Pickles

Hey everyone, I'm back!! Besides a six hour car trip, I'm all right ; ) lol. Sorry for no posting in the last week or so, my good friend Liz experienced some technical difficulties hehe. But anyways, Maine was totally amazing. Wile we were camping, me and Gwen made ice box cake, and challah, but mostly we hung out at the beach.

But let me tell you, the seagulls in Maine are as bad as the squirrels in new york city. My brother was eating a sandwich just standing around, and a seagull swooped down and grabbed the sandwich right out of his hand!!

There was also this stone pier that you could walk out on. It was so cool, even though my cousin Gwen was a little uneasy with the situation. Good times ; D lol.

The day before we left, some Canadian hippies moved in next to us! They had this hilarious Scooby Doo van!So anyways, just some advise for the people who are the the level of crazyness that I am at: don't try to make watermelon juice. Just don't.

I spent quite a long time chunking, and blending a whole watermelon, and putting it through a fine mesh sieve. Personally, I hate eating chunks of watermelon because it is usually grainy or something. So me, being the genius that I am decided to make juice out of it. At first taste, it was good. Then it tasted completely nasty. Like it left such a foul aftertaste that I almost spit it in my dogs face.

So, like ten minutes ago I made pickles. My moms garden is overflowing with zucchini, squash, and cucumbers. It took me like 15 min. with my mandolin. No lie. Its nice because you don't have to cook or boil anything, just mix the stuff together and pour over pickles, and stick in the fridge.

Easy sweet pickles

• 7 cups thin sliced cucumbers
• 1 cup sliced onions
• 2 tbs salt
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tbs celery seed
• 1 cup vinegar

Mix salt, sugar, celery seed, and vinegar until dissolved. Place cucumbers in a jar. Pour vinegar mixture over cucumbers. Let sit in the fridge for at least a day.

Idiot cake

I know what your thinking. . . idiot cake? Yes this is an idiot cake, but the best I've ever tasted! It is so simple, that only an idiot can mess it up! Its only four ingredients, so believe me, if there was any way to fail, I would have found it.
So, usually I don't make cake, because I'm pretty crappy at it. But last weekend, by brother wanted chocolate cake, and I caught him almost making a box mix! I shudder at the mere thought of it! Its like my brother doesn't even know me at all! So I stopped him, and searched for a chocolate cake recipe. The thing is, I don't like chocolate cakes that are spongy, and flavorless, some are even bitter tasting. The only way I can cough down a piece is when it is covered in thick chocolate frosting. But then again, I will eat *anything* covered in chocolate frosting.

Making this cake was a so simple, and the results were stunning. It didn't have a cake consistency either. It was velvety, not dry or cakey. Its like a mix between decadent brownies and fudge, but its not dense. It had the most rich amazing chocolate flavor too. The higher quality chocolate you use will yield a better taste, because the chocolate is the main flavor. I garnished the slices of cake with some whipped cream flavored with cappuccino liquor.

I also wanted to show you guys this picture of a mushroom that I took : ) I was so proud of it because-look, how cute is that mushroom?

Then I also took a picture of this really pretty flower, look how vibrant it is! So, I'm leaving tomorrow to go on a trip to Maine, with my favorite cousin Gwen!! My best friend Liz is going to post about our latest culinary adventure some time next week!

Chocolate idiot cake

David Lebovitz

10 ounces (290 gr) ScharffenBerger bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

7 ounces (200 gr) butter, salted or unsalted, cut into pieces

5 large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup (200 gr) sugar

Preheat the oven to 350F (175 C).

1. Butter a 9-inch (23 cm) springform pan* and dust it with cocoa powder, tapping out any excess. If you suspect your springform pan isn't 100% water-tight, wrap the outside with aluminum foil, making sure it goes all the way up to the outer rim.
2. Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler (or microwave), stirring occasionally, until smooth. Remove from heat.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar, then whisk in the melted chocolate mixture until smooth.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan and cover the top of the pan snugly with a sheet of foil. Put the springform pan into a larger baking pan, such as a roasting pan, and add enough hot water to the baking pan to come about halfway up to the outside of the cake pan.
Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
You'll know the cake is done when it feels just set, like quivering chocolate pudding. If you gently touch the center, your finger should come away clean.
5. Lift the cake pan from the water bath and remove the foil. Let cake cool completely on a cooling rack.

Can last 3-4 days in the fridge.