Little Vittles

	print	email	reply	rss feed

Published: May 20, 2008

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

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

Panama's rarest coffee bean, the Hacienda La Esmeralda Special, is known for its blend of scents — a mix of blackberry, ripe mango, ginger, citrus blossom and exotic bergamot. And the $130-a-pound java recently gained international attention when Green Mountain Coffee's Don Holly said he "saw the face of God in the cup" after trying it. Shadowing some of the country's top coffee vanguards (including Holly), Michaele Weissman's God in a Cup: The Obsessive Quest for the Perfect Coffee (Wiley) finds the journalist traveling from Ethiopia to Panama to Portland, trekking to caffeinated birthplaces, remote bean plantations, exotic tastings and fierce roasting competitions — all in search of that one perfect sip. Weissman also pays kind tribute to the consumer-producer spectrum that's birthed our obsessive coffee culture, dedicating attention to both swanky coffee bars and the farms where our beans are actually grown. —Amy Strauss

For this snack, Yakitori Boy (213 N. 11th St., 215-923-8088, yakitoriboy-japas.com) skewers three bacon-wrapped quail eggs and grills them over low heat in a mixture of butter, sake, soy sauce and secret spices. The custom-made yakitori grill uses natural-wood Binchotan coals to infuse a smashing smoky flavor into the final product. The sweet, yolky quail eggs melt into creamy goodness with each bite, while the tender bacon adds an inviting chewy texture to the tasty Japanese delight. A single skewer is just enough for one person, so you might want to order a few — especially if dining with friends.—Ptah Gabrie

 

All reader comments are subject to our Terms of Use. By clicking Post Comment, you acknowledge that you have reviewed and agree to these Terms.

Name	please enter your name
Email (will not be published)	please enter a valid email
Comment	please enter a comment
Enter the security code on the right in the textbox below.
Security Code	please enter the code
	Join the City Paper Mailing List

Feeding Frenzy
Big Gulp
Jin the Mood
Da Right Stuff
The Week In Eats
Eggplant Dishes