Man Made DIY

Know why foods like chili, Buffalo wings, tacos, or Southeastern Asian street foods always seem to taste better with beer, even though it does nothing to tame the heat and actually seems to make it… read more

Each Wednesday, I post some of my favorite can't-miss links, images, and otherwise mindblowing goodies from across the web. 

Just to be clear, what you're looking at right there is an actual 1953 Volkswagen Beetle that's been morphed into a perfect sphere. (!!!)… read more

Sipping whiskey went from being something utterly boring that only certain retired folks would do while smoking cigars to being a hip, full-fledged trend that is taking over the best bars in the US… read more

Some anthropologists argue that just one dominant feature separates humans from the rest of the animal kingdom: we use fire and heat to cook our food. Like salt, smoking has long been a means of preserving food, and over time, we've learned that it also tastes pretty awesome as well. Those flavors are why we're still willing to use the grill and light fires when we have access to electric heating elements: the taste just can't be matched.

Many drinks and spirits come with smoky qualities - lots of teas, coffee, beer, and whiskeys. But you can also smoke entire cocktails or mixed drinks to add a whole other level of flavor and complexity. As my friend Mike remarked after trying one of my smoked Old Fashioneds, "I don't know if I can ever drink a regular one… read more

Recently, I was invited by DIY and creative lifestyle site Brit + Co to create an introduction post for those who were interested in learning more about tasting and enjoying whiskey, but never quite knew where to start. Since Brit + Co has a largely female readership, I wrote it in the style of "a woman's introduction to whiskey" (hence the lipstick), but it works equally well for any novice who'd like to have a little more… read more