Check out Episode 2 of the new food podcast,
Chicken 'n Waffles!

Let's just say you don't want to be eating bacon in a dark alley with THESE bitches.

I'm a lucky gal with more food-loving friends than you can shake a stick at. This week's guest hosts were the dynamic dining duo, Dan 'n Claire. These guys are relatively new to the Leena Eats family, but we love them just the same. I always like to say, the more you like bacon, the better friends we'll be.

I couldn't like these guys more if they WERE bacon. And it is probably better that they aren't, because then I would eat them and have no one left to host a podcast with me. As fellow gastronomers, Dan 'n Claire are people who have a natural interest in food, and actually enjoy reading and learning about all it's aspects, historical, social, and otherwise. Food nerds of the world, unite!

So here it is, a little more info on this week's guest hosts, Dan 'n Claire.

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Episode two is finally here, just in the nick of time for my Monday deadline. Wait, it's not Monday anymore in Australia, is it? Ah well. Time me be a good old ethnocentric American again and only care about myself. And myself says damn it, Leena, good job for making the deadline!

Dan, Claire and Leena, this week's hosts. This was after we had consumed a pound of bacon between the three of us and my husband. It was a very a good night.

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My massive omelet with caramelized onions and melted leeks.

Brunch at Orange has always been a favorite pastime of mine in Chicago. This place is known for their super creative breakfast and lunch menu, making fresh fruit juice, and a daily changing dish of fruit sushi and themed silver dollar pancakes. Total mouth-gasm, trust me. Of course this was back when Orange was only in the super trendy Boytowns neighborhood and no bigger than a shoebox, and where waits of 2 hours or more with a large group were not entirely unheard of.

At least by me.

Then again, maybe that only happened to me because I was the only dumb-ass to try and take a group of 9 to a popular shoebox restaurant in the middle of a Saturday brunch.

I'm just saying.

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Does this look like a gastronomic experience to you?

Back in my gastronomy grad classes in Australia, we talked a lot about the concept of gastronomy; what it was, how people participated in it throughout history, etc. If you don't already know, gastronomy at it's most basic level is discourse about fine food and drink. That means simply eating a delicious meal is not enough to make you a gastronomer, but if you write about the meal, discuss it with your mates, post about it on your blog or participate in a message board discussion about it, that would be viewed as a gastronomical act.

But one of my favorite topics (and one that was heatedly debated amongst my classmates)was the question of who can have a gastronomical experience? Are they reserved only for those with money and high social status, who can afford eating out at only the finest restaurants every week? Or can an average person who doesn't eat out often have a gastronomical experience by eating at McDonald's, if McDonald's is truly the pinnacle of eating that person's life?

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the makings of tomato confit: a big pan of kick-ass

So I got a big ass bag of tomatoes from my CSA last week, the last of summer's finest in a wide range of shapes, sizes, colors and varieties. What's a lady to do with a big ass bag of summer tomatoes?

The way I saw it, my only real options were:

*eat a caprese salad at every meal for the next week
*throw them at the cat
*make a pan of kick-ass

Basil makes me gassy and the cat is wicked fast, so really, the decision was already made for me.

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Folks, I would like to introduce you to Mr. Bobby Lincoln, or as I like to call him, Bobert (my food twin). Bobby was this week's guest host on my new Chicken 'n Waffles podcast, and I hope he'll be a regular. I thought you might want to get to know the man behind the voice, so hold on to your pants, cuz here it comes.

First off, you might remember Bobby from such posts as :

This one, when he cooked me breakfast in Chicago while I was in Australia.

Or maybe this one when he created a Danny I-Tanner-y for my welcome home from Australia weekend, complete with way too much food.

Bobby Lincoln: The man behind the chunk

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Meet yer podcasters: Bobby n Leena

Hi. My name is Leena. You might remember me from that kick-ass food blog, Leena Eats This Blog, or just from stuffing my face at establishments around the world. It is no secret: this bitch likes to eat. The old blog has been a bit slow lately, but for good reason. I am excited to announce the launch of Chicken 'n Waffles, the food podcast yo mama warned you about! This food podcast is a collaboration of myself and my fellow food-loving friends. It's food, it's funny, and it might just make you think hard and pee yourself at the same time. What could be more exciting than that, huh? HUH?!

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I hate you so much, Autumn, I'm gonna eat you. Roasted Pepita-style.

I hate you, Autumn. Why the hell are you already here in Chicago? Less than two weeks ago, the sun was shining, it was a warm 80 degree F (26 C), and illegal Mexican street cart vendors were out in full force. Now, it's a cool 70 (21 C), the breeze is getting a little colder and damn it, the leaves are already changing colors and falling off the stupid trees. STAY ON, FREAKING LEAVES! I'll super glue you back on if I have to, because the second you guys all leave the trees, then comes the snow.

I lived in Australia for the past year and a half. I don't do "snow" anymore.

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