicken mac’n’cheese-stuff mushroom cap is just the tip of the culinary iceberg at this incredible website!

Be warned that every post is littered with profanity, but that’s part of the sense of humor that permeates every food post, and they are hilarious! For example, you can read about the “mushroom cap” by clicking here:

http://thevulgarchef.com/2014/12/23/buffalo-chicken-mac-the-fuck-cheese-stuffed-mushrooms/

And let’s get back to that “Spaghetti-stuffed meatball” recipe: I love how easy this is to pull off…first, make your meatballs….

I mean, if you don’t know how to make a meatball, there are probably a million recipes online…then, cook them and let them cool a bit, hollow them out – using the unused meat in the spaghetti sauce if you like…then cook up your spaghetti and stuff your meatball…delicious!

One of the best things about the internet is that there are SO MANY sites sharing wacky – and inventive – recipes with all of us. And, if you find these recipes and images to be funny – or delicious, then it’s time to look at this:

Yes, it’s a “cheesy bacon ramen pop!” And yes, the recipe lives forever online…

Behold The Hilarious Food Ponderings Of “The Vulgar Chef!”

As I said before, “The Vulgar Chef” is hilarious, very entertaining, and FULL OF PROFANITY! To find the “ramen pop” recipe – and a ton of other fun stuff, go right now to:

http://thevulgarchef.com

You will laugh out loud – and eat incredibly inventive stuff!

Now, I know what you are thinking: I’ve seen that Fired Chicken Mashed Potato cake somewhere before…and you are partially correct, because you are flashing back to THIS!

The Chicken Wing Cupcake!

Remember? I posted this recipe a while ago, but it just won’t die: a chicken wing perched on top of a mashed potato cupcake…delicious!

You can find the entire recipe here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/02/03/buffalo-chicken-wing-cupcakes/

And if you just want to eat the wildest burger you’ve ever laid your eyes on, then I have this for you:

The “Pornburger” website continues to impress with unique burger recipes, all lovingly photographed and documented, and you can see them all here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/06/05/pornburgers-the-delicious-online-world-of-burger-food-porn/

But remember, not all food porn is a “happy meal”:

I’m not sure who decided to make a cake homage to the film “Alien”, but click here to see the world’s most disgusting food art!

http://johnrieber.com/2014/11/04/the-worlds-wildest-food-art-disgustingly-wacky-food-creations/

And check out “The Vulgar Chef” and pop some spaghetti and meatballs now!

May Is National Burger Month! So Celebrate With Some “Ketchup Leather!”

Time to celebrate national burger month by looking at one of LA’s most acclaimed burger joints: Plan Check! When I say these are burgers worth biting down on, here’s what I mean:

Time to celebrate a month of great burgers – and let’s get started with one of the newest – AND BEST – burger bars in LA:

Plan Check!

“Plan Check” opened in 2012, and now has three locations om Los Angeles, I checked out the Sawtelle restaurant near work, which is always packed with people eager to bite down on this:

.

Bring On The “Ketchup Leather!”

“Plan Check” has half a dozen burger options, plus pastrami and chicken sandwiches…I tested the tradition “PCB” – and yes, they all come with ketchup leather! See it there?

It tastes like a ketchup fruit roll up, and a nice chewy addition to the soft bun and juicy burger….there is so much going on here it’s almost impossible to capture it!

Here is the PCB:

PCB (PLAN CHECK BURGER) $12.00
americanized dashi cheese, ketchup leather, schmaltz onions, mixed pickles, crunch bun

You can see the “schmaltz onions” and the pickles as well:

I also tried another one of Plan Check’s specialities:

The “Beef Tallow” Fries!

Plan Check serves fries up two ways:

FRIES $5.00
beef tallow, smoked salt, fresh ketchup

SWEET POTATO WAFFLE FRIES $6.00
beef tallow, peach ketchup

Of course, they can all be “suppressed” with schmaltz onions and cheese, which we did:

“Plan Check” is packed to the rafters for a reason: a great menu that is well executive, and fun stuff like “ketchup leather” make it a memorable bite…oh, and since it’s National Burger Month, let’s remember a few more “memorable bites”, like this one:

The “Mac’n’Cheeseburger”!

Sure it’s way more than you need, but isn’t that the point? You can see more about the majesty of the “macaroni-n-cheeseburger” by clicking on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2015/02/23/bacon-mac-n-cheese-corn-dogs-wild-macncheese-bacon-burgers-mac-up/

And when you celebrate burgers, it’s more than just an appreciation of the taste…I love that burger can also be works of art:

Yes, there is a website that turns burgers into mini-masterpieces – check it out here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/07/30/sushi-burgers-the-porknado-check-out-these-amazing-burger-works-of-art/

Let me know what your favorite burger is!

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It’s National Shrimp Day!

What a terrific holiday – and what better way to celebrate shrimp than by putting a bunch of them between a bun and biting down hard!

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Here is a great website where I found these great looking shrimp burgers, and equally great recipes! Check out “Gastrophoria” by clicking here:

http://www.gastrophoria.com/2013/02/26/shrimp-burger-umamicatessen/

What a great website for cool food and recipes! And if you aren’t in the mood to cook on your own, then just head over to Japan to enjoy Lotteria’s brilliant burger:

The Shrimp Tree Burger!

What better way to celebrate “National Shrimp Day” than by stacking them a mile high! It’s five fried shrimp patties on a bun, with some shredded lettuce and a tartar-like sauce…bite into the deep blue sea!

And they have many other options as well…in fact, if you need more of a bite than just shrimp, then add some beef, chicken and avocado as well!

Behold The Avocado Beef Chicken Shrimp Burger!

I love burgers! I love Japan! Therefore, it makes sense that I would love the latest burger from McDonald’s Tokyo – it is the majesty of an avocado beef, chicken and shrimp burger with bacon!

First, look at it again:

Yes, it’s only beef and avocado, but it is so much more…

Here is how RocketNews24 describes it: “The Avocado Beef burger comes with sliced onion, chunks of avocado, a slice of cheddar cheese, and a dollop of wasabi sauce, all topped off with two rashers of bacon. The other two, as well as swapping their main ingredients for chicken or shrimp, respectively, are served with avocado and spicy cobb salad sauce, with the chicken sandwich also receiving a cheeky slice of cheddar.”

“Cheeky Slice” Indeed!

So, as you can see form the delicious description, while this burger has meat, you can also order it – still loaded to the gills – with chicken OR shrimp – so three ways to try this avocado monster!

I loved the idea of it having ALL THREE AT ONCE – but am willing to enjoy it for what it is – a fun, “ciabatta-bunned” burger that makes avocado a main component…but you need to keep the shrimp on it, especially today….and for dessert, why not bite into this:

Chocolate-Covered Shrimp!

My love of Japan continues to grow, especially when I see how they make shrimp part of every course! You can cover them in chocolate, or better yet, have them in a Kit Kat!

This brilliant Kit Kat store in Tokyo sells them in every flavor you can imagine – read all about it here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/03/05/shrimp-flavored-kit-kats-baked-potato-too-the-wildest-kit-kat-flavors-ever-plus-canned-pancake-soda/

And don’t forget, today is the day to bite into one of these!

This Is A Post About A Very Strange Social Media Trend…

You are about to experience celebrity coverage with a VERY unique twist – celebrities eating food!

Sex Symbols Like Their Burgers Too!

Yes, Marilyn Monroe enjoyed a burger, and why not? In her day, photographers hovered for any chance to photograph the star, even if it was while she was dining…

Raquel Welch was a 70’s sex symbol, and it appears that she also always had a burger – and a photographer – at the ready…

And don’t forget “The King”…

Elvis And A Cheeseburger!

Elvis enjoyed a good burger as well, and as usual, there was a photographer nearby to capture the moment…just like the time that Led Zeppelin Guitarist Jimmy Page enjoyed his hamburger…

It seems that everyone has been photographed while eating – but I need someone to please tell me why Robert Plant has an ice cream cone AND a devilish look on his face!

Time To Investigate: Celebrities Eating Food Online!

It’s a scary thing to look up on the internet – if you enter search words celebrities and food – SO much stuff shows up, including compilations like this:

So George Clooney, Arnold Schwarzenegger and the rest like to eat too – and someone took the time to create this tapestry celebrating it! It’s almost disturbing in a way – so many pics of celebrities eating – even funny stuff like this:

Yes, President Obama likes a good burger and fries like the rest of us. In fact, there is a Tumblr blog that has a ton of these pics – it’s called, of course:

“Pictures Of Celebrities Eating Food!”

It’s hilarious, check it out here:

http://picturesofcelebritieseatingfood.tumblr.com

The site has a picture of another President, President Kennedy, eating what they suggest is a hot dog at a ball game:

Today’s Hot Dog Eater!

And if you want a more current “celebrity” eating a hot dog, well this blog has that for you as well, courtesy of a very mod Lady Gaga:

Oh, Gaga like sandwiches too:

“Hey Miley! What’s For Lunch?”

If you have always wanted to ask Miley Cyrus that question, now the internet will answer it for you:

The correct answer is: she is having a salad in her bathrobe. As I said, there are tons of pics – and many funny websites – that highlight celebrities eating…and of course, there are tons of Kim Kardashian dining photos to gawk at – like these for starters:

You get the idea – there are literally a thousand more just like it – sometimes I can’t tell if the pictures are trying to show that celebrities are just like us, or is there something more…

Stop! I mean, what was on Robert Plant’s mind? Anyway, I find this “food trend” humorous and worth pondering as well…and there is a trend toward hot dog consumption as well.

I will leave it at that.

And finally, I have been guilty of adding to this trend. I always say a big “thank you” to Sara Underwood for agreeing to “wear” her food – yes, she dressed up in a bacon bikini for a G4 shoot!

Let me know your favorite “eating” celeb!

Time To Start Planning Your Memorial Day 2015 Menu!

I love this holiday! Of course, we are honoring our Veterans who have made great sacrifices for this country, and we are proud of them for that service. For an All-American celebration like this – what beats a burger?

This post is going to celebrate burgers of all shapes and sizes, and share some great recipes for your grilling pleasure – with no shortage of BACON!

Yes, it’s one of America’s most popular burgers – the Shake Shack bacon cheeseburger!

Shake Shacks are opening everywhere now it seems, and here is the reason why:

The burgers are big and beautiful – you can ready my entire review right here:

http://johnrieber.com/2015/02/04/bite-into-shake-shack-cheese-stuffed-burgers-my-shack-stack-review/

And there’s no better time than to try and replicate America’s greatest burgers!

Time To Be Inspired!

Why are burgers America’s greatest food? Well, a great burger picture answers that question, but also, remember the words of one of our country’s most beloved Chefs:

“The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook.”

Julia Child.

That’s right, this is the kind of food that says “I LOVE AMERICA!”

A cheeseburger, when done right, is a thing of beauty. When done with doughnut buns, as you see above, it’s a thing of PERFECT BEAUTY. And what do you do when something is perfect? You double it!

Now THAT is a thing of beauty! And since the Memorial Day weekend is a time for families and friends to gather, I call on all Artists to rise up and create a masterpiece or two – like this!

To begin, here is my ALL-TIME FAVORITE SLIDER!

I am happy to get this celebration started by showing you what, to me, is the greatest taste imaginable…

MY “FRENCH FRY ‘N’ TARTAR” BACON CHEESEBURGER!

I love burgers. And bacon. AND TARTAR. So why not take care of all of my vices in one big bite?

It’s so easy to be so happy: cook up a burger (i add diced onion and garlic to mine) and just before you finish cooking it, lay a few cooked french fries on top, then top with tartar sauce…finally, lay down a piece of cheese….i use both sharp cheddar AND Mozzarella….once it melts you are ready to bite down hard!

Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it – and you will never knock it again! OK, I understand that some of you don’t want to mix your burgers with spuds, so if that’s the case, here are some other fun recipes to try!

SLIDERS, SLIDERS, SLIDERS!

I like sliders because you can try more variations due to their smaller size. The key to a great slider is what holds it all together. That’s why I use sweet Hawaiian dinner rolls…they are the perfect size AND they add a nice bit of flavor, which you need when you are piling your mini-bun high like this:

The Ingredients For A Perfect Patty!

Now, time to get down to basics. A great hamburger uses good quality ground beef with at least 15% fat content, to ensure lots of juicy flavor. I put minced onion and garlic in mine, to provide a bit of sassy crunch. Other than that, I like to use a fun salt – like pink hawaiian sea salt, and a fair amount of pepper.

Let’s get cooking!

The All-American Bacon-Cheeseburger!

What can you say? Here is the all-american classic! Build it this way and you are golden – your ingredients are easy:

Sweet Hawaiian bun, Cheese – melted and dripping
Bacon! Bacon! Bacon!
Hamburger patty
Tomato, Pickle, then Mayonaise, Mayonaise, Mayonaise!
Ketchup and mustard if you MUST

If you do it right, it will look like THIS (you can shift things around in terms of order, but it needs to end up like this):

See that? DO NOT DEVIATE – this is perfection.

But what if you have a “spicy tooth?” Well, we have an answer for you as well:

The Sriracha Burger!

This is a GREAT idea…the recipe is from the terrific “Serious Eats” website, and it takes advantage of one of America’s most popular new condiments!

3 pounds ground beef (preferably chuck, 80/20)
1/4 cup soy sauce
10 tablespoons Sriracha
4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
4 slices thick-cut bacon
2 large sweet onions
3/4 cup blue cheese dressing
8 sesame seed buns
8 thick slices Swiss cheese
1 large beefsteak tomato, sliced
Arugula or romaine lettuce

This great looking Sriracha burger pic came from “cookingwithcristen.com” which is also a great site for recipes!

This is easy and fun: just combine the ground beef, soy sauce, 5 tablespoons of the Sriracha, and the pepper – make your patties.

Preheat a charcoal or gas grill to medium high heat.

Cook your bacon – once the bacon is cooked, remove the slices and drain onto paper towels, reserving the remaining bacon fat in the pan. Cook sliced onions in the bacon fat over medium-low heat until they caramelize, 20 to 25 minutes.

Grill the burgers, turning once, 4 to 41/2 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer registers 130° to 135°F for medium-rare.

While the burgers are cooking, in a small bowl, combine the blue cheese dressing with the remaining 5 tablespoons Sriracha. Lightly toast the buns on the grill during the last minute of cooking time.

To assemble, spread the blue cheese mixture on both halves of each hamburger bun. Stack a burger patty, Swiss cheese slice, bacon, caramelized onions, tomato slice, and a small handful of arugula between each hamburger bun.

Bam! Spicy good times for all!

Our next stop on this burger journey take you to a very unique and gooey place:

The “Bacon Mac’n’ Cheeseburger!”

That’s right, make a bacon cheeseburger and load it up with mac’n’cheese as your topping!

As you can see, simple and so so delicious – especially when serves with tater tots on the side!

And if you want a subtle “international” feel to your slider, this this on for size:

Australian Sliders!

I uncovered these two years ago in Melbourne. They add a slice of beetroot – OK, we call it beet, they call it beetroot – just add a slice underneath the burger. It adds a great, slightly sweet and nutty flavor to the taste. Look at how beautiful that big chunk looks on the burger above…Everything else is the same – but if you want to go totally Aussie, add a fried egg on top….the best!

Finally, if you want to begin your holiday weekend with a slider, do what I do:

The “White Castle Breakfast Slider!”

Here is a recipe for making your own breakfast sliders using frozen White Castles cheeseburgers!

http://johnrieber.com/2012/06/28/white-castle-breakfast-sliders-behold-the-380-calorie-wonder/

Enjoy your holiday!

Who Loves Fast Food?

Easy question: almost everyone! And “fast food” doesn’t have to mean “bad food”! I am proud to have been included in the latest issue of The Henry Ford magazine, all about fast food…

I profiled a number of great restaurants and Chefs who are taking our perceptions of fast food and turning them upside down – please check out the magazine online here:

http://thehenryford.uberflip.com/i/516192-the-henry-ford-magazine-summer-2015

I love the whole issue, and hope you do too! I want to thank the great burger brains at Seattle’s Lunchbox Laboratory:

I profiled them in the article, and had the chance to eat there again recently…here is that tasty story:

http://johnrieber.com/2015/03/12/classic-burger-joints-dicks-drive-in-lunchbox-laboratory-seattles-burger-magic/

And if you want to see what some other folks are doing with fast food, then you want to check out this “Ketchup leather”:

Plan Check in LA is a great new burger spot…check out my review here:

http://johnrieber.com/2015/05/02/incredible-plan-check-burgers-ketchup-leather-bite-into-national-burger-month/

Leave me a note and let me know what you think of my article, thanks!

Behold The “Cheetos Crusted Mac’n’Cheese Pulled Pork Cake”!

Not much to say here except “Kudos!” Yes, the vulgar minds at “The Vulgar Chef” have created a masterpiece of wackiness! Here is the video:

I love the thinking here, and if you follow me, you know that I posted about “The Vulgar Chef” once before…for this:

The “Spaghetti Stuffed Meatball!”

Yes, The Vulgar Chef turned spaghetti and meatballs inside out for our tasty enjoyment!

Here is that link:

http://johnrieber.com/2015/04/22/spaghetti-stuffed-meatballs-wacky-recipes-from-the-vulgar-chef/

Kudos once again to “The Vulgar Chef”…check out the websites for daily food madness!

Help Me! I’ve Got A “Mac” Attack!

And if the words “Macaroni and cheese” take you to places like this:

Then you can read all about the craziest uses for it here:

http://johnrieber.com/2015/02/23/bacon-mac-n-cheese-corn-dogs-wild-macncheese-bacon-burgers-mac-up/

Enjoy life!

Hungry For A Peanut Butter And Jelly Sandwich? ON A STICK?

It’s become an annual tradition: the Iowa State Fair has unveiled their list of new food item to be presented that this summer’s huge event!

Fairgoers walking along the Grand Concourse at the 2004 Sesquicentennial Iowa State Fair on Saturday August 21, 2004 in Des Moines, IA. (Iowa State Fair Photo)

Iowa’s Amazing State Fair!

Kudos to the Iowa state fair – for not only putting on a hugely successful event every August, but for now actually releasing an annual list of the new food to be unveiled at the fair!

A “Bacon Explosion!”

For bacon lovers, this was probably the biggest news: “The Ultimate Bacon Explosion” features 8 oz. of fresh brisket trimmings infused with a light jalapeno cheese, blended with seasonings, and then wrapped in bacon. It is then smoked and lightly sauced in a homemade Sweet Chili BBQ Sauce.

Here is one of many stories from local media showing you what to expect this year:

http://www.kcci.com/news/iowa-state-fair-to-release-new-foods-list-wednesday/33737086

And Iowa’s not the only state that is getting into the state fair food madness!

Thank You, Texas, For Your Deep-Fried Coke!

“Fried Coke” is Coca-Cola-flavored batter that’s deep-fried and garnished with Coca-Cola syrup, whipped cream, and cinnamon-sugar. Abel Gonzales Jr. won Most Creative for this concoction at the 2006 State Fair of Texas. Good job, Abel!

Indiana’s Pizza Cones!

Indian’s state fair offers this portable version of a pizza slice is a cone-shaped pizza crust filled with cheese, pepperoni, sausage, and tomato sauce, baked in an oven. And just like an ice cream cone, the cheesy treat comes wrapped in its own paper sleeve for on-the-go handheld ease. Sounds tasty and fairly healthy, considering the next item:

California Fried Avocado Bites!

It wouldn’t be California if avocado didn’t get a starring role! This recipe consists of spears of tender avocado that have been coated in a corn-dog batter and fried until golden. These vitamin-rich nuggets come with a choice of two dipping sauces: ranch or herb-infused oil.

Texas Unveils Chicken-Fried Bacon!

This ode to bacon won the award for Best Taste at the 2008 Big Tex Choice Awards. Creator Glen Kusak had been a fair vendor for 12 years running, but 2008 marked his first year entering the annual State Fair of Texas food contest.

Glen Kusak is now our hero!

The Huffington Post Food Section Digs Into Fair Food, Too!

The Huffington Post also had a great story in their food section, all about great state fair food. Among their choices:

Fat Elvis On A Stick – Wisconsin State Fair

Elvis loved his peanut butter, banana, and bacon sandwiches. Wisconsin paid tribute to this with their latest on-a-stick creation, the Fat Elvis: a peanut butter cup dunked in banana batter, then deep-fried, and served with bacon on top, of course.

Deep Fried Cotton Candy – Texas State Fair

And how can you top this? We saw deep fried Kool-Aid last year, so we should have known that cotton candy couldn’t be that far off. As the Huffington Post says, this is pretty crazy, because it seems like the spun sugar would melt in the deep fryer. Life is full of mysteries. Not enough sweets for you? Don’t worry, this treat is served by a frozen yogurt purveyor, so feel free to use these giant balls of fried sugar as a topping on your froyo.

Enjoy your state fair “food on a stick” experience!

4th Of July – Burger Fireworks Galore!

Everyone loves the 4th of July! Celebrating our independence from “bangers and mash” is one reason – grilling burgers of all shapes and size is another – like this “double decker!”

Yes, we can “live free and eat hard” this holiday season – for me, I plan to have a more “subtle” cheeseburger…like this one:

Talk About A “Sloppy Joe!”

Ok, that may be just a bit more than I need this weekend, but how can I stop piling on the goodness when it can lead to one of these:

This post is going to celebrate burgers of all shapes and sizes, and share some great recipes for your grilling pleasure as well!

WHAT THE PACHISLO???!!???

I love this picture. My daughter Jessica posed in front of an ad for the “Green Peas Pachislo Burger” when we were in Tokyo…we don’t know what it was, but in hindsight we should have walked in and ordered one, just to get a real picture of it!

First, a big shout out to “Taylor’s Refresher” in St. Helena, California for their great bacon cheeseburger…you can read all about it here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/01/15/napas-burger-battle-taylors-gotts-great-burgers-a-mondo-burger-fight/

I am going to profile a few of America’s best burger joints as I showcase some great burger recipes….

Building A Better Burger!

Look at this picture above. Your basic hamburger uses good quality ground beef with at least 15% fat content, to ensure lots of juicy flavor. I add minced onion and garlic, pink hawaiian sea salt, pepper, and a bit of Worcestershire sauce….boom, you are ready to grill!

The All-American Bacon-Cheeseburger!

What can you say? Build your better burger this way and you are golden:

Top Bun
Cheese – melted and dripping
Bacon! Bacon! Bacon!
Slider Patty
Tomato
Pickle
Mayonaise, mayonaise, mayonaise!
Bottom Bun

See that? DO NOT DEVIATE – this is perfection.

OK, you can deviate a little…since my daughter and I were in Tokyo earlier, let me share this japanese burger!

The Japanese Wasabi-Avocado Burger!

Make your patty as usual, but this time top it with sliced avocado, and a heavy dose of wasabi mayonaise. Trader Joe’s sells it, or buy some great mayo and wasabi and mix it together to the strength you can handle…this is delicious with a Sapporo!

Lotteria’s “Bacon Cube” Burger!

If you are inspired by a Japanese take to your cheeseburger, check out these unique burgers from Tokyo, thanks to the unique restaurant “Lotteria”…read all about them right here….

http://johnrieber.com/2015/01/29/vote-for-japans-wildest-burger-shrimp-stack-ramen-burgers-everything-burgers-lotteria-wants-you/

If you head to Seattle, you can find one of America’s best burgers…

Bite Into The Dork!

Here’s an incredible burger being made by Seattle’s “Lunchbox Laboratory”! Check out the recipe by clicking on my review here:

http://johnrieber.com/2015/03/12/classic-burger-joints-dicks-drive-in-lunchbox-laboratory-seattles-burger-magic/

I am also a fan of bending the “burger rules” as necessary to offer up a unique taste sensation…and what better sensation to celebrate than “Sriracha!”

The Sriracha Burger!

This is a GREAT idea…the recipe is from the terrific “Serious Eats” website!

3 pounds ground beef (preferably chuck, 80/20)
1/4 cup soy sauce
10 tablespoons Sriracha
4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
4 slices thick-cut bacon
2 large sweet onions
3/4 cup blue cheese dressing
8 sesame seed buns
8 thick slices Swiss cheese
1 large beefsteak tomato, sliced
Arugula or romaine lettuce

In a large mixing bowl, make your burger patties with the ground beef, soy sauce, 5 tablespoons of the Sriracha and pepper.

Cue The Bacon!

Cook your bacon, then use the bacon fat to cook your onions into a cartelized taste treat!

Grill the burgers, and while they are cooking, combine the blue cheese dressing with the remaining 5 tablespoons Sriracha to use as a topping!

There you go: a cheesy, oniony, spicy, bacon-y thing of greatness!

And speaking of “GREATNESS”, how about a bacon-covered macaroni-and-cheeseburger!

A Bacon Macaroni-and-Cheeseburger With Tater Tots!

Once you’ve tried this, you will never go back to a plain old cheeseburger again!

It’s easy! Instead of cheese, cover your burger with mac’n’cheese! Throw some bacon in there and make sure your tater tots get under the bun as well!

And if you really want to get weird, try my favorite burger of all:

Behold The French Fry Burger!

And of course, my favorite burger of all is this: just add french fries to the top of the burger, then a bit of tartar sauce, and top it off with cheddar cheese – a burger and fries all in one!

No matter which recipe you try, spend this fourth of July doing what all Americans should be doing: eating meat and waiting for the fireworks! Happy July 4th!

“Smile! You’ve Got Bacon!”

Here are more ways you can get the most out of bacon this holiday weekend – we begin with a monstrous bacon cheeseburger that is a work of art:

No, not THAT work of art. I mean bacon that is used as it should be used: to smother a cheeseburger!

Shake Shack does a great job with their bacon-drenched double cheeseburger, but imagine if you added just ONE MORE THING:

Behold The Mac’n’Cheese Burger!

That’s right, it’s burger that is topped with mac ‘n’ cheese…and yes, it’s good! It’s just one unique item topping off a burger…how about this one?

Japan’s Burger King Goes Pumpkin Crazy!

Burger King Japan’s BK Pumpkin, and its bigger, pumpkinier sibling, the Pumpkin Bomb. Via a Google translated press release: both burgers come with beef patties, fried kabocha pumpkin slices, bacon, and lettuce. They’re also topped with a nut sauce made from sesame seeds, peanuts, almonds, cashews, and hazelnuts. The difference between the two? Pumpkin Bomb has a whole bunch more pumpkin on it, ten slices in total. A Pumpkin burger? I don’t think America is ready for this yet….

5 Guys!

So I had my first 5 Guys burger, and yes, it lives up to the hype…this is one juicy, cheesy, tasting burger – and it’s BIG!

I also mentioned that it’s “cheesy”, right? This baby was “all in” – everything they wanted to put on it, they put on it – and it oozed real good…

Your Bacon Org Chart!

However you want to utilize bacon, just follow these simple rules of social media:

And here are some other examples of burgers taken to the extreme…like my favorite from Big ‘n’ Little’s in Chicago – their homage to the Big Mac called the:

“Big Mack Daddy!”

Big ‘n’ Little’s is also famous for their “pork belly po’boy” which you can bite into right here:

Big ‘n’ Little’s really knows how to take bacon and turn it into something special! Of course you need to read more about this amazingly good restaurant, and you can by clicking on my review here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/01/27/behold-the-pork-belly-poboy-big-littles-bites-down-hard-deep-fried-cheeseburger/

Burger In A Box?!?!?

Oops! A cheeseburger in a box? Who else has ever bought a frozen, pre-made cheeseburger in a box and taken it home to the microwave…..

And sometimes you just want a burger that is SO juicy, you might have to eat it with a spoon?

And of course, you can always just have your bacon ON A STICK!

Read all about the “bacon explosion” being sold at this summer’s Iowa State Fair by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2015/06/25/bacon-explosion-pbnj-on-a-stick-deep-fried-beer-iowa-state-fairs-latest-food-mashups/

And don’t forget your bacon social media – smile, you’ve got bacon!

Behold The “Fish Parfait!”

Here is another reason why I love the internet. What you see here is a “fish parfait”. Yes, an ice cream parfait topped with fish. According to my friends at the terrific website “RocketNews24″, this is:

“a lightly grilled sashimi bonito parfait, which combines the rich, succulent flavours of seared fish and garlic with the sweet taste of ice cream!”

Yes it is – a FISH-TOPPED ICE CREAM TREAT!

Behold The New Taste Sensation!

RocketNews24 reports that this unusual dessert is available from Restaurant Yuzuan in Nankoku, Japan. The restaurant specialises in “katsuo tataki”, or as we would say, “lightly grilled bonito”. The unique tuna parfait comes in three sizes: small (1 slice of bonito) for 490 yen (US$3.91), medium (2 slices) for 790 yen ($6.30) and large (3 slices) for 999 yen ($7.98).

Of course, thanks to the incredibly entertaining website “RocketNews24″ for the story – this website is a never-ending series of fascinating stories from Asia. You can see the fish parfait story in its entirety here:

http://en.rocketnews24.com/2015/06/09/japanese-diners-are-raving-about-fish-parfait-made-with-grilled-bonito-and-ginger/

And speaking of unique food mashups, I want to remind you of some of the more memorable efforts of the past, beginning with Asia’s unique take on the all-american hot dog!

The “Fish Dog!”

You can take it as an insult to hot dog lovers everywhere, but I see it as a fascinating cultural exchange…instead of a mystery meat hot dog, why not a fish? See more here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/08/13/top-ten-wildest-food-ramen-burgers-a-fish-hot-dog/

And if a fish hot dog isn’t what you crave, then what about this black-bunned masterpiece:

The “Frog Burger!”

You can have frog the way nature intended: as a burger! I would try this without flinching – frog’s legs taste good, and a burger is a burger is a burger, right? Read all about the “frog burger” here:

http://johnrieber.com/2015/03/02/frog-burgers-japans-incredible-burger-magic-earth-burgers/

And if you really want to try a unique flavor mashup, have a strawberry burger! Just like the fish parfait dessert, someone had the bright idea to make your burger a bit more “fruit forward!”

Lotteria in Japan offers up a burger topped with a strawberry sauce…along with a whole bunch of other unique burgers – read all about them here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/10/05/amazing-strawberry-burgers-bacon-cubes-choco-chicken-burgers-lotterias-top-five-burgers/

Meet you in Japan for a fish parfait!

Today’s The Day To Bite Down Hard!

Happy Dawg Day! Yes, it’s “National Hot Dog Day”, and that means you need to stick one of these in your mouth right now!

See? Even Martha Stewart celebrates this day in a BIG WAY! And she’s not the only one taking hot dog love to a whole new level!

I’m not sure who comes up with these “national you name it days”, but when it’s for a delicious and somewhat misunderstood food item like the hot dog, I say let’s go!

Yes, a guy named Dan Abbate created the world’s largest hot dog, as confirmed by the Guiness Book Of World Records…you can find more on it online…

So, as we are celebrating everything “hot dog”, I want to share some of the world’ finest attempts to make a hot dog!

First, we are NOT the only country that loves a hot dog…look at this chart!

Yes, the Japanese love their hot dogs as well. So let’s celebrate all that comes between a bun!

Here are my five favorite hot dogs, and the stories I have posted about them:

A Krispy Kreme Dog!

Krispy Kreme is beloved for their SWEET SWEET SWEET doughnuts, so why not wrap one of them around a hot dog – and don’t forget the bacon!

Sure it’s all kind of wrong, but when it comes to a hot dog, why do you wanna be right?

See more of this majestic hot dog by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2015/03/31/krispy-kreme-bacon-donut-hot-dog-kfcs-fried-chicken-hamburger-buns-deep-fried-sandwiches-wildest-deep-fried-mania/

Time to move on to an amazing inventive use of a hot dog. Many consider this to be some sort of sick joke, but I think it is the coolest cooking idea EVER – spahetti-infused hot dogs!

Spaghetti-Infused Hot Dogs!

Come on, if you were a kid – or a kid at heart – you would LOVE this! I love inventive use of everyday food, and you can see how it is done by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/05/20/spaghetti-hot-dogs-amazing-cooking-technique-that-works/

If you REALLY want to abuse your faith in the traditional hot dog, then how about THIS!

Yes, it’s a “Bacon Mac’n’Cheese Hot Dog”, and you can see how it is made by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2015/02/23/bacon-mac-n-cheese-corn-dogs-wild-macncheese-bacon-burgers-mac-up/

Now, it’s time to turn to one of America’s national treasures: Col. Sanders!

KFC achieved fast food notoriety with their infamous “Double down” chicken sandwich, with two chicken patties instead of buns!

Well, they couldn’t stop there: Col. Sanders just might be turning over in his imaginary grave after seeing:

“The Double Down Hot Dog!”

So what they have done is to find a way to “wrap” a piece of fried chicken around a hot dog! And people ate it!

If you can stomach it, click to see more of the “Double Down Hot Dog!”

http://johnrieber.com/2015/01/26/kfcs-unbelievable-double-down-hot-dog-see-the-pictures-double-down-mania-goes-footlong/

OK, these are, in many ways, a perversion of what a hot dog is supposed to be: a tube of meat placed between a bun. But for many of us, the bun is unnecessary!

That’s right, take a look at this delicious hot dog wrapped in bacon!

I spent a great week in Seoul South Korea, where I found incredible tasty street food what you see above, and also this:

The crinkle cut french fry wrapped hot dog on a stick!

Click on my link to see more hot dog mayhem, like the “Crinkle Cut French Fry Corn Dog”, by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/10/28/koreas-crinkle-cut-french-fry-corn-dog-worlds-wildest-hot-dog-mashup/

And back in the United States, I want to share with you my greatest hot dog experience!

Hot Doug Shocker!

Chicago’s Hot Doug’s was known for some amazing hot dogs, like the “BLT” that you see above, and the “Foie Gras Dog” shown here:

And it was just a year ago that I posted about the shocking closure of “Hot Doug’s”, the greatest hot dog stand in Chicago!

Doug Sohn decided to walk away from his hugely successful hot dog stand, then just announced a deal with the Chicago Cubs to serve his classic hot dogs at Wrigley Field…see some of Doug’s magic right here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/07/23/hot-dog-day-hot-dougs-shocker-chicagos-hot-dog-legend-calls-it-quits/

So celebrate this “hot dog day”, because as you can see, there are so many ways to enjoy a hot dog – just ask Martha Stewart!