***Featuring guest blogger/cake aficionado/avid eater George!***
If you like cake and you’re in a hurry, then boy howdy Betty Crocker Warm Delights microwave cake is the dessert for you. At first I was extremely skeptical. I am not one to mess around regarding sugary comestibles. That’s why when I removed the shrink wrap and found a plastic bowl and a package of dry, supposedly microwavable cake mix, I was less than enthused. I added the required amount of water to the powder, and stirred thoroughly to remove any lumps of powder left swimming in the mixture. I then added the package of “fudge” to the top of the now thick solution. Knowing my microwave to be extremely weak (it’s a hand-me-down), I set the timer for a little over the recommended cooking time. Following the important directions from the back of the box, I did “not leave [the] microwave unattended.”
Watching the cake bubble though the almost opaque glass lessened my expectations for the cake even further, especially once I started the smell the slightly burnt aroma beginning to come out of the fans in the back of the microwave. When it was finally done, I removed it, burning my hands on the thin plastic bowl that was basically full of near molten almost done cake. The directions called for leaving the cake to stand on a heatproof surface for five minutes, so I went in the other room and watched some television. When I returned to my kitchen, I found that the previously puffy looking cake had flatted significantly, and was actually starting to resemble something I might try and eat. I grabbed a fork and took my first bite.
The cake was fantastic. Well, it was about as good as one might think a microwave cake could be. Due to my awful microwave, the cake was right on that thin line between gooey and cakey, something I have often striven for in my own conventional baking. Not only was the consistency good, but it was still warm from the oven, something I’ve always liked from a good dessert. All that, complied with the fact that I bought the cake on sale at Giant at a price of three for five dollars on a half joke, half bet, left me feeling pretty damn good. And to think, I still have six other flavors left to try.
Price: $1.50-$3.00
Where: most supermarkets
Rating:
-George
Posted by chewandswallow 
I tried the vodka sauce in two capacities, first with a pasta/shrimp/scallop ensemble and second with some plain ole tortellini. The first meal I enjoyed and found the sauce to be a nice complement to the pasta and seafood. But, when served just with tortellini, it fails to add that much extra to the already plain dish. In short, the vodka sauce can certainly be used, but make sure that your dish already has enough flavor without the sauce. It can supplement the tiny additional taste your dish needs, but it is not enough to save your dish from another boring dinner.
Posted by chewandswallow 
Posted by chewandswallow 
Traditionally, I’m a Snapple girl, but in the spirit of trying and reviewing new things, I opted to forego the Snapple and pick up a Tradewinds Sweet Tea. Absolutely delicious. This refreshing drink advertises the fact that it’s “Fresh Brewed Just Before Bottling,” and although I’m no tea-expert, that fresh-brewed taste comes through loud and clear. Tradewinds comes in nine different flavors and I look forward to sampling the other eight. The only edge Snapple has on Tradewinds in my book is the fun fact beneath every cap. I guess I’ll just have to get my interesting facts from somewhere else now.
Real Torino’s Rosemary Tuscan Flatbread was an excellent starter for a dinner meal.
foodspring, a new magazine from the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade (NASFT) has just published its inaugural issue, with interesting recipes and short articles ranging from “The Indian Spice Kitchen” to “The Complex Taste of Traditional Cheddar.” Check it out, it’s a quick read and quite interesting.
