10 Dumbest Food Inventions

From 'grilled to perfection' to 'garden fresh'

(NEWSER) - Tired of menus that use the same old phrases over and over? So are the food critics at the Chicago Tribune. They nominated nine menu clichés for the compost pile:

• "Grilled to perfection": Subjective to the point of meaninglessness. And why always grilled, and not “boiled” or “baked”? Can only grilling reach perfection?
• "World famous": Almost always an empty boast.
• "Kobe burger": “Kobe” is becoming a general synonym for “high quality”; it doesn't apply unless the beef actually came from Japan.

Go beyond the Joy of Cooking with Slate's recommendations

(NEWSER) - What to get the foodie or chef who already has all the classic cookbooks? Slate compiles offbeat favorites recommended by Mollie Katzen, James Oseland and other standout chefs, food editors, and more.

1. Ethan Becker: Cookwise—Less a cookbook than a bible of general cooking knowledge.
2. Dan Barber: The River Cottage Meat Book—"A carnivore's manifesto."
3. Melissa Clark: The Mensch Chef —Traditional Jewish recipe perfection.

(NEWSER) - Savor that Italian vacation by taking a short course at one these cooking schools, highly recommended by Food & Wine magazine:

1. Cucina con Vista, Florence
2. Castello Banfi–Il Borgo, Montalcino
3. Italian Food Artisans, Montepulciano

Recipes that will have you back in the hammock in almost no time

(NEWSER) - Move over Rachael Ray: Minimalist Mark Bittman, in the New York Times, offers 101 ideas for summer meals that get you out of the kitchen in 10 minutes or less. A few examples:

• Grilled cheese with prosciutto, tomatoes, thyme or basil leaves
• Wraps of tuna, warm white beans, a drizzle of olive oil and lettuce and tomato

But skeptics take issue with Michelin Guide assessment

(NEWSER) - Japan has overtaken France as the fine dining capital of the world—at least according to the latest Michelin Guide, reports ABC News . The newly released 2012 edition of the influential guide has bestowed 29 Japanese eateries with a 3-star rating—the highest possible grade—compared with 25 in France. Japan collected a whopping total of 296 stars. More»