Monday, February 22, 2010

idle musings

Yesterday, I was sick. Sick in a unpleasantly kind of all-inclusive way that left me lying in bed, barely able to whimper and feeling rather like Death Warmed Over. Which, it suddenly occurred to me, would be an absolutely perfect name for a flourless chocolate torte – a kind of riff on the ubiquitous Death by Chocolate theme.

Since the vast majority of my flashes of inspiration have already been preempted, I weakly lifted my head from my pillow and googled the phrase. And while, strangely enough. I failed to find a dessert by that name, I did come across a “unique”* book entitled Death Warmed Over.

At least according to the reviews, Death Warmed Over is a combination catalogue of funeral rituals of various cultures (conveniently listed alphabetically from African-American to Zoroastrian) and cookbook, featuring such useful tidbits as whether it’s appropriate to serve chocolate caskets and skull-shaped cakes at a wake (my guess would be no) and how to make a Funeral Pie (a recipe that rather creepily includes chocolate-covered gummy people).

Which is to say that, if you’re trying to think of a name for your molten chocolate cake creation, Death Warmed Over still seems to be available. You’re very welcome.

And what brilliant ideas have you been having lately?




*It only qualifies as “unique” because I also found the remarkably similar-sounding Food to Die For -- a cookbook offering “a lighthearted look at funeral customs, old and new,” “practical advice for writing obituaries and condolence notes” and instructions for making a gingerbread house. (yeah, I don’t get it either).

12 comments:

still life angie said...

I was thinking the other day that there should be a helper/butler monkey rental company for a temporary basis. I mean, I could really just use an extra set of hands for fetching water and coffee, but I am not legitimately challenged in any way, just lazy.

Magpie said...

There's probably something in Hansel & Gretel. You know, "witch lures children with gingerbread house, then eats them, thereby causing their death." Oh, and the house in the Wizard of Oz - it kills a different witch. That's not gingerbread, but it's the same. Houses = Death. You know.

niobe said...

@magpie: Or, possibly, after you've made the gingerbread house, you push it off the table, simulating a fatal gingerbread landslide. Or, um, something.

Tash said...

If nothing else, you've given me plenty of food for thought regarding next year's gingerbread creation. Muahahahahahahaha.

Amelie said...

You find the weirdest things -- somehow my google results are less entertaining.
Also, my brilliant ideas are on holidays.

areyoukiddingme said...

Chocolate caskets and skull shaped cakes are now on the menu for my funeral. Thank you.

I have brilliant ideas every day, but the one I really want to institute is the license plate = cell phone number, so I can politely call you to tell you to get the *(&&%&*@# out of my way!

Chris said...

Sorry to read that you have been sick. I hope you are feeling better.

A friend of mine used to make a devilish flourless molten chocolate cake - absolutely delicious, top secret recipe, and it is still not clear to me how one can condense calories that much. That defies all laws of chemistry and physics.

Anyways, we called it The Black Hole because we are nerdy scientists and are funny like that. And now I google for black hole and chocolate and find we are not the only ones who came up with that obvious term. How unfair is that ...

http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/273/Black-Hole-Chocolate-Cake104600.shtml

And we are definitely not the only weird scientists on this planet:

http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/Chocolate-covered_black_hole

AnnaBelle said...

I think Death Warmed Over in cake version should be a very dark chocolate torte with an almost bitter ganache, mocha icing (strong on the coffee flavor) for shells around all edges and milk, dark, and white chocolate curls stabbed into the top.

I hope you are feeling better and continue to recover speedily.

Anonymous said...

Maybe the gingerbread house is for some fun and frivolity after teh funeral proceedings?

Hope you're feeling better!

-e

niobe said...

@annamarie: mmmm.....that sounds tasteee!!!!

And thanks for the good wishes everyone. I'm feeling lots better.

Kristin said...

I love that name for a dessert.

Glad you are feeling better Niobe.

RachelH said...

I came up with an idea for two websites recently. One would be a cooking or restaurant review site with the URL: nomnom.com (Say it out loud! It's awesome! And untaken! And if you take it, I want a cut of the profit!)

And the other was for a question and answer page about cheese. It could be called "ask.fetafilter"

You're welcome.