Times Top 4: Noodle Puddings and Obama's Eating HabitsFrom the NY Times Dining Section 01.14.09

Today's New York Times is light on cooking and heavy on eating out, with a big focus on the scene in Washington, D.C. But there's an interesting look at how Obama's preferences will influence restaurants, plus some easy recipes for people who are still worn out from the holidays...

1. A foodie in the White House? Obama likes to eat out (while apparently Bush was a homebody), and his preferences go far beyond high-powered steakhouses. Do Democrats eat differently than Republicans?

2. Bittman makes pudding out of leftovers. Noodle, rice, and bread puddings to turn leftover staples into dessert.

3. Oven-roasted broccoli with shrimp. Melissa Clark makes a simple, healthy meal in one pan. We're big fans of roasting broccoli in a hot oven—a great way to make a common vegetable more complex.

4. Harold McGee dips pennies in his wine. The food scientist test drives gadgets like the Wine Wand, which are supposed to aerate and mellow wine in a fraction of the time it would normally take in a decanter. And then there's the bit about copper pennies removing the smell of excess hydrogen sulfide...

Very few recipes in the paper today, but what are you reading?

(Image: Evan Sung for The New York Times)

Not to be a spoil-sport but I think the Obama-foodie connection is but a dream. He's got a pretty healthy "Chicago" appetite--pizza, cheesecake, corned beef, etc. Nothing wrong with that. We're going to have an Iowan big business corn and soy Ag Secretary pretty soon. I think that a lot of people set their expectations for Obama's food preferences and food-politics stance really high--too high apparently. But we should definitely be in a much better place to get started on the road to some favorable "food" policies.

posted by art on January 14th 2009 at 11:12am
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Noodle puddings have been around for a while. Not into them myself, but no one really expects a ton of comfort food in this regime do they?

posted by Jaie on January 14th 2009 at 1:11pm
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Google "Obama Foodorama". It is the most amazing blog all about food and the future First Family.

posted by rookie cookie on January 14th 2009 at 1:12pm
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art,

actually, a lot of people criticized Obama on the campaign trail because he was such a healthy eater and wouldn't finish his pancakes or whatever high fat/high calorie meal handed to him at the local diner. While he seems to eat pizza and the like, my impression is that he does not have a so-called "Chicago" appetite.

And for the record, Chicago has amazing food beyond pizza and beef sandwiches. We have everything from great mom amd pop ethnic restaurants to fine dining like Charlie Trotters and moto.

posted by jackson9377 on January 15th 2009 at 11:02pm
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