Burger Time!

     No, this isn't my gaming blog, and no, I have never played the game Burger Time. But it is burger time. I just learned how to make them without them puffing up in the middle, turning them into meatballs! Now that I can do that, I can add varying spices and condiments. So, I've come up with a list of things I have tried and liked, and things I would like to try.

Chili burger - Grind a bunch of chili peppers and chopped onion, add chili powder and seasoning.
Ground pepper burger - Add salt and cayenne/habanero/ghost pepper.
Mushroom burger - Without saturating it, add a can of condensed Cream of Mushroom soup to the meat; preferably topped with Swiss cheese.
Pizza burger - Without saturating it, add pizza sauce to the meat; chop up whatever toppings you like and mix them in; top with shredded cheese.

Eulogy for China House.

     Back when I lived in Vincennes, I usually lived downtown. Often, on days off, I would chillax with a few shots and either TV or a game. Then, when hunger pangs set in, I would walk to Third Street, between Main and Vigo, to chow down at a little place called China House.
     China House was run by the Zheng family; usually one woman running it and one or two people in the back room. But they made it work, usually. Yes, it had a ghetto feel to it, but that was part of its charm. And, if you're drunk or on lunch break from the hospital or some establishment downtown, it always hit the spot. It also hit the spot when you introduced a friend to pot; I'm not saying much further on that.
     This little establishment downtown had a small variety of things that would suit whatever mood you're in. Whenever I went there, I would often start with what I called the "land, sea, air" combo. This combo would include beef stir-fry, imitation crab casserole, and something of chicken. Hot-and-sour soup would often follow. And the menu would often vary.
     Recently, I had time to kill and an appetite, so I went there. But what I found was that they had closed down. Checking Facebook, I found that it happened at least two months ago. They will be missed, and I will always look back on it with a nostalgic feel.
     You're probably not reading this, but I still want to say thank you, Zheng family, for the memories and the food.

Experiencing Bloomington.

     My frequent trips to see my girlfriend, Denise, have opened my horizons to a broader base of experiences. When she is at work, I try to explore the area a bit. I hope to find new, regular haunts for when I move up there (provided things go well).
     For my birthday, she got me a vial of vapor juice. It is called caramel macchiato. They were not kidding when they labeled that flavor! It tastes like its namesake, but with no milk, so it's a strong caffeinated taste.

     I visited other vapor shops; one of them told me that my tanks that I use, Nautilus X, will be phased out. That was why they were so hard to find up there.
     I have been expanding my cookbook collection, thanks to a chain called Half-Price Books. I really want to get a few recipes written down before I do a major grocery trip.
     Speaking of groceries, the stores there have such a huge variety! In addition to having a few sushi bars around town, their Kroger has one, too! Yes, it's sometimes expensive, but it's worth it if you can swing it.

     Months ago, we went to a festival called Tastes of Bloomington. It was so good! They had samples from around the city. I liked the Indian place, and the grilled mac-n-cheese sandwich called the Mac Daddy, which is locally famous.

It's my guilty pleasure, don't judge me!

     It's often ridiculed as a poor-man's champagne, a high-school student's first alcohol, and a sickly sweet vomit-inducer. But, holy fuck, I like it! MD 20/20. I like it. There, I said it, so sue me. Not all flavors, but some; Banana Red and Habanero Citrus, especially.
     I'm sipping some Banana Red right now. It's my guilty pleasure. Not sure if it goes well with my clove vapor or not. Maybe I'll see how it tastes with Pixie Dust. Cheers!

So many taste sensations.

     I've been discovering a lot of stuff lately. I won't write about each one in a separate blog entry, so I'll compile them and talk a bit about each. Also, I think that, since this is my taste blog, I should expand that topic beyond food and drink, and include vapor flavors. I mean, after all, vapor can be found in various flavors and delivery systems.

     So, after a while of using just the vapor pen, I got my hands on the iStick Nano. It's completely amazing! That, coupled with the Nautilus X Aspire tanks, expands my choices for new flavors, as it handles thicker e-juice blends.
     Soon after getting my iStock Nano, I found out my favorite go-to flavor, Wrath (cinnamon clove), was discontinued due to new laws. In fact, the whole Juicifer line (Wrath, Lust, Gluttony, Pride, etc.) was discontinued, and there was no clove alternative. However, I found one online, from a company called VaporFi. It's amazing! Puffing it brought out my inner goth, as it tastes like Djarum black (a goth stereotype). It's my new go-to flavor; I've already ordered three back-up bottles. Since it's such a harsh flavor though, I haven't been puffing it since I got the bronchitis that's been going around.
     I was recently recommended a new flavor from a company called Crushed. It's a dragonfruit snowcone flavor called Dragon Slayer. Perfect name for a fantasy geek like myself. And is it good! It's completely amazing and I'm thinking of getting a few backup bottles of it, too.

     I discovered a new website called Sonoran Spice Company! It's heaven for a spicy food addict like me. For around $30, I ordered a 16 oz. container of ground habanero pepper. It's good, but it must be used sparingly! I might order more when tax season comes around. But then again, they also sell 16 oz. ground ghost pepper... $50, but very tempting. I think I could take the heat, but I'll have to wait until my wallet can feel that burn.
     Tonight, I used the ground habanero pepper for some frozen chicken nuggets. And it was bad-ass; and yes, I dipped them in syrup (sugar-free). I had a mouth-gasm!

     Holy shit... Awww hell... I have a new love of my life! Her name is Mrs. Renfro. I don't know who she is, but she makes salsa. Amazing... fucking... salsa! I was at the grocery store when I saw the salsa section. I saw habanero and thought "Hey, yeah!" Then I saw it... IT! I saw ghost pepper salsa and went "Fuck yeah!" O.K.... I didn't say it out loud, but in my head (it's a party in there). I tried it, and it's bad-ass! Granted, it's not loaded with ghost peppers (the primary pepper ingredient is green), but they're there. I need to get some now. Right now.

     I discovered a discount store run by Mennonites in nearby Cannelburg. I found more ghost pepper salsa, among other things. "Other things" includes a sriracha made by a company called Badia. Oh, damn... I just... Wow! You can definitely taste the spice, but what really hits is the other half of what makes sriracha... sriracha: garlic. Sriracha is a nice blend of spice and garlic, but Badia brings both flavors to the forefront and bitch-slaps your taste buds with both.

"Hits like a Phillips Head into my brain"

     This drink I invented was so good I had to quote the great Soundgarden to title this blog entry.
     It's coming up on my birthday, so I got myself a present: a bottle of the Pinnacle Habanero vodka I wrote about last year (I think).
     I normally don't like to drink vodka, unless it's this or vanilla (for mixing pineapple upside-down cakes). I'm more of a rum and tequila person.
     in the tradition of the screwdriver, I've created the Phillips head. I replaced the 2/3 parts orange juice with the same amount of mango juice. And 1/3 part habanero vodka replaces the 1/3 part regular vodka.
     I had two already, and they're damned good. It's sweet and leaves a bite.

Habanero corn bread.

     While I was at work yesterday, I came up with an idea that I'd like to try. Being that cornbread is already sort of sweet, I decided that I will try to mix in some diced habaneros into the batter the next time I make it with beans. Sounds like a fine idea to me. I'll update later after I try it.

UPDATE:
     It's the 25th, 9 days later. I tried the cornbread and it was terrific! It spiced up the home-made pork and beans nicely.

Barbecue season.

     It's the cusp of spring/summer, and therefore it's outdoor cooking season. I've already had two cookouts - one at home (while late-celebrating Walpurgis Night with some tequila and absinthe) and one at work. This leads to seeing barbecue sauce featured more prominently on shelves.
     Right now, I have two favorites. I just finished an apple whiskey-flavored sauce today. It was damned good! I had it on a pork steak.
     Another favorite I finished a few days ago (cleaning out the fridge), was habanero flavored (no surprise there). It was exceptional. However, I haven't seen it again after I first got it. This Friday, I hope to find it again.
     I plan to cook some pork loin in the crockpot. Once it's moist and tender, then shredded, I'll mix some sauce in it. I'm making myself hungry now...

Chililoaf.

     I think I'm going to try to experiment with different styles of this amazing dish. I've been craving meatloaf lately, and I want to try different types. It's like pizza, chili, borscht, or sushi, in that it has basic ingredients that make it what it is, but there are various regional, familial, and experimental interpretations of it from that starting point.
     Meatloaf, in my view, is a concoction of ground meat (any type), with grain and egg to hold it together. Past that, like I said, there are different styles to go with from there. One way I learned when I was a kid was ground beef, oats, and egg, with cream of mushroom soup mixed in. Tastes like Swiss steak.

     But I discovered a new one! Chili-style! There's the foundation of ground beef, oats, and egg. Then I added 1 medium onion, enough serrano peppers (8000 - 23,000 Scoville units) to match the amount of onion, a medium can of diced tomatoes, a can of whole kernal corn, and a cup of red and black beans. For spices, I added 2 tablespoons of chili powder, a table spoon each of salt and red pepper, and a teaspoon each of garlic powder and cumin.
     After mixing them all together, I baked it at 400* for 1 hour. I had a nibble before work, and I was craving it all evening. After work, I had a helping and was amazed! I'd like to see what it's like to serve it over rice.
     I'm looking forward to trying different ways of chili meatloaf, and blogging more about it. I'm waiting for this years habanero shortage to subside. If I could find hotter peppers, I'd use them. But I digress from the main point; and that main point is that anyone reading this should try it!

A bit of an Asian/Cajun fusion for salmon.

     I made this a few weeks ago. First, I boiled rice. While it boiled, I mixed some oil, paprika, and oregano with some teriyaki, a pinch of cayenne, and some ginger; I created a thick medium to fry with. I brought the medium to a sizzle and put in a nice salmon steak, then later added the rice. It was fantastic! I highly recommend this (especially if you like spicy food). I'd like to experiment more with salmon in the future.

Hibachi Super Buffet

     Raw fish, rice, a vegetable, wrapped in seaweed wafers. It's glorious. It's divine. It's just what the doctor ordered for a heartbroken soul such as myself. Anyone who knows me knows how much I love sushi. And now, I don't have to travel to Evansville for a decent assortment. The place at the north end has been slacking on their variety and cuts. Actually, if I could, I'd have a sushi burrito, like I saw on Facebook.

     So, anyway, the new Hibachi Super Buffet had their grand opening in Vincennes today. I was treated to an awesome sushi bar and noodle/meat grill. I first had a plate and a bowl of hot and sour soup. After that, I went for a second plate of sushi. The chef saw that I liked it and gave me a couple of columns of freshly-made California rolls. I told him he's right; it's one of my favorite foods. So, I had a moment of heaven amidst the craziness of my life: eating one of my favorite foods while checking out "the scenery." ;-)
     There's something strange about wasabi. If you have too little, you can't taste it; just enough, it livens up your sushi; too much, and you feel like ants are drilling into the center of your brain. I mostly kept the wasabi at that happy medium.

     The noodles were good, also. I had lo mein with beef and onion. I had spicy, teriyaki, and garlic. I love that combination, even though they didn't have ginger. At home, I like to boil spaghetti noodles and then fry them with Asian spices. I might make that for my new roommate after I move. Maybe like a "Thanks for Taking Me In" dinner.

Burger of choice

     The Vincennes Steak & Shake has been open for a while now, and now they're 24 hours. I've gone in a few times after work. O.K., enough times where the waitress will automatically ask if I want a Dr. Pepper with chocolate flavoring (I recommend it!).
     But this past week, after a few shots of habanero vodka, Brittany took me to S&S for a snack and I fell in love with an amazing burger: triple pepperjack cheese. Maybe it was the booze, but I mouth-gasmed at every bite.
     I want to tweak this thing! I think the next time I'm going to add onions and some type of pepper in place of pickles.

Habanero vodka? I think yes!

     I found out about this Saturday night. I was out with my friend, Brittany, and she pointed it out to me. I was just so happy that this existed. She treated me to a bottle. I indulged in it after work the next day, and it's amazing.
     To start, it's compatible with whatever chaser you usually use for vodka. It has a bite, as anything habanero-flavored would. For moments after the chaser is swallowed, your mouth retains the habanero bite. When I get some extra money, I would be more than happy to grab another bottle of this. I'd also like to get a list of drink mixes that could go with this.
     Cheers!

My favorite chicken tenders!

     People outside of "urban" areas are confounded by the idea of chicken and waffles. Oh... how they underestimate the exquisite beauty of such a combination! Those restaurants are onto something!
     I have been craving chicken tenders made this way I love making them. You get a good bag of chunky chicken tenders, not those puny strips! Next, coat the bottom of a tupperware dish, then put the tenders in there. Close the lid and shake that son-of-a-bitch up. Get the tenders dusted, like they were dragged through the Martian desert! Cook them, as normal. When you're ready to eat them, dip them in syrup!

Earl Grey - Not just for the captain

     Any Star Trek fan will tell you what Captain Picard's favorite drink is: "Tea, Earl Grey, hot".
     I got curious one day when I was having lunch in downtown Port Huron, Michigan. I was sitting in the now-closed Diana's Sweet Shop and saw it on the menu. They brought me a bag and I immediately loved the smell right when i opened it.

     Flash-forward years later, and Earl Grey is still one of my favorite teas. Here's how I fix it, especially when I'm about to sit down and write:
     Let two bags steep in a soup-mug. Not for too long, though, since the lavender oil makes a weird film on the surface.
     Add a dash of milk or creamer. When it comes to adding creamer, I use my bi-racial skin color as a guide. For this, I add enough creamer so it matches the outside of my forearm.
     Add 3 teaspoons of sweetener. It's a good treat.

Dream chili

     I've been feeling irritated at the utter shortage of habanero peppers in Vincennes. The more I notice their lack, the more I want to make chili. And the more I want to make chili, the more idealized this dream chili becomes.
     First is the meat to be used. I'd go with a combination of a few chicken thighs and a pork loin roast. I'd stick those into the crock pot. When they become buttery soft, I'll remove the bones. Then I'd put the resulting meat into a container for later.
     Next comes a combination of red and black beans. I let those soften and cook in the pot.
     Once the beans are softened, I'd put frozen corn and a can of diced tomatoes in there. Then enough tomato juice to make it stirable but not soupy; you don't want to go fishing for every morsel.
     Next are the spices: 3 tablespoons of chili powder; Tbsp each of salt, pepper, and cumin; 1 C of brown sugar; and enough peppers to bitch-slap your tongue. I use a handful of habaneros, ground in the processor, same for onion.
     I let that cook for a bit, then throw the meat back in there. Before dishing out each serving, I put a layer of rice into a bowl, then pile the chili on top. But I don't mix them because I want each spoonful to be a nice cross-section of chili and rice.
     That's what I want... Right there.

The Food Blog Has Landed

     I'm a foodie. I guess you don't get to be my size without enjoying food. I think I'm addicted to my own cooking, actually. Of The 7 so-called sins, I would say that gluttony is often the first I turn to for gratification.
     With that, I've decided to start a food blog. In addition to talking about food preferences and recipes, I will also talk about drinks.
     The reason I call it The Saccharine Inferno is because I love the combination of sweet and spicy tastes. As of right now, I'm lamenting the local shortage of habanero peppers. I don't use actual sugar, but Splenda, as I am diabetic.
     However, not everything will be about sugar and spice. I'll also post about my culinary explorations, too.