Monthly Archives: February 2011

Hawaii Chocolate Festival

Macadamia nut fudge sauce, sharks chocolate, lavender fudge, even healthy chocolate with agave  – along with over twenty types of Hawaiian chocolate – what’s not to like –   sweet – but, after tasting 10 different kinds of chocolate, I needed a pickle.

chocolate strawberry cheesecakes

The Hawaiian chocolate festival yesterday in Honolulu was a taste of sweet paradise.

The Burghers of Calais

Rodin describes the expressions of The Burghers of Calais to the photographer Steichen in Emily Mitchell’s The Last Summer of the World.  The Burghers agreed to offer themselves as hostages and sacrifice their lives so that the rest of the town could live.

“As a group,the figures convey emotions ranging from pain, hesitation, and doubt to conviction and determination. Rodin presents his ‘heroes’ as complex, conflicted individuals.”

The Story of the Burghers of Calais

Maui Whale Watching

Saw whales off shore…  none were photogenic, but Maui was…

Valentine Cake

Must be chocolate!

Must be heart-shaped.

Gooey icing is nice…maybe pink

Made by someone else.

Julia Child’s Queen of Sheba cake anyone?

If you’re up for it, here’s the recipe

Julia’s Valentine Cake

The Redwall Cookbook

In my stories, the food has as much a part of the saga as the battle, the quest, the poems, the riddles, and the songs.  So enjoy…but…don’t try to be a gluttonous hare…”          Brian Jacques

After writing 17 books in the Redwall series, Brian Jacques wrote a cookbook, revealing the recipes behind the food mentioned in his stories of brave, battling mice:

  • Hare’s Pawspring Vegetable Soup
  • Spiced Gatehouse Tea Bread
  • Squirrelmum’s Blackberry and Apple Cake
  • Shrimp ‘N’ Hotroot Soup
  • Vegetable Molebake

and more…

The recipes are real, all referenced to the stories, and organized by seasons. The animals are cooking, so it’s all veggies and fruits – with some sweets.   Although I found The Redwall Cookbook in the children’s section of the library, it rivals some of the adult cookbooks I’ve skimmed.

I haven’t tried any of the recipes -yet, but Rosey’s Jolly Raspberry Jelly Rock Cakes look good to me.