Elvenar Recipe contest

[crackie]

Probably not the best place to make your case about the uselessness of books...

 

[Darielle]

I've already decided what I'm going to make but I have to wait till I can get to town later this week for some of the ingredients. (I live wayyyy in the boondocks on a microfarm.) Well, nothing ventured, nothing gained. Good luck, everyone!

 

[MaidenFair]

Rofl, @crackie and @samidodamage! I miss all the fun when I go to bed early.

I watch cooking shows on a regular basis and I've often seen chefs "inventing" new recipes by simply replacing an ingredient with a similar one. (Like using Hoop cheese instead of Farmer cheese.)

Oh, I like that definition. Despite my *looks around quickly and whispers to avoid worrying @crackie* usual reliance on old-fashioned paper cookbooks, I rarely make anything exactly as written. Maybe because I almost always have to adjust things for the altitude anyway, so it's a short step from there to tweaking ingredients or amounts as well. I'll have to get my thinking cap on and see what I can make...

 

[crackie]

Winners will be decided between all correct entries by the end of the contest based on your cooking skills, creative execution, and overall presentation.*

Hmmm…How much can “creative execution” and “overall presentation” overcome lack of “cooking skills”? Creativity, I have an abundance of, but it usually doesn’t translate well when applied in a culinary setting. I am also pointing out at least “taste” isn’t listed as a judging criteria. Don’t try to pull a switcheroo!

I watch cooking shows on a regular basis and I've often seen chefs "inventing" new recipes by simply replacing an ingredient with a similar one. (Like using Hoop cheese instead of Farmer cheese.)

I once tried to substitute breadcrumbs with smashed up cookies because I forgot the breadcrumbs and was too lazy to go back to the store. The good news is…at pot lucks now, I am the one always assigned to plates, napkins, and drinks, as it’s universally agreed upon that I shouldn’t be in charge of food anymore. The bad news is…

But I'm not going to waste good ingredients without being able to eat them, lol

 

[helya]

Hmmm…How much can “creative execution” and “overall presentation” overcome lack of “cooking skills”? Creativity, I have an abundance of, but it usually doesn’t translate well when applied in a culinary setting. I am also pointing out at least “taste” isn’t listed as a judging criteria. Don’t try to pull a switcheroo!

Since no one is actually delivering their creations to my house for me to sample I would say even dubious cooking skills will have a chance as long as the presentation hides the scorch marks.

Right now @Moho is in first place

 

[crackie]

Since no one is actually delivering their creations to my house for me to sample I would say even dubious cooking skills will have a chance as long as the presentation hides the scorch marks.

I may not read or own any cookbooks, but I watch a lot of food shows and they sometimes lump "taste" as part of "cooking skills". I'm merely pointing out that, you know, you have to account for the fact the recipe might be...for Orcs...instead of human consumption. Therefore, "overall presentation" should accommodate the wide gamut of potential presentations. After all, the rules say,

for the Elvenar world

and Orcs are very much a part of it.

I'm fighting for Justice for Buddy and excellent at interpreting fine print. Are you guys looking for a faux lawyer besides a Social Media Coordinator?

 

[helya]

I'm fighting for Justice for Buddy and excellent at interpreting fine print. Are you guys looking for a faux lawyer besides a Social Media Coordinator?

I'll keep you in mind if we do

I am also looking forward to your concoction with a mixture of both anticipation and dread now.

 

[Darielle]

Since no one is actually delivering their creations to my house for me to sample I would say even dubious cooking skills will have a chance as long as the presentation hides the scorch marks.

Right now @Moho is in first place

Moho's looks delish!

I'll be getting into town to the grocer tomorrow night so I'm going to try to get my entry in on Tuesday or Wednesday. I'm hoping to win that apron; I make bread for the boys weekly so I'm always getting flour all over me. That apron would be perfect!

I've got an idea and I'm going to attempt something for the first time with this contest, lol, so we'll see how that goes.

 

[Moho]

Moho's looks delish!

Thank you. It's the cake of the season where I come from. Half of it is still in the fridge. Ten years ago I would have eaten it in one day, but now my wife and I watch our diet because we want to stay healthy and fit. And our teenage daughter has never liked sweets, puddings, or deserts.

 

[Moho]

I once tried to substitute breadcrumbs with smashed up cookies because I forgot the breadcrumbs and was too lazy to go back to the store.

The context always matters. Recipes always vary because what strikes as bland or weird in one place can be regarded as delicious in another.

My wife likes to cook so that people will enjoy her food. I for one only cook for myself and for my own taste. For example, the fruit cake I baked this time is usually made without cocoa. The standard recipe includes only flour. But I am a great fan of cocoa and chocolate in cakes, which is why I added the cocoa. For this reason, I had to add some milk as well so that the composition wouln't be too thick. Cocoa is heavier anyway, and it can be seen that the compostion containing the cocoa sank pretty deep within the cake. Visually, the inside of the cake was supposed to look like white marble with dark veins but I think I added too much cocoa.

 

[Moho]

I rarely make anything exactly as written.

Exactly. I enjoy eating things my way, which is why I often get criticized. People always forget that taste is the most personal of the five senses.

 

[crackie]

The context always matters. Recipes always vary because what strikes as bland or weird in one place can be regarded as delicious in another.

I intentionally left out of the details because it gets worse. My real life friends already will never let me live it down. I don't need to never hear the end of it from the likes of @samidodamage too...

I am also looking forward to your concoction with a mixture of both anticipation and dread now.

That makes two of us! I still have to go to the store like @Darielle, but what are the chances I even get it right on the first try? How many trips to the grocery store and how much food am I wasting? I could alternatively just buy diamonds with my grocery bill and save myself the disaster clean up.

 

[Tehya1]

well, this contest is exclusionary. I can't give yall my fudge recipe. It has been a closely guarded secret since I started making it, and that is all that I am good at lol I make vegan cream gravy from scratch, but mostly I eat raw, steamed, or frozen stuff. If the winner is a real recipe that is deemed to be the best, I'm out.

 

[helya]

Visually, the inside of the cake was supposed to look like white marble with dark veins but I think I added too much cocoa.

There is such a thing as adding too much cocoa?

 

[Dreamyn2]

I could alternatively just buy diamonds with my grocery bill and save myself the disaster clean up.

Ooooh another spicy disaster? This gets better and better!

 

[Darielle]

I intentionally left out of the details because it gets worse. My real life friends already will never let me live it down. I don't need to never hear the end of it from the likes of @samidodamage too...

That makes two of us! I still have to go to the store like @Darielle, but what are the chances I even get it right on the first try? How many trips to the grocery store and how much food am I wasting? I could alternatively just buy diamonds with my grocery bill and save myself the disaster clean up.

Hey, Crackie, I was thinking that just tonight after I made my funny fire bird. I was thinking, "Heck, for what I spent on the ingredients, I could have bought myself the diamonds." But it wouldn't have been half the fun! This was the first time in my life I ever made fondant. It really turned out like playdoh, so at least one scary cooking item is now under my belt. It may have turned out to be a funny fire phoenix, but I won't be scared of fondant again. That's something!

 

[Mirai]

Wow, no one's participating yet? I just saw it today. I'm going to have to get my thinking cap on. The boys tell me I'm a great cook (they're prejudiced because they're the ones who have to eat it, lol). I'm going to get in before the deadline, I think. This sounds great!

I need to make sure I have all the ingredients for the variation on what I'm planning to make, then make it, then take photos! I could grab a photo of prior art, but what fun is that?

This'll be fun; we replaced our old leaky gas range/oven with an induction stove this spring, and I haven't made this particular delight on/in it - yet. What a great excuse to play!

 

[Darielle]

I need to make sure I have all the ingredients for the variation on what I'm planning to make, then make it, then take photos! I could grab a photo of prior art, but what fun is that?

This'll be fun; we replaced our old leaky gas range/oven with an induction stove this spring, and I haven't made this particular delight on/in it - yet. What a great excuse to play!

Actually, you couldn't grab a photo of prior art; it's against the rules. But I'll look forward to seeing your recipe! I love new recipes. Good luck!

 

[Mirai]

I'll give you a hint, until I get to cooking: it's something that'd make a great potluck addition to the Halfling folk music party on the hill over there.

That Strawberry Ale someone mentioned would likely go well with it, though I might rather just have the real deal with mine: scratch-built ginger ale !

 

[Darielle]

Hey, Helya; I hope I'm okay in the contest. It says you need one list of ingredients. But I separated mine out for the cake, frosting and fondant. It's kinda one list, just in three sections. If that's not right let me know if I messed up. Thanks.