NEED SOME ENERGY???

Energy drinks have become a part of the younger crowd ever since the Scottish made "Iron Brew" was invented in 1901. Japan popularized the drinks with "Lipovitan" in the early 60's. Now, most Americans are hooked on the sugary, caffeine filled, rush-inducing drinks. But which drinks are the smoothest? The sourest? The most tangy? I'm here to give you a firsthand look into the world of Energy...or, at least my take on that world.

#3: Rockstar Energy Supplement (16 oz. can): Rockstar has one of the widest range of different drinks, from Classic Rockstar (a citrus-flavored energy drink) to Rockstar Roasted (a creamy coffee beverage). I'm just going to give my take on classic Rockstar. While Rockstar doesn't give as much buzz as the top two drinks and has a far less-interesting taste, it does rank up there above other such energy drinks as Noss and Whip-It. It's the least expensive drink on the market in some places, and the most expensive in others (energy drinks have a wide range of prices depending on which drink is popular where at the time). $1.99 USD to $3.50 USD, depending on location and distributor.

#2: Monster BFC (Big Freaking Can, a 32 oz. can of classic Monster Energy): While it may take you a while to down this honking Monster (pun intended), this is guaranteed to give you a kick that lasts all day. The BFC is the biggest legally-available energy-drink on the market, making Monster a record-breaker. While its ingredients are the same as Classic Monster Energy, there is more of it at a reduced price (regular monster $2.50 a can for 16 oz., BFC for $3.99 for double that amount).

#1: Full Throttle Energy Drink (16 oz. Classic Citrus flavor): Full Throttle also comes in a variety of flavors, but none more drinkable than Classic Citrus. Full Throttle is Coke's take on the energy drink market, and they have succeeded effectively in flavor, crispness, and drinkability. A good drink for beginners to try, as it has a lower caffeine-count than other commercially available energy drinks. My personal favorite, as well. Runs anywhere from $1.50 USD to $2.99 USD, depending on your location and the seller.

BONUS: An Energy Drink for the More "Sophisticated" Drinker: Bawls Guarana is packaged in a trademarked cobalt-blue, non-slip glass bottle, making it very distinguishable from other "canned" energy drinks. Designed to market in areas such as New York City, Chicago, and other industrial business centers, Bawls is a drink for the more sophisticated palate, with a smoother finish and less sugar. A fruity after-taste makes this drink a pleasant surprise, but get ready to shell out if you want to buy this drink. One bottle can run you around $4 USD.

Best Steak Joints!

I love steak. Not as much as I love hot wings, mind you, so keep your eyes peeled for hot wings part 2, but I do love steak. So, today we will go over my steak infatuation with a fine tooth comb by exposing the top three steak joints nationwide!

#3: Applebee's: With a sports-bar atmosphere combined with family dining, you would think that this would be more of a burger joint, right? Well, you'd be wrong. I've been to Applebee's many a time to take advantage of their "two-fer" meal deal, where you can get an appetizer to split and two entrees for 20 bucks! I love Applebee's boneless buffalo wings, by the way, but their steak is grilled to perfection and seasoned to match Outback Steak House! When in a bind on where to grab a late-night snack, head for the corner store; when in a bind on where to find a late-night DINNER, on the other hand, head to your local Applebee's!

#2: Outback Steak House: I know, I said Applebee's measured up to these guys. But I lied, okay? Outback has some of the most delicious appetizers this side of Australia, as well as some of the best steak out there, with over 22 spices in their signature steak! The prices are a bit steep, though, if you want some good food. If on a budget, skip the steak and go for the cheaper options, but please, eat here anyways.

#1: Ruth's Chris steak house: This steak house is one of the most popular and the finest in the United States as well as other countries. Because of its success, it was able to establish 114 steak houses internationally. It is considered as one of the largest luxury steak houses, beating other steak houses in terms of profit and operation. With Ruth's Chris plentiful endorsements from famous personalities, it has become the talk of the nation. Also, I hear they make a mean filet mignon.

Bonus Steak House: Seattle's Metropolitan Steak House: A fluke of beef production resulted in the world's most expensive cut of beef: an $8,000 8 oz. filet. Check out the whole story at http://blogcritics.org/culture/article/worlds-most-expensive-steak-served-in/

Hot Wings? YES, OH YES!!!

I love hot wings. As a matter of fact, I would have to say that this post is the culmination of all my skill with writing, because hot wings are my VERY favorite food. Nothing measures up to the joy of tangy, spicy, buffalo-style wings melting off the bone and into my mouth.

So, without further ado, we introduce the best Phood Phreak post yet: Hot Wings.

#3: Wing Street Wings (Pizza Hut): With a wide variety of sauces and mildly crispy wings, these delicious delicacies are perfect for those just breaking into the world of hot wings. Ranging in heat from "very mild" (a delicious, creamy garlic sauce) to "blazing" (traditional wing sauce with 3x the heat), they perfectly whet your appetite for some of Pizza Hut's delicious pizza.

#2: Buffalo Wild Wings: I love this restaurant. Surprisingly, I find this restaurant more appealing than the one in the #1 slot, but it lacks the "just drumstick" mantra of the winner. Still, the combination of 12 different sauces (2x the amount of Wing Street) and the infamous "Blazing Wings Challenge", this sports bar has become famous for its wings. If you don't mind a little loud conversation and the occasional raucous racket of an avid sports crowd, this restaurant offers some of the world's finest wings and sauces.

#1: Old Chicago Pizzeria: I know what you're thinking (I'm just psychic like that). Another pizza place with good wings? Well, obviously, pizza and wings just mesh. This is no less true at Old Chicago, where the pizza rivals the wings. Still, this restaurant's wings outshine all the others. Perfectly crispy, not greasy, all drumsticks, and with a perfectly spicy classic buffalo sauce, this Pizza and Brew King also has America's best wings. Give them a try, because I told you to.

Bonus Wings: ORIGIN: There are four different legends about how Buffalo wings came to be:

Legend #1, #2, and #3 (The Anchor Bar): This legend involves Teressa Belissimo, co-owner of the Anchor Bar with her husband Frank. Upon the unannounced arrival of their son, Dominic, with several of his friends from college one night, Teressa needed a fast and easy snack to present to her hungry guests. It was then that she came up with the idea of deep frying chicken wings and tossing them in cayenne hot sauce (cayenne is what gives hot wings their sour zing). While the wings were deep frying, Teressa decided to serve left over celery sticks with blue cheese to her son and his friends to tide them over. The other two versions have very little variation: A) Catholics were just being able to eat meat after their fast thing and Frank wanting to do something nice for them, so he ordered Teressa to make something out of the leftover chicken wings and handed them out for free, or B) A communications error involving a delivery of wings instead of backs and necks (used by the Anchor Bar in their spaghetti sauce). Whatever the true story is, I lean towards the Anchor Bar being the true originator of Buffalo wings.

Legend #4 (The Least Likely Legend): The fourth version has nothing to do with the Bellissimos or the Anchor Bar (this is what makes it unlikely, as "mambo sauce" was not invented until 1967, years after wings had become a staple at the Anchor Bar). A New Yorker article stated that a man named John Young also claimed credit for serving chicken wings in a special "mambo sauce". Chicken wings in mambo sauce became the specialty at his Buffalo restaurant in the mid-1960s. Young had registered the name of his restuarant, "John Young's Wings 'n' Things", before leaving Buffalo in 1970.

Fruit Beat

Yeah, I know. Fruit and beets? Well, you read to far into it. I said "Fruit Beat", people, and that's what I meant.

So now you're thinking, "Hold on...fruit isn't a man-made snack. What's he doing covering fruit?" Well, keep your panties on, Aunt Hildegarde! Fruit is one of earth's most nutritious bounties, and it sure beats the pants off of vegetables when it comes to worldwide consumption. Did you know that every country on earth has at least one native fruit? How interesting is that?

Well, without further ado, let's get to my personal picks and a must try exotic fruit!

#3: Strawberries: High in vitamins and minerals, and red and delicious, strawberries make a great snack any time of day!

#2: Granny Smith Apples: Hard to munch, but juicy and worth it, Granny Smith Apples are a prime example of the apple species.

#1: Elephant Blueberries: Called such because they are the largest of their kind, Elephant Blueberries can grow to be an inch and a half in diameter! Their size belies a strong, blueberry flavor that is to die for!

Bonus Fruit: Mangosteen: Native to the Sunda Islands and the Moluccas (Islands you've never heard of), the Mangosteen is an exotic and delicious fruit not commonly found in American markets. The fruits are purple and creamy, described as citrus with a hint of peach. Further, some scientists propose that the elusive fruit may help prevent cancer!

Fruit Fact: The most expensive fruits in the world have been sold in Japan; however, these fruits are not different from most of our domestic fruits! In Japan, the farmers are given a huge sway in the government, and as such, they are allowed to charge outrageous prices for every fruit and vegetable (save cabbage). The most expensive fruit ever sold was a Musk Mellon for the equivalent of 10,000 American Dollars.

Day 5: Crispity, Crunchity Chips!

Chips. America's favorite snack food. Anyone who has ever ripped into a bag of Dorito's or Lay's knows what I'm talking about. That aroma; that taste; that crunch. Chips are one of man's greatest food endeavors. But which are the best? Stick around; I'll give you my top picks, plus one ultra special Super Chip that you're sure to ignore and never purchase!

#3: Lay's Salt and Vinegar Chips: While these summer classics may not appeal to those with a more sensitive palate, they provide the perfect edition to a nice turkey sandwich and a glass of lemonade. With the tart, tangy flavor of vinegar in every chip, these babies pack a wallop that will knock your taste buds senseless...but in a good way!

#2: DISCONTINUED Dorito's Fiery Habanero: Who likes spicy things? Why, 80% of Americans, that's who! Have you ever eaten a raw Habanero pepper? I have, and let me tell you; these chips are a welcome relief after you have scorched your mouth with the world's hottest pepper. Thankfully, they've toned down the heat and added a little flavor to these powerful tortilla chips. Warning: Not for the faint of heart. They are still available at some specialty stores.

#1: Rusty's Island Chips: A strange choice, but nevertheless, a delicious pick! Rusty's chips provide the taste of the original Saratoga Crisps (the first chips invented), just a little salted and moderately oily. If you want a classic, potato chip journey like you remember from when you were a kid (that is, if you were a kid in the 1900's), these chips are the perfect pick for you!

Bonus Chip: NOT A CHIP?? In 2005, a couple named Mike and Liz started a blog about a special french fry they’d found at McDonald’s. The fry, which they had dubbed the Lincoln Fry, featured a near perfect profile of the sixteenth president as seen on the common penny. It was also seen in an “amateur” commercial during that year’s Super Bowl XXXIX.Of course, the story was completely fabricated. It was concocted by McDonald’s as a viral marketing campaign and the Lincoln Fry itself was made from polyurethane plastic. That didn’t stop GoldenPalace.com from purchasing the 4-inch french fry for a nationwide tour alongside the “Virgin Mary grilled cheese sandwich.” The casino secured the world’s most expensive french fry at auction for $75,100. Proceeds from the Yahoo! auction went to Ronald McDonald House charities.

Day 4: What the Cheese???

I've never been a huge fan of the refined milk product known as cheese, but I do know one thing: the common conception that cheese was fermented in a goat bladder while an Ali-Baba-esque person crossed the desert is false. The enzymes in a goat bladder do not ferment cheese; it is more likely that the ancient Israelite people stored milk in wineskins, which caused the cheese to curdle. This means that the first type of cheese was (you guessed it) cottage.
There are more types of cheese than nearly any other food, beating out even the widely-used pasta. But which types of cheese are "best"?

#3: Tillamook Sharp Cheddar: As a last-minute party person, I usually put off snacks until the guests are scratching at the door to the kitchen. Nothing pleases a hungry crowd better than crackers and cheese. I find that a sharp cheddar is enjoyed by kids and adults alike, and Tillamook knows their way around a curd.

#2: Applegate Farms American Bleu: How about a little blue? Cheese, that is! While this cheese is given its appetizing flavor by the addition of MOLD, the more adventurous among us have tried it and found it to our liking! With a mild creamy flavor followed by a heavy dose of bitter cheesiness, it makes a great topping to sandwiches and salads!

#1: Tillamook Pepper Jack: Nothing is better than a nice grilled-cheese sandwich. But why is it that this dish eventually gets boring? Because we need to shake it up a little! Slice a nice, big hunk off a block of Tillamook Pepper Jack and add a little spice to that toasty treat!

Bonus Cheese: One expensive cheese is only produced at one farm and at a very specific time of year. Unusually, the cheese isn’t made from cow’s milk—the milk comes from moose! Moose House, a 59-acre moose farm located in northern Sweden, is where the cheese is produced from three foundling moose named Gullan, Haelga, and Juna. The moose are unusually tame, which is the only reason Moose House owners Christopher and Ulla Johannson can collect milk for the cheese. Even then, they can only be milked between May and September and the process takes about 2 hours per animal, hence the outstanding price of the cheese. The moose cheese is 12% fat and 12% protein and only about 660 lbs are produced annually. The Johannsons sell it to high end Swedish hotels and restaurants for about $500 per pound.

Day 3: Where Can I Get a Good Burger?

Many of you have probably asked this question before! Well, fear not, noble Phreak, for I have a menu of places where you can grab a tasty burger to please the palate and satiate that craving!

#3: Carl's Jr./Hardee's: This widely-known burger place began as a delicious burger stop. Now a bustling burger metropolis, it offers a wide selection of different burgers, most of which include a McDonald's/Burger King/A$W rarity: mustard. The downside? Too many selections wobble their focus a bit. While their burgers are passable, none of them are remarkable in the least, and it doesn't carry a wide array of toppings like our next two choices!

#2: Fuddruckers: Step through the door into an 80's style diner and discover what a "burger buffet" is. Walk up to the register, order your burger size (comes in 1/3 pound, 1/4 pound, 1/2 pound, 3/4 pound, and the astounding 1 pounder), pick to add cheese, bacon, or other meaty toppings, decide to add fries, a soft drink, or a shake, and then grab some complimentary peanuts on the way to your table. They'll cook your burger the way you order it, and when they bring it out, you can grab it and put all the toppings you want on it form the topping bar! It includes a wide variety of conventional and unconventional toppings, from tomatoes to banana peppers! The downside? Price. There isn't one burger on the menu under six dollars, and these do not include fries or a drink. Meals are 8 dollars on up.

#1: Five Guys Burgers and Fries: My personal favorite (and apparently America's, as it has received rave reviews and several Fast-Foot awards)! Whoever these Five Guys were, they knew what was going on in burger town! First, order your burger and decide how many patties you want. Then, add cheese and bacon, and then tell them what toppings you want on your burger! That's right: they offer a HUGE selection of fresh toppings for your burger, rivaling the produce section at your local Safeway! Just tell them what you want, and they'll top it themselves for no extra charge! Why is Five Guys so good, you may ask? I'll tell you: sparsity. Their menu consists only of burgers, fries, hot dogs, and drinks, giving them plenty of time to focus on the few items they do have and make them super great! The down side? There is none! Five Guys is the nation's foremost burger joint, and has the credentials to prove it! Just check out their website: www.fiveguys.com

Bonus Burger Joint: Surprisingly enough, the most expensive burger in the world can be found at Burger King. Yes, this monolithic fast food giant has decided to live up to its name by producing the world’s most expensive burger. Simply called “The Burger,” this costly hamburger is available only at a West London branch of the restaurant. Luckily for those among you who’ll be taking your private jets to Burger King for lunch, The Burger can be pre-ordered by phone so you needn’t wait. The world’s most expensive hamburger is made, as usual, with Wagyu beef. It is also decked with white truffles, onion tempura prepared in Cristal champagne and some of Spain’s finest Pata Negra ham. All of this is presented in an Iranian saffron and truffle bun. The Burger is priced at £95 (about $186 US). While it has been derided as a cheap marketing stunt, proceeds from The Burger will benefit a local charity, Help A London Child. All things considered, I’d say it’s at least an expensive marketing stunt.