Hungry Nation

Preorder the WCF book

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 18:55:14 -0400

Shameless self-promotion alert! New page up on our tumblr with links where you can preorder The Working Class Foodies Cookbook. Includes some of my favorite indie bookstores, but let me know what your favorite indie bookstore is so I can add it to the list!

Edit: And if your favorite bookstore doesn’t have it in stock (like City Lights in San Francisco - why you wanna hurt me, City Lights?), let them know you’d like to buy it from them!

What's the local, seasonal, sustainable food scene like in your town?

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 14:10:32 -0500

wcfoodies:

Do you have farmers markets? How often are they open? How are the prices? What do you buy there?

Where else do you buy food? Is any of it made or raised locally? How do the supermarket offerings compare in quality, variety and price to your farmers market?

Send in your answers here or here. Leave your name and we’ll give you a thank-you in the book.

We’ve gotten some really fantastic and helpful answers so far. Send us yours! And don’t forget to include where you are in the USA/world.

xo,

Hungry Nation & WCFoodies

wcfoodies: Super Bowl Snacks: Chicken Wings & Vegan Junk...

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 11:22:42 -0500

wcfoodies:

Super Bowl Snacks: Chicken Wings & Vegan Junk Food Recipes

Deep-frying at home is a messy, smelly pain in the ass. But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy classic Super Bowl junk food like Buffalo Wings - which are actually even tastier steamed and roasted than fried. We’ve also got some great recipes for vegan junk food to satisfy every appetite on game day. Go Giants!

Also, basset hounds make terrible wide receivers.

It’s Super Bowl Sunday! Still not sure what to make for your party, or just feeling hungry? These wings will give you an amazing bang for your buck: they’re cheap, they’re easy, they’re filling and they’re super delicious. There are some great vegan recipes in this episode too, so you really have no excuse to not check it out.

Go Giants!

wcfoodies: Super Bowl Snacks: Chicken Wings & Vegan Junk...

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:02:34 -0500

wcfoodies:

Super Bowl Snacks: Chicken Wings & Vegan Junk Food Recipes

Deep-frying at home is a messy, smelly pain in the ass. But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy classic Super Bowl junk food like Buffalo Wings - which are actually even tastier steamed and roasted than fried. We’ve also got some great recipes for vegan junk food to satisfy every appetite on game day. Go Giants!

Also, basset hounds make terrible wide receivers.

Brownies Made Easy…And Christmas-y! This is not your baker’s...

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 15:41:43 -0500

Brownies Made Easy…And Christmas-y!

This is not your baker’s brownie. It might taste as good, but the methods of making it are highly unorthodox. But as Chef John of Food Wishes reassures you throughout his video – it may look kind of gross while you’re making it – but it will taste like a dense, rich, chewy, chocolatey brownie when it’s done. We’re listening…

If you want a holiday treat that’s guaranteed to be a hit, but takes minimal manpower to bake – this Christmas Brownie Recipe is for you! And the literal icing on the cake, is a seasonal mint icing to add that extra finesse Chef John does so well. You can find the ingredients and measurements here on his blog post. Aside from the mint extract, you probably already have them all in your kitchen. It’s that simple, and looks that good.

Give your stomach its Christmas “Food Wish” this holiday season!

Warm Your Spirits with Mulled Apple Cider Snow is falling,...

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 11:09:11 -0500

Warm Your Spirits with Mulled Apple Cider

Snow is falling, temperatures are dropping and no matter what holiday you’re celebrating this season, warm apple cider is just what the doctor ordered this time of year. Just hope the doctor ordered one for you too! ‘Tis the season for Hungry in Brooklyn creator and YouTube Next Chef host Shea Hess to serve up her recipe for mulling it. If you want to get your spirits extra warm, this recipe is definitely extra spirits-friendly (wink, wink, talkin’ bout booze).

If the holiday season has you feeling super ambitious, you can make the cider from scratch. But for those of us looking for a quick fix of spiced liquid goodness, Hess directs us to five simple ingredients needed to get started: local organic cider, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and oranges. In a pinch, the stovetop makes a fine mulling station, but if you want the real deal be sure to use a slow cooker. By the time your holiday party starts, your home will be overflowing with holiday scents.

After the kids have gone to bed, add 1.5 oz of whiskey to a 6 oz glass of cider and let the real yuletide cheer begin. Proceed with caution, though, mistletoe is afoot this time of year.

Average Betty’s Holiday Gift Guide The holiday season is...

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 14:13:07 -0500

Average Betty’s Holiday Gift Guide

The holiday season is stressful enough with busy schedules, bad hangovers, the end of year work crunch and exponentially increased exposure to family. Add to the mix buying gifts for loved ones- and an aneurysm seems not only likely, but imminent. Good thing the holidays also include lots of hugs and warm feelings, bright, shiny lights and spiked eggnog. We here at Hungry Nation like to help turn down the stress, and amp up the joy this time of year. If your loved ones happen to also love cooking, then do we have the guide for you!

Hungry Nation creator and YouTube Next Chef participant Average Betty has a few handy suggestions on what to buy the food-lover in your life. According to host Sara O’Donnell, possibly the best gift you can give this person is to stop referring to them as a “foodie.” It’s a gift that keeps on giving and costs you zero dollars! If you’re in the mood to shell out a little cash too, O’Donnell recommends everything from multipurpose tools like the microplane to a high-end bottle of olive oil. To get the whole list check out the video, and then visit her website here for accompanying recipes.

Happy gift hunting, Hungry Nation. In the end, gifts are all about the thought, so this year make it count.

A Holiday Twist on a Campfire Classic Campfires aren’t just...

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 17:30:23 -0500

A Holiday Twist on a Campfire Classic

Campfires aren’t just for summer nights anymore. We think this chilly December weather makes curling up by a fire sound pretty darn nice right now. And what better way to enjoy a winter evening warm inside than a staple of the great outdoors? We’re talking about s’mores, of course! It might seem off-season for this fireside sweet-treat, but maybe that’s why Amy Blogs Chow and her guest Mari Tuttle, of Mari’s New York, give it the reverse treatment. And, you don’t need kindling, wood or even wide open space to make it!

Instead, all you need is marshmallows, your chocolate of choice, graham crackers and a stovetop to whip up a batch of reverse s’mores. But wait, there’s more! For those of you scrambling to throw together your holiday party this year, Amy and Mari have a yuletide version of their stupidly simple snack. Swap out the crushed graham crackers, for crushed peppermint candy pieces and voila, you have a holiday hors d’oeuvres that will disappear faster than the spiked eggnog.

The holidays should be about enjoying food, not stressing about how to make it. Make sure to check back with the Hungry Nation blog for more ways to cook for the holidays!

There’s No Drink Like Homemade Eggnog for the HolidaysWhether...

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:19:00 -0500

There’s No Drink Like Homemade Eggnog for the Holidays

Whether you can make it home for the holidays or not, you can at least create the comforts of home with homemade holiday treats. As part of YouTube’s Next Chef project, Hungry Nation creator Rebecca Lando of Working Class Foodies whips up – literally – her own version of a seasonal classic. While this yuletide drink might bring up memories of your youth, this ain’t your parent’s eggnog. That is, unless your parents served it with 4 shots of bourbon, in which case we’re definitely coming over to your house for Christmas this year.

And so with the help of a few friends, including two of the furry feline variety, Lando shows just how easy made-from-scratch-and-with-love eggnog can be! The only tricky part is not curdling the eggs. But if you practice a little tempering and keep the heat on low, then you will have a creamy, fluffy, boozy masterpiece in no time!

No excuses this year. Ditch the premade cartons of nog and roll up your sleeves. The faster you make it, the faster you can make a home in your belly for your homemade eggnog.

Countdown to the Holidays: The Value of the Heritage Turkey As...

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 14:19:17 -0500

Countdown to the Holidays: The Value of the Heritage Turkey

As we rev up to chow down for the holidays, Hungry Nation will highlight some of our favorite seasonal recipes from our creators.

Buying a “heritage breed turkey” for Thanksgiving dinner might sound like a pretentious indulgence, but in this video Shea Hess of Hungry in Brooklyn shows the value in buying heritage.

Heritage turkeys are domestically raised turkeys that possess historical characteristics of the wild turkey. They have a longer lifespan than the average consumer turkey and grow at a slower rate. Unlike the commercial turkey, heritage turkeys must be able to mate naturally without the assistance of artificial insemination, and also cannot be given hormones or antibiotics. Like their wild turkey ancestors, heritage breeds need open, outdoor spaces to spread their wings.

A heritage breed turkey actually comes in lots of breeds, many of which are endangered. Hess visits the Blue Moon farm in New Jersey that raises one of these endangered species – the Bourbon Red.

The natural living conditions required for heritage turkeys like the Bourbon Red don’t just make for a more humane meal, they also guarantee a more delicious one. The slow, un-manipulated growth of a heritage turkey allows for a nice layer of fat to develop under the turkey breast – meaning you already have moist turkey breast without having to do any extra work on Thanksgiving Day. That’s right, no brining, no major prep-work- you simply have to buy a heritage turkey to get a rich texture and taste.

After acquiring a Bourbon Red of her own, Shea Hess heads back to Brooklyn to show you just how easy making an amazing turkey centerpiece can be. Whether you want to learn more about free-range farming, or need an easy recipe for heritage turkey and gravy – you will certainly give thanks for checking out this episode of Hungry in Brooklyn!

Countdown to the Holidays: Wine Pairings What does any...

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 18:06:21 -0500

Countdown to the Holidays: Wine Pairings

What does any self-respecting holiday feast always feature? Booze, of course. But remember, not all libations were not created equal, especially when it comes to food pairings. Whether you’re looking for an aperitif, a companion for your main course or a liquid dessert – you will want to make sure you choose the “correct” alcohol for whatever you have planned.

Pairing wine can be one of the more daunting parts of designing the perfect holiday event. Does Chardonnay go with turkey? Is pink wine still unfashionable? Red wine should never go in the refrigerator unless it’s a Beaujolais, right? Follow up question, what’s Beaujolais? For our Hungry Nation citizens who want to graduate from the champagne of beers to actual champagne – we have a simple holiday wine-pairing guide from our very own Mmm Me Gusta.

Claudia offers some of her favorite wines, along with suggested dishes with which to pair them. In addition to her ideas, there are lots of wines out there to explore. Perhaps the most important thing to keep in mind is to select ones that you actually like to drink. Even if you like pink wine. After all, your party guests are probably just looking to consume whatever will get them some seasonal snogging under the mistletoe the fastest. You’re not throwing that kind of party?

Oh. Yeah. Us either.

Salut, Hungry Nation!

Countdown to the Holidays: Oven-Roasted Brussels Sprouts As we...

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 12:45:27 -0500

Countdown to the Holidays: Oven-Roasted Brussels Sprouts

As we rev up to chow down for the holidays, Hungry Nation will highlight some of our favorite seasonal recipes from our creators.

One of the best parts of a Thanksgiving spread is the bounty of amazing side dishes. Stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet mashed potatoes and….Brussels Sprouts? That’s right, the dish every kid loves to hate is actually a great companion to a hearty meal. Plus, compared to the rest of Thanksgiving dinner, this green cabbage-like veggie is relatively easy to cook. Hungry in Brooklyn chef Shea Hess shows us just how simple it can be to whip up some mmm mmm delectable Brussels Sprouts.

Part of the reason why lots of adults and children alike blanche at the mention of this vegetable is because they have only ever tasted it overcooked. Overcooked Brussels Sprouts emit a sulphurous odor that makes them taste very bitter. We’re not trying to say your mom or dad is a bad cook, we just want you to give Brussels Sprouts one more chance.

This Hungry in Brooklyn recipe is a great step to bringing you back into the light. It’s commonly known (i.e. our opinion) that Brussels Sprouts taste best when roasted. You get a deliciously crunchy layer on the outside and a perfectly cooked bite on the inside. Shea’s recipe makes it even easier for you as she suggests you pop your tray of B.Sprouts in the still-warm oven after you take your turkey out.

With the added bonus of lemon zest and parmigiano-reggiano, you won’t regret adding this recipe to your Thanksgiving menu!

Countdown to the Holidays: Pumpkin Pie Milkshakes As we rev up...

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 13:32:45 -0500

Countdown to the Holidays: Pumpkin Pie Milkshakes

As we rev up to chow down for the holidays, Hungry Nation will highlight some of our favorite seasonal recipes from our creators.

Though no one knows for sure if the pilgrims actually baked one for the inaugural meal, we can all agree that it wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie. But today, we answer the eternal question: why eat a pie, when you can drink it?

Thank(sgiving)fully, we have Amy Cao and her Stupidly Simple Snacks to answer that question. Whether you’re averse to baking or crunched for time, Amy’s Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream Shake recipe is a perfectly sweet solution. All you need is milk, ice cream, canned pumpkin pie filling, sugar, some spice and you’ll have a cold drink that’s oh-so-nice. All the flavors, with a fraction of the labor.

We can’t help but wonder if other pies would work for this Stupidly Simple Snack. We’re thinking baked apples, nutmeg and graham crackers might make a delicious alternative “Pie Shake.” Pecan Pie might be a trickier seasonal standard to adapt, but we’re open to suggestions. So go ahead, tell us: Which pies do you think would make a great milkshake?

Make sure to check back with Hungry Nation for more twists on holiday classics!

Meet Your New Favorite Cooking Channel Introducing a new YouTube...

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 13:15:51 -0500

Meet Your New Favorite Cooking Channel

Introducing a new YouTube series of international proportions: YouTube Next Chef. With the help of the NextLab Team and a brand new Canon camera, culinary hosts from all over the world will participate in a series of weekly challenges to try and maximize their exposure. One of these chefs may just become the next big thing in the food world – you definitely don’t want to miss out.

Just because we have a new project, doesn’t mean you won’t see some familiar faces. Our very own Shea Hess of Hungry in Brooklyn fame will be hosting the weekly series. And there’s more Hungry Nation love to go around with HN creators Average Betty and Working Class Foodies joining in the challenge.

Check out Episode 1 to meet all the next chefs of YouTube, and make sure to subscribe to follow their progress. We’ve heard rumbling of Thanksgiving pie recipes…and that’s not just from our stomachs.

The falling leaves can only mean one thing: warm pie season is...

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 14:05:06 -0400

The falling leaves can only mean one thing: warm pie season is upon us. Forget the cool cream pies and meringues of summer. When the weather gets crisp, it’s time to get baking. And what’s a more quintessential autumn baked good than the apple pie? Oh right, that sweet answer to Thanksgiving dinner: the pumpkin pie. Looks like we have a showdown on our hands. Good thing our October Tastemaker Cathy Erway stepped in to referee.

If you’re not a fan of baked apples covered in buttery pie dough or loathe the taste of spiced pumpkin cover – well, we feel sorry for you – but the choice might be easy. For us egalitarian pie-fanatics, this competition is neck and neck. On the one hand, as Tastemaker Cathy points out, apple pie requires a top and bottom, meaning twice the dough. And we all know making dough from scratch is no walk in the park. On the other hand, to make true from-scratch pumpkin pie – you need to bake the pumpkin halves first and scrape out all the seeds before even getting started. Be strong, Hungry Nation, resist the urge to raid your local bakery! The end pie justifies the means, no matter how mean pie-making seems at the time.

No spoilers, but Cathy also links to one of her all-time favorite pie recipes: brown butter sage apple pie. We can already feel the holiday weight gathering on our waists. Check out the video to see which pie on the windowsill cools its way to victory. Don’t agree? Let us know your reasons in the comment section!

With Halloween less than a week away how could we not make this...

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 11:56:00 -0400

With Halloween less than a week away how could we not make this week’s episode of Fresh Five about spooky snacking? Thank goodness Sarah from Average Betty agreed with us.

Halloween, also known as the night before All Hallows’ Day, is thought to have started with the Celts. During the Celtic festival of Samhain, celebrants would dress up and light bonfires. The costumes were supposed to scare away the ghosts; the bonfires were just for fun. At some point the Pope tried to reappropriate the holiday into something a little less pagan, incorporating it as the night before All Saints’ Day – hence the name All Hallows’ Eve.

Eventually, the name was shortened to Halloween and the holiday opened up to all religions. Somewhere along the way, collecting copious amounts of candy became a thing and the holiday became a catchall for everything scary. With today’s Fresh Five, we’re turning Halloween into a catchall for everything scarily delicious!

We can promise the only thing jumping out at you in this video will be great treat ideas for your Halloween party. Speaking of which, we are still waiting on that invite.

Pumpkin features prominently, because as Sarah points out, something happens in the autumn months when all ladies across America simply crave the pumpkin. There’s sweet, there’s savory and there’s caramel apples! If her list inspires you, she’s been kind enough to share all of the recipes on AverageBetty.com.

For this year’s Halloween, put down the candy bowl and pick up the spatula. It’s time to haunt your house with the smells of spooky treats!

Meet October Tastemaker Cathy ErwaySpit and you hit five amazing...

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 17:52:07 -0400

Meet October Tastemaker Cathy Erway

Spit and you hit five amazing restaurants in New York City. Not the most appetizing imagery to use, but you get the point. From the Michelin-starred to the food truck to the hole-in-the-wall burger joint and everywhere in between, NYC’s five boroughs are not lacking in unparalleled food choices. You would have to be crazy to give all of that up. But that’s just what our October Tastemaker Cathy Erway did.

For two full years, she renounced all forms of eating out in the city that never sleeps – opting instead to cook in, pack lunch, dumpster dive and join supper clubs. You see we forgot to mention that New York is also one of the most expensive cities in the world - and that definitely applies to the food industry. The New York Times recently re-awarded Thomas Keller’s Per Se with four stars, noting that a dinner there could easily set you back $1000. Per person.
Erway documented the entire experience on her aptly named blog Not Eating Out New York. While her experiment ended in September 2008, the blog continues to be a wonderful resource for anyone looking to cook more for less.

She posts recipes on a weekly basis – we’ve tried them, they’re great – and even breaks down the value and green footprint of each one. Erway also wrote a book on the experience called The Art of Eating In. We’re amazed she finds time to cook, and incredibly grateful she found time to be our Tastemaker this month.

You can expect more from Cathy and Hungry Nation in October, and we have a playlist worthy of sweater weather to get things started. So grab a mug of mulled cider, and enjoy our Tastemaker’s Fall Foods Playlist.

bryantcarroll: Did you know that walnuts came from trees? I did...

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 14:15:09 -0400

bryantcarroll:

Did you know that walnuts came from trees? I did not. Gotta love Hungry in Brooklyn, they consistently bring exceptionally produced, informative, and enjoyable content to YouTube. Bravo!

Taste Los Angeles with Average Betty Equipped with hard-hitting...

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 13:39:30 -0400

Taste Los Angeles with Average Betty

Equipped with hard-hitting questions, one of our own took to the streets of Los Angeles in early September to taste the food scene for herself. Average Betty creator and permanent resident of Hungry Nation Sarah O’Donnell did not shy away from a tough interrogation nor a savory pork belly when she attended the four-day culinary spectacular known as “The Taste.” The Taste was the brainchild of the Los Angeles Times that featured four days, three locations and nine events full of unlimited LA food, wine, beer and spirits. Until we discover a successful means of time travel, you can drool over what could have been on The Taste’s official website.

Or, you can watch Sarah make her away around table and tent and chef to get a closer look at the best of The Taste. Join her as she explores themes like “Secrets from the Kitchen and the Cellar,” and whispers a few secrets of her own to Food Network’s Scott Conant. She also talks to such luminaries as Giada De Laurentiis, Top Chef All Star Fabio Viviani, Jet Tila of Wazuzu in Las Vegas and LA Times Deputy Food Editor Betty Hallock. True to her culinary core, Sarah keeps things spicy. We guess you’ll just have to watch to find out how the chefs answer such questions as:

Do you make any dishes that are as hot as you are?
What section of the LA Times makes the best paper-mache?
Does street food have the same meaning in Vegas as it does in Los Angeles?
Why are Italians the best chefs?

And if their responses don’t make you blush, the bountiful spread of sumptuous food will. We don’t know about you, but we are seriously considering clearing our calendar for next year’s Taste! But also secretly crossing our fingers for time travel working out.

If You Like Hannah Hart, Show Us Where Your Noms At!We know she...

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 12:04:30 -0400

If You Like Hannah Hart, Show Us Where Your Noms At!

We know she can make us laugh and salivate simultaneously with her show My Drunk Kitchen- but sing, rap and spin some serious puns? Now we’ve heard everything. Seriously, she raps about literally everything in this her new single “Show Me Where Your Noms At.” Everything food, at least.

SMWYNA dropped last week, and it’s already blowing up the YouTubes. We were already impressed with this funny lady’s skills, but when we learned she wrote the song too – well we had to scrape our brains off the wall behind us because our MINDS WERE BLOWN. Hart did get by with a little help from her friends - specifically Andrew of Songs To Where Pants To. Songs To Where Pants To (we really like saying that name) has a whole channel of songs you’re probably going to want to check out. Songs To Where Pants To.

So “join in for the nom-a-thon” as Hart says, and join us in playing off our September Tastemaker in style. She gave us stupidly simple sangria and an oh-so-deep dive into food porn. We’ll miss her, but we’ll always have My Drunk Kitchen to get our fix.