Adam Platt on Desserts
"It takes a great deal of effort and skill to get a critic's attention after a long, rich meal, which is why great desserts are the sign of a truly great restaurant. I have a personal fondness for toffee, and crunchy peanuts, and anything that has to do with lemons. But whenever I see a molten chocolate cake, and I still see molten chocolate cake at least once a week, I want to run, screaming, off into the night."
Jay Rayner, Gael Greene, and James Oseland to Judge "Top Chef Masters"
Bravo has announced the panel of judges for its upcoming "Top Chef" spinoff, "Top Chef Masters."
Saveur editor James Oseland (above right), former New York magazine restaurant critic Gael Greene (center), and British food critic Jay Rayner (left) will serve as the judges. Kelly Choi, of of NYC TV's restaurant show "Eat Out NY," will be the host.
The reality series will feature a competition between 24 established chefs for the title of "Top Chef Master" and a prize for the charity of their choosing.
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Agenda: Tongue Test, Honey and Cheese, and Flavor and Texture
FEATURED EVENT
Test Your Tongue
The New York Academy of Sciences (250 Greenwich Street, 40th Floor) presents the latest installment of its five 
senses series, "Test Your Tongue! The Science of Taste." The event will be hosted by University of Florida Center for Smell and Taste director Linda Bartoshuk and food science writer Harold McGee. Guests will have the opportunity to explore how their taste buds work through the sampling of artichokes, fruit strips, and miracle fruit, which makes sour foods taste sweet. Test Your Tongue will take place on Thursday, February 12th from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. $25/person.
Kitchen Mashups: Apron + Towel
How many ways can you re-engineer a towel?
From the minds behind the somewhat Elmo-esque Grab&Dry dish drying gloves comes the Zip&Dry, which mashes up an apron and a terry cloth dishtowel. Instead of wiping your hands all over your apron, the idea is to use the removable towel, which can be zipped off and washed separately. Available in blue, gray, and green (with contrasting towel) for $39.95 at Just Perfect.
Agenda: Coffee 101, Chili Championship, and Valentine's Day Dining
FEATURED EVENT
Coffee: Tasting and History
Francine Segan's "World of Tasting" series will be exploring the history of coffee. Discover how it was eaten in ancient Africa, learn to brew the perfect cup, and sample several different types of roasts. The event will take place at the 92nd Street Y (Lexington Avenue at 92nd Street) on Wednesday, February 4th from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Tickets: $40/person.
Carlo Petrini on Food Culture
"Turn on a TV anywhere in the world and you will see an idiot with a spoon. And every newspaper and magazine has recipes and a photo of the dish taken from above like a cadaver. It's a form of onanism and is masturbatory. We must normalise food rather than put it on a pedestal far out of reach."
Barack Obama on Peanut Butter
"That's what Sasha eats for lunch probably three times a week. And you know, I don't wanna have to worry about whether she's gonna get sick as a consequence to having her lunch."
