Links: Coffee, Cheese, and Jujubees

I'm fighting a losing battle with my digital camera right now, so whilst the battery charges (and I enjoy a young William Shatner in an old Twilight Zone episode), enjoy this baker's dozen of food-related links.

The most recent installation of NPR's Science Friday included an excellent segment on the science and history of cheese making.

Esquire has a fine handful of food articles, including a section on Jujubees, How Men Eat, and a recipe for something called Coca-Cola Brine Fried Chicken.

Luxirare has what essentially amounts to food-porn in their article about Pie Lollipops.

Lifehacker.com has posts about Altoids tins, produce washes, and 10 Tips and Tricks for Better Coffee, including how to roast your own beans.

The fantastic Skull-a-Day blog has some handy-dandy "skullverware" notebooks, perfect for punk rock cookbooks.

The Freakonomics blog has an old article about the origins of several phrases, including "Let them eat cake."

Joy the Baker has some great info on how to make homemade vanilla extract.

Speaking of vanilla extract, check out the trailer for the new movie, Extract, from the same guys that made Idiocracy and Office Space.

And speaking of movies, the always awesome Filmspotting Podcast was all about food last week with a review of Julie and Julia, music from the Sea and Cake,* and the top five films about food.

I'll have a recipe for beef stew up tomorrow; until then I'm going to go somewhere and sit down.

*Note: I realize that the Sea and Cake doesn't actually sing about food.

Oatmeal Crackle Cookies

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1 1/2 cups Werther's Originals (roughly one package)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoon allspice
• Coco powder
  

Equipment:

• Baking sheet(s)
• Parchment paper
• Oven
• Food processor
  
• Mixing bowl and mixer

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (Fahrenheit) and line your cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. Unwrap the Werther's Originals and chop them in the food processor.
3. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar.
4. Stir in the egg and vanilla until smooth.
5. Mix in the flour, salt and baking soda, stir into the creamed mixture.
6. Stir in the rolled oats, pecans, and candy bits.
7. Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto the cookie sheets and flatten.
8. Dust the tops of the cookies with the coco powder.
9. Bake for approximately 15 minutes at 350.

FYI: These cookies are super sweet, almost candy-esque. Make sure the butter and brown sugar are properly softened before adding the egg, vanilla, etc. For more consistent cookie size and shape, put the dough in the fridge or freezer between batches. This recipe should yield around 30 cookies.