Someday...

...I will try to make this cake. It's close to the top of a long list of foods I want to try to make. I'd need a lot of people to help eat it and from what I read in the article, a lot of patience. But this looks so fabulous.
Sweet and Salty Cake

We've had the good...

I am skipping the bad and going straight to the ugly. I went through every last page of this blog. Some, I am shamed to say, looked tasty, one I'd actually eaten before (in my defense it was free and I didn't know that a creme cake = deep fried twinkie... and it was delicious), but most were disgusting. Regardless, I think the blog's title is perfect.
This Is Why You're Fat

German Gastronomy

This past summer (2008) I went to Europe for 6 weeks. It was fantastic! I was able to try so many new foods while I was there. First of all, the food in Germany is WAY better than the food in England. Sorry Englander's, but it's true. I guess I should say that in my opinion the food in Germany is better than the food in England.

The Germans love to eat cake and coffee. I didn't have the coffee, but I did have a lot of cake, which is so yummy! It's not as sweet as the cakes in the USA, but I like that better. They are rich and solid and so good. They also have the best chocolate in the world.

While in Germany I tried the oldest cake in the world- well it's the oldest cake recipe anyway- called Sacher Cake. It has dark chocolate (which is very dark and has no fillers), cream, cookie crust on bottom, and tasted like a little piece of heaven in my mouth.

I tried the traditional Bavarian cake (known as Black Forest Cake). The real thing is much better than the Betty Crocker cake mix I'm used to ;)

The weather was not very good while I was in Germany. One day I was in downtown Munich and it was raining and I was freezing. I slipped into a Starbucks to use the bathroom (they're the only place that doesn't charge you to use the bathroom) and decided that I wanted to stick around in the warmth. However, in Europe you can't just sit around. You have to order something. I ordered the hot chocolate. It was the most amazing hot chocolate I've ever had in my life! I've ordered hot chocolate from Starbucks in the U.S. since coming home and it just isn't the same.

One day I bought lunch from the open air market in Munich and enjoyed the fresh cheese, bread, and olives. It really reminded me of the food I ate in Israel last year. Yum! The open air market was an experience that cannot be missed and this Mediterranean booth was wonderful.

One of my favorite things I ate was the traditional Bavarian foood... sausages, sauerkraut, and potatoes. I love those things! Hmmmm. Just thinking about it makes me hungry! I went to the Tollwood Festival, which was amazing, and enjoyed some traditional food and culture.

German gastronomy agrees with me. If you're ever in Bavaria, don't hesitate to try anything. I didn't meet any Bavarian food I didn't like!

Cranberry Salsa

At a dinner party a few weeks ago my roommate, Molly, made one of the most original, interesting, and piquant dips I have ever tasted. Molly got the recipe from her sister last Thanksgiving and it is now a family favorite. The dip was definitely the hit of the party, which is saying something because Lindsay really outdid herself with the cheesy mushroom chicken and brussels sprouts.

This recipe was so popular it caused two friends to write about it on their blogs! Mark made some health conscious changes to the recipe. Brian also made some changes. I haven't tried it with their changes, so I can't vouch for them! However, I can vouch that this dish is marvelous and piquant!

Cranberry Salsa

1 bag cranberries
3/4 C. sugar (start with half the sugar- test- then add sugar to taste)
1 green onion
1/4 tsp cumin
1 bunch cilantro
1 medium jalapeno (add more depending on desired heat)
1-2 blocks cream cheese
various crackers (Wheat Thins, Ritz, and whole grain crackers are the favorite)

Mix ingredients (except the cream cheese and crackers) in a Magic Bullet or blender until completely blended. If you put it in the fridge for a bit it will sweeten and also gain heat. Pour blended mixture over the cream cheese and serve at room temperature with crackers.

Sausage Stromboli

Growing up in an Italian family, Thanksgiving was three times the gluttonous feast that most people associate with the holiday. Not only did we do the turkey with the traditional trimmings, but before the turkey was even out of the oven, the antipasti was on the table and being devoured by four generations of family.
This included a platter with Italian meats and cheeses, e.g salami, sopressata, capicola, ham, provolone, mozzarella, plus olives, artichoke hearts, and roasted red peppers. And that was just was on the platter. We also served baked clams, stuffed mushrooms, salad, stromboli, etc.
Between the antipasti and the turkey was a course of traditional macaroni and gravy (likely known to you as pasta and sauce) with meatballs and Italian sausage. And bread! Lots and lots of bread.
If we could go back to every family dinner, I'd bet you 10 bucks that some time during the evening you'd hear someone say: "This is good bread (or salad, or what you will). I could make a meal out of this bread." And someone else retorts, "But you won't." (Loud laughter) Or you will hear, "Some people eat to live, but I live to eat." Although, I think the latter was mostly just my father.
As my generation starting growing and our parents' cholesterol levels rose, the menu began lightening. But the five-course Thanksgiving dinner--while now each course may be smaller--is a tradition. And taking a line from the classic film Shooting Fish: "Well, who am I to deprive an American of what little tradition he can get?" (You were expecting maybe Fiddler on the Roof?)
During this time of menu downsizing, one of the first items to go was the stromboli. Back then it was made the traditional way with sliced deli meats and cheese--usually pepperoni, ham, and provolone.
A few years ago, I made a sausage and spinach stromboli, and since then it's pushed it's way back up, and now may be rivaling the antipasti platter in it's importance in the menu.
Stromboli is my kind of food because it's so versatile. I love dishes that you can really experiment with and have a wide range of possible flavors. So while I'm going to give my recipe to Sausage and Spinach Stromboli, get creative and find your own favorite!

Sausage and Spinach Stromboli
3 Italian sausages, or Italian turkey sausage
1 pkg mushrooms, thinly sliced
5-8 oz mozzarella cheese
1/4 red onion, diced
1 c frozen spinach, thawed and drained
2 cloves garlic, chopped finely
salt and pepper
olive oil
pizza dough
1 egg, + 1 tsp water
marinara sauce, for dipping

Preheat oven to 425°. Remove sausage from skin casing and cook in a large skillet, breaking into small pieces, as you would ground meat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked sausage t bowl. Set aside.
Cook mushrooms in sauage grease. After a few minutes add onions. When mushrooms and onions begin to soften, add garlic and spinach. Season to taste. Add sausage.
Roll out dough into thin large rectangle. Drizzle a bare coat of olive oil on dough. Lay thin layers (be sure layers are evenly spread the short way across): cheese, vegetable mix, and sausage. Leave about 2-3 inches of end with cheese only, no vegetables or sausage. This end will be the top.
Roll from bottom to top. Seal sides. Whisk egg and water to create egg wash and brush over top and sides of the dough.
Cut slits along top where you wish to cut each slice. Bake on greased cookie sheet until dark golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let cool before cutting into slices. Serve with marinara dipping sauce and/or Ricotta cheese.

I Heart Food!

I have an obsession with food. I love to cook. I love to talk about food. I love to eat. I love to go to restaurants and then try to recreate the recipes at home. I love to make people happy by feeding them. See- obsession.

As I was writing my personal blog I noticed I have a lot of entries about food. I also noticed I take a lot of pictures of food. I can't imagine anything I would enjoy more than traveling the world, trying new food, taking pictures of it, and writing about it. That's when I decided I would start a food blog.

This blog will have a few carefully selected authors. None of us are professional chefs. We are simply people who love food and love to cook. The blog will have entries about our favorite foods, interesting food, disgusting food, recipes, ideas for cooking, etc. Basically- if you love food you'll love our blog!

Let the food obsession blog begin!