America: A Land of Freedom, Equality, and...Giant Junk Food!

If there's one adjective that seems to have originated due to the expansion of American junk food that word would be super-sized. Whether it applies to a container of fries, a soft drink, or a candy bar, the term super-size has leaped to new bounds, making it's way into even more and more candies and junk foods. Let's explore a couple of these new ones shall we?

http://www.fritolay.com/assets/images/fpo/Cheetos_Giant.gif

No....your eyes do not deceive you...that is a giant concoction of neon organge cheese-covered god knows what!!! No kidding!! These snacks (if you can call them that) are the size of a golf ball! A golf ball! Now I don't know about you but about the biggest thing I've ever had is a giant jawbreaker. I'm sure many will agree that havn't something that big in your mouth is not that enjoyable. And just think of how wide you have to open your mouth to even begin to chomp down on the thing!

I have also heard work of a rice krispies cereal with pieces three times the normal size...unless rice has genetically been altered to grow three times the size, I'm pretty sure that would mean rice krispies are not as "natural" as many might think. (Hey there's an idea! Genetically alter rice and wheat to grow three times its normal size. BAM! World hunger solved!)

Stay tuned for more giant American Junk Foods!! :P

The Next Iron Chef

Interview and article from AOL regarding the most intelligent and entertaining member of the Food Network team....ALTON BROWN! ^_^

VIDEO: Alton Brown Dishes About 'Next Iron Chef,' Kitchen Gadgets & More
October 2, 2009

By: Maggie FurlongComments

The title of Iron Chef is not something the Food Network takes lightly, which is why they gather only the best chefs from around the world to compete to become 'The Next Iron Chef.'

As host, commentator and all around cooking guru on 'Iron Chef America,' Alton Brown has seen it all in Kitchen Stadium. Leading the reality competition once again for season 2 (premeires Sun., Oct. 4, 9PM ET on Food Network), Brown opened up exclusively to AOL TV about what it takes to win the title. "We're looking for something very specific," Brown admits. "We're looking for people that can tell stories with their food."

But how does he always know what the chefs are cooking up to tell those stories? (Something about pattern recognition.) And would he ever compete on 'Iron Chef' himself? (This question gets a big laugh out of him.) Lastly, I had to know -- after touting the usefulness of so many kitchen gadgets on his other hit show, 'Good Eats,' what's his favorite multi-tasking tool? (Panini, anyone?)

Pancakes, Hot Cakes, Griddle Cakes, Flap Jack....whichever you prefer...

An ever-popular breakfast dish, pancakes are what we in the culinary world consider quick breads. This means that they rise quickly because they contain considerable moisture and chemical leavening. Certain food anthropologists believe that the earliest forms of pancakes (consisting simply of ground grains and water) may have very well been the first real cooked food. In Canada,the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia, pancakes are traditionally eaten on Shrove Tuesday, which is also known as "Pancake Day." Shrove Tuesday is more widely known in the US, France and other countries as Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday. Historically, pancakes were made on Shrove Tuesday so that the last of the fatty and rich foods could be used up before Lent.

What many IHOP-goers and pancake-consumers may not know is the large-scale presence of the pancake or a form of a pancake on a global scale....The following is a list of countries with their form of pancake...

France-crepe
Sweden-plankakor
Scotland-oatcakes
Ireland-boxty
China-onion cakes
Austria-nockerl
Italy-castagnaccio
German-pfannkuchen
Netherlands-pannekoeken
Hungary-palascinta
Russia-blintzes
India-pooda

Despite the global existence of pancakes it appears that the US is the only country to turn pancake mix into a factory-produced and pre-packaged mix of "ingredients." Allow me to defend this claim...here's an "ingredient" list for a popular brand of pancake mix....

INGREDIENTS: ENRICHED BLEACHED FLOUR (BLEACHED WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMIN MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), SUGAR, LEAVENING (SODIUM BICARBONATE, SODIUM ALUMINUM PHOSPHATE, MONOCALCIUM PHOSPHATE), SALT, CALCIUM CARBONATE (A SOURCE OF CALCIUM).

...hmmm....I don't think I see a lot of things at my local supermarket. In pancake mix's defense there are definitely more artificially produced foods. Like this for example...


I like pancakes and I like sausage and sure I'll eat them at breakfast time but that does not mean I want to eat them together on a stick!! But hey, maybe I'm just weird....>_>

Day 30: It's a vegetable! It's a grain! NO!...It's Candy!!

A classic fall/harvest-time/Halloween treat! Candy Corn! Created in the 1880s by the Wunderle Candy Company, the three colors of the candy are meant to mimic corn.As surprising as it may seem, each piece is approximately the size of a whole kernel of corn, as if it fell off a ripe or dried ear of corn. Needless to say those who eat corn off the cob are wasting a good deal of this grain! Eskimos would be ashamed! (I mean Inuits..Sorry) Candy corn generally has a base of yellow, a middle of orange, and a tip of white. An alternate form of candy corn has a brown base with a hint of chocolate. This variety is known as Indian Candy Corn. (WTF!?! (Remember that means What the flip!) So just because it's brown we have to call it Indian Corn?? I think American candy producers have some racial biases to address!)

The National Confectioners Association estimate 20 million pounds of candy corn are sold each year! (Ok...What's crazier...the fact that we consume that much candy corn or the fact that a National Confectioners Association actually exists!)

Candy corn is made primarily from sugar, corn syrup and honey. Originally candy corn was homemade with marshmallows and fondant as additional ingredients...but as all things must come to an end (or in this case begin mass factory production) the ingredients and methods of candy corn had to be more cost-efficient and quicker. Just a quick note on ingredients...If it doesn't have honey in it, it ain't no good! Personal favorite brand: Brach's but everyone has their preference. Brach's does contain honey BTW!

Of recent Brach's has released several other Halloween-specific varieties of candy corn. Carmel Candy Corn which actually contains Milk Maid Caramels and Candy Apple Candy Corn. I believe the Candy Apple (which has a red base) is a bit sickening but I'll let you be your own judge.

Now the recipe I am going to include does not actually contain candy corn....it merely resembles candy corn...and without further ado..I present...

Candy Corn Cookies- by Land O'Lakes

These bite-sized treats resemble candy corn and have a hint of orange flavor.
Preparation time: 45 min Baking time: 7 min
Yield: 15 dozen miniature cookies


1 cup Butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 Egg
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Orange paste or gel food color
Yellow paste or gel food color


1/2 cup sugar


Line bottom and sides of 9x5-inch loaf pan with waxed paper or plastic food wrap. Set aside.

Combine butter and 1 cup sugar in large bowl; beat at medium speed until creamy. Add egg, orange juice, orange zest and salt. Continue beating until well mixed. Reduce speed to low; add flour and baking soda. Beat until well mixed.

Divide dough into thirds. Press one-third of white dough evenly onto bottom of prepared pan. Place another one-third of dough back into same bowl. Add small amount of orange food color; mix until color is well blended. Press orange dough evenly over white dough in pan. Place remaining one-third of dough into another medium bowl. Add small amount of yellow food color; mix until color is well blended. Press yellow dough evenly over orange dough in pan. Cover with plastic food wrap; refrigerate until firm (at least 2 hours or overnight).

Place 1/2 cup sugar in large bowl; set aside.

Heat oven to 375°F. Invert loaf pan to remove dough. Peel off waxed paper. Place layered dough onto cutting surface. Cut loaf crosswise into 1/4-inch slices using sharp knife, trimming edges to make even, if necessary. Cut each slice into 6 wedges. Place 1-inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes or until edges are firm and bottoms are very lightly browned. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets. Immediately place warm cookies in bowl with sugar; roll in sugar to coat. Place cookies onto cooling rack. Cool completely.

Store in loosely covered container.

VARIATION:
Chocolate Candy Corn: Prepare dough as directed except stir 1 (1-ounce) square melted semi-sweet baking chocolate into one-third of white dough. Tint one-third of dough orange and one-third yellow. Place chocolate dough into prepared pan; layer with orange and yellow dough. Cut and bake as directed.

Oh and true story! One Halloween when I was much younger, more naive, and not nearly as intelligent (:P) I broke off the white tip of a piece of candy corn and convince my mom that I had lost a tooth. It actually worked!.....for a little while at least...not long enough to find any money under my pillow though....: (

Day 30: Nutella!

What is bar none the best chocolate-containing substance, treat, snack, dessert, or food on this planet?? : nutella! I wish I was merely exaggerating on how good this stuff really is but I'm not...And believe me the fact that I'm a food-obsessed foodie (I guess that would be a double negative(positive) of sorts) does not mean that the average chocoholic would not love this spread. It is sold in over 75 countries and the estimated Italian production of Nutella averages 179,000 tons per year!

The recipe for this concoction was developed by the Italian Ferero Company (Yes all great things are Italian! Like me ;)...that was a joke btw) in 1949 and began its production in 1963. Because this is not an American condiment product, the ingredient list is not as unhealthy or freakishly long as that of the modern condiment. In fact..that is if you take out the sugar and fat from the chocolate..this stuff really isn't that bad for you!!

Sugar, vegetable oil, hazelnuts, cocoa powder, skimmed milk powder, lecithin,and vanilla. That's it!!! (By the way lecithin isn't as scary as it sounds. It just acts as an emulsifier to keep the ingredients mixed despite a long shelf life.)Nutella is a modified form of gianduja. Gianduja is a type of chocolate containing approximately fifty percent almond and hazelnut paste. It was developed in Piedmont, Italy after taxes on cocoa beans hindered the trade of conventional chocolate. Pietro Ferrero owned a patisserie in Alba, in the Langhe district of Piedmont, an area known for the production of hazelnuts. He sold an initial batch of 660 pounds of "Pasta Gianduja" in 1946. This was originally a solid block, but in 1949 Pietro developed his first spread, which he started to sell in 1951 as "Supercrema". The name "Nutella" and logo were added in 63' as previously mentioned.

Nutella even has its own website @ www.nutella.it

After a bit of research I found this very appealing Nutella-containing recipe that I just may have to try out.

Nutella & Peanut Butter Brownies
(adapted from OvenHaven)

½ cup butter, melted
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
½ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
4 tbsp (¼ cup) peanut butter (chunky, smooth, whatever you have on hand)
4 tbsp (¼ cup) Nutella

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 8×8 inch or 7×11 inch pan with baking parchment paper.

Measure the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt into a small bowl and whisk to combine.

Stir the sugar into the melted butter. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined.

Put the Nutella and peanut butter in a small bowl and microwave until runny. Fold into brownie mix. It may help to not mix too well so that you are left with streaks of peanut butter and nutella. Pour batter into pan and bake for 20-25 minutes, until top forms a crust.

Day 30: An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away!...well not this kind....

What does carmel, toffee, and candy all have in common??! They are all suitable coatings for apples. Thus we have the candy/toffee/carmel apple. Actual candy apples date as far back as to the early 19th century! (That's early 1800s for anyone who has a hard time with the whole century concept.) These were served at harvest festival or Christmas celebrations. At this time the actual coating was more of a sugar syrup and was generally tinted red and occasionally hinted with cinnamon. The actual carmel apple is more of an Americanized method, whereas a toffee apple is more British.

Companies involved in large-scale carmel apple productions wrap a sheet of caramel around the apple, which is then followed by heating of the apple to melt the caramel evenly onto it. This creates a harder caramel that is easier to transport but more difficult (and sometimes more fun) to eat. My theory is that carmel-apple companies (the name of one escapes me now) are in league with the American Dental Association. For every ten apples consumed, another individual requires a cavity or filling! (Ok that's not true....but wouldn't it be crazy if that were true!!)

In regards to caramel apple production at home you can do the easy and conveniently delicious method or you can do the lengthy, more likely to-burn-yourself method. I prefer the first which entails unwrapping 30-some carmels adding a tablespoon or two of water and microwaving it in intervals. The homemade way requires a lengthier list of ingredients like brown sugar, butter, and vanilla. The procedure to making a homemade carmel sauce also requires more precision and equipment. So sure if you want to go all Iron Chef America on your apples then go ahead, make your homemade carmel glaze with a candy thermometer. Keep this in mind! If you do choose to melt store-bought carmels in the microwave, then you CAN lick off the melted carmel without fear of a second-degree burn on your tongue!

NOTE TO READER!: Ok, I know the word is Caramel but everyone prounounces it carmel so that is how I will type it!


There also exists a group of candy-coated apples known as Gourmet Carmel Apples. This merely meants that the already dipped carmel apple is also dipped in chocolate and then rolled in a variety of nuts, chocolate, or candy bits. The real purpose in adding gourmet to the title of carmel apple is so that consumers do not feel jipped/ripped-off/tricked into paying outrageous sums of money from mass-producers of less than adequate candy apples...

Day 29: To Be or Not to Be...a muffin!

Ok so this question may not be as in depth or soul-searching as that of Hamlet (If you're in high school or above and don't know who Hamlet is shame on you!)...but the question of what qualifies a muffin as a muffin can be just as vital to human existence! Ok that's not true...but hey a lot of people like muffins! So! What is a muffin? Well according to the dictionary a muffin s "an individual cup-shaped quick bread made with wheat flour, cornmeal, or the like, and baked in a pan (muffin pan) containing a series of cuplike forms." Hmm...why does that definition sound familiar....Oh! I know why!! Cupcake: "a small cake, the size of an individual portion, baked in a cup-shaped mold." Awfully similar definition, eh? Well do not be fooled there is a distinct difference between a muffins and cupcake!

The way most people identify the difference cupcakes and muffins as having different health benefits. A muffin is generally viewed as healthier as a cupcake and thus a muffin can be considered an appropriate breakfast food. Well listen up people! There is really not too much of a difference !! Sure you can get a blueberry muffin or banana muffin but they generally do not have to much more nutrients than say a banana cupcake or blueberry cupcake. So that makes the health difference a little less convincing...

Oh and by the way I feel it necessary to present a pet peeve of mine. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A CHOCOLATE MUFFIN! THAT IS COMPLETE HOGWASH! There is not a darn bit of difference between a chocolate muffin and say a chocolate cupcake or chocolate cake. So next time someone asks you if you are eating a chocolate muffin, be honest! It is a cupcake! There is nothing healthy about a chocolate muffin/cupcake!

Anyway! Another classic distinction is the whole idea of frosting. Now for the most part this could work. Usually cupcakes are spread with a light swirl of frosting. Or in the case of supermarkets, the cupcake acts as the carrying device for a glob of artificially-dyed frosting the size of Mount Everest. (Sounds appetizing, eh? ^_^) However it is possible for a muffin to be topped with some jelly, marmalade, of glaze.

So still we have yet to find a clear distinction between a muffin and a cupcake...Well time to get technical! Let's start with our ingredients! A muffin batter will always contain more flour than a recipes for cupcake batter. When it comes to mixing ingredients, cupcakes are meant to be creamed whereas muffin ingredients are told to be combined or mixed until wet. Also muffins are baked 5-7 minutes longer and at a higher temperature than cupcakes. The result of these ingredient, mixing, and baking differences results in a difference in density. As is easily noticed a muffin is much denser than a cupcake. If you look closely at the inside of a muffin you'll notice a pattern of small, consistent bubbles. A cupcake has bubbles of varying size and shape that cause it to have a texture that is lighter and cakeyer (yeah I know it's not a word so don't sue me). And voila there you have the difference between a cupcake and muffin!

Day 28: Monkeyin' Around

Monkey Bread, Bubble Loaf, Hungarian Coffee cake, Golden Crown, Pinch-me Cake, or whatever name pleases your fancy can be summed up in three simple words: gooey, sticky, and yummy! (Unhealthy can be added to that list too...) First appearing in recipe magazines in the 1930s, monkey bread is a simple breakfast pastry generally composed of biscuit dough, cinnamon, and sugar. Additional ingredients may include chocolate chips, caramel, and nuts of some sort. The best thing about this delicious treat are the theories developed to explain its name. First, there is the theory that this bread resembles the Monkey Puzzle Tree. A second theory believes the name originates due to the fact that the act of people pulling at the bread is reminiscent of monkey behavior. (I of course prefer the second of the two.) Whatever the reason behind the name it is an undeniable fact that monkey bread is one of the most scrumptious and simple baked goods that a person with an IQ of 10 should be able to make. You simply purchase a can of biscuit dough and cut the dough into squares or square-like shapes. You can either roll them into a ball at this stage or fill them with caramels or chocolate chips or M&Ms or whatever candy comes to mind. Then roll the dough balls into a 4:1 mixture of sugar and cinnamon. Take a baking pan of some sort (any will do but the most common is a bundt pan), grease it, arrange the dough, melt a stick of butter, pour on top, and bake at 375 degrees till golden, brown, and delicious. Simple as that!

Here's a recipe for a savory version...courtesy allrecipes.com...

INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons finely chopped green onions
3 tablespoons parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons butter, melted
2 eggs
2 (1 pound) loaves frozen bread dough, thawed
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS
Grease a 10 inch Bundt pan or tube pan.

In a medium bowl, mix together the green onion, parsley, garlic powder, salt, butter and eggs until well blended. Break the bread dough off in walnut-sized pieces, and dip each piece into the egg mixture.

Place coated dough balls into the prepared pan. Once there is a layer of balls covering the bottom of the pan, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Repeat, sprinkling each layer with cheese until everything is in the pan. Cover loosely, and let rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.


Ok...that puzzle tree theory has got to be bogus...that looks nothing like monkey bread....

Day 27: Cookie History

As I was sitting in my school cafteria today, my gaze fell upon an interesting sight. I was sitting at one of the countertop stools and had just happened to look down on the ground and there it was! A signed check with no dollar amount filled in!! I ran to the bank to deposit it, withdrew some cash, and skipped town. And I lived happily ever after! In case you didn't notice that entire scenario was fictional. At least everything following "there it was." Truth be told, I did not see a blank check, I saw a piece of cookie. (Yes I know much less exciting but hey wouldn't you have rather me seen a piece of old cookie than winning a bunch of money. Humans are naturally envious anyway)> Anyway, the cookie got me thinking about the dessert bar which included several platters of various cookies: chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, peanut butter, snickerdoodle, and sugar cookies. But I thought to myself how common these five types of cookies were. So needless to say I decided to determine the age of these American classics and how some of them may have come to be.

Chocolate Chip Cookies: Accidentally discoverd in 1934 by Ruth Wakefield, owner of Toll House Inn. It is said she was making chocolate cookies, and, on running out of regular baker's chocolate, substituted for it broken pieces of semi-sweet chocolate from Nestlé, thinking that it would melt and mix into the batter. Customers loved them and Miss Wakefiel sold the recipe to Nestle in exchange for a life-time supply of chocolate.

Sugar Cookies: In the mid-1700s, German Protestant settlers in the Nazareth area of Pennsylvania perfected a sugar cookie recipe called the Nazareth Sugar Cookie. On September 5, 2001, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania adopted the sugar cookie as its official cookie. People of 20th century rural Idaho believed sugar cookies had magical powers and would often plant them with potatoes to ensure a good harvest.

Snickerdoodle Cookies: The Joy of Cooking claims that snickerdoodles are probably German in origin, and that the name is a corruption of the German word Schneckennudeln, which means "snail dumpling." This wouldn't surprise me as the amount of words that are the result of butchering another language is endless!

Peanut Butter Cookies trace back to the 1930's as well....and I coudn't dig up any infor on Oatmeal Raisin...I'll have to get back to you on that. It is my favorite cookie after all!!

Day 26: B-O-B-A TEA!

Boba tea or bubble tea originated in Taiwan in the 1980s, first spread to nearby East Asian countries, migrated to Canada before spreading to Chinatown in New York City, then to various spots throughout the West Coast of the United States. This drink is distinguished by the ball-shaped gummis located at the bottom of a cup. These can come in various sizes and colors. Black is the most traditional and are typically made of tapioca. So, I know what you're thinking, "Why would I possibly want to eat black gummi balls??" Because they are simply too good to not eat. These balls do not really have a distinctive flavor on their own and instead take their flavor from the liquid in which the tapioca balls are submerged. In terms of consistency and texture themselves, I'm not gonna lie, they're pretty darn weird. I recommend not grabbing them with you fingers before consumption. The fact that they feel like cold, squishy monster eyes may not stimulate the appetite. Your first time may seem a bit unusual and rather revolting. But take a few moments to imagine that those balls are a new, healthier version of gummi bears. In most cases a large colored straw is essential to drink and suck up the various boba balls. The liquid/drink part that serves as the tea can come in one of two forms: fruit-flavored teas, and milk teas. These milk or fruit-flavored teas can also come in a blended slushie form. In terms of flavors, the possibilities are endless! A few favorites of mine include pumpkin spice and mocha. In the country today, the most boba/bubble tea shop are franchise of a Lollicup. This shop acts as an Asian version of the tradition coffee spot. Not only do these franchises sell Asian snacks and cookies, but they offer entertainment such as board games, manga books (which are not in English), an possibly fooseball.

Day 25: College Life

Well I can't complain too much about that. College life isn't too bad. Granted I haven't begun classes yet....THAT should be fun, nor have I tried the Cafeteria food...But ah well. today's post I shall include some pics of some New Orleans meals. fried shrimp with fries, sweet potato fries, boiled shrimp, and a hamburger po-boy. (BTW I know the pics aren't great but believe me the food was top-notch!)





Favorite thing I've eaten so far would have to be this bowl of barbequed shrimp. MMmmm!! They pretty much give you a bowl of eight large shrimp swimming in a pond of a home-made but sophisticated BBQ sauce (and no I'm not talking Bull's Eye BBQ or anything like that.) Best thing about it? They came fully shelled, now I mean head, tail, antennas, EVERYTHING! But hey I never said a big mess didn't mean a taste-less meal. And if you still don't quite understand the messiness of this dinner the listen up...they gave each consumer of the shrimp two napkins, a bib, and a warmed napkin following the meal. move over BBQ ribs, there's a new mess in town!

Second favorite thing would have to be a classic Southern dessert...the praline. Traditionally pralines are more fudge-like than caramel-like. That is in consistency. Being a fudge connoisseur myself, I know a thing or two about this sort of thing. To me a praline tastes like the left-over fudge remains sticking to the pot and in turn slightly over cook. It has a burnt taste but that doesn't mean they aren't Delicious. However, Aunt Sally (what seems to be the primary producer of these treats) has several varieties of these pralines. One such being a Creamy kind. Now in addition to sugar, evaporated milk, butter, and pecans these also include corn syrup giving them a consistency closer to a caramel. Now those are my favorite. I've also had the triple chocolate...(though that name is a bit of a misnomer as there is only one type of chocolate in that)...Other flavor I've seen include Bananas Foster, Cafe Au Lait, Sugar & Spice, and of course the light varieties. Guess I'll have more posts once I've experienced the Cafeteria food....dun dun dun dun...

Day 24: I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Ice Cream!!!

Usher in the ear of busy-ness (not to be confused with business). In a couple of hours I shall commence my journey to the South!!! I'll be including some Southern Cusine reviews and recipes in the following weeks and may even include some college tips or to. Right now time feels somewhat surreal to me. I knew that my life would eventually take me to college but I never thought I'd live to see the day. Yet here I am, suitcases packed, clothes folded, and shipping off to a foreign land (so to speak). Anyway, I figured since I was still up and might not get time to do a post later today I might as well write a random post. And without further ado...the weird and wacky world of ice cream!

In the fifth century BC, ancient Greeks sold snow cones mixed with honey and fruit in the markets of Athens. Persians, having mastered the storage of ice, ate ice cream well into summer. Roman emperor Nero (37–68) had ice brought from the mountains and combined with fruit toppings. Who knew that iced and frozen treats could be traced back so far in history!!

While it goes without saying that the Japanese are masters at innovative and unique technology, it seems they've incorporated those innocation skills in to the culinary art of ice creaming. (Yes I made up that word...Ice Creaming: noun, the process by which an ice cream maker combines various ingredients with the basic starters of any typical non-unique flavor.) I must say even a culinary accepter of all things food would have a difficult time licking the drippings of any of these flavors!

-Fish-
-Octopus-
-Squid-
-Ox Toungue-
-Sweet Potato-
-Crab-
-Corn-
-Koshihikari Rice-
-Wasabi-
-Shrimp-
-Eel-
-Nagoya Noodle-
-Chicken Wing-
-Miso-
-Cactus-
-Raw Horseradish-
-Goat-
-Whale-
-Shark Fin-
-Oyster-
-Abalone-
-Seaweed-
-Deep Sea Water-
-Spinach-
-Garlic-
-Lettuce & Potato-
-Wheat-
-Curdled Bean-
-Silk-
-Chicken-
-Stout-
-Potato Liquor-
-Red Wine-
-Tulip-
-Cherry Blossom-
-Soy Sauce-
-Pit Viper-
-Indian Curry-
-Pearl-
-salad-
-Charcoal-
-Chili Pepper-
-Miso Ramen-
-Cheese Risotto-
-Natural Salt-
-Grated Yam-
-Cypress-
-Cream Cheese-
-Squid Gut-
-Squid Ink-
-Char Grilled Seaweed-
-Hot Spring Water-
-Dracula Cool Garlic Mint-
-Unpolished Rice-
-Pickled Plum-
-Collagen Lemon-
-Persimmon-
-Tomato-
-Potato-
-Cheese-

While I personally would try most of these flavors…the award for “Icre Cream that I would only ingest if I was Bound and Gagged” goes to Pit Viper Ice Cream and Ox Tongue Ice Cream! Congratulation to the pair! ….>_>

That’s not to say Japan is the only country with a bit of a wacky creamery. A shop in Merida, Venezula has some interesting flavors too…

-Sphagetti Bolognaise-
-Tuna Fish-
-Onion-
-Fried Pork Rind-
-Rose-
-Beet & Corn-
-Carrot-
Flavors of Taiwan…
-Cuttlefish-
-Tuna & Seaweed-
-Peanuts & Wine-
-Pineapple Shrimp-
-Mango Seaweed-
Great Britain…
-Stilton Cheese-

Even the good ol’ USA…these make me want to give back the fact that I’m a natural born American...

-Tri Pepper-
-Chicken Fried Steak-
-Licorice-
-Chunky Bacon-
-Barbeque Sauce-
-Mushroom-
-Mushroom Pecan-
-Chocolate Garlic-
-Haddock-
-Bay Leaf-
-Lox-
-Durian-
-Lobster-
-Sauerkraut-
-Potatoes & Bacon-
-Squash-
-Mustard-

…The third winner of my “Will Not Eat” award goes to any bacon-containing frozen treat!

Day 23: Goodbye Cali

Well today is my last day in California for a while...I'm off to Louisiana in the morning! I thought this would be a great time to talk about any California dishes that are favorites or originate in the Orange State.

California Style Pizza-This is a style of single-serving pizza that combines New York and Italian thin crust with toppings from the California Cuisine cooking style. The distinguishing feature of California-style pizza is the use of nontraditional toppings that derive from cuisines other than the usual Italian-style tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese, and especially incorporate fresh vegetables such as artichokes. For example, California-style pizza might include Thai pizza topped with bean sprouts and peanut sauce.

California Roll-This is a maki-zushi (roll), a kind of sushi roll, usually made inside-out, containing cucumber, crab meat or imitation crab stick, and avocado.

Cobb Salad-First made in 1937, a man named Bob Cobb combined a head of lettuce, an avocado, some romaine, watercress, tomatoes, some cold breast of chicken, a hard-boiled egg, chives, cheese and some old-fashioned French dressing and finally some chopped, crispy bacon.

Avocados-In 1871 the judge of Santa Barnara introduced avocados to the U.S. with trees from Mexico. In the early 1900s, growers were seeing the avocado's commercial potential and have grown them ever since.

Sourdough Bread-A white bread made with sour starter made from flour, water, and sugar. The use of a sour starter is a method of bread baking that goes back at least six thousand years, for yeast had to be sustained from bread batch to bread batch.

Ciopinno-A fish stew cooked with tomatoes, wine, and spices, and associated at least since the 1930s with San Francisco. The word is Italian, from a Genoese dialect, ciuppin, for a fish stew, and the dish seems to have originated with the Italian immigrants of San Francisco, who often used the crabmeat available in the city's markets.

My favorite of these foods would have to be the California Roll which is available everywhere in the country so I won't have to go without that for a while.

Day 22: Girl Scout Cookies

Girl Scout Orginaization has been selling cookies since 1917 to raise funds. The first Girl Scout cookie recipe was a sugar cookie. In 1936 the national organization began licensing commercial bakers to produce cookies. During World War II the Girl Scouts sold calendars rather than cookies, due to shortages of flour, sugar, and butter. Starting in 2009, several of the cookie varieties were either made smaller or had fewer cookies per box, without a corresponding drop in price. Ihis change was necessary to compensate for rising cost of ingredients.

-Thin Mints: Thin, mint-flavored chocolate wafers dipped in a chocolate coating.

-Do-si-dos (Peanut Butter Sandwiches): Peanut butter filling sandwiched between crunchy oatmeal cookies.

-Tagalongs (Peanut Butter Patties): Crispy vanilla cookies layered with peanut butter and covered with a chocolate coating.

-Trefoils (Shortbread): A traditional shortbread cookie made in the shape of the Girl Scout trefoil logo.

-Samoas are also called Caramel deLites.Samoas (Caramel deLites): Vanilla cookies coated in caramel, sprinkled with toasted coconut and laced with chocolate stripes.

-All Abouts (Animal Treasures, Thanks-A-Lot): Shortbread cookies dipped in fudge and topped with an embossed thank-you message in one of five languages, including English, Spanish, French, Chinese, and Swahili.

-Lemon Chalet Cremes: Cinnamon sandwich cookies with lemon creme filling.

-Cinna-spins Introduced in 2008 by ABC Bakers, Cinna-spins are cinnamon-flavored cookies that come in 100-calorie packs. Cinna-spins are shaped like miniature cinnamon rolls. Retired and replaced by Daisy Go Rounds.

-Daisy Go Rounds: Very similar to Cinna-spins, this cookie replaced them for the 2009 sale. They are advertised as low fat and also come in 100 calorie packs. They are cinnamon flavored and shaped like daisies. These cookies are only available from ABC Bakers.

-Sugar Free Chocolate Chips Introduced in 2008, they are small sugar free cookies.

-Dulce De Leche Introduced in 2009, these are Latin caramel cookies.

-Lemonades Round shortbread cookie with lemon icing.


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Homemade Samoas (a.k.a. Caramel de-Lites)
Cookies
1 cup butter, soft
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
up to 2 tbsp milk

Preheat oven to 350F.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Mix in flour, baking powder and salt at a low speed, followed by the vanilla and milk, adding in the milk as needed to make the dough come together without being sticky (it’s possible you might not need to add milk at all). The dough should come together into a soft, not-too-sticky ball. Add in a bit of extra flour if your dough is very sticky.
Roll the dough (working in two or three batches) out between pieces of wax paper to about 1/4-inch thickness (or slightly less) and use a 1 1/2-inch cookie cutter to make rounds. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and use a knife, or the end of a wide straw, to cut a smaller center hole. Repeat with remaining dough. Alternatively, use scant tablespoons of dough and press into an even layer in a mini donut pan to form the rounds.
Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes, until bottoms are lightly browned and cookies are set. If using a mini donut pan, bake for only about 10 minutes, until edges are light gold.
Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Topping
3 cups shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
12-oz good-quality chewy caramels
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp milk
8 oz. dark or semisweet chocolate (chocolate chips are ok)

Preheat oven to 300. Spread coconut evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet (preferably one with sides) and toast 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until coconut is golden. Cool on baking sheet, stirring occasionally. Set aside.

Unwrap the caramels and place in a large microwave-safe bowl with milk and salt. Cook on high for 3-4 minutes, stopping to stir a few times to help the caramel melt. When smooth, fold in toasted coconut with a spatula.
Using the spatula or a small offset spatula, spread topping on cooled cookies, using about 2-3 tsp per cookie. Reheat caramel for a few seconds in the microwave if it gets too firm to work with.

While topping sets up, melt chocolate in a small bowl. Heat on high in the microwave in 45 second intervals, stirring thoroughly to prevent scorching. Dip the base of each cookie into the chocolate and place on a clean piece of parchment paper. Transfer all remaining chocolate (or melt a bit of additional chocolate, if necessary) into a piping bag or a ziplock bag with the corner snipped off and drizzle finished cookies with chocolate.
Let chocolate set completely before storing in an airtight container.

Makes about 3 1/2-4 dozen cookies.

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Homemade Thin Mints
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
6 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/3 cup milk (any kind)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 tsp peppermint extract

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder and salt.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. With the mixer on low speed, add in the milk and the extracts. Mixture will look curdled. Gradually, add in the flour mixture until fully incorporated.
Shape dough into two logs, about 1 1/2 inches (or about 4 cm) in diameter, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 1-2 hours, until dough is very firm.
Preheat oven to 375F.
Slice dough into rounds not more than 1/4 inch thick - if they are too thick, they will not be as crisp - and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Cookies will not spread very much, so you can put them quite close together.
Bake for 13-15 minutes, until cookies are firm at the edges. Cool cookies completely on a wire rack before dipping in chocolate.

Dark Chocolate Coating
10-oz dark or semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup butter, room temperature

In a microwave safe bowl, combine chocolate and butter. Melt on high power in the microwave, stirring every 45-60 seconds, until chocolate is smooth. Chocolate should have a consistency somewhere between chocolate syrup and fudge for a thin coating.
Dip each cookie in melted chocolate, turn with a fork to coat, then transfer to a piece of parchment paper or wax paper to set up for at least 30 minutes, or until chocolate is cool and firm.
Reheat chocolate as needed to keep it smooth and easy to dip into.

Makes 3 1/2-4 dozen cookies.
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Homemade Tagalongs (a.k.a. Peanut Butter Patties)
Cookies
1 cup butter, soft
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp milk

Preheat oven to 350F.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Mix in flour, baking powder and salt at a low speed, followed by the vanilla and milk. The dough should come together into a soft ball.
Take a tablespoon full of dough and flatten it into a disc about 1/4-inch thick. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough. Cookies will not spread too much, so you can squeeze them in more than you would for chocolate chip cookies. (Alternatively, you can use a cookie cutter, as described in the post above).
Bake cookies for 11-13 minutes, until bottoms and the edges are lightly browned and cookies are set.
Immediately after removing cookies from the oven, use your thumb or a small spoon to make a depression in the center of each cookie
Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Filling
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter (natural or regular)
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar*
generous pinch salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
about 8-oz semisweet chocolate

In a small bowl, whisk together peanut butter, confectioners’ sugar, salt and vanilla. When the mixture has come together, heat it in the microwave (again in short intervals, stirring frequently), until it is very, very soft. Working carefully with the hot filling, transfer it to a pastry bag (or plastic bag with the tip cut off) and pipe a generous dome of the filling into each cookie’s “thumbprint”.
Chill cookies with filling for 20-30 minutes, or until the peanut butter is firm.
Melt the chocolate in a small, heat-resistant bowl. This can be done in a microwave (with frequent stirring) or on a double boiler, but the bowl of melted chocolate should ultimately be placed above a pan of hot, but not boiling, water to keep it fluid while you work.
Dip chilled cookies into chocolate, let excess drip off, and place on a sheet of parchment paper to let the cookies set up. The setting process can be accelerated by putting the cookies into the refrigerator once they have been coated.

Makes about 3-dozen
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Homemade Do-si-dos a.k.a. Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies
Cookies
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tbsp baking soda
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats (not instant or regular)



Filling
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter, room temperature
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

Preheat oven to 350F.
Start with the cookies. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and peanut butter. Beat in the sugars until fluffy, then add in the eggs one at a time, waiting until each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Stir in vanilla extract.
Working at a low speed, mix in the flour, followed by the oats (if you don’t have quick-cooking, pulse whole rolled oats in the food processor to chop them up a bit).
On a parchment-lined baking sheet, drop teaspoonfuls of batter (roughly 3/4-in. sized balls), leaving about 2 inches between each to allow for spread.
Bake for about 10 minutes, until cookies are a light golden brown. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, making small holes in 1/2 of the cookies (for the tops of the sandwiches) before they set up. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Once cookies have cooled, make the filling.
In a large bowl, cream together smooth peanut butter, butter and confectioners’ sugar until very smooth. Spread 2-3 tsp onto half of the finished cookies and sandwich with the remaining halves. If you chose to make yours with GS-lookalike holes in some of the cookies, use these as the tops of the sandwiches.
Store in an airtight container.

Makes about 48 sandwich cookies.

Day 21: More Fail Cakes!

You've all seen the far less than adequate mass-produced store cakes. Like the 4 inch diameter cake that can't even hold up to the pound of frosting and large plastic decoration that it's adorned with. And then of course there's the custom-ordered cakes that don't always come out as planned. Here are some examples.

This cake was supposed to say "Shawn and Glenn, Happy Fatherhood." I wonder what this person was thinking when he or she was icing the cake.


Talk about carefully listening to the customer. This woman asked this walmart baker for a cake that said "Best Wishes Suzanne, Underneath That, We Will Miss You."


This customer had the misfortune of ordering a 3-D ocean cake. Need I say more? ^_^


A classic case of a cake order not quite turning out as it's supposed to.

Day 21: Haribo Star Mix

I've never actually seen this but it's quite unusual. I'm not a huge fan of gummy snacks but I'm quite fond of Haribo candies. The Haribo mix comes with gummy bears, gummy rings, gummy eggs, gummy hearts, and gummy coca-cola bottles. A very unusual combination if I do say so myself.

Day 20: Last Week in the Desert Cake

So because this is my last week in the sunny desert of Southern California my mom ordered my a small custom-made cake in celebration of that and my graduation. In Cathedral City there's this great little bakery called The Pastry Swan. Hands-down best cake bakery possible! Our usual choice of cake is either chocolate or vanilla. Their cakes are three layers thick so we choose a raspberry mousse and a raspberry jam as fillings. Now I'm not sure why but generally it seems that chocolate cake can come out to be drier than vanilla or yellow cake. Such is not the case with this place! The chocolate cake we ordered was deliciously moist with a quality similar to cakey-brownie. The raspberry mousse is a very light pink color that tastes like whipped cream with the strong and tangy essence of raspberry. The raspberry jam layer is in fact raspberry preserves so there is nothing particularly unique about their jam usage. Though I must add my favorite part of the cake is the mix of the chocolate cake and the jam. The entire cake is covered in whipped buttercream. Now I make a good buttercream frosting but there's is significantly different. Their version goes very well with the cake. It's much lighter and blander than regular buttercream frosting and it does not have the strong and somewhat metallic taste of powdered sugar. Also, the pastry swan does an excellent job in cake design using the best and only fondant I think I'd ever be able to eat plain. For this particular cake I merely asked for blue, pink, and yellow fondant balls to border the base of the cake. I had planned to create a candy mosaic on the top. The mosaic wasn't as elegant as I had planned. I used Tropical Dots, Good & Fruity, Crazy Core Skittles, & Peanut Butter M&Ms. I need more and smaller candies. And by the way, Good & Fruity? Not so good. The flavor's alright but the texture is just awful. It tastes similar to the crunchy shell of a jelly bean before you hit the the more gummy-like center. Anyway, I didn't really enjoy my mosaic. Not only that but it ruined the cake-eating experience. I kept having to pick off the candies as I ate cake. I have made a mental not to mess with a custom-made cake again.





My brother (and mom) got a little anxious because I kept taking pictures rather than cutting them a piece...

I've decided to include some more pictures of other pastry swan cakes to demonstrate their creativity! ^_^

Day 19: Hey Out There!

Hey anyone who reads this...I have a request to make! Could you please comment or follow my blog so that I know if anyone actually thinks it's good? I'd really appreciate it. You can even offer possible topics or if you have any questions on any foo, anime, manga, Japanese, baking, cooking, dessert-related I'd be more than happy to answer!

Day 19: Fail Cakes!