Filed under: Dessert, Baking

I shamelessly stole this idea from the Betty Crocker website but I did manage to change it up to make it a bit more interesting. It turned out very well but it had me cussing more than I imagined it would.

I started with two leveled cakes that were made in loaf pans. I did one in chocolate and one in french vanilla for a little variety. The vanilla one was cut in half to make the two smaller blocks. For the chocolate block, I managed to find chocolate marshmallows to cut in half and use for the top of the block but let me assure you that these sound a lot yummier than they actually are. The smaller blocks got strawberry marshmallows which I highly recommend for sm’ores or just nibbling. The large block was covered in blue buttercream icing and smoothed for a flat surface. Then I covered each marshmallow half, set in it’s spot and attempted to even them out as well. Those little buggers can be quite uncooperative.

Next, I covered the green block and set it at a small angle against the first one. The final block was the one that presented a couple of small challenges in order to sit on its side. I iced the bottom edge of the block while holding it then placed it next to the other pieces. The top portion of the block was resting on the points of the other two and I must say that marshmallows make for a squishy support system at best. They also tend to slide off when at an angle so, for the yellow block, they were secured with toothpicks as they went on.

The cake turned out cute although I never managed to get it as smooth as I wanted. Looking back, maybe the reason I found the cake, which was actually pretty simple, a chore is that it wasn’t my original idea. Normally, all the little challenges I encounter when making a cake are fun and interesting but apparently that is only true when the concept is mine in the first place.

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Filed under: Business, Newspapers, How To, America, Local Eating

Here are a few tips on how to save at the grocery store, straight from the grocer’s mouth via the New York Times business section. Tom Heinen, owner of the Cleveland-area Heinen’s Fine Foods chain, gives us the dirt. This is a recap:

1) DIY everything is not always your best bet. Sometimes it can be cheaper to buy certain pre-washed, pre-cut or otherwise pre-prepared items, because the factory that makes them probably wastes less lettuce/pepper/carrot than you would.

2) Look for local “artisan deals,” like Wisconsin cheddar instead of the imported New Zealand kind, or locally grown radishes. If your grocery doesn’t have good local deals, ask why not. Whole Foods does.

3) In fact, ask tons of questions of store employees. What’s the best deal this week? What did you buy for your own kitchen today? I’m guessing this wouldn’t work too well at your local Supervalu. Try it, and let me know!

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Filed under: On the Blogs, Artisan Foods

I’m always so impressed by people who can knit, especially if they’re good at it. I have no patience, so I’m pretty sure I would be a lousy knitter: I’d be trying to rush through and see how much I could get done in a certain amount of time.

If you’re into knitting, either as a participant or fan, and you like food, then you’ll love the work of Ed Bing Lee. Though I’m not quite sure why Inventor Spot did a post on this knitting artist, I’m glad they brought him to my attention. Mr. Lee’s delectables series includes a knitted hamburger, ice cream cone, and key lime pie, among other things.

If you knit food, or just have some images you’d like to share, we always love to see that kind of thing here at Slashfood. Happy weekend!

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Filed under: On the Blogs, Artisan Foods

I’m always so impressed by people who can knit, especially if they’re good at it. I have no patience, so I’m pretty sure I would be a lousy knitter: I’d be trying to rush through and see how much I could get done in a certain amount of time.

If you’re into knitting, either as a participant or fan, and you like food, then you’ll love the work of Ed Bing Lee. Though I’m not quite sure why Inventor Spot did a post on this knitting artist, I’m glad they brought him to my attention. Mr. Lee’s delectables series includes a knitted hamburger, ice cream cone, and key lime pie, among other things.

If you knit food, or just have some images you’d like to share, we always love to see that kind of thing here at Slashfood. Happy weekend!

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Filed under: Vegetables, Recipes, Soups/Salads, Summer

Now I know what I’m going to do with all the fresh peas I saw at the Santa Fe farmer’s market this weekend. Clotilde at Chocolate and Zucchini has figured out a brilliant use for all those leftover pods when you’re done shelling: Chilled pea pod soup. You saute the empty pods with some onion and garlic, deglaze white wine, toss in the blender and press through a food mill, add some nutmeg and chill. Voila, a cool, silky green soup the color of a summertime lake. How perfect would that be for a simple Sunday lunch, with a chunk of baguette and some good prosciutto?

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Filed under: On the Blogs, Artisan Foods

I’m always so impressed by people who can knit, especially if they’re good at it. I have no patience, so I’m pretty sure I would be a lousy knitter: I’d be trying to rush through and see how much I could get done in a certain amount of time.

If you’re into knitting, either as a participant or fan, and you like food, then you’ll love the work of Ed Bing Lee. Though I’m not quite sure why Inventor Spot did a post on this knitting artist, I’m glad they brought him to my attention. Mr. Lee’s delectables series includes a knitted hamburger, ice cream cone, and key lime pie, among other things.

If you knit food, or just have some images you’d like to share, we always love to see that kind of thing here at Slashfood. Happy weekend!

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Filed under: British Isles, Food News

Metro.co.uk reports that eighteen year old Kathryn Ratcliffe from Newcastle, UK broke the record for eating grains of rice during the Chopsticks Championship. How does someone win this honor? She ate 96 grains in two minutes - breaking the existing record of 64 grains in three minutes.

Kathryn broke her first world record at the age of 12 and she now holds four records! Her other records are for eating Smarties with chopsticks, eating jelly with chopsticks, and separating jelly beans by color into separate pots with a straw.

I wonder what Kathryn has planned next. More with chopsticks? More with straws? Perhaps she’ll retire after her fourth win. I doubt she’ll quit now. I see many records in her future.

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Filed under: On the Blogs, Lists, Health & Medical

I know we’re hearing a lot about this kind of thing lately. I, for one, think that isn’t a bad thing. This post from Remedicated about 20 common cooking herbs with medicinal properties collects a lot of disparate information and puts it in one place.

Some of the herbs are well known to have medicinal uses, like turmeric and cloves, but did you know that onions (and other vegetables related to onions) have been used for centuries as medicines? Apparently they have anti-inflammatory properties. Also, rosemary, cinnamon, and parsley (great for detoxifying carcinogens from cigarette smoke) are just some of the surprising (to me) herbs on the list.

There is no way this list can be complete, though. If you study a natural product long enough, you’re sure to find lots of healthy qualities. Does anyone have any herbs they’d like to add? If you disagree with this list, I’d love to read about that, too.

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Filed under: Grains, Dairy, Beef, Poultry, Cheese, Pork, Eggs, Meat

The floods in the Mid-West are causing a nationwide increase in food prices across the board. Corn and soy prices are increasing dramatically which means other foods that depend upon them are increasing as well. Expect to see many grocery items like meats, cheese, eggs, milk, oil, etc. increase in price.

I spent summers as a child in the corn fields of Iowa, many of which have become lakes, with the gently hills small islands. Now many of these farmers are calling it quits, selling off the farms and getting out of the business. Animals are being sold off, which means a short term meat glut, but a long term shortage. Don’t expect prices to go down from the quick influx of meat, because the long term shortage is so visible that prices have to start reacting now.

This is going to have such long term effects that you can expect your Holiday turkeys and hams to cost quite a bit more than last year, and possibly even more the year after that.

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Filed under: Beef, Pork, America, Meat

Katz’s Deli in New York City. From Flickr user tgigreeny’s Flickr.

I’m posting images of sausage counters the world over each weeknight (and occasionally weekend) witching hour until I run out. Please use the comments section to post links to your Flickr or personal site faves, and perhaps you’ll see ‘em posted here late some evening.

Previously– Midnight Sausage: Taipei, Taiwan

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