It’s called Mountain West Burrito. It’s in a freaking gas station. It’s my new favorite restaurant.

Basically, it’s our version of the Chipotle craze sweeping the nation, only better for the following reasons: Joe, the owner, takes orders and waits tables like you wouldn’t believe. Dude is everywhere; serving chips, giving out organic lollipops to my kids, clearing my table. He knew my name after two visits. Impressive.

Not only that, but the tortillas, meat, produce etc are all locally sourced. Place even claims they don’t own a can opener! My taste buds concur.

So if you’re ever in Provo — “I think you’d dig it. You could do well here.” — run, don’t walk, to MWB.

I suppose the above is possible, but why might the Earth’s population decline after reaching 9 billion in 2050? Deficit fertility rates?

In any case, check out the follow-up shorts as well: Offsetting low fertility rates, Food: There’s lots of it, and Why poverty isn’t caused by overpopulation.

Pretty convincing thesis.

As adherents of the Word of Wisdom, my family tries to avoid drinking tea — more specifically, anything derived from the Camellia sinensis plant (which results in black, green, white, yellow and oolong tea).

I say try because we used to suck down Chai like it was nobody’s business. That is, until we discovered that it contains black tea, in addition to delicious Indian spices. (Ignorance is bliss, people. Should have never read the label.)

But fear-not, non-tea drinkers. There are still a lot of tasty herbal alternatives, some of which are even better than the real thing. (more…)

All this time, our neighbors down south had corn figured out. Butter is nice, but the following is better, as prepared by my wife last week:

• 4 ears corn
• 3 tablespoons mayo
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• Half teaspoon lime zest
• Half teaspoon fresh lime juice
• Fourth teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Fourth teaspoon chili powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup of crumbled Cotija Cheese

Coat the corn with olive oil, grill it, then mix everything but the cheese and spread it on the corn. Roll in cheese. Enjoy!

via Our Best Bites

J Dawgs is delish! (check the user reviews)

Few things in life are better than a fresh tomato.

While discussing food this morning (it’s a hobby of mine), a friend exclaimed, “I can’t stand raw tomatoes.” He’s obviously crazy, so of course I chastised him with, “No way—they’re like salty watermelons, man!!!”

Admittedly, I haven’t always enjoyed tomatoes. In fact, I was ordering cheeseburgers sans tomato as recently as 18. That all changed a year later, however, after moving to Brazil. There, when they serve “salad,” it’s all tomato, doused in vinegar and oil. To not come off as a snobbish American, I reluctantly accepted said salad. In time, I grew to love the primary ingredient.

Now I eat tomatoes on anything and everything. (more…)

Part two in my Awkward Tip Etiquette series

I stiffed my take-out waiter for the first time this weekend and got an ugly look for it.

Normally I tip receptionists a buck for boxing my meal and carrying it all the way from the kitchen to the reception desk. (Excruciating work, I know.) But this time I grew a pair and followed my wife’s example: Don’t tip a restaurant worker for putting carry-out in a bag for you.

Again, I’m fine tipping someone that actually “waits on you” in a dining room. Servers don’t get paid a minimum wage. They’re normally hard workers and/or are struggling to make ends meet. So I’m happy to throw a few Washingtons their way for good service.

But I’m done tipping for carry-out, since the person handing me my food doesn’t add any value to my patronage, nor do they serve. I don’t care if it’s the bartender, the host, or some other receptionist. And I’m not going to let awkward attempts to “serve me” a bag or ugly looks deter me. Unless, of course, you can convince me otherwise.

Do you tip for carry-out food? If so, why?

Doesn’t get any better than that.

Although the go-to topping for pancakes, waffles, and french toast, Maple syrup is overrated. O-V-E-R-A-T-E-D. (Sorry, Canada)

A far better alternative is buttermilk syrup. Better yet, you can make it from home, without that nasty high-fructose corn crap. (See my wife’s recipe in the comments below.)

I first tried buttermilk syrup a couple of years ago on pumpkin pancakes. Now, I insist on the delicious elixir anytime there’s a breakfeast “breading” in need of sweetening.

I recommend you do the same.

It’s called English Muffin Pizza. We had it for lunch today.

I’m not exactly sure of the origin, but I know Lindsey inherited the idea from her snazzy mother (thanks, Annette). The wife takes hers with pepperoni. The girlies and I are all about the cheese.

The recipe: English Muffin, sliced mozzarella, and your favorite pizza sauce and toppings broiled in the oven. Yum.