Slashfood http://www.slashfood.com Slashfood http://www.slashfood.com/media/feed_logo.gif Slashfood http://www.slashfood.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Natural Harvest - I Never Thought I Would See a Cookbook with This Ingredienthttp://www.slashfood.com/2008/11/29/natrual-harvest-i-never-thought-i-would-see-a-cookbook-with-th/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/11/29/natrual-harvest-i-never-thought-i-would-see-a-cookbook-with-th/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/11/29/natrual-harvest-i-never-thought-i-would-see-a-cookbook-with-th/#commentsFiled under:

Natural Harvest
I know people swallow it (note that I will not reveal my own preference - this is not one of those sites), however the concept of cooking it up into a gourmet meal is totally new to me. I'm speaking, of course, of semen and the new book, "Natural Harvest: A collection of semen-based recipes" by Paul Photenhauer.

In the book, Paul tell us that, "Semen is not only nutritious, but has a palatable texture and wonderful cooking properties." It's a widely available ingredient and the flavor is complex like a fine wine. Depending on the male's diet, the flavor will vary.

The book contains recipes for the almost white Russian, man made oysters, tuna sashimi with dipping sauce (you know what that is), and (if I may insert editorial opinion here), the grossest of them all, creamy cum crepes.

Paul does give the all-important warning, "Please do not add semen to your guest's food without informing them beforehand," and I thank him for that. While I'm typically OK risking it with a mystery meat on my plate and have even gone so far as to eat fried bugs, I would definitely need a warning and perhaps a doctor's seal of approval on the producing male before digging in to any dish from Natural Harvest.

Are you totally disgusted or would you try it?

Natural Harvest is available for $24.99 at Lulu.com. You can also find pictures there of some of the other recipes.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>cookbooklulunatural harvestNaturalHarvestsemensemen cookbookSemenCookbookStefani PollackSat, 29 Nov 2008 13:00:00 ESTBlack Garlic is Garlic, But Betterhttp://www.slashfood.com/2008/11/20/black-garlic-is-garlic-but-better/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/11/20/black-garlic-is-garlic-but-better/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/11/20/black-garlic-is-garlic-but-better/#commentsFiled under:

Black garlic

Last night, I had the luck of experiencing a six course tasting meal at Monarch (a top St. Louis restaurant). Everything was mouth-watering, but the item that got me the most excited was the black garlic. It was sugary sweet and garlicky at the same time with a balsamic-like flavor.

Our table went back and forth debating what made it black. Was it soaked in balsamic? Did it just grow that way? As stated on none other than blackgarlic.com, "There's only one ingredient-garlic. It's aged for a month in a special fermentation process under high heat, where it develops its darker color, softer texture, and sweeter taste. Amazing what a month can do."

I'll be seeking out black garlic in the future and I suggest that you do the same.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>black garlicBlackGarlicgarlicStefani PollackThu, 20 Nov 2008 11:02:00 ESTFrozen pumpkin pie like I would make ithttp://www.slashfood.com/2008/11/13/frozen-pumpkin-pie-like-i-would-make-it/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/11/13/frozen-pumpkin-pie-like-i-would-make-it/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/11/13/frozen-pumpkin-pie-like-i-would-make-it/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Wholly Wholesome Pumpkin PieI've never met a pumpkin pie that I didn't like. It's hard to really screw up this Fall staple. However, getting it just right is also a challenge. One of the more bizarre incarnations of pumpkin pie that I've experienced was when I dated an extremely health-conscious pumpkin pie lover who would make pumpkin pies using soft tortilla shells as a crust. I am not endorsing that variety of "pie," although I had no problem eating it!

My least favorite pumpkin pies are the ones that have so much sugar that you can't taste the pumpkin. I experienced one such pie the other night from Sam's Club. Hopefully, the people who served me that pie are not Slashfood readers.

If you are in the mood for an easy pumpkin pie that has a real crust and actually tastes like pumpkin, I would highly recommend the frozen pumpkin pie from Wholly Wholesome. Check out the ingredient list: pumpkin, water, organic cane sugar, organic wheat flour, vegetable oil (palm oil, soybean oil), milk, eggs, organic whole wheat flour, sea salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves. I didn't feel too bad about putting those things into my body. Well, I did feel a little bad after I ate a quarter of the pie in one sitting.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>pumpkin piePumpkinPiewholly wholesomeWhollyWholesomeStefani PollackThu, 13 Nov 2008 14:01:00 ESTJames and the giant cupcakehttp://www.slashfood.com/2008/11/06/james-and-the-giant-cupcake/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/11/06/james-and-the-giant-cupcake/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/11/06/james-and-the-giant-cupcake/#commentsFiled under: ,

Giant Cupcakes
Cupcakes are single-serving personal desserts that you don't have to share with anyone else - at least that used to be the case. Wilton has created a cake pan designed to look like a cupcake. The way it works is that there are two cake molds: one for the top of the cupcake and one for the base cake. James made two of these giant cupcakes on Halloween and they fed 30 people!

The "cupcakes" sure do look adorable, but I like my personal, little cupcake just for me - thank you very much. If we are going to call these cupcakes at all, we should definitely be clear that they are double D cups.

Should you want to try to make them, first buy the Wilton cupcake pan. Then, check out James for some great baking tips.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>cupcakesjameswiltonStefani PollackThu, 06 Nov 2008 17:30:00 ESTWhat does the National Confectioners Association do for Halloween?http://www.slashfood.com/2008/10/31/what-does-the-national-confectioners-association-do-for-hallowee/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/10/31/what-does-the-national-confectioners-association-do-for-hallowee/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/10/31/what-does-the-national-confectioners-association-do-for-hallowee/#commentsFiled under: ,

Halloween cake with candy

The National Confectioners Association lives in a world of candy all year long. What do they do at the office to celebrate the day devoted to candy? I would expect much revelry and perhaps even the day off of work. There would be lots and lots of free candy for all employees - maybe even candy flying out of windows onto the streets!

According to the Candy Dish Blog (the official blog of the National Confectioners Association), they have a pot luck lunch. I'm a bit disappointed with this news. However, at least someone brought in a cake laden with candy. As you can see in the photo, there is lots of candy all around the cake. Thanks goodness!

Does your workplace have them beaten? What are you doing today?

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>candyhalloweenhalloween candyhalloween2008HalloweenCandyStefani PollackFri, 31 Oct 2008 13:30:00 ESTEdible googly eyes for Halloween bakinghttp://www.slashfood.com/2008/10/24/edible-googly-eyes-for-halloween-baking/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/10/24/edible-googly-eyes-for-halloween-baking/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/10/24/edible-googly-eyes-for-halloween-baking/#commentsFiled under: ,

Edible googly eyes
Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories came up with a genius idea for making baked goods a bit more 3-D. They created edible googly eyes by using empty gelatin pill capsules with big, round sprinkles inside. Could they be any more adorable?

I decided to give this technique a go to create some Halloween cupcakes. The hardest part about it was finding the empty gel caps, and that wasn't even very hard. I at first thought that they would sell them at a drug store. Wrong. They are sold at natural foods stores where people use them to make their own herbal pills.

Sure, a few of my friends mocked me for walking out of a store with a tons of empty gel caps. Was I becoming a druggie? The end result was worth any mocking, though.

I'd love to see what creative uses Slashfood readers can come up with for this idea. If you try it out, let me know!

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>bakingedible googly eyesEdibleGooglyEyesStefani PollackFri, 24 Oct 2008 18:00:00 ESTPumpkin trees for decorating and eatinghttp://www.slashfood.com/2008/10/16/pumpkin-trees-for-decorating-and-eating/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/10/16/pumpkin-trees-for-decorating-and-eating/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/10/16/pumpkin-trees-for-decorating-and-eating/#commentsFiled under:

pumpkin treeI did a double-take today at Whole Foods when I saw a "pumpkin tree" mixed in with the flowers. Since I had an extra $5 to spend, I decided to indulge. Sure, the pumpkin tree was about $12 and the $5 could have been used as a savings on what was already in my bag, but there is no need to focus on that.

When I got home, I did a quick Google search to find out more about the pumpkin tree. My main question was, "Are the pumpkins edible?" I found the answer from Stevens & Son Wholesale Florist. It turns out that the "pumpkins" are really ornamental eggplants. In Asia, they are used in stir-frys.

I'll probably stick to using mine as decoration, but it would be fun to grow some to eat and decorate with in future years. The Gardener's Network describes in detail how you can grow your own.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>pumpkin treePumpkinTreeStefani PollackThu, 16 Oct 2008 15:00:00 ESTWasabi-ginger lollipopshttp://www.slashfood.com/2008/10/09/wasabi-ginger-lollipops/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/10/09/wasabi-ginger-lollipops/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/10/09/wasabi-ginger-lollipops/#commentsFiled under:

Licking a lollipop

Lollyphile lollipops are some of the best lollipops I've ever had. I even devoted a cupcake to their maple bacon lollipops. I had the opportunity to interview Jason Lewis, Lollyphile's founder, on Food Interviews and learned that his company actually started because he had extra absinthe sitting around that he had been selling to a speakeasy. The speakeasy got shot down and there was nothing left to do with all the extra absinthe - except, of course, make lollipops!

Lollyphile's latest flavor, wasabi-ginger, is now on the market. I can't wait to try it! Jason says, "Wasabi-Ginger lollypops are made with no artificial flavoring, and contain real wasabi, adding a little kick to the natural spiciness of the ginger. They are guaranteed to not actually make your sinuses explode."

I wouldn't want to give these out to kids for Halloween (mainly because four lollipops cost ten dollars) but, they would be a perfect, special candy treat for yourself.

Visit Lollyphile to buy some.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>lollipopslollyphilelollypopsStefani PollackThu, 09 Oct 2008 09:00:00 ESTBaracktoberfest beerhttp://www.slashfood.com/2008/10/07/baracktoberfest-beer/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/10/07/baracktoberfest-beer/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/10/07/baracktoberfest-beer/#commentsFiled under: ,

Baracktoberfest beer
As if I didn't already love our St. Louis local brewery, Schlafly, the election versions of their beers have won me over completely. Baracktoberfest is not your only choice. You can also choose from McCain's Maverick APA Ale, Palin Ale, and Hefebiden Unfiltered Wheat Ale. You can view photos of all four bottle labels on STL Hops.

The beer selection, however, does bring up all kinds of difficult decisions. If I prefer the taste of Maverick APA Ale, but I'm an Obama supporter (hypothetically, of course), do I buy the Baracktoberfest just to show my support, or do I get the beer I like?

I was recently told about study at Washington University where a group made both elephant and donkey cookies to see which ones the students would buy more of. It turns out that students bought more elephants simply because they were bigger - smart students. I suppose that, given the choice, I would take a lesson from the college kids and drink the beer I liked. I could always remove and crumple (tear to shreds) the label.

Would you buy based on your beer of choice or your politician of choice?

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>beerobamaschlaflyStefani PollackTue, 07 Oct 2008 11:30:00 ESTEpcot International Food & Wine Festivalhttp://www.slashfood.com/2008/09/30/epcot-international-food-and-wine-festival/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/09/30/epcot-international-food-and-wine-festival/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/09/30/epcot-international-food-and-wine-festival/#commentsFiled under: , ,

India booth at the Food and Wine Festival
I spent yesterday at the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. Over 25 countries were represented at the festival. You "travel around the world" buying small food samples at each country's booth. I had expected typical theme park food. However, the food and wines were above average by any standards - not just theme park standards.

The festival runs though November 9. I have a few strategic tips for those of you who have the opportunity to go:
  1. Start expanding your stomach now to get ready.
  2. Do not get more than one of anything, no matter how large your group is - share everything.
  3. If you must go on rides, do it before you hit the festival. Your stomach will thank you.
My favorite food was at the Cape Town booth. Although, I could make an entire meal out of the maple custard that Canada served.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>disneydisney worlddisneyworldepcotfood wine festivalFoodWineFestivalStefani PollackTue, 30 Sep 2008 10:00:00 ESTAnti-theft lunchbaghttp://www.slashfood.com/2008/09/12/anti-theft-lunchbag/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/09/12/anti-theft-lunchbag/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/09/12/anti-theft-lunchbag/#commentsFiled under: ,

Anti-theft lunchbag

Picture this: You're starving. You head into your office break room, open the refridgerator door to grab the lunch that you woke up extra early to pack. It's gone! Who took it? Was it that guy who sits two cubes down from you? You always thought he was sort of shady. Or, maybe it's that innocent looking office admin. For a moment, you consider stealing someone else's food - those leftovers that the new consultant brought in look great! But, you decide you'll just have to go out to lunch again.

Apparently New York-based Sherwood Forlee had one too many lunches stolen. Sherwood designed plastic lunch bags with built-in spots designed to look like mold. Who would steal that sandwich? My concern, however, is that people who buy the bag may face a differnt problem - kind co-workers throwing the bag in the trash.

What measures have you taken to protect your office lunch?

[Via tampabays10]

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>lunchbaglunchbagsStefani PollackFri, 12 Sep 2008 16:30:00 ESTPro high fructose corn syrup TV adshttp://www.slashfood.com/2008/09/08/pro-high-fructose-corn-syrup-tv-ads/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/09/08/pro-high-fructose-corn-syrup-tv-ads/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/09/08/pro-high-fructose-corn-syrup-tv-ads/#commentsFiled under:

Is anyone else fascinated by the new campaign to change the public opinion of high fructose corn syrup?

I live in a high fructose corn syrup free household and while I've read that that high fructose corn syrup is essentially the same thing as sugar, I do find it hard to buy into the the "naturalness" of it - especially after seeing King Corn.

The image of a friend offering a popsicle with high fructose corn syrup and being treated like a drug pusher could have been taken straight out of my life. Although, at this point, our friends know better than to even offer.

What are your thoughts on high fructose corn syrup? Did the commercial and the associated web site, Sweet Surprise, change your behavior towards the sweetener?


Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>corn scorn syrupCornSCornSyruphigh fructose corn syrupHighFructoseCornSyrupStefani PollackMon, 08 Sep 2008 10:00:00 ESTCrème Brûlée Stout is a great way to drink your desserthttp://www.slashfood.com/2008/09/04/creme-brulee-stout-is-a-great-way-to-drink-your-dessert/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/09/04/creme-brulee-stout-is-a-great-way-to-drink-your-dessert/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/09/04/creme-brulee-stout-is-a-great-way-to-drink-your-dessert/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Crème Brûlée Stout
My husband spotted crème brûlée stout by Southern Tier Brewing Company on a beer menu at at new local restaurant. Ordering it was a no brainer. We had to give it a try! The first thing we noticed as it arrived at our table was the smell. It smelled just like crème brûlée - a very unexpected scent when you stick your nose into a beer bottle.

The crème brûlée stout tasted like someone poured a ton of vanilla syrup into their beer. It was really sweet and very crème brûlée - like, but also definitely tasted like beer. Oddly enough, the combination was great! After we tried it, several other people at the table ordered their own. We drank ours with the meal, but you could just as easily have it for dessert on its own or as a beer float with some cinnamon ice cream.

I would definitely try it again. But maybe, I'll just pour some vanilla syrup into a regular stout instead. It would be cheaper.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>creme bruleeCremeBruleecrme brle stoutCrmeBrleStoutsouthern tier brewing companySouthernTierBrewingCompanyStefani PollackThu, 04 Sep 2008 18:00:00 ESTThe march of the cream cheese penguinshttp://www.slashfood.com/2008/09/02/the-march-of-the-cream-cheese-penguins/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/09/02/the-march-of-the-cream-cheese-penguins/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/09/02/the-march-of-the-cream-cheese-penguins/#commentsFiled under:

Cream Cheese Penguins

These cream cheese penguins are clearly taking a death march to someone's mouth. They are so cute that there is no way that that they wouldn't be the hit of any party. They were made by blogger Sweet & Sticky who proudly says that they were the only dish that everyone completely finished off at her family get-together.

To further raise the level of cuteness of these little guys, commenter Karly said that she made these penguins with a cheeseball igloo!

These would be a perfect way to cool down on one of the remaining hot days of summer or to complete a winter scene during the holidays.

For complete instructions on how to make the penguins, visit Sweet & Sticky.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>cream cheeseCreamCheeseolivepenguinsStefani PollackTue, 02 Sep 2008 09:00:00 ESTNew way to store the kitchen towelhttp://www.slashfood.com/2008/08/20/new-way-to-store-the-kitchen-towel/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/08/20/new-way-to-store-the-kitchen-towel/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/08/20/new-way-to-store-the-kitchen-towel/#commentsFiled under:

Cook Hook
The Cook Hook is a little gadget that lets you hang your towel anywhere you could put a portable hook. The hook works with magnets - simply stick the towel between the two magnets and then pull it out when you need it.

I keep my towel draped over the stove bar. The hook in this picture is really cute, but I do have to wonder why they don't just throw the towel right over the bar directly.

On the Fusion Brands site (where they sell the Cook Hook), there is also a picture of a guy with the hook in his belt loop. It might be convenient to have a towel right on me while cooking.

Where do you keep your kitchen towel?

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>hooktowelStefani PollackWed, 20 Aug 2008 10:00:00 ESTSushi wedding cakehttp://www.slashfood.com/2008/08/19/sushi-wedding-cake/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/08/19/sushi-wedding-cake/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/08/19/sushi-wedding-cake/#commentsFiled under:

Sushi wedding cake
Who wants to invite me to a wedding with this cake? Please? I want it! I admit - it might be a little more pricey than the cake you were thinking of getting, but it's healthier. Surely sticking pieces of sushi in each other's faces is more romantic than frosting. Although, if you really wanted some frosting, perhaps you could add a green wasabi frosting. I'd be OK with that.

If you need some help with it, you should know that the picture came from the wedding of Jef and Jin Yoon and the cake maker has shared the recipe on her website. Now, you've got no excuses. It's sushi time!

[via Baking Bites]

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>sushiweddingwedding cakewedding cake trendswedding cakesWeddingCakeWeddingCakesWeddingCakeTrendsStefani PollackTue, 19 Aug 2008 19:00:00 ESTBurger King employee takes a bath in the sinkhttp://www.slashfood.com/2008/08/12/burger-king-employee-takes-a-bath-in-the-sink/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/08/12/burger-king-employee-takes-a-bath-in-the-sink/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/08/12/burger-king-employee-takes-a-bath-in-the-sink/#commentsFiled under:


Why shower at home when you can take a luxury bath in the sink at work? In a video from Break.com, a Burger King employee couldn't be happier to be celebrating his birthday in the Burger King sink. What's more disturbing is that the store manager doesn't even flinch when she finds out he's in there.

A follow up video on WDTN 2 News shows that several employees were fired after the incident. Mr. Unstable, as the Burger King employee calls himself, had to expect this outcome. Perhaps in addtion to being clean, his birthday present to himself was his brief moment in the Internet spotlight.

Next time, check closely... is that pepper on your burger, or body hair?

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>burger kingBurgerKingStefani PollackTue, 12 Aug 2008 16:30:00 ESTMemories of airplane food, an endangered specieshttp://www.slashfood.com/2008/08/11/memories-of-airplane-food-an-endangered-species/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/08/11/memories-of-airplane-food-an-endangered-species/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/08/11/memories-of-airplane-food-an-endangered-species/#commentsFiled under:

Drawing of an airplane

I've taken two trips in the past two weeks. The first was to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, on Frontier Airlines. Snacks were available for purchase and they even tried to sell bottled water (although, if you waited a few minutes you could get a cup of water with the regular beverage service). The second trip was to Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Southwest Airlines. Southwest offered as many cheese nips and peanuts as you could eat. While it was a step up from Frontier, it was a far cry from the early days of flying.

In a New York Times article, William Woys Weaver (on a totally unrelated note, I love his name!) writes about how he has been collecting airline menus for the past forty years. Not surprisingly, as airline's food and other offerings degrade, more and more people seem interested in his collection.

The New York Times article also contained some images of menus from his collection which feature items such as Selected Delicacies from Various Countries, Roasted Duckling, and Poached Turbot.

What's the best meal you've had in the air?

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>airplaneairplane menusAirplaneMenusin-flight entertainmentin-flight mealin-flight mealsIn-flightEntertainmentIn-flightMealIn-flightMealsnew york timesNewYorkTimesStefani PollackMon, 11 Aug 2008 18:00:00 ESTFlooded restaurant draws crowdshttp://www.slashfood.com/2008/07/30/flooded-restaurant-draws-crowds/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/07/30/flooded-restaurant-draws-crowds/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/07/30/flooded-restaurant-draws-crowds/#commentsFiled under: ,

Flooded restaurant

Floods did not keep people away from a restaurant in Xiangfan, China. In fact, the floods not only brought in the water, they brought in the people. According to Ananova, "The owner said he was prepared to temporarily close the restaurant after the heaviest rains for 50 years brought floods to the city. But he had a change of heart when he heard how the eatery's new wet look was bringing in the customers."

I wonder if they have a no splashing rule.

If this could actually happen in the U.S. with all of our health codes, I could imagine owners taking the wet look one step further with Hooter's-style servers in in wet bikinis. Judging by the photo, though, it looks like it is business as usual in Xiangfan, just with a pool of water on the ground.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>chinafeaturedfloodStefani PollackWed, 30 Jul 2008 17:00:00 ESTWin a year's supply of chocolate and an iPhonehttp://www.slashfood.com/2008/07/28/win-a-years-supply-of-chocolate-and-an-iphone/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/07/28/win-a-years-supply-of-chocolate-and-an-iphone/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/07/28/win-a-years-supply-of-chocolate-and-an-iphone/#commentsFiled under:

Newtree chocolate

NEWTREE is having the ultimate chocolate lover's contest. One winner will receive a bar of chocolate every day for a year! Not only that, but they will get the new iPhone - making it easy to brag to their friends about all the chocolate.

To enter, you need to create a text message short story that includes the names of all of their chocolate bars: PLEASURE, VIGOR, RENEW, REFRESH, FORGIVENESS, SEXY, BLUSH, TRANQUILITY, COCOON, REJOICE and CRAVE. Get the complete details and enter on NEWTREE's site.

Good thing the contest doesn't ask you to pick one of the two prizes. I'm not sure which prize I would be more excited about; it would be a close call!

You can win both, but let us know which prize you'll be more excited about - the techie or the foodie prize.

View Poll

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>chocolatechocolatescontestiphonenewtreeStefani PollackMon, 28 Jul 2008 13:00:00 EST