Top Chef 'villain,' homemade Oreos, bubble gum string cheese and more

--"Villain or hero? Science geek or artist?" That's the question asked by the April issue of Food & Wine in a feature on Season 6 "Top Chef" winner Michael Voltaggio, the chef de cuisine at the Dining Room at the Langham Huntington Hotel in Pasadena. 

--Blogspotting: I found Erika Alliston's Sweet Pea blog when friends were all a-Twitter over her take on Chef Thomas Keller's Oreos, at left. Sweet indeed. Definitely putting those on the to-do list.

--Who makes the best burgers in Southern California? Fast Food Maven wants to know. (Note to FFM: I am sad that my personal fave did not make your list: The Smokehouse Burger on the menu at Beachwood BBQ in Seal Beach. It's smoked ground brisket and sirloin. Totally worth the $11.)

--Lenny Kravitz might want to get in on the voting: He says he loves Umami Burger.

--What the world needs now: Bubble-gum-flavored string cheese.

--The Sacramento Bee profiles the simple genius that is Elise Bauer's Simply Recipes.

-- Rene Lynch
On Twitter @renelynch

Photo credit: Erika Alliston Wagner

Comments

[oakley]

OH. MY. GOD!!! Smokehouse Burger is my favorite too! I get mine with blue cheese. It's like buttah! At Beachwood, I either get the burger and a lager/pale ale to make room or Mac & Cheese with a stout/porter. BTW - the venison chili is out of this world as well.