These video-game inspired cakes from Glitter Pissing seemed to fit right in with the other strange (some have said "geeky") series of cakes we've featured recently on Slashfood. There were the Stargate cupcakes, the sysadmin cupcakes and then the meat cake. According to blogger r4kk4, these cakes, which include the Nintendo you see here, arcade versions of Centipede and Ms. Pacman and a Gameboy with Tetris pieces, were created for a cakewalk to benefit the nonprofit youth literacy group 826 Seattle. From the looks of the dozens of comments, there could definitely be a market for cakes like these.

The San Jose Mercury News recently featured an article about Belfast Sparkling Cider, apparently a longtime favorite among Chinese communities in California. With roots dating back to Irish immigrants and California's gold rush, the cider has now become a niche favorite, found at many Chinese restaurants in San Francisco. The Mercury piece goes over several theories of how the soda rose to such prominence among Chinese Bay Area residents, speculating on taste, price and location. There is apparently little marketing needed for the stuff, since it's had a loyal following for decades.

Zinfandel grapes are one of the first types of the fruit that were grown in California, with some vineyards dating back over 100 years and still producing fruit from the "old growth" vines. Generally, the zin grapes were first used only for blending with other grapes in wine making, but during the 1960s and '70s, pure zinfandels produced in California came into great popularity. The fruity, light flavor of white zinfandel introduced many people to wine, while potent red zinfandels continue to gain in popularity. Celebrating its heritage as the "original" California wine, state senators voted to make zinfandel California's official historic wine. The first draft of the bill actually called to make it the official wine of California, not qualifying the designation with the word "historic," but lawmakers did not want to single one wine (or grape) out over the others that are grown in the state.

 

AZCentral.com recently featured a story by southern food writer John T. Edge about the modernization of American barbecue. Edge profiles some strictly traditional 'cue joints and then goes on to explore some more modern variations. One of Edge's most extreme examples is McCrady's in Charleston, S.C., where chef Sean Brock uses liquid nitrogen to create tiny pearls with the essence of a pork sandwich with vinegar sauce. There is also talk of pork ribs cooked sous vide-style and then finished on Japanese Komodo smokers at 5 Seasons Brewing in Atlanta. There are, of course, more tame variations-gas powered smoke boxes taking the place of traditional pits, etc. Still, Edge doesn't diss them. He points out that many of the new innovators are still rooted in tradition and wonders where they'll go next.

[Photo: Kyle Hood/JohnTEdge.com]

History buffs with a sweet tooth can now get an idea of what chocolate tasted like to American colonists. American Heritage Chocolate, made by Mars, aims to recreate the chocolate of yore by using centuries-old methods and recipes. Stone ground cocoa beans result in a grittier chocolate infused with spices such as cinnamon, anise, nutmeg, red pepper, orange and vanilla. The chocolate comes in bars, sticks and a drink mix. As is fitting for a historical chocolate, American Heritage is available only at Fort Ticonderoga, Colonial Williamsburg, Monticello, Mount Vernon and The Smithsonian. An AP story has more.

[Via USA TODAY]

They say that fruitcakes improve with age, but that may just be an excuse that non-fruitcake lovers have come up with to avoid eating them. Lance Nesta, a man in Wisconsin, found a 44-year old fruitcake in his mother's attic while cleaning out the house. The cake was shipped to him as a taste of home by his mother and aunt in 1962 while he was in the military and stationed in Alaska. He didn't want the cake (and neither did his military buddies), so he brought it home with him.

It seems like he just should have thrown it away, rather than carrying it all the way back home, if he wasn't going to eat it. Waste not, want not, I guess.... but if you don't want the cake when it's fresh, are you really going to want it after 44 years?

Not only does Betty Crocker's New Dinners for Two contain a wealth of retro recipes, it also offers some rather unusual advice. Specifically, I am referring to the "Sunset Years Guide", a list of dietary tips found at the back of the book. It starts off well enough, advising people to keep protein as part of their diet, but it then begins to fly in the face of what is now the typical medical advice to people in their "sunset years". In addition to recommending that one avoid high fiber foods, the book suggests that "eating creamed foods, custards, cheeses and ice cream" are good ways to keep calcium intake high. It also selects liver and egg yolks as being excellent sources of nutrients, along with green leafy vegetables and citrus. In fairness, the "guide" concludes by making the recommendation that high fat foods should be substituted for lower fat ones, although it seems as though that might prove difficult with all the egg yolks and ice cream someone in their "sunset years" should be eating.

[Photo by Nicole Weston]