Oscar Mayer via Facebook

Bacon dogs are a real thing.

Oscar Mayer, the first name in hot dogs and makers of the original ear worm jingle (just try to get "Oh I wish I were an Oscar Mayer wiener" out of your heads now that we placed it there), has announced the launch of its most innovative product -- just in time for summer grilling season.

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All photos by Arlyene Marie Ponce

At 6:59 a.m, the first customer was already waiting at the door. As of today, Panther Coffee's second location is up and running. They're calling it a soft open, which means gently feeding the caffeine frenzy while working out the kinks. Aside from a couch on the way and some missing pastries, these guys were ready to go at 6:30 with plenty of smiles and tasty cold brew. Enjoy a free drink today from 10 a.m. to noon at the new location.

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via flickr goodiesfirst

If you grew up in Miami, chances are you've eaten at Shorty's Bar-B-Q. Edward Louis "Shorty" Allen, who built the restaurant from a barbecue stand to a multilocation chain, died April 21 at the age of 104.

The restaurant serves standard barbecue fare such as ribs, brisket, coleslaw, and corn. New Times hails it one of "Miami's top ten barbecue restaurants."

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Via @MrKiplingCakes

Throwing in the towel isn't a foreign concept to most of us. If you have a high-stress job, it's something you've surely considered at least once in your career.

Whether you deal by soldiering on or quitting, no one will win more at life than one man who left his letter of resignation on a cake.

Because this man, whose nickname is "Mr. Cake," doesn't want to be a Border Force agent at an airport for the rest of his life.

No. His dream is to one day open a bakery.

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Goodbye, tuna choclo. Hello, tuna hamachi roll.

Spring has officially sprung, and with the change of seasons comes the change of seasonal dishes. Locally grown produce and sustainable eating has become a permanent trend in the Magic City. More restaurants are converting daily to this way of life, and we love it. What we don't love is the sudden change in menus from one day to another. Letting go of our winter favorites sucks, but for local restaurants to keep up, so must their menus.

Neighborhood favorite and late-night eatery Gigi has removed a few of the beloved buns (don't you worry, child, the pork bun has survived the cut), but new delicious bun choices have been added, along with other menu items.

See also:
- Best of Miami 2013 Readers' Poll: It's Time to Choose Sides

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Yardbird Southern Table & Bar

Southern Living recommends Yardbird's deviled eggs.

While geographically one of the southernmost cities in the United States, Miami isn't usually identified as being a "Southern" town.

Which is why it's a well-deserved surprise that Southern Living's May issue names Miami one of the "10 Tastiest Towns in the South."

Though Miami isn't number one (Durham, North Carolina, took that honor for its "scrappy scene of artisans devoted to coffee beans, brews, and the craft of humble foods"), it's in good company alongside some serious food destinations such as Austin, Charleston, and New Orleans.

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Ben & Jerry's Truck

Miami New Times gets free Ben & Jerry's.

Today is Free Cone Day, a made-up holiday that's celebrated throughout the land. And why not? It's not every day a company celebrates by giving something away. But then again, Ben & Jerry's is no ordinary company. The ice-cream manufacturer is politically incorrect, satirical, and socially conscious. Its business model is a corporate nightmare. But, with it all, it has garnered a loyal fan base that includes rock stars who clamor to have an ice cream named after them (rumor has it the company turned down the Rolling Stones).

In 1978, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield took their life savings of $8,000 and opened an ice-cream shop in an old gas station in Burlington, Vermont. They celebrated their one-year anniversary by giving away free ice cream. Thus, the very first Free Cone Day was born.

Now, more than 30 years later, Ben & Jerry's is no longer a small Vermont shop. It's a division of Unilever, with multiple factories and "scoop shops" around the world. But travel to Burlington and you'll soon see that the simple joy of making ice cream remains. The offices and main factory are covered in cow murals. Meeting rooms are named for ice-cream flavors, and a fully operational ice-cream parlor sells treats to employees for a dollar.

See also:
- Ben & Jerry's Free Greek Fro-Yo: You Invite the Truck
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Cabrera.

After two years of delays, Alberto Cabrera has found a space for his long-discussed Frita Shop at the corner of Ponce de Leon Boulevard and Salamanca Avenue. Opening sometime this summer, the shop will be the first of several spots, he said.

"It's going to be terribly simple," he said. We're thinking "a double [frita] and then a couple of different variations. We wanted to have a couple [hot] dogs, and are planning on doing some dogs with the actual flavor profile of frita."

See also:
- Alberto Cabrera Leaves The Local, Starts Frita Shop
- Bread + Butter: Sino-Cuban Pan Con Lechon and a Secret Dining Room

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Photos courtesy of The Dome

On a busy restaurant street, the Dome Restaurant & Caviar Bar hides between monsters Hillstone and Graziano's. The quaint eatery seats no more than 40, but that's enough for an executive chef who's been around the kitchen block.

Good news, then, that a new executive chef has been appointed and that he's worked under notables such as Daniel Boulud and José Andrés. Meet Nilton Castillo.

See Also:
- The Dome: Caviar and Eclectic Global Fare in an Eco-Chic Environment
- Best Chefs in America: A Peer Review For Chefs Names Miami's Finest Toques
- Miami's Top Ten Chefs

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Flicker via cpt.hook

According to the Christian Science Monitor, "kosher" is the new "artisan." Jews and non-Jews alike are flocking to kosher bakeries, delis, and markets to take part in what has become the latest food trend. What qualifies as kosher? Meat and dairy items must be kept apart, and animals are slaughtered according to strict rules.

The article states that non-Judaic vegans, Muslims, Hindus, vegetarians, and Seventh-day Adventists, among others, are all about eating kosher. In fact, sales of kosher products surged dramatically between 2003 and 2008, increasing 64 percent during that period, and have continued to grow, though at a more gradual pace, since then.

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