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A Taste of the Stew

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By JEFF HOUCK | The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 18, 2007

USE THE FORCE, LUKE: Had a chance last week to drop by Tampa fire station No. 1 on Zack Street to watch as Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Luke McCown helped make dinner for firefighters in honor of the Sept. 11 anniversary.

McCown did a pretty nice job assisting Bucs executive chef Mike Beadles in making Chicken Marsala, London Broil, noodles and bread pudding for the crew. As for the salad, let's just say there was a miscommunication on the field. (McCown mistakenly spooned bleu cheese dressing on the noodles instead of the lettuce.)

And, as if on cue, one of the engines was called out as dinner service began. The group howled at the irony of watching former Buc turned firefighter John Cannon slide down the fire pole without getting a bite to eat.

Not to worry, though. There was plenty left when his truck returned.

You can see photos and a video clip of the feast at my blog, The Stew, on TBO.com.

SILLY ADDITIONS TO THE FOOD DICTIONARY WE COULD LIVE WITHOUT BUT WHICH WE WILL NO DOUBT HEAR USED ENDLESSLY IN COMING YEARS: Locavore (n.) — A person who eats food produced only within proximity of where they live (usually no farther than 100 miles away) so as not to promote pollution and waste in food transportation.

BOWLED OVER: As a cereal-eating kid, I always dug the turtleneck-wearing Sugar Crisp bear. And Cap'n Crunch. I couldn't get behind the stupid Trix rabbit, though. I never bought into the whole Count Chocula/Boo Berry/Frankenberry axis of cereal evil.

And that Cocoa Puffs cuckoo? He was just a moron. Who wants to eat cereal associated with a spastic bird, even when you're 8 years old?

These days, most kids' cereals are based on some video game or movie. Johnny Depp appearing as a pirate on a box of Corn Pops? Didn't do it for me. Plus, there was all that street cred Johnny lost as a result.

Thankfully, we have the Web to remind us of cereal's glory days. YouTube and Yahoo Video are choked with vintage commercials hawking balanced breakfasts with eight essential vitamins and iron.

What about you? Which cereal characters were your favorites?

Drop me a line at TBO.com on my blog, The Stew, and I'll send a box of Krusty O's cereal from "The Simpsons Movie" to the two best replies I get.

CHOCOLATE AND CHEESE: Beginning Oct. 6, Bern's Fine Wines & Spirits will host weekly afternoon cheese and chocolate seminars with wine pairings on Saturdays. Cheese director Lauren Ander and pastry chef Jason Forman will be the first week's hosts.

Cost is $15 per person, plus tax. For reservations, call (813) 250-9463

WHERE WAS THIS WHEN OUR KID WAS SMALL? A Southern California mom who was tired of cleaning up under her daughter's high chair has invented The Wupzey, a giant bib that catches stray food flingings. It's machine-washable, of course, and available at www.Wupzey.com for $19.95.

Hungry for more? Read Jeff Houck's multimedia food blog, The Stew, at keyword: Stew.

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