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Something Incredible Happens When You Pour Beer Into A Hot Pan

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What happens when you pour beer into a hot frying pan?

A video that we first came across on Digg shows how the beer appears to hover over the surface of the pan, whirling around in a solid blob instead of slowly boiling and evaporating.

In physics, this phenomenon is called the "Leidenfrost effect." It can happen with any liquid, not just beer.

Normally, when you pour liquid into a hot pan, the droplets will sizzle and evaporate. But when you crank up the temperature so that the surface is significantly hotter than the liquid's boiling point, the heat is so extreme that it boils the underside of the liquid immediately. The resulting vapor acts like a bed, protecting the liquid above it from touching the hot pan. The droplets will fuse together and evaporate very slowly.

You can see the "vapor cushion" and the droplet floating above it in the diagram below:

800px Leidenfrost_droplet.svg

This Leidenfrost effect is also what allows liquid nitrogen to skitter across a smooth surface:

nitrogen on table

And here's the beer again. It looks really cool because of the top layer of foam: 

beer.gif

SEE ALSO: These Chemistry-Based Hacks Will Change Your Life

SEE ALSO: The Surprising Truth About How Many Chemicals Are In Everything We Eat

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Is Drinking Carbonated Water The Same As Drinking Regular Water?

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PerrierBI Answers: Is drinking carbonated water the same as drinking regular water?

Carbonated water seems like a great alternative for people who don't like the taste of water, but who want to stay hydrated throughout the day.

But is the bubbly beverage just as good for your body as the stuff that comes out of the faucet?

Basically, yes. "Sparkling water can be just as hydrating as regular water," according to Jennifer McDaniel, a registered dietitian and certified specialist in sports dietetics.

Carbonated or sparkling water is made by dissolving carbon dioxide in water, creating carbonic acid. This process just adds bubbles — it does not add sugar, calories, or caffeine. Tonic water, club soda, and mineral water are all types of carbonated water, but these have added sodium, vitamins, or sweeteners, so it's important to read the label.

There are some common health concerns associated with drinking carbonated water — for instance, that it leaches calcium from the bones, causes kidney stones, and strips the enamel from your teeth — but these are not supported by clinical research.

"In reality there's no good evidence that carbonated water causes harm to your bone," registered dietitians Jennifer Nelson and Katherine Zeratsky said on the Mayo's Clinic's blog. "The confusion may arise because of research that found a connection between carbonated cola drinks and low bone mineral density."

While artificially carbonated water is slightly more acidic than still water, it's not as acidic as sugary sodas, and does not seem to significantly damage tooth enamel. A 2001 study published in the Journal of Oral Rehabilitation that compared the affect of sparkling mineral waters with still waters on human teeth, noted that the "carbonation of drinks may not be an important factor per se in respect of erosive potential."

The only issues with guzzling sparkling waters are that "some people get gas and burp, especially when they drink it fast," says Ruth Frechman, a registered dietitian and author of "The Food Is My Friend Diet." Frechman also warns that fizzy water may not be the best post-workout beverage since the bubbles may create a sense of fullness that causes some people to drink less.

This post is part of a continuing series that answers all of your "why" questions related to science. Have your own question? Email dspector@buisnessinsider with the subject line "Q&A"; tweet your question to @BI_Science; or post to our Facebook page.

SEE ALSO: Why Skiers Fly Through The Air In A V Shape

More BI Answers: Why Curlers Sweep The Ice

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Yelp Reviewers Say These Are The 100 Best Restaurants In America

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da poke shack meal

Yelp has just released a list of this year's top-rated restaurant in America, as chosen by its users.

The team at Yelp said they used a technique based on the Wilson Score to compile this year's ranking, taking into account both the restaurant's star rating as well as number of reviews to see which places were really the post popular in the Yelp community.

The number one restaurant in America this year is, surprisingly, a roadside joint in Hawaii named Da Poke Shack, which has a solid 5 stars with 614 reviews. The tiny establishment only has two tables inside, but it's the fresh seafood that customers on Yelp rave about.

Rounding out the top 5 were Caribbean restaurant Paseo in Seattle, Oklahoma Joe’s Barbecue in Kansas City, vegan food truck The Cinnamon Snail in New York City, and Porto's Bakery in Burbank, CA.

Here's the full list of restaurants below. It's an interesting mix of high- and low-end:

1. Da Poke Shack, Kailua-Kona, HI

2. Paseo, Seattle, WA

3. Oklahoma Joe’s Barbecue, Kansas City, KS

4. The Cinnamon Snail, New York, NY

5. Porto's Bakery, Burbank, CA

6. Dametra Cafe, Carmel by the Sea, CA

7. Alinea, Chicago, IL

8. Franklin Barbecue, Austin, TX

9. Gary Danko, San Francisco, CA

10. Joe’s Falafel, Los Angeles, CA

11. Sushi Izakaya Gaku, Honolulu, HI

12. Biker Jim’s Gourmet Dogs, Denver, CO

13. Oscar’s Mexican Seafood, San Diego, CA

14. Coop’s West Texas Barbeque, Lemon Grove, CA

15. Tacos El Gordo, Chula Vista, CA

16. Cheese Board Pizza, Berkeley, CA

17. Ricky’s Fish Tacos, Los Angeles, CA

18. Ono Seafood, Honolulu, HI

19. Bogart’s Smoke House, Saint Louis, MO

20. Bakery Nouveau, Seattle, WA

21. Baguette Cafe, Las Vegas, NV

22. Eleven Madison Park, New York, NY

23. T-Deli, San Diego, CA

24. Built to Grill, Portland, OR

25. Alforon, San Diego, CA

26. Daniel, New York, NY

27. Hot Doug’s, Chicago, IL

28. Sal, Kris, & Charlie’s Deli, Astoria, NY

29. Blues City Deli, Saint Louis, MO

30. The Kitchen Restaurant, Sacramento, CA

31. Cream Pan, Tustin, CA

32. Dave’s Fresh Pasta, Somerville, MA

33. Café Besalu, Seattle, WA

34. The French Laundry, Yountville, CA

35. Turf N' Surf Po Boy, Austin, TX

36. Café Rolle, Sacramento, CA

37. Chama Gaucha Brazilian Steakhouse, Downers Grove, IL

38. Yoshino Japanese Deli, Carlsbad, CA

39. Opal Thai Food, Haleiwa, HI

40. Lou’s Cafe, San Francisco, CA

41. Marukame Udon, Honolulu, HI

42. Monell’s Dining & Catering, Nashville, TN

43. Roxie Food Center, San Francisco, CA

44. Graham Avenue Meats And Deli, Brooklyn, NY

45. Le Bernardin, New York, NY

46. El Chato Taco Truck, Los Angeles, CA

47. Mr. Gyros, Seattle, WA

48. The Waffle Window, Portland, OR

49. Per Se, New York, NY

50. Geste Shrimp Truck, Kahului, HI

51. Frostbites Crepes & Frozen Delights, Cypress, CA

52. Sushi Ota, San Diego, CA

53. Arizmendi Bakery, San Francisco, CA

54. Sweet Potato Stall, Santa Clara, CA

55. Gramercy Tavern, New York, NY

56. Peter’s Kettle Corn, Oakland, CA

57. Johnny Pacific, Winnetka, CA

58. El Chilango, Arlington, VA

59. Ike’s Place, San Francisco, CA

60. Fishermen’s Grill, Portland, ME

61. Sabroso! Mexican Grill, Garden Grove, CA

62. District Wine, Long Beach, CA

63. Chama Gaúcha Brazilian Steakhouse, Houston, TX

64. Bludso’s BBQ, Compton, CA

65. Tiki Juice Bar, Anaheim, CA

66. Wally’s Cafe, Emeryville, CA

67. Vinh Loi Tofu, Reseda, CA

68. Mama D’s Italian Kitchen, Newport Beach, CA

69. Los Andes Restaurant, Providence, RI

70. Little Luca Sandwich Shop & Deli, South San Francisco, CA

71. Pho 95, Denver, CO

72. Garbo’s Grill, Key West, FL

73. Ono Tacos, Lahaina, HI

74. Mattern Sausage & Deli, Orange, CA

75. The Market Grill, Monrovia, CA

76. Urasawa, Beverly Hills, CA

77. Dat Cajun Guy, Haleiwa, HI

78. Los Agaves, Santa Barbara, CA

79. Outlaws Cafe, Van Nuys, CA

80. Gus’s World Famous Hot & Spicy Chicken, Memphis, TN

81. Short Leash Dogs Food Truck, Phoenix, AZ

82. Pono Market, Kapaa, HI

83. Wafels & Dinges, New York, NY

84. Bell Street Farm, Los Alamos, CA

85. Uchiko, Austin, TX

86. Little Deli & Pizzeria, Austin, TX

87. Kokkari Estiatorio, San Francisco, CA

88. Kang Hodong Baekjeong, Los Angeles, CA

89. Komi, Washington, DC

90. Stuff I Eat, Inglewood, CA

91. Taste of Ethiopia, Pflugerville, TX

92. Hy Mart Sandwiches, North Hollywood, CA

93. The Codmother Fish and Chips, San Francisco, CA

94. Mastro’s Steakhouse, Beverly Hills, CA

95. Sushi Sasabune, Honolulu, HI

96. Bern’s Steak House, Tampa, FL

97. Postino Arcadia, Phoenix, AZ

98. Pappy’s Smokehouse, Saint Louis, MO

99. Uchi, Austin, TX

100. Zia Gourmet Pizza, San Diego, CA

SEE ALSO: 20 Restaurants With Breathtaking Views Of The World

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11 Video Games From The 1980s That Are Better Than Games Today

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You remember it all too well. Dusting off those much-used cartridges and plugging them into that box that sat just below your TV.

We combed through the best video games of the '80s, and we discovered that those old games still have a ton of life left in them.

NOW WATCH: How To Solve A Rubik's Cube

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How The Bush Family Dynasty Became America's First Family Of Finance

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bush family portrait

America doesn't have many political dynasties as powerful and well known as the Bush Family. Their success is an effort that takes money, power, and all of the right connections — some of which comes from a history on Wall Street.

Bushes have served in both the executive and legislative branches of our federal government. The family provided a pair of Presidents — the 41st and 43rd — and have held two state governorships.

And because of George W. Bush’s close ties to Texas and connections with the oil industry, the Bush family is often perceived as a bunch of oil tycoons.

In reality, however, the oil industry is just one of many in which the Bush family displayed their financial expertise. The family tradition, which continues to this day, was founded upon the pursuit of riches through investment banking and wartime business ventures.

This is why the family has had a hand in businesses from Halliburton to Merrill Lynch, and also has a history of owning major league sports teams.

Linette Lopez also contributed to this story.

Samuel P. Bush, one of the two patriarchs of the dynasty, had extensive experience as a banking executive.

Samuel served on the Board of Directors for the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland and helped found the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. During WWI, he served as Chief of the Ordnance, Small Arms and Ammunition division on the War Industries Board, where wartime business ventures coupled with his connections to the Rockefeller family laid the foundation for the family's fortune.

Source: A Hoover Vignette



George Herbert Walker, the other patriarch, founded the investment bank G.H. Walker & Co. in 1900.

This was the first of Walker's forays into finance. The firm, located on 1 Wall Street, employed various members of the Bush family until it became a part of Merrill Lynch in 1978.

Source: Aristocracy, Fortune, and the Politics of Deceit in the House of Bush



Walker became President of the investment firm W.A. Harriman & Co. in 1920.

The company's owner, Averell Harriman, is seen pictured with President Lyndon B. Johnson. At the firm, Walker used his network of international banking contacts to develop profitable investment opportunities, especially in Germany and Russia.

Source: Britannica



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Where Airbnb Users Are Traveling This Year

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Airbnb recently released this infographic showing some of the biggest travel trends they're observing from their users. 

To find out which global destinations were trending, they looked at year-to-year growth in the number of reservations made per listing. They only considered destinations with at least 100 listings and 10 reservations per month from 2012 to 2013. 

Somewhat surprisingly, Andorra topped the list of popular Airbnb destinations, with a 312% increase in reservations from 2012 to 2013. Barbados was second, with a 184% increase. 

"What we found is that many of the fastest growing destinations are the next-door alternatives to popular destinations (Andorra instead of Spain or France, Nicaragua or Guatemala instead of Costa Rica, Malaysia instead of Thailand, Bosnia and Herzegovina instead of Croatia)," Airbnb said in a blog post. "Many have a pure under-the-radar appeal, and some, like the Bahamas, are travelers finding new ways to enjoy already popular destinations by staying in a home."

The infographic below has the rest of their findings, including which type of unique rentals were most popular among Airbnb users. airbnb 2014 infographic

SEE ALSO: The 10 Coolest Airbnb Rentals In Austin, Texas

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RANKED: The 13 Coolest Buildings By Starchitect Frank Gehry

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Frank Gehry, one of the most prolific and famous architects on earth, turns 85 years old today.

Chances are you've seen one of his undulating and mind-bending architectural marvels even if you didn't know it was a Gehry building.

The internationally acclaimed American artist has been making us question how we perceive buildings ever since his billowing designs splashed onto the scene.

Here are his 13 best works, ranked, based on aesthetic appeal and critical acclaim. See more of our favorite buildings on our Cool Architecture board on Pinterest.

13. Neuer Zollhof, Düsseldorf, Germany

Neuer Zollhof12. The Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve, Cleveland, Ohio, USA

The Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve11. Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles, California, USA

Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles, California10. DZ Bank Building (Atrium), Berlin, Germany

DZ Bank Building (Atrium) berlin9. Weisman Art Museum, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

Weisman Art Museum, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA8. Vitra Design Museum, Rhein, Germany

Vitra Design Museum7. MIT's Strata Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

MIT Strata Center6. The Dancing House, Prague, Czech Republic

The Dancing House, Prague, Czech Republic5. Experience Music Project in Seattle, Washington, USA

Experience Music Project in Seattle, Washington4. Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas3. Marqués de Riscal Winery, Rioja, Spain

Marqués de Riscal Winery, Rioja, Spain2. 8 Spruce Street (Beekman Tower), New York, New York, USA

$60,000 a month penthouse gehry building new york1. Guggenheim Bilbao, Bilbao, Spain

Guggenheim Bilbao, Bilbao, SpainBONUS: Gehry's (uncompleted) Facebook Campus

Facebook West Campus

SEE ALSO: The Otherworldly Architecture Of Zaha Hadid

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Stunning Images Of Iconic Figures Covered In Tattoos

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Cheyenne Randall, a 36-year-old artist living in Seattle, is taking images of iconic figures and photoshopping tattoos all over their bodies.

"I started out by drawing tattoos on certain personalities in magazines and wanted to step it up," he explained on the "Today Show" this morning. "I taught myself Photoshop and thus began a slight obsession with seeing what some of my favorite iconic personalities would look like perhaps if they were in a parallel universe or took another path in life."

But each tattoo he places on a famous face has special meaning, says Randall, who adds that, "It's a lot of fun piecing together and sometimes telling a story with the use of different isolated tattoos."

Randall displays his images on his Tumblr page and his popular Instagram account, which has over 11,000 followers. He has over 2,500 images to date, all inspired by his Native American ancestry.

Take a look at some of the most stunning images below.

Prince William, Kate Middleton, and baby George in "Hipster Royalty Redo":

John Lennon and Yoko Ono in "Have a good week everyone ✌ ":

#fbf with Muhammad Ali:

Linda Carter as Wonder Woman:

Albert Einstein:

 

Elizabeth Taylor's "MJ" ode to pal Michael Jackson, perhaps?:

Marilyn Monroe:

"In a parallel universe" with Jackie and JFK:

Spock:

Barbra Streisand:

 

James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano:

Audrey Hepburn:

 

Patrick Swayze:

John Lennon:

 

Princess Diana:

Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft in "The Graduate":

 

Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly in "Step Brothers":

Janet Leigh in "Psycho": 

Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia:

SEE ALSO: Here's What The 'Today Show' Hosts Look Like Without Makeup

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Step Inside The Startup Kitchen Where Two Top Chefs Cook A Gourmet Lunch Every Day

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stack exchange chefs

We've heard a lot about the crazy perks tech startups offer their employees. 

But at Stack Exchange, a Financial District-based startup that hosts a network of question-and-answer sites, chefs Phil Sireci and Shanna Sobel serve up some amazing meals that top them all. 

From company favorite "breakfast for lunch" to gourmet duck l'orange, Sireci and Sobel make sure that no Stacker is ever left hungry or unsatisfied. 

"The good thing about this place is that it's not really lunch. We cook dinner that just happens to be at lunchtime," Sireci said to Business Insider. "I look at this as a special every day."

We took a lunchtime trip to Stack Exchange to meet Sireci and Sobel. We were blown away by what they're doing in this startup's kitchen. 

Welcome to the Stack Exchange kitchen, in New York's Financial District.



Meet Phil Sireci and Shanna Sobel. The Stack Exchange chefs are not usually this intimidating.



Shanna's a huge Dave Matthews Band fan, hence the fire dancer stickers. She played their music in the kitchen so much that now Phil likes them, too.



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Here's How Much Pizza Costs In Every New York City Neighborhood

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How much are you paying for your pizza? Journalists at NPR did some very important research and released some great infographics averaging the price of a pie across 237 mostly urban U.S. neighborhoods.

To start, NPR looked at the median price of all cheese pizzas based on data provided by Grubhub Seamless, and included neighborhoods in five cities: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.

We took a look at New York City's numbers here. Not surprisingly, pizza costs more in Manhattan than any other city. Midtown Manhattan averages around $23 a pie. In parts of Philadelphia, you can purchase a pie for just $8. 

Animal New York points out that nothing matters more when choosing a place to live than the proximity to a decent slice, so now you can use this data to figure out where you'll move to next. 

Here are the prices of pizza in Manhattan neighborhoods. The size of the dot represents the amount of pizza places in that particular 'hood.

manhattan pizza

 

Here's the same research for Manhattan's surrounding boroughs:

Boroughs pizza

 


To see where other cities' pizza falls in comparison, visit NPR's Planet Money blog here. These infographics were created by Quoctrung Bui at NPR's Planet Money, with permission to use.

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A Swedish Automaker Is Using 3D Printing To Make The World's Fastest Car

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koenigsegg one:1 hypercar

Swedish automaker Koenigsegg has unveiled the One:1, the hypercar it says will be the fastest in the world. It's also the first to offer a 1:1 power to weight ratio — one horsepower for every kilogram the car weighs.

Part of the trick is an engine that produces over 1,300 horsepower — an awesome feat in itself. The other part is getting the weight of everything else down, which means the chassis, body, and even seats are carbon, made with high modulus fibers that cut weight down even more.

But the Swedes didn't stop there: To save a mere 400 grams (.88 pounds), they 3D print its exhaust end piece from titanium instead of aluminum. Mainstream automakers are just getting to aluminum now, because it's so much lighter than steel.

According to Jalopnik, the exhaust tip is the largest piece of titanium ever 3D printed, and it takes three days to produce. But it saves that little bit of weight, and keeps the supply chain simpler. So it's worth it.

Here's a close-up of the exhaust tip:
koenigsegg one:1 hypercar

SEE MORE:  Sweden Just Blew The Auto World Away With Its New Hypercar

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Meet The $1,200 Rum Trying To Become The Next Sipping Whiskey

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papa andres brugalWhiskey is enjoying quite the renaissance among global drinkers these days, with U.S. distillers exporting $1 billion worth of the brown stuff for the first time ever last year.

With that kind of success, other spirits want in on the action too.

That includes rum, not something Americans tend to sip neat or even on the rocks.

Brugal wants to change that with Papá Andrés, its new $1,200-a-bottle premium rum.

Rum drinkers know Brugal well, especially those who have been to the Dominican Republic, where the brand has 80% of the market, and ordering "rum" at a bar will automatically get you a glass full of Brugal.

But with Papá Andrés, Brugal is trying to infiltrate the premium spirits market, and they're only releasing 500 bottles this year.

The Edrington Group, which has owned Brugal since 2008, knows how to introduce high-end spirits to consumers. Their Macallan products are big-time favorites among monied scotch drinkers.

But Brugal? Isn't that for cocktails and cruise ships? It's hard to picture the titans of Wall Street knocking back a glass of Dominican rum neat.

Business Insider sat down with two of Brugal's "Maestros Roneros" (master rum makers) to hear about the new product and give it a try.

The Brugal family has actually been making Papá Andrés for generations — the distillery is 125 years old. Every year, the Maestros Roneros take some of the best liquid from Brugal's casks and add it to the special Papá Andrés casks, named for the company's founder.

After years of this process, Brugal has made a crazy complex, high-end rum"We don't know how old the liquid is," Maestro Ronero Gustavo Brugal told us, laughing.

The family would only drink Papá Andrés on special occasions like family gatherings and weddings, and now it's available to the public, although with a highly limited release.

We have to say, it was pretty terrific (it does cost a fortune, after all). Rich, fruity, with subtle notes of dry fruit and caramel. And about the smoothest rum you could possibly imagine.

It has a "very clean, dry, pure profile," Gustavo Brugal said.

But releasing only 500 bottles will hardly make a big market impact. In the coming years, they'll have to produce more.

For Brugal, this isn't about their bottom line, it's about making rum a "premium" spirit in the U.S. like scotch is. And it's about making sure if the whiskey bubble does bust, rum will be there to pick up the pieces.

SEE ALSO: 9 Things We Learned About The Liquor Industry

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Why Two Top Chefs Left The Restaurant World To Cook Lunch At A New York Startup

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stack exchange chefs

Lots of startups have amazing perks. But how many have experienced chefs cooking them fantastic lunches every day? 

At Stack Exchange, a startup in New York's Financial District that hosts a network of question-and-answer sites, chefs Phil Sireci and Shanna Sobel serve up some pretty amazing meals. 

Click here to jump right to photos of the kitchen and food at Stack Exchange >>

From company favorite "breakfast for lunch" to gourmet duck l'orange, Sireci and Sobel make sure that no Stacker is ever left hungry or unsatisfied. 

"The essence of what we do is hospitality. Our business is pleasing people," Sireci said to Business Insider. "I rarely say no." 

The pair met while working together at the East End Kitchen on New York City's Upper East Side. Sireci had spent time at hot spots Gramercy Tavern and Union Square Cafe, while Sobel had also worked at Colicchio & Sons and the Stanton Social. 

When he was approached about the Stack Exchange job, Sireci was working in catering and considering opening his own place, yet he was tired of the restaurant world and its 100-hour work weeks. 

Still, the decision to leave restaurant work for a tech startup was one that Sireci was hesitant to make, at least at first. 

"It wasn't attractive at all. I've always been in restaurants. But when I came up and saw them eating lunch, you could see, it's nice and there's a sense of community," Sireci said. "As a chef, what I want to do is cook my food and see people enjoy it. This is a much closer connection to that than the restaurant ever was. I get to watch them, and I know all of their names. I almost know all of their little quirks and what they like and what their allergies are. It's almost like cooking for my family every day, like a family of 100." 

Sobel was also getting fed up with restaurants at the time Sireci approached her to join him at Stack Exchange. 

"I loved working in restaurants. I liked to be challenged, the thrill and the challenge of what service was," she said. "But as a woman, for me, it was really quite difficult to be taken seriously in the restaurant business and as a chef. Pastry chefs are not treated well in kitchens. So luckily when I met Phil he really flipped that for me." 

stack exchange chefsAfter eight months of work in the Stack kitchen, they seem to have perfected their process. Sireci plans lunch for the day, while Sobel picks the dessert and helps out with lunch preparations.

But it hasn't all been easy. Their kitchen had to go through a strict health inspection process just like any other restaurant, and the office building's fire codes have prevented them from installing certain equipment, like a deep fryer, that would be typical in a more traditional kitchen. 

Still, working as a chef in the Stack Exchange kitchen has given the two of them a huge amount of freedom to exercise their creativity and cook the things they want for the company's 100 or so employees.

"The good thing about this place is that it's not really lunch. We cook dinner that just happens to be at lunchtime," Sireci said. "As a chef, I'd have a menu that's set. Then I would teach all my line cooks how to do that, and then I would go in and do my special for the day, and that's what would inspire me. I look at this as a special every day."

And when it comes to dessert, Sobel gets to experiment quite a bit as well. She'll be trying out a Cinnamon Toast Crunch-inspired panna cotta for an upcoming event at the Stack Exchange offices. 

"A lot of the desserts I make here are first-timers, things I've never made before," Sobel said. "The only thing that stops me is my imagination and my creativity."  

Plus, she gets to practice a lot of skills she wouldn't be able to as a pastry chef at a traditional restaurant. 

"Phil taught me how to butcher. Pastry chefs are missing out. Breaking down a chicken is great," Sobel said. "I never would have done that anywhere else." 

The Stack chefs also benefit from a schedule that's a complete reversal from the norm. Restaurant chefs usually finish work well after midnight, but Sireci and Sobel have time to pursue other interests after they finish lunch clean-up and preparations for the next day. They've even done some volunteer work at the Bowery Mission and God's Love We Deliver

And like the other people who work at Stack Exchange, the chefs like to have a bit of fun. They'll cook special desserts for people's birthdays and take requests for meals. A few weeks ago, they hosted an afternoon habanero pepper challenge to see who could take the heat. They have their own Twitter account (@stackchefs), and they're even brewing their own beer for a party at the office this Friday, with bratwursts and other German food accompanying the drinks. 

We took a lunchtime trip to Stack Exchange to meet Sireci and Sobel.

SEE ALSO: Go Inside The Kitchen At Stack Exchange, Where Two Top Chefs Cook A Gourmet Lunch Every Day

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Sour Beer Is Suddenly All The Rage

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Cantillon Brouwerij, brewery, sour beer

Sour beers may have a long history, but they're suddenly becoming a hot topic in the beer world.

The brews are often confused with Belgian lambics, which are a type of sour and have a similar flavor profile. But lambics, like champagne, are region-specific, says Alex Wallash, one of the co-founders of The Rare Barrel, a sour-only craft brewery in Berkeley, Calif.

There are more rules that define a lambic, but other sours aren't confined by those rules — instead, they're breaking them.

The Original Beer

Sour beer is often called "the original beer" because, back before we understood microorganisms, all beers were slightly sour due to the bacteria and yeast that would get into the fermenters on their own. With the introduction of refrigeration, sterilization, and pasteurization into the beer-making process, brewers took the sourness out of beer.

But now they're putting it back in, and sour beers are flying off the shelves faster than stores can stock them.

Many people hate sour beer the first time they try it, and often describe it like drinking a carbonated mixture of liquid Sour Patch Kids and nail polish remover. They've been called "weird," "spoiled," "funky," and "nasty," and most people just aren't prepared for the taste, Lauren Salazar, Wood Cellar Manager and Blender at Colorado's New Belgium Brewing, tells Business Insider.

New Belgium Brewing, sour beer

"Working in the wood cellar, I’ve watched at least 10 people a day taste a sour beer for the first time, and there’s really two ways they go about that," Salazar says. There's surprise and delight, or surprise and disgust.

For awhile, many breweries were also somewhat resistant to producing sours. From start to finish, making them can take six months to two years on average, and sometimes longer. Coupled with the not insignificant loss from evaporation and leakage from the oak barrels in which sour beers are aged, they're an expensive beer to produce — and buy.

There's also a risk to fermenting with wild yeast, which, as a live organism, can be unpredictable; It might result in a bad beer, says Wallash, and there's nothing the brewery can do but cut its losses and dump it.

Growing Demand For Sour Flavor

With the overall shift in the food and restaurant industries towards organic, natural, and artisanal products, it's no surprise that beer has gone the same way.

"We're getting back into this time where we're moving away from processed, homogeneous food," says Wallash. "There's an overall shift in the American palate as to what we're looking for in food and beverage."

The Rare Barrel, sour beer tastin

The increasing popularity of sour beers, combined with the fact that they're challenging to make, available only in limited quantities, and expensive, makes them desirable. And as more beer lovers learn about them, they are sharing their knowledge with other drinkers, further triggering the trend.

"Sour beer has grown just like the whole entire craft industry has," says Salazar. "And so with each person that becomes a craft beer drinker, they each go on a little journey through all the styles, and sour beer is like the destination, almost."

At the end of the day, despite the stigma of drinking a fermented beer — a carbonated beverage with live, active yeast and bacteria  Salazar believes that most people who discover they enjoy sours have really liked them all along.

"The interesting thing about sour beer is that, who doesn't love lemonade? Who doesn’t love sour cherries or a plum or red wine? It's just getting those people to realize that they already like that," she says. "It’s the perception versus the reality, and it's our absolute responsibility [as brewers] to get people over that so they can enjoy the things they like."

For beginners, here are a few sour beers to try:

DON'T MISS: 24 American Microbreweries Every Beer Lover Should Know

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21 Cars We Can't Wait To See At The Geneva Motor Show

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Aston Martin V8 Vantage N430

The Geneva Motor Show kicks off on Tuesday, and all the world's major automakers are trekking to Switzerland to show off their latest goods.

While the highlights of the Detroit Auto Show in January were the new Ford F-150 pickup truck and Toyota FT-1 concept, in Geneva it's all about luxury rides, sporty hatchbacks, and over-the-top supercars.

Before things get started, here's a look at the 21 cars we can't wait to see, including the very best from Lamborghini, Ferrari, McLaren, and Sweden's Koenigsegg.

McLaren's 650S Coupe can go from 0 to 60 mph in 3 seconds flat, and to 124 mph in just 8.4 seconds — a full second quicker than the McLaren F1, once the world's fastest production car.



A sign that Ferrari is focusing on efficiency as well as performance, the new California T will be the first prancing horse-stamped car with a turbocharged engine since the 1980s. That gives it 49% more torque and uses about 15% less fuel.

[Source: Motor Authority]



Fit for a reveal in Switzerland, Citroen's oddly-named C1 Swiss & Me is a special edition that features the Swiss flag and "adopts a playful approach to the constraints of city driving."



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REPORT: Uniqlo's Parent Company Is In Talks To Buy J. Crew

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J Crew 2 Facebook

Japan's Fast Retailing is in talks to buy J. Crew, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal

Fast Retailing, which is worth a stunning $36 billion, approached J. Crew this week, according to the report. 

J. Crew is seeking as much as $5 billion in the deal, WSJ writes, citing sources close to the deal. 

The companies are in early talks, and the negotiations might not advance, according to the report. The report also states that the company has enlisted Goldman Sachs for early IPO work. 

In addition to Uniqlo, Fast Retailing owns brands like J Brand, Theory, and National Standard. 

Uniqlo has said it wants to open more than 200 stores in every major U.S. city. The company is known for its affordable basics, and is already the dominant retailer in Asia. 

J. Crew has more than 400 American stores. Private-equity firms TPG Capital and Leonard Green & Partners currently own the retailer. 

 

SEE ALSO: How Tory Burch Became A Fashion Billionaire In Less Than A Decade

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Entrepreneur Peter Shankman Got A Ticket For Running In Central Park Too Early In The Morning

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peter shankman

Central Park is closed nightly from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m., a fact that entrepreneur Peter Shankman just found out the hard way. According to Gothamist, Shankman was stopped by police at around 4:30 a.m. Thursday for running in the park before it was open. 

Shankman, an author and marketing pundit who is best known for founding journalism tool Help a Reporter Out, says there were no signs clarifying the rules near where he entered at 63rd Street and Central Park West. Plus, he says he's done the same run many times without being stopped before. 

"Most people who've gotten in touch think it's a bogus charge, and have mentioned end of the month quotas as a reason I didn't just get a warning," he said to Gothamist.

Shankman announced the news of his citation via Facebook:

 And via Twitter

 

 

 Though he made light of the situation the next day:

 

 

 

SEE ALSO: Under House Arrest, This 'Bitcoin Millionaire' Is Now Basically Just Drinking And Watching Netflix

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Here's How Supermodel Adriana Lima Stays In Ridiculously Good Shape

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Adriana Lima is a Victoria's Secret Angel who's been modeling for 17 years. She's also a mother of two and is one of the world's highest-paid models.

Despite all her accomplishments, Adriana Lima is still going strong in the modeling game. So, how does she stay in such ridiculous shape?

Produced by William Wei and Kevin Smith. Originally published in September 2013.

SEE ALSO: The Swimsuit Issue Turns 50 — Guess How Much Money It Makes

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Inside The Brutal And Dangerous World Of Cock Fighting [PHOTOS]

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TonyChirinos14_Cocks

Photographer Tony Chirinos’s father used to tell him stories over the dinner table about his youth in Cuba. They usually included cock fighting, a popular entertainment in Cuba and other areas of Latin America. 

When Chirinos found out that the sport was still legal and popular on the small Colombian island of San Andrès, he decided to see for himself.

After his first trip to the island in 2000, Chirinos found himself captivated by the sport, the culture, and the trainers and gamblers who love it. Over the next seven years, Chirinos continued to make periodic trips to expand the project. 

Chirinos shared some of the photos here (check out more recent work at his website).

When Chirinos first arrived, he simply walked into the cock fights with no introduction. This was a dangerous move for an outsider.



Gambling is a huge part of the cock fighting culture. In a country where most people's wages average around $200 a month, Chirinos said he frequently saw people putting down bets of $1,000 or more.



Chirinos said that spectators and trainers use a special slang and hand signals to indicate how the fight is going and if a rooster is near death.



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The 28 Most Expensive Homes In Sports

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Michael Jordan Chicago Home for SaleThe titans of the sports world rake in millions each year from team contracts, prize money, endorsements, and appearance fees.

And they sure do know how to treat themselves.

From Kobe Bryant's Orange County mansion, complete with a hair salon and a shark tank, to the Floridian palace Anna Kournikova shares with beau Enrique Iglesias, these over-the-top homes define luxury.

To estimate the approximate current value of the houses, we looked at recent sales and public assessors' records, and we spoke to expert realtors and appraisers in these homes' markets.

#28 Floyd Mayweather, Jr.'s Las Vegas getaway

Boxer

Estimated value: $3.4 million

Mayweather's hideout mansion in the middle of the Las Vegas desert has 24-foot ceilings, crystal chandeliers, walls covered in red silk and textured glass, and every luxury imaginable. Its two-story movie theater, touch-screen video games affixed to the kitchen counter, golf course, and wet bar make it the perfect place to rejuvenate between fights.

He listed the "half Bellagio and half Caesar's Palace"-style home for $3.45 million last summer — the highest list price ever placed on it — but withdrew it in February, according to Las Vegas real estate expert Joe Herrera, co-founder of The Joe Taylor Group. With a 600 square-foot walk-in closet and space for his fleet of sports cars, we can't imagine why he'd ever want to leave.

To estimate the approximate current value of the homes, we looked at recent sales and public assessors' records, and we spoke to expert realtors and appraisers in these homes' markets.



#27 Maria Sharapova's Manhattan Beach abode

Tennis player

Estimated value:$4.1 million

Little is known about the place the No. 5 world ranked women's tennis player calls home.

Last year she swapped out her Manhattan Beach mansion with a quaint, $4.1 million oceanview property in the Hill section. She's a pillar of the MB community, having trained there for years and been awarded the key to the city in 2012.

Her other home, a Mediterranean-style home in Longboat Key, Fl. — valued at $1.2 million— offers four bedrooms, a swimming pool, and a boat dock. She reportedly bought it with her winnings just before her 20th birthday. And although she's listed as the property's grantor in the public assessor's records, there are no reports of her selling it.

To estimate the approximate current value of the homes, we looked at recent sales and public assessors' records, and we spoke to expert realtors and appraisers in these homes' markets.



#26 Jorge Posada's Miami home

Retired catcher for the New York Yankees

Estimated value: $5.1 million

The 17-season Major League baseball player moved his family to Coral Gables, Fl., in 2010 so that his children would experience Latin culture all around them. He and his wife Laura decorated the three-story, waterfront beauty themselves, picking up interior design tips over the years from working with professionals.

It has six bedrooms, a movie theater, a display case to house Posada's memorabilia, and a custom bed built to look like Jennifer Anniston's, which they saw in an issue of Architectural Digest.

To estimate the approximate current value of the homes, we looked at recent sales and public assessors' records, and we spoke to expert realtors and appraisers in these homes' markets.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider
    






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