TheSnackHound

When I was a kid, I laughed like a fiend over a certain episode of Sesame Street where Cookie Monster visits the library. He asks for cookies. An exasperated librarian patiently, then curtly informs Cookie that they have “Just Books/No Cookies.” A befuddled monster finally gets the message and orders up a book ABOUT cookies…and a glass of milk.

What better way to make your very own photo albums of all of your delicious food photography than to order a professionally done affair? I have seen various bound books of wedding photos, but the binding sometimes reminds me of the sort of gift coffee table books that are photos and tidbits about chocolate cakes, but provide very little text.

A little known secret is that photographers in the U.K. sometimes order these professional looking photo albums of their clients from a site called Photoproductions.com. They ship internationally, but they are really the only game in town in the United Kingdom. Surely, you could order a book online from anywhere, but if you wanted the convenience or assurance of the production happening on your native soil, and want to be able to give quick feedback if there are any issues, the company might suit you.

It takes five working days, according to the site, for professionals to upload your photos into book form (and changes take a max of five days.) The maximum lead time after design approval is 15 days. There are sites where you can upload all of your own photos directly on to the page as you see them, but with a professional overseeing the work, there is a less of a chance for approving accidents.

If you regularly purchase photo books, do you prefer them over the traditional album of individually printed photos and either acid free plastic leaves or photo corners?

One year, the neighborhood kid broke the sugarplum Christmas tree garland. With his teeth. How, you might ask? Have you ever seen the garland that look like gum drops, candy canes an fruit slices covered in confectioner’s sugar?

The neighborhood kid would probably be equally tantalized by the delicious doings at beadcrafty.com. They introduced a Fimo bead that is a doppelganger for a lemon slice. At 10mm wide, they aren’t going to be mistaken for actual lemons, hopefully. They are more the size to say, “Hey, that’s an interesting necklace…let me look closer. By golly, those are LEMONS,” rather than the size to say “Carmen Miranda at 12 o’clock! Incoming!”

What are Fimo beads? Fimo is a trade name for a substance similar to a polymer clay mixed with a chemical that keeps it soft.  It can be worked into whatever shape you want, but unlike some clays, it does not harden until you cure it in an oven or kiln. They are usually varnished. While non toxic for wearing use, you wouldn’t want to mistake them for an edible, that’s for sure.

Imagine the conversations that could be started and the business generated if you are a producer hawker, or even a pastry chef who can offer them some lemon meringue. Break that ice!

The Pillsbury Doughboy is still a mascot for Pillsbury baked goods in the freezer and baking section, but he is not as in heavy rotation as a spokesperson–or spokesdough–as he used to be. He sort of is just “phoning it in” these days. And the printed boxes? Well, that was a from a photo shoot from 1987.

Nowadays, Mr. Pillsbury is holed up in a stunning downtown loft-style first floor apartment with a bevy of winged beauties. Greek muses, to be exact. Two of them.

Did I just see what I thought I saw peering out at the traffic? I rubbed my blurry eyes as my sleep-deprived brain processed the sight on the way back from a supply run.  I stopped before making the turn, like the dedicated paparazzo that I am.   Somehow, the other drivers were sensing my official business and were reluctant to honk or nudge me into making the turn out of the parking lot of the business across the street.  You can swing your camera in any direction in LA and New York and find a celebrity or socialite, but that’s sighting #1 for small Michigan town.

So next time you are in the grocery store, does your opinion about funding the doughboy’s playboy lifestyle change your purchasing choices?

I am related to one of the world’s authorities on Saltine Crackers. Did you know that only authentic Saltine crackers have 13 holes? Sunshine brand and generic versions do not have this special feature. Grandpa has made it one of his life’s missions to educate the world, much like appraisers that alert folks to fakes on The Antiques Roadshow. Does it matter to your stomach if the cracker is an authentic Saltine or not? I doubt it, unless we are talking about the low sodium variety, and then your liver and kidneys will thank you and so will your heart.

The alert was send around from our friends at UnBeige that there is indeed a Saltine cracker made out of pewter.  Yes, you too can commemorate your favorite cracker with a lovingly crafted collectible by artist Herbert Hoover.  No, this is a different Herbert Hoover, not the President that you are used to.  Mr. Hoover (I assume Herbert is a Mister and not a Mrs or Miss but you never know with the creative child naming that goes on these days) also lovingly crafts other snack foods, such as Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwiches, and Cheese Crackers. (Check out the line up HERE to prove I am not making this up). They sure would be a show stopper, or at least a denture stopper at your next bridge party.  The ice cream is quite convincing.  The cookie portion is merely pewter with a black patina.  I wonder how it would hold up “in person” ( or more properly “in ice cream bar”) to the real thing.

The individual crackers will set you back $15.00 a piece and the ice cream sandwiches are being sold in traditional pewter and colorful patina for $50.00 a pop.  Grandma would probably want to give me a pop if I got these for Grandpa.  I may not be able to buy any if Chuck Norris finds out. He’ll probably buy them as snack food. I can imagine him whipping them out of his pocket and being the talk of McDonald’s.  Free senior coffee and he sometimes gets extra perks for wearing his veteran’s hat.

Awhile back I bookmarked an entry on the Sushi or Death blog.

The image just keeps haunting me.  As we know, sickeningly sweet cute things have made their way out of Japan, and it has been that way for the good part of thirty years.  Often, it involves kitties or bunnies.   At any rate, there is something slightly disturbing about cute little sushi stuffed animal kitties.   Maybe the creator of these little things was dipping a piece of maki into soy and was contemplating life and free associated when the white rice was pondered.  What else is fluffy and white?  Caterpillers? No.  Kitties!

What do you think?   Is this all a little twisted or is it just for the person who has to have a cat on every item they own?