Author Archives: Erik
The Cereal Report: Froot Loops Treasures
The Cereal Report is a column in which PCFG conducts various cereal reviews, of new or limited products, as well as providing brief backgrounds on the cereal. Cereal is delicious and fairly cheap as far as meals go. Everyone should eat cereal!
Froot Loops is a tragic cereal. Don’t get me wrong, I really like them, but they fall into that group of kid cereals that get a bad rep due to their fairly high sugar content. Some cereals are pretty stupendously caloriffic, but Froot Loops isn’t particularly bad, featuring only 150 calories per serving with milk. It’s not really that bad for you, especially considering the sugars themselves are just plain sugar, not high fructose corn syrup, so a lot of the stigma comes from the fact they are pretty damn sweet-tasting. And I suppose sweetness isn’t for everybody, so let the people who dislike flavor stick to their plain Cheerios, but do not hold it against those of us who do enjoy partaking in sugary cereals for breakfast. (Because guess what, when you add sugar and fruits to your plain cereal, you’re not really making them that less sugary than Froot Loops.)
But I must digress, Froot Loops caught my eye the other day in the store when I saw a new iteration of them, Froot Loops Treasures.
Spices 101: What is Cumin?
Cumin is an awesome spice. Cumin is by far my favorite spice. The best way I can describe it, is that it smells like an armpit and makes everything taste like a taco.
I know that sounds kinda weird but trust me, cumin is really useful. It complements other flavors really well in spice blends and despite its funky smell, it’s never overbearing when you use it in cooking. I love throwing it into everything from curries to dry rubs to breading. It’s exotic enough to be interesting, but not something you have to pay top-dollar for.
Cumin
Origin: Mediterranean / India
Appearance: Greyish-tan powder OR long, tan seeds with lines
Scent: B.O., Peppery
Taste: Warm, earthy
Foods: Indian cuisine, Latino cuisine
Rareness: Average
Food 101: How To Grill Roast Corn On The Cob
It pains me to say this, but I will be the first to admit there’s not a lot of foods America can call claim to which aren’t disgusting amalgamations of street trash and bacon. Many of our biggest, most popular foodstuffs here are derived from other countries, brought over by immigrants and modified to match our own culture. It’s all yummy, but it does make me shed a patriotic tear of sadness once in a while to think about. Fortunately, there are still a few foods here and there which we can proudly take credit for here in ‘Murrica, one of the most notable ones being corn.
Spices 101: What is Turmeric?
I’m really interested in spices and seasonings. Afterall 90% of the time they’re responsible for making a dish taste like what it does. If variety is the spice of life, then spices are the spice of food. Or something. That’s why I’ve started this column to introduce exotic and interesting spices to readers unfamiliar with them. I can’t help but remember the first time I saw a bottle of cumin and asked my mother “Mom, what’s ‘cummin’?” Many years later I’d like to think I have a pretty impressive knowledge of all the different spices out there, so now it’s time to share that knowledge.
Turmeric
Origin: India
Appearance: Fine yellow powder
Scent: Earthy, woody
Taste: Mild, mustard–like
Foods: Indian cuisine, Asian cuisine, curries
Rareness: Average
The Poor Couple's Food Guide 
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