The Weirdest Ice Cream Flavor, Ever.
With hot summertime weather finally making itself a more permanent mainstay, ice cream is now justifiable at any meal of the day. We love innovative ice cream flavors as much as the next person, but the following ones just have us going, “WTF?” A Japanese company has created a line of ice creams with pet bird flavors. Seriously, pet birds. They apparently only use all natural ingredients and the flavors that can be purchased include Java Sparrow, Parakeet, and Cockatiel. If you were ever curious as to what Parakeet tastes like, according to the makers it’s similar to  “eating some vanilla ice cream in one hand and then taking a whiff of a parakeet in your other hand.” Uhhhh, yeah, that’s one sundae we’ll definitely pass on.

London: Fish, Chips, & Crazy Cocktails
London may have the reputation of being a relatively proper city with Royalty, tea parties, scones, and with the drinking culture relegated to pubs. While the city definitely can throw back a pint (or ten), these bars are off to prove that London is the home of perhaps the craziest cocktail experiences in the world. The road to global innovation domination is filled with drinks raging from radiation (!!!) aged absinthe cocktails, drinks made from distilled clay and lichen, and a “walk-in gin and tonic” which is quite literally the cocktail in mist form and can get you wasted.

The Million (well, $120) Dollar , Breakfast
They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but is it worth a cool $12o? A Sydney restaurant is offering a bacon and egg sandwich for the cost of approximately 50 Egg McMuffins. In it’s defense, the sandwich does come with duck foie gras, award-winning bacon, caviar, pan-fried duck egg, some English cheddar, and shaved truffles of course. While they sound delicious, these sandwiches seem to be on the smaller side, so you might need to fork over even more cash for some sides.

How To Not Open Beer
There are few things in this world that are worse than an ice cold bottle of your favorite beer sitting in front of you, just waiting to be consumed, when there is no bottle opener in sight. Here’s a very creative list of ways to open said bottle. Some are actually genius, such as utilizing the zipper on the pair of pants you are currently wearing, while most are definitely questionable- like using a slice of pepperoni pizza or a chain saw. We don’t recommend trying most of these at home.

Bug Out for Breakfast

We’re all for breakfast variety and have a strong affinity for a little crunch in the morning, especially in the form of crispy bacon or a big bowl of cereal, but somehow cockroach never made it on to our list of morning staples. Watch the adventurous eaters over at the Nordic Food Lab cook up a batch of the crunchy critters.

Can + Sandwich = Candwich

Just in case making a PB & J in the morning was too much of a hassle for you, the Candwich has you covered. This convenience food monstrosity is literally a sandwich from a can and it comes in worry-inducing varieties such as BBQ chicken. Just pop the can open, eat the sandwich, and try to not vomit.

Crazy Crust Action

Pizza Huts from around the world really like to kick up the crust-game ante with creations such as a crust made from cheeseburgers to this cheesy concoction recently released stateside.  Pizza Hut Singapore takes this unspoken challenge to a whole new echelon with the Double Sensation. As the name indicates, it is made with not one, but two crusts – the inner ring filled with chicken sausage and the outer filled with a mix of three cheeses. As if the pie wasn’t ridiculous enough, it is topped with a pepper alfredo sauce, smoked chicken, zucchini, and salsa. Seriously… salsa.

Barf-Worthy Booze

In disgusting drink news, we introduce you to the gag-inducing semen cocktails. For a mere $20 you can get your hands on Semenology: The Semen Bartender’s Handbook and give a favorite libation, Sex on the Beach, a whole new meaning and/or flavor dimension. The author of the book argues that semen is essentially as locally sourced and fresh of an ingredient you can get. No word on how to go about stock piling the, ahem, ingredient of choice, for party situations etc. If you prefer libations with ingredients from a human female, you’re in luck. Everything you never knew you wanted to know about breast milk cocktails here.

Unnecessary  Kitchen Appliance #2379274928 

From the seemingly endless world of kitchen devices that create art on your toast, comes the Domo toaster. It literally toasts a Domo face on the bread, and by toast we mean it burns the eyes and the mouth on to the slices, leaving the rest of the slice not so toasted. It might be totally useless, but it’s admittedly quite adorable.

We all have those peculiar food items that seem to linger in the back corner of our pantry for years. Whether they are bizarre ingredients purchased for a certain recipe that you only used once or canned goods bought during a pre-hurricane panic-mode or unknown items that someone gave you as a gift, the untouched and barely-used foods seem to sit there forever waiting until the day you finally figure out what the hell to do with them.

NPR has just launched a new program that will help stumped at-home chefs find ways to cook up meals using the abandoned items found in the cupboard.  It’s called, “Cook Your Cupboard” and it requires people to take a photo of three questionable foods to then submit on their Tumblr page where others can offer comments, advice, and recipes that incorporate the items.

Most helpful is that they are bringing a number of chefs on board with the program so that you actually get expert opinions and advice. Every few weeks NPR will go on air with one participant and one chef. First up will be the sultry Nigella Lawson who will surely come up with some delicious recipe suggestions for even the most bizarre pantry goods.

Harissa
Harissa is a red and spicy paste just like sriracha. It however, doesn’t come in a squeezy bottle. It is incredibly spicy thanks to the combination of hot peppers, red chili powder, and garlic that make up a majority of the sauce. The sauce has Tunisian origins and is used to flavor cous cous dishes as well as stews. We like to mix it with mayonnaise for a spicy sandwich spread.

Pomegranate Molasses
This Middle Eastern condiment is not actually molasses at all, but is instead is a thick syrup made from concentrated pomegranate juice and sugar. It is incredibly sweet and incredibly tart all in one. Plus it makes a bangin’ barbeque sauce or dressing when mixed with some vinegar and olive oil.

Akabanga
This hot sauce (and by hot we mean fiery hot) from Rwanda makes Sriracha look like a wimp. Workers have to wear facemasks when making the sauce, because it is that strong. Akabanga will add some serious firepower to anything you’re cooking up, just be sure to only use a drop or two at most if you ever want to feel your tongue again. Procuring a bottle might be a challenge for even the most determined spice addict as they are not sold in stores in the USA and difficult to purchase online.

Gochujang
If you like fermented foods then this Korean condiment is right up your alley. It’s made from fermented soybeans, glutinous rice, red chili, and salt and then is traditionally left to age for years in a clay pot. Its unique flavor profile makes it a great dressing for a bland salad.

Toum
Toum is that addictive garlicky white sauce served with chicken kebobs at Lebanese restaurants. It is basically an aioli on some serious garlic steroids. Recommended use: put it on everything, especially rice and French fries.

Ajvar
This is essentially the ketchup of the Balkans. It is made from red bell peppers, garlic, eggplant, and chili peppers. Many eat it as a stand-alone salad, or spread it on everything from sandwiches to pizza.

Banana Sauce
This condiment from the Philippine’s was invented when there was a ketchup shortage during WWII. It is actually made from mashed bananas combined with sugar, vinegar, and spices. Banana sauce is a crucial ingredient in Filipino style spaghetti and is basically used as ketchup would be on burgers, fries, etc.

Shichimi
Shichimi loosely translates to “seven flavor chili pepper” in Japanese, because there are literally seven flavors plus ground red chili pepper. Some of these additions include nori, roasted orange peel, and ground ginger. The Japanese add this to many dishes, especially those involving noodles.

Salsa Lizano
This Costa Rican condiment is a slightly sweet thin brown sauce (similar to the British HP sauce). It is a complex sauce including ingredients such as turmeric, mustard, carrots, and cumin. It’s supposedly great doused on eggs, cheeses, and curries.

Note: The following items are more suitable for ex’s or soon to be ex’s.

Sushi Cologne

Who doesn’t want to smell like “just cooked sticky rice and straight from the seaside seaweed, laced with hints of ginger and lemon essences”? We love our sushi, but prefer it in edible form.

If Sushi isn’t your scent, the makers of the cologne also offer a cacophony of scents including standouts such as Angel Food, Rye Bread, Celery, and Lobster. [Food Beast]

3D Chocolates Of Your Face

This gift gives a whole new meaning to “you’re so cute, I could eat you”, because now you literally can. This 3D replica of your face made out of chocolate courtesy of Fabcafe in Tokyo, is the end result of a 2-day workshop where participants use a 3D scanner and printer to make molds of their face. As the old adage goes -the couple that eats chocolate replicas of each other, stays together.  [BBC]

Fetus Cookie Cutter

Cookies can be a delicious sweet treat for your valentine. But if deep down, you don’t want to share, be sure to cut them into the shape of a fetus using this handy cookie cutter – they will definitely lose their appetites.

Sriracha Pumps

Know someone that can’t get enough shoes or Sriracha? Gift them these heels painted with the rooster sauce design and they can literally coordinate their outfit around their favorite condiment. [Bon Appetit]

Food Wallpaper

Redecorate your lover’s abode this Valentine’s Day, just proceed with caution. No doubt they love their share of carpaccio, sashimi, and tartares – just probably not in the form of raw meat wallpaper plastered over their walls. For the vegetarian in your life – there is a cheese wallpaper option and for the vegan – a spaghetti wallpaper free of all animal products. [Food Republic]

Pigs Blood Chocolates

Even for a foodie, good chocolate is usually a solid and reliable present. Except for when it’s filled with pigs blood. This concoction from Oregon chocolatier David Briggs is inspired by blood sausage and comprises of a ganache made from blood, paprika, and cinnamon, covered with dark chocolate. These chocolates can only be bought on Halloween and Valentine’s Day either online or at his store in Portland. [Travel & Leisure]

Whatever happened to a good ol’ box of candy hearts?

It’s the age old question: do I want a hot dog or a hamburger? Or both? Our answer is usually both, but with this gadget it’s possible to have the best of both worlds all in one: a hamburger in the shape of a hotdog. Out of all of the (arguably useless) uni-purpose kitchen gadgets to have, this hamburger shaper might be the most hilarious. [Huffington Post]

Chefs these days are experimenting with all types of bizarre ingredients, but dirt…yes, dirt….may the weirdest one yet. Ne Quittez Pas, a French restaurant in Tokyo, is serving up a $110 meal that uses dirt as the featured ingredient in every course. Dirt soup, dirt risotto, dirt ice cream. [Huffington Post]

Lady Gaga may have started a trend when she wore a dress made entirely out of raw meat to the 2010 MTV Music Video Awards.  If you’re into steak but not wearing it as clothes, this necklace with a steak pendant might be for you. [Etsy]

We all know that running a restaurant isn’t usually the most lucrative of professions. Costs run high, particularly in New York where rent is grossly expensive.  One landlord’s response to late rent on the part of a restaurant is to shame them until they pay  it back in full – all $312,000 worth. A parked car across the street from the restaurant holds up a sign that reads “California Taqueria continues to abuse the landlord…refuses to pay rent…owes $312,000.”   [Eater]

Last but certainly not least, watch Ron Swanson at a mixology bar. If you are a fan of Parks and Recreation and/or have ever experienced molecular mixology, this will make your day. Yes, mixology has taken New York by storm, but this video will help keep things in perspective.

The Champaign Debacle

Does the old Shakespearian saying, “a rose by any other name would smell as sweet” hold true for Champagne? Some think not. An argument over the semantics of “champagne” has been a brewin’ in California. The Champagne Bureau, a Washington lobby for the French Champagne industry, argues that real champagne can only come from Champagne, France.  There are plans to serve “champagne” made in California at President Obama’s inauguration banquet, and The Champagne Bureau is all up in arms about it. For more details about this egregious error on the part of the inauguration party planners, see here.

How is it possible to be a skinny chef? 

If you imagine a professional chef, what may come to mind is a large and in charge guy or gal who clearly loves his or her food, and shows it in their waistlines. But more often than not, as evidenced by the likes of Anthony Bourdain and Dan Barber, chefs are thin as rails. How can you be skinny if you’re surrounded by rich foods all day, you ask? Read about a day in the life of a line cook and understand why cooks and chefs are often the hungriest people in restaurants.

Chefs weigh in on their favorite burgers in NYC

The debate continues on where to find the best burger in New York, and in this week’s Serious Eats article the chefs weigh in with their favorite picks. See a list of the top rated burgers by New York City’s own chefs, including Missy Robins of A Voce, Daniel Boulud of Daniel, and Marcus Samuelsson of Red Rooster Harlem and Ginny’s Supper Club.

A doppelganger we’d all prefer not to think about

The theme of this week’s This American Life  was Doppelgangers.  Those of you who are avid listeners of this radio show will know what we’re about to talk about; those of you who are squeamish, stop reading here.  We’ve all had calamari in some shape or form – most often fried. “Artificial calamari” is made out of …wait for it…hog rectum, a.k.a. “bung.”  The investigative reporter interviewed on the show wants to find out for himself whether or not the bung calamari is actually served in restaurants, and whether or not there is a discernible difference between it and the real thing. Ultimately, it’s really hard to tell the difference, and if it’s out there, we’ll be hard pressed to know.  It’s definitely true that most things can be made delicious when popped into a deep fryer. But does that include hog rectum?

Also, who the heck is going to want to eat “pharmaceutical meat” anyway? If this becomes a reality, how will marketers be able to convince consumers that this is a viable option? In other words, how will they get rid of the Yuck Factor?

At the current rate of population growth, the planet will not be able to sustainably feed it’s inhabitants for very much longer, particularly because of increasing meat consumption. Meat will become more and more expensive and awareness of the negative environmental impact of mass meat production will no doubt continue to become ingrained in our social consciousness.

What do you think the future of meat production will look like? Is meat produced in labs really a way of the future? Or will the world – Americans in particular – have to reduce their meat consumption? Gasp! The horrors.

For more on this issue, read The Guardian‘s article here.

Alexa Perrin, the founder of the Experimental Food Society, explains in an interview that she founded the society in 2009 because she wanted to give a platform to the incredible talent that is largely untapped in Britain. Perrin is also the founder and owner of APR Consultancy, a PR firm. She “grew up in a family of foodies,” and spent a lot of time in restaurants growing up. She would help her mother bake cakes for local businesses, and her love of food grew from there.

Being a member of the society gets you access to a yearly festival, the Spectacular Exhibition, where the best gourmet artists put their work on display. This includes butter architects, cake artists, bread sculptors, and watermelon carvers, to name a few.

The line between the culinary arts and the fine arts is indeed a fine one. The aesthetic intricacies of the culinary arts are endless. Perhaps Ms. Perrin will create an outpost of The Experimental Food Society in New York one of these days; the talent and artistic creativity certainly exists here.

How would you spend your last day on earth? It’s safe to assume that for most people, last-day-on-earth plans include an indulgent feast with plenty of booze.  Regardless of whether or you’re actually panicking about the impending end of the world, it’s pretty fun to think about how you might spend your last day on earth.

Do or Dine is hosting Armagedd-It-On on Thursday the 20th, a feast in celebration of the impending apocalypse. Drinks by One Last Shag, and music from Rubblebucket.

Beaumarchais is throwing a Mayan Apocalypse dinner party on Friday the 21st, with costumes, Mayan decor and all. Maya is also putting together an end of the world fête on Friday night.

Alternatively, here are some ideas for how to spend your last day on earth at home with friends, enjoying good eats and drinks:

- Make some Mayan Margaritas or some Mulled Cranberry-Guava Toddies 

- Plan a Mayan feast: spaghetti squash, tamales with mole sauce, black beans and rice

- Stay in and watch apocalyptic movies like 28 Days Later, Children of Men, The Day After Tomorrow, Independence Day, and Zombie Land

So, party like there’s no to-Maya, y’all.