Slashfood

The National League Baseball team may have won the All-Star game this year (first time in 13 years), but did you know about the competition happening off the field? Chefs from both leagues gathered together at Angel Stadium to face off in what was called "Taste of the Majors."

"Whichever item sold the most would take home the prize, the pride and a shot at becoming a regular menu item at Angel Stadium."

Head over to AOL News to read more about the winner.

For our sweet-toothed readers, we have some bad news to report: Baskin-Robbins announced that it's shelving five of its 31 signature flavors including the classic staple French Vanilla, which was with the company since it started in 1945, Caramel Praline Cheesecake (1970), Campfire S'mores (1975), Apple Pie a La Mode (1976) and Superfudge Truffle (2007). This has happened before, but never to such magnitude.

The tragic exits, though, will make room for five brand-new flavors in honor of Baskin-Robbin's 65th anniversary and the National Ice Cream Month (July), says a Baskin-Robbin's media representative. More details to come on the new additions, which will be introduced this fall.

As for the old flavors? The final tubs have already been sent out to your local outposts, and are only available while supplies last. (Why am I picturing Seinfeld's Newman running for a big pot to fill up on the Soup Nazi's last batch? Pace yourselves.)

Then they're headed into what the company calls their "Deep Freeze," an online archive for retired flavors and those that have had a limited run.

Join our effort on Facebook -- our mission is to gather enough support to convince Baskin-Robbins that they must keep French Vanilla around!

If Facebook is, at its essence, a high school popularity contest all over again, then Starbucks has just blown your homecoming queen, starting quarterback and former student body president out of the water.

As the independent online marketing newsletter Inside Facebook reported this week, the coffee giant became the first brand on the social networking site to hit 10 million fans. Earlier this month, Lady Gaga became the first actual person to reach that mark (which makes it sort of like the weird drama-club chick and one of the guys from the Science Olympiad team being elected prom king and queen).

Starbucks's success on Facebook is hardly a fluke. Rather, it's the result of an over-caffeinated campaign. Starbucks regularly plies its 10 million online BFFs with offers for free stuff, like ice cream and pastries, as well as invitations to attend things like "Frappuccino Happy Hours."

As for the rest of us who still have, say, 9,999,900 friends to go before we can catch up with America's favorite coffeehouse, we can always content ourselves by asking, "Yeah, but how many of those are really Starbucks's friends?" (Perhaps more like frenemies...)

If you believe the ads, the probiotic-lined straw in Boost Kid Essentials drink would "prevent upper respiratory infections, strengthen the immune system and reduce absences from school." Wow, does it do windows, too? Making wild claims is nothing new in the food industry, but it looks like the government is starting to crack down. The Federal Trade Commission went after Nestle, the maker of the drink, claiming the ads went too far.

The company agreed to stop making the claims. The straws contained a dose of L. Reuteri Protectis, a probiotic culture marketed by a company called BioGaia. The popularity of probiotics has skyrocketed in the past few years, with consumers finding doses of the "good" bacteria in yogurts, juices, and powders. Manufacturers claim the products help regulate internal flora, improving health and digestive function.

Evidently, though, the government wasn't impressed with Nestle's ads, and sent them a warning letter late last year.

It may look like a tomato, but the new Redlove Era is all apple -- and has red flesh beneath the skin, all the way to the core. Talk about true blue -- er, red.

The Redlove, marketed by Suttons of Britain, has yet to make it into supermarkets, but according to the London Times, those who've tasted it are giving it raves. "Berry nuances," they're saying. "Sweet and tangy." "Ideal for cooking." Not only that, but the apple may even be healthier than its paler counterparts -- that red tint is due to the presence of flavonoids, which have antioxidant properties. And get this: Apparently the flesh won't go brown, making the apple a dream for salads and other raw dishes.

Since it will probably be a while before the Redlove makes it into the mainstream market, perhaps the more eager among us should consider buying a sapling -- which purportedly produces deep pink blossoms and is quite hardy. The fruit, too, is disease resistant -- "exceptionally high resistance to scab," as Suttons puts it.

• Gladstone's, the seafood joint known for great views and not-so-great food, is undergoing a renaissance.
• If you find yourself in Athens, visit a taverna. (And if you find yourself at home, make your own taverna fare.)
• First & Hope, a Southern-food supper club, is "retro with a sly wink." More importantly, the food rocks.
• What's that? You want a great whole-wheat pancake recipe? Here you go.

"Flowers are made to seduce the senses: fragrance, form, color." –Hilda Doolittle

A revival of the centuries old use of flowers for culinary use has resulted in quite a few delicious spirits. One of the few female distillers in the world, Joanne Moore, created a new gin called Bloom -- with hints of chamomile and honeysuckle -- that makes possibly the best gin and tonic I've ever had. Another new flower-enhanced spirit debuted recently called Geranium gin.

California's craft distiller Hangar One offers a Mandarin Blossom Vodka that is so delightfully aromatic it's almost a shame to mix it. Two of the many creative bottlings by Modern Spirits includes a once-a-year release of Rose Petal Vodka (made with three varieties of rose grown in the owners backyard) plus a regular flavor of Pear Lavender.

Besides orange blossom and rose, lavender and violet are also all-time favorite floral flavorings. Loft makes certified organic liqueurs but their star is Lavender Cello (a play off the popular spirit called lemoncello, of course). Dried lavender petals play a major role in the relaunched classic Crème Yvette. Rothman & Winter Crème de Violette is produced by macerating two kinds of violets in grape spirit. Supposedly flowers play a role in the history of Parfait Amour, the Victorian liqueur that helped gentleman win their ladies' love. To me, this liqueur often tastes more of vanilla and citrus, although the violet color is beautiful (and artificial). Look for Marie Brizard and Pages brands in the US, but keep your eyes out for Cartron and Bols while traveling.

It's all about the crunch in this salad of fresh snow peas and baby carrots, tossed with an Asian-style dressing of rice-wine vinegar, ginger and sesame seeds. The same brilliantly colorful combination gets treated to a miso-tamari dressing in this recipe.

If the sweet snap of snow peas rings your bell, try Kitchen Daily contributor Adeena Sussman's snow-pea and tofu sauté with a buttery soy-vinegar glaze, a riff on Philippine-style adobo.

Become a member of the Slashfood Flickr pool for a shot of having your photos featured in Feast Your Eyes.