My Life As A Foodie

This project has always had an end point, and that end point is here. Since we started this journey together in the early Summer months of 2007, I have set out to learn as much as I could about food, food culture, and the truth behind what we put on our tables every single day. And my goal has always been to share what I've learned with you. Through it all, I hope I've helped make a difference at your dinner table, challenged you to try new things, and entertained you along the way. Don joins me today as we put the audio portion of this journey to bed. This is not the end, as the multitude of video projects we have in place will continue our exploration of restaurants, recipes, and other features I am excited to bring to the table on YouTube. I'm grateful to every single one of you for listening, for your input, support, and for creating one of the most tight-knit communities on Facebook. I'm very proud of what we've accomplished and what we continue to do. The podcast may be over, but our life as foodies

With his new book being released next week, Ludo Bites: Recipes and Stories from the Pop-Up Restaurants of Ludo Lefebvre, we were able to visit with him, and eat some favorite dishes from his many pop-ups at a recent event at Quiksilver in Fashion Island, Newport Beach. We also were given a chance to screen a new short film that Ludo appeared in for Quiksilver titled "Chef and The Sea" which was filmed several months ago when Ludo and Krissy hosted their pop-up in the Big Island of Hawaii.

Michelle Obama has turned into a health food nazi // A Home Brew Review: Don's IPA // Mama's Italian Fish Stew from Dom DeLuise // Radiation fallout from Fukushima hits the Bluefin Tuna population // The case for a leaner, meaner global fishing industry // FACTS: farm raised vs wild caught // Farm raised Bluefin Tuna from the Croatian Coast // Chef Eddie Shephard's new eBook is eye candy for the iPad // Waterzooi from Sean Paxton, The Homebrew Chef

Welcome to Season 6 of My Life as a Foodie // The bitch came back // Michael Phelps will retire next week. Will he retire his diet? // For a bunch of foodies, we sure don't spend a lot on food. // Beer Review - Stone Smoked Porter with Vanilla and Chipotle Peppers // Foie Gras is officially banned in California, but nothing's changing // Jose Andres tells it just like it is // Chick-fil-A supports anti-gay-marriage groups, Cat Cora gets hammered and drives home // Chris Cosentino's Dirty Vegetables // Grilled Eggplant Cannelloni with Ricotta and Proscuitto // Adam Carolla exposes the lyrics to the Roach Coach Song - and they're not pretty

NYC's mayor Bloomberg bans servings of soda over 16 ounces // sah'tea from Dogfish Head - 6 out of 5 stars. It really is that good. // Around the world in 80 dogs, courtesy of Bon Appetit // Eating healthy is actually far cheaper than eating poorly, despite what you've heard. // Thomas Keller tells locavores to stuff it. He's got a restaurant to run. // Do we really need all-you-can-eat restaurants anymore? // Mario Batali to celebrity food judges: "Who the f**k are you, and why are you judging my food?" // Bourdain leaving Travel Channel for CNN in 2013

There's a new episode of Dude Food available on our YouTube channel. I'll show you how to make beef sausages at home, perfect for the start of the grilling season. You can watch the episode in HD on the web site at mylifeasafoodie.com, and I urge you to subscribe to our YouTube channel as well.

There's a new episode of Out To Lunch available on our YouTube channel. This week, I visit The Bruery Provisions in the Orange Circle here in downtown Orange. You can watch the episode in HD on the web site at mylifeasafoodie.com, and I urge you to subscribe to our YouTube channel as well.

The hot dog truck hooker // Evil Cousin IPA from Heretic Brewing // How I raised by metabolism, got my life back, and stayed a foodie // Chris Cosentino no longer wishes to be on TV // The good and bad thing about Food Network // Add another food writer to Bourdain's shit list // Cosentino's book "Beginnings" is available now, and it's not what you expect.

Servers in LA restaurants are most likely not lifers // The Linkery and San Diego in general are getting everything right // SHIFT from New Belgium // Lapin Aux Olives (rabbit with olives) // Mad Cow Disease rears its ugly head, yet again // The Michigan DNR hates freedom and heritage breed hog farmers. Ugliness ensues.

Imagine a farm-to-table lunch spot in the heart of the craft beer movement of San Diego, with an amazing beer list (constantly updated), proudly serving their house cured charcuterie using locally sourced ingredients from farms and producers that they also feature on a chalk board in the dining area. Imagine that. Then visit The Linkery and experience it for yourself.

Jiro Dreams of Sushi is a must-see documentary. No sh!t. // BEER REVIEW: Bud Light Platinum // The drinking club with a running problem // IN THE KITCHEN: Sandra Lee's French Pork Chops are mmm-mmm-bad! // Jamie Oliver's Chicken Nuggets Experiment // FOOD REVIEW: McDonald's Angus Supreme Burger

Drinking and driving is for chumps // Braised corned beef with IPA mustard // "G'Knight" from Oskar Blues (formerly "Gordon") // Colcannon // Andrew Zimmern going into politics? // "Food Blogging for Dummies" Seriously? // Marilyn reviews The Olive Garden causing food bloggers to shit their cage // Samuel Adams 26.2 Brew hits the Boston Marathon

How the Taste Awards has affected the future of the show // Just Outstanding IPA from Kern River Brewing // Sam Calagione drops the boot on Beer Advocate beer snobs // Everything you wanted to know about healthcare // Black Truffles - are they worth the expense? // Hello Kitty Dreams Restaurant opens in Beijing // The chicken nuggets school lunch fiasco // Bobby Flay and Giada DeLaurentiis are the new "Regis and Kelly" // This man walks into Heart Attack Grill . . . .

This week on Out To Lunch, we visit Watermarc Restaurant in Laguna Beach for some off-the-charts gourmet burgers and fries. When Don tells you that he's taking you for a "light lunch" it's a good idea to give thought to what he considers a "light lunch." Burgers with toppings like duck confit, brie, caramelized onions, bacon, gorgonzola horseradish cream, and aioli are hardly for the "light" crowd.

In this episode of Out To Lunch we visit 101 Noodle Express located at 5408 Walnut Avenue in Irvine, California. This chinese eatery is open everyday from 9 am to 10 pm, specializing in noodles, dumplings, xiao long bao (which are soup dumplings that squirt hot soup all over you if bitten into too quickly - just ask Don), and an assortment of other types of chinese soups with regular or hand torn noodles.

All of you in the Facebook Group (link) make me so proud. You get it. You truly get it. // Why the nose to tail movement makes sense // Kim Jon Il was a foodie. Who knew? // More Brown Than Black IPA from The Alchemist / Ninkasi / Stone Brewing // Applebee's parody: "Cheese on Queso on Fromage Menu" // Chipotle CEO wants your kids to get to work so he doesn't have to hire illegals // In The Kitchen: Cold Pig Ear Salad // McDonald's in Germany pisses of Burger King // Food Illness Mystery Solved: The FDA has been hiring state inspection agencies all this time.

As this year comes to a merciful end, we take a look back at the year in food culture, recapping the big stories, and sharing some stories and features that we didn't get a chance to talk about on the show. There is, of course, our annual clip montage at the end - some of my favorite moments of My Life as a Foodie in 2011.

Wolfgang Puck is a P-I-M-P // Burly Gourd Milk Stout from The Bruery // Striking the perfect balance - eating well, staying fit // IN THE KITCHEN: Asparagus Soup // Heston Blumenthal - the best TV chef not on TV in the US // Bacon Lube is wrong // Horse meat ban being lifted?

Prohibition, My Life as a Foodie style // The Melt - the only exciting thing Chiefs fans can look forward to // Stone's Vertical Epic 11.11.11 // The food, the love, the magic of Debbie Lee // In The Kitchen: Hangover Stew // Mario Batali made a boo-boo. Can we get on with life now? // David Chang might be the Korean Steve Jobs // Veggie Grill's 5th Anniversary, and how you can grab $500 of free food

Shut the F**K up and cook! Top Chef Arrogant Quote of the week // 4 Calling Birds - Belgian Strong Ale from The Bruery // Mario Batali defends his restaurant's clientele as not being the "greedy one percent" // The diversity of Spanish cuisine // Making Extrameduran Cold Tomato and Bread Salad // Modern Cuisine, and the effects of Spanish influence // The state of California wants you to eat shitty french fries