A one-act play: Angel Cake Nightmares

Isla inspects our ingredients

I always thought that if a kid can read, he can cook. However, as I get more and more into cooking, I’m learning it ain’t necessarily so. The watchful eye of a parent, or anybody at all who knows what they’re doing, is a wonderful thing.

Now that he’s seven, my pal Will is reading gang-busters. So shouldn’t he be able to cook? Witness this one-act play staged in my kitchen.

The literate mini-chef

A boy with a red apron  around his neck, like superman’s cape on backwards, surveys the counter. Amid open drawers, he checks his stash against the instructions in his book.  Tins and bags, bowls and spoons. a grinder and hand mixer, eggs,  flour,  berries, garlic, a Styrofoam package of soggy chicken wings and some cocoa… all this calms him. He checks the book again.

Boy: Hey, Vinny, I’m making a chocolate angel cake for Isla’s birthday!

Vinny: Wow! That takes a bit of effort. Know what you’re doing?

Boy: Sure, Man. How hard can it be? The recipe’s only two pages long. It’s  in this book, here. And look at the picture… cool, huh?

He shows off a glossy page, spattered with hardened chocolate and egg yolk. He returns the book to its holder and stirs the contents of the bowl with his hands. Batter coats his knuckles, right up to his wrists.

Boy:  Want to taste? Here. Taste, Taste!

Vinny: Maybe I’ll wait till the party. Sure you know what you’re doing?

Boy: Sure, Vinny. I can read, you know. And I’ve checked carefully. Besides, I come from a long line of great cooks. Grannie was famous for her Scottish shortbread, and Grampa made the best haggis in the township. Mom and Dad are no slouches in the batter department, either.

Vinny: Great. That’s great, Pal. So… what’s in this thing? Looks a little too lumpy for a cake batter… don’t you think so, chef?

Boy: Just good healthy food here, Vinny. It says 16 egg whites but I only had 8 eggs… so I tossed in the whole works to make up for it. It’s not so easy to break ‘em open. I smashed them on the counter and scooped them into the bowl. It was hard keeping the shells out. Got most of them, though.

Unlike our boy, I used 14 egg whites to make up the 17 ounces needed

Vinny: Ahh. I see…

Boy: It didn’t really say, but I used chocolate milk instead of water. And whole-grain flour instead of that yucky white processed stuff…

Vinny: Hold on, there. You don’t need that second cup of milk you’re pouring.

Boy: This one’s for the chef. Down the hatch!

Vinny: Yes… I see. Must keep the chef well-oiled. But you still haven’t told me… What are those LUMPS?

Boy: Aha! The secret ingredient! What would an angel cake be without wings? [Pointing at the chicken wings on the counter...] I tossed in two of  ‘em, along with a clove of garlic and…

Vinny: WHAT are you thinking? Your cake is completely crazy!

Boy: No, look – right here… Oh! No! On the first page is the recipe for angel cake. But the pages are stuck together! I’ve finished up with a recipe for chicken stew!

[Curtain]

What can we learn from this little drama? Reading, as you can see, is only half the battle. You also need some cooking sense. When you’re starting out,  advice can be helpful. Nothing beats experience.

Our angel cake is pure heaven when made with a little skill. It’s not hard to crack an egg and separate the whites from the yolks. To learn how, check those links.

An ungreased tube pan is best

Heavenly chocolate angel cake

8 servings (249 calories, 0.5 grams fat, 53 grams carbs and 8 grams protein per serving)

• 1 ounce (1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon) unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa
• 1/4 cup boiling water
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 3/4 cups sugar (12.25 ounces)
• 1 cup (3.5 ounces) sifted whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 16 large egg whites (2 cups or 17 ounces)
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. In a medium bowl combine cocoa and boiling water. Whisk until smooth. Add vanilla.
3. In another medium bowl combine 3/4 cup sugar, flour and salt and whisk to blend.
4. In a large bowl beat the egg white until frothy. Add cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form when the beater is raised. Gradually beat in the remaining 1 cup of sugar or add the stevia equivalent.* Beat until stiff peaks form.
5. Put 1 cup of egg whites in the cocoa mixture.
6. Dust the flour mixture, 1/4 cup at a time, over the remaining egg whites and fold in quickly and gently with a slotted spoon.
7. Whisk the cocoa and egg white together, then fold into the batter until uniform.
8. Pour into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan.
9. Run a small metal spatula through the batter to prevent air pockets.
10. Bake for 40 minutes or until the cake tester  comes out clean. The centre rises above the pan when baking and sinks slightly when done. The surface has deep cracks.
11. Invert the pan, placing the tube opening over the neck of a soda bottle to keep it well above the counter top, and cool for about 1 1/2 hours.
12. Loosen the cake with a long metal spatula and invert on a serving plate. Decorate.

Use a slotted spoon

*Tips: This cake is high in protein and antioxidants and low in fat, but high in sugar. Substitute some of the sugar with stevia if you want to reduce empty calories. If you replace too much of the sugar with stevia, the texture will not be as light, though. Use the left-over yolks to make custard or lemon curd.

This recipe is based on one in The Cake Bible, by Rose Levy Beranbaum and Dean G. Bornstein, p. 162.

The cake should be inverted but the hole was too small.

Heavenly! And not a wing in sight…

Something’s fishy…

Pee-yew!

If you hate smelling up your kitchen, don’t let that stop you from enjoying the deliciousness of  fresh or fresh-frozen fish. Just cook it on the barbecue, outside! It’s easy for every day and delicious enough for any special occasion.

Fish is full of those hard to come by but oh so important omega-3 fatty acids. Why are they important? First, it’s because we can’t manufacture them in our bodies. We have to get them in food. Second, they help prevent the many chronic diseases that plague us these days.

And why do we have such high rates of heart disease, cancer, and arthritis, to name just a few? It’s because our diet provides many more of the other omega fats than it does omega-3. We  aim for a ratio of 4:1 or better, for omega-6 versus omega-3 fats. But omega-6 is found in super-high amounts in the cheap vegetable oils the food industry prefers… especially corn oil. If you eat out regularly, for sure you are getting too many omega-6 fats for good health.

Isla makes a herb and oil stuffing for omega-3-rich salmon

The only Westernized society that reaches that goal of 4:1 is the Japanese. They are one of the healthiest populations on the planet despite their incredible love of cigarettes. The population of the United States, and other developed countries where eating out is popular, consume 19 times more omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3. This is the most likely reason we rank poorly in every measured health barometer.

What’s so good about omega-3 and so bad about omega-6? It’s simply that omega-3 prevents inflammation and omega-6 promotes it. The more inflammation, the more trouble your heart has pumping blood through your arteries, the easier it is for cancer to take a hold, and the more likely you will suffer allergies and lung problems.

The moral of this little story is eat more fish. Don’t let the smell keep you from enjoying fish regularly. There’s no need to go to extremes like our hero has done in the photo off the top. Cook your fish on your barbecue, outside. We barbecue winter and summer. Or wrap it in foil and bake it in the oven on high heat.

To get you started, here are two wonderful ways to cook salmon. The Wild West style is good for a large party. Just cut the quantities for a more intimate group. Way #2 is my favorite salmon recipe ever. The flavor of the stuffing infuses throughout and keeps the flesh moist during the cooking process. The only drawback is that the delicious flavor could be too strong for the picky eaters in the family. However, you can give the kids parts of the fish that have not got any little green or red specks on it.

Barbecued Salmon, Wild West style

8-10 lbs whole salmon (serves 20)

Marinade
Mix the following ingredients together and marinate the salmon in it flesh-side down for 2-6 hours. I put it all in a plastic bag in the fridge Don’t marinate for more than 6 hours as the salmon will toughen:

• ½ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper
• ½ cup rye whiskey
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup (I leave this out  if I’m cooking the salmon right on the coals. Sugar causes charring. If wrapping the fish in foil, then leave it in)

On a covered barbecue, cook skin-side down until skin separates, or wrap in heavy foil and place over coals for 45 minutes or so.

Barbecued Salmon, California Style

Salmon fillet large enough for 4 people (perhaps 2 pounds)

Puree the following ingredients. You can make this ahead and  store in a jar in the fridge overnight:

• 3-5 large garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup fresh dill leaves (about 30 grams)
• 6 sun-dried tomatoes (about 1/3 cup or 15 grams), reconstituted in hot water
• 1/4 – ½ tsp salt, or to taste
• ground pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Place salmon skin-side down on a large piece of greased foil.
With a sharp knife cut two long slits lengthwise along the fillet, slicing to the skin but not through it, dividing the salmon into three.
Spread the garlic mixture over the fish and into the slits.
Close foil and cook for 15-25 minutes, depending on size (see the 10-minute rule, below). Fish should taste moist, not dry.

Notes:

1) Use fresh cilantro or parsley leaves instead of dill if you prefer.

2) Some health advocates say don’t use olive oil in cooking, as the fats can be denatured. Macadamia nut oil is expensive but has lots of omega-3 compared with omega-6 and withstands heat. It is a healthful choice.

The 10-minute rule for cooking fish

Measure the fish at its thickest point and cook it for 10 minutes per inch, turning halfway through the cooking time. Add 5 minutes if you’re cooking in foil.

GO FISH!

eGgs and veG… Happy Easter, Breakfast!

Humpty on the half shell

“What experiments are we doing, today, Vinny?’ asks Will, poking his head into my basket of vegs.

“SO many ways to cook eggs for breakfast,” says Vinny with glee. “We’re going to try three fast ones.”

Way #1 (Humpty Dumpty on the half shell)

“For the most fun,” continues Vinny, “We’ll start with Humpty scrambled right inside his own shell.”

“Who says Humpty was an egg?” asks Isla.

Spin 3 minutes

“What else could he be?” Vinny scratches his head. “He fell off a wall and got scrambled. Just like our eggs. Once we’re through with these beauties, nobody will be able to put them back together again!”

We select a small beet from the basket, scrub it, cut it into bits  and put it into a small pot of water on the stove. Then we drop an egg into the toe of Grammy’s panty hose. We race around the house spinning the egg in front of us until we’re flat out of breath.

Don’t bother

We also spin another egg relentlessly in our salad spinner for a couple of minutes. But this isn’t nearly as much fun or as good an exercise. (Plus, it doesn’t work.)

Then we tenderly place the eggs in the beet water and bring it all to a gentle boil. After 8 minutes, we move the eggs to a cold-water bath.

To serve, slice the eggs in half and pair them with whole-grain toast. Ta Da! Spreading the scrambly egg on the warm, crunchy toast…  it’s an exciting Easter treat indeed! Brighten with a touch of  horseradish and some of the chopped red beets if you want more oomph. You need to soak the eggs much longer than we did to get the red to seep into the shell.

Way #2 (Microwaved)

Microwaved eggs in a hummus bed

“I don’t have time to cook eggs in the morning,” claims Will and Isla’s mom, as she rushes around organizing lunch boxes, homework, and snowsuits while the clock ticks persistently toward 8:30am.

“But you have to eat something before you go to work,” says Vinny. “And the kids will do better at school with a little protein behind them. My eggs take no more than 2 minutes to cook.” Vinny grins. “I use the micro!”

Vinny finds a small, deep bowl and puts 1/4 cup beet hummus in the bottom. He zaps it for 30 seconds on high. Then he digs a small hole and breaks an egg into the hummus. He covers the dish with a  plate and sets the power at  7 and the timer for 1 minute. Some 60 seconds later, we’re ready to dig into a creamy egg poached in hummus. Time varies depending on the oven and how you like your egg. I like my hummus spicy. I also like to serve this dish topped with some Greek yogurt and ground black pepper.

For variation, fill the bottom of the bowl with salsa or sauerkraut or with any other left-over cooked veggies you have in the fridge. Roasted broccoli or cauliflower is nice. It’s the technique I’m pushing here… easy and full of possibilities for a protein- and vitamin-packed start to your day.

Way#3 (Pan-poached with spinach and mushrooms)

Use a cast iron fry pan or a nonstick fryer to whip up another easy eggs-and-veggie dish. Vinny’s weekend breakfast treat uses a cup or two of rinsed baby spinach and three or four mushrooms, cleaned and sliced.

Lightly coat the fry pan with canola oil. Stir fry mushrooms until they start to brown. Add a half teaspoon of chili paste and stir. Add the washed spinach and cover.

When the leaves wilt, arrange veggies in a circle and make a hole in the centre. Add another small amount of oil. Break an egg into the hole and cover the pan. After a minute or so add a splash of water to the hot pan and cover again. Check once the steam has subsided. Add more water if the egg needs more cooking. Let it all evaporate. Take the whole works out with a spatula and place on a pretty plate. Enjoy.

For a change, try sauteing leeks and mushrooms. Or steam up some broccoli slaw for your egg nest. Top the egg with a spoonful of Greek yogurt or sauerkraut.

Pan-poached eggs with leeks

Breakfast Health Benefits

These egg dishes are perfect if you are looking for high-protein low-carb breakfasts. Perhaps, like me, you’re following Dr. Morano’s 17-day diet? I’ve been eating eggs done ways 2 and 3 for 2 months. I  now boast a healthy BMI and resolve to keep it there!

Eggs contain a lot of cholesterol, but dietary cholesterol is not as bad for your heart as originally thought. You can safely eat an egg a day. In return you get a large dose of protein and selenium and a goodly amount of riboflavin, vitamin B12 and phosphorus. Egg’s choline helps protect your memory. The veggies provide balance and a host of vitamins and minerals. And the yogurt and sauerkraut provide probiotics for better digestion. The hot sauce gives your metabolism a boost first thing in the morning, a good thing for weight control. These breakfasts kick butt!

If you need more than one egg to take you through the morning, boost the number of egg whites.

Egg microwaved on a bed of roasted veg

It’s a riddle, by the way. You’re supposed to guess what Humpty is. We can thank Alice (of  Through the Looking Glass fame) for the answer… It’s an egg. Humpty’s VERY provoked.

Related links

The 17-day diet, starring Dr. Mike Morano – An introduction to this balanced and effective eating plan. Follow the many related links here to recipes, theory and nutrition.

Avast! It’s a Pita Pan Bread Snack-Platter

She may not be Tinkerbell… but she does have wings!

Shiver me timbers, Matey! If flour lived in Never-Never Land, enriched white wheat flour would play the part of  Captain Hook. Arrrr. It’s bad to the core. In fact, it’s bad precisely because it doesn’t have a core. After milling, only the endosperm remains. The bran, which gives us fiber,  goes first in the grinding process.

But even worse, wheat’s heart of gold, the germ,  is beaten out too. The germ is banned from white flour because it produces an oil when ground. The oil goes sour quickly, shortening flour’s shelf life. But with the loss of wheat’s germ, so goes most of wheat’s goodness.

Some vitamins are added back after the grinding, thus the nickname “Enriched”. But enriched flour is still no treasure chest. Humans just can’t copy exactly all the wonders of the real thing. So forget Invisibles Wonder Bread. Bilge! Made from unbleached wheat flour, it’s the Smee of Never-Never Land. It tries…  but it just doesn’t measure up.

Nothing beats whole-grain wheat flour for natural goodness. But it can be hard to find. Where oh where is the Peter Pan of our flour saga hiding? At Bulk Barn. the flours marked “whole wheat” had unbleached wheat flour near the top of the ingredient list. Same at Natural Food Pantry. So I sent Tinkerbell out to find our hero. When she came back, she said I should be looking for stone-ground whole-grain wheat flour to play the good guy. As long as it’s labeled whole grain it’s the real thing. Stone-ground is a bonus.

Why does stone-ground whole-grain wheat flour mark the spot? It’s the only kind of flour where the endosperm, bran, and germ all remain in their original proportions. Because the stones grind slowly, the germ stays cooler. The oils aren’t broken down by heat as much and the vitamins are preserved better. Only small amounts are ground at once, so the germ’s oil is well distributed, to reduce spoilage.  Because stone-ground flour is coarser  than the roller-ground stuff, oxygen has less chance to break down the oils and its nutrients. Bakers and health nuts alike prefer stone-ground whole-grain wheat flour because of its texture, its sweet, nutty taste, and it’s  good nutrition.

Many folks today say Peter Pan is a Lost Boy. These people stay away from all kinds of wheat flour, even whole grains. But unless you are allergic, or sensitive, to gluten, I think this trend is a bit over the top. The science on this just isn’t in yet.

As a general rule for good health, I’d rather see people steer clear of sugar than wheat.

Try this easy bread recipe that kids can make themselves in no time flat. It’s like a tasty, banana-flavored pita bread, without the pocket! Sprinkle a little fairy dust and make a snack platter you can fly away on to the land of good eating!

Pita Pan Bread Snack-Platter

Make the bread

1 large ripe banana
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces or 170 grams) stone-ground whole-wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
A tablespoon or two of coconut or canola oil

• In a medium-sized mixing bowl, mash banana with fork.
• Combine flour, sugar,  and spices, and mix them into the banana, just until a dough forms. Knead once or twice to bring into a nice ball.
• On flour-dusted work surface, cut the dough into 6 pieces. Shape each piece into a round disk. Roll each disk into a thin, flat round, about 4 or 5 inches across.
• In a hot frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil until it sizzles. Fry the dough rounds, in batches, about  45 seconds on each side or until browned. Add more oil to coat pan, as needed.
• Cool on wire rack. Store in refrigerator or freeze, separated between sheets of wax paper, in large resealable plastic food-storage bag. Makes 6  pita pan breads.

Make the snack platter

Cut each round into four pieces. Decorate the pieces with the following, alone or in combinations of your own liking:

• Peanut butter
• No-sugar-added jam
• Honey
• Cream cheese
• Pepper jelly
• Home-made nutella
• Almond flakes, pistachios, or cashews
• Dried cranberries, raisins, or apricots

I’ve tried this out on all sizes of pirates, young and old. They all say, “Thank you Pita Pan!”

Help, I’m Drowning in Sugar!

Sculpture by Salvador Dali, Dali Museum-Theatre, Figueres, Spain. Photo by me!

If, like me, you’ve found yourself drowning in a tsunami of baked goodies this holiday season, perhaps you’ll want to make a New Year’s resolution.

Repeat with  me: In 2013,  I promise to choose fruit instead of baked sweets for treats, snacks, and dessert.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2012 is going out of here with a bang!

My thank you goes to Fae’s Twist and Tango for nominating Cook Up a Story for Blog of the Year 2012. The honor arrived just under the wire, December 31.

Fae’s blog is the work of a storyteller, like Vinny’s! She publishes articles about travel, food and recipes, with a twist and tango  —  fun to read.  Fae has posted many good recipes, but one that’s caught my eye is borscht, a soup we love with lots of beety goodness.

To pay it back, I nominate three extraordinary blogs in turn. These great food blogs highlight what I value most: good writing, wholesome foods and family traditions.

Local Kitchen – When explaining why she promotes cooking “local,” Kaela says, “I’m too poor to be elitist and too foul-mouthed to be holier than thou, so really: taste was my only option. Come join the conversation and discover how wonderful local food can be.” You won’t be disappointed when you visit her site.

My French Heaven – “We must feed our minds and spirit with the things that we love the most,” says Stéphane Gabart. “Mine are food (mostly eating it), hospitality, and design. So here is my little blog. I will try to make it more than just food and pretty pictures. I have a lot to share about what I think it means to feed/nourish oneself and others.” Check this out for the gorgeous photos and stay for the ideas!

This Lunch Rox. Healthy lunches made fun – Lots of  ideas for getting a picky kid to eat the good food in his (or her) lunch box! Jamie says, “Over time I developed a passion for healthy cooking.  Preparing wholesome food for me and my family brings me more joy than I ever dreamed possible and the lunch boxes are an extension of that. Long story short… I am mama to two beautiful boys who inspire me to create lunches that make healthy eating fun!”

Wishing everyone, everywhere, a healthy and happy year as we head into 2013!

From Vinny et al.

Come, Mr. Tally Man, Tally Me Bananas

Not only monkeys eat bananas,,, kids like them too

“Um, Excuse me… Sorry. Mr. Tally Man?” asks Fozzie Bear. “Uh, what’s that? What’s a tally man?”

Sesame Street’s guest star Harry Belafonte answers this burning question once and for all. The singer tells his muppet pals the tally man is a very important person. Without him, people in northern countries would have no bananas.

“Daaaaay yo! No bananas?” I holler. “What would kids ever do without bananas?”

“Right on!” replies  Chiquita, a well-known pint-sized banana expert who is watching her favorite program with Vinny. “Mashed bananas is one of baby’s first solid foods. They’re just so easy to digest and hardly ever cause allergies. Perfecto!” She snatches one from the bowl on the table and peels off its skin. “What would a peanut butter sandwich be like without the occasional banana slice thrown into the mix? Bananas keep it all from sticking to the roof of your mouth!”

“Well, Chiquita,” I say, not quite able to keep from showing off. “There’s a bit more to bananas than their creamy feel. Bananas tote along a mineral called potassium.  For some bizarre reason, the sign for potassium is a capital K. The big K on a food label means a big bonus for your muscles, nerves and brain. K reduces blood pressure and risk of stroke. K also helps your bones absorb  calcium to stay strong.”

“That’s all good,” says Chiquita, “but how about this?  Bananas bring you a bunch of  feel-good chemicals that pull together to keep you from getting depressed. And vitamin B6 in bananas helps you sleep and keeps you calm.” She smiled. “You’re not the only one to know a little about bananas.”

“Pass me a banana, quick, then,” I say, “I’m starting to feel a little crazy!” Vinny peels a ripe one and gulps it down. He smiles slowly, then passes the peel to Chiquita. “Yes, I do believe I’m starting to feel calmer. But it seems to me you need help from this banana, too,  in another important way.  Maybe you should press the inside of the peel to that humungous pimple on your nose. It’ll dry it out in a flash.”

“That’s rich, Vinny” says Chiquita, with a toss of her head. “When I’m finished with this slimy old banana skin, I’ll save it for you. You can throw it into your garden to spruce up those sad-looking flowers by your front door you call roses.”

“Daylight come, and I want to go home,” I sing, ignoring Chiquita. “I love that song! It makes me want  to bake some cookies. These ripe bananas will be perfect for mixing up some Skinny Monkeys.”

So Vinny and Chiquita get started in the kitchen. Here’s the recipe they use – low on fat and calories (just 47 in each cookie) and high in protein and fiber.

Bananas, chocolate, nuts, and oats – so good and good for you, too!

Skinny Monkey Cookies

• 3 bananas
• 2 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1/4 cup cashew cream (or peanut butter)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• Dash of cinnamon
• stevia equivalent to 1/4 cup sugar (or less… but sadly, I like it sweet)
• chocolate chips to decorate

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Mash bananas in a large bowl, then stir in remaining ingredients. Let batter stand for about 20 minutes, then drop by tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with cinnamon if desired. Top each cookie with a chocolate chip. Bake 10-12 minutes.

After 10 minutes baking on a silicon pad, the cookies tasted very moist, almost too gooey. I put them back in the oven for another five minutes. The cookies never became crispy. Not much risk of burning these babies, I’d say. They tasted moist and chocolatey but a bit bland.These cookies taste best warm. I nuke them in the micro on low power for 5-10 seconds, until they feel warm to the touch. I have to say, they weren’t much of a hit with the kids at room temperature.

Freezing Directions:

Cool completely, then place cookies in a freezer bag. Seal, label, and freeze. To serve, zap on defrost in the microwave until they feel warm to the touch.

Baking tip: Remove the plastic monkey BEFORE you put the pan in the oven….

Servings: 30

Thanks to once a month mom for this nutritious kid-friendly recipe idea featuring bananas.

For interest’s sake, here’s one more,  not-so-skinny treat, featuring fried bananas and brown sugar. It comes to us from the Philippines, where banana cue is a popular street food.

(1 banana = 0.422g of potassium, 13% of your daily requirement)

The latke who couldn’t stop screaming – a Christmas story

Let’s make a latke!

I dare you to read The Latke Who Couldn’t Stop Screaming without immediately jumping up to make a Latke. The poor thing is so upset by its bath in hot oil that it hops right out of the pan and runs through the village screaming. As Lemony Snicket points out, “This is unusual behavior for a potato pancake. But this is a Christmas story, in which things tend to happen that would never occur in real life.”

We also learn in a very funny way what its like to be different. And at the same time people who are not Jewish find out a little about the history behind Hanukkah.

This small  book offers so much  – laughs, understanding, history, whimsical art – it’s no wonder copies are jumping off the shelves in libraries and bookstores everywhere, and running off down the street to children’s homes . Happy Hanukkah! The Latke Who Couldn’t Stop Screaming. 44 pages. by Lemony Snicket, McSweeney’s books, 2007.

It’s March 14th… Happy Pi day!

Happy Pi day – 3.14 (March 14)

Food is so much fun! You know what pie looks like and how it tastes (yummy!). Now (thanks to College Humor Video) you can hear what Pi sounds like, to 32 decimal places! Maybe you’ll also start to see just how magical math can be.  Why don’t you settle  yourself  down with a lovely piece of  Pi, then sit back and  listen to it?

The number 1 secret for feeding a healthy family…Bacon!

Lego bacon!

Just in:  A great read that gives you the goods on any food question your family may have. Secrets of feeding a healthy family puts you right on track for smart eating. Click on Read more for a full review.

Image from http://media.photobucket.com/image/bacon/aweranon/IMG_7771.jpg?o=11

Girly breakfast

Got any more of these babies?

It’s tough being a girl. Today’s media-hyped culture is swamped with images of beauty. These portrayals often reflect malice or self-focus. One young artist thinks some girls have adopted this catty lifestyle, bringing the media’s influence far past fashion. Breakfast is a likeness of us! Click here to check out this artist’s concept of a common breakfast food for today’s teens. And while you’re looking over the image, you can take a look at some of the other art posted on the website of the National Gallery of Canada and vote for your own favorites. Or just cast a vote for Vinny’s

Groan!

Bottoms up!

A recipe for fun:

When a clock is hungry, it goes back 4 seconds.

A boiled egg is hard to beat.

Those who get too big for their britches will be exposed in the end.

These bits and bites of food wisdom are courtesy of Catherine. Anyone else got a food joke that’s good enough for a laugh?  Vinny would luv 2 hear it. Why not leave him a comment

PS Visit Elsen Karstad’s ‘Pic-A-Day, Kenya’ blog for more gorgiferous photos like the one Vinny shows here.

Story time… Fast-food fight!

Mary-Kate and Ashley’s favorite Chinese restaurant is being put out of business. Once people eat across the street at Quick Food, they can’t help going back there for more. But why? For a review of this food mystery, click Read more .

Photo is from a fab website called Four Valentines.

From the super to the just plain silly

Just finished thumbing through two recent books from the library. Both are on cooking for children. Thumbs up on one, and as for the other, I’m still shaking my head.

OK, I’ll get  the silliness over with first—How to cook children, a grisly recipe book. The drawings are fabulous, full of fun. And the words are completely wacky, with lots of  twists. But the recipes…  It’s the main ingredient that leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth. Children! That’s just… I know, it’s all tongue in cheek. And it’s pretty clever. But kids (and moms) could be plain scared at the thought of popping tender kiddies into the pot, like they were plucked chickens or something.  But if you think you can handle that, go for it! It’s silly FUN!

Cooking with children is another matter. It has a serious, old-fashioned feel about it. It was published in 1995. But it’s full of really great tips for teaching kids 7 and older exactly how to cook. So if you’re a kid and you get the urge to start cooking, or if you’re an adult with a kid who maybe wants to learn to cook, I say get your hands on this one. It starts off right—with healthy salads… even has tips for great vinaigrette! How can you go wrong? Detailed instructions for soup, hamburgers, tea biscuits, and fruit cups, among other healthy basics, make this a wonderful resource for kids just getting tuned into cooking. So if you feel turned on to kitchen fun from reading Cook Up a Story, then let’s get cooking… with this good recipe book for kids as a starter course!

Santa deserves a tasty snack

Eddy rediscovers the joy of Christmas in Cook Up A Story’s  “Melting Moments.”  Eddy is missing his gramma…  and stories and cookies make him feel lots better. But maybe the cookies see things differently? Check out the video, brought to my attention by Nina. With Cook Up A Story, you can make some healthy cookies that scream to be eaten!   

Thanks, You-Tube