Three Cookies

Mocha Meringue, Waffle Burger and Bad Cinnamon

2013-05-16T19:31:00.000+02:00

Mocha Meringue

These meringues are the chewy type, actually the very chewy type. I suppose if you bake longer, it will get more crispy, but I didn’t try this.

I find standard meringues to be overly sweet so I used less sugar, and it turned out fine.

By the way, perhaps I am a little biased but these meringues look like something sitting on the side of the road that you don't want to eat, let alone step on. Once you get over the hesitation and actually try it, you won't be disappointed. I am referring to the mocha meringue, in case this was not clear. The recipe is available here.

Today's Favourite Photo

Source: A Hamburger Today

Waffle Burger

Today’s Favourite Blog

Source: Science Daily

Cinnamon is good for you. That’s the message we usually get but someone had to spoil the party!

The real cinnamon is good but it is expensive so some manufacturers use cassia bark, or cassia cinnamon, as a cheaper alternative. The problem is that compared with the real cinnamon, cassia cinnamon contains a larger amount of coumarin. Coumarin is a naturally occurring substance that has been linked to liver damage in people sensitive to it, according to an article published in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

I don’t know what the price difference is between the real thing and the cheaper alternative. I just checked the cinnamon I have at home. On the packet it says cinnamon, but in smaller print it says cassia. That’s the last time I am buying cassia. If cinnamon is too expensive I would eat less of the real thing than more of cassia. Just like butter and margarine, I would eat less of butter than more of margarine, which is cheaper. But I just lied, I’ve been eating margarine for the past few month since I have been sent a few packs as samples. Sometimes free stuff can be a headache. Amazing, its free and I am complaining.

Black Pudding Sausage Roll and Fat Makes you Sleep

2013-05-12T19:26:00.001+02:00

Black Pudding Sausage Roll

Or you can call it black pudding wellington, it sounds more gourmet and complex! Its anything but complex.

Making black pudding sausage roll is far easier than making regular sausage roll. You need 2 ingredients and get a delicious result with minimal effort. Though not so delicious if you don’t like blood sausage. The recipe is available here.

Today's Favourite Photo

Source: Technicolor Kitchen

Ricotta and spinach stuffed shells

Today’s Favourite Blog

Source: Huffington Post

This sounds unusual. A study shows that eating higher amounts of fat is associated with increased daytime sleepiness. On the other hand eating more carbohydrates increased alertness. The findings were published in the online supplement of the journal SLEEP and to be presented at the annual SLEEP 2013 conference.

I think they will serve a low fat diet during the SLEEP conference to avoid participants from sleeping during the presentation!

The study researcher Dr. Alexandros Vgontzas from Penn State College of Medicine even goes on to say that excessive daytime sleepiness and fatigue “may have an impact on an individual’s ability to function and also public safety."

This finding comes as a bit of a surprise. I associated fat with fuel or energy, and associated omega-3 with positive effects on the brain. However I did notice that when I ate greasy food I felt a bit lazy.

Smoked Fish Cake and Easy Butter Former

2013-05-07T21:49:00.001+02:00

Smoked Fish Cake

This was my first attempt at making fish cakes. I never realised it was so easy to make. The recipe is available here.

Today's Favourite Photo

Source: A Hamburger Today

‘Evangelion: Q' With a 9-Patty Cheeseburger. I think if you are ordering this, it would be wrong to not upsize on the drinks and fries!

Today’s Favourite Blog

Source: Food Republic

Probably one of the more bizarre, interesting and useful inventions that I have seen.

That super low tech device from Metex Japan is the Easy Butter Former. If you don’t enjoy trying to spread hard butter onto bread, Easy Butter Former will take care of your frustration. It grates butter like cheese, which then melts quickly if left at room temperature.