The Scurdle scoops the UK

First there was the spork. Now, a UK housewife has concocted the latest in culinary contractions: the Scrudle. Part ladle, part scoop, part spatula, the Scrudle is a piece of cup-shaped plastic designed to scrape up stubborn, stuck-on food from the bottom of pots and pans. Despite its whimsical appearance (resembling a measuring cup designed by Fisher Price), the Scrudle apparently does the job, and has promised its inventor, 66-year-old Margaret O'Callaghan, a steady income for retirement.

Link

Brewer concocts 60% ABV beer

A Dutch brewery has released a 60% ABV beer called "Start The Future", a whopping 55% ABV higher than a standard American brew. To put that into perspective, a single 12 oz. bottle of Start The Future packs as much of an alcoholic punch as an entire 12 pack of Budweiser.

Start The Future was created in response to BrewDog's 55% ABV beer "End of History". You might remember BrewDog as the brewery behind "Nanny State", the 1.1% ABV beer released after the brewery was criticized for their high gravity beer "Tokyo".

Link (via Eater)

Tasty, translucent cups of awesomeness

A neat alternative to disposable cups, these flavored cups made of agar agar come in different colors and flavors like lemon-basil and ginger-mint. The bad news: they're not for sale... yet.

Link (via Gizmodo)

Summertime drinks!

We're having one of the hottest summers on record here in New York City, with heat waves bringing the mercury into triple-digits (and finally breaking down my aversion to air conditioning). Making summertime drinks is as much of a ritual to me as grilling burgers or cracking open a watermelon; why not cool down and give one a try?

Mojito





















Last summer I tried my hand at making mojitos, and they quickly became a favorite in my mixology repertoire. This recipe from TasteOfCuba.com is my favorite:

1 tsp. powdered sugar
Juice from 1 lime
4 mint leaves
1 spring of mint
2 oz. white rum
2 oz. club soda

Pour the lime juice over the mint leaves, then add the powdered sugar. Gently smash the mint leaves, then add the ice, rum and club soda. Garnish with the mint sprig. If you have an aversion to alcohol, this recipe works great without the rum!

Arnold Palmer





















One of my current favorites, an Arnold Palmer is a mix of iced tea and lemonade. Whole Foods makes an especially tasty (and tart) Arnold Palmer, but it's easy to make a batch yourself!

Make the lemonade by heating 3/4 cups sugar into 1 cup of water in a saucepan until the sugar has dissolved. In a pitcher, combine the simple syrup with a cup of lemon juice and 3 cups of cold water and chill in the refrigerator.

Then take 4 tea bags, and steep in 2 cups of boiling water for 20 minutes. Add enough cold water to make 2 quarts, then refrigerate. Combine 1 part iced tea with 1 part lemonade and serve!

Morir Soñando














I've been mixing orange juice, milk and sugar since I was a kid (though my brother was skeptical I could make it through a glass without getting sick!). Recently I discovered that this creamy concoction had a name, and is a popular Dominican drink.

This recipe from DominicanCooking.com is simple and delicious -- Dissolve 1/2 cup sugar in 2 cups of evaporated milk, then slowly pour in 2 cups of orange juice. Serve over ice. Make sure the milk and orange juice are very cold before you start. If you have a blender, this recipe would make a great smoothie!

What are your favorite summertime drinks? Sound off in the comments!

Things I want

I call it the "Peeps Dilemma" -- how can I eat something so cute?

Link (via FFFFOOD)

Jamba Juice's Cheeseburger Smoothie

Thankfully this monstrosity isn't actually for sale, though if you're brave enough you could easily whip one up for a taste test. The video is Jamba Juice's response to new fruit smoothies being introduced by McDonalds. Jamba Juice has reason for concern; McDonald's recent foray into specialty coffee drinks has helped the chain achieve a 12% increase in net profit this past quarter, and the introduction of their new smoothies proved to be so popular that they had to cancel a smoothie giveaway because of demand.

Link (via Serious Eats)

Toast (almost) anything with teflon bags of awesomeness

Have you ever dreamed of cooking full sandwiches, fresh vegetables, and even cuts of meat in your toaster? If so, Oishi & Associates has the product for you (no, it's not psychoanalysis).

TOASTit is a teflon bag designed to allow you to cook pretty much whatever your heart desires in a household toaster. Chicken, fish, veggies -- it's all fair game, as long as you can stuff it in TOASTit's 6.2 by 7.9 inch form. TOASTit bags can withstand temperatures of up to 260 degrees Celsius, and can be used up to 50 times.

Although it's not the most practical way to go about cooking at home, TOASTit looks like a fun novelty and a great way to make new friends at the Fire Department.

Link (via Kitchen Contraptions)