 CNN photojournalist John Bodnar is a second-generation Slavic-American whose grandparents emigrated from Eastern Slovakia, and his mother’s Carpatho-Rusyn ethnicity is the prominent influence for his cultural and family traditions. Here is an introduction to the comfort foods that he grew up on. Cabbage, onions, potatoes and carrots are used in many ethnic dishes from Eastern Slovakia. Coincidentally, my grandparents settled in western Pennsylvania, which has a similar climate and growing season as their homeland, so maintaining the native cuisine was not at all difficult. Most families and relatives that I knew growing up had a backyard vegetable garden, and these gardens produced quite a large variety of fresh rooted and vine-ripened staples. My father and uncles seemed to be especially proud of the hot peppers that they grew, and a friendly rivalry of whose was best was quite evident - though my uncle Mike usually won the unofficial competition. The local backyard farmers were always generous with their harvests. Sharing with neighbors, or the elderly who couldn’t grow their own gardens, was a common practice. The produce that couldn’t be eaten immediately was soon canned and set aside for the winter months. My mother and grandmother usually took care of the canning, and the fresh aroma of the canning process is indelibly etched in my memory. Hey, it's better than a cooler of Gatorade.  Sink your teeth into today's top stories from around the globe.
 Orson Welles, Sammy Davis Jr. and Sean Connery are an unlikely trio united by more than the love of a good party in the Hollywood hills. What linked them, and other famous faces, was their promotion of Japanese whisky, each sipping it in TV advertisements like it was nectar of the gods. Bill Murray's sardonic character in "Lost in Translation" may have mocked the image of sophistication that Japanese whisky manufacturers liked to portray from the 1970 to the 1990s, but since 2001, Japanese whisky has been steadily picking up awards and gaining the plaudits of international whisky connoisseurs without the need for a knowing smirk or wink.  While you're frying up some eggs and bacon, we're cooking up something else: a way to celebrate today's food holiday. Leapin' lobsters! February 29 is not only Leap Day, it's also National Surf and Turf Day! You won't always have the chance to celebrate this food holiday, so double up on the good stuff while you can. If you think we're encouraging you to hit the beach, by all means, surf's up! But, surf and turf is also a main dish that puts seafood and meat on the same plate. If you've ever chowed down at a steakhouse or pub on this dish, it probably included some combination of steak, lobster, prawns or grilled or fried shrimp. Lucky you! A phrase of Atlantic coast origin, surf and turf was coined during the 1960s.  Pssst! Got a sec to chat? We are utterly thrilled when readers want to hang out and talk – whether it's amongst themselves or in response to pieces we've posted. We want Eatocracy to be a cozy, spirited online home for those who find their way here. 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.  5@5 is a daily, food-related list from chefs, writers, political pundits, musicians, actors, and all manner of opinionated people from around the globe. When crying kids disrupt dinner, who ends up paying the price? That was the question posed last week, and more than 21,000 readers weighed in saying that restaurants with stated policies about children's unruly behavior would actually entice them to spend money there. While Firefly executive chef Danny Bortnick has taken steps to make his restaurant more kid-friendly, it is a two-way street - your kids need to act right. And before you go off thinking Bortnick is some kind of booster seat hater, he is a father - and his restaurant is in the middle of Washington D.C.'s Dupont Circle: a densely populated urban neighborhood often busy with families and young kids. Five Ways to Make Your Child More Restaurant-Friendly: Danny Bortnick  Marcus Samuelsson and Roblé Ali are two different chefs. Samuelsson, 41, is an established name amongst foodies and the proprietor of Red Rooster, a renown Harlem restaurant. Ali, 27, is an up and coming chef and animated reality-show star who works full time as an established caterer. Samuelsson has made a name for himself embracing his identity as both a black chef and a Swedish immigrant to the United States, but younger chefs like Ali find themselves pushing back against being known simply as a “black chef.” Ali, who’s still building his brand, was frustrated when a blog author unexpectedly labeled him a “hip-hop chef.” “Who takes you serious when you’re the hip hop chef?” said Ali. “And why am I the hip hop chef, because I’m black? I’m not break dancing.” Read - A tale of two chefs: Marcus Samuelsson and Roblé Ali Previously - a Secret Supper at Red Rooster Nobody would think it’s smart to drink pepper spray, but trying this “almost non-edible” salsa may come close. It’s made with Trinidad Scorpion peppers, which are the same kind used in the spray. The Albuquerque, New Mexico restaurant El Pinto is attempting to create the world’s hottest salsa in a jar. They’re calling it “scorpion salsa” and they’re making it for the National Fiery Foods & Barbecue Show being held in Albuquerque this weekend. Watch the brave (or crazy?) KOAT reporter try a spoonful. Would you eat a salsa that could cause burns when it makes contact with your skin? Let us know in the comments below. Previously - Heat-seeking eater seeks nuclear noshes and 'Chili-heads' seek friendly fire from powerful pepper  Sink your teeth into today's top stories from around the globe.
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