CHG Favorites of the Week

Blog of the Week
Tastespotting
100% pure, unadulterated food porn. (Note: “food porn,” meaning “close-up pictures of baked goods,” not “woman-on-broccoli action.”) Seriously, this is the Doritos of cooking websites. You can’t click on just one. Thanks to Rachel for the link.

Comedy of the Week
“Chopping Broccoli”
22 years ago, SNL was just kicking off its late-‘80s salad days and Dana Carvey was king. This is one of his early highlights. Check out a young Phil Hartman and an Aliens-era Sigourney Weaver, who sports the hugest set of shoulder pads ever seen outside the Meadowlands.

Organization of the Week
Americans for Fairness in Lending
Okay, this isn't so much a food link, but it does tie in (intimately) with yesterday's somewhat long-winded CHG essay. AFFIL is a consumer advocate group that "exists to raise awareness of abusive credit and lending practices and to call for re-regulation of the industry." Their website is up to its eyeballs in useful information, including gobsmacking stats on how minority-heavy neighborhoods are specifically targeted for high-interest loans.

Quote of the Week
"I'm not a vegetarian because I love animals. I'm a vegetarian because I hate plants." – A. Whitney Brown

Tip of the Week
This one comes from The Boyfriend's mom: when you buy a head of romaine, wash it when you first arrive home. Then, line the leaves up on a few paper towels, roll the whole shebang up, and stick it in a sealable plastic bag, squeezing as much air out as you can. You'll have instant romaine whenever you like it, and the lettuce will last much longer.

Untried Recipe
Chicken and Mushroom Marsala at Smitten Kitchen
Wow. How can something so ... brown ... look so dang appetizing? And those mushrooms. They’re like gorgeously earthy playing cards. (Side note: I might cut down on the butter, but with six servings, I’m not sure it’d be necessary.)

Video of the Week
“Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk” by Rufus Wainwright
Rufus’ voice is kind of an acquired taste, but once you’re in, you’re in. I got to share an elevator with him about three years ago, and it took everything I had not to “EEEEEE!” and smooch his delicious, Judy Garland-loving face off.

(Photos courtesy of DanaCarvey.net, and Flickr member Kevin P. McManus.)