Ben Starr

The Ultimate Food Geek

Category: Blog

  • In Defense of Texas Wine

    In a recent conversation with a potential FRANK diner, the subject of Texas wines arose. “There are some amazing Texas wines!” I happily responded. “No,” countered Jennie, “There’s no good wine in Texas.” This sparked a bit of a debate.  “Have you ever tasted a good Texas wine?” Jennie asked. “Well…..I have tasted an amazing…

  • A FRANK Tale: Bread, Bread, Bread

    In mid December of 2013, Jennie Kelley and I decided it was finally time for a FRANK theme that we had been toying with for more than a year: Bread.  Homemade bread has been an integral part of our menus at FRANK since the very beginning, and diners always tell us that our homemade bread…

  • How to Make the BEST Loaf of Bread on Planet Earth

    Tough title to live up to, right?  But I was literally stunned out of my mind when I tasted this bread the first time, and each time I’ve baked it since, it seems to get better.  This bread makes people scream.  Literally. What you are about to read is very, very long.  After all, if…

  • Green Chile Breakfast Gorge in Albuquerque

    I’m on the road again, and this morning I found myself in Albuquerque. I’ve been a New Mexico addict since childhood, early on for their mountains, caves, and deserts, and later on for their culture and food. No one has mastered the growing of green chiles like New Mexican farmers, and no one has mastered…

  • The 5 Cookbooks I Can’t Live Without

    I often get asked which cookbooks are my favorite, so I figured some of you would enjoy a blog about it.  I have a LOT of cookbooks.  Most of them are specific to making a particular type of product.  I have lots of books on making cheese.  Making wine.  Curing meats.  Canning and preserving.  The…

  • A BETTER way to roast Hatch green chiles

    Yesterday I posted this photo of Hatch green chiles flame roasting in my backyard.  A number of folks were VERY concerned about the chiles in the center, which are completely black.  But those chiles look that way intentionally.  Allow me to explain. Some chiles have such a thick skin that they need to be peeled…

  • Josh Marks: In Memoriam

    For those of you who don’t know, Josh Marks, runner up from MasterChef season 3, died last week at his own hands.  This tragedy is too awful to process, even for those of us who didn’t know Josh.  I cannot imagine what his family is experiencing. I haven’t addressed this issue earlier for several reasons. …

  • Burning Man 2013: Part 1

    And now it’s time…the main event.  Burning Man.  This was my 5th “Burn” and the more often I get asked, “What is Burning Man?” the more at a loss for words I am.  When you ask that question to one of the 65,000+ “Burners,” you’ll get 65,000+ different answers. “It’s an art festival.” “It’s the…

  • Guest Post: Do Food Shows Have Ethical Obligations?

    My supremely cool fan Josh O’Connor, who interacts often on my blog posts, got to thinking about the issues of food waste, and the treatment of reality TV contestants with dietary restrictions, after one of my recent MasterChef recaps where many dozens of eggs were thrown in the trash, as well as shattering the plates…

  • Masterchef 4 Quick Recap: Finale (S4E25)

    Hello! It’s Michael again. After talking to Ben, he told me that he would not be watching the last few episodes of MasterChef, so I took it upon my weary shoulders fingers to finish this season out for those of you that can’t live without the recaps. Expect a post from him in the near future about…