Hershey said Wednesday it will use classic recipes for all Reese’s products starting next year, a change that comes after the grandson of Reese’s founder criticized the company for shifting to cheaper ingredients.

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups have always been made with real milk chocolate or dark chocolate and peanut butter. But a small portion of Hershey’s and Reese’s products, like mini Easter eggs, are now made with a coating that contains less chocolate.

Hershey said that in 2027, it will shift those products to “their classic milk chocolate and dark chocolate recipes.”

Does the shift mean Hershey will produce chocolate of a discerning quality? Almost certainly not, but I choose to believe that this is the beginning of the Big Chocolate Revolution.

Now on to our scheduled programming.

Mashiko Japanese Restaurant

I’m no sushi expert – my chopstick skills are shaky at best – but I do appreciate the craft. Any cuisine anchored in freshness and restraint deserves respect, particularly when it has an aesthetically creative bend. You don’t need to be an expert to appreciate sushi.

Mashiko, then. This West Seattle restaurant has been around since 1994 – a veritable eternity in restaurant years. The spot’s laid-back vibe doesn’t try to outshine the food, though that’s not to say Mashiko lacks personality. Their large cork wall gives off a distinct feel, but there is a subtlety to it. It’s contemporary rather than flashy.

There is an Omakase menu – effectively a chef’s-choice prix fixe2 – that clocks in between $130 to $225 depending on your choice. Not an outrageous proposition3, but as you need two hours to get through it, you’ll want to plan accordingly. Instead, we embraced a little-of-everything strategy, opting for the shareable route. Mashiko has a wide array of choices that don’t feel overwhelming. There are pleasant surprises to be found.

The Yaki Nasu, for example. I’m usually not an eggplant kind of guy, so naming it the evening’s top player feels weird. What set it apart? Maybe it’s something as simple as the grilled texture – soft, with a slight bite – or the pungent garlic sesame sauce. There’s not much more to the dish, and the complexities aren’t immediately apparent. A small selection of ingredients does an impressive amount of work – we even got a second order.

Sticking with vegetarian – or, in this case, vegan – highlights, the Nattō roll was another curveball. Nattō is fermented soybeans, so it probably won’t be everyone’s jam, but if you do like fermented vegetables, you’ll appreciate the kick. The funk really is funky. As an added bonus, it’s good for the stomach, which may be neither here nor there, but gut health is important. Get those probiotics in – you might as well take full advantage of the cuisine you’re enjoying.

Finally, if you want a suitable alternative to Omakase, the Sashimi Assortment gets you there – a smörgåsbord of sashimi and pickled vegetables. For those who believe in eating the whole prawn, head and all, that’s part of this package. (In this man’s opinion, the only proper way to eat shrimp.)

There is a large assortment on the plate, none of which is random. Trout and geoduck may sound like a weird combination, but they complement each other well, and the octopus adds its own je ne sais quoi. The dish is an eclectic melody of seafood and vegetables, all playing in harmony.

Grab a blood-orange shrub, and tack on a variety of rolls and nigiri – they’ll add up to a large meal that doesn’t feel sickingly filling. And that’s the power of clean, fresh flavors.

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Resplandor’s Rêverie

Speaking of eclectic melodies – once in a while, we all need a bit of shoegaze in our lives. The indie-rock subgenre is dominated by fuzzy guitars with enough reverb and echo to sound like waves. Noise rock for people who don’t actually want too much noise. If you’re familiar with Slowdive, you get the gist of it.

Resplandor, meanwhile, is a Peruvian group that has seen success in Europe without making much of a dent stateside – they don’t even have a Wikipedia page. That is too bad, as their music is quite excellent in an atmospheric kind of way.

Check them out on Apple Music for more.

Merch for the People!

Don’t just read Awesomeness – wear it! This distinguished publication proudly features two official shirts – or magnets, stickers, or whatever medium you can think of: The Hallgrrrl and Zune. Why those? For one, the Hallmark channel and Riotgrrrl are, as I’ve said before, the natural combination. And, who doesn’t love the Zune?

Go shop at The Better Taster Boutique for only the finest goods.

Why does the genre become so ubiquitous at Easter? To find the answer, we need to travel back to the 1900s.

A Marketing Stunt That Still Resonates

A common misconception is that the Easter-crime trend kicked off with the 1923 book, Bergenstoget Plyndret Inat! (The Bergen Train Was Robbed Last Night! – an impossibly good title.) That notion isn’t entirely untrue, but it ignores the previous decade’s Easter-read blitz. During the weeks leading up to the 1912 holiday, publishers began promoting casual literature such as Sherlock Holmes in newspapers. Why Easter? Then, as now, Norway shut down for a week during its extended Easter holiday. Shops? Closed. You needed something to pass the time with.

Back to Bergenstoget Plyndret Inat! As a marketing ploy, publisher Gyldendal bought a headline on the front page of Aftenposten – Norway’s largest newspaper – which simply spelled out the book’s title. For the unassuming reader, it looked like an actual story about a large-scale train robbery. People freaked out – they had friends and relatives on the train! – and inundated Aftenposten with phone calls. For Gyldendal, the campaign was a success1.

In that sense, this was when the Easter-crime concept took off earnestly, though it was still built on earlier marketing campaigns.

Time marched on, and publishers rode on Gyldendal’s success. The number of Easter-time crime novels grew, but it wasn’t until 1965 that the phrase “Easter crime” appeared in an advertisement for Aftenposten’s short story, Crime passionel på Ullabrent gård – a title I couldn’t even try to translate.

I’ll let others dive into the Scandinavian psyche and its fascination with (often violent) crime fiction, but in this case, the genre’s popularity is connected to something more benign: Easter crimes are not too different from the American summer-time beach read. When you have time to kill – no pun intended – whether at a ski cabin or on the beach, a crime novel is always an entertaining way to pass the time.

From Books to the Small Screen

As television sets spread throughout the seventies, the Norwegian state broadcaster, NRK, smelled blood in the water and jumped on the Påskekrim trend. Crime dramas gradually turned into Easter mainstays, and in 1977, Påskekrim serials became annual program posts. These were adaptations of mostly British authors – P.D. James was particularly popular – and the rest, as they say, is history.

These days, NRK and the many commercial channels broadcast multiple Påskekrims every evening. Some may claim they’ve oversaturated the market, but, judging by viewerships, there is no end in sight for the macabre seasonal Easter crime.

Jo Nesbø’s Detective Hole

With that, it should come as no surprise that Netflix released Norway’s large-scale crime production, Detective Hole (based on Jo Nesbø’s Harry Hole books), during this year’s Easter week. I managed to sit through a bleak, joyless six minutes and forty-three seconds before calling it quits. It’s not poorly made, but yow, it requires you to be in a particular mindset.

Some may also remember The Snowman, the 2017 Hollywood adaptation of the Harry Hole series. The movie contained only 80% of its shooting script and is a baffling, weird watch. Add to that, the director insisted on using the character’s name verbatim, which… Say it out loud, and get ready to snicker like a ten-year-old boy: Harry Hole2.

Additional Easter Crimes Courtesy of NRK

Norway’s state channel, NRK, recently published a list of Easter crimes for your viewing pleasure. Three of them stream in the US: Shetland (BritBox), Lynely (BritBox), and The Marlow Murder Club (PBS).

Web Sources

NRK: “Nordisk noir på full guffe“ (Mar 20, 2026)

Norsk Folkemuseum: “Easter Crime“

Wikipedia: “Påskeferie“ (Mar 31, 2026)

Aftenposten: “Illusjon ble påsketradisjon” (Apr 4, 2023)

Further (Non-Easter) Reads

Catching up on Home-Media Consumption

Hallmark+ Enters Mystery Season With Sugar & Vice

March might seem like a strange time to debut a mystery-movie lineup, yet Easter is traditionally Scandinavia’s crime-show season. I guess Hallmark is just a little more cosmopolitan than its American peers in following that precedent.

The Hannah Swensen mysteries – née Murder, She Baked – have been a mainstay at the network since 2015, and Sugar & Vice is the thirteenth entry in the series. It doesn’t quite reach the lofty heights of the Mystery Island films, but that’s a high bar to climb. Hannah Swensen still holds its own.

As with the other twelve films, Sugar & Vice falls under the “cozy mystery” banner. It’s amusing, pretty clever, and the baked goods – the anchor of the movies – look tasty. At about two million dollars a pop, Hallmark productions aren’t known for large budgets, but the pastries here trump what you see in many high-scale productions.

Come for the baked goods and stay for the red herrings – Sugar & Vice is one for any and all Agatha Christie fans. I’m a sucker for a confined-to-one-building premise, which is what we get with this mystery.

It isn’t the end of Hannah Swensen, either. Hallmark has already completed movie number fourteen, Cooked to Death, which is scheduled to air later this year.

Perhaps more excitingly, Hallmark+ recently picked up all the seasons of Remington Steele, one of the urtexts of the modern crime procedural. A show with pre-Bond Pierce Brosnan and Stephanie Zimbalist as private investigators? A prerequisite 1980s will-they-or-won’t-they romantic subplot? What’s not to love?1

I’m telling you – Hallmark+ is a strong contender for the only streaming service you need.

iZombie – CW’s Sadly Forgotten Cult Favorite

Would there have been an iZombie without Remington Steele? Maybe, but this oddball zombie-themed procedural certainly owes a lot to ’80s network shows.

Debuting on CW in 2015, iZombie follows Liv, a Seattle-based medical resident, who is turned into a zombie during a boat party. We’re not talking your stereotypical undead, either – she still functions like every other human being, but also possesses super-strength when angered, and an appetite for brains. To deal with the latter, she takes a job in the King County morgue, where she feeds on incoming corpses.

With her newfound diet, she inadvertently ingests the victims’ personality traits and experiences flashbacks from their lives. The perfect twist on your traditional comedic murder-mystery, which lasted for five seasons.

Rose McIver portrays Liv well, and Rahul Kohli shows some serious comedic chops as the only person aware of her newfound identity. And, to tie it back to Hallmark, Liv’s ex-fiancé is depicted by one of their premier contract players, Robert Buckley.

Where do you find iZombie, then? This is where it gets tricky. iZombie was one of the last shows of its ilk – quirky, high-concept mysteries with killer soundtracks – to air on a traditional TV network. Rights lapsed – likely music-related – and you can only purchase the first two seasons digitally. One additional season is available on physical media.

I’m willing to bet that the more connected Digest reader will know how to acquire the whole show, but far be it from me to make any suggestions.

SMA5H’s Chicken Sandwich

Look, I get it – chicken sandwiches have fallen out of fashion. After nationwide chains like Popeye’s and Chick-fil-A aggressively spiked the market in a much-publicized chicken battle, the phenomenon plateaued and became a routine joke. I’m not going to rip into all of that, but just because a dish becomes unfashionable doesn’t mean it is bad in and of itself. A well-prepared chicken sandwich can stand up to any traditional burger.

SMA5H2 is one of the spots that gets it right and even adds a small twist of its own. The burger – I’m not getting in the middle of the is-a-chicken-sandwich-a-burger debate – is made up of multiple chicken tenders, fried but not greasy, which give a proper crackle of a bite. Nicely seasoned, too, and the brioche bun adds a sweet contrast.

I don’t know, I feel like I’m supposed to vax poetically, but a good chicken sandwich should be simple, and there isn’t a lot more to SMA5H’s handheld. That is a good thing – clean flavors are not something you often see in chicken sandwiches, at least not from the big players. You’re not going to mistake it for health food, but then, you won’t feel overly heavy after the meal, either. Just a good overall package.

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The Peanut Butter Omission

While writing the “Reese’s vs. Trader Joe’s” peanut butter cup post, I straight out forgot that I previously published a related piece: The Plant-Based vs. Organic Reese’s showdown.

Hershey’s has since discontinued the Organic Reese’s, and I don’t think that bothered anyone too badly. It wasn’t great. The oatmilk version is still around and is probably the best option if you, for whatever reason, want a Reese’s Cup.

More egregiously, I called the now-defunct Olympia nut-butter king, Cobb’s, by the wrong name in the Trader Joe’s post. That has since been fixed, and our editorial department apologizes for the oversight.

The Sedona Hike Snaffoo

Meanwhile, in the Sedona-hikes post, I claimed Oak Creek Trail #108 had nine stream crossings. The correct number is thirteen.

I should also have mentioned that you can burn an additional twenty percent of calories by using hiking poles – further proof that they’re made for a young buck like me.

Merch for the People!

Don’t just read Awesomeness – wear it! This distinguished publication proudly features two official shirts – or magnets, stickers, or whatever medium you can think of: The Hallgrrrl and Zune. Why those? For one, the Hallmark channel and Riotgrrrl are, as I’ve said before, the natural combination. And, who doesn’t love the Zune?

Go shop at The Better Taster Boutique for only the finest goods.

The town didn’t incorporate until 1988, after seeing an influx of neo-hippies who, presumably, were pilgrimaging to Sedona’s many vortexes – more about those below. As the town grew, it became increasingly known for its hiking, with more than 200 trails spanning 300+ miles of terrain. During its high seasons – March through May and September through November – almost three million tourists visit the town. Calling the actual town of Sedona serene would be an overstatement, but you can easily find some solitude out in the red rocks if you stay away from trails like Devil’s Bridge1.

We aren’t much into golf here at the Digest, but we quite enjoy a good hike – and a good restaurant. Here are a couple of treks and eateries we vetted during a recent Sedona fact-finding mission.

Soldier Pass Trail:

4.8 miles long with a 823 ft gain – out and back. More on AllTrails.

There is a handful of “must-try” hikes in Sedona, and one of them is Soldier Pass. This is the type of trail where parking lots fill up early, and you’ll likely have to take a shuttle to get to the trailhead. Alternatively, you can hike an extra mile from a remote lot.

Crowded as it is, Soldier Pass is a bit more strenuous than the popularity would suggest. When the sun hits, the gradual incline starts feeling particularly steep – I clocked it at 39% toward the end.

Those are minor caveats, and it is still a very worthy trek, with sights like the Devil’s Kitchen Sinkhole and some amazing views from Soldier Pass Cave. The colors are a mix of Martian reds and a unique green-and-blue-hued flora.

Soldier Pass is not a loop, but rather an out-and-back hike – one that is more varied than you might expect. You will see a whole lot more on the way down than on the way up. Additionally, you can tack on the Brins Mesa Trail on top of the pass. That one measures in as a healthy four-mile addition.

As for Soldier’s Pass itself – or any trail – come equipped with plenty of water and a first-aid kit. We witnessed an unprepared hiker with cactus needles in their hand, and it looked painful. (They also refused to accept help from passers-by – seriously, don’t let pride get in the way of your wellbeing.) And, speaking of essentials…

The Ten Essentials’ Three Companions.

You may know the “Ten Essentials” – the basic list of equipment to bring on a hike – but there are a few additions you should consider to make your treks more bearable:

Gummy Bears: On a longer hike, you’ll want to microdose on energy, and gummy candies bring a quick, sugary boost. Be it the Haribo original or one of the many artisanal alternatives, they will both keep you going and – importantly – reduce grumpiness. The latter stands to benefit everyone.

Hiking Poles: Unfairly stereotyped as the mature person’s accessory, hiking poles don’t just provide good knee support; they give you an extra oomph while traversing bumpier trails. When you cross a stream, they help you balance while wading over rocks and logs, too. Poles don’t slow you down – they let you move faster.

AllTrails: There aren’t many apps I swear by, but AllTrails is one any hiker should consider. Not only is it a database of practically all trails in the US and beyond, but it also includes the information you need to properly plan your trek. And, as you get walking, the map is a lifesaver – it quickly alerted us when we took a wrong turn on “Oak Creek Trail.” The Apple Watch integration works well, too.

The Energy Center of a Vortex

Sedona is well known for its vortexes – sites with highly concentrated energy that bring inner peace, inspiration, and healing. Apparently, the town itself is one giant vortex, but there are four hyper-concentrated conduits: Airport Mesa, Cathedral Rock, Bell Rock, and Boynton Canyon.

You can’t actually see these vortexes, but if I were a betting man, I would say the one at Airport Mesa was right about here:

There is no scientific proof that vortices are real, but as there is no proof they’re not, either, you should make up your own mind. What I can say is that the smooth Airport Mesa rock felt soothing on my bare feet, and the view was magnificent. In that sense, even the most hardened of cynics will find something to enjoy at a vortex.

Visit Sedona has more information on the (alleged) phenomenon.

Pyramid-to-Scorpion Trail Loop:

2.2 miles long with a 288 ft gain. More on AllTrails.

I’m not sure if there’s such a thing as a secret trail in Sedona, but the Pyramid-to-Scorpion Loop is less crowded than many others and is also quite tranquil. You maintain a view of Cathedral Rock – the home of another vortex – for the majority of the trek, and there’s a short detour you can take for a better vantage point.

This was the easiest trail we tried, and walking it counterclockwise makes for a painless-ish climb. Keep an eye out for Junipers and prickly-pear cacti – I wouldn’t go as far as to say the flora is overly different from many other Sedona trails, but here you get a closer look at them.

The parking lot is tiny, but we had no trouble finding a spot late in the morning. Further into the high season, you probably want to get there earlier.

… and Schuerman Mountain Lookout:

1.8 miles long with a 367 ft gain – out and back. More on AllTrails.

The Schuerman trail is connected to the Pyramid-to-Scorpion loop, so you can easily go from one to the other. We chose to drive between the two because of the rapidly increasing temperature – it’s just a mile up the road. It’s worth noting that you likely will be mapped to a high-school parking lot where you, not surprisingly, are not allowed to park. Instead, look across the road and you’ll find a couple of spaces.

Now, a three-hundred-and-sixty-seven-foot gain might not sound too bad, but the consistent climb is deceivingly hard when the sun beats down. It’s not overly difficult in and of itself, just very sweaty, and the gummy bears come in handy.

The trek is more than worth it when you arrive at a pastoral lookout of West Sedona. This trail was relatively empty during our visit, allowing for a peaceful rest at the top of the hill.

Elote Café

Having been featured in publications like The Chicago Tribune and Fodor’s, Elote has garnered more attention than many Sedona restaurants, and well deserved so.

Particularly their eponymous elote is a must-try appetizer – the corn is served off the cob, drenched in a smoky mayo and paired with juicy limes. The spice-and-zest combination suits the Sedona climate.

Personally, I found the sweet corn bisque even better, and the truffle particularly added a good, earthy contrast to the sweetness. That the server suggested we skip the salad and instead order a full bowl of soup says a lot about its quality.

Add the brisket enchiladas – smoked for thirteen hours – as a main, and you get yourself quite the decent meal. I’d wholeheartedly go back.

It’s a popular spot, Elote. We managed to sneak in a spot at the community table, but reservations are generally required, so plan ahead.

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Oak Creek Trail #108:

6.6 miles long with a 574 ft gain – out and back. $4 per person. More on AllTrails.

The 15-mile Oak Creek Canyon Scenic Drive from Sedona to Flagstaff comes recommended, as does the Oak Creek Trail #108 hike. Unless you get to the lot early, you likely will have to park alongside Highway 89A – a somewhat treacherous proposition, but hey… Live dangerously.

The main part of the hike has only a very gradual incline, and the thirteen stream crossings are the trickiest part. My best advice is not to go Frogger on it, but rather scope out the most logical rocks and logs to skip across. Poles are helpful here – we saw multiple people slip and step into the (shallow) ice-cold water, and it looked miserable.

There’s a decent shading from the trees along the way, so the trek feels a lot more doable than those further south. No scorching sun beating against the red rocks here.

To complement the drive and trail, you might want to check out Indian Gardens, a nice little restaurant and market. All their breads and pastries are freshly baked, and the flavors are suitably clean.

Teacup Trail to Coffeepot Rock

2.6 miles long with a 269 ft gain – out and back. More on AllTrails.

The Digest’s other favorite trek, the Teacup Trail, is also fairly desolate and has a nice, quiet vibe. It’s one of those hikes that compacts all of Sedona’s desert vibes into one location – the red rocks feel a smidgen more red and the plants just a little more blue than green.

A large portion of the trail features panoramic views, though it’s worth noting a few semi-tricky climbs. Some of the debris can be slippery, and proper footwear will get you a long way.

The views make it all worth it, though, with an overlook of what feels like most of Sedona.

While on the way, check out the Rose Vortex Café. It does – not unexpectedly – have a hippie vibe, and some of the clientele looks to have taken that a bit too well to heart. A paisley-clad gentleman’s “I hope to see you on the path, sister” pickup line didn’t work too well with the barista, at least. Imagine Dennis in the third-season opener of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and you get the general idea.

The spot is located on 162 Coffee Pot Dr, and both their flat white and Island Green smoothie were good.

Reese’s vs. Trader Joe’s: An Unlikely Public Battle

How has it come to this? The heir to the Reese’s legacy, toe-to-toe with Hershey. On the sideline, Trader Joe’s tosses fuel on the fire. How can the peanut butter cup cause so much drama in the chocolate world?

Let’s have a look at where it started.

Brad Reese, grandson of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups’ inventor, posted a public letter on LinkedIn, lambasting Hershey for moving away from pure ingredients. In his words, milk chocolate and peanut butter have given way to compound coatings and peanut‑butter‑style crèmes – going by the comments, many agree.

Hershey quickly hit back in what can only be called a half-hearted PR swirl:

As we’ve grown and expanded the Reese’s product line, we make product recipe adjustments that allow us to make new shapes, sizes and innovations that Reese’s fans have come to love and ask for, while always protecting the essence of what makes Reese’s unique and special: the perfect combination of chocolate and peanut butter.

The strategic placement of “essence” suggests that Hershey has a fairly loose definition of “chocolate” and “peanut butter.”

This is where Trader Joe’s decided to jump in, with an update to their peanut butter cup product descriptions:

Other purveyors of peanut butter cups fill theirs with all kinds of “extraneous” ingredients. Ours are free of such things. We eschew artificial flavors and preservatives, as well as colors other than those derived from natural sources. We’re quite certain they taste better our way.

Them’s fighting words, and I can only think of one way to squash the beef…

A Taste Test

For a one-to-one comparison, we pinned the miniature milk chocolate cups against each other. A quick visit to Safeway proved that Hershey wasn’t exaggerating when they talked about their “expanded” Reese’s product line. The picture below shows about a quarter of Reese’s varieties, and that does not include the seasonal picks. There were no fewer than four types of miniatures to pick from. In the larger shelves, there were even more.

Trader Joe’s – TJ amongst friends – has two: miniature milk chocolate and dark chocolate cups.

How do they compare, then, TJ and Reese’s? Let’s break it down, start to finish.

TJ’s cups look like chocolate. They’re smooth but imperfect, giving them a hand-dipped veneer. Not that they are hand-dipped, but y’know – at least they put in an effort.

Reese’s cups fare, for the lack of a better word, poorly. The color is vaguely gray-tinted, and the top looks to be collapsing. Note how the wax is peeling off, too. It’s the uncanny valley of chocolate.

Slice the cups open, and Reese’s falls apart, figuratively and literally.

TJ looks like what you’d want a peanut butter cup to look like. The chocolate is uniformly draped, and the filling has the color and consistency of peanut butter. That shouldn’t be a cause for celebration – it should be the lowest common denominator. Compared to Reese’s, though, it’s night and day.

I don’t even know… Reese’s cups actually do collapse into themselves, and the dried-out peanut butter has a weird beige hue.

Flavor-wise, it’s a quick knockout. TJ tastes like it’s advertised: chocolate and peanut butter, and that’s it. Maybe not the best chocolate and peanut butter I’ve ever had, but quite good for something mass-produced. Reese’s tastes as artificial as Brad Reese claimed. Dry and old.

The Winner!

Trader Joe’s! But you already knew that.

What Should Have Been the Winner!

In a fair world, Cobb’s Cups – a nut-free peanut butter cup alternative from Olympia – would take it home. They rocked. They also went out of business a little while ago, so alas…

Justin’s isn’t a bad substitute, though it’s also worth checking out your local chocolatier, who likely has something that surplants all of the aforementioned picks.

Carmelo’s Tacos’ Quesadilla

There is a widely held misconception that a quesadilla is a taco’s banal sibling, one often relegated to the kids’ menu or placed next to the burger. A dish that many restaurants do very little with, opting instead to toss some cheese between a couple of tortillas and then call it the day – child’s play.

That quick-and-dirty method might be prevalent, but look no further than Carmelo’s Tacos for proof that it’s not the be-all and end-all. Here you can find how elaborate a quesadilla can be, even in its simplest form.

It comes down to the basics, and Carmelo’s doesn’t toss in cheese willy-nilly; instead, they sear it on the grill before folding it into a tortilla. It gives the palate a sweeter, caramelized zest, embellished by the accompanying avocado-forward salsa verde.

The campechano – asada, chrizo, and potatoes – is a good protein-forward pick, though I’m partial to the mushrooms, mixed with guajillo chile and garlic. A flavor bomb and a half that’s slightly spicy, but not overwhelmingly so – more of a tickle than a kick. Worth noting, too, is how finely and uniformly the vegetables are cut. You’re not going to get a three-inch pepper slice mixed with a tiny dice of onion. I know that sounds minor, but it’s not. We might not talk a lot about the quesadilla’s mouthfeel, yet Carmelo’s makes it a necessary point of topic. Consistent prep work creates consistent flavors – that’s my drop of philosophy for today.

Finally, the tortillas themselves: Go to one of Carmelo’s locations, and you can watch them prepare the masa right in front of you: flattened and grilled for ten seconds to give the tortillas a slightly crispy bite. It doesn’t get much fresher than that.

Package it all together, and this is a quesadilla that can stand up to any burrito and taco. Lest there be any doubt, when you get a quesadilla that is made with this care, it will be anything but banal.

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Merch for the People!

Don’t just read Awesomeness – wear it! This distinguished publication proudly features two official shirts – or magnets, stickers, or whatever medium you can think of: The Hallgrrrl and Zune. Why those? For one, the Hallmark channel and Riotgrrrl are, as I’ve said before, the natural combination. And, who doesn’t love the Zune?

Go shop at The Better Taster Boutique for only the finest goods.

Secret Burger Kitchen’s Smash Burger and Sauce in a Syringe

That’s right, Secret Burger Kitchen serves its sauces in syringes. It’s baffling. But, before I put on my snark pants, I must, in all fairness, say that SBK makes quite decent burgers. Flavorful, pepper-y, well-charred, the whole gamut. They’re tasty, and that’s about all one needs to say about them. There aren’t too many nuances to a good smash burger, and that’s fine. Not everything needs to be complex.

Maybe that’s why I’m flummoxed about the syringe, or, as it’s called, The Drip. Two ounces of a sauce of your choosing, filled in a heavy-duty plastic injector. I have no idea why they chose this needlessly convoluted method. It’s not like you can inject anything into a smashed patty, so it has to go on top of something. Why not serve the sauce right on the burger or on the bottom bun, as that’s where it’ll end up anyway?

In what can only be called a rebellious act of defiance, I squirted the garlic sauce over the fries and, you know – it worked pretty well. It’s a pungent, flavorful, and very stinky sauce. The type of garlic sauce I’m a fan of. The thick-cut fries are good on their own, too, with a nice bite. Not too greasy or soggy.

Is this all “old man yelling at cloud?” It sure is, though I don’t know why Secret Burger Kitchen wants to overshadow a good burger with an “experience.”

Now, get off my lawn.

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Spiveavore: The Pinnacle of Food Injection

During the first half of the 2010s, we ran a trilogy of “Spiceavore” events, which were exactly what they sound like: spicy food contests. The most intense round was the Peeps challenge, where Dave’s Insanity Hot Sauce was injected into sickeningly sweet Easter candy. It’s what nightmares are made of.

For the reader with a strong stomach, witness a contestant falling victim to injected Peeps. (Warning: This is a very graphic video.)

I didn’t fare much better and have since retired from spicy-food contests. (Warning, yet again: That link is not for the faint of heart.)

Giallo: Italy’s Very Yellow Crime Genre

Hollywood has film noir; Italy has giallo, a word that literally translates to “yellow.” This is a sub-genre of the thriller and often centers on a masked, knife-wielding killer. Typically, the films are also very stylish, cinematically speaking.

The giallo has been considered a violent genre, but compared to the “true crimes” Netflix churns out these days, the films now feel fairly tame. The gialli are graphic, certainly, but few would call them realistic. Connoisseurs will frame the genre as “expressionistic”; detractors may call it “incoherent.” It is an acquired taste, the giallo, which had its heyday during the seventies.

The first proper entry in the genre was Mario Bava’s The Girl Who Knew Too Much, a 1963 “whodunnit.” In 1964, he would release the more influential Blood and Black Lace, which became the blueprint for gialli going forward: a masked murderer with black gloves and a knife has remained a staple of the genre, as have the deeply saturated colors.

And why is it called giallo – yellow? During the late 1920s, Mondadori published a series of Italian pulp novels with distinct yellow covers. Other publishers adopted the style that soon became synonymous with the genre. You can draw a straight line from these types of books to giallo films.

A Handful of Recommended Gialli

There are literally hundreds of 1970s gialli – likely more – and many of them are excellent. Eccentric, sure, but tense, and well-made. You will also notice the titles are very dramatic. To wit:

The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970)

Dario Argento – often dubbed “the Master of Horror” – can rightfully be credited with bringing giallo to the mainstream. This murder mystery, which literally features all the giallo tropes, is his first entry in the “Animal Trilogy” and is notable for its Ennio Morricone1 score.

The Bird with the Crystal Plumage currently streams on Kanopy and Prime. Check JustWatch for the full, up-to-date list.

A Bay of Blood (1971)

Mario Bava’s A Bay of Blood is the blueprint for the American “slasher” genre – without it, you likely wouldn’t have Scream, or I Know What You Did Last Summer. The basic plot follows a group of (let’s be honest, not-the-brightest) kids stuck on an island where they get taken down one by one by an unknown assailant.

Even the trailer is more artistic than most modern horror movies. You can find the movie on Prime and Shudder. Again, check JustWatch for other options.

Short Night of Glass Dolls (1971)

I’d count Aldo Lado’s Short Night of Glass Dolls as one of the classier entries on the fringes of the genre. The movie features some giallo tropes, but is more of a political thriller framed around a kidnapping. It stars Bergman-player Ingrid Thulin, and Ennio Morricone here, too, provides the score. I’m not going to go as far as to say Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut was inspired by Glass Dolls, but there are thematic similarities between the two.

Fans of Murder, She Wrote – and who isn’t?! – will notice that a shot used in its opening is a straight remix of one in the trailer.

Short Night of Glass Dolls – which has one of the most tense endings I can think of – keeps jumping between streaming services, so, yet again, check JustWatch for the latest updates, or just get a physical copy.

Deep Red (1975)

Many will call it the best giallo, and probably correctly so. Argento’s Deep Red stars David Hemmings and Daria Nicolodi, and while there isn’t much of a plot – the two are on the hunt for a psychic’s killer – their banter is spitfire, and the movie looks gorgeous. Truly, it sounds even better, and this is the first collaboration between Argento and the Italian prog band, Goblin.

The killer’s reveal stands as one of the more clever gotchas, too, one worthy of Hitchcock at his best.

As for streaming… this is where it gets tricky. You can find Deep Red on Shudder, Prime, AMC+, etc., but there are three different cuts of the movie. The original American version makes no sense, as half an hour or so is missing. It’s no wonder the New York Times called Argento “a director of incomparable incompetence” in their 1976 review. Therefore, look for the 126-minute cut – the two others are not worth your time. Your best bet is probably to use Arrow’s streaming service or buy their 4K physical copy. You can find both over on Arrow’s website.

The House with Laughing Windows (1976)

After Deep Red, the giallo heyday began to wane, and its tropes were mixed into other genres. Argento’s follow-up to Deep Red, Suspiria, might be the best example of that.

Pupu Avati’s The House with Laughing Windows is another example, though it is at its core more of a conventional thriller. An art restorer working in a church finds that the town harbors a dark secret related to the fresco he is restoring.

While there are no one-to-one comparisons to The Silence of the Lambs, Laughing Windows still reminds me of that film. Maybe it’s the oppressive tone of them both? Either way – Avati’s magnum opus finally streams in the US after being out of print for well more than a decade.

The House with Laughing Windows can be rented or bought from your favorite VOD purveyors. Arrow also has a nice-looking 4K/Blu-ray limited edition.

Source

Wikipedia. “Giallo” (Jan 26, 2026)

Merch for the People!

Don’t just read Awesomeness – wear it! This distinguished publication proudly features two official shirts – or magnets, stickers, or whatever medium you can think of: The Hallgrrrl and Zune. Why those? For one, the Hallmark channel and Riotgrrrl are, as I’ve previously stated, the natural combination. And, who doesn’t love the Zune?

Go shop at The Better Taster Boutique for only the finest goods.

The Bang Bang Kitchen’s Chile Relleno

Think New Mexico cuisine, and chances are that peppers spring to mind. Hatch, Anaheim, poblano… they’re typically not too spicy, but often distinctly smoky and earthy. So, when Bang Bang Kitchen – a New Mexico-style restaurant – advertises a “New Recipe!!” for its poblano-powered chile relleno, it makes all the sense in the world to try it.

I can’t say I’ve ever seen a take like this on the chile relleno – changes to traditional dishes can often feel like they’re made solely for the sake of change, but Bang Bang has brought in net-positive differentiators. Maybe it’s the generous coating of tortilla chips that ups the game. It gives the pepper a solid and unexpected crunch. Or, while the pepitas – pumpkin seeds – initially sound like an insignificant addition, they do bring a nuttiness to the palate.

On paper, those are small modifications, but details add up. Bang Bang’s O.G. chile relleno was already lighter than many of its ilk – moderately cheesy and not over-fried – and it didn’t strictly need a new recipe. It could hold its own with the best of them.

Time moves on, though, and so do chile rellenos. What Bang Bang brought to the table feels fully in line with the New Mexico way. Nutty pumpkin seeds are a natural companion to smoky peppers. If a more modern take is a positive evolution, then who am I to stand in the way of progress?

And, that’s about as philosophical as I’ve ever been about a chile relleno.

4219 S Othello St, Seattle • Map • Web • Their ‘gram

Stop Making Sense

It’s been called both the perfect concert movie and the perfect movie, period1. With a 100% Tomatometer rating, Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense made a significant cultural impact in 1984 and has since remained the music feature to beat.

The question, then, is how, in this age of immersive 3D concert movies, is a small indie production still unsurpassable? In my mind, it simply comes down to how hyper-focused it is.

While many concert movies lean on tropes – backstage jitters, crowd shots, etc. – Stop Making Sense propels straight into weirdness. David Byrne walks onstage with an acoustic guitar and a cassette player and performs Talking Heads’ enduring hit, “Psycho Killer,” solo. Next, bassplayer Tina Weymouth joins in on fan-favorite, “Heaven.” And so it goes: One band member after another walks on until they break into a high-octane version of “Life During Wartime.”

If you didn’t watch that video, stop what you’re doing and do so right now – it’ll be the best six minutes you spend today outside of reading this post.

The concert is one of those performances where everything clicks into place. David Byrne’s bizarre choreography lends itself perfectly to cinema, and director Jonathan Demme (The Silence of the Lambs) has the technical gravitas to capture it on film without distracting from the performances. Too many concert films are preoccupied with showcasing clever technologies, forgetting what you’re actually there for: live music. Demme does not make that mistake.

And – Talking Heads is an incredibly talented and compelling band. That goes outside of Byrne – Weymouth’s bass lines slap – and you’d have to be in a coma not to bop along to “Burning Down the House” and a cover version of Al Green’s “Take Me to the River.“

You can find Stop Making Sense on all the regular VOD services and on physical media.

You can also listen to the soundtrack on Apple Music and on vinyl.

Merch for the People!

Don’t just read Awesomeness – wear it! This distinguished publication proudly features two official shirts – or magnets, stickers, or whatever medium you can think of: The Hallgrrrl and Zune. Why those? For one, the Hallmark channel and Riotgrrrl are, as I’ve previously stated, the natural combination. And, who doesn’t love the Zune?

Go shop at The Better Taster Boutique for only the finest goods.

I waxed poetically about the Norwegian banana cake – more of a banana bread than cake – but I get it… That recipe is perhaps too sweet for some. So, in the name of fair and balanced, here is one for a more conventional banana bread. It’s loosely based on America’s Test Kitchen’s recipe and should take no more than an hour to bake, prep time included.

The bake should come out like this:

You can avoid the banana clusters if you mash the mixture more smoothly, but, really, you don’t want to cheat yourself out of that pungent potassium punch.

Metric has released a new single from their upcoming album, Romanticize The Dive, and it’s a banger.

Meanwhile, Sébastien Tellier’s latest album, Kiss the Beast, is out. You know you’re in for a treat when critics say, “the album feels so haphazard, so bizarre, so deranged that the lack of verbal comprehension becomes the least of your worries.” That’s Tellier at his best for ya.

A couple of weeks ago, I went cross-country skiing for the first time since 2011. Before that, my previous trek was in 1996, so a pattern seems to be emerging. We’ll see how good my technique is in 2041.

Much like bicycling, you don’t forget how to cross-country ski. It’s an acquired skill that requires both coordination and balance, but after you get over the initial hump, it sticks with you. And like many Norwegian children, I learned to ski before I could walk. It’s not for nothing that “born with skis on our feet” is an oft-used Norwegian aphorism.

Now, the intention of this post is not to gloat about how awesome a skier I am1 – I managed to pull a muscle the day after the trip – but I do feel cross-country deserves a better rep here in the U.S. Why fight people in ski lifts and get run over by adrenaline-fueled fifteen-year-old snowboarders when you can instead leisurely glide through the woods? It’s a good workout, too.

So, to start with the beginning…

A Brief History

Cross-country skiing has been around as long as the wheel, and can be traced back more than five thousand years. During winter, skis were used throughout Northern Europe for hunting and migration.

The most “photographic” evidence of this is a four-thousand-year-old petroglyph depicting a skier, since dubbed “Rødøymannen.” The name refers to the island of Rødøy, where it was discovered. In later years, some archaeologists claim the petroglyph is not of a skier but rather a boater, so make up your own mind. The 1994 Olympic Committee chose to interpret it as a skier for its commemorative coin, and I’m not sure we’ll ever know what this rudimentary art really portrays. The point is that Norwegians have skied for a long time.

During the 1675–1679 war between Sweden and Denmark-Norway2, Norway formed a cross-country ski battalion that, in 1732, would become a mainstay of the Norwegian military. It was also around then that most skiers switched to using two poles; previously, skiers typically used a single long pole or a spear for balance.

During Roald Amundsen and Robert Scott’s 1911 race to the South Pole, many credit the Norwegian’s use of skis as a decisive factor in the outcome – Amundsen not only won, but also returned without a scratch. Scott and his crew died on the way back.

The Art of Cross-Country Skiing

Today, there are two forms of cross-country skiing: Skating and classic Nordic. While the former is the more common competitive style, the latter is easier and, in this handsome man’s opinion, more fun. One objectively true thing: the “crawl before you walk” adage applies to cross-country. Learn the classic style before you try to skate. During our aforementioned ski trip, there were a lot of beginners who were flailing around, frustrated that they were not making any headway with their skating.

With classic, you mostly stay in groomed trails, which is easier for balance and, unless you’re a skating demigod, also faster.

And, if you insist on skating, for heaven’s sake, do it outside of the groomed trails. Don’t ruin it for the rest of us. Sheesh.

Plowing and Herringbones

Going forward through groomed trails is easy enough as soon as you get the technique down – you just kick yourself forward, using your poles for balance and for an extra oomph. But, how about the hills? How do you climb up without sliding back and glide down without running into a tree?

This is where plowing and herringbones come in.

Unless you’re a pro, you likely will want to use herringbones to get up steeper hills. It, much like skating, should be done outside the groomed trail – you place your feet and skis in a V formation, with the inner edges of the skis digging into the snow. Like I have expertly illustrated:

From there, you “walk” by lifting the right ski in front of the left, the left in front of the right, and so on and so forth. The poles push you along.

Plowing downhill – sometimes known as “pizza” – is harder. You point the front of your skis toward the center while keeping your leg muscles and core flexed, so you don’t cross your skis. Keep your knees slightly bent and the poles even with your body for balance. Like this:

You’ll have to shift your balance left and right to make sure you move forward and not in circles. It’s not a particularly difficult technique, but it works the muscles. Hard. Frankly, if you can keep your balance in the groomed trail without plowing, that’s probably going to be easier.

Books and videos have been published on how to cross-country ski, but there’s not too much more to it than the basic movements. Lean slightly forward and move without falling; herringbone and plow if need be. You’ll be a champ before you know it.

The Olympics

It’ll come as little surprise that Norway stands with more Olympic cross-country medals than any other country. Hundred-and-twenty-nine in total, fifty-two of which are gold.

Marit Bjørgen holds the record for the most Olympic cross-country medals, with a total of fifteen, including eight golds. Close behind is Bjørn Dæhlie, with twelve medals, eight of which are gold. Norway takes its cross-country skiing seriously.

We will see if the streak continues – the Winter Olympics start this Friday, February 6th. Here in the U.S., it streams on Peacock.

The Alien Skier

I was curious what Google Gemini would make of the petroglyph and, well…

… maybe the alien conspiracists have a point after all.

Merch for the People!

Don’t just read Awesomeness – wear it! This distinguished publication proudly features two official shirts, magnets, stickers, or whatever medium you can think of: The Hallgrrrl and the Zune. Why those? For one, the Hallmark channel and Riotgrrrl are, as I’ve previously stated, the natural combination. And, who didn’t love the Zune?

Go shopping at The Better Taster Boutique for only the finest goods.

The “Rødøymannen” photo (CC BY-SA 4.0) and various factoids come courtesy of Wikipedia’s “Langrenn” article.

Soon after, Santa suffered the same fate.

Christmas cards featuring red-hatted gnomes had been a Norwegian tradition since the 1880s, and the hat itself was a popular Norwegian fashion staple. During the war, its popularity spiked as Norwegians sought to express national pride in the face of German occupation. The Nazi regime took notice, and on February 23rd, 1942, they issued an edict banning not only red-hatted gnomes in Christmas cards but also the actual attire: Red hats were no longer welcome in Nazi-occupied Norway.

It’s not widely documented exactly how successful the ban was, though the Porsgrunn Dagblad newspaper reported that police took action against four young girls wearing red and blue gnome hats on April 2nd, 1942. It’s also questionable how much of a point there was to the ban – other colors were allowed, and green and yellow hats became ubiquitous. Different colors; same sentiment – no one can accuse fascists of being particularly astute.

The Christmas cards suffered the same fate as the red hats, or, rather, the illustrated gnome hats did – the Nazis quickly put them on the chopping block. Still, limitations feed creativity, as shown in this illustrated card by Thorbjørn Egner. Here, Santa – the gnomes’ heir apparent – is visibly confused over where his hat went.

Other artists were more flagrant.

An illustration by Vigdis Rojahn shows a crow unsuccessfully trying to pick a hat off a gnome. Not a subtle message – the crow’s similarities to the Nazi Eagle are palpable – and the Gestapo arrested and interrogated the artist in their Oslo offices. Luckily, she was let go with a warning.

While plenty of these cards were printed, few were actually sent by mail – those that were often got intercepted by the Nazis. In all likelihood, people kept the cards in their homes as a silent protest against the occupying forces; many are preserved in the Norsk Folkemuseum (Norwegian Folk Museum).

Perhaps a more famous Norwegian World War 2 protest icon is the paper clip – the binders – which the resistance displayed on their lapel as a sign of unity. It had a short lifespan and was banned by the Nazis on September 25th, 1940.

Now, the paper clip itself has a sordid history, at least from a Norwegian perspective. Ask any self-respecting Norwegian, and they’ll tell you the country has come up with two major inventions: the cheese slicer and the paper clip. This is rooted in our upbringing and constitutes a point of national pride: the only reason you can clip papers together is because of Norwegian fortitude. You’re welcome!

Except… none of that is true. Not in the slightest, though Norway has done a good job of fooling the world. Look no further than the well-meaning “Paper Clips Project” for proof.

In reality, the first paper clip was patented by Samuel B. Fay in 1867, followed by Erlman J. Wright’s version in 1877. What we today fully recognize as a paper clip was introduced in 1892 by Cushman & Denison.

Johan Vaaler, the Norwegian credited with the invention, didn’t submit a patent application until 1901. It was rejected because… well… the paper clip already existed, and, thus, Vaaler’s version never entered production.

In other words, put the paper clip in the same bucket as Norway’s national chocolate bar, Kvikk Lunsj, which, for all intents and purposes, is Kit Kat in a different wrapper.

• forskning.no: “Brukte nisseluer: Slik viste nordmenn motstand mot nazistene med julekort”

• Klikk: “Ulovlige julekort: Fikk tyskerne til å se rødt”

• Wikipedia: “Binders”

Since approximately 1991, I’ve been enthralled with rubber chickens. It’s a peculiar fascination, I know, but long story short, it all comes down to the computer game, The Secret of Monkey Island, where a “rubber chicken with a pulley in the middle” serves a vaguely surreal purpose.

That’s some chicken, indeed!

Exactly why rubber chickens live rent-free in my mind thirty-five years later is anyone’s guess, but it is what it is – one of those things that might be best left to a professional to figure out.

Meanwhile, enabling this fascination is Seattle’s Rubber Chicken Museum, a weird and wonderful shrine to what, admittedly, is the most cringeworthy comedic prop. One I am endlessly enthralled by, nonetheless.

A History of Sorts

By all accounts, rubber-chicken humor originated in medieval times. Court jesters would flop around real chicken carcasses as a subversive takedown of the “don’t play with your food” idiom. It landed, and the chicken prop was used throughout the heydays of Vaudeville, when, during World War II, it was replaced by its rubber knockoff. Salmonella outbreaks were seemingly a common side effect of the comedy.

Since, diverse comedic voices like Monty Python and The Muppets have used the prop. Even Johnny Carson kept a rubber chicken under his desk for good luck.

That brings us to 2018, when Seattle mainstay novelty store, Archie McPhee, opened its Rubber Chicken Museum. Archie McPhee has been around since 1983, but its history goes back to the early seventies, when Mark Pahlow started selling rubber lizards out of his L.A. home. After he moved to Seattle, he opened Archie McPhee, where rubber chickens became a bestseller – alongside the Punching Nun and a Librarian Action Figure.

Needless to say, it’s a weird store, and the small novelty museum fits in seamlessly in both tone and size. Here you can find both the world’s largest (seven-foot-tall) and the world’s smallest (less-than-an-inch) rubber chickens. The “Chicken Dance” melody plays in the background, and you can peruse rubber chickens from all through the ages. Education and entertainment – edutainment, though Monkey Island’s iconic pulley-based poultry is sadly nowhere to be seen.

Still, go for the toys and stay for the rubber chickens, or vice versa. Archie McPhee and its Rubber Chicken Museum are home to some quirky goodness.

Address: 1300 N 45th St. Web: mcphee.com

Speaking of Birds…

It’s the lazy person’s form of birdwatching: The Bird Buddy, a birdfeeder with an “intelligent” camera. When birds start pecking, the Wi-Fi-enabled camera records them, and an app identifies the species. You can even name regular visitors.

Maybe that all sounds gimmicky, but I tell ya – when a notification comes in, and I get half a minute to watch a chickadee enjoy a meal of seeds? It’s relaxing and borderline therapeutic. You also get a do-gooder feature where you can report (god forbid) injured birds.

Check out Bird Buddy – or Birdbuddy, as they aren’t consistent with their stylizing – on their website. It’s a worthy investment in you and your fair-feathered friends.

Seattle’s South End has a good selection of bánh mì shops, and to kick off what probably will be an infrequent look at the sandwich that rules them all, we check out Sun Ta Tofu and Bánh Mì Deluxe.

To address what may be an elephant in the room, Sun Ta Tofu is not a tofu-exclusive spot. They have a large vegetarian selection, for sure, but there are plenty of animal proteins to choose from, too.

Now, it may sound like a small thing, but Sun Ta Tofu’s streamlined matrix menu is a godsend. You pick your flavor profile from the horizontal axis – pork belly, chicken, tofu, etc. – and, from the vertical axis, a serving vessel. Bread, noodle bowl, or rice bowl. A helpful, concrete-sequential tool for those with decision paralysis.

As for the sandwiches, what sets them apart is their clean flavors. The vegetables in my meatball bánh mì were crisp and fresh, and created a potent balance with the protein. I’m perfectly fine with big flavors, but here the sum is very much made up of its distinct parts. A simple complexity at its best, where the vegetables didn’t play second fiddle.

The bread could have stood to be a little crustier, but overall, San Ta Tofu serves up a top-tier bánh mì. It’s one for those in search of something lighter.

Address: 6061 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way S.

Bánh Mì Deluxe – a longtime standby in the Digest’s editorial room – takes more of a maximalist approach to the sandwich. All non-vegetarian bánh mìs come topped with pate in addition to your chosen meat, and the jalapeño distribution is generous. For those in search of a spicy bánh mì, Deluxe should always be in the running.

Doing a one-for-one comparison between the two shops is hard, since their meatball sandwiches are pretty different – Deluxe uses a more robust tomato sauce, though their eponymous sandwich has a similar-ish profile, with enough pork to play in the same sandbox. Pork belly and cured pork dominate the palate, with an ample serving of cucumber cooling down the jalapeños. There are a lot of flavors at play, all good, but it’s also a far cry from Sun Ta Tofu’s lighter touch. Which style is better is entirely subjective, though I will say Deluxe’s baguette has a mite better bite.

One additional point for Deluxe: It houses Boss Tea, which offers a large selection of beverages. Their Passion Guava with lychee is refreshing and pairs exceedingly well with a spicy sandwich.

Address: 6408 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way S.

So…

Honestly, they’re both good spots worthy of (at least) a visit. They’re also right across the road from each other – a three-minute walk – so you get an excellent excuse for a bánh mì bang-bang.

And, it’s worth noting that you can walk out of either place with two sandwiches for less than $15, tip included. Tasty and thrifty, a fine combination.

TV: Palm Royale (Season 2)

Maxine Dellacorte’s saga of trying to reach the pinnacle of Palm Beach’s society continues in a season that is, for the lack of a better word, way over the top. I mean that as a compliment – the show knows exactly what it’s doing with its maximalist comedy. The cast is a murderer’s row of talent: Kristen Wiig, Josh Lucas, Allison Janney, Leslie Bibb, Laura Dern, and a ninety-two-year-old Carol Burnett. Palm Royale looks great too, with a suitably colored late-sixties set design.

And yes, that is John Stamos putting in a chef’s kiss turn as a lawyer/OB-GYN.

Palm Royale streams on Apple TV.

Album: Wet Leg’s “moisturizer“

Post-punk rock with pop sensibilities – moisturizer has been on fairly constant rotation for me throughout the year. Check it out on Apple Music, or listen to the single, “CPR.”

Films: Influencer and Influencers

Lazy naming aside, Hitchcockian is a subgenre I enjoy – films in the mould of Hitchcock’s psychological horror centered around deeply damaged human beings. Psycho, Vertigo, Rebecca… that kind of thing. With Influencer (2022) and this year’s Influencers, we follow C.W., a lady with less patience for internet influencers than most – anyone of them who gets close to her has a tendency to disappear. Both films are tense thrillers, well-acted, and shot in beautiful locations, such as the south of France and Thailand. They’re stylish, fun movies.

I’m not suggesting that this duology reaches the dizzying heights of Hitchcock, but they should appeal to fans of his oeuvre all the same.

Find Influencer and Influencers on Shudder. (Influencer also streams on Netflix.)

Podcasts

There’s a small handful of podcasts I listen to weekly, most of them of niche interests, but what can you do? In alphabetical order:

• Accidental Tech Podcast: An Apple-centric show without a whole lot of structure, it’s one worth checking out for anyone who enjoys nerds chatting about… stuff. I’m not really selling that, am I?

• Blank Check with Griffin and David: A podcast that goes through filmmakers’ filmographies one movie at a time, with guests ranging from comedians like Connor Ratliff to actors like Rachel Zegler. Episodes can last for as long as four hours, and they mix truly interesting information with absolute nonsense. I know I’ve posted Griffin’s story about spilling wine on Ray Wise before, but it bears repeating.

• Doug Loves Movies: Comedian Doug Benson invites comedians, actors, and industry people to compete in a rather eclectic movie-trivia show. (Example question: “What are the top ten IMDb hits for the word ‘Christmas’ this week?”) Even if you don’t like movies, the podcast brings its share of chuckles.

• How Did This Get Made?: Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael, and Jason Mantzoukas are joined by guests to discuss movies that are bad, bizarre, or both. We attended a live recording here in Seattle this year (for Surf II), and it’s an experience I’d recommend to anyone. Also, Paul and Jason’s Blank Check episode on Buster Scruggs shows some crossover among the three shows. (Doug Benson has been on HDTGM; Griffin, Paul, June, and Jason have been on Doug Loves Movies, etc.)

Film: Pavements

It’s hard to describe this Matryoshka doll of a movie about the nineties slacker group Pavement. It is, for all intents and purposes, a conglomeration of four films – a real documentary about their 2022-2024 reunion tour; a behind-the-scenes documentary on a fake biopic, Range Life; the staging of a musical, Slanted! Enchanted!, which was real for the sole purpose of being in the film. And, there’s the Pavement museum exhibit, which, technically, was real, though half the items within it were fake.

It’s a weird movie – even part of the director/editor’s commentary track is an act – and I don’t really know exactly how to describe it in any sort of detail. Even if you don’t like Pavement, it’s a fascinating watch and, at times, very funny. It’s also my number one movie of the year, if only for its bizarreness and killer soundtrack.

Pavements is available for purchase or rental from the regular VoD services – Apple, Amazon, etc.

TV: Fallout (Season 2)

You don’t see many successful video game adaptations, but Graham Wagner and Geneva Robertson-Dworet’s take on the post-apocalyptic Fallout franchise hits all the right notes. The humor and action are there, and the visuals mirror the games spot on. The latter, in particular, is the clincher – Fallout is about exploration, and if they didn’t get the world down just so, this series would’ve been dead on arrival. Luckily, it’s all good.

Fallout streams on Amazon Prime.

Film: Descendent

As a bizarre mix of UFO abduction, surrealism, fear of fatherhood, childhood trauma, and being in a crappy job, it’s hard to pin down exactly what Descendent’s central theme is, but it’s a fascinating movie all the same. It’s a slow churn, but I (unlike the rest of the internet) found the payoff highly satisfying. I’m pretty sure fans of mindbenders will enjoy it.

Descendent is available on VoD.

It’s the fashion trend that’s sweeping America! Even a Riot Grrrl needs some time to kick back and catch up on Hallmark+’s wide offering of Christmas movies and mystery serials. Don your Hallgrrrl sensibilities with this t-shirt from the Better Taster Boutique.

And, in line with the Pavements recommendation above, grab a tastefully bootlegged Pavement t-shirt – embrace your inner slacker.

El Pirate Tortas Y Burritos

It only seems fitting to end the year with a last taco-shop recommendation, or, as it is, a torta-shop. You’ll find El Pirate in an anonymous Georgetown kiosk with a menu that is slightly different than many across the region. Sure, there is a selection of burritos and tacos, but here the tortas take center stage, and the fillings are a step beyond. Everything from pastrami to yams dominates the menu, and the telera rolls have a more homemade feel than those at other shops.

I sampled the El Dorado, which, while more basic in its toppings, is flavorful, in no small part because of the chorizo. The avocado and the aioli give the sandwich a creamier texture, with the latter adding an extra punch. It’s a pungent package.

Pair it with a chipotle macaroni salad, and you've got a proper meal going – one that fittingly closes out 2025.

The Rating

Regular disclaimer: I generally don’t score anything these days, but as this write-up falls squarely into the annals of Tortillaphilia history, it would be downright disrespectful not to.

Address: 6124 12th Ave S, Seattle. Web: elpiratatortas.com.

Olympia is an odd duck. The way I see it, Washington State’s capital is built on two extremes: a layer of Riot Grrrl grit covering the veneer of a Hallmark Christmas movie town. An unconventional melting pot, but a tasty fondue all the same.

Now, any self-respecting Hallmark movie follows a certain formula. A reluctant big-city person comes to a scenic town, more often than not to claim an inheritance. While there, they visit small independent bookstores and drink local coffee. Vintage shops are perused, and they will, without exception, cook a highfalutin meal for an unexpected love interest. (Their culinary skills will be a surprise twist – egads, the busy New York lawyer knows how to cook?!)

Hey, I don’t judge, I’m an unapologetic Hallmark connoisseur.

When in Olympia, you can, as you should, replicate this type of experience with a riot-y twist. Bookstore, coffee, vintage shop (specifically a record shop to go with the theme), and cooking. Here’s a small guide to achieve the best Hallmark-Meets-Riot-Grrrl tour of Olympia.

01: Browsers Bookstore

With the Riot Grrrl movement originating in Olympia, it’s fitting that Browsers is, in their own words, “a story about women and community.” The bookstore opened in 1935 as an offshoot of its Aberdeen location, founded by Anna Blom. The store has since changed owners three times – all women – and has been in its current location since 1979. A true Olympia mainstay.

Setting its history aside, Browsers is an excellent shop in its own right. While nowhere near as big as Seattle’s Elliott Bay, it has a broad selection, and I’ve always been able to find what I was looking for. Its vibe is tranquil and, as a former owner described it, “optimistic.” It’s just a nice spot, one where I’m sure Hallmark actors like Lacey Chabert and Andrew Walker – currently starring in She’s Making a List – would feel right at home.

Address: 107 Capitol Way N. Web: browsersolympia.com

02: Olympia Coffee

You’ll find that Olympia Coffee’s original downtown location has grown significantly from its humble mid-aughts hole-in-the-wall shop. The updated space is roomy with light Scandinavian colors and a large tiled counter. The palette is stark, but not unwelcoming. And, their coffee is roasted right on premise, so you know the pour is fresh. It’s about as stereotypical of a Pacific Northwest spot as you can find.

To quote1 Paul Campbell from Christmas at the Catnip Café: “They call me a coffee snob, but I am, in fact, an all-around snob.“ Those are words we should all live by.

Address: 600 4th Ave E. Web: olympiacoffee.com.

03: Rainy Day Records

An Olympia fixture since 1973, it doesn’t feel like Rainy Day has changed much in the past five decades. If you’ve read or watched High Fidelity, you sort of know what you’ll get. Emphasis on sort of – this is where the juxtaposition of Riot Grrrl and Hallmark comes in. The clerks know their music, and there is a certain snobbery at play, which, as mentioned above, is a good thing. At the same time, there’s a Hallmark-style nicety to the staff. If you got questions, they got answers – unlike High Fidelity.

Their selection is good, too, and they have an impressive number of weird music magazines, like Ugly Things.

There aren’t many – any – Riot Grrrl movies on Hallmark, but you could always give A Grand Ole Opry Christmas a watch to see how Nikki DeLoach tackles the Nashville country scene.

Address: 301 5th Ave SE. Web: rainydayolympia.net.

04: European Bacon from Haggen

Look, I get it. You can get European-style bacon from many butcher shops. But, if you happened to be in a Hallmark movie, finding non-American bacon in a grocery store would one-hundred-percent be a plot point. Plus, the quality of Haggen’s merch is high.

What’s the difference between the European and the American bacon, then? The former is made from the pig’s loin and is thicker and less fatty than the pig-belly American variety. European-style is almost more of a thin pork chop than traditional bacon, and, in my mind, you can use it in place of the American one, but not vice versa. Your mileage may vary.

As for Haggen’s offering, their European-style bacon feels just a bit leaner than the competition’s, and the slices are generously thick. Give them a good pan-fry, and toss them on a sandwich – it’s my preferred pick for the One True Grilled Cheese™.

(I don’t have any particularly clever Hallmark recommendations here, other than a 2020 movie called As Gouda as it Gets. I have not watched it.)

Address: 1313 Cooper Point Rd SW. Web: haggen.com.

In Summation

Honestly, I think SNL said it the best…

It was brought to my attention that the Norwegian Embassy, in a seemingly successful attempt to go viral, besmirched the most Norwegian-est of dishes: The grilled cheese sandwich. Have a gander at their Bluesky video – you’ll need to be logged in to view it – or take a look at these incriminating captures.

A lot is happening here. First, don’t cook anything while wearing a singlet – grease splatter is bound to hurt you. More importantly, everything about that sandwich, sans the brand of cheese, is wrong. Pickles on an alleged Norwegian grilled cheese – one that is closed-faced at that – is nothing less than scandalous. Gauche, even.

To state the obvious, this type of grilled cheese should be open-faced. That’s just the Norwegian way. Top the bread with butter or mayo; some type of cured meat; chopped onions; Jarlsberg cheese1; bacon; and oregano. Then bake it. That’s it – no pan needed.

In the name of restoring Norway’s sandwich-honor – one which the Embassy tried to tear down – I give you the full recipe. And on behalf of the nation of Norway, I apologize profusely.

Ingredients

• A slice of sourdough or any loaf of your choice.

• Mayo or butter.

• Salami – enough to cover the bread.

• A handful of sliced onions.

• Jarlsberg cheese.

• Bacon, cooked.

• A light sprinkling of oregano.

Assembly

Just layer the sandwich in the order of the ingredients. Use the header photo for reference; skip the meats if you prefer a vegetarian option.

Then bake the sandwich at 400º until the cheese melts – about five-ish minutes.

And, there you go. Serve with tomato soup if so desired.

California Burrito & Taco Shop

I’m more than hesitant to give Starbucks credit for anything, but the proof is in the proverbial pudding. Their new Rainier Beach location has greatly improved the surrounding area. To wit, the neighboring Jack in the Box closed down to make way for California Burrito & Taco Shop, a twenty-four-hour drive-through joint with a vast menu.

I don’t think anyone would confuse California Burrito with an artisanal taco stand, nor should anyone expect that from them. This type of drive-through should deliver big flavors quickly and send you on your way. Which California Burrito does, and they do it well. Those carne asada fries above came loaded in sour cream and guacamole. It’s not subtle, and I’m perfectly fine with that – sometimes you need a hearty meal. A Flamin’ Hot Cheetos burrito? They got that, too.

That’s the type of thing you’ll get from California Burrito, every hour of the day. I, for one, approve of it.

The Rating

Regular disclaimer: I generally don’t score anything these days, but as this write-up falls squarely into the annals of Tortillaphilia history, it would be downright disrespectful not to.

Find California Burrito & Taco Shop at 9102 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118.

Seattle Christmas Market has come a long way in a short amount of time. Just a few years ago, the market felt small, sitting in the shadow of the Space Needle, and while there was a decent handful of booths, the variety was negligible.

Fast forward to 2025, and things have changed. The German-themed market features eighty vendors, twenty-five of which serve food. That can put you in a bind. You might want to sample a couple of spots, but with long lines, you can easily spend thirty minutes per booth just to place an order. Most of the picks we’ve tried have been good, but if you're looking to whittle it all down to something savory and something sweet, you can’t go wrong with a cheese sandwich from Das Raclette Haus and a funnel cake from Chimney Cakes.

Das Raclette Haus

Raclette or Walliser Raclette, as is its proper name, is a semi-soft Swiss cheese, commonly melted on top of boiled potatoes. You can get that dish at Raclette Haus, but it’s the sandwich that really has rizz. (I’m pretty sure the kids still say that.) It’s a simple construction – you get a sandwich, optionally stuffed with pancetta and baby pickles, topped with a metric ton of scraped cheese. See the photos above, and you get the idea – half the fun is watching the purveyor shaving the raclette.

In terms of components, the sandwich is minimalist food; in terms of flavor, it’s unapologetically maximalist. The cheese is a kick in the teeth – stinky, pungent, and decadent. That’s not a very scientific description, I know, but once in a while, you just need to follow your visceral instincts. Raclette is a fulfillment of every stereotype you have of stinky cheeses.

It might not be the perfect pick for anyone averse to cheese, but for the rest of us? Give the raclette sandwich a try at least once in your life. You owe yourself as much.

Chimney Cakes

Over on the sweet front, Chimney Cakes – with its variation on funnel cakes – is a solid stop, though expect lengthy lines. For a good reason. Here, you get a spiral pastry baked over an open flame, crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. You pick the flavor - I went with strawberry – and a choice of filling. For the latter, Nutella is a crowd pleaser, but my go-to is custard. There’s no wrong choice, and there’s a large selection to pick from.

Much like the raclette sandwich, a chimney cake is a mix of minimalism and maximalism. There aren’t many components at play, but the combination is a flavor hurricane of sweetness. And, good as the filling is, the flame-baked pastry is the part I prefer. Forgoing the custard might make for a better dessert, as it would be somewhat less sweet. Not that I complain, mind you. The chimney cake is an excellent bundle of big flavors.

You can find Chimney Cakes on Instagram.

The Seattle Christmas Market runs through December 24th. Check hours and prices on their website.

Miniature tables and giant plates are a combination I find downright frustrating. Luckily, Paul Scheer has tackled the issue.

Scheer Nonsense

Restaurants Need to Pick: Bigger Tables or Smaller Plates

Substack is always a place to share my thoughts on VERY important matters, even if those thoughts are unpopular, which is why I must share this with you…

Read more

5 months ago · 30 likes · 4 comments · Paul Scheer

Tom Holland: Spider-Man, fiancée of Zendaya, and co-founder of a non-alcoholic brewing company, BERO. The latter might seem random, but take a step back, and it makes sense in more ways than one. Holland has been teetotal since 2022, and with Gen-Z trending away from alcohol, it’s not too different from his peers investing in wineries and gin brands.

Setting aside Holland’s instant name recognition, BERO has a sound foundation with its brewmaster, Grant Wood. He previously worked for Samuel Adams before starting Revolver Brewing, which he later sold to MillerCoors. When they told him to stop experimenting with N-A beer – they focused instead on seltzers – Wood left and co-founded BERO. In other words, there’s certainly some passion behind the brewery, and they have done a good job at marketing themselves to a younger audience. Their ads bombard social media, not with aspirational content, but rather by leveraging Holland’s thoughtful talks about the virtues of N-A brewing. (I don’t mean that in a snarky way – Holland is a genuinely well-spoken man.) It was enough to get me to give BERO a try, and doing the math, I’m just outside their target market by a decade or two.

In addition to the socials, BERO suitably curates a Spotify playlist, “Double Tasty Sounds,” which actually features a lot of good music (and also Eagles).

The ads got their claws in me, and after trying their sample pack, I gotta say – there’s more to BERO than the hype. Here are a few short tasting notes for their four beers, in no particular order.

Edge Hill Hazy IPA (1)

At only thirteen IBUs (International Bitterness Units), the Edge Hill comes off as surprisingly hoppy, even more so than the Double Tasty (see below), and I mean that as a compliment. This is a bitter, flavorful beer with a medium mouthfeel, and a foam that laces the glass thoroughly – leggy, as some might call it. Should you, for whatever reason, need to prove to anyone that an N-A beer can stand up against a “regular” IPA, then Edge Hill is as good a role model as any. It looks pretty, too, with a nice clouded hue. Overall, an excellent IPA.

Kingston Golden Pils (2)

BERO markets Kingston as an English pilsner, but to me, it feels more like a German variety. It’s malty – very malty – with a thick, foamy head, and, much like the Edge Hill, it laces the glass well. At thirty IBUs, it’s even decently bitter, and there’s enough going on to challenge the taste buds. The flavors linger nicely, yet Kingston is also very accessible and highly sippable.

Noon Wheat (3)

I’m usually not a wheat beer kind of a guy, but Noon is probably my favorite of the BERO quartet. It pours a golden hue, with a funky, pungent nose. Wheat beers are often considered summer sippers, but Noon has a more winter-holiday feel to me. It’s zesty and creamy, slightly peppery, and a good match for heavier foods like turkey, lamb, pork… all the holiday classics.

Double Tasty West Coast Style IPA (4)

On paper, Double Tasty should be the hoppiest of the group, though, weirdly, it doesn’t pack quite the same punch as Edge Hill. That’s not to say it is a bad IPA by any means, and I imagine it is a good summer sipper – it’s certainly citric enough for the season. Additionally, it looks nice and has an appropriately sweet nose.

So, these four beers make sense as a starting quartet for BERO. There’s a good variety, and each beer serves its own purpose. While Noon Wheat stands out as a companion to heavier foods, there is no reason you wouldn’t pair any of the others with an appropriate meal. All four are excellent – I hope BERO will consider seasonal brews to add to the tally.

The Proof Is in the Pudding

… or the taco as it is.

The Noon Wheet pairs perfectly with barbacoa from La Cuadra.

BERO Brewing Blog: “INTERVIEW WITH GRANT WOOD, BERO BREWMASTER“ (October 31, 2024)

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar

• 1 stick of margarine

• ½ cup whole milk

• 2 tbsp cocoa

• ½ cup peanut butter

• 3 cups one-minute oats

The Steps

1. Bring sugar, margarine, milk, and cocoa to a boil for one minute.

2. Remove from heat, and melt peanut butter into the mixture.

3. Stir in oats and spoon onto wax paper.

Allow the cookies to cool for 30 minutes to an hour, and they should be ready to serve. Cooking time is about fifteen minutes.

On “Modern Cook Book”

This classic take on the no-bake cookie made me pull out our copy of K. Camille Den Dooven’s Modern Cook Book (1939). I had hoped to find a bunch of information about the book online, but, frankly, there isn’t a whole lot there – it’s just a cookbook written by a guy who at some point served as the (presumably German) Kaiser’s chef. (No relations.)

Anyway, the book itself has hundreds of recipes, all easy to follow, so it still has a place, at least if you want to prepare a vintage homemaker-style meal. I’m not sure how many would follow this particular daily menu plan, of course…

A Monday luncheon sounds a bit ambitious these days.

You can get the book from Amazon, but I wouldn’t be surprised if you found a copy in your grandparents’ bookshelf.

Bryan Pitts sent us a scolding message to point out that our “Butternut Squash with Cumin“ post omitted a historically significant event:

I CANNOT believe that this week’s newsletter didn’t include a still frame from the famous cumin challenge

which, maybe it was paprika, but would readers really have known

What Bryan is referring to is the challenge where a participant had to swallow a tablespoon of cumin, which, of course, is literally impossible. Yours truly made a valiant attempt in a 2007 episode of the beloved Remi and Stefan Do Spokane podcast, where cumin was substituted with paprika due to logistical issues. The results were mixed.

We apologize for this egregious error.

Here’s a recipe for the most Autumn-y of Autumn dishes, the butternut squash soup. This one is based on Cook’s Illustrated, with modifications to make it spicier, and, if so desired, more protein-rich1. I’ve listed one teaspoon of cumin in the recipe, but a true baller will increase it to two.

The Ingredients

• 2 ½ pounds peeled and seeded butternut squash, cut into 2-inch chunks

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter

• 1 leek, white and light parts only, thinly sliced

• Salt and pepper

• 4 cups vegetable broth

• 2 cups water

• 2 sprigs fresh thyme

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 tsp+ cayenne pepper

• Sour cream for serving

The Steps

1. Place squash in a bowl, cover with a towel, and microwave until soft – a knife should be able to easily glide through the chunks. About 18 minutes.

2. Strain liquids into a bowl for about 5 minutes and set aside. You’ll use the liquids later.

3. Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add squash, leek, and a good pinch of salt. Stir occasionally until squash breaks down. About 10 minutes.

4. Add 2 cups of broth and scrape bottom of pot. Add the remaining 2 cups plus the squash liquids, 1 cup water, thyme, bay leaf, and cayenne. Increase heat to high. When it reaches a simmer, reduce to medium, and cook until leeks are tender. About 5 minutes.

5. Remove thyme and bay leaf. In batches, process soup in blender – I prefer a Vitamix™ – until smooth. Return soup to pot and simmer while thinning with water, 2 cups max. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Stir in a dollop of sour cream with each serving for a richer flavor.

The Optional Step

I like to saute some sausage and mushrooms in the Dutch oven before cooking the squash in it, if only for some added protein and potassium. It gives the soup a deeper flavor, too. Remember to remove both before you toss in the squash.

All you need is some vinegar – I prefer apple cider – and sugar. Use berries or fruit for flavoring – in this case, blueberries. A cheesecloth is required for proper straining.

1. Mix 1 lb of blueberries1 with 1 cup of sugar in a jar. Let the mixture sit in the fridge for a day or two.

2. Stir 1 cup of vinegar into the mixture. Refrigerate.

3. After a couple of days, strain the mixture through a double layer of cheesecloth. You want to remove all sediments.

And that’s it. Refrigerate the mixture in a vessel of your choice. Note that this is a base recipe; you can experiment with different types of vinegar and fruit. Replacing half the sugar with half a cup of honey alters the palate, too.

A Quick Drink

A little goes a long way with a shrub – even though the above recipe won’t leave you with a lot, most drinks require just a tablespoon or three of the tonic. My simple go-to:

Over ice, mix three tablespoons of shrub with lime/mint Topo-Chico. Give it a good stir, and that’s all you need. For this, I use a standard sixteen-ounce glass, but playing with the ratios is always worthwhile.

Wikipedia: “Shrub (drink)“ (Last modified: September 21, 2025)