Shoulda stayed in the dimention where you were a frat boy, Bro.

Let’s check out the footage before I make any more terrible references.

Back, and to the left.   Back…and to the left.

Did you see it!?!?! Holy crap, a cellphone!

I guess even time travelers need their crackberry fix every once in a while (you can tell it was a Blackberry and and not an iPhone because the woman wasn’t wearing a snow hat or “deep V”). So now that there’s irrefutable proof that time travel is not only possible, but real- we decided to do a little more digging and found some other instances of questionable technology caught in historical photos.

What we found was no less than… SHOCKING.

Exhibit A) The moon landing.

They say that there’s more computing power in a modern calculator than there was in the flight computer on the LEM. That claim’s not necessarily true anymore when you realize our astronauts were sitting around, playing Angry Birds on their Driod phones while waiting for the next take… uh, I mean mission.

Exhibit B) Nazi Germany

Hitler figured out a new way to improve reception to his iPhone 4

History teaches us that following WWI, Germans had become upset with the restrictions placed on their nation by the Treaty of Versailles- the perfect environment for a young Adolf Hitler to rise to power and plunge the world into another global war. But what history forgets to mention is that Hitler was an avid user of his Twitter app for iPhone. Getting his message of German Nationalism and anti-semitism out was easy when his tag ( @liladolf420 ) had over 1 million followers.  Planning a blitzkrieg into Poland was a snap with Google Maps.  I guess Adolf ran into the only time traveler not trying to kill him when he got his hands on that piece of future technology.

Exhibit C) The Roswell Incident

No “little green men” here. This thing runs iOS, not Froyo.

Probably the most famous of the incidents, the Roswell Incident has been a hotbed for conspiracy theorists. Some say the US Government found the remains of an alien spacecraft in the desert while others assert the wreckage was from a secret aircraft developed for the Air Force. I personally think the incident is microwave popcorn related, but I suppose the notion of some drunken time traveler totaling his DeLorean in the desert is plausible too. Its a little known fact that the Air Force has been holding on to an iPad since the late 1940′s. They, just like any other government agency, didn’t know how to adapt technology to best serve their needs until decades later.

Seeing all of this modern day technology in the past makes me wonder what kind of technological wonders are being brought to our time by travelers from the future.

One can only hope to capture a glimpse of them on film.

So, this is horrifying.

I was pretty surprised that crabs actually look like this and don’t just walk around on the sea floor dipping themselves in hot, melted butter. It really is no wonder why crab-meat is so expensive. Crab fisherman being the most dangerous job in the world aside, we probably have to pay the guy who handles these a premium to touch something so freaky looking.

Editors Note: I’m fully aware that this is a species of crab that is not typically eaten. I mean, look at it. Those claws and legs aren’t worth $14.95 a pound. There’s barely any meat. Throw it back.

Ingredients
3 cups A/P white flour
3 Tbsp. Onion powder
2 Tbsp. Granulated garlic
1 Tbsp. Salt
1 1/2 tsp. Black pepper, ground
3 cups Parmesan cheese, grated
3 cups Panko Japanese breadcrumbs
36 slices Tomatoes, sliced 1/2″ thick
6 each Eggs
6 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
As needed Olive oil

Directions
Combine flour, onion powder, granulated garlic, salt and pepper. Mix well.
In separate bowl combine panko and parmesan. In third bowl combine eggs and mustard. Take slices of tomato and dip in flour, dust off excess.
Then dip in egg mixture, letting excess drip off. Finally dip in parmesan/panko mixture, pressing parmesan mixture onto slices for good coverage. Repeat until all slices are breaded. These should be stored in a single layer dusted lightly with extra crumbs.

For Service Heat olive oil in non-stick frying pan, over medium-high heat.
Place 3 slices( 1 order) in pan, and let cook about 1 1/2 – 2 minutes on each side, until just golden brown. Don’t flip too soon or parmesan mix will fall off.

Serve hot. Oh, yeah.

Courtesy of our friends at SEFA

Peeling fresh tomatoes is not necessary, unless the fruit is to be cooked. Heat causes skins to slip away from the flesh, so it is best to peel a tomato before adding it to a heated dish. To peel fresh tomatoes, submerge them in a bowl of boiling water for about 30 seconds. Transfer to cold water and the skins will slip off.

Seed
Scrape seeds away from the flesh with a pointed utensil, such as a grapefruit spoon, being careful not to puncture skin. NOTE: Tomato seeds contain significant nutritional qualities and few recipes are affected by seeds. Avoid seeding if possible.

Slice
Using a serrated knife, slice tomatoes lengthwise, rather than crosswise, to retain juice. Cut off stem end and scoop out seeds and pulp with sharp utensil, such as a grapefruit spoon, being careful not to puncture skin. Sprinkle the cavity lightly with salt and turn upside down on a paper towel to drain.

Stew
Place peeled whole or cut-up tomatoes in a saucepan without water. Season with salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar; add diced onion or green pepper, if desired. Simmer, tightly covered, over low heat until done, 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Broil
Remove core, halve crosswise or slice. Dot with butter; sprinkle with salt, pepper or other seasonings. Broil until tomatoes are tender and topping is lightly browned.

Bake
Halve crosswise, dot with butter and season as desired. Bake in hot oven (425°F) 10 to 15 minutes. Microwave: Prepare as directed above for baking and microwave on high (100% Power) 3 to 4 minutes for four halves; 5 to 6 minutes for six to eight halves.

Tomato Equivalents
3 to 4 medium tomatoes weigh about 1 pound. 1 pound of fresh tomatoes, peeled and seeded, will produce about 1 1/2 cups pulp.

Serving Tips
* Use ripe, red tomatoes first; they have the most flavor.
* Fully ripe tomatoes will be firm, but will give slightly to gentle palm pressure.
* To peel, submerge tomatoes in boiling water for 30 seconds, then plunge into cold water, drain and slip off skins.
* Sharpen tomato slicing utensils regularly.
* Do not seed tomatoes; seeds contain significant nutritional benefits.

From our friends at SEFA
Image from www.thedawgpound.com

Food safety is a huge issue that people outside of the restaurant industry rarely think of. Well, as someone who has recently been suffering from a touch of food poisoning, its been at the forefront of my mind (you really don’t think of much else during a mad-dash to the mensroom). While restaurant staff and chefs are properly trained in food handling and effective methods of eliminating the risk of bacterial contamination, everyday people who prepare meals at home aren’t. Its not that they’re careless, but that they’re unaware of how ever-present bacteria really is.

Im sure you’ve gotten one of those chain emails from a friend who is either bored at work or a stay at home mom that explains the newest danger for over-protective mothers and hypochondriacs to freak out about. Bacteria that wafts onto your toothbrush if you don’t close the toilet seat when you flush. Fecal matter on the lemons in your iced tea at restaurants. An outbreak of MERSA or Meningitis at your kid’s elementary school (Ok, that one may be legit, please don’t ignore it). The list goes on…

What most people fail to realize is that bacteria is EVERYWHERE. There is quite literally fecal matter on everything that comes into human contact. Gross, but its just the way things are. The goal here shouldn’t be to eliminate bacteria altogether, but to minimize risk of infection or contamination. So here’s a nifty infographic from our friends at stripes39.com with some cool (read: horrifying) facts about bacteria and a few links on food safety that should help you eliminate the risk of getting sick at home.

Now that I’ve done my good deed for the day, where’s the Imodium?

USDA Food Safety Guidelines
FoodSafety.gov
Food Safety at Home

We here at ChefRex try not to be to “salesy” on our blog and usually don’t want to take ourselves too seriously. Today is no different. After a very busy workweek, things here couldn’t be going any better. Its Friday, we’ve met recent project goals, and the Orlando Magic are undefeated in the NBA playoffs. So today we’re taking it easy and celebrating. And what better way to do that than with…

… ridiculous basketball shots. Enjoy.

Check back on Monday for more of the same stuff we’ve been posting and keep coming back for industry news, reviews, specials, or whatever else we think is cool.

Have a great weekend! Go Magic!

Ingredients
Parmesan cheese, grated – 1 1/2 cups
Olive oil – 1 cup
Red wine vinegar – 1/2 cup
Pine nuts, chopped – 1/2 cup
Garlic, minced – 2 tsp.
Basil leaves, chopped – 1/4 cup fresh or 1 Tbsp. dried
Baby spinach leaves, rinsed – 4 1/2 qt.
Hard-cooked eggs, sliced – 12 Large
Slivered almonds, toasted – 1/4 cup
Real bacon bits – 3/4 cup

Directions
* Blend together cheese, oil, vinegar, pine nuts, garlic, and basil. Warm in saucepan over low heat.
* Pour warm dressing over spinach; toss gently.
* For each serving, portion about 1-1/2 cups salad, 1 sliced egg, 1 teaspoon almonds, and 1 tablespoon bacon bits onto plate. Serve immediately.

Courtesy of American Egg Board

It really helps if you read everything in Julia Child’s voice

Happy Earth Day everyone! As you all know, today is Earth Day- a day where we take all of 30 seconds to think about our impact on Mother Earth, then quickly return to quiet complacency. Sure, you may drive a Prius and use only one square of toilet paper (thanks Sheryl Crow), but is that really enough?

We as a species must realize that we only have one planet to call home and need to show that we love her. So, lets make this Earth Day a very special one and express your love for Ms. Gaia. No, I’m not talking about recycling more or conserving electricity (though that would help), I’m talking about physical expression. Go hug a tree or kiss a rock. Give your favorite lake a nice pat on the back. A little smack on the rear and a “good game” would really tell that hill how you feel. Positive reinforcement can go a long way in showing Earth that we still care, and honestly, I cant think of a better way to be more “environmentally friendly”.

But just in case you’re not sure that you want to take your relationship with Earth to the next level, here are a few links that may help you help the planet in other ways.

United States Environmental Protection Agency
An Inconvenient Website
Earth Day

I really dont know how to describe this without just screaming “AWESOME” and running around the office with my shirt off. Ok, it may not be that great but this is one of the coolest commercials I’ve seen in quite some time. Sir Mix-A-Lot, Ponch, and the Hulk? Are you SERIOUS? These guys are way better than Bart.

Other companies could take a lesson from Nestle and Mars when it comes to incorporating throw-back television stars into their advertisements. Mr.T Snickers commercials anyone?

So for all you “gaijin” out there, I found this nice little image depicting the “dos” and “don’ts” of the sushi bar. So next time you decide you want Japanese, make sure you apply what you learn here. You never know who’s going to yell “dame, dame, dame” when you break the rules.

It could be my Obasan. She’s everywhere.