The hottest food show: 'Parks and Rec'

As a fan since the very first episode, I can finally declare my favorite food show: "Parks and Recreation." I'd move to Pawnee to break bread with Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman) and Tom Haverford (Aziz Ansari). Now the online food world is catching on to them, too.

Ron had barely finished his definition of a turkey burger ("a fried turkey leg inside a grilled hamburger") when Eater.com had documented an attempt to make one. Then Ansari's rant on food names ("Zerts are what I call desserts, tres-tres are entrees . . . fried chicken is fry-fry chicky-chick, chicken Parm is chicky-chicky-parm-parm") was broken down into a Web guide: http://tomhaverfoods.com/

Remember, people: Muffins are just naked cupcakes.

Elsewhere online:

• Eater National is reporting that Paula Deen has been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. No confirmation. If it's true, she has my sympathy. TV ratings are a tough game. Would anyone have watched "Paula Deen's Low-Fat, Healthful Food Party"?
• Further proof that the cupcake craze is over (or should be): Cupcake Vodka. It's available in four flavors (original, chiffon, frosting and devil's food). Amazing -- they've invented a vodka that gives me a headache before I drink it.
  
• In more serious news, I was vacationing last week and almost missed an excellent story in the New York Times on the risk that foragers are destroying ramps by digging too many of them. Since ramps are one of North Carolina's food traditions, it's worth a read.
• And in today's New York Times, science-cook Harold McGee has a fascinating piece on the taste of artisan sea salts.