Articles by Erin Zimmer's Profile | Freelance Journalist

East Coast vs. West Coast Butter

Feb 23, 2022 |

By Erin Zimmer

| oxo.com

If you grew up on the West Coast like I did, you were probably used to seeing short, stubby butter sticks. But an East Coaster might come along and wonder, “why is that butter stick so stubby?” In most regions east of the Rockies, butter sticks are longer and skinnier in shape. What’s up with this bicoastal butter disparity? (And why are you only finding out about this now?) We found out when designing our Butter Dish in 2014.

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Montreal Bagels: St-Viateur vs. Fairmount

Jan 27, 2021 |

By Erin Zimmer

| Serious Eats

"The two bageleries are only a few blocks apart so picking one doesn't usually involve convenience—it's about loyalties." [Photographs: Erin Zimmer] Montrealers have a lot of pride in the their bagels. Plus in a French accent, the word just sounds better: bay-gal. Depending on who you ask, "the best" are either from Fairmount or St-Viateur, both of which sell them fresh 24 hours a day. Before touching on the rivalry, let's define the Montreal bagel. What's All the Fuss?

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Gallery: 20 Vietnamese Dishes You Should Know

Jan 21, 2021 |

By Erin Zimmer

| Serious Eats

Bánh cuốn The bánh family includes a number of steamed rice cake-like dishes. So soft and delicate, my favorite was this bánh cuốn straight from the steamer. Our Intrepid Travel guide took us to a third-generation bánh cuốn master in Hanoi who mesmerized us with her skills.

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The Sandwich on '30 Rock' Sandwich Day Episode Revealed: Fiore's in Hoboken, NJ

Aug 28, 2020 |

By Erin Zimmer

| Serious Eats

by Erin Zimmer updated Aug. 28, 2020 Last May, there was a special "Sandwich Day" episode on 30 Rock. In a climactic scene, Liz Lemon, Tina Fey's character, rushes to the airport to catch her then-crush Floyd, but gets stalled at the security gate—her sandwich's dipping sauce exceeded the three ounce limit. "I can have it all," she says, choking it down before racing after Floyd. Almost a year later, and Caroline of Devil and Egg still wants to know the juicy sandwich's origins.

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Happy National Oatmeal Day

Aug 15, 2020 |

By Erin Zimmer

| Serious Eats

[Photograph: cookingwithmykid.com] Oatmeal should be celebrated everyday, but especially today. Because apparently it's National Oatmeal Day! If you're really serious about both oatmeal and fall, skip the normal bowl and eat it from a carved-out pumpkin. (Gross or glorious?) Whether sweet or the more risqué savory, steel-cut or rolled oats, oatmeal is one of our food best friends. Here are five ways to enjoy oatmeal on its big day.

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Iceland: Behind the Scenes Tour of a Skyr Factory

Jun 18, 2020 |

By Erin Zimmer

| Serious Eats

Note: SE national managing editor Erin recently traveled through Iceland thanks to the Inspired by Iceland campaign. She came back inspired to tell you all about her eating adventures. —The Mgmt. [Photographs: Andrew Strenio] Skyr is right up there with volcanoes and Björk as being one of the most Icelandic things I knew about before visiting Iceland. Wonderfully thick and creamy, skyr tastes somewhere between tart Greek yogurt, crème fraîche, and soft-serve.

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Tastiest 10: Our 10 Most Popular Posts of 2011

Jun 18, 2020 |

By Erin Zimmer

| Serious Eats

Remember earlier this year when we showed you how to upgrade your instant ramen noodles? And when we rounded up our favorite breakfast sandwiches in the country? Well, even if you don't, here are the 10 most popular posts (as measured by unique page visitors) on Serious Eats in 2011. 10. 29 Touristy Spots in America That Are Actually Good » 9. Photos of the 30-Course Dinner at the Modernist Cuisine's Cooking Lab » 8. The Serious Eats Guide to Food Photography » 7.

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A Sandwich a Day: Turkey Leg from Henry Public

Jun 18, 2020 |

By Erin Zimmer

| Serious Eats

In this great city of ours, one could eat a different sandwich every day of the year—so that's what we'll do. Here's A Sandwich a Day, our daily look at sandwiches around New York. Got a sandwich we should check out? —The Mgmt. [Flickr: cherrypatter ] Very few sandwiches have been built up to me as much as the Turkey Leg from Henry Public. It's been recommended by so many trusted sources, so emphatically, that I started recommending it to others myself (before ever trying it, ha!).

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The Peepshi Phenomenon: A Look at All of Your Peepshi Photos

Jun 18, 2019 |

By Erin Zimmer

| Serious Eats

[Flickr: tartlime] When we first hatched the Peepshi concept and made our shopping list of Peeps, Rice Krispies Treats, and Fruit by the Foot, we knew it was pretty ridiculous but didn't expect it to explode the way it did. It's been incredible to see all of the Peepshi love on Flickr and across the internet.

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Peeps Lip Balm, Reviewed

Apr 21, 2019 |

By Erin Zimmer

| Serious Eats

Peeps flavored lip balms do in fact exist. Available on Amazon for $3.99, or apparently in the Target $1 bins, they come in four different marshmallow cream flavors: grape, strawberry, vanilla, and cotton candy. The best part? None of these are even real Peeps flavors. We had to order one of the intriguing sticks. Peeps Lip Balm FAQ Does it taste like melted Peeps spread all over your lips? A little. Will the Peepsy flavor linger a couple hours later when you take a sip of water? Yes. Does it moisturize?

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Best Pie Bakeries in the Country: Food Network

Mar 25, 2019 |

By Erin Zimmer

| Food Network

Iconic Pies from State to State Pie is so much more than just a dessert. There's a feeling of nostalgia and comfort in every bite, not to mention a strong sense of place. Travel across the country and you'll find pies at roadside diners, orchards, bakeries, hotels, church potlucks — you really can't drive very far without bumping into a pie. We found an iconic pie in each of the 50 states. Turns out you can learn a lot about a state's agricultural and historical traditions by eating its pie.

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How to Make Moffles, Mochi + Waffles

Jan 26, 2019 |

By Erin Zimmer

| Serious Eats

The moffle is a Japanese snack that's exactly what the portmanteau word adds up to—mochi plus waffle. Cubes of mochi (glutinous rice that's been pounded into a paste) are plopped into a waffle iron (or custom moffle irons in Japan). Panini presses apparently work or—just entertain the idea for a second—a George Foreman grill? The cubes flatten and grow waffle grooves and have a warm chewiness that's somewhere between a bread and a goo.

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Big Gay Ice Cream Will Open East Village Space Mid-June

Jan 08, 2019 |

By Erin Zimmer

| Serious Eats

Pretty soon you won't have to follow the Big Gay Ice Cream truck's tweets for their rolling whereabouts (though you should, since their tweets are usually pretty entertaining). In mid-June, Bryan Petroff and Doug Quint plan on opening a brick-and-mortar shop on the East 7th Street block between First Avenue and Avenue A, what's already been nicknamed one of the tastiest blocks in the city. This isn't goodbye to the truck at all, don't worry.

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The Big Gay Ice Cream Truck Publishing a Cookbook in 2012

Jan 08, 2019 |

By Erin Zimmer

| Serious Eats

It all started in 2009, when Doug Quint and his partner Bryan Petroff left a comment on an SE post about his then-still-just-an-idea Big Gay Ice Cream Truck. Whoa, we should investigate this one.

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Guy Kibbee Eggs

Dec 06, 2018 |

By Erin Zimmer

| Serious Eats

At Blue Bottle in San Francisco, this dish is called Popeyes. [Photograph: Alaina Browne] Guy Kibbee, an actor and egg dish namesake. More Buying tips, techniques, and recipes, no matter how you like them. An egg fried in the center of a holed-out slice of bread goes by many names.

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How to Make Peeps from Scratch Recipe

Oct 16, 2018 |

By Erin Zimmer

| Serious Eats

I don't even like Peeps. Or marshmallows in general. But when it's Peeps Week on Serious Eats, you make sacrifices. Like a couple hours of time and never being able to say again "Ha! I've never made Peeps from scratch before. That's crazy talk!" But, it was kind of special watching Peep placenta ooze from the pastry bag as their little heads formed. With the help of Brownie of Blondie and Brownie, I embraced this recipe, originally found in Martha Stewart Living. Peeps baby-making, after the jump.

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#MeToo generational divide: For some female chefs, sexual harassment was something “you tolerated”

Sep 19, 2018 |

By Erin Zimmer

| Mic

NEW ORLEANS — A powerhouse lineup of female chef and hospitality professionals — ranging in age from 30-something to 95 years old — recently discussed the #MeToo movement and the future of women in the food industry. Brought together in New Orleans for the American Cuisine & Hospitality Symposium, they talked about their own experiences and the future of the movement.

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In-N-Out vs. Five Guys vs. Shake Shack: The First Bi-Coastal Side-By-Side Taste Test

Jun 18, 2018 |

By J. Kenji López-Alt, Erin Zimmer

| Serious Eats

[Photographs: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt unless otherwise labeled] Anyone who moves around in burgercentric circles knows of the battle that's been brewing for the last few years between the three major heavyweights of the high-quality fast-food burger* world. Of the three, In-N-Out Burger, founded in Baldwin Park, California, in 1948 has the longest history and certainly the most cult-like and devout following.

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A Gazillion Ways to Use Leftover Pickle Juice

Jun 02, 2018 |

By Erin Zimmer

| Serious Eats

When you organize a dill pickle tasting, you inevitably inherit jars and jars of pickle juice. We saw this as an opportunity. What all can you do with the salty, dilly, vinegary juice? Turns out, A LOT. Approximately a gazillion things. Thank you for all the ideas suggested in this and this Talk thread. Here's a compilation of some ideas! Reuse the brine to make more pickles out of different fruits and veggies. Carrots, mushrooms, beets, radishes, green beans (aka dilly beans), the list goes on.

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Taste Test: (Almost) Every Pumpkin-Flavored Item at Trader Joe's

Apr 18, 2018 |

By Erin Zimmer

| Serious Eats

Trader Joe gets really into pumpkin season. Walk through any of the stores this month and it's like a pumpkin patch spilled all over the place. Flip through Trader Joe's Fearless Flyer, the chain's product newsletter/comic book, and you'd see that every other word in the October issue is pumpkin. Pumpkin Bread Mix, Pumpkin Ice Cream, Pumpkin Cream Cheese, Pumpkin Macarons, even Pumpkin-flavored Doggie Treats.

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Baltimore: Crabcake-Topped Burger at Oriole Park at Camden Yards

Mar 19, 2018 |

By Erin Zimmer

| Serious Eats

This is about as Maryland as a burger gets: a crabcake, seasoned with plenty of Old Bay, of course, on top of a burger patty. The "Camden Giant" is available this season at the new Gino's stand at Camden Yards, home to the Baltimore Orioles, which is celebrating its twentieth anniversary this year. Gino's Burgers and Chicken (AHT review) is a Baltimore fast-food institution from way back in 1957, when it was founded by the great Baltimore Colts defensive end hall-of-famer Gino Marchetti.

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Alton Brown Says No to Stuffing the Turkey

Mar 18, 2018 |

By Erin Zimmer

| Serious Eats

First order of business: stuffing is what goes into the bird and dressing is cooked separately, usually in a casserole dish. Alton Brown is not against dressing, the mandatory Thanksgiving side of bready, herb-flecked goodness. He is against stuffing. A quote from his new book Good Eats: The Early Years: When it comes to turkey, Stuffing Is Evil. That's because stuffing goes into the middle of the bird and is extremely porous.

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Sophie’s Cuban Green Sauce Mystery, Solved

Mar 02, 2018 |

By Erin Zimmer , Stella Parks , Sohla El-Waylly, Ed Levine

| Serious Eats

Thank you, sleuth Zach Brooks. In response to a Serious Eater, desperate to know what's in that green sauce crack at Sophie's Cuban Cuisine, he found out: “A modification of Peruvian aji, the only difference is that we are using jalapenos instead of the Peruvian chile, which is called rocoto.” And to the mayo haters who assumed "aji" meant mayo was involved, not true. A call to Sophie's just now confirmed the white stuff ain't in there.

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What I Learned from the Brooklyn Kitchen's 3rd Annual Cupcake Cookoff

Jan 31, 2018 |

By Erin Zimmer , Daniel Gritzer , Stella Parks , Ed Levine

| Serious Eats

After observing a swarm of people gather in Union Pool's backyard last night for Brooklyn Kitchen's Cupcake Cookoff, this is what I learned: 1. The cupcake trend isn't over, apparently. Or in Brooklyn, liking them is so ironic that the obsession is contrarian and has come full circle (so it becomes popular again?). Last night saw 45 entries, as opposed to the 30-ish last year. 2. Winning a cupcake contest is like winning a junior high student council race.

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Video: 'Ordering the Chicken' Scene on IFC's New 'Portlandia'

Oct 25, 2017 |

By Erin Zimmer , Daniel Gritzer , Stella Parks , Ed Levine

| Serious Eats

In case you haven't seen this scene from Portlandia—the new IFC show that spoofs the quirky culture of Portland, Oregon, which debuted last Friday—it's pretty hilarious. In it, Fred Armistan and Carrie Brownstein are ordering a chicken, but need to know, what type of diet was this chicken raised on? (Sheep's milk, soy and hazelnuts.) What was his name? (Colin.) Did he have friends on the farm? After this scene, the two actually go to the farm and end up joining the cult living there.

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Is Goat the Hot New Meat?

Aug 23, 2017 |

By Erin Zimmer , Michael Harlan Turkell, Stella Parks , Keith Pandolfi

| Serious Eats

Recently we told you that 2011 is the year of lamb. Lamb prosciutto, smoked lamb belly, pickled lamb tongue. As lamb lovers, we have absolutely no problem with this. But that doesn't mean that goat can't sneak into the scene too. Goat meat is tasty, sustainable, lean, and of course nothing new. It's actually one of the most widely consumed meats on the planet, but as some of you and Bon Appetit's Andrew Knowlton have recently proclaimed, it's the next "it" meat.

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The Big Gay Ice Cream Truck Debuts at Brooklyn Pride This Weekend with Awesome Toppings

Jul 13, 2017 |

By Erin Zimmer , Daniel Gritzer , J. Kenji López-Alt, Sho Spaeth

| Serious Eats

How perfect that The Big Gay Ice Cream Truck will roll out for the first time at Brooklyn Pride on Saturday. Look for Doug at the "Kids Space" (there should be signs) inside the park, at about Prospect Park and 15th Street (map). Doug will be working the vanilla and chocolate soft-serve nozzles at 1 p.m. with the following toppings: TRIX Cereal: "Trix ARE for kids, but adults can have 'em too.

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Serious Entertaining: What to Eat Before a Robyn Dance Party

Jun 23, 2017 |

By Erin Zimmer , Niki Achitoff Gray, J. Kenji López-Alt, Stella Parks

| Serious Eats

As I was starting to compile tomato and peach recipes for a "Make the Most of Late-Summer Produce" menu, I couldn't escape the Robyn thumping in my ears. Next thought: can I just write about Robyn instead? Can she somehow be food-related? "Ja" (that's "yes" in Swedish) is the answer. Robyn and I go way back to the 1990s during the Robyn Is Here days. Anyone else obsessed with this Swedish pop star? Anyone else can't go a day without listening to "Dancing on My Own" on repeat?

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How to Make Rummy Bears and Other Drunken Gummies

May 22, 2017 |

By Erin Zimmer , J. Kenji López-Alt, Sho Spaeth, Ed Levine

| Serious Eats

Do you remember hearing last year about the kids getting drunk in class on vodka-soaked Gummi Bears? It was a real problem in some schools, especially in parts of California where bear-boozled kids were sent home. We're not endorsing this illicit activity; kids, stay in school. But if you're of age, want to eat Gummi Bears and drink alcohol at the same time, then keep reading. Bring these to a party and you'll be everyone's hero. The technique is really simple: Aw, how cute, boozy bears! Yes and no.

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50 States of Pie

Nov 14, 2016 |

By Erin Zimmer

| Food Network

Iconic Pies from State to State Pie is so much more than just a dessert. There's a feeling of nostalgia and comfort in every bite, not to mention a strong sense of place. Travel across the country and you'll find pies at roadside diners, orchards, bakeries, hotels, church potlucks — you really can't drive very far without bumping into a pie. We found an iconic pie in each of the 50 states. Turns out you can learn a lot about a state's agricultural and historical traditions by eating its pie.

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A Quick Guide to Quick-Pickling Summer Produce - Good Tips

Aug 26, 2016 |

By Erin Zimmer

| oxo.com

For pickling newbies, the thought of boiling jars and making sure lids are sealed properly can be a bit intimidating. That’s why we’re all about quick-pickling when we need a quick pickle fix. We chatted with Marisa McClellan of the popular site Food in Jars for her tips on how to maximize that summertime goodness and spice up your salads and pizzas with some easy-to-pickle produce. You want produce at peak ripeness.

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Mark Bittman's Savory Oatmeal with Scallions and Soy Sauce Recipe

Aug 16, 2016 |

By Erin Zimmer

| Serious Eats

Last week on NPR, Mark Bittman recommended savory oatmeal like it ain't no thang. "At lunch, you might have that same bowl of oatmeal, with perhaps um, oh I don't know, scallions and soy sauce on top, which would be very Asian, but still pretty good... Oh, my God, it's great." Holy cats, savory oatmeal?! He can't just casually combine those two words and not expect an onslaught of gasps and hyperventilating. Of course, the Twittersphere was all atweet about it and suggested we try it.

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Gallery: The 25 Best Things I Ate in Israel

Nov 23, 2015 |

By Erin Zimmer

| Serious Eats

This was hummus bowl #1 of my trip, and you never forget your first, right? After a long morning of walking through ancient, sacred spaces in the old city of Jerusalem, we squeezed into this (what's smaller than a hole?)-in-the-wall for bowls of hummus. There were three varieties: one came topped with toasty pine nuts, another with whole chickpeas, and another with fava beans, all with puddles of olive oil on top.

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Space Cowboys fly to first place in international competition

Aug 11, 2015 |

By Erin Zimmer , OPA Design

| msstate.edu

August 11, 2015 STARKVILLE, Miss. – The Mississippi State rocket team soared high above its opponents at an international collegiate rocket competition. The Space Cowboys placed first out of 70 universities from seven countries in the Experimental Sounding Rocket Association’s 10th annual Intercollegiate Rocket Engineering Competition in Green River, Utah. The team also won the Jim Furfaro award for overall technical excellence.

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At This Georgetown Joint, They Come for the Topping in the Jug

Jul 08, 2015 |

By Erin Zimmer

| The Washington Post

The most popular pizza topping at Philadelphia Pizza Co. in Georgetown, especially after midnight, isn't sausage, and it isn't pineapple. It's ranch dressing. "We go through three to four gallons on Saturday nights," says Mehmet "Matt" Kocak, 31, manager of the landmark spot the students call "Philly-P." "Half that during the summer, with so many students gone." Just a few squirts add 19 grams of fat, but even waifish Hoyas in miniskirts don't seem to mind.

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$25,000 Cupcake Car For Sale in Neiman Marcus Christmas Book

May 18, 2015 |

By Erin Zimmer

| Serious Eats

The annual Neiman Marcus Christmas Book sells fantasy items that about a fraction of a fraction of people could ever afford—$20 million submarine, $1.76 million space charter on the Virgin Galactic spaceship. But the most expensive item this year is relatively cheap: the $25,000 Cupcake Car. "Slip under the muffin top of your Cupcake Car, and let the world figure itself out for awhile," advertises the catalog.

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How to Cold-Brew Iced Coffee

May 14, 2015 |

By Erin Zimmer

| Serious Eats

Matthew Yglesias of The Internet Food Association has an easy way to go straight to iced coffee, skipping the whole pour hot liquid over ice step: "What you need to do is fill a pitcher with a mixture of water and coffee (if you’re grinding your own, aim for a coarse grind) in a ratio of about 1 cup of coffee to about 4.5 cups of water. Stir it up to mix, and stick it in the fridge for, ideally, a 12 hour overnight brew. In the morning, strain the mixture." Pour it over ice, and you're set.

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What Is Superman Ice Cream?

Apr 29, 2015 |

By Erin Zimmer

| Serious Eats

Photograph from jamelah on Flickr Superman ice cream is a Michigan thing involving three flavors (in shades of blue, red, and yellow—your standard Superman colors) working together, sort of like Neapolitan. So is it just vanilla ice cream with buckets of food coloring? Apparently no, at least not in the case of the blue flavor.

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How to Make Rummy Bears and Other Drunken Gummies

Jun 05, 2012 |

By Erin Zimmer , Erin Strenio

| Serious Eats

Do you remember hearing last year about the kids getting drunk in class on vodka-soaked Gummi Bears? It was a real problem in some schools, especially in parts of California where bear-boozled kids were sent home. We're not endorsing this illicit activity; kids, stay in school. But if you're of age, want to eat Gummi Bears and drink alcohol at the same time, then keep reading. Bring these to a party and you'll be everyone's hero.

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An Intro to Icelandic Food

Apr 16, 2012 |

By Erin Zimmer

| Serious Eats

Note: SE national managing editor Erin recently traveled through Iceland thanks to the Inspired by Iceland campaign. She came back inspired to tell you all about her eating adventures. —The Mgmt. "What exactly is Icelandic food?" was the most popular question I was asked after returning from a week in Iceland.

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What Is a California Burrito?

Mar 31, 2010 |

By Erin Zimmer

| Serious Eats

[Flickr: kimboy1904] There are burritos, and then there are California Burritos. The San Diego staple is not trying to be authentic Mexican cuisine—it's basically meat and potatoes stuffed into a flour tortilla for hungry, sand-crusted surfers. The beast of a thing usually involves carne asada, french fries, a bunch of cheese, salsa fresca and of course guacamole. As Zach of the food blog The Eaten Path admits, it deserves its own chapter in the Mexican food almanac.

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