Blizz-Flurry

Not yet Blizz-Flurried...

What is a Blizz-Flurry, you ask? Well, it's just a name I concocted a mere two seconds ago to describe the scrumptious, creamy dessert that every other fast food chain and their parent company carries - the good old soft serve ice cream with a specific topping mixed, swirled, or blended in. Since the majority of the names are copyright or trademarked, I blended two names together, corny pun intended. 

These genius little peanut butter filled pretzel concoctions were sitting idly around on the counter, begging to be consumed. But, since my taste buds were craving sweets, I nearly pushed the pretzel bites aside in favor of a good old scoop of chocolate soy ice cream. Oh the life of the lactose intolerant. 

Just as I retrieved the ice cream container, the cliched, animated lightbulb poofed out of nowhere above my head. Pretzel bites + peanut butter + chocolate ice cream...Blizz-Flurry it is! And thus my first Choco-nut-zel Blizz Flurry was created. I'm a bit shocked that this is the first time I created an ice cream version of a chocolate covered pretzel, but better late than never! The 3 step simplicity of this dessert is always a plus.

- Shortcake

Step 1: Crush!

Step 2: Scoop!

Step 3: Blend!

Garlic Fries

French fries...cajun fries, chili cheese fries, disco fries. I can go on and on with the vast array of toppings and flavors that often coat the ever popular and versatile french fry. And don't even get me started on the myriad dips and sauces that fries can be dunked in. Most recently, my hungry palette feasted on Garlic Fries, which were accompanied with ketchup, chipotle aioli, and ranch dressing as dipping sauces.

Growing up with plenty of traditional Filipino food, garlic was always a welcome ingredient in our cooking. So, imagine my wide eyes when I read that garlic fries were offered in La Creperie Cafe's menu. Slim with a crisp exterior, not too greasy, not too salty, the fries were a perfect base for the garlic and sauces. 

The garlic coating, however, was a bit uneven in distribution. Some fries were coated just right, while others carried an overabundance of garlic; so for those not as fond of the taste, it might be too extreme. But the dipping sauces easily masked the overpowering flavor. To me, the chipotle aioli faired better as a complement than the ketchup because of the spicy kick. And you can never go wrong with ranch. But, then again, I was fine munching away on the garlic induced fries sans sauce. 

If garlic fries aren't offered in a close vicinity, you can always go the DIY route. Sometimes, I buy fast food fries, saute some minced cloves of garlic with olive oil, throw the fries in the garlic, and voila: instant garlic fries. Be sure to have a mint after you consume them though. You don't want garlic breath all night.
- Shortcake

Trilogy of Flavors: Basil

Caprese Crumpets

Crumpet + Tomato Sauce + Basil + Mozarella = Pizza Bite! This quirky snack combination of British and Italian basics is my fast-and-easy way to satisfy the occasional, late night pizza cravings. - Shortcake

Spinach - Basil Pesto

Photo by NKL

Thanks to "The Golden Girls," I know a very funny story about the origin of pesto sauce, but I'll refrain from sharing it now. Instead, I'd like to share this amazing pesto recipe that looks absolutely delicious! - Sonic

Margherita Pizza

Photo by CHIP

Pizza made by the Patina Restaurant group is probably the closest you'll get to real Italian Pizza in the States. Using the freshest tomatoes, mozarella cheese, and basil leaves, the Patina Group also uses a special water formulated to mimic the natural minerals found in Italy's water to achieve a close version of the pizza crust Italians have been enjoying for centuries. - Sandwich

Cooking LIVE with Brent and Reuben!

"I think it would be great!  My mom loves Regis and Kelly and it's always hilarious when they try to cook on their show.  I think it'll be like that!" said Brent Dodge, as he was pitching the idea of having me come on his Disney video podcast, the WEDnesday Show.

This past WEDnesday, I had the pleasure of being not only the first LIVE, in-person guest on the famous WEDnesday Show Disney video podcast, I also had the chance to be there as a guest chef!  Brent had asked me the previous week if I would like to cook something with him for his occasional "Cooking with Brent" segment on his show.  I of course said yes; this would be an opportunity to practice my pastry skills, which have been somewhat dormant since I started living down in Disney World.  Also, this was a chance to see how I would fare cooking on a live show.

We want YOU to cook with Brent and Reuben!

Brent and I talked about what we were going to make the night before, but we didn't decide what we were doing until the afternoon before the show.  We decided on Chocolate Cookie Mousse from Disney's Beach Club Resort, but I warned him that it is easy to mess up because of the gelatin in the formula.  In my past experiences, gelatin was always a pain to work with because of its narrow working temperature range, especially when you need to incorporate hot, melted chocolate with cold whipped cream.  On the phone, I read the recipe to him to make sure we had not only the ingredients, but also the supplies. We needed not only Oreo cookies, but crumbled Oreo cookies.

"Do you have a food processor?...it's kind of like a blender but bigger and for more solid foods...no?...hmm...okay, do you have ziplock bags and a hammer?  Awesome, then we're set!"

And with those immortal words, I knew I would be in for an interesting night.  Needless to say, with having nothing prepared in regards to a script of some sorts, and with the impending doom and failure I predicted with this mousse, I really surprised myself by not being nervous for the show. It might be because I didn't have time to get nervous. A variety of factors throughout the day led to me being a little late to the show, so I was thrown right into everything as soon as I walked through the door of the WEDnesay Show studio.

Chefs Mickey, Reuben, and Brent Dodge

Even with the fear of mousse failure; a last minute, on-the-air search for bowls and a hammer to pulverize cookies; I believe the show was a smashing success.  It ended up being a really wacky show. I guess I wasn't too nervous, since this wasn't an actual Food Network-esque cooking show, but it was really really fun!  We separated eggs into sand pails, made double boilers out of two sauce pots, and embraced the unexpected elements that accompany the fine art of winging it on live television.  There was even a point where Brent said "we need a whisk...whatever a whisk is..." I was worried that our audience was wondering "Do they really know what they're doing?" but after an hour of madness, we came out with a pretty delicious white chocolate cookie mousse.  I was also quite happy and relieved to know how quickly the techniques and tricks from my pastry training came back to me.  It was a really fun night and I hope our audience enjoyed it as much as we did!

Our finished mousse actually looks pretty tasty! And it was!

You can watch the cooking/pastry maddness (that's right with two "d"s) by watching the August 3rd, 2011 episode at the W.E.D.nesday Show's Archives and here is the recipe if you want to try it at home:

Chocolate Cookie Mousse:
"Creme-filled cookies add crunch to this luscious chocolate dessert that's a favorite at Cape May Cafe at Disney's Beach Club Resort.  Spoon into champagne flutes and top with fresh seasonal berries for an elegant ending.  Yield 6 servings."

6 chocolate sandwich cookies with creme filling
2/3 cup (5.5 oz) white chocolate
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 tsp granulated gelatin
3 egg yolks

1. Crumble purchased cookies into fine pieces in a food processor.
2. Melt white chocolate in top of double boiler over hot water.  When melted, remove from heat.
3. Whip the heavy cream until medium-firm peaks form.
4. Pour 1/4 of the whipped heavy cream into a saucepan and sprinkle in the gelatin.  Let sit about 3 minutes, until the gelatin softens and swells.
5. Heat gelatin over low heat, stirring constantly, until gelatin is dissolved.
6. Remove from heat and gently blend in egg yolks.
7. Add melted chocolate, stirring fast to avoid lumps.
8. Fold the remaining whipped heavy cream and cookies together, then gold into white chocolate mixture.
9. Pour into serving bowls (champagne glasses or wineglasses work well).
10. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

(recipe from Cooking with Mickey and the Disney Chefs)

- Sandwich

Ice Cream for Breakfast

Love me some thick slabs of french toast

It's fun to break the rules every once in a while, especially on gorgeous summer mornings that greet you with a smile and encourage you to not hit the snooze button. If you're a night owl like me, you know the rare occurrence is fewer and farther between than a blue moon.

So of course, after an invigorating hour jog at 6:30am, I forgo-ed my usual "healthy, fulfilling" breakfast and indulged in some ice cream (soy based since I'm lactose intolerant) and my favorite breakfast dish - french toast. Sprinkle my favorite fruit on top, set aside some honey for dipping, and you get Shortcake's quick and easy breakfast guilty pleasure.

My go to french toast recipe is by the one and only Alton Brown. I cut thick slices of french or challah bread and kick up the recipe with a generous sprinkle of cinnamon atop both sides of the toast before baking. My favorite part of ice cream atop french toast is when the ice cream melts and lightly sogs the toast. Kinda icky for some, but delicious to me.
- Shortcake

The Pleasures of Chocolate: Comfort

In Part One of "The Pleasures of Chocolate: Four Weeks, Four Films" we take a look at how a cup of hot chocolate serves to comfort a young soldier in Jean-Pierre Jeunet's 2004 romantic epic, A Very Long Engagement.

Gaspard Ulliel stars as Manech, the Cornflower, in "A Very Long Engagement"

Manech a.k.a. The Cornflower (Gaspard Ulliel) is a young French soldier suffering from shellshock.  In an attempt to return home to his beloved Mathilde (Audrey Tautou), he holds his hand out for a German to shoot.  However, self-mutiliation is a war crime, causing the Cornflower and four other soldiers to be taken to Bingo Crepuscule, where they'll be sent and expected to die in the No-Man's-Land between the French and German trenches.

On the night they arrive at Bingo, Manech still is not fully aware of the situation he's in.  When asked what he wants for dinner, he requests hot chocolate and bread with honey.  Such things are not common in the trenches, and yet the army chef, Celestine Poux (Albert Dupontel) manages to find it for him.

Celestine Poux asks what Manech would like to eat.

This is considered the Cornflower's last meal, after all.  He is not fully aware of that, as the shellshock has addled his mind slightly (see his words in a picture below).  Still, it is rather bold of him to ask for hot chocolate and bread with honey while the rest of the men get soup.  Either way, Celestine is aware of the importance that this meal will be.  Due to the war, he has to improvise and create meals out of whatever is available to him, and yet he also has the reputation of acquiring anything that the soldiers need.  

The Mess Hall Maurader never fails, and brings the Cornflower his meal.

It is rather miraculous that he knows where to acquire chocolate and honey, and even more miraculous that Celestine finds for Manech "salted Guérande butter, lavender honey, and cocoa from Nigeria."  Also, given the child-like nature of Manech at this point, as well as the pity everyone in the trenches feels for him (oh, did I mention he's an orphan?), Celestine would never have done this for another soldier.  Such a meal is the ultimate comfort, which every other man in the trench is aware of.

Manech is thankful of the kind gesture, and eats his food as calmly as if he were having a midnight snack.  This shows both how unaware he is of how rare his meal is, but also how aware he is of its meaning to him.  He's not shoving it down his throat in earnest hunger, but treating it as a true meal: something tasted and appreciated in every bite.  It is his slow and peaceful eating that truly affirms the meal as a comfort for Manech.  

"I hear her heart beating, like Morse code.  We're engaged.  Luckily we won't have to wait till the end of war.  Now I can go straight home after the execution."

Overall, this scene is rather brief and some may consider it unimportant in the grand scheme of the film.  After all, within the film it is merely a story told by one soldier to Mathilde, as she is desperate for any memoirs they have of Manech.  However, it also provides a lot of exposition to the nature of trench warfare and the importance of all the small reminders of normalcy.  Never does another soldier make a grab for Manech's meal, they don't fight for it themselves.  Not just because it's his last meal, but because this is young Manech.  They sit and watch him as if they were watching their own younger selves.

Such a simple meal represents the life they left behind in order to fight.  In the grand scheme, yes, a short scene of Manech having hot chocolate and honey bread may seem expendable.  But it is symbolic of the soldiers' longing for any comforts of home, and their own appreciation and sadness that such comforts are given to a young man expected to die.

The other soldiers look on as Manech enjoys his meal and talks of Mathilde.

For what it's worth, I planned on using a brief scene from Empire of the Sun featuring young Jim (Christian Bale) talking to Dainty (Ben Stiller) about a Hershey bar.  But that scene - and a few others later that address it - didn't have as much of an impact to the story as Manech's last meal does.  It shows how comforting food can be, and not the childhood comforts of a favorite cereal or ready-to-make meal.  It's the comforts that food bring of the past, and of the the peaceful times that make us truly appreciate our lives.

- Sonic

Roasted Red Pepper Crostini

As a dinner or brunch host, there are times when you are pressed for food preparation time. That's where crostini comes in handy. A quick and simple appetizer, the saltiness and spice of various cheese and toppings satisfy the taste buds, while the bites of bread keep the tummy satiated until the full enchilada main entree is ready to be served. They're basically like tiny french bread pizzas! Roasted red pepper crostini with pancetta is my favorite combination out of the array of possibilities with the dish. For some reason pancetta seems to make everything taste better.

Roasted Red Pepper Crostini

• French baguette, sliced
• Roasted red pepper spread*
• Shredded gruyere
• Shredded cheddar
• Pancetta, fried

*I make prep time easier by purchasing Trader Joe's delicious version. You can find it next to the sauces and dressings. But, if you can't find a pre-made spread, this recipe works just as well. 

1. Preheat the oven to 400F. After frying a small amount of pancetta, and slicing your baguette, spread the red pepper goodness on the baguettes.

2. Top with shredded cheese and the fried pancetta

3. Bake till cheese is melted, about 2 - 3 minutes

4. Enjoy as an appetizer, snack, or even a breakfast side!

- Shortcake

The Pleasures of Chocolate: Four Weeks, Four Films

I'm not a chef.  I mix foods together in odd proportions just to see how they taste, but I don't always follow recipes to the letter or experiment as often with dishes as other people.  Sure, I'll watch a show on Food Network now and again to try something new (or simply to admire darling Giada), but most often, I stick with what I know.  Whilst Shortcake and Sandwich may often have posts showing their newest culinary creations, you'll have to settle for simple satisfaction from Sonic (alliteration FTW!).  Unlike Joey from "Friends," I will share my food.  But I would also like to look at cinematic cuisine: films specifically about or featuring food in important roles.  More importantly, the role that chocolate plays in specific films.  Throughout the month of August, I'll look at chocolate from the following perspectives:


Food as Comfort - How does food affect us - the viewer and the character - in an emotional or mental situation?  How do we react towards food in such situations?  There are plenty of films that address this, but one particular (if brief) moment in 2004's A Very Long Engagement really touches on the importance of food (namely a cup of hot chocolate) as comfort.


Food as Metaphor - Often times, films may take a story that appears to be about food, when it's in truth an allegory for something else.  In 1987's The Chocolate War, we'll see how selling chocolate bars is synonymous with the social ladder of a private school.


Food as Macguffin - The Macguffin is a well-known plot element coined by Alfred Hitchcock, essentially being a plot device that drives the story and characters, despite not always being important in and of itself.  And what's a better Macguffin than the golden ticket hidden inside a Wonka Bar?  I'll look at how both film adaptations, 1971's Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and 2005's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory utilize the golden ticket and what it represents.


In addition, we'll look at one more film - to be disclosed at a later date, although given the topic, I'm sure you know what it will be - that encompasses all three of the above perspectives of food.


- Sonic

Trilogy of Flavors: Pretzel

The Linden Sandwich

This is the Linden! A special grilled cheese sandwich made at the Pop Shop. It's a Philly cheesesteak housed in a Philly Pretzel Braid, topped with cheddar cheese and fried onions. It's the best Philly foods rolled into one sandwich...with a pickle! - Sandwich

Pepperoni Cheese Logs

Amish and Italian are fused together in this concoction found at the Williamstown Amish Farmer's Market. Traditional Amish pretzel is rolled and stuffed with gooey, fresh mozarella and spicy pepperoni. Microwaveable pizza rolls have zilch on this! - Sonic

Traditional Amish Pretzel

The crunchy, butter laden exterior, soft and delicate interior, and large salt crystals are qualities of a top notch, traditional amish pretzel. Sorry mall varieties, but no one does it better. I love to dip it in mustard, cheeze whiz, or nutella depending on my taste bud cravings. - Shortcake

Hot Mess: It's Melting!

Before the wave of heat

After driving for 5 minutes in a semi hot car. =(

Currently Craving: Gelati

This is what frozen indulgence looks like

The Midwest and East Coast have been experiencing a heck of a heat wave this week and it makes me thankful that Mother Nature has been ever so kind with the glorious 90F SoCal weather. So, if the summer sun is prickling your skin with the intensity of a blow torch, and you happen to be in Disneyland's Downtown Disney, follow me and skip on to Naples to find what I'm currently craving: cool and creamy Gelati.

While the chocolate was sinfully indulgent, and the berry refreshing, the vanilla was what stood out for me; it's not often I encounter a vanilla ice cream that delights me the way this did.

Gelati, or gelato if you want to go singular, is what most people dub as Italian ice cream. The semi frozen gelato's slightly higher serving temperature and lower air content account for its famously creamy texture. The reason most find the taste and flavors more explosive and incredible than "regular" ice cream is because gelato contains no eggs and very rarely, any cream. The base recipe calls for simply whole milk and sugar; so the absence of cream, eggs, or butter allows for a more indulgent flavor to dance on your sweltering tongue.

Stay cool this weekend!

-Shortcake

Happy 100th Show!

Today we'd like to wish our good friend (and the guy who came up with the name of our blog), Brent Dodge, CONGRATULATIONS for reaching the milestone of 100 consecutive shows tonight!

His entertaining, Disney themed web show, the W.E.D.nesday Show, is a staple in the Trio households as well as others' around the world. You can watch tonight's epic 100th show live, at 9:30pm est, at From Screen to Theme dot com.

- Shortcake, Sonic, and Sandwich

Trilogy of Flavors: Apple

Apple Streusel Cake

Photo from Joy of Baking

A friend of mine passed along this Joy of Baking recipe when he found out Apple Streusel is my favorite way to have apples for dessert. The addition of hazelnuts to the cinnamon and sugar streusel makes it an ultimate toppings party on an already delicious apple cake. - Shortcake

Sliced Apples with PB

Photo from TransformationTrainer

Sometimes the simplest of dishes create the most powerful experiences. I've been craving old-fashioned apple slies and peanut butter for awhile now. Every time I eat them, I get a sudden wave of nostalgia and remember every detail of my kindergarten classroom. 
- Sonic

Jewish Apple Cake

We made these miniature Jewish Apple Cakes for a Seder meal for a Jewish group visiting my culinary school's restaurant. For presentation, we used up a random bag of dried apple rings, deep fried them, and finished with a drizzle of cinnamon syrup we had on hand. - Sandwich

Chocolate Frogs

"Aw rotten luck. They've only got one good jump in them to begin with." - Ron Weasley

I guess the spell loses its effectiveness in our world because once I lifted the cover to the ornately decorated, pentagon box, the frog remained content to stay inside. Just as the movie scene implies, these frogs are made of pure chocolate, milk or dark, depending on your preference. Unlike the quintessential, hollow chocolate bunnies found in Easter baskets, these chocolate molded frogs are solid chocolate through and through. Hence why the box itself feels pretty hefty when you first pick it up off the shelf, and why a sturdy knife is required to break apart the torso.

The milk chocolate is unlike any recipe used in super market aisle, run-of-the-mill chocolate bars. My palette is more accustomed to the bitter sweetness dark chocolate offers, so I was surprised when the milk chocolate didn't make me want to run away from over indulgence of sugar. For me, this flavor resides one tiny notch above the semi sweet morsels often encountered in chocolate chip cookies.

The best part for many kids is the wizard card that nestles underneath the chocolate frog. Unlike the movie, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter only offers four different wizard cards, the founders and namesakes of the Hogwarts houses: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin. I must be fated to be in the house of Rowena Ravenclaw, since this card isn't the first time I've been deemed Ravenclaw material .
- Shortcake

Photo Diary: A Bit More Wizard

In anticipation for this summer's biggest midnight premiere, that every muggle and their moms will be attending, let's hop onto the Hogwarts Express and briefly relive the sweet-tooth portion of Shortcake and Sandwich's adventures at the Wizarding World of Harrry Potter. For those that want to remain spoiler-free, hakuna matata; we only included a few close ups of the places/food we encountered so that your first trip will be as magically awesome as ours.

Clink!

Joined by our awesome friend, Amanda, we happily skipped into wizard territory and immediately set our sights for the infamous, magically buttery beverage known as Butter-Beer.

Can you imagine what would happen if it all spilled out onto the cobblestone paths?

Wizards make barrels upon barrels of this stuff for good reason. With a name that describes its exact taste, it's hard to resist second or third helpings of the cold beverage. Hence why we have the urge to attempt a homemade Butter-Beer recipe tonight.

It's like the tastes of Autumnn in a bottle!

Standing in line for Butter-Beer, other beverages stared at us, begging to be bought. While most were traditional muggle carbonated beverages, the wizard-beloved Pumpkin Juice waited patiently for pumpkin pie lovers to gulp them down.

21 and over crowd, this Scottish ale is a must try for you.

Hog's Head is your quintessential pub - albeit Harry Potter style -  but it's definitely a pub nonetheless. The mighty bar delves out a variety of domestic and imported beers on tap which you can enjoy in the relaxed, outdoor seating if the low lit, indoor tables are a bit crowded by family toting muggles. 

You can bet we'll return to try the strawberry-peanut butter ice cream, even if we are lactose intolerant.

Along the cobblestones, and attached next door, Madam Rosmerta's Three Broomsticks boasts a hearty menu of traditional British dishes, like Shepherd's Pie and Fish and Chips. Seeing as we were full from all the Butter-Beer and awe of being in Hogsmeade, we settled for a group photo. Plus, we wanted to check out everything else asap. Especially this place...

Best candy store experience ever! (As if you didn't already realize that)

Right next door to Zonko's, the humble sized, saccharine-filled Honeydukes is even more vibrant and candy-land-ish than what we imagined while reading the novels. We spent a good deal of time feasting our eyes on the detailed decor and the plethora of sweets. Even though Shortcake only walked away with a few chocolate frogs, she definitely wanted to purchase the entire shop.

Are you brave enough to try every flavor?

As soon as we spotted the "Every Flavour Beans" canisters on the opposite side of this sign, Sandwich asked a little too loudly if vomit was indeed a flavor available for purchasing. Meanwhile, Amanda and Shortcake wanted to open the tens of chocolate frogs just to see what the different wizard-cards were.

You know you're in a candy store when a candy-filled staircase is the first thing you lay your eyes on.

Man, even just a few glimpses and peeks into HP-World made us crave Butter-Beers, candy floss, and Hogsmeade Brew all over again. It's a good thing midnight is only a few hours away.

 - Shortcake and Sandwich

Whips Trips: Coming Soon to a Placemat Near You

The term "NJ Trio" is a bit of a misnomer these days, what with the three of us spread out among three different states for the time being.  However, it also gives us a rare opportunity to be able to compare and contrast the qualities of food from similar restaurants.  Granted, a McNugget will likely taste the same no matter where you are, but occasionally there are foods and beverages that provide a wholly different experience on your palate when in different parts of the globe.


A well-known example is pizza.  The recipe seems simple enough: dough, sauce, cheese.  But the execution of that recipe is often unique when you consider where you are.  New York's thin crust, Chicago's deep dish, California's...whatever.  That's the joy of food, and with Whips Trips, the NJ Trio will examine how similar foods are unique in our three states.  Tune in soon as we check out our states' Five Guys Famous Burgers and Fries. Until then, happy eating!


- Shortcake, Sonic, and Sandwich

Trilogy of Flavors: Cinnamon

Snicker-doodle Cupcake

Another scrumptious concoction from My Delight Cupcakery, this dessert combines my favorite childhood flavors of cinnamon and sugar in a wonderful cookie-cupcake hybrid, complete with fluffy, cinnamon infused cream filling. - Shortcake

Cinnamon-Glazed Almonds

In 2005 and 2006, I worked often at Magic Kingdom's Adventureland nut wagon, becoming a master chef with cinnamon-glazed almonds. Since then, they've become one of my favorite snacks to eat when I roam a Disney theme park. - Sonic

Cinnamon-Stewed Chicken with Orzo

Served at Cat Cora's Kouzzina at Disney's Boardwalk, this dish of select, tender cutlet of chicken breast on a bed of orzo is covered in cheesy, chunky, cinnamon-tomato sauce. The use of cinnamon amazes me as it's such an uncommon (at least in my experience) spice for savory cuisine. - Sandwich

Celebrate America with this European Treat

Happy belated Independence Day to all our American readers out there!  And Happy belated Canada Day to our readers from the great white North!

For this year's 4th of July, there were no family barbecues or local 4th of July fireworks shows for me to attend.  I was scheduled to work that evening, so I missed out; but on the bright side I had the great fortune of celebrating our nation's Independence at the American Adventure in Epcot at Walt Disney World.  I don't know why guests flock to Magic Kingdom on this day, you can't get more patriotic than the American Adventure!  We were treated to story telling by Betsy Ross, Meet and Greets with Benjamin Franklin (he told me Amos was resting at home when I looked at the brim of his hat), and a special concert by Epcot's incredible acappella group the Voices of Liberty.

Enough about that though, you're here because of the food!  I knew I had to eat something totally American for 4th of July, and once I saw the kiosk, I knew I had to get one.  Epcot makes sure to give each guest the complete immersive cultural experience when visiting each country, especially when it comes to food.  America is no exception, so in addition to burgers, hot dogs, and fries, there is a little stand nestled by the pathway from American Adventure to the Japan pavillion.  The little stand/kiosk serves up everyone's favorite festival/carnival/ball park fried dough, powdered sugary confection: Funnel Cake.

The classic Funnel Cake.  Epcot also serves it with chocolate sauce or ice cream!

Funnel Cake is actually not American...it came from the Dutch, who settled in Pennsylvania.  They sold the delicious treat at State Fairs and Festivals.  It is unknown when this treat arrived in America, but the dawn of its nationwide popularity can be traced to the Mid-20th century.  According to funnelcake.com, Emma Miller from Germany brought her recipe over and sold it at the Kutztown Folk Festival in the 1940s and 50s where it became a huge hit, eventually gaining national attention on the Today show.

Funnel Cake is essentially a doughnut, though rather than deep frying a ball of dough, the batter is looser and is poured into the oil through a funnel and made into circular designs with random, lattice like patterns.  The goal is to create a crunchy and soft treat rather than funnel globules.  I once made globular funnel cakes in Home Economics class in middle school and my teacher said they were turning into fritters and not funnel cakes.  Sometimes you get a globule if you don't keep your batter moving around the oil.

Funnel Cake is very easy to make and is enjoyed by nearly everyone that tries it.  For most, it brings back memories of strolling through the traveling carnival or county fair on a warm summer's evening.  The smell wafting on the winds is enough to activate even the tiniest traces of thoughts of festivals and fairs. So why not bring summer fun to your own kitchen with the following funnel cake recipe!  Also, here are some tips for perfecting your funnel cake:

- Use a squeeze bottle like the red and yellow ketchup and mustard bottles you see at diners.  Chefs use these types of tools for plating sauces, so you can easily find them in kitchen supply stores.  I found mine at the local Bed Bath and Beyond.
- If you don't have a squeeze bottle, use a pitcher with a spout so you can pour the batter in a concentrated stream.  You won't get as fine a line as a squeeze bottle, but it serves the same purpose.
-As with all cooking and baking, the temperature of your medium needs to be right to get the product you want.  Though funnel cake does not bake at a specific temperature, don't let the oil get too hot.  The batter should make some noise when it hits the oil but it should not be exploding.  If your oil is steaming you are too hot!

- Sandwich

Food Network's Alton Brown gives this terrific recipe:
Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 3/4 stick butter (6 tablespoons)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup eggs, about 4 large eggs and 2 whites
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• Powdered sugar, for topping

Directions

Boil water, butter, sugar, and salt together in a saucepan. Add flour and work it in until it is all incorporated and dough forms a ball. Transfer mixture to the bowl of a standing mixer and let cool for 3 to 4 minutes. With mixer lowest speed, add eggs, 1 at a time, making sure the first egg is completely incorporated before continuing. Once all eggs have been added and mixture is smooth, put dough in a piping bag fitted with a number 12 tip. Heat about 1 1/2 inches of oil in a heavy pan. Pipe dough into oil, making a free-form lattice pattern; cook until browned, flipping once. Remove cake from oil, drain on paper towels, and top with powdered sugar. Continue until all of the batter is used.