So, I just talked with a pastry chef (Stillwell's) about our wedding cake.

I wanted to have him incorporate the chocolate I'm addicted to, but he won't be able to change his recipes/formula, which is understandable.

Now that the custom chocolate thing is out, I have no reason to have a cake at our wedding, except to please traditional people.

I chose this bakery because I'm a huge fan of their banana cream pie. We could have all different kinds of pies instead of having cake at all, or have a cake for cutting, then have pies as well (or just go cake-only).

I want SEr's opinions!!

what are you eating & drinking tonight?
will you be watching the game?

Go Cards!!

I know SE'rs love mixing food-related in-law stories. Here's something that's going viral.

You can read the email from a future MIL to a bride-to-be here.

I paste the food-related part:

---

When you are a guest in another's house, you do not declare what you will and will not eat - unless you are positively allergic to something. You do not remark that you do not have enough food. You do not start before everyone else.

You do not take additional helpings without being invited to by your host.

---

While this mom-zilla is super scary, I'm kinda with her on picky eaters (I will not tell or email my comment to a person, however).

My "American mom" (= host mother) is coming Sat evening so I'm thinking I'd make something for brunch (My real mom is getting super fancy Satoh-Nishiki cherries).

I can't decide what to make... crepes? pancakes? cinnamon rolls?

How about you, what are you making?

I submitted my pies to the contest, but I thought they were supposed to show up on Photograzing as well? No mention of the contest again on SE?

We are doing a bake sale for Japan next week.
I've never done any bake sale before so I'm seeking tips from you pros.
Also, I'm thinking something Japanese-y, like matcha cookies and kasutera. But I'm afraid if we make something too authentic the general audience may not like it. Ideas?

I don't know if this is against SE's posting rule, but I'll give it a try. I have been tweeting a lot with JustHungry's Maki. She has compiled great info for people who want to help.

How to help
http://www.justhungry.com/japan-earthquake-how-help

Also, there are some other food-related ways to help.

Virtual bake sale
http://www.eatthelove.com/2011/03/a-virtual-bake-sale-to-benefit-japan-earthquake-victims-my-one-year-blog-anniversary/

Bento4Japan
http://bentofabulous.com/archives/345

Ideas for cooking without electricity
http://blogs.kcrw.com/goodfood/2011/03/help-japan-by-sharing-your-culinary-ingenuity/

Thank you so much for your help!!

#foodievalentines by @Saveurmag (not sure, but seems like it) on Twitter is pretty funny.

examples:
RuthBourdain
"You are and will always be my sweetbreads."

foodwishes
"I can not liver without you."

I can't come up with anything clever at this moment but I believe other SE'rs can.

I got great advice and recipe ideas from SErs when I posted this, and here's an update.

I followed dbcurrie's advice and called local garden shops near bf's parents' house, and found one that had a tree. I bought it over the phone and told them that we'll be picking it up before Christmas.
But my grandma passed away and I had to leave everything (including pounds of butter for cookie/candy making) and fly to Japan.
My bf was in charge of picking up the tree but the store closed before bf got there on 24th.
Then I flew directly to bf's parents' after Christmas and we picked it up and gave it to bf's mom as a belated Christmas gift. It's currently sitting in her sunroom. Hopefully the tree produces fruits without much trouble...fingers crossed!

I'd like to gift a Meyer lemon tree to my bf's mother.
I remember some of SE'rs have Meyer lemon trees, so I want to ask... where did you get it?

So far I've seen
http://meyerlemontree.com/
http://www.fourwindsgrowers.com/
and Amazon.

Also, I'd like to include recipes using Meyer lemons but I've never used them. Could you give me recipes please? :-)

Apparently, loud restaurant noise makes your food more bland.
(but crunchier.)

http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode.cfm?id=restaurant-noise-can-alter-food-tas-10-10-18

clickable link here

I just came across a fried egg thread on a Japanese website (and eggs is kinda timely topic in the US now. lol).
By reading many comments, it appears that drizzling soy sauce is the majority in Japan, with so-su being the second. There are some people who put ketchup and even mayo (or mayo & so-su). Salt & pepper seems to be a minority.

I grew up eating fried eggs with soy sauce (I guess I was in a majority) but now I'm either salt & pepper or hot sauce.

How about you?

Later this month, I'm co-hosting a baby shower for a friend, who is from Wisconsin. She loves everything WI (a hard-core sports fan as well), so we'll definitely have pregnancy-safe WI cheeses as appetizers, but I want to make the food more interesting.

some conditions:
- I've never hosted a baby shower in my life, so I'm pretty much clueless.
- We're just doing drinks and appetizers, not a meal.
- We'll probably have some people who don't eat pork.
- One of the hosts is allergic to gluten (but she tolerates tiny amounts)
- If WI-theme seems difficult, alternative good ideas needed
- Dessert is ice cream cake.

Any ideas? thanks in advance!!

I don't think I saw this on SE (sorry if I've missed); so for some of you who are interested...
Target is the #1 by Greenpeace's national report this year.
(from gourmetretailer.com)

was on BonAppetit blog via BuzzFeed.

#6= snakes? any other guess?

This is hilarious. I... sometimes worry about my country.
I don't know how they can be serious (including the narrator) in this video...

from Reuters (video)
http://www.reuters.com/news/video/story?videoId=85506121&videoChannel=4

Whoa. people come up with excuses! I wonder how many people here have tiny NY kitchens!?
I guess this is reality outside the SE world... hopefully more people start cooking now that cooking is "hip". hah
link to the article here

After reading the travel and carry-on food comments, my honest and scientifically supported comment may have offended nut-allergy people (sorry!), so I'll make up for it by promoting (?) a peanut-free product. I have a sample packet at home that bf got at an allergy & immunology meeting but haven't had a chance to try it yet. maybe I'll keep it until my trip, which is soon.

Do you like sunflower seed butter (the major brand seems to be Sunbutter)? does it taste like nut butter? are they readily available and cheap?

Recipes welcome!

Just got an email from my travel agency and thought some of you may be interested.
here's the link.

I'm not sure why there's so much emphasis on bringing TUMS. lol
I'd be more concerned about the weather since it's July. Northerners may melt.

Ok, I'm officially tired of negativity. I want to hear some positive food stories. Anything that's silly but cute, heart-warming, feel-good, or just plain good food-related story that made you happy.
Do you have any? Please share!!

For me, I just discovered that my bf's coworker's sister is a food blogger who contributes to SE ;-)

Oh and, I seem to have changed my bf's palate. He used to eat out a lot, but lately, he says, eating out too much makes him want to eat my homemade food!

We had a hot pot dinner last night and one of the guests brought tripe.

Since we just sliced it up and cooked in the pot like other typical hot pot ingredients, it did not compete so well against shrimp and sliced pork belly.

Now we are left with tons of tripe, and my bf claims he does not like the texture (though it was obviously not how it should be prepared).

We do have a large dog, but if you have a good recipe, please share!!

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