Reflections

Okay, it's been a little over a month since I started actively blogging as The Diva and with this little work project coming to a close, I feel like it's time to take a pause from the food and reflect on what I've learned. What started as a somewhat mandatory project for work has morphed into something I look forward to doing. Let's just say I've graduated into the wonderful world of social media...

...and feel much like my hilarious friends Jim & Vieve felt after getting their diplomas in '05 (photo).

Enough hamming, onto reflection! First and foremost, blogging is fun. I read things and want to post them for other people to read and pass along. It makes my day when someone comments on my blog (go. now. comment.) and I like reading other people's blogs (hell, my fabulous new recipe for Oreos came from someone else's blog!). I figured out that Twitter is useful, fun and informative (for those of you who don't know, Twitter is like a public instant message that people can see and respond to). For a long time, I figured that I was an some whacked out foodie that got blank stares from all my friends when I complained about my pie crust not being flakey. With blogging and Twitter, I've found my own kind!!! Food writers, enthusiasts, culinary geniuses and people just like me. Hooray!

Bottom line? Don't go anywhere. Stay tuned, there's more of The Diva to come.

Fabulous Feasting,
The Diva.

Skyrocketing food prices

An interesting article on CNN today about the rising cost of food. Many wonder if it's truly a necessity (trickling down from rising gas prices, etc.) or whether its a case of over-zealous media trying to find drama where there is none (and retailers capitalizing on the hype). Regardless, it's an interesting phenomenon.

It begs some tough questions, dear readers. Are you changing your eating habits in order to fatten your wallet? Have you changed where you shop? Maximizing your pantry? Hitting up the 99 cent menu at Micky D's or BK a little more? Planting a garden?

Fabulous Feasting,
The Diva.

Gadgets: All things KitchenAid

I'm one of those women who has wanted a KitchenAid Stand Mixer since I knew how to first bake cookies. But I don't own one. Why, you ask? It's not like the gift of one has not been offered at Christmastime or during Birthday-ness. For me, it's a right of passage: find man, get engaged, get $500 mixer, get married. Simple as that. And it's for that reason that I keep the model and color I desire a closely guarded secret until I'm fully armed with the bridal registry gun.

For those of you who aren't in the know, a KitchenAid Stand Mixer is like a Porsche for your kitchen. It's sexy. It's made of steel, comes in more than a dozen colors, purrs and is chock full of horsepower.

Did I mention the accessories? Yeah, there's 52 of them from KitchenAid, ranging from meat grinders to ice cream makers to pasta machines. God knows how many of them are out there and made from other companies as well.

Take, for example, this (cue operatic "Hallelujah!"):

It's a mixing blade with a spatula, so you don't have to stop, scrape the bowl, and start mixing again (cue "Hallelujah!" encore). Made by SideSwipe, it's the brain child of an Ohio mechanical engineer who noticed his wife's frequent scraping pit stops while using her KitchenAid Stand Mixer.

Scrape-free efficiency for the bargain price of $24.95. Look for it online...on my registry, and eventually in my kitchen.

Fabulous Feasting,

The Diva.

Fun Foods: Batter Blaster!

Time to make your Saturday's even more lazy than they already are. Leave it up to those organic peeps to come up with Batter Blaster, i.e., aerosol pancake/waffle batter. It's not available nationwide yet (blast!) but you if

For kicks, check out the Web commercial:



Since I'm not lucky enough to try it yet...if you're geographically lucky and can find it, let me know how it is! Or, if you're feeling particularly generous, ship me some!

Fabulous Feasting,
The Diva.