Chicken Charlie's

We know California state fair food mainstay Charlie Boghosian (aka Chicken Charlie) lives to come up with gross-out (allegedly) edible concoctions. He is, after all, the person who brought us deep-fried Kool-Aid, cereal and PB&Js. But he has gone too far -- too far we say! -- with his Krispy Kreme doughnut sloppy Joe, which debuted this week at the San Diego County Fair. He might as well stuff a hamburger in a jelly doughnut and call it dohamducken (we're sure someone will get right on that now).

The "sandwich" -- mounds of sloppy Joe meat and cheddar cheese on a glazed doughnut bun -- sells for $7.95. You can get a deep-fried, bacon-wrapped pickle on the side if that isn't enough for you.

"Your stomach will thank you!" Chicken Charlie, headquartered in Del Mar, has the nerve to proclaim on his Facebook page (which we will not be "liking").

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Courtesy ABC

Adan Canto and Vanessa Lengies in Mixology

As far as we can tell, no one is very excited about much of the programming the major networks are launching this coming fall. But in an already sad lineup, one show stands out as having the potential to be stunningly bad: Mixology, the new comedy from ABC.

The new series is apparently written by some of the writers of The Hangover, and follows a bunch of people in a New York bar over the course of one night. Yes, as in, the entire season takes place over one night in one bar. It's like 24, but instead of high stakes drama we learn scintillating facts, like how women who wear flats don't like sex -- or something.

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Lucius Kwok via flickr

A waffle taco in Texas

Coming on the heels of the wild success of the Doritos Tacos Locos, it seems that Taco Bell has decided to just let the stoners completely take over the menu development side of their business, because Brand Eating is reporting that Taco Bell is testing a taco made from a waffle. And -- lucky us -- it appears that the one place this abomination is available is within driving distance.

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Jobmouse via flickr

The rumors have abounded for months, that Whole Foods would take over the 2520 Glendale Boulevard location in Silver Lake currently occupied by Ralphs. Today, the Eastsider reports that a company spokesperson for Whole Foods has confirmed that "there is a commitment to occupy the ... location." Timing and specifics are not currently available.

The move poses a whole slew of questions that reflect on the very essence of Silver Lake as a neighborhood.

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Flickr/qmnoic

Grocery shopping

Our nation's greatest scientific minds have recently determined that going grocery shopping on an empty stomach is a bad idea if you are on a diet. The findings, by two researchers at Cornell University's Food and Brand Lab, have been published online in the Journal of the American Medical Assn. Internal Medicine.

Sixty-eight study subjects (19-62 years old, 71% female) fasted for five hours before doing their grocery shopping in a simulated online store. The e-market displayed everything from low-calorie items such as fruits, vegetables and chicken breasts to high-calorie products such as candy, salty snacks and red meat. Junk food items were displayed alongside better-for-you alternatives.

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Wikimedia Commons

insect food stall: or, a much better use for edible insects

We know that male, uh, issues are a tough topic. And over the centuries, men have turned to some pretty bizarre remedies. But for those of you who have resorted to pricey capsules containing black ants, well you're going to have to stop that right now, because they are being recalled.

Black ant is apparently no Spanish fly. Rather than containing a miracle insect cure, the black ant capsules allegedly have been doctored with sildenafil, a drug used to treat erectile dysfunction, according to testing by the Food and Drug Administration. The manufacturer, American Lifestyle, is voluntarily recalling the capsules, which go for $19 for a box of four. (You guys realize that Viagra is covered by most prescription drug plans, right?) The product is distributed worldwide by online sales and retail and is promoted as increasing desire and sexual performance. (The company is also recalling its Vicerex capsules, which contain undeclared tadalafil, another ED drug.)

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Flickr/Lablascovegmenu

A hearts of palm salad

Do termites know something we don't? Bioengineers suggest that wood could be the answer to the world's hunger problems, ScienceNOW reports.

Cellulose, the main ingredient in wood, is one of the most abundant organic compounds on Earth. Scientists in Virginia have discovered a way to turn cellulose into starch, the most common carbohydrate in the human diet. Their findings are documented in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and were published online Tuesday. As a bonus, the leftover from the process is ethanol, which can be used to power vehicles.

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Guzzle & Nosh

A self-heating meal

If you're reading this, then the world hasn't ended. Yet, anyway. And so, even though NASA confidently released a helpful, if pre-emptive, video entitled, "Why the World Didn't End Yesterday," it still wouldn't hurt to borrow a bit from panicked Russians and have some sort of food-related contingency plan anyway. You know, just in case Woland or the plague wreak havoc on Earth later today, or on the off chance that the aliens land and colonize the planet tomorrow. Turn the page for a flowchart on this apocalypse day.

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A. Scattergood

Pescado zarandeado at Coni'Seafood

There's nothing quite like a drop dead deadline to inspire you to contemplate all the things you always wanted to eat in this city before it was too late. And so, with the apocalypse scheduled for sometime on Friday, we put together five food-related things to do before the Four Horsemen come galloping this way. Or, if you prefer, think of these as items to cross off on your L.A. bucket list. Turn the page.

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Frito-Lay

A special new version of the iconic snack

In the third sign of the Apocalypse (Paul Ryan was the first, Frankenstorm second), PepsiCo.'s Frito-Lay has come out with a new caffeinated version of Cracker Jack called Cracker Jack'D.

We'll give that a moment to sink in.

The new Cracker Jack'D Power Bites (Cocoa Java or Vanilla Mocha) flavor contains as much caffeine in each 2-ounce serving as a cup of coffee -- 70 milligrams, the FDA limit for a 12-ounce serving of cola. That could mean kids could get an overdose of caffeine if they consume more than one serving at a time (highly likely), warns the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a nonprofit nutrition activist group based in Washington, D.C. that is going absolutely apeshit.

"Whether or not they are advertised directly to children, it is certain that young children will consume Cracker Jack'D ... and sometimes consume it to excess," CSPI Executive Director Michael F. Jacobson wrote executives at Frito-Lay and parent company PepsiCo.

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