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August 26, 2005
Roast of the Food Network Chefs
Maybe it's because we are secretly jealous. We want our own cooking show on the Food Network. But being amateurs in the kitchen and failing miserably in the "make love to the studio camera" department, we know it would be a disaster. That said, we still feel entitled to critique the peppy personalities that teach us how to make food on tv. We love a good roasting of the people who roast best.
Check out the Republic of Dog's roast of the Food Network Chefs:
Bobby Flay is everything I hate about straight guys, all wadded up and compressed into one small and extremely annoying white man. He is such a fuck-tard, and I would pick a fight with him with a quickness. Also, all he does is grill. I am a native of Texas, so unless you’re like grilling yeti filet over heated moon rocks, you won’t impress me by grilling.
Posted by Cakehead at 03:05 PM | Comments (2)
Question: What's better than sliced bread?
Answer: Pre-sliced sheets of peanut butter. What? you think. Peanut butter's a spreadable food, not a sliceable one. Well the folks at Kennedy Food think that the American public has been wasting their time smearing peanut butter with knives and spoons. After four years of trial and error they have manufactured a peanut butter that looks like brown sheets of American Cheese.
We'll be report how the product tastes once we track down a store that sells it.
**And no, the nation's second largest lobby, the NPB (National Peanut Board), is not bankrolling this site.
Posted by Cakehead at 02:09 PM | Comments (1)
August 25, 2005
Carving Butter into Jesus
Jesus, all buttered up
There are times when the only appropriate response is "Jesus Christ." This is one of those instances. Sculpting butter into Jesus and his disciples? Some people have too much time and butter on their hands.
Posted by Cakehead at 01:32 PM | Comments (4)
Cathy will bring you your virtual school lunch
Cathy - a Virtual Cafeteria worker based in Texas
While we at Cakehead are busy studying corporate cafeterias, The New York Times has been covering the world of school lunch - both college and a cyber-cafeteria designed to try to halt the rise Texas's overweight youth in their school systems.
To play in one of the Carrollton Farmers Branch Independent School District's Virtual Cafeteria, click here. You can fill your compartmented tray with healthy dishes or fatty goodness. The choice is yours.
Posted by Cakehead at 01:08 PM | Comments (1)
August 24, 2005
A Fridge that blows hot and cool
warming/cooling refrigerator
[From We Make Money Not Art]:
A refrigerator is one of the biggest electricity consumers at home.The idea of Hot Fridge is based on an experimental use of waste heat from a refrigerator and is inspired by Gudul (Ondol), the traditional under-floor Korean heating system.
By having its structure and condenser redesigned, the fridge is able to store not only cold food but also warm food. The condenser is on top of the fridge so that you can put and keep left-over food warm until next meal. Plastic shelves in door are changed to fabric net pocket bags that help cool air circulation and allow easy storing. Hot Fridge is easy to move so you can pull it to bring warm dishes on the dinner table. If you cannot finish all your pizza at lunch, put the pizza plate up on the fridge. The afternoon bite will be warm!
Posted by Cakehead at 07:25 PM | Comments (0)
Wednesday Activity
Billionaires for Bush lead the high-life....and tomorrow so can you.
[From Billionaires for Bush via Flavor Pill]:
Billionaires for Bush: The Drunk on Power Ball
When: Wedneday, August 8 - 8 PM 'til late
Where: The Frying Pan (23rd St and the Westside Hwy, 212.989.6363)
Price: $20 / $15 advance
Dress to oppress, as Billionaires for Bush add a satirical twist to the usual political fund-raising event. You won't be offered a choice of chicken or salmon, but the selection of performers is far more tasty. It includes a preview of the Billionaire musical that was too hot for the Fringe Festival; progressives' favorite selector, DJ $mall ¢hange; BfB's own cabaret troupe of dissolute heiresses and retired CEOs; and Shinto Kings' surf-rock delirium. Plus, throughout the evening, a merry band makes light of pulling a reverse Robin Hood in the Billionaires Follies. Break out the bling and raise some class warfare.
Posted by Cakehead at 12:54 AM | Comments (0)
August 22, 2005
Eat Your Paycheck: The Best Places to Work for Company-Subsidized Meals - Submit Your Nominations
Send in your nominations for THE BEST CORPORATE CAFETERIA and BEST DISH SERVED IN THE CORPORATE CAFETERIA. Please send nominations to amy@cakeheadDOTcom. Include the name of the company, the location, why it is the best, and a distinguishing feature about the cafeteria or dish.
Surges of jealousy often surface when we’re in the presence of our friends who have jobs with perks. As freelancers, we get the occasional party invitation or free historical documentary VHS tape, but for the most part we are forced to sit back and drool as the people around us receive health benefits, pension plans and access to the company subsidized cafeteria.
For this reason, we often drop not so subtle hints with hope that one of the privileged will extend a sympathy invitation and usher us in as a guest to the company-subsidized cafeteria. We’ve had some success with lines like, “I don’t believe that the garlic-less food in the Conde Nast cafeteria is flavorless. Or to gain entrée into CBS’s aptly named cafeteria, “Station Break” we declared to a friend, “you may not want the senior staff copping a feel, but if it means we get to try the Sloppy Joes at Station Break, we’re willing to overlook their perviness.” Needless to say, we sold our souls with that declaration, but it was worth it. Station Break wasn’t serving Sloppy Joes, but the Tater Tots that day were divine. And while, security at the U.N.’s cafeteria is tight these days, if you can make friends with a diplomat, the views of Long Island City there are top notch.
But try as we might to gain access to the bountifully bottomless supply of candy, cakes and sushi that Google provides its workers, apparently our hints haven’t been blatant enough. It’s probably for the best since frankly we don’t trust our willpower in all-you-can eat situations. Hopefully, that invitation will come through after Google has hired their new chef
Because we’re cut off from the amenities of corporate life, we plan to live vicariously through our readers. We’ll announce the winners in a month after we have judged the submissions through a careful taste-test.
In the meantime, please comment on your CORPORATE CAFETERIA HORROR STORY or CORPORATE CAFETERIA LOVE STORY.
Guide to Corporate Cafeteria Outside New York City:
Silicon Valley
If you want to dine corporate cafeteria-style, we suggest moving to Silicon Valley. Not only are there numerous employers to choose from, but their cafeterias offer a wide selection of dishes containing organic and free range ingredients. You may be trapped in office park hell, but at least you'll eat like a king.
[From Nicole Wong's article in San Jose Mercury News via A Full Belly]:
For years, Silicon Valley companies have invested in their cafeterias to cut the time workers spend foraging off-campus for food, boost camaraderie and keep the troops happy, or at least well-fueled. Now some cafes are such hot spots that discerning diners from other companies are clamoring to eat there. "Apple's the best,'' said Joseph Ruff, a programmer at Mountain View start-up TellMe Networks. "The egg burritos, they make them nice and spicy. Network Appliance -- that had a pretty good salad bar, but it was smaller than Apple's.''Want navrattan korma with raita, chutney and naan? $5.29 at Cisco Systems. Need something to drink? Sun Microsystems stocks 20 flavors of Odwalla juices alone. Feeling guilty? Yahoo boasts sustainably harvested seafood and antibiotic-free chicken.
Marc Marelich, eBay's general manager of food services, often sees outsiders slipping in to eat at the new cafe. And no wonder -- they can get ahi tuna salad tossed on the spot, spicy Tunisian chili with lamb and beef, or Yucatan fish tacos with pico de gallo....John Lawn, editor in chief of Food Management magazine, said Silicon Valley's corporate cafe scene serves some of the best food in the country. "You'll find a cafe that's as nice as any commercial restaurant in Chicago or San Francisco, maybe better,'' he said.
Boston
[From Boston Poenix]:
What, no creamed tuna and lime Jell-O? From morning to night, Massachusetts General Hospital's Eat Street Café chips away at the stereotypes about hospital food. With dozens of stations in operation, the selection on any given day is mind-boggling. At the deli, you can opt for ham-and-provolone on French bread with pesto or a moo-shu-pork wrap; hot specials may include herb-roasted pork loin, warm lemon-chicken salad, or pasta with leeks and butternut squash; for dessert, a root-beer float from the full-service ice-cream bar just might hit the spot. Even breakfast looks bright: grab a cinnamon-chip muffin if the Belgian-waffle bar doesn't grab you first.Likewise, EF Center, the Cambridge language school, explodes notions about school cafeterias. Lingo is a lovely place with patio seating that presents daily specials with gourmet leanings, from muffalettas to roasted-red-pepper-and-feta pizza and grilled chicken with mango salsa to fresh strawberry shortcake. Create-your-own options abound as well, covering both pasta and stir-fry dishes. Lingo even has a full bar, which opens at five; guess martinis speak a language we can all understand.
Eat Street Café at Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, (617) 724-8879. Lingo at EF Center, 1 Education Street, Cambridge, (617) 619-1000
Denver
Denver Business Magazine declared that Great West Life has the best corporate cafeteria in Denver,. However, the contest dates back to 1995, so the statement really holds no credibility. Feel free to let us know if the cafeteria is still up to snuff. Here’s what they said a decade ago:
A rapidly disappearing employee amenity. It's a good thing some are still around, like the cafeteria at Great West Life in Denver.
Seattle
The results from Seattle Weekly aren't suprising. According to them, Microsoft has the best corporate cafeteria in Seattle.
Posted by Cakehead at 08:45 PM | Comments (12)
August 19, 2005
Flying Spaghetti Monster Cake Award
Trophy Spaghetti Cake
Boing Boing is offering $250,000 to anyone who can prove that Jesus is not the son of the Flying Spaghetti Monster (pictured below).
Composite drawing of Flying Spaghetti Monster
This week's Cake of the Week award goes to Bobby Henderson. He is the man who created the Flying Spaghetti Monster to parody the decision by the Kansas State Board of Education to allow intelligent design to be taught in science classes alongside evolution. Read his open letter to the Board of Education.
**Disclosure: This week's award was made possible by the generosity of the Intelligent Design Cake fund which also sponsored last week's Litter Box Cake Award.
If you feel that you can make a case for something as wacky as evolution, the generous people who make this cake award possible are offering $250,000 to anyone who can give any empirical proof that evolution exists. You can call 850-479-3466 (8-5 Mon-Fri CST) for more info about the $250,000.
Spaghetti Cake Recipe from Nancy:
This easy scratch cake became a family favorite because of the distinct shortening taste.
Sift:
2 cups cake flour or 1 3/4 cups white flour (you can substitute up to 1/2 cup whole wheat flour, but this will change the outcome)
1 ¼ cups sugar
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Add and beat well:
1/3 shortening (do not use butter or margarine)
1 teaspoon vanilla (for lemon cake, use ½ tsp vanilla and ½ tsp lemon extract)
2/3 cup milk (whole milk is best, but we've made this cake with skim milk too)
Add, beating 2 minutes on medium speed or 300 strokes by hand:
1/3 cup milk •
1 large egg
Grease and flour one 9" round cake pans or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes at 350° F until golden brown and a knife or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool.
Frost: The entire cake with any white icing - don't forget to frost between the layers. Fill a pastry bag with a fairly thick white or off-white icing, and pipe long strands over the entire surface of the cake using a small round tip. Sprinkle red decorating sugar over the top of the cake and place 3 or more purchased chocolate candies on the top of the cake. Sprinkle with powdered sugar to give the effect of Parmesan cheese.
Posted by Cakehead at 10:23 PM | Comments (1)
What to do tonight
Play Tourist: Head to the New & Improved Hard Rock Cafe
We know the truth. It was the Hard Rock Cafe on 57th St. that convinced you to leave rural Maine to come to the big city. Well, the institution has closed its doors....on 57th Street. The tourist trap has relocated to Times Square. What better day than Friday to pay homage the place that brought you here. Toast to the Hard Rock's new Times Square address with a $20 coke.
[From Curbed]
Party: Good Peoples and Beautiful/Decay magazine bring you "the sickest party of the summer"! Or so they say. Here are some of the ingredients:
-2 hour open Bacardi & Mountain Dew Bar
-Gift bags
-the legendary PRINCE PAUL on the tables
-Screening of Bomb the System and music videos from Culturama, Mockumentaries from Prince Paul
RSVP for the guest list at rsvp@good-peoples.com
[From Gothamist]
Sufjan Stevens
Bowery Ballroom.
Okay, so it's sold out. But that doesn't mean it's too late to find a friend to chaperone.
Food Will Win the War
Knitting Factory Tap Bar
74 Leonard St. (Downstairs) (Google Maps, Yahoo! Maps)
New York City, New York 10013
FWWtW is the Charlie Kaufman of rock. If you like the K Records sound, you should check out this four-piece, heavily influenced by Calvin Johnson, Elliott Smith, Nick Drake, Belle & Sebastian, The Catherine Wheel, and Luna... just to name a few. Advance tickets are available through the Knitting Factory web site, directly through Ticket Web, or by phone: 212.219.3132. E-mail info@foodwillwinthewar.com with any questions.
[From Upcoming.org]
Posted by Cakehead at 08:18 PM | Comments (0)
The universal language of dough....fried dough, that is
South Africa's version of fried dough: Koeksisters - pronounced "cook-sisters"
Beignets, fritters, churros, hush puppies and lokma. Now there is a website dedicated to providing pictures and history of fried dough from around the world. If you're craving multiculturalism, there is no better way to experience it than by eating your way around the globe. Let the folks at Oso Ono (a Hawaiian word meaning fried dessert dough) be your guide.
Posted by Cakehead at 06:59 PM | Comments (0)
They don't make diets like this anymore
Weight Watchers diet card circa 1974
Wendy McClure of Candy Boots discovered a treasure trove of hideously revolting diet dishes - published by Weight Watchers in the 1970s. Her commentary accompanying the recipes is a hoot. Here's the description of the recipe card pictured above. "They call this "onion sauce" but it looks more like the end of a snuff film to me. Yep. Fish snuff. Die, fish, die."
Here's the story behind the cards.
[From Candy Boots]:
I found them while helping my parents clean out their basement a few years ago. They were neatly arranged in their own plastic file box. Plenty of the dishes seemed normal enough, but as I flipped through them, some of the recipes began to alarm me....None of them have calorie or nutrition information of any kind, and in some instances it's hard to tell what's dietetic about the recipes at all, except that they're unspeakably grim. And yet also, completely insane. They appear to be from a much kookier era of Weight Watchers. There's a certain serve-it-at- your-next-key-party freakiness to a lot of these dishes.
Posted by Cakehead at 06:45 PM | Comments (0)
August 17, 2005
The World's Best Restaurants, a list
Exterior of the World's Number 1 restaurant: The Duck Fat
All these expensive restaurants are making us hungry for some dirt cheap street food.
Here are the top 50 places to eat according to the Guardian. Drum roll please:
1 The Fat Duck Bray, Berkshire
2 El Bulli Montjoi, Spain
3 The French Laundry Yountville, California
4 Tetsuya's Sydney
5 Gordon Ramsay London
6 Pierre Gagnaire Paris
7 Per Se New York
8 Tom Aikens London
9 Jean Georges New York
10 St John London
11 Michel Bras Laguiole, France
12 Le Louis XV Monte Carlo
13 Chez Panisse Berkeley, California
14 Charlie Trotter Chicago
15 Gramercy Tavern New York
16 Guy Savoy Paris
17 Restaurant Alain Ducasse Paris
18 The Gallery at Sketch London
19 The Waterside Inn Bray, Berkshire
20 Nobu London
21 Restaurante Arzak San Sebastián, Spain
22 El Raco de Can Fabes San Celoni, Spain
23 Checcino dal 1887 Rome
24 Le Meurice, Paris
25 L'Hotel de Ville, Crissier, Switzerland
26 L'Arpège Paris
27 Angela Hartnett at the Connaught London
28 Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons Oxford
29 Le Cinq Paris
30 Cal Pep Barcelona
32 Masa New York
33 Flower Drum, Melbourne
34 WD50 New York
35 Le Quartier Francais Franschhoek, South Africa
36 Spice Market, New York
37 Auberge de l'Ill Illhaeusern, Alsace
38 Manresa Los Gatos, California
39 Restaurant Dieter Muller Begisch, Gladbach, Germany
40 La Maison Troisgros Roanne, France
41 The Wolseley London
42 Rockpool Sydney
43 Yauatcha, London
44 The Ivy, London
45 Gambero Rosso, San Vincenzo, Italy
46 The Cliff St James, Barbados
47 Le Gavroche London
48 Enoteca Pinchiorri Florence
49 Felix Hong Kong
50 La Tupina Bordeaux
These dining spots sure are a good way to make a rich lady broke and a poor lady jealous. The average price per meal is around $150 a head.
Will someone please let us in on the secret to having enough spending money to afford these joints? We obviously chose the wrong career path.
Dining sponsors please send pity checks this way. We're putting together a scholarship fund to pay for exorbitantly expensive meals for the less fortunate.
Posted by Cakehead at 08:09 PM | Comments (0)
Audio to Cook to Playlist
We're going to let you in on a little secret. Good things in life can be made better if they are paired with another of bit of goodness. For instance, this weekend we saw the Aristocrats. It was pretty funny and Sarah Silverman's contribution made the movie worth the ticket price. But the overall experience was made significantly better because of our nearly bottomless suburban-sized box of Junior Mints. This box was so big, it could almost be rented as a New York Studio apartment.
But we digress. The point of this story is that good can always be made better by adding earthly pleasures like food or music. While an evening in the kitchen preparing a meal is always a wonderful way to unwind from a day of mental, physical or emotional abuse by an uncaring boss, think of how much more enjoyable that evening would be with the perfect playlist of music to cook to.
Where will you find this list? Look no further. Our friend Josh, over at Audio for Drinking put together this rocking list of Songs to Cook to. He's even included some samples of the song to get a taste of the music. Read on and let us know your favorite songs to listen to while you cook:
Someone’s In the Kitchen
01. “Cuts Like a Knife” by Bryan Adams: Lets get things started with a rock anthem from a meat and potatoes man who’s more popular than maple syrup in Canada. (Personally I like to do my cutting with a Wusthof 7” Santoku Knife.)
02. “Light My Fire” by Shirley Bassey: Shirley recorded this Doors cover in 1970 and really jazzes it up.
03. "Measuring Cups" by Andrew Bird: From one of my favorite albums this year, the aptly titled Mysterious Production of Eggs, “Measuring Cups” is equal parts quiet sarcasm, smirking melodies and tenderness.
04. “Burning For You” by Blue Oyster Cult: This track off of BOC’s 1981’s Fire of Unknown Origin sounds custom-crafted for the radio with a deliciously catchy chorus.
05. “Broken Household Appliance National Forest” by Grandaddy: Eco-disaster or an ironic juxtaposition? Maybe it’s just great music to do your baking to.
The Right Ingredients
06. “Green Onions” by Booker T & the M.G.'s: Booker T & the M.G.’s provided the most important ingredient (Memphis soul) to several recordings as the house band for Stax Records throughout the 60’s and 70! but they are best remembered for this song, one of the most famous instrumental hits ever recorded.
07. "Know Your Chicken" by Cibbo Matto: A Japanese born duo with an Italian name, Cibbo Matto define fusion. The two cooked up quite a menu on 1996’s Viva! La Women (“Apple”, “Beef Jerky”, “Birthday Cake”, “Artichoke”, et al), firmly establishing themselves as patron saints of food songs.
08. “Pour Some Sugar On Me” – Def Leppard: One lump or two?
09. “Recipe” by G. Love & Special Sauce: This guy really like his cold beverages but his special today is a homemade recipe for chilling and grilling.
10. “Bananas & Blow” by Ween: Dean and Gene Ween are no strangers to interesting food items (mushrooms/ pork roll, egg and cheese/ chocolate, and cheese). These two particular ingredients are a recipe for a hilarious and expertly delivered Jimmy Buffet parody complete with steel drums.
11. “Jambalaya” by Hank Williams: There are hundreds of different recipes for jambalaya, Southern cooking most versatile and defining dishes but there is only one defining figure of country music and that is Hank Sr.
Dinner for Two
12. “Another Breakfast With You” by Ladytron: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Although the sound of heartbreak in Helena’s voice could make you wonder if we might just want to sleep in.
13. "The Art of Cooking for Two" by The Lucksmiths*: Is there anything more romantic than cooking for you significant other? That is unless you are a horrible cook.
Take-out
14. “Hospital Food” by eels.
15. "Vegetarian Restaurant" by Aberfeldy: Aberfeldy conjure up a bouncy, playful indie rock ditty set within the confines of a lovely vegetarian restaurant without the lentil and hippies.
16. “Greasy Spoon” by AK MOMO: Swedish electronic! pop duo AK-Momo serve up vintage electronic sounds and a story of lost love set in one of those wonderful little eateries we enjoy so much.
17. “The Smell of Outdoor Cooking” by Arab Strap: I bet you can just picture this one: grill- check, cooler- check, kilts- check? These two Scottish lads offer up one of the more existential portrayals of a barbecue ever.
Dessert
18. “Peaches & Cream” by Beck: Traditional and old-fashioned may be one way to describe this dessert but certainly not its chef. The rush though is still the same
19. "Super Bowl Sundae" by Ozomatli: A Super Bowl Sundae contains 1 scoop each of 8 ice creams, which makes this song wholly appropriate as an anthem for this eclectic multi-culti band responsible for fusing a heady mix of music genres.
20. “I Wanna Eat Chocobars” by Shonen Knife: Shonen Knife delivers the sweets and really, who can say no? Their music is almost as sugary as the sweets they sing of.
21. “Sugar In My Bowl” by Nina Simone: “Sugar In My Bowl” is raunchy, sexy and has just the right amount of panache to get us where we want to be at the end of such a decadent night.
22. “Cherry Pie” by Warrant: Everyone loves pie; maybe not big hair, but definitely pie.
The Mixer
23. “Having a Party” by Sam Cooke: Best party song ever. The Coca-cola and popcorn are optional.
24. "All the Wine" by The National: Nothing compliments a fine meal like a big wet bottle.
25. “The Drinks We Drank Last Night” by Azure Ray: A quiet moment of reflection to end our culinary odyssey.
Doggy Bag (Bonus Track)
“Eat It” by "Weird" Al: It’s absolutely impossible to compile a list like this without including Weird Al’s ode to gastronomical over-indulgence.
Posted by Cakehead at 05:12 PM | Comments (0)
Right Wing Stew
FreeWilliamsburg.com 's entry about right wing crackpots has inspired us with a recipe idea. With all the right-wing crackpots running around Crawford, TX we're recommending that tonight's dinner be crackpot stew.
The recipe is simple. First, purchase a havahart trap. Bait the trap with white crosses labeled with the names of men and women who have died in Iraq in Georgie's war. Before you know it angry non-thinking wingnut zombies will emerge and their delicious fresh meat will be trapped for your stew. Unfortunately, we didn't capture Larry Northern, before he was arrested for his criminal mischief in Crawford, TX. Here's why he would make a delicious crackpot stew ingredient.
From FreeWilliamsburg.com
A pickup truck ran over wooden crosses erected at anti-war protester Cindy Sheehan's campsite on Monday night, in the latest sign of tension over the peace vigil outside vacationing President George W. Bush's Texas ranch.....The small, white wooden crosses erected at the site are hand-painted with the names of soldiers killed in Iraq.
We suggest that after the crackpot meat has been captured, you hire a professional butcher to carve up the meat. With the meat, follow your favorite stew recipe. Any old recipe will work. The secret is to find the biggest crackpot available. The bigger the crackiness, the better the stew
Posted by Cakehead at 04:56 AM | Comments (0)
August 16, 2005
Contest to win a piece of pie...
The Family Guy - Ipecac Puking
[From Milk and Honey]:
Peter, Brian, Stewie and Chris try to resist throwing up on Ipecac to win the last of the pie in the refrigerator. Mmmmm... pie.
Posted by Cakehead at 02:23 PM | Comments (0)
August 13, 2005
Condi Rice Dream
Condoleezza Rice would never approve of an ice cream made with rice and not milk. We temporarily forgot that vegan ice cream is anti-American. For chilling right-wing ice cream flavors check out Star Spangled Ice Cream via FreeWilliamsburg.com
They are currently developing more exciting flavors:
Ara-Fat Free
Candy McCain
Cherry Falwell
Choc & Awe
Donald Rum Raisin
Dutch (Reagan) Chocolate
Iraq The Vote
Orange Alert Sherbet
RUSHmallow
School Prayerleens & Crème
Posted by Cakehead at 02:36 AM | Comments (0)
There's only one person who could prompt us to award a second CAKE of the Week Award. And the winner is...
Only someone with a direct line to Jesus could wield enough power to prompt us to award a second Cake of the Week Award. This week's second Cake of the Week Award goes to a man who never misses his Monday morning meeting with the President. Pass up an opportunity to turn this country into a religious state? Not this guy.
However, he doesn't get his cake award for his Christian leadership skills with the President. James Dobson takes this Cake of the Week Award as a result of his creepy advice to parents on "how to prevent your child from becoming a homosexual."
From the Focus on the [hetero] Family
The father plays an essential role in a boy’s normal development as a man. The truth is, Dad is more important than Mom. Mothers make boys. Fathers make men.
In addition to creepy advice, we feel that his homophobic message is simply not following the lead of Jesus. For this reason, we award James Dobson with the Coming Out of the Cake Award. He sure is defensive about the gays. Is James Dobson hiding something? We'll embrace your sexuality when you come of the closet, Jim.
Click here for the first round of Cake of the Week Awards.
Oh, and if you feel like writing an angry letter, these are the folks who doing the sexuality conversions:
Exodus International
P.O. Box 540199, Orlando, FL 32854
Phone: 407-599-6872 or 888-264-0877 (toll-free)
Fax: 407-599-0011
National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality
16633 Ventura Blvd., Suite 1340
Encino, CA 91436
Phone: 818-789-4440
Posted by Cakehead at 12:17 AM | Comments (0)
August 12, 2005
Proud to be an American
This video by Portland, OR-based advertising company BPN Inc. is direct evidence of all the American treasures we have in this country.
Click the image to view the ad for Summer Rooftop Ruckus. Unfortunately for all you Portland-based cakeheaders, the ruckus was last week.
Now we're going to fire up our barbeque smoker and cook ourselves some squirrel.
Posted by Cakehead at 11:52 PM | Comments (1)
The Atkins Diet has finally left the building
Evidence that this nasty fad is over? The proof is in the pudding...or in this instance, in the cream puff.
[From The Associated Press]:
Sure, cream puffs are chock-full of fat and calories and thin is in. But the treats that fell flat among diet-conscious Americans decades ago are making a comeback via Japan.Dueling cream puff shops — one a Japanese standby, another a U.S. upstart — have popped up on the East Coast, and one plans to expand soon to other parts of the country.
At least one mail-order food company is also reporting a jump in cream puff sales and the Wisconsin State Fair — where they have been sold since 1924 and in recent years gained record popularity — now sells the confection at a rate of one per second.
We're sure you don't want to miss out on this new, much less meaty, trend in eating. The best way to do this is to venture to the Turtle Bay section of Manhattan on the Upper East side and tast test the Japanese cream puffs at the two rival companies: Choux Factory, the Beard Papa.
For further reading on the rivalry check out Eat Drink One Woman. The subtitle for the blog is "eating and complaining in NYC."
Posted by Cakehead at 01:40 PM | Comments (1)
August 11, 2005
Music makes the appetite grow stronger
Pâte à Son
The food allusion in the name of this musical toy was enough to lure us in and make us want to compose. The Pâte à Son is a sound toy created by Le Ciel Est Bleu. It was conceived to encourage musical experimentation.
To play drag instruments, switches, and transporter pipes from the conveyor belt to the checkerboard to make music. Rotate the pieces. Choose a melody. Change pitch, tempo and volume to fine-tune your composition.
Posted by Cakehead at 11:44 PM | Comments (0)
Japanese ad for cookies
Click here to watch a cute Japanese ad for cookies
Kabaya hosts a collection of wacky ads for Japanese cakes, sweets and cookies. [From Crazy Japan
Posted by Cakehead at 11:31 PM | Comments (0)
Neat Eaters need not apply
a napkin you can wear
Being that we are sloppy eaters, we were delighted to discover this invention. It's a napkin to wear at all times on your forearm.
[From Italian design Studio Joe Velluto via We Make Money Not Art]
Posted by Cakehead at 11:21 PM | Comments (0)
Eat to Earn Spending Money
We weren't sure whether to categorize this posting in the Slumming It category or Careers in Eating. The free snacks would suggest Slumming It, but since there's a modest paycheck offered, we concluded this qualifies to be cataloged under Careers in Eating. If you are selected, don't forget to add the credit to your resume.
[From Craigslist.com]:
Two-week research study on snacks, flavors and moods. Three short visits to St. Luke’s/Roosevelt Hospital (Amsterdam and 114th) and answer daily questionnaires on the internet. $50.00 compensation, 212.523.1602.
Posted by Cakehead at 05:24 PM | Comments (0)
Cakehead Award of the Week: The Lego Cake
Legos: Great for Building Cakes and Walls of Protection
We are proud to announce this week's winners of the Cakehead Award of the week. This week's prize is the Lego Cake. The ingredients contained in the cake not only produce a delicious snack, but can be recycled to build a wall of protection. We know these two deserving recipients are a little terrified about the world that surrounds them so we're recommending that they, deconstruct their Lego prize cakes and build a wall around themselves.
The first Lego Cake award goes to: Kurt Anderson for his recent article in New York Metro.com where he revealed his desire for a thick concrete safety suit. We hope these legos will make you feel secure, Kurt.
[From Gawker via Catch via FREEWilliamsburg.com]:
I felt a little guilty the other afternoon in Foley Square, walking between two big federal buildings, when I darted off the sidewalk the moment I saw a woman approaching in a full black burka. I wanted to get beyond her killing radius as quickly as I could. It was silly, and slightly shameful, but reflexive: In the summer of 2005 in New York, ostentatiously pious Muslim = potential suicide bomber.
The second award goes to Jerry Fallwell who we feel, frankly, really needs more than a lego wall. But we're hoping until he creates his theocracy, he can cordon himself off in Christian la-la land and leave the rest of us alone.
[From The Associated Press]:
Falwell, founder of Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va., and Moral Majority, included with his mass fundraising letter for Falwell Ministries a sticker that reads, "I Vote Christian."
Posted by Cakehead at 04:35 AM | Comments (0)
August 10, 2005
The best places to dine have funny signs
We're certainly glad that the timber wolf is no longer being overlook by chefs due to its dangerous nature. Wait a second. Weren't they hunted to the point of near extinction? Isn't wolf fry is illegal?
For a further collection of hilarious restaurant, rest stop and roadway signs go to Funny Sign.com Here's a sampling that got our mouths watering:
We hope the spices don't come from the feline help.
The special shampoo costs extra.
To make it a hunchback Siamese twin meals add $.39.
Posted by Cakehead at 11:18 PM | Comments (1)
Morbid Meals
In today's NY Times Dining section is an article about funerals and eating habits [via Gawker]:
"Recently we had a lovely funeral dinner," Mr. Becker said. "Catered. About $20 per person. Beautiful china and linen. Fancy folded napkins. Sculpted butter. A fabulous display of hors d'oeuvres. Chicken on a skewer with a nice Greek dressing. Stuffed mushroom caps. Little Reuben sandwiches. It was better than most wedding dinners I've been to."
Posted by Cakehead at 05:53 PM | Comments (0)
August 09, 2005
Free Wine Sipping Event: Red State produces White Wine - Toast to the Minority in the Red States
We're suckers for the underdog. So, after we came to terms with the fact that we would be enduring another four years with George W. we realized we aren't the true victims in the situation. We are safely nestled away in our blue state delusions. The people to be concerned about are our liberal sisters and brothers trapped in the red states where they live.
They are attacked on both sides. On the one hand they must they live among the defenders of corporate welfare and folks who vote not with their brain, but based on their simplistically hypocritical interpretations of a translated text that wasn’t actually written when Jesus was still alive. But should our southern friends venture north they must defend their sweet south from those simplistic Yankees who think all southerners are uneducated racist bible thumpers. Luckily for our liberal Virginians, god is ignoring the preachings of the Baptist ministers and instead has divinely designed an antidote for their suffering souls. Vino!
Since 2001, the count of vineyards in Virginia has swelled to over 75. Considering there were merely six little wineries in 1979 we can’t help but conclude the surge in Virginia wine production is a much needed miracle. Or for the non-believers who are dubious of miracle speak, the economics explanation is that after presidential appointment of 2000, what else could a liberal Virginian do, but drink herself into a stupor until the cloud of evil had subsided. The wine producers recognized the demand and sprung to action creating a supply that many say is only second to the wine produced in Napa Valley.
In a state that can rightfully boast of June Carter Cash, the Blue Ridge Mountains and some seriously-sized portions at the family restaurant, certainly it’s possible to produce a delicious beverage that symbolizes the blood of Christ that has some wonderful numbing qualities.
Now there’s an opportunity to taste theses delicious wines and toast to our liberal Virginian comrades.
Virginia Wine Tasting with Kluge Estate
Place: Sherry-Lehmann, 679 Madison Avenue (btw. 61st & 62nd), New York, NY 10021 Date: August 10, 2005 (Wed)
Time: 3:00pm to 6:00pm
Phone: (212) 838-7500
Taste fine wines from Albemarle County, Virginia, the area Hugh Johnson has called “the most promising wine growing region in the United States after Napa Valley.” Kluge Estate Winery and Vineyard lies here, in the heart of the birthplace of American viticulture, next to Thomas Jefferson’s famed Monticello Estate. The tasting will be hosted by Kristin Moses, daughter of Patricia Kluge and William Moses, the founders of the Kluge Estate Winery and Vineyard. After seven years as a publicist in Manhattan, Kristin traded concrete for the rolling green hills of her hometown Charlottesville, Virginia and has been working side by side with her parents at Kluge Estate since the launch of their first vintage in 2002. Kristin will taste guests on two of Kluge Estate’s finest wines, New World Red 2001 and their 100% chardonnay sparkling wine, Kluge SP, which will be paired with unique cheeses from Artisanal Cheese Center. From 5 to 6pm, Kluge Estate founder Patricia Kluge will join the tasting and share her inspiration for starting a winery on the estate she had already lived on for 20 years and her philosophies on creating serious wines that reflect Virginia’s terroir. Learn about her vision for Kluge Estate and how she and her husband, Bill Moses, who is also the Chairman of the Virginia Wine Board, are working hard to pioneer the growth of the Virginia wine industry. More Info: KlugeEstateOnline.com
Posted by Cakehead at 11:04 PM | Comments (0)
Sugar to our ears
Having trouble finding the perfect music to cook to? If you like old time twangs and pickin', bookmark the Sugar in the Gourd website. This online radio show provides a delightful stream of old time music. The music from this site is guaranteed to help you produce the best pie or grits a person can make.
[From Irregular Orbit via Boingboing.net]
Posted by Cakehead at 01:51 PM | Comments (0)
August 08, 2005
What's next chicken flavored chewing gum?
strawberry milk sausage
Combining three groups of the new food pyramid into one delicious drink.
[From Nude Highway Driving via Boingboing.net]
Mmmmm, strawberry milk sausages. Because their fish-meat sausages aren't selling as well lately, a company called Nissui decided to add a strawberry milk flavor to them for a hot new product. In the Mainichi article, an executive from the company said what I've been telling friends for years: "Strawberries go well with minced fish."
Posted by Cakehead at 02:04 PM | Comments (1)
August 05, 2005
Cake Award of the week goes to the biggest pussy of all
Litter Box Cake Award Trophy
We love how inquisitive those Christian are when it comes to tracing the origin of His Majesty. We just don't like that they're throwing their weight around in the public schools - trying to possess the minds of our precious atheist offspring.
[From Chicago Tribune]:
President Bush said Monday that he thinks schools should discuss "intelligent design" alongside evolution when teaching students about creation. …During a round-table interview with reporters from five Texas newspapers, Bush declined to detail his views on the origin of the universe. But he said students should learn about both theories….Christian conservatives have pushed for the teaching of intelligent design in public schools. Scientists generally have rejected the theory as an attempt to force religion into education.
Since George W. backs the teaching of Intelligent Design in our public schools this week's cakehead award goes to our President. We present him with the Kitty Litter cake. The symbolism works on two levels. Level one, Bush is a big pussy, afraid to stand up to the Christian conservatives on any social issue. Level two, Bush is full of shit – just like the cakey litter box.
Posted by Cakehead at 11:45 PM | Comments (0)
What this weekend has in store: Crisco & Chili Crab
Friday, August 05, 2005
CoCo66 Opening
The folks who brought you Supreme Trading in Williamsburg, are now opening a bar in Greenpoint called CoCo66. Tonight is the opening night party. Pacifico, Guiness, Molson, run free until 11 PM.
DJ: Sean the Revelator
Time: 9 pm
Venue: CoCo66 (66 Greenpoint Ave between Franklin and West)
Cost: Free
Passport Fridays
This free event takes place in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. The magic of this location is the shady breezes that sweep through, even during the August heatwaves... Just follow the crowds to the to the big global sphere to see Brazilian dance, film and music. There will be Capoeira, Samba, Modern Dance, and a film.
Times: 6:30 pm - Dusan Tynek Dance Theatre performs Camera Illuminata
7:30 pm - Carioca Capoeira and Samba
8:00 pm - O Caminho Das Nuvens (The Middle of the World)
Venue: Flushing Meadows Corona Park
Cost: Free
Saturday, August 6, 2005
Criscomas
You know how much we love oils and fats at Cakehead. We almost feel like Criscomas is being celebrated in our honor. Leave it to those crazy kids in Williamsburg to come up with this one. Top this Spring Break Florida!
Bring shorty shorts, Crisco, and beer to this slip-and-slide on the rooftop party in deep Williamsburg. Assume that houseparty madness (and oiliness) will ensure. I'm banking on impromptu oil wrestling.
Time: 8:00 pm
Venue: The roof of 248 McKibbin between Bushwick and Humboldt, Williamsburg
Cost: Free
Sunday, August 7, 2005
NYC Tiger Beer Singapore Chili Crab Festival
[From FreeNYC.com]:
Last year I missed the Chili Crab Fest because I was out of town. But this year, I will prevale [sic] in standing in the hot sun and chowing down on a big pile of tasty chili crabs (and beer). Entertainment will include live band performances, souvenir vendors, children's street entertainment and petting zoo, caricaturists, face painters, massage therapy, traditional lion dancers, East-West horoscope readings by Madame Tiger and kickboxers from Gleason’s Gym.
Time: 12:00pm - 6:00 pm
Venue: 66 Water Street, Brooklyn, NY (between Dock and Main)
Transportation: A & C trains to High Street; the F train to York Street; and the #2 train to Clark Street. By car, festival goers should take Old Fulton Street to Front Street to Main and Water streets. Free Water Taxi service to festival attendees. The service will be available from South Street Seaport to Fulton Landing from 12 Noon to 6PM.
Cost: Free
[Thanks to FreeNYC & Gothamist]
Posted by Cakehead at 09:05 PM | Comments (0)
August 04, 2005
A saliva cloud casts a shadow on the sport of football
So there's another case of a football coach licking the wounds of his players. Of course the mainstream media has to act like there's something wacky about that. We don't call them mainstream for nothing. I mean, come on. As soon as a community leader steps out of what is deemed to be mainstream bounds (to unabashedly use a sports metaphor) the reporters step in and begin the proverbial lynching.
[From San Francisco Chronicle]:
A state board voted to publicly reprimand a Central Linn High School teacher and football coach for licking the bleeding wounds of several student athletes....Reed must attend a class on the risks of blood-borne pathogens within the next two months and furnish the commission with written verification of his attendance....It was not clear why he licked the wounds. The Linn County Sheriff's Office investigated the case last year. No charges were filed. Sheriff Dave Burright called the behavior "bizarre" but not criminal, since the contact wasn't forced. Two students who reported licking incidents and another who witnessed an incident said it seemed that Reed was "just joking around."
We at cakehead like to keep an open mind and embrace all forms of sipping, slurping and chewing - even if it involves human flesh. We understand why he did it. It's hot. He was thirsty. The bloody wounds, a logical thirst quencher.
Of course we are glad the community intervened to advise the coach about the health risks involved with this quirky hobby. Hopefully, from now on he'll cauterize the wounds before licking. But did the poor man need to lose his job for two years? The next thing you know wound licking is going to be criminalized and deemed a Freedom Hater's sport by the Bush Administration.
Posted by Cakehead at 11:13 PM | Comments (0)
Cake Jewels for the Head
Our mouths water looking at these crafty bits of adornment. There are earrings for women, zipper dangles for men. All your food-inspired shopping can be done at Amyville.com.
[From Amyville.com]:
Yes the test kitchens and design studios of Amyville have been busy... Here's ONE thing I have been up to...super mini cookies...my smallest cookies yet. Check them out compared to the penny. I tried to do some artsy perspective photography. All these cookies are the same size... smaller than good ol Abe's head. I thinking maybe sock stitchmarkers, tiny earrings... any ideas?
Posted by Cakehead at 08:41 PM | Comments (1)
Owe a friend a wedding present? Here's a cheap gift idea for the crafty
We love edible utensils. Why? No dishes to wash when the eating has is over. We're hoping this trend will catch on and that carved vegetable bowls, plates and goblets will be available for sale at your local Crate and Barrel.
[From Craftapalooza.com]:
What? I hear you say. Chris was cooking carrot soup for dinner and I said "please can you make me a carrot spoon to eat my soup with". Never one to shy from a challenge, especially one as silly as this, he agreed. Didn't he do a great job. Do you think this picture qualifies for self-portrait Tuesday? Looking pasty and in my jammies at the end of the day? Any comments about it being brave to put the picture here..."pow, Alice, right in the kisser".
Posted by Cakehead at 08:23 PM | Comments (1)
New Television Comedy about Eating Disorders
We find eating disorders bizarrely funny since we can't imagine ever depriving ourselves of food. Apparently, so does the creator/director of the new FX show Starved which premieres tonight at 10 PM.
Starved chronicles the lives of four thirty-something friends who reside in Brooklyn and are battling various eating disorders.
Eric Schaeffer's character, Sam, is a neurotic, commitment-phobic commodities broker who is recovering from compulsive overeating. If you don't identify with that character, how about "Adam" an active bulimic and stubborn NYPD cop. Or "Dan" who is an overweight, compulsive over-eater who works as a writer. Then there's "Billie," a bisexual recovering anorexic/bulimic and an aspiring singer/songwriter.
The show sounds funny, but we do have a major ax to grind with the people in charge. Studies show that men account for 16% of eating disorder cases. Based on our calculations, that means women make up the remaining 84% of the cases. Why is it then that the show's primary cast is 75% men?
Posted by Cakehead at 04:17 PM | Comments (2)
August 03, 2005
Severed fingers and Catsup Dispensers
The Silicone Finger Protector - now you can chop your onions like you're in a slasher film
Since we've had several mishaps with knives - mishaps that included gushing blood, late night trips to the emergency room, stitches and permanent scars -- we were excited to discover a solution to our kitchen knife klutziness. The brilliant students of MIT have created the silicone finger protector. [Check out this and other unuseless inventions known as the Japanese art of Chindogu]:
This silicone substitute hand is designed to reduce the danger of cutting your own fingers when preparing food. Careless choppers can become carefree, slicing away at high speed, safe in the knowledge that damage done will be to a hand that doesn't mind. It won't recoil from dirty jobs either, so if you happen to be phobic about raw onions, fish scales, or the slippery debris that collects in the plughole of the kitchen sink, allow the fearless silicone fingers to lend a hand.
The Catsup Crapper is another unuseless food-related treasure from MIT via Milk & Cookies
Catsup Crapper
Posted by Cakehead at 05:15 AM | Comments (1)
August 02, 2005
oily goodness
[From Boingboing.net via Making Light]:
This South African food company manufactures some deliciously chemical sounding spreads and oils. We love the names of their buttery goops Gresol and Blendoplus. Even better is the descriptions of pastry fat, Flakepuff: “A firm, plasticised puff pastry fat for heated pastry goods.” It makes a person feel like finding a bakery that has a little flakepuff in the ingredients. The description for Blotex makes the mouth water too.
General purpose pure shortening, not necessarily of good creaming performance. The fat is based on a blend of selectively hydrogenated edible oils, which have been fully refined and deoderised. Smooth, plastic fat that ensures even dispersion at all times for the best results under machine conditions. Specifically formulated for production of fermented goods and industrial biscuit manufacturing. Conforms to both the Muslim and Jewish authority food standards
Secretly we're jealous of the folks at Epic. We want to work at a company with a Mission Statement. We're most excited by the company's aspirations to create "Magic People." Their Mission statement:
Business Ethics: We are committed to business practices of the highest moral norms and standards
World Class Quality: We are determined to deliver products and services of consistently high quality, which offer value for money to customers and consumers, through the application of world class innovative thinking and actions
Customer Focus: Our top priority is to listen to our customers and to delight them by exceeding their needs and expectations
Magic People: Our objective is to employ and develop 'magic' people of superior competencies that can apply our shared vision, to take Epic Foods into the future
Posted by Cakehead at 10:38 PM | Comments (0)
August 01, 2005
Whiskey Town Supersized Big Gulp
First there was Morgan Spurlock's Supersize Me. For 30 days he ate nothing but McDonald's. That was nothing. Now there's Trevor Moore. In his documentary he sips nothing but whiskey for a full month. [Via Milk & Cookies]:
Click here to view Quicktime clip
We suggest if you're going to follow in Trevor Moore's foot steps, you purchase the last Whiskeytown album and sip away.
Also worth checking out is the Supersize Me, game called Burger Man
Posted by Cakehead at 11:35 PM | Comments (0)
