United States of Food

The United States of Food.

I used to live in Wild Rice-Pork Tenderloin land, apparently, but now reside in Coffee-Salmon-Apple-Beer-Pear Central.

Suicide Food

Suicide Food is a great site, and I'm shocked that enough content exists for it to keep on rolling.

This post, featuring a flock of chickens sitting around watching their brethren toasting on a rotisserie as if they were watching TV, is extra-creepy.

I wanna fa-fa-fa, I wanna Fanta!

Had never seen Fanta grapefruit before. Didn't buy it since we only drink non-diet pop when we drink any, but now I'm curious. Not sure I've ever seen a grapefruit pop that wasn't diet before.

Mini chocolate bunnies!

As The Impulsive Buy points out, looks like some big chocolate bunnies have been going at it like bunnies.

Sharp-dressed circus animals

Bought these yesterday at Safeway: Regular Barnum's Animal Crackers, but the box is all dressed up in Lilly Pulitzer fancy.

Weird ice creams

So Blue Moon ice cream was definitely available in Minnesota, but it wasn't a big deal. Some places had it, mostly kids ordered it because it was blue, and if you asked the ice-cream scooper what it tasted like, he or she would inevitably say "Froot Loops."

But apparently there is a simlilar ice cream that is way cooler to look at -- red, yellow and blue, the colors of Superman's costume. Superman ice cream! How did I miss out on this? My Michigan friends, you have been holding out on me.

Size 8 Cereal

Matt over at Scrubbles found this delightfully weird cereal commercial. Apparently in the 1960s there was a Post cereal called Size 8, trying to appeal to weight-conscious women.

Of course, today, size 8 is considered gargantuan in Hollywood -- it would have to be dubbed Size Double Zero.

But the best thing about it is not the odd name, but that it was sold not in a traditional cereal box, but in a mod paisley swirl patterened round cylinder. No, really.

Dave's Killer Bread

I think you can only get it in Oregon, Washington, Alaska and maybe Idaho (that's right, you da ho), but Dave's Killer Bread is awesome if you can find it. Healthy, delicious, packed with seeds, and with a great backstory.

Dave Dahl (NOT the Minnesota weatherman) was in and out of jail, and eventually joined his family's organic bread company. It was not an easy transition. He and his brother and his brother's son fought constantly. According to this fascinating article in Inc., they're still not quite reconciled. But he wanted to make seed-packed organic bread, even if it meant charging $5 a loaf (it's PACKED with pricey seeds, and perhaps the price also adds to the cachet). The bread really took off when they added the word "Killer" to the label, included a caricature of Dave playing guitar, and included his jail story on the bag.

Story or no, jail or not, family woes notwithstanding, it is an awesome bread. Keep an eye out, or seek it out when you're here in the PNW if it's not available in your region. I'm going to toast another piece right now.

Hershey's Drops

Hershey's Drops? They're like...M&Ms without the candy coating? Or round little Hershey bars with a thin glaze?

Go nuts

Matthew Baldwin is working his way through eating every snack in his office vending machine. Most recent: Sweet 'N' Salty Mix, one of those options I would never choose to vend. But I love that he's doing it so I don't have to.

Creative cake

What a beautiful cake! The swirled roses are hypnotizing and the vertical layers inside are awesome!

(Via Not Martha)

Also via Not Martha: Make your own sprinkles! Kelly adores sprinkles!

This cake with a heart inside is also awesome.

America's top donuts

Seriously, some of these Top Donut shops are just asking themselves: "How many calories can we slam into one offering?" Donuts split in half with ice cream in the middle? Crammed with candy and cereal? Multiple shops offer bacon donuts and donuts as big as your head.

Also: Thomas Keller from The French Laundry makes donuts?

Finding Nemo cupcakes

Finding Nemo cupcakes. Awww!

Via Going Domestic.

Say cheese

Oprah suggests a grilled-cheese bar for your next party. For some reason, this both cracks me up and sounds like a great idea.

Two scoops of ...sugar!

Yes, the raisins in Raisin Bran are all but gilded in sugar. It's among the five worst cereals for your diet.

Playing chicken

When I was a kid, we used to go to Wisconsin and Minnesota taverns on weekends with our parents, generally when they were driving up to our farm, and it seemed to me that I always had fried chicken.

I rarely eat it these days -- it's not exactly great for you -- but I'm saving this list from Seattle's Stranger of the supposed best places in town for it, just in case. (On this list, I've been to Ezell's...it was fine but really seems overrated by this town.)

Bomb Pop cupcakes

How beautiful are these Bomb Pop cupcakes? My frosting skills, after only one cake-decorating class, are not up to making them, but they're still gorgeous.

The Turducken of desserts

A cake made out of pies!

(Thanks to Anna for the link!)

Going bananas

Wow, this does indeed sound like the world's easiest ice cream recipe. Thanks, Web Goddess!

Hic

Alcohol ads are not illegal on U.S. TV.

Like Girlhacker, I kind of thought they were, even though I've definitely seen some.

Not as many as when we were kids, though. Remember the Bailey's Irish Cream ads, and Martini & Rossi on the rocks, say YES?

I don't remember this Martini & Rossi ad featuring the World Trade Center -- I remember the embedded one below -- but the WTC ad is eerie to watch now.