Dressing to Kill
Picking a good salad dressing from this quickly proliferating
condiment genre can be as difficult as picking the hetero out of a lineup
of Teletubbies. It seems that in order to stand out, salad dressings are
being made of most any combination; one dressing might mix bacon and mushroom;
another could cross cheddar with raspberry. So it is with trepidation
that one approaches Pacific Farms' new line of wasabi-flavored salad
dressings (about $3 for a 12-ounce bottle at most area supermarkets).
It doesn't help that, of its four flavors, the Oregon company has decided
to be obscure with one name, Oriental, and bizarre with another, Asian
Ranch. (The other two flavors are Creamy Garlic and Asian Vinaigrette).
But if Asian Ranch has you pondering the incompatibility of John Woo and
John Wayne, never mind--these dressings taste a lot better than they sound.
The Asian Vinaigrette has just the right amount of nasal-clearing get-up-and-go,
and it will be especially appreciated by sushi lovers. Though fresh wasabi
makes up only less than 1 percent of the blend, Asian Ranch is more Asian
than Ranch, with a decidedly wasabi kick. These dressings won't make you
too fat--they contain between 60 and 90 calories from fat per serving,
depending on the flavor. (MM)
You're It: How
to Win at Phone Tag
Playing Monica and Linda has never been easier. Simply gather
the following ingredients, then stir and stir until desired level of
frothiness is achieved: one misogynistic high-ranking official, one
to two sexually imaginative, career-minded, low-grade ingénues
and one Telephone Handset Recording Control ($14.99 at area RadioShacks),
which allows you to surreptitiously document telephone conversations
by connecting the handset to a tape recorder. Just think how much fun
you'll have when the salacious details of your daughter-like best friend's
affair end up in the wrong hands. Oh, how you'll squirm with delight
as you quietly and easily fix your phone for dish-mode! The recording
control (or THE THING, as it's known in some parts) is small enough
to go undetected in your pants pocket but records a clear, accurate
message on any audio cassette. With this clever little device, the whole
family will get a kick out of games such as "Gotcha!--and I can prove
it" and "You're Screwed: Play It Again and Again, Sam." (MM)
Smokin' the Herb
Cigarette companies have tried to create a decent nicotine-free
smoke for decades, but most last about as long as Joe Camel billboards
on a playground. The "indie" of cigarette manufacturers, Santa
Fe Natural American Spirit, recently introduced its own all-natural,
herbal cigarette in a tantalizing tangerine-colored package. This one
is made of corn silk, yerba santa, licorice, mullein, coltsfoot and
horehound. The cigs are hard to find locally, a problem the company
attributes to their popularity (we finally tracked them down at Ann's
Grocery, 1724 SE Clinton St.). They may help those trying to quit tobacco
cope with their oral fixation, but smokers we surveyed didn't like the
burning-leaves odor. One avid puffer even said she'd rather smoke dog
shit. Are they safe to smoke? Well, burning any organic substance and
inhaling it may be hazardous to your health, the company admits. It
is safe to say that RJR won't feel threatened by this newcomer. (LB)
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Willamette Week | originally
published March 10,
1999
|
