June 07, 2008
Gaming Cakes
Flickr cooker, Hello Naomi has baked cupcakes to honor our friends Mario and Pac Man. But our personal favorite set up cupcakes are the build your own robot cakes.
[Flickr via BoingBoing, hat tip Kevin R.]
Posted by Cakehead at 04:12 PM | Comments (0)
May 30, 2008
Pancakes anyone? It's baaaack!
Maple Syrup Map from Gothamist
Gothamist has been getting reports from their readers that the maple syrup smell has returned to New York City. [from Gothamist]
It may almost be midnight, but some people are smelling eau de breakfast--there's a whiff of maple syrup in the air! We just received three smellings:* "I think I've been getting that nasty maple syrup smell up here at 137th & b'way for the last couple of hours. Thought it was my neighbor spraying for bugs for a while, then I went outside to dump the garbage and still smelled it outside. I can smell it out the window now, too (I'm on the sixth floor, not far from the river). Anyone else? Is it New Jersey?" - C, Harlem, Manhattan
* "I'm smelling that maple syrup smell tonight and it's strongest I've ever noticed. It's been a while. What is that smell? It's getting pretty annoying!" - D, Edgewater, NJ
* "Yes, the maple syrup is back and way out here in College Point, this is the smell’s second day. I live on Lax Ave right on the waterfront of College Point. It’s near the water treatment plant. WHAT is this smell? I am smelling it right now and it doesn’t make me want to eat pancakes. Could it be drifting from the water, or from the Bronx?" - A, College Point, QueensReaders, if you smell the maple syrup smell, let us know (along with where the scent was), in comments or with an email to tips(at)gothamist(dot)com. We're curious if it's all concentrated around a certain area (someone in the Bronx, tell us!).
Past maple syrup incidents: October 2005, March 2006, November 2006, November 2007, plus a cameo on 30 Rock.
Update: On WNBC 4, Chuck Scarborough mentioned that their newsroom received calls about the maple syrup smells and that the NYPD also received calls about it. No locations were given. However, reader A tells us the Edgewater police heading to her house to check out the smell.
Posted by Cakehead at 02:20 PM | Comments (0)
May 21, 2008
Food Sculptures
My mom would really really like me to make her a grandmother. So, this food sculpture is in honor of her. To check out even cooler food art, click here! [from Fabulously 40 via Buzzfeed]
Posted by Cakehead at 11:20 PM | Comments (0)
May 12, 2008
When the Chickens give up their vegetarian tendencies...
It wasn't until seeing this trailer for Poultrygeist that we finally came to understand the shrill arguments the vegetarians were making.
Posted by Cakehead at 03:25 AM | Comments (0)
May 05, 2008
Whippet Topping
Since scooping whipped topping seems to be more than Americans can handle, Kraft has created a dispenser that requires you simply push the release button and out squirts a puffy pile of dairy-less dessert covering.
Consumers didn't want to have to take that trying trip to the freezer every time they wanted a dollop, so they'd either skip the topping or went with a canned brand. Kraft's solution: a Cool Whip aerosol, so consumers can reach into the fridge and easily squeeze out a topper for their cookie, brownie or piece of fruit. [from Advertising Age]
We're not sure how the trip to the refrigerator is any less "trying" than a trip to the freezer. It's probably just those advertising dollars at work creating the perception that the colder the refrigeration the greater the exertion.
We've always preferred real whipped cream to Cool Whip. But thanks for trying, Kraft.
Posted by Cakehead at 05:04 PM | Comments (1)
April 08, 2008
For the bachelorette who has everything: A restaurant with balls and more...
"I think I'll try the yak penis tonight, honey"
Having trouble deciding where to take the gals for yet another bachelorette party? Afraid that it's going to be yet another night of men in drag dancing on a table while you try to avoid bankruptcy slurping down the overly priced drinks that you're required to order at least two of? Here's an idea of how to have a ball and eat it too.
Book a flight to Beijing with your matrimony-bound friend and head to Guo-li-zhuang restaurant, China's very first specialty penis restaurant in " an elegantly restored house beside Beijing's West Lake." Here you will be presented with more edible inter-species penises than your friend will know what to do with. We suggest ordering a cock-eh-hem-tail to sip while you peruse the menu.
For beginners, Miss Zhu recommended the hotpot, which offers a sampling of what the restaurant has to offer - six types of penis, and four of testicle, boiled in chicken stock by the waitress, Liu Yunyang, 22.The Russian dog was first. It was julienned, and rather gamey. The ox was, of all six, the most recognisable for what it was, even though it had been diced. In texture seemed identical to gristle.
The deer and the Mongolian goat were surprisingly similar: a little stringy, they had the appearance and feel of overcooked squid tentacles. The Xinjiang horse and the donkey, on the other hand, were quite different. Though both came sliced lengthwise, and looked like bacon, the horse was light and fatty, while the donkey had a firm colour and taste. The testicles were slightly crumbly, and tasted better with lashings of the sesame, soy and chilli dips thoughtfully provided.[ from Telegraph]
Just make sure you order your Canadian seal penis in advance. Apparently it requires a little extra preparation time -- but isn't that what marriage is about: schedules, communication.... Just think of it as good training.
You'll know you've done your job if you notice your bride friend is feeling cock-eyed and longing to have just one penis for life. [from the Sunday Times London and via Buzzfeed]
Posted by Cakehead at 07:52 PM | Comments (0)
December 04, 2007
Gift Guide for Food Related Gifts
We've done it before and we're doing it again. We've sifted through all the best shopping websites and have compiled a collection of food-related gifts to give your loved-ones this holiday season. And with the markets in a downward spiral, we've only listed gifts that are $25 or less, so you can still afford your yuletide spirits.
Laptop Lunch Bento Box
Laptop Lunches are American-style bento boxes designed to help families pack nutritious, environment-friendly lunches for school, work, and travel. These sustainable lunch containers--which come with a book of healthy lunch ideas and lunchmaking recipes--are reusable, recyclable, and dishwasher safe. And all of our lunchboxes are lead-free.
Fee: $20
[from Laptop Lunches via Mighty Goods]
Book: Moveable Feasts by Sarah Murray
For anyone interested in the locavore approach to eating, Moveable Feasts will give readers a chance to escape their backyards and travel the world. The book is a fantastic expedition around the globe and into history to trace just how far staple foods like olive oil and fish must travel to get from farm to fork. A fascinating read for any foodie. We couldn't put this book down.
Hostess Twinkies Non-Stick Baking Pan
You’re craving Twinkies, but you don’t remember them tasting quite so much like formaldehyde when you were a kid. This Twinkie kit lets you make homemade treats with buttery cake and real whipped cream.
Fee: $20
[from Not Martha via Mighty Goods]
Vegetable Market Felt Playset
We all love cookies, and cakes....but we need to make time for veggies too! This set of nutritious felt vegetables would be perfect for teaching colors, and good eating habits. Corn has a removeble husk, and onion has realistic roots! If you have a sweet tooth check out the Donut and Fruit Set or if a greasy spoon breakfast is more your thing, try Pancake, Eggs & Sausage Breakfast.
Fee: $18
[from Mermaid via Etsy]
USB-powered Drink Warmer & Chiller
It's perfect and it's simple - a hotplate powered by USB keeps your coffee warm. But if Alton Brown has taught us anything is that we hate a single-use tool. That, and, sometimes we like our caffeine served cold. No problem, 'cause we've got you covered!
Fee: $24.99
[from ThinkGeek]
Keep reading to get stocking stuffer ideas....
Stocking Stuffers
Original Ring Thing
Don't worry. The recipient of this gift doesn't need to make any promises about preserving his/her virginity when wearing this ring. This is not "Silver Ring Thing." It's just a bottle opener you can wear on your finger for easy opening.
Fee: $7.99
[from ThinkGeek}
Fresh Homemade Red Velvet Cake Fragrance Incense Sticks, 15 count
The fragrance is Red Velvet Cake, a delicious, tempting aroma of rich, buttery vanilla cake with touches of cinnamon and clove and a smooth cream cheese frosting.
Fee: $2.50
[from Etsy]
Shower Shock Caffeinated Soap
Tired of waking up and having to wait for your morning java to brew? Are you one of those groggy early morning types that just needs that extra kick? Shower Shock is the world's first caffeinated soap.
Fee: $6.99/bar
[from ThinkGeek]
BLT Sandwich Incense
Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato and Fresh Baked Bread Incense (4 sticks of each).
BACON - Smells just like bacon frying in the skillet!
LETTUCE - This scent is a blend of sweet floral, water and ozone.
TOMATO - Smells like a vine-ripened tomato
FRESH BAKED BREAD - To complete our sandwich! - Smells like fresh baked bread right out of the oven!
Fee: $2.50
(from Fooberry Incense via Etsy]
Posted by Cakehead at 01:11 PM | Comments (0)
November 19, 2007
Instructions on How to Use that Tub of Easy Lube
We've pulled some Groove Tube classics out of the vaults. This one satirizes the 1950 Kraft ads -- you know the ones that instruct housewife how to incorporate Miracle Whip into breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The Groove Tube (1974), written and produced by Ken Shapiro was a low-budget comedy film. It satirized television and the counterculture of the early 1970s. The film was originally produced to be shown at the Channel One Theater on East 60th St. in New York, a venue that featured R-rated video recordings shown on three television sets, which was a novelty to the audiences of the mid 1970's. Keep reading.
[Thanks for the tip Rumproast.com]
Posted by Cakehead at 01:41 PM | Comments (0)
October 20, 2007
Cakesicles
Cakesicles! Yup—now you can make your own popsicle-shaped mini cakes on sticks, thanks to Norpro's Cakesicle Pan, which accommodates 8 healthy sized cakes at a time. But the fun really begins after they’re baked: they're super-fun to decorate; you can put frosting on all sides; and since they’re on a stick, you can eat them while walking. No fork and plate holding you down.[from Cakespy.com]
Posted by Cakehead at 08:53 PM | Comments (0)
October 18, 2007
Very Short Lists Tells Us How to Find Fancy Fish Smoker and Tar Candy
Finnish Fish Smoker
Cool kitchen appliances, office supplies and gardening tools from around the world are now available for purchase at Kiosk -- the business of some clever entrepreneurs who are into global travel.
When you visit a foreign country, it's easy to stumble upon tons of cool, indigenous stuff you can't find at home -- but you can never fit all of it in your suitcase. Thanks to married-couple entrepreneurs Alisa Grifo and Marco Romeny and their Website, Kiosk, all those amazing discoveries you passed up in Nagoya or Stockholm can be yours--for a fair price.[from VeryShortList.com]
The Very Short List is a short and sweet daily e-mail, that points to great discoveries from both high and low culture. The project was founded by Kurt Andersen, founder of Spy Magazine, and Michael Jackson, President, IAC Programming.
Posted by Cakehead at 04:12 PM | Comments (0)
October 11, 2007
Aww, Shit. Score one for the Vegetarians
image from Vegan Campus
Between Mad Cow, deforestation of rain forests to make way for the beef industry and now, a finding that , if you're eating meat, you're also eating feces, carnivores like us are finding a lot of reasons to switch teams.
Doctors petitioned the USDA to ensure "Feces-Free" meat or issue biohazard labels after a survey found that 84 percent of adults have no idea that the primary source of salmonella, campylobacter, E. coli, and other foodborne pathogens on poultry and meat is animal feces.
Our findings show the vast majority of Americans do not understand there are feces on meat and poultry,” says Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) staff attorney Mindy Kursban. “In fact, there’s a major disconnect in the public consciousness between the foodborne illnesses that sicken so many of us and their originating cause: animal excrement.”
[vegancampus via Buzzfeed]
Posted by Cakehead at 11:40 PM | Comments (0)
September 26, 2007
Mini Camcorder Fits in Pack of Gum
For all those CIA agents-in-training, this gadget is for you.
Spygadgets.com is selling what they claim to be the world's smallest camcorder. It neatly fits in an empty pack of gum. It records up to 33 hours of 15 fps video on it's 1 GB micro SD card. It connects to your PC via USB to charge itself and transfer video. It costs $295. The only problem is the low-res video quality.
[From Geekologie]
Posted by Cakehead at 02:40 PM | Comments (0)
September 20, 2007
Impress Your Boss with this Dinner Table Trick
If small talk dries up at your next company dinner, impress the boss with this fork and toothpick balancing act.
Posted by Cakehead at 04:20 AM | Comments (0)
September 14, 2007
Time-Lapse Food
We're going to make a time lapse cheese and tomato sandwich with all these time lapse videos of food!
[ChedderVision tip via BuzzFeed]
Posted by Cakehead at 01:04 AM | Comments (0)
September 10, 2007
Cook Breakfast Tacos with director Robert Rodriguez
There's no human blood and guts in these breakfast tacos. In his Sin City Cooking School film director, Robert Rodriguez, teaches how to prepare these tasties in 10 minutes.
[thefoodmonkey.com via buzzfeed]
Posted by Cakehead at 02:20 PM | Comments (0)
August 20, 2007
Ce-Real Cafe for the Sugar Deprived
As a small child my sugar intake was severely limited. But on one magical day each year I was allowed to take menu planning into my own hands. I was in charge of designing my own birthday breakfast. No limits. No questions asked. I was allowed to eat anything and everything that my pop culturally deprived mind could come up with. With no television ads to introduce me to food directly marketed at children, my birthday breakfasts were pretty uninspired. Over the years the menu never changed. Once a year, on a tray in bed I was presented with my meal of choice: white bread, "sugar" cereal and donuts.
The choices of donuts and a bread may seem pretty, uh, white bread. But when "sugar" cereal is introduced to the equation, the possibility for adventure seem to open up. Cookie Crisp, Fruit Loops and Tony the Tiger's cereal presented opportunities to get my yearly sugar fix. Sadly, the special birthday privileges did not include permission to catch up on television advertisements that might have enlightened me with the cereal possibilities. So I usually went with what, looking back I'm guessing was my parents' suggestion: Honey Nut Cheerios.
If only Cereality, the new cereal bar and cafe, existed then as it does now. Not only would I have all the sugar cereals laid out before me, but if the sucrose levels weren't high enough in its pure form, I could have added toppings like malted milk balls for the hyperactive bump up.
Sadly, Cereality has arrived a little too late to be appreciated by this self proclaimed sweet tooth. With all that depravity in my youth, I need more than cereal to get my fix. Frankly, cereal seems a little overrated, although my opinion can't compete with the stats on the Cereality website: 95% of Americans like cereal while only 57% like sex. You're more likely to find me at Cold Stone Creamery -- Cereality's parent company where I can get the full fat and sugar combo.
Click here to take the virtual tour.
Posted by Cakehead at 01:41 AM | Comments (0)
August 01, 2007
Spit Where you Eat
One of these foams is not like the other
I don’t understand the desire of high-minded diners to eat what is essentially flavored spit. The trend of noshing on foams infused with reductions seems to belong in the realm of conceptual or virtual eating -- a liminal state of food preparation where the meal is created to be dissolved, not digested. This is not a fad for folks who actually enjoy the gluttonous glory of calories consumption, nor a craze for those who enjoy the mastication phase of eating. All you get is flavor, not mass.
Ever since, El Bulli, Michelin’s top-rated restaurant in the world, perfected the art of foam-crafted dining, tiny bubbles have been seen as more than just the scum you skim. But even if I could get a reservation at the Spain-based restaurant, and if I had the 500 euros necessary to pay for the meal, it doesn't mean I would endorse the concept of flavored froths of air.
When I read I Blame the Patriarchy's "Garish Dinner of the Week" posting, I was glad to find someone who could explain foam's appeal.
The foam-as-food trend, invented a few years ago by that El Bulli guy in Spain, has hit Austin at last. Or maybe it's been here all along and I've eaten it 46 times but because I have chemo-brain it slipped my mind. But in any event, the other night at Zoot -- an upscaly joint on Lake Austin Blvd -- there appeared before me the above-pictured plate: crisp pork tenderloin, creamed spinach, and shrimp fritters. Shrimp 'essence' is what Zoot calls that pinkish scum you see bubbling up in the middle, and for some reason it was sort of delicious. …To make tasty shrimp scum, put a shrimp in a juicer. Combine it with gelatin. Insert the result in a whipped cream canister, and blast it onto a plate with nitrous oxide.
Posted by Cakehead at 11:40 PM | Comments (0)
July 17, 2007
Hamburgers Your Vegetarian Friends Will Love
Since everybody knows that vegetarians love an arts and crafts project, why not knit them a cheeseburger to let them know know you have their best interests in mind. They'll love all the food-inspired knits that Kee Kee has created.
And check out all the crochet sweets that Buzz Feed is offering up for dessert.
Posted by Cakehead at 12:42 AM | Comments (0)
July 13, 2007
Made in China: Pulpy Cardboard Cakes
Chopped cardboard, softened with an industrial chemical and flavored with fatty pork and powdered seasoning, is a main ingredient in batches of steamed buns sold in one Beijing neighborhood, state television said... State TV's undercover investigation features the shirtless, shorts-clad maker of the buns, called baozi, explaining the contents of the product sold in Beijing's sprawling Chaoyang district...."What's in the recipe?" the reporter asks. "Six to four," the man says.
"You mean 60 percent cardboard? What is the other 40 percent?" asks the reporter. "Fatty meat," the man replies.
The bun maker and his assistants then give a demonstration on how the product is made.
Squares of cardboard picked from the ground are first soaked to a pulp in a plastic basin of caustic soda -- a chemical base commonly used in manufacturing paper and soap -- then chopped into tiny morsels with a cleaver. Fatty pork and powdered seasoning are stirred in.
[from CNN]
Posted by Cakehead at 04:15 AM | Comments (0)
July 09, 2007
Decorating Tips for Food Lovers
Image from The Sneeze
In the Cakehead office, our decorations of choice are un-edible packaged food products. Shelves are lined with pretty little cans of Vienna Sausages and instead of fish bowls displaying fish, glass jars display packaged pigs lips. There are certain packaged foods that make better home decorations than edibles. However, Steve at The Sneeze has compiled a funny list of such packaged food that he does eat. Join Steve in saying "fuck you" to his tastebuds in his first installment titled,"Steve Don't Eat It."
He begins the taste test with "Potted Meat Food Product"
There aren't too many products that feel the need to reassure you that they are, in fact, "food." Already not a good sign.The list of ingredients is long and horrifying, coming right out of the gate with "MECHANICALLY SEPARATED CHICKEN." Oddly enough, I'm about to be separated from my lunch, and I haven't even opened the can yet.
Other ingredients include BEEF TRIPE, BEEF HEARTS, AND "PARTIALLY DE-FATTED COOKED PORK FATTY TISSUE" How does one de-fat fat? Bizarre. God knows what else is in here.
Posted by Cakehead at 04:45 PM | Comments (0)
June 28, 2007
Supreme Court Turns Loopy. Use Fruit Loop Edible Straws to Launch Spitballs in Protest
Fruit Loops' new edible straw is the perfect weapon to launch spitballs at the Supreme Court Justices for the majority's decision to overrule segregation in schools, propelling us back to the pre-Brown v. Board of Education days.
The four dissenters wrote, in effect, that the majority was standing history on its head. Justice Stephen G. Breyer said that today’s result “threatens to substitute for present calm a disruptive round of race-related litigation, and it undermines Brown’s promise of integrated primary and secondary education that local communities have sought to make a reality.”[Via NY Times]
Or better yet, as Gawker suggests, just send the straws to the Justices to snort their coke or smoke their crack. It seems they're on some form of substance if they think this decision is going to help end the racial divide in this country.
[Buzzfeed via The Impulsive Buy]
Posted by Cakehead at 10:25 PM | Comments (0)
June 04, 2007
Our Country as Cuts of Meat
our country or butcher painting?
The artist, Kim Dingle, asked teen-agers in Las Vegas to draw their country in the shape they thought it had, without looking at a map. Dingle transformed the drawings into a painting. We're actually pretty impressed with the kids' ability to draw from memory. But on second glance, the collection of US maps begins to look like a variety of meat cuts. Do the Las Vegas kids subconsciously have slaughter on their mind? It must be those violent video games they're playing. Or maybe it's the Food Network's colonization of the hearts and minds of our countrymen.
The painting is in a book about unconventional maps called, You Are Here.
[from strangemaps.wordpress.com via digg.com]
Posted by Cakehead at 02:23 PM | Comments (0)
May 31, 2007
Udderly Delicious
Now that scientists have found a cow with the skim-milk-producing genetic trait, we're hoping the next developments will be mutant cows that produce soy milk and soft serve frozen yogurt.
AUCKLAND, New Zealand (UPI) -- Scientists in New Zealand have successfully bred a cow that produces skim milk and the firm behind the process said herds of the animals are on the horizon.Officials at the biotech firm, ViaLactia, said the new breeding program would allow them to gain a significant foothold in the world`s food industry by marketing to health-conscious consumers, The Times of London said Sunday.
ViaLactia`s chief scientist, Russell Snell, said the cow`s milk is significantly healthier in three ways.
'She produces a normal level of protein in her milk but substantially less fat, and the fat she does produce has much more unsaturated fat,' Snell said. 'She also produces milk with very high levels of omega3 oils.'
The firm found the cow in 2001, but Snell said true success came when the company learned the animal could pass the trait onto its offspring.
[science.monstersandcritics.com via Buzzfeed]
Posted by Cakehead at 03:40 AM | Comments (0)
May 22, 2007
Frat Boys on the Loose
Has anyone else noticed how many fratty types seem to be running rampant in Manhattan these days? Is this a trend that will only continue to worsen into a zombie-like takeover by boys in polos and khakis? Well, we say, if you can't fight 'em, join them. Or at least fight them at Frat Boy Pong.
In Frat Boy Pong, you are a geek who finds himself in a battle of beer ping pong at a frat house. The object is to get the frat boy drunk.
Click here to give it a whirl.
Posted by Cakehead at 04:06 AM | Comments (0)
May 10, 2007
Meat versus Milk
grilled Wallaby
Wallaby meat is one of our favorites to throw on the grill. But now Australian scientists are recommending we drink Wallaby milk to protect against antibiotic resistant drugs. We haven't tried it yet, but we imagine that it tastes just as good as cat milk.
An antimicrobial compound produced in wallaby milk could be a new weapon in the continuing battle against antibiotic-resistant superbugs, say researchers conducting pre-clinical trials.This is one of a number of compounds recently found in marsupials, such as koalas, that have exciting medical applications. Young wallabies don't develop an immune system until 100 days after birth, yet they typically manage to avoid infection. This compound is part of the reason why, say Australian scientists.
[from cosmosmagazine.com via Newsvine]
For how to cook wallaby meat, click here. It's also tasty in lasagna.
Posted by Cakehead at 01:30 PM | Comments (0)
April 13, 2007
Put that baby on a chocolate diet!
Between Nestle's acquisition of Gerber today and their purchase of Jenny Craig, we're looking forward to sampling some delicious low cal chocolate baby food. We can expect that all those obese babies will be in chocolate baby food heaven. Can we count on General Mills to bring in a little competition with a diet Count Chocula?
Posted by Cakehead at 02:00 PM | Comments (0)
February 28, 2007
It's not what you think
A coat of armor for your banana
Do you have the same problem with your bananas as we do? You pack a banana for lunch, but the time you get to the office, it's banged up and bruised from the bumpy ride in your bag or briefcase. Well now you can protect your banana with the Banana Bunker!
Oh, and according to this Guardian report, in 10 years we may have no bananas. So buying this banana armor may extend their existence for a few years.
[via Buzzfeed]
Posted by Cakehead at 11:11 PM | Comments (2)
February 19, 2007
Condos that look like Candy
These apartments look good enough to eat
The $750,000 Reversible Destiny Lofts in Tokyo aren't edible, but they look like they should be. This housing project for the elderly aims to keep residents sharp by throwing them off balance. And since the elderly are known for having a sweet tooth, the aesthetic of the buildings seem particularly apt.
Shusaku Arakawa, a Japanese artist based in New York and his creative partner, poet Madeline Gins, recently unveiled a small apartment complex in the Tokyo suburb of Mitaka that is anything but comfortable and calming. "People, particularly old people, shouldn't relax and sit back to help them decline," he insists. "They should be in an environment that stimulates their senses and invigorates their lives."With that in mind, Arakawa and Gins designed a building of nine apartments known as Reversible Destiny Lofts. Painted in eye-catching blue, pink, red, yellow and other bright colors, the building resembles the indoor playgrounds that attract toddlers at fast-food restaurants. Inside, each apartment features a dining room with a grainy, surfaced floor that slopes erratically, a sunken kitchen and a study with a concave floor. Electric switches are located in unexpected places on the walls so you have to feel around for the right one. A glass door to the veranda is so small you have to bend to crawl out. You constantly lose balance and gather yourself up, grab onto a column and occasionally trip and fall.
Sounds like our behavior after eating candy that looks like this apartment complex.
[from boingboing via Sushi & Sensibility]
Posted by Cakehead at 01:40 PM | Comments (0)
January 19, 2007
MTA roasts lamb on subway?
The smokey smell on the 2/3 train Wednesday morning was not the usual track fire variety. It smelled like a sweet juicy rack of lamb, smeared with rosemary and garlic. We're not sure why the MTA is doing their roasting underground. Maybe it was a special breakfast request by Bloomberg. Maybe it's a way to use up all the gas and maple syrup that seems to be accumulating without explanation in the city. Either way, we're hoping for more culinary experiments for our morning commute.
Posted by Cakehead at 01:58 PM | Comments (0)
January 08, 2007
Stalks that Suck
engineered celery straw with hollow center
We have the folks at Duda Farm Fresh Foods to thank for finally finding a purpose for celery's existence. They have engineered celery stalks that are grown with hollow centers -- the perfect shape for sipping your Bloody Mary. But the celery straw's functions don't stop there. The creators suggest some other things you can do with the straw:
These "celery straws" can hold a hidden cream cheese or peanut butter surprise.
Sounds tasty.
Watch for the edible sip sticks to start appearing at restaurants and hotels soon.
[from Neatorama via CoolBusinessIdeas]
Posted by Cakehead at 01:20 PM | Comments (0)
December 05, 2006
Holiday Gift Ideas brought to you by the food-obsessed
bacon band aids
Bacon Band Aids from Merch Bot are a mere $4.75/tin.
To show your family and friends you love them this holiday season, look no further than cakehead.com. We have compiled a list of our favorite food-related gifts that are under $25.
From the Meat Aisle:
meat pencil toppers
Meat Pencil Toppers - $3.50
Meat Shower Curtain - $17.95
Bacon Wrapping Paper - $3.75
If You Prefer Fish:
Selection of Chocolates that look like Sushi - from $10
Alternative Protein:
Ceramic Egg planters for seedlings - $19.95
Beverage:
Wrist Cuff made from Korean orange soda can - $8
BYO Beer Carrying Case - $22
Mr. Beer Deluxe Home Brewing Kit - $30 (okay, so this one violates the $25 limit, but we think it's worth it)
Dessert:
Ice Cream Pint Lock - $5.50 - for those roommates who share your sweet tooth, but who can't be trusted
Mini Wallets made from candy wrappers - $8
[tips from Mightygoods and Google]
Posted by Cakehead at 12:50 PM | Comments (1)
July 13, 2006
Cigarette Ice Cream Cakes & Fallen Rapper Pez
Ice cream designed to look like Philip Morris subsidiary products
From Ice Cream Cakes designed to look like Philip Morris Inc. subsidiary food products to Pez dispensers of Fallen Rappers, Packard Jenning's site, Centennial Society, exhibits conceptual masterpieces that are impressive in their craftsmanship. [from EvangelicalRight.com via Gawker]
But Jenning's work isn't limited to the world of candy and food products.
We love his concept for how to avenge those annoying Business Reply letters. Jennings has designed sixteen visual commentaries on office life that fit neatly into those postage paid envelopes. Take your pick from the hilarious images and mail the picture back to the generous business. Click here to scroll through all sixteen images.
Posted by Cakehead at 02:04 PM | Comments (1)
June 22, 2006
Carving Melon into Crabs
At first glance these masterfully carved fruits look like freshly steamed crabs. But as crabby as they look they're actually melons. This and other melon carvings can be found at the website Eurodance.
Posted by Cakehead at 02:44 PM | Comments (1)
Eggcellent Art
Can anyone read Japanese characters? We think this installation egg sculpture is a statement about money. Unfortunately, we need more than a good eggchange rate to figure out the correlation between the eggs and the cash. Please send your translations/interpretations to us.
At least the chickens would be pleased with this bird's-eye-view of the installation.
[From Home Studio via J00wish Stumbleupon]
Posted by Cakehead at 07:32 AM | Comments (1)
June 20, 2006
Spray It: Tricks to Play on Children
We know there are rumors circulating that children don't like vegetables. We think there are a number of explanations that take the blame off the poor vegetables.
Often parents present the vegetables as though eating them will be a chore. If a little enthusiasm accompanied the serving of fresh leaves of spinach or the sweet, tartness of a beefy tomato, maybe the kid's reaction would mirror the parent's.
Unfortunately shopping at farmers markets for vegetables that were ripened on the vine or grown in soil instead of water is not the reality for most. Could it be that the negative reactions that kids have to vegetables is a result of eating produce that tastes like water or crunch and is completely lacking in flavor?
Well, now there's a company capitalizing on the bad reputation of vegetables. Innovative Candy Concepts seems to think that they have the solution to trick your kids into eating their vegetables. We happen to think that the solution could not be more revolting, but we're anxious to see if they have any success.
Innovative Candy Concepts has created a collection of candy-flavored sprays aimed at parents who haven't successfully managed to play the role of vegetable ambassador to their children. Parents can choose from four flavors: strawberry, blueberry, green apple and watermelon and flavors range from sour to super sweet so parents can select the level of sugar they want to spray on everything from brussel sprouts to broccoli.
Armand Hammer, CEO of the company said, "We'd like to seel it as a serious product, not as a novelty."
We're sure broccoli-hating Bush senior will take the product seriously. Maybe he'd still be on good terms with broccoli growers if Innovative Candy Concepts had sugarcoated this blechy vegetable back when he was president.
And for the parents who never learned to fill up on a healthy serving of vegetables and are now trying to lose weight, another company called Flavor Spray is offering a no-calorie sprays so you can spritz a mist of maple syrup on your pancakes, pesto on your pasta or cheddar cheese on your baked nacho chips. For a complete list of other flavors you can experience in mist form click here.
Posted by Cakehead at 05:43 PM | Comments (0)
June 19, 2006
Gutting with John
It was a perfect weekend for fleeing the dirty heat that radiates from New York City when the temperature rises above 80 degrees. We prefer weather that encourages rather than discourages baking. And with the weekend weather predictions being what they were we knew there was no way that any cakes were going to be cooked. So when a friend invited us to venture to a not so faraway shore to witness his fishing prowess firsthand we could not resist. We heard that the red striped bass were begging to be snatched from the shallow waters. So while we hit the waves, John worked his fisherman magic, shore-casting with clam bait.
We only managed to body surf a couple of waves before we noticed his fishline becoming taut. After a struggle, John had hauled in dinner. With the slaughtering board and fillet knife awaiting we dashed back to our cottage and prepared the first fresh fish of the season.
Posted by Cakehead at 02:28 PM | Comments (0)
June 15, 2006
An Important Ethical Question for Vegetarians
the bacon vest - an idea in its infancy
We know most vegetarians wouldn't choose to eat bacon. But would they wear a vest made of stitched strips of the fatty flesh? You can find inventions like the bacon vest at HalfBakery, a forum for those with an inventor's mind, but not a lot of common sense.
Po the "inventor" of the bacon vest, described his vision as "a pleasing design of alternate streaky and back bacon. stitched with bacon rind and seasoned to taste."
We are experts in cake, not fashion. But from a personal standpoint we feel that a vest is always a bad idea (although we love the idea of fashion you can eat).
Posted by Cakehead at 01:51 AM | Comments (1)
June 09, 2006
Baby Carriage Back Ribs & other Barbequing Devices
For an impressive guide to grilling and smoking devices check out Netorama. The options are staggeringly extensive...
Grills like this one suggests bbqers take a new spin to grilling baby backribs:
Posted by Cakehead at 01:24 PM | Comments (0)
May 05, 2006
Japanese Eating Inventions
the noodle eaters hair guard
This week's award for the-restaurant-we-would-never-visit-if-it-were-in-the-United States, but-since-it's in-Japan-it's-cool goes to: the Alice in Wonderland-themed restaurant in Tokyo. They claim to be a "labyrith of fantasy dining" plus they offer over 100 cocktail flavors to boot. Maybe all the cocktail option are part of the labyrith they boast of. But what really sold us was the report that the food comes accompanied with little "Eat Me" tags.
[From Cory Doctorow via boingboing.net]
And the same owners who bring you Alice in Wonderland dining also created the Vampire Cafe!
Also from the wonderful world of Japanese culture - and could come in handy should you indulge in the noodle amuse bouche dishes at Alice's Restaurant is the Noodle Eater's Hair Guard. One of many objects that are part of Chindogu.
[from the Nonist via Boingboing.net]
For more on Chindogu read on...
chindogu: the not-so-ancient Japanese art of inventing ingenious everyday gadgets that, on the face of it, seem like an ideal solution to a particular problem. However, Chindogu has a distinctive feature: anyone actually attempting to use one of these inventions, would find that it causes so many new problems, or such significant social embarrassment, that effectively it has no utility whatsoever. Thus, Chindogu are sometimes described as ‘unuseless’ - that is, they cannot be regarded as ‘useless’ in an absolute sense, since they do actually solve a problem; however, in practical terms, they cannot positively be called ‘useful’. the following are 12 examples culled from the pages of the book 101 unuseless inventions.
Posted by Cakehead at 03:51 AM | Comments (5)
May 01, 2006
Gleaming the cube
Friday, Saturday and Sunday we were confronted with huge plastic platters piled high with cheeses: cheddar, swiss, jalepeno jack, orange colby, white colby, and our personal favorite: the colby that is speckled with white and orange. After this weekend filled with a variety of cubed-cheese catered events we are left asking why caterers and chefs make the decision to cube the cheese? Why not slice it? Slices taste far superior to cubes (and we'll leave the discussion about the odd taste of Colby cheese for another entry).
Is the decision to cube versus slice based in aestethic reasons? One of the spots where we consumed the cubes was at an art opening. Maybe there was intention in the rough chops to create a more physical, sculptural work in the cheese. The art we were viewing was two-dimensional so why not make the food the viewers eat have some physicality to it? There is a certain beauty to a pile of orange and white blocks. Slices would make less of an artistic impact. Three dimensions are bold. A pile of 2-dimensional slices only command to be eaten. The blocks say: "We're thick and solid. When you eat us, you'll get more cheese than you can handle so you better have a glass of cheap red wine to wash me down."
But we think that the decision to cube has more to do with efficiency. With a few swift strokes the chopper has a huge pile of little cheese bricks. When preparing food for volumes of people, there is a need to find short cuts. And that's what caterers do best.
But where did this cheese cutting technique come from? Our culinary sleuths intend to get to the bottom of this slicing mystery. Our hypothesis:
1. Cubing of cheese began with the Swiss. When preparing fondue, the chef would cube cheese for speedier melting. At some point unmelted cubes were consumed, enjoyed, and the trend caught on.
Send us your hypothesis.
Posted by Cakehead at 02:06 PM | Comments (2)
February 14, 2006
Get a plate! The biggest Valentine's Day Faux Pas
edible bra
From lickable body topping to edible underwear – Valentines is the day when people give up proper eating etiquette and instead dine off the human body. At least that’s what Fredericks of Hollywood would like you to believe.
Frankly, we start to feel slightly nauseated at the thought of sampling a so-sweet-it’s-sour strawberry gel from a tube. But if you really must partake in the practice, why not make a delicious homemade apricot tapioca or butterscotch pudding with homemade whipped cream? We’ve studied the ingredients in those manufactured body edibles and believe it or not, there’s no real strawberries in the strawberry spread, no cocoa in the chocolate drippings and not trace of grape in the grape body jam.
Our rule of thumb is, if you wouldn’t eat the stuff from a bowl, why would you eat it off the flesh?
Posted by Cakehead at 02:02 PM | Comments (0)
February 06, 2006
Chew, don't swallow
page from Imaginary World's gum wrapper book
The award for top flea market find goes to the folks at the Imaginary World. They stumbled upon two volumes of books filled with bubble gum wrappers – over 500 wrappers from as far back as 1974.
[via BoingBoing]
Posted by Cakehead at 07:22 PM | Comments (0)
February 02, 2006
Candy Bar Wrapper Handbags
These handbags will end your guilt about generating candy bar wrapper waste
Did you ever think you could eat candy bars for a living? Well, someone at Ecoist must be. The company makes and sells handbags made of candy bar wrappers. We sure hope they’re not throwing away the delicious content of the wrapper just to use the papers.
Ecoist are made from recycled candy wrappers, food packages, and soda labels. They are 100% handmade, woven, and sewn to maintain durability for every day use. Money back guarantee.
Posted by Cakehead at 06:23 AM | Comments (1)
January 10, 2006
Just Eat It
Chef Homaro Cantu of Moto in Chicago munches on a photo of himself printed on edible paper. The cookie's fortune is edible, too.
[from USA Today via Sharlene]:
When USA Today reports the trend among chefs to create art you can eat, you know the movement has arrived.
Around the world, a handful of kitchen counterculture chefs are playing with food in ways that probably make their mamas queasy. Some are trying to harness science and technology to better feed the masses, while others simply want to goose the gizzards of the meat-and-potatoes crowd. But they're all committed to reinvigorating the art of eating.
Posted by Cakehead at 02:17 PM | Comments (0)
August 26, 2005
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 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)
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)
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 04, 2005
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)
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)
July 25, 2005
Now you can cook your pizza while you sit in a traffic jam
[From BoingBoing.net via Red Ferret]:
12–volt Pizza Maker. The Ferret can think of several trivial or important reasons why every geek-driven automobile in the civilised world should contain one of these majestic examples of high technology equipment. World peace is just one. $39.99.
* Plugs Directly into Your Cigarette Lighter Socket
* Unique Heating Elements Cooks from Oven Top and Bottom
* Use with Any Oven Safe Cookware
Posted by Cakehead at 03:31 AM | Comments (0)
July 05, 2005
Haikus you can eat
Why does the cutest edible art always come from Japan? We just love these combination photo/poems of/about Japanese kids' school lunch. [From justinspace.com]
Little bird made of rice.
Fresh eggs in her lettuce nest
infested with shrimp.
Below Justin describes his travails to get these poems and photos to us.
I went to Japan and took all these great photos for y'all but then a Northwest airlines baggage handler stole my luggage during a layover in Minneapolis. All my photos were gone (along with my roller blades, contacts, clothes, etc). Three months later my luggage was found in an abandoned barn in the middle of Minnesota, but, almost nothing of mine was left and what was smelled like cow shit. But damn-it, I was set on doing something about Japan so here it is, haiku poems about Japanese kids' lunches, "Crazy Happy Lunch!"
We couldn't help wondering what kind of meal Northwest served on the airplane that lost his luggage.
By the way, Justin says he's "single and enjoy fancy dinners and massages."
Posted by Cakehead at 10:56 PM | Comments (1)
Wanted: Candy Food Critics
Generally we don’t advocate children or events for them. But with the Candy Critics
workshop scheduled for this Saturday, July 16th, we wish we had planned our family better 10 years ago. If we had, the kid would be just the right age and we would be able to attend what sounds like an afternoon of candy-filled heaven.
Are you an adventurous eater? Ever wonder what kids'll spoil their dinners with in 2048? Do you have strong feelings about Peanut Chews vs. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups? Here's your chance to show your stuff. Try some crazy candy and become a food critic of the future.Warning: This candy will be weird. Not for the picky or faint-hearted. Please alert us if you are allergic to any food. Or old shoes.
If anyone has a 10-12 year old for loan or rental, please let us know.
Posted by Cakehead at 08:46 PM | Comments (1)
June 24, 2005
mmmm, yummy space gel
Tired of human food?
Eat what the today's space age ants do. For less than $20 you've got yourself a meal the color of the Tranquility Vitamin Water. But unlike that less sweet colored liquid, this meal has jelly viscosity to it. It's not as firm as Jello but thicker than Blue-Die-No.5-tinted turkey gravy. It's satisfying, but doesn't leave a tingle on the tongue for hours after the meal has ended, like the leading brand.
This miraculous gel, derived from a NASA Space experiment, serves as both habitat and nutrition for your ants - allowing you to watch in awe as they turn a brick of aqua-blue gel into a fascinating colony of tunnels. Never before have you been so capable of watching these awesome creatures at work.
If your intention is really to eat the new space-age gel, you will also receive a bonus pack of ants to chew on. Warning: The meal may mysteriously cause your ascent into outer space glowing blue in the middle.
But for you vegetarians, especially those who don't even eat gelatin products, the kit doesn't have to be a slaughterhouse. If you prefer the farm animals-as-friends approach, resort to the conventional use of the farm. The pretty blue glow will keep you and the tunneling ants amused for hours.
Posted by Cakehead at 04:27 AM | Comments (33)
June 22, 2005
A new museum dedicated to the common cooking mishap
This specimen is proof that Red Lobster is not training their tiger shrimp grillers properly.
With grilling season here and folks like us studying the bbq guides in an urgent attempt to compensate for our vegetarian boyfriends and husbands' inabilities, I just want to issue this warning: if you don't let the coals burn down, your shish kebabs will burn. This and other cooking mishaps are brilliantly documented on The Museum of Burnt Food website. It's the website for all of us who've experienced this culinary disaster.
The toasted bagel disaster could happen to any of us...or is that a donut? [from the Museum of Burnt Food]:
Bagel, gift of the "Benveniste Carbon Dating Service"
This beautifully preserved specimen tells it all: a beloved food, object of gustatory desire, placed in the oven with the best of intentions -- and yet, as so often happens, preoccupation with life's ephemera leaves the beloved alone, neglected, ultimately its heart (and in this case everything else as well) turned hard as stone.
Posted by Cakehead at 03:53 AM | Comments (2)
June 21, 2005
I always knew Sesame Street was cutting edge...
The people who taught all you latch-key kids to read and count, are now encouraging you to play with your food. It's okay. You can do it. Click Here to play with your food.
But be forwarned. This may be a secret trick to recruit members for the Clean Plate Club.
Posted by Cakehead at 07:59 PM | Comments (0)
Award for cutest deviled eggs goes to....
Is it Russian's version of Kawaii -- cute culture? These little devils remind me of my childhood days when I would glue googly eyes to the flowers in my mother's garden and would then hide in the bushes and quietly weep when she began to cut the stocks for a bouquet. How could you eat these cuties? [From Russian Food.com]
Hare Devils
Cute hares from hard-boiled eggs complement palatable “lawns” made from fresh vegetables, cold meats or fish.Peel an egg and cut off a thin slice longwise from one side. Make the “ears” from that slice, cutting out a V-shaped piece. Make a cut in the egg top to put the ears in. Draw the eyes with tomato paste and the whiskers – with mustard and make a tail with mayonnaise.
Posted by Cakehead at 07:47 PM | Comments (0)
June 19, 2005
Asparagus Jujyfruit?
Is it true? On a slow Sunday afternoon I was cruising around on Wikipedia trying to get some quick candy history. One page led to another and suddenly I was reading that Jujyfruits makes an asparagus-shaped candy. Can anyone confirm this to be true? [From Wikipedia]
The Jujyfruits shapes are Pineapple, Tomato, Raspberry, Grape Bundle, Asparagus, Banana, and Pea Pod. The banana shape is stamped with "HEIDE." Fruity flavors include raspberry, licorice, lime, orange, and lemon.
Stay tuned for the Asparagus ice cream recipe.
Posted by Cakehead at 10:52 PM | Comments (2)
January 29, 2005
More fun with gelatin products
These and other molded wonders can be found on The Gallery of Regrettable Food website.
The site provides a photo archive of the hard to find dishes that you heard about, but would never really want to taste. The captions on the website are the best part. The delectable creations above are described by the site respectively as, " a cold, firm cadaver," with peas; "a breast implant from the 1939 World's Fair;" and "ingenious gear made out of pesto, capable of floating on a cushion of air and moving itself around the table like a hovercraft."
Feeling nostalgic for inedible, but gloriously inventive dishes created by bored housewives? This site offers recipes so you can acurately recreate these dinosaurs.
Posted by Cakehead at 04:43 PM | Comments (0)
January 27, 2005
Jello lovelies
Scott Christensen plays with his food and creates sculptures that will make you wish that the New York restaurant scene would bring back the molded salad.
Posted by Cakehead at 11:53 PM | Comments (1)
