'Lin-fatuation' spawns new food and drinks, and lots of puns
Lin-Sanity, a basketball phenomenon that's turned a previously unknown Asian-American kid into an online and worldwide sensation has spilled over into New York's food scene with famous chefs and restaurateurs creating ‘Lintinis,' ‘Lin and Tonics' and, in reference to his Christian beliefs, ‘The Taiwanese Te-Bao.'
Jeremy Lin has emerged from complete obscurity over the last two weeks to become an internet sensation and darling of New York, after pulling off a string of outstanding performances as point guard for the New York Knicks.
To show their appreciation and capitalize on the city-wide momentum, bars and restaurants have been offering special menu items in honor of their new basketball hero, including the Jeremy Lin-Mint from Danny Meyer's Shake Shack, a chocolate and mint cookie shake, and the Lin and Tonic made with gin, blue Curacao, tonic, a slice of orange and an olive at Arctica Bar & Grill, report the New York Post and the NYTimes Diner's Journal.
Eddie Huang, known in the New York circle as the ‘bad-boy' irreverent restaurateur who helms BaoHaus, has also created the Taiwanese Te-Bao, a fried curry pork chop in a steamed Chinese bun named after US football player Tim Tebow and his penchant for kneeling on the field mid-game to pray. Lin has also been outspoken about his Christianity.
Judging by Huang's Twitter account the newest menu item, launched February 16, has been wildly popular as they've been running out.
And dude food blog Food Republic, headed by chef Marcus Samuelsson, has also created a Jeremy Lin party primer that offers recipes like The Shark-Lin Soup -- sans shark fins -- and menu planning ideas that include roast chicken buns, coconut pork egg rolls, ginger fried rice and Linzer tarts.
