Blog Posts by Blue Ribbon Hunter

The $1,000.00 Golden Opulence Sundae from Serendipity 3

There's nothing better than ice cream in the summer, but how much would you spend for the ultimate sundae? If your answer was anything less than $1,000.00, then the Golden Opulence Sundae fromSerendipity 3 is probably not for you. This sundae is covered in 24-karat edible gold and is adorned with some of the most rare and expensive sweets in the world. Here is a list of the items and ingredients you need to make the Golden Opulence Sundae:

Baccarat Crystal Goblet

24kt Edible Gold

Tahitian Vanilla Ice Cream

Madagascar Vanilla Bean

Amedei Porcelana Chocolate

Candied Fruits

Gold Covered Almonds

Artisanal Flower Made From Sugar and Dipped in Gold

Passion Fruit and Armagnac Dessert Caviar

Enjoying the Golden Opulence Sundae!

So what do you think? Is it worth the price for a special occasion, or just plain ridiculous?

For more adventures with Blue Ribbon Hunter check out our video page and make sure to follow us on Facebook!

Read More »from $1,000 Ice Cream Sundae

What do you get when you combine an edgy rocker, a competitive eater, and a sexy pin-up model? You get Maria Edible! This Jersey native is not only on her way to the top in the world of female competitive eaters, but she also has a look that most people wouldn't imagine a professional eater to have. In fact, Maria says that neither her co-workers nor her parents know that she competes in eating contests! She works a normal nine-to-five job in New York City during the week, and models and eats on the weekends! Here are some of her training techniques and strategies that she shared with us:

Stretch Your Stomach

Stomach capacity is really important, especially with a food like hot dogs. Maria recommends eating a large quantity of low calorie foods like lettuce or watermelon to help get your stomach in shape. Her most important tip: Don't train alone!

Tune in and Zone Out

Maria likes to create her own little bubble when she competes. She wears sunglasses and giant

Read More »from Inside the World of Competitive Eating

A trip to Hawaii might be a once in a lifetime experience, but that doesn't mean you can't create a little Hawaiian magic of your own at home. Summer is the perfect time to throw a Hawaiian themed party, so we traveled to Paradise Cove on the Hawaiian island of Oahu to experience a traditional Hawaiian luau and bring you the tips you need to recreate that same experience at home. Here are our top 5 must-haves for throwing a Hawaiian luau.

Proper Attire

It's Hawaiian tradition to place a lei on your guests as they arrive to welcome them, so if you are hosting a party, make sure you have plenty to share! Once you have a lei, have fun accessorizing with things like a grass skirt, coconut bra, and of course, a temporary Polynesian tattoo.

Entertainment

Who doesn't love a good yard game at a backyard summer party? Hawaiians certainly know how to do it. Try spear throwing, or 'ulumaika, an ancient Hawaiian game that is sort of like a cross between horseshoes and bowling.

Read More »from Experience a Hawaiian Luau Without Leaving Home

Dandelion-Stuffed PorkCongratulations to Sherry Schie, this year's winner of the Great Dandelion Cook-Off. Be sure to check out her recipe and try it yourself at home!

Dandelion-Stuffed Pork Loin

3 ½ pounds pork loin, butterflied

12 pieces pancetta, thinly sliced

6 cups dandelion greens

¼ cup onion, chopped

3 teaspoons dandelion infused olive oil (recipe below)

4-6 tablespoons dandelion wine, as needed to wilt dandelion greens

10 garlic cloves, roasted

1 ½ tablespoons fresh rosemary

½ cup dates, pitted and chopped

¼ cup white raisins

1 cup Panko breadcrumbs

Salt and pepper, to taste

Dandy Sauce (recipe below)

1. In sauté pan, add olive oil, onions, white wine, and dandelion greens; cover and simmer until tender. If needed, add more wine to achieve desired tenderness of greens. When greens are wilted and tender, strain and drain well. Place greens and onion mixture in food processor.

2. Add to food processor; garlic,

Read More »from Great Dandelion Cook-Off Winning Recipe

Eating healthy can get expensive, but it doesn't have to be! In fact, you can go organic for FREE by finding food in your own backyard. To prove that this is possible (even in a big city) we traveled to Central Park in New York City where "Wildman" Steve Brill took us on an urban foraging tour. At the end of the day we were able to make a delicious, vegan, and totally organic salad without even leaving the park! Here are some of the things we found:

Poor Man's Pepper: Run out of pepper? Then why not go forage for some of this plant! This plant grows up to three feet tall and has lobed basal leaves. It has a spicy flavor to it and has been compared to horseradish.

Cattails: We see these wetland plants all the time, but did you know they are edible? The soft inner core of the cattail tastes like a mix between cucumber and zucchini and has the texture of hearts of palm.

Sheep Sorrel: If you like tart foods, then sheep sorrel is for you! This plant gets its name because it

Read More »from Finding Dinner in Your Backyard

Could eating bugs be the next big food trend? Well that's what professor and bug chef Marc Dennis thinks! He invited us to a very special cooking lesson where we learned how to make dishes with silk worms, wax worms, crickets, and grasshoppers. Once we got past what Marc refers to as "the ick factor" it was actually pretty interesting to learn about and try a cuisine that could fundamentally improve world health, nutrition, and sustainability. One of our favorites was the "Chocolate Chirp Cookies" and Marc was nice enough to share the recipe.

Chocolate Chirp Cookie

"CHOCOLATE CHIRP COOKIES" BY MARC DENNIS

Ingredients:

· 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened

· 1/2 cup sugar

· 1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

· 2 eggs

· 2 tsp. vanilla extract

· 2 3/4 cups (12 oz) all-purpose flour

· 3/4 tsp. sea salt

· 1 tsp. baking soda

· 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

· 2 1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

· 2 cups pre-roasted crickets (any size cricket will do - keep in

Read More »from Bug Cuisine

It's almost summer and you know what that means - barbecue season! That's why we traveled to Charlotte, North Carolina for the Beer, Bourbon, and BBQ festival to bring you tips and tricks for delicious barbecue straight from the grill masters themselves. Here are some of our favorites:

Use a 2:1 Salt to Sugar Ratio for Your Rub - Sticking with the rule to keep it simple, our NC Hall of Fame Pit Master, Bill Eason, recommends a simple rub that is two parts Lawry's Seasoned Salt and one part brown sugar.

Use a Vinegar-Based Sauce - This can be a controversial tip since different regions have different (and very strong) opinions on the best sauce. At this particular festival they loved the vinegar-based sauce, which is just a simple mixture of vinegar, sugar, and pepper.

Double Dip Your Meat - The sauce is definitely a highlight of great barbecue, so let's get the most out of it! Rather than only saucing your meat once while it is on the grill, dip it one last time in fresh

Read More »from Tips and Tricks for Great Barbecue

Mini Maple Spam DoughnutsWhen referring to email, nobody likes spam, but we came to find out that not a lot of people appreciated the canned meat either-- until we got to Hawaii that is! We traveled to Waikiki Beach on the island of Oahu in Hawaii for the 10th Annual SPAM JAM where people came from all over to celebrate SPAM, and support the Hawaii Food Bank! We tried everything from SPAM Ice Cream, to SPAM Musubi, to SPAM Lettuce Wraps and boy were they good! The highlight was meeting the winner of the Hormel Blue Ribbon Recipe Competition, Jason Munson, who let us try his award winning creation: Mini Maple SPAM Doughnuts. If you like to mix sweet and savory flavors, then this dish is for you.

MINI MAPLE SPAM DOUGHNUTS

Makes 24 mini doughnuts

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup buttermilk, plus one tablespoon
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1 (12-ounce) can SPAM

Read More »from Waikiki SPAM Jam