This Guy Falls Down

The five second rule

We've all claimed it, or at least been there and been repulsed by somebody else who's claimed it. You know, you drop a delicious Twix bar on the ground (why do Twix come in those fragile little packages? there are TWO bars in there, mind you, hence the name Twix) and quickly pick it up and eat it and cite the Five Second Rule. Like Finder's Keepers and Shotgun, this is one of those unstated but universally accepted truisms.

But how "true" is it, you may wonder? Well, according to this study, not only is it true, but you could actually extend it to a thirty second rule with no consequences.

OK, pick up that Twix and enjoy it, right? Not so fast, according to these guys. Of course, I don't think anybody in their right mind would pick up a piece of food that had just fallen in a Petri dish full of salmonella, so I'm not sure of the validity of this study.

I guess we'll just have to rely on our good old common sense. You gonna eat that Twix?

Grits Cafe - Forsyth, GA

I took my family to the Cherry Blossom Festival in Macon on Saturday to enjoy the awesome weather (and to check out some arts and crafts and whatnot.). On the way back, we came across this awesome restaurant in Forsyth, GA called Grits Cafe. There were three things about Grits that made it blogworthy. One, the place is right off I-75. So if you're on the way to Florida or Savannah, or (like us) coming up the road from Macon, it's handy. Two, downtown Forsyth is worth checking out. There's nothing really fancy about it and that's kind of the point. Forsyth is one of those sleepy little southern towns that you knew existed somewhere but haven't seen in years.

But the most important reason to check out Grits is that it's flat out awesome. The food is killer - as you can imagine, they've got more than a couple of things on the menu which prominently feature the national food of the South. And they've got a bunch of other great stuff too. My wife and I shared the praline chicken and it was really quite unbelievable. The staff is extremely nice, and the atmosphere is magical. Think brick and stained glass and gaslights.

So next time you're heading through middle Georgia, be sure to check out Grits. You'll thank me.

In-N-Out's Secret Menu

If you've spent much time on the West Coast, you know that it's hard to top the burgers at In-N-Out. Every time I go there, somebody I'm with will say something like "You know they've got a secret menu, don't you?" I knew about the "Animal Style" burger, but that's about it. Well, now you can be the one who knows the scoop. They've posted their secret menu on their website. After checking it out, I'm still wondering if that's it. I know that you can order animal-style fries. Maybe they've got more up their sleeve?

(Via More Hip Than Hippie)

On a related note, I've heard rumor (just a rumor, mind you) that In-N-Out is expanding into Texas. If that proves true, then we're halfway there.

A great biscuit joint

For me, the only thing better than a great barbecue joint is a great biscuit joint. And ever since my southerly migration a few months back, I have been on a desperate quest for the ultimate biscuit. This morning, I found it.

Located on an unsuspecting little ridge road about 30 minutes outside of Atlanta, Stilesboro Biscuits is the kind of place you dream about. It's off the beaten path, it's got cool local knick knacks on the wall (pictures of local hiking trails, Civil War maps and the like), and there's that group of old men who look like they've been hanging around for a long time. They even have live music on Saturdays. And a place like this has to have quirky hours to be legit. In this case, Stilesboro Biscuits is only open on Wednesay through Saturday.

OK, that's great and all, but what about the biscuits? Absolutely amazing. I had the best country ham biscuit I've ever had in my life. And the grits were great too. If you want to know about the rest of the menu, give me a few weeks and I'll be able to tell you - I'm sure I'll have tried everything by then.

The Best Barbecue on the Planet

For anyone who's known me for any length of time, you know that finding the ulitmate barbecue joint is a borderline spiritual pilgrimage for me. And in my years of searching, I have found no better barbecue than Old Glory Barbecue in Georgetown. I just had the pleasure of going there this afternoon as a matter of fact.
This was probably my sixth or seventh time eating at Old Glory. I usually opt for the pulled pork, but today I tried their ham. It did not let me down.
Next time you're in the D.C. area, check it out. You will thank me, I promise.

Diet Coke with Lime

Well, I just completed my 31 (actually 32) days without a Diet Coke. I really didn't miss it that much. But last night, I broke down and tried a Diet Coke with Lime. It wasn't bad. I don't think I'm going to run out and stock up on them, but it could be a cool change of pace every now and then.
So, after a month without them, I think I proved to myself that there are other drink options out there. And I don't have to drink sodas every waking second. Everything in moderation, right?
"Even moderation in moderation," James Hilton would reply. I'll get back to you on that one.

Water

As you may or may not have picked up on, I am seriously trying to cut back on the Diet Coke. To accomplish this, my goal is to go the entire month of January with narry a Diet Coke.

Bad news for us Coke drinkers

Here's an article I found about the perils of soft drinks. I was like "Yeah. Yeah. Tooth decay. Obesity. Whatever..." But then it mentioned kidney stones. That doesn't sound very pleasant, does it? I've gotta cut back.
I gotta go. I've got a Diet Coke to finish...

What's the difference between jelly and jam?

I was asked this question earlier this evening and was completely baffled.  And, odds are, I'm not the only one in the dark.  So, I'll share what I found out here.  Here's a link to the source of my answer, but I'll paraphrase it for you here.  Basically, jelly is made from fruit juice; jam is made from boiling the fruit, so you end up with little bits of the fruit in it.  BTW, The Straight Dope is an excellent place to find answers to this and other offbeat questions you've always wanted answered, such as "What's the difference between yams and sweet potatoes?