My first order of business: get rid of the manicure. The very last impression I wanted to leave was my “Belle of the Ball” nail polish chipping into someone’s orzo.

For the next 48 hours, I was venturing straight into Escoffier’s inferno at a Michelin-starred kitchen in New York City as a stagiaire or kitchen apprentice.

Eleanor Roosevelt famously said, “A woman is like a teabag. You never know how strong she is until she gets into hot water.” Well, I was about to find out if I was a subtle Chai or full-bodied Pekoe.
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Sink your teeth into today's top stories from around the globe.

• Two newlyweds spent their honeymoon in the slammer after pilfering their reception food. - Consumerist

• You know you're at a bad restaurant when... - Food & Wine

• Anthony Bourdain vs. Paula Deen and what the battle might have to do with food inequality in America. - New York Times

• Would you like a McTank with that? - Eater

• The man behind the Oreo cookie. - Indy Week

While you're frying up some eggs and bacon, we're cooking up something else: a way to celebrate today's food holiday.

Raise your glass and pour yourself a strong one - August 25 is National Whiskey Sour Day.

Don't get your mouth all twisted up at the idea of this sweet and sour quaff. Splash some bourbon, lemon juice and sugar together and shake or serve it straight.
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Consider the daily Coffee Klatsch post as your VIP lounge – the primary comments thread for readers who'd like to chat about topics not related to the articles we're running. That way, everyone knows where to find each other, and each post's comments section remains on topic.
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