foodanddrink
Latest
'Final Fantasy XV' is actually a cookbook
Food is plays a central role in Final Fantasy XV -- and it's not just obvious Cup Noodle product placement, either. Meals add to your vitality and strength, increase magical resistances and even offer the chance of more experience points to grow your team. They're integral to your near-daily camp-outs, when you recover from battles and thumb through all the photos your bros took. Each dish has different benefits, and there are a lot of ways to learn new meals, from eating your way around the restaurants of the world of Eos to buying cookbooks and even just being "inspired" by poetry and random ingredients (often monster body parts) you pick up along the way. FFXV also attempts to offer some sort of regional differentiation in cuisine as you road-trip across states and towns. Some dishes are more elaborate twists on meals you've already eaten, but they're nonetheless different, with different local fish or delicacies. But is it actually possible to cook such varied cuisine, from rice balls to delicate sweet pastries, on (Coleman-sponsored!) cooking equipment? I took my high-school home-economics skills to my kitchen to see how I stacked up against Ignis, the game's designated cook. He's a glasses-wearing, English-accented, car-driving butler type. And now, my eternal rival.
Anova acquisition could mean a sous vide chicken in every pot
You might see even more smart cooking gadgets at your favorite retail outlet soon thanks to industry giant Electrolux's purchase of popular sous vide maker Anova.The $250 million acquisition allows the smaller company to continue as a brand with Electrolux's resources and reach.
UberEats now does breakfast in London
Buzz. Buzz. Buzz. The alarm goes off and instinctively you roll over, hit the snooze button and close your eyes once more. Breakfast can wait. We've all made this sleep-deprived decision, only to skip brekkie entirely when we realise we're running late for work. Unsurprisingly, there's now an app for that. Starting tomorrow, Uber is offering a breakfast service through its UberEats app in London. So whereas before the service started at 11am, cutting off at 11pm, you can now make an order from 7am in the capital.
Scientists found a way to bring back lost tomato flavor
Tomatoes don't taste like they used to, because breeders have been prioritizing other traits like pest and disease resistance. To bring that lost flavor back, a team of researchers from the University of Florida went on a quest to find the chemical combinations that make tomatoes tasty. First, they sequenced the DNA and examined the flavor-associated chemicals of 398 modern, heirloom and wild tomatoes. After that, they selected 160 samples out of the 398 and had 100 subjects rank them according to taste.
Postmates' latest service brings you alcohol in 25 minutes or less
Let's be honest: It sucks to run out of alcohol at times you really need a drink. And heading to the closest liquor store or beer shop can be a headache when you have friends over. Thanks to a new option from Postmates, that frustration could be a thing of the past. The restaurant and store delivery service will now bring you alcohol in 25 minutes or less.
This bag of Tostitos doesn't want you to drink and drive
Super Bowl Sunday celebrations typically include two things: snacks and drinking. To discourage partygoers from drinking and driving after this year's big game, Frito-Lay and ad agency Goodby Silverstein & Partners teamed up on a limited-edition Tostitos bag with some added features. The so-called Party Bag is equipped with sensors that can detect alcohol on your breath. This isn't a breathalyzer that analyzes blood alcohol content and it will switch from green to red if you've had just one drink.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella joins Starbucks' board of directors
Starbucks has long had a fondness for technology in its coffee shops, and it's now reflecting that philosophy in its directors. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has just joined the Starbucks board, giving the restaurant chain a major voice from the technology industry. While it's not clear just what got Nadella on to the board (besides his clout in Seattle-area business), he doesn't mince words about his potential contribution -- he believes his "years of experience" in tech will play an important role.
Non-browning GMO apple slices go on sale next month
Mushrooms won't be the only non-browning produce on store shelves for long. Thanks to genetic modification, we'll soon see Golden Delicious apples that don't oxidize for three weeks after being cut, bruised or bitten into. They'll be sold in packages of slices and will go on sale in the Midwest in February and March. According to Arctic, the company responsible for the fruit, this feat was achieved by "silencing" polyphenol oxidase (PPO) expression.
Mario and pals are coming back to UK Happy Meals this week
The most famous Italian plumber, well... ever has been unexpectedly popping up all over the place lately. But skateboard shoes, late-night TV and smartphones were just the beginning. Now Mario is sliding back into Happy Meals from McDonald's according to Nintendo Life. His appearance is flawlessly timed ahead of this week's big livestream for the Wii U successor, Switch, too.
Never worry about leaving the stove top on ever again
The first time someone says "smart stove knobs," you instantly conclude that the technology industry needs an intervention. But while the Inirv React's concept seems gently ridiculous, the product itself makes you wonder why nobody thought of this before. Essentially, it's a series of powered dials that sit on your gas range, letting you turn them off remotely with your smartphone. Even more impressive, however, is that a nearby sensor can do it automatically if it senses heat, gas or that you've left the house.
Keurig and Anheuser-Busch work on an in-home beer maker
Just because Keurig didn't succeed with its Kold soda machine doesn't mean it's giving up on the prospect of making cold beverages at home. It's partnering with Anheuser-Busch InBev on developing an "in-home alcohol drink system" -- in other words, a Keurig for booze. It'll build on the technological foundations of the Kold, and the plan is to eventually cover many types of drinks. Beer is the obvious fit given AB InBev's roots, but the companies would like to offer "spirits, cocktails and mixers," among other options.
Anova has a $99 version of its popular sous vide cooker
Tender, flavorful pork. Or chicken. Or anything else you can stuff into a ziplock bag and gently simmer in hot water. That's the aim (and poor explanation) of sous vide -- a cooking technique where digital machines can help to ensure temperature consistency, and often throw in some WiFi or Bluetooth connectivity for added fun. This week at CES, established player Anova is showing off three new Precision Cooker models: a $99 entry-level device with Bluetooth; a mid-range model with WiFi that replaces its main cooker; and a professional-grade cooker with a touchpanel and what the team says is a "far more intuitive interface."
Order around this Samsung refrigerator with your voice
Home appliances may not be the most exciting side of CES, but every year massive companies like LG and Samsung show off weird additions to the vast range of refrigerators, washing machines and other exciting devices. Take Samsung's "Family Hub 2.0" refrigerator, for example: This massive monolith has a 21.5-inch touchscreen built into it for playing video and audio, leaving your family notes and to-dos, ordering groceries, looking up recipes and much, much more.
Alexa offers voice-controlled takeout from Amazon Restaurants
At CES 2017, it's pretty much "Alexa this" and "Alexa that" as Amazon's voice assistant insinuates itself into cars, smartphones and refrigerators. Now the device works as a waiter of sorts, letting you place a takeout order from any of Amazon's affiliated restaurants. There are some limitations: You need to be an Amazon Prime member, and you can't order anything new -- it'll only let you repeat an order you've placed in the past.
Smart stove knobs help you prevent a house fire
You can already buy connected ranges that offer remote control and prevent kitchen disasters. But what about your existing range -- are you really going to replace it just for some extra convenience and peace of mind? You might not have to. Inirv is crowdfunding the React, a smart stove knob system that upgrades most any electric or gas stove. You can control individual burners through your phone, of course, but the real star of the show is a sensor that sits on your ceiling. If it detects gas, smoke or prolonged inactivity, it automatically shuts off active burners. You shouldn't have to worry about sparking a house fire just because you forgot to switch the stove off before you left for the movies.
The world now has a smart toaster
It seems like no one really needs a connected toaster. For decades you've been able to adjust just how dark you want your bread with a knob or lever. But maybe we've been missing out on perfect toast because we didn't have the opportunity to really fine-tune the cooking experience. That's where Griffin comes in with its Bluetooth-enabled gift from the breakfast gods.
Amazon's Alexa assistant is coming to LG refrigerators
Last year, LG brought a refrigerator to CES that ran Windows 10, showing the a world a device that could keep food cold and play Minesweeper. This year, it's taking the concept one step further, introducing a new screen-adorned "InstaView" door-in-door refrigerator with voice control. Specifically, LG's new icebox is a full-on Amazon Alexa device. Think of it as a really big Amazon Echo.
A connected cooktop could keep you from burning breakfast
The world needs an app-connected hotplate like ... well, I'm not sure if we need one, but we're getting one, regardless. FirstBuild, the company responsible for a $250-to-$500 coffeemaker, is back at it with the Paragon setup. Promising precision cooking via an array of built-in sensors that automatically adjust the induction cooktop's heat output automatically, FirstBuild hopes you'll think the granular temperature adjustment settings are worth the price of admission.
Lousy sommeliers can let D-Vine pour the perfect glass of wine
Wine -- what's not to like? Well, plenty if you serve it wrong or -- gasp -- with the wrong food. No one wants to be the guy who turns up with a warm Chardonnay for a fancy chuck steak dinner. Enter D-Vine, a smart wine dispenser that not only serves up a perfectly chilled tipple but also helps you pair it with food and even order more vino when you're running low. This is the future, and we like it.
Samsung goes big on smart fridges with 10 new models
Samsung must have done alright with its crazy WiFi-connected smart fridges last year, because it's launching six more in 2017, for a total of 10. That includes both three-door, four-door and four-door "flex" models with dual freezers (shown above). It's also updated the fridge's OS to Family Hub 2.0 with a new interface that lets everyone have a profile, complete with avatar. From there, you can share photos, calendars and handwritten memos on your fridge's giant 21.5-inch LED touchscreen. Voice control and entertainment apps like Pandora are on offer as well.
