Bent Object Art

Funny and definitely creative.

All created by Indianapolis photographer, Terry Border. A man who loves to abuse food (but who doesn't?)

More of

Terry Border

Amanzi vs Teavana - GREEN TEA BATTLE

Last week I gave myself a week off for spring break and went to New York with the boo. Shopping and eating. Best vacation combo ever. Not too sure how my wallet feels now :/ 

 And now I'm back to a week of non-stop work, both retail AND at home, with very unpleasant weather. Not so fun birthday week ahead ._.

My trips to New York basically mean another fun run at Amanzi's tea counter (went to Garden State Mall in new joizey though).

Best teas ever. Naturally infused loose leaves stored in air-tight tins at affordable prices and in a store where all the tea-lovin' accessories can be found.  The place also comes with a cute tea bar, where you can get pretty much anything made on-the-spot, from Ice teas to Bubble teas ^_^ (Ni hao, bitches). 

Naturally I had to stock up on some of my favorites, being as Montreal apparently isn't hip or asian enough to have tea bars... Not downtown anyways.

Once out of Amanzi, I ran into their competitor, Teavana.

Naturally,  I had to explore.

Contrary to Amanzi which has a very modern, bright and fun look, Teavana is more reserved and bases its business on the ancient art of tea making and drinking. Always fun to learn new things and see different perspectives.

Good tea, good times, but the whole Teavana rave did not leave much of an impression on me as Amanzi did.

First off, Teavana bases its sales by weight of their tea, not prepacked tins. You basically need to pay for $6 tins and THEN select the leafs you want, which will be priced according to the weight. Very expensive buying dry leaves and metal tins :/ 

Sooo I decided to stick with Amanzi because of its affordable prices, equal or higher quality tea and the no-hassle of the 'Weighin' n' Payin' business. I really don't see the point of it. It doesn't make it any more authentic, and quite frankly, doesn't make the experience any better.

So I'll stick with my delicious Morocan Mint green tea and wonder why i'm still awake and 5 hours away from doing aerobics....

HALPPPPPPP

Julie & Julia

Ohhhhh, how did I not watch this movie sooner. Such a delight! Fetch me a croissant dawwwling! Haw haw haw!

Yes, it seems cooking movies bring out my inner housewife. DON'T JUDGE ME.

For those who don't know the movie, it's based on the stories of the life of America's favorite TV cook and author, Julia child (played by Meryl Streep) paralleled to the life of a girl in Queens, New York, Julie Powell (played by Amy Adams) who decides to challenge herself to cooking all of Julia Child's 524 recipes in one year and blog about it.

Both true stories.

Meryl Streep, you make one badass Julia Child.

They just had to reveal this wonderful bit of entertainment on french cooking with the much overuse of butter, dairy and how to make Boeuf Bourguignon AFTER I decide to become vegetarian/borderline vegan. 

You bastards.

New Year, New Diet? Skinny Bitch?

So I've been on a 7 month (and counting) diet and exercise regime. So far, so good, but I'm nowhere near where I want to be.

Although I would love to be a "Megan Fox" dress size by now, I still feel like Will Ferrel in a bikini.

I'm on the verge of hiring Octomom's liposuctionist.

Haha, just kidding...  maybe >.>

I started listening to Skinny Bitch's audio-books, which strangely enough I got into after I had suggested it to a friend (HI ABBAY!).

The book has some solid information on health and nutrition and rips the meat and dairy industries a new asshole.

The book does promote vegan-ism, but hey, don't judge until you've read it. Trust me.
It's not a meal plan, it's a lifestyle change. Whether you decide to convert or not, the authors just want to promote healthy habits, which you can adapt to your current lifestyle how ever you want.

It's the most brilliant and entertaining eye-opener to adopting a healthier and, subsequently, thinner lifestyle.
Gotta say, these bitches know what they're talking about.

Soy milk, anyone?

Skinny Bitch Website

My First REAL Apple Pie

Because my Easy-Bake oven ones weren't that great.

The most festive time of year deserves the most scrumptuous and delicious desserts ever baked.

My personal fave: The Apple Pie (apple pius).

Topped with vanilla ice cream, this is the best orgasm to the taste buds.

Followed the recipe from the Foodwishes.com blog and Andy's cheftacular mom (HI MARY) and voila:

Stage 1: Drooling

Stage 2: Clean drool and eye-hump

Stage 3: Admire and stretch pants

Stage 4: OM NOM NOM NOM

I obviously had help eating this.

Try it out, it's fun and delicious.

Happy carbs!

Recipe from

Foodwishes.com

Cucumbers - Not Just a Poor Woman's Sex Toy

Ever see a woman at the grocery store spend TOO much time carefully inspecting zucchinis and cucumbers?

Yup, because she's hungry....................clearly.

Asides from that, here are some interesting trips & tricks on cucumbers' beauty and non-beauty related uses:

1. Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day, just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.

2. Feeling tired in the afternoon, put down the caffeinated soda and pick up a cucumber. Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours.

3. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower? Try rubbing a slice of cucumber along the mirror the mirror will be clear and the residue provide a soothing, spa-like fragrance.

4. Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds? Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of
  pests all season long. The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminum to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area.

5. Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before going out or to the pool? Try rubbing a slice or two of
cucumbers along your problem area for a few minutes, the photochemical in the cucumber cause the
  collagen in your skin to tighten, firming up the outer layer and reducing the visibility of cellulite.  Works great on wrinkles too!!!

6. Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache? Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and
  headache free. Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost,
 keeping everything in equilibrium, avoiding both a hangover and headache!!

7. Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge?

  Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European during hunting to stave off starvation.

8. Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you don't have enough time to polish your shoes? Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe, its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water.

9. Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge? Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge, and voila, the
  squeak is gone!

10. Stressed out and don't have time for massage, facial or visit to the spa? Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling
    pot of water, the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber will react with the boiling water and be released in the steam,
   creating a soothing, relaxing aroma that has been shown to reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams.

11. Just finish a business lunch and realize you don't have gum or mints? Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your
    mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath, the photochemical will kill the bacteria in your
    mouth responsible for causing bad breath.

12. Looking for a 'green' way to clean your faucets, sinks or stainless steel? Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the
    surface you want to clean, not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine, but it won't leave streaks and
   won't harm your fingers or fingernails while you clean.

13. Using a pen and made a mistake? Take the outside of the cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing, also works
    great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls!!

Peanut Butter Frosted Chocolate Cake?

You know what you can make my christmas present this year? Carbs, and lots of them.

This is called the Chocolate Stout Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting. I call it sex on a pedestal. 

It's like a Reese's cup x 19283f74d%98fd273^4d97@s2834!.

Make me this cake now. I COMMAND IT.

Servings: Makes 12 servings.

Ingredients
2 cups stout (such as Guinness)
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
4 cups all purpose flour
4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 large eggs
1 1/3 cups sour cream

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter three 8-inch round cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Line with parchment paper. Butter paper. Bring 2 cups stout and 2 cups butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.

Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer cakes to rack; cool 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto rack and cool completely.

Prepare Icing (recipe below).

Place 1 cake layer on plate. Spread 2/3 cup icing over. Top with second cake layer. Spread 2/3 cup icing over. Top with third cake layer. Spread remaining icing over top and sides of cake.

Kathleen's Peanut Butter Icing

Ingredients
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup heavy cream

Place the confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you work. Add the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.

How to Make

This

Cake of Awesome Deliciousness

The Best Snaxicles

So I had a little weekend in Plattsburgh, New York, and brought back few goodies (not just a cold).

The Highlight: Brown Sugar & Cinnamon Pop-Tarts.

Only flavors I see in Montreal grocery stores are strawberry, chocolate and punkass blueberry. So I got me a good 2 months supply... yes these are for 2 months. I'm trying to behave as best I can, but that doesn't mean I can't reward myself once in a while :3

OMNOMNOMNOMNOMNONMONMNOM

BUBBLESSSS, MY BUBBBLESBUBSBSLES

If you are not accustomed to Bubble teas, do so now...

They are the best drinks ever. Make the drink whatever fruit flavor you want, add some of those tapioca bubbles and bam... le shake de awesome.

You can get them as either regular tea, milk tea or as a slush. Milk tea and slush make the best bubble teas.

Great flavors:

Honeydew Melon (milk tea or slush)
Coconut (milk tea or slush)
Kiwi (regular tea)

                          

om nom nom nom

CAKE

Oh lawdy lawd, it's been so long since I've had cake, but heck... I'd pick hot apple pie with vanilla ice cream over cake (DON'T JUDGE ME).

Here are some crazy cake designs. Everything you see here, is edible...and boy does that Nintendo NES and Louis Vuitton cake look so toxic-ly tasty O_O!

HOLD ME BACK

Click here for  more OM NOMZ

at Abduzeedo

      

I can has a food?

Here are various flags entirely made out of their country's respective foodzies.

All I can say is...OM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM

 

  

Clicky for more Food Flags

Cookie Monster Cupcakes

OM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM

8D

Brownies OM NOM

Behold...the...most...epic...brownies...EVAR.

Want to make me some? Of course you do.

That's why i'm giving you the receipe linked below :D

I'll bring the taste-testing spoon. Get your apron ready...

How to Make the Perfect brownies...for dez

NOW COOK DAMN YOU