The Legend of Babyman

Several years ago, my friends had a son. For whatever reason, I decided to nickname him "Babyman." It was funny at first. Over four years later, the moniker is out of place. I wonder what I'll call him in another ten years.

When he was a baby, he ate a ton. There was a running joke that I might have to take him under my wing one day. That probably won't be happening.  But, the lad is definitely a fan of my side work. His parents tell me he often demands to watch the PCH episode of Man V Food Nation, usually several times a day. I'm glad someone liked it.

Steaks... why did it have to be steaks? 

Hectic Times in South OC

Last week was busy. Between seeing myself on Man v Food Nation (strange and surreal), pioneering a burrito challenge, and winning a Fatburger 6 lb burger contest, life outside the classroom has been without a dull moment.

Before I go through all these recent events, I'd like to report on a burrito challenge from South Orange County that was completed successfully some months back in May 2011. A friend and I ventured to Los Cabos Cantina in Lake Forest, home to the 7 lb "Biggest Burrito Challenge." The challenge is normally offered Tuesday nights, but we got ours on a weekend.

Is it truly 7 lbs, or does that weight include the rice and beans that adorn the sides of the pizza platter? No one on the wait staff could really tell us. It was not a difficult challenge. However, it was an enjoyable one. The meat was incredibly tender, rice flavorful, and the beans complimented well with melted cheese.

The only thing I can say is: bring silverware! They normally only give you plastic cutlery, and I struggled mightily to get things done quickly. My friend and I both finished under 14 minutes. The challenge officially entails a 30 minute limit. Fail to get it done and you'll pay $30 for your disaster. There's no free shirt here, but you do get your photo on the wall.

We celebrated our wins in appropriate fashion, splitting a nacho platter and driving over to a local Golden Spoon for some soft serve. I don't know, at some point it feels like all this eating after a challenge becomes gratuitous. Then again, I'm probably the last person who should be raising that point.

Look for my next posts to include the recent burrito challenge (with video) and the Fatburger contest.

Man Vs. Burritos

Anyone want to guess how much these burritos weigh? These are two Killer burritos from Chile Red in Rancho Cucamonga, CA. The menu says they weigh 3 lbs each, but there's way those are legitimate numbers.

The restaurant will give anyone who finishes one killer burrito a free t-shirt. There's no time limit, though the restaurant recognizes my previous challenge attempt at 9 minutes as the official record. When I asked if anyone had ever consumed two in one sitting, all I got were replies of amazement. Never in the restaurant's history - since 1985 - had that been done. So that became a test for me.

The first one went down around 9:30 real time, but the second one was agonizing. It took 37 minutes to completely finish both. There were moments I really wanted to stop. That was one of the most intense challenges I've ever endured. I'd estimate the weight of both burritos at 10 lbs, with lots of meat and cheese. The restaurant owners were most impressed by the display and gave me both challenges on the house. Their hospitality and support was simply exemplary. I need to go back and eat three.

Tomorrow night, I will be appearing on Man v Food Nation to attempt a 4 lb tri tip sandwich in San Luis Obispo. The opportunity was extraordinary. The finished product should be more entertaining than my YouTube productions.