More on the Three Stooges Analogy

That was out in left field, I know. My impression is that 99 percent of non-senile women don't like The Three Stooges (for senile women, the audience skews in The Stooges' favor). Likewise, I fear that just about no women will like this website or appreciate in any way the concept behind it. And since many women still get stuck cooking the meals, it's such a lost opportunity. These women could get some practical value out of FTLLB because we pledge to include only recipies of food that TASTES GREAT (but, unfortunately or not, resembles vomit for whatever reason). Please, have an open mind.

Monjyayaki Looks Like Barf

While planning this site, we sent a call out to our globe-spanning social networks looking for examples of food that looks like barf. More than one person submitted "Monjyayaki" as an example of great-tasting food that appears to be pre-digested.

Monjyayaki is a pan-fried dish featuring chunks of delicious-sounding bits of food, served up in a liguidy/doughy substance that gives it a special, how do you say, "Je na sais barf."

from Wikipedia: "The mixture is far runnier than okonomiyaki (a similar dish), and it has a consistency comparable to a pool of melted cheese when cooked. It is then eaten directly off the grill using a small metal spatula." Even the way you eat iut gives me dry heaves. I shall have to try this sometime.

At the risk of retiring this topic before the blog even gets going, I give you, "Monjyayaki:"




Do you have any Monjyayaki recipes, secrets or experiences to share? Leave them in the comments!


*Photo credit: "+fatman+"

Technorati Tags: food, vomit, monjyayaki

Trying to appeal to two levels, alienating one big one?

In brainstorming about this website, Food That Looks Like Barf, we thought that we could appeal to two different audience archetypes. Usually food that looks like barf is pretty easy to make because all you need to do is mix a bunch of ingredients together, put it on simmer, and quickly become distracted and forget about it. Hours later you'll open up the crock pot or casserole dish and the most wonderously sublime smell will fill the air. You'll close your eyes and take a deep sniff to savor it once more, this time, more slowly. You'll open your eyes. And the food will look like barf. But who cares. It's food, and it TASTES GREAT (it must be good to eat, or it won't meet our stringent standards here at FTLLB).

So our first audience archetype is the busy, distracted, harried parent who needs to make something fast and forget about it. (Coincidentally, a high percentage of these parents are women, but I digress).

We also know that kids these days are bored stiff by anything that doesn't involve a microprocessor and a lot of sitting around. But one thing we do know is that kids (boys, at least) genuinely like pictures of gross things. What could be more gross than stuff that looks like barf?

While mom (or dad) is busy slopping together one of our simple recipies, we envision Junior spasmatically snickering at our pictures of food that looks like barf.

But it's food that's GOOD for him, so what's the harm? And with the epidemic of obesity that's rampaging through our schools, why not make the little jokester temporarily lose his appetite right before dinner (but not his sense of humor)?

About the alienation factor, is this concept a little too much like The Three Stooges? My wife looked at the website and only disgust filled her expression. I saw not a glimpse of a smile. Not a shadow of one.

I fear we are alienating at least 50 percent of our potential audience, maybe more.

More later.

Food that looks like barf, but tastes great!

Have you ever noticed how so much great-tasting food looks like, well, barf? Think of all the casseroles, soups, stews, burritos, even pizza that you've eagerly and happily shoveled down your gullet despite the fact that the food looked just like vomit. We're dedicating this blog to the idea that you should never write off a food item because it resembles puke, because chances are, it'll still be good to eat.

We want to hear from folks out there who know and love a favorite dish that resembles throw-up. We want you to send recipies, pictures, and stories about how you first tasted this particular dish. We also want you to share your special trick for making the dish look less like barf, whether it's a garnish, a paper umbrella, or something else.

Simply email lookslikebarf-stories@yahoo.com. We'll post these stories, pictures, and recipies on the blog for all to see and share.

Remember, it has to taste good AND look nearly like, or exactly like, barf.

Thanks!