On the List of Things I'm NEVER Going to Eat

I've been really into food lately. I've even started watching Chopped and thinking about what I would make if I were in their position. Though I find that hard to do when they pull an ingredient out of the basket and I have no clue what it is. Take the rerun I watched the other day.

They pulled out huitlacoche. It's pronounced who-eet (rhyming with sweet)-la-coh-cheh. So of course I looked it up as soon as it appeared.

It's a black corn fungus. Ew. American farmers apparently think it is a disease and call it corn smut while the Aztecs considered it a delicacy as do the Mexicans now. Another ew.

It grows on the ears of corn, taking it over and turning it into this blackish-grey cob. Go ahead. Google it. I did.

In Mexico, it's eaten in quesadillas and used in other tortilla recipes. You can even buy it canned, though I'm not sure if it'll be available in your local Wal-Mart. Each of the baskets was based on Hispanic/ Mexican/ Latin cuisine which was why huitlacoche was in this episode of Chopped. But that ingredient threw me off completely. Normally I enjoy Hispanic cuisine though because I'm half-Dominican. But I doubt I'll ever willingly eat a corn fungus...

I enjoyed the episode though, even if the competitor I was rooting for lost in the final round. Chopped is one of the more interesting competitions on the Food Network because you never know what the competitors are going to get. At least they knew what to do with the huitlacoche.

Why?

So today at work, I notice what shouldn't exist yet. I mean, it is the middle of January and in the 20's for Pete's sake! A spider was dangling from it's web outside the window. Granted, it was tiny and barely noticeable, but I mean COME ON! I'm so not ready for these bugs!

It wasn't my only encounter with bugs today. Oh, no. A stupid gnat had the nerve to bother me during my lunch break and I was INSIDE! Please tell me I'm not the only one not ready for this...

On a better note, I'm drinking a delicious peach smoothie. I think it would be better with fresh peaches but all I had on hand was the little fruit cups in 100% juice. I mixed it up with milk and it foamed up on top. This is the second time a smoothie has done this to me recently. I need to figure out why because a smoothie shouldn't be half-foam. I'm thinking it might be the milk. Not that I think it's gone bad because it better not be. I just opened it! But I've made protein shakes in the blender with milk, the powder, and some peanut butter and they would foam up too. I thought it was the protein powder. I guess not. Stupid milk. Why does it have to separate?

Well, I guess I better finish it off before it gets warm!
Love,
Kayley

Pumpkin Obsession

So I've made another blog for things that aren't about writing. I'm sure writing will spill over into here anyway since it's what I do, but at least I'm not just talking about that.

Has anyone else noticed the obsession with pumpkins this time of year? I don't mean just the dozens of them sitting outside stores waiting to be grabbed up, carved and gutted. It's food wise too. Dunkin Donuts, McDonald's, Barnes & Noble cafes, and Starbucks all have pumpkin or pumpkin pie flavored items in their arsenal.

I personally have tried the pumpkin pie and pumpkin spice latte from McDonald's. The pie was so-so. I liked the sweet potato pie they had last year better (with whipped cream!). The latte, however, was delicious, also with whipped cream. Now, it doesn't come with the cream, you'll have to ask for that separate, and I know some places charge for it, but it is well worth it. It makes the latte perfect!

I wonder when the rest of the fast food world will jump on the pumpkin bandwagon? Or is it too late for them this year?

Signing off,
Kayley