Erika has run off to New Zealand, so she’s passed the blog-writing baton (or measuring spoon) to me. Stay tuned for a bio and photo.


A few weeks ago, the kitchen celebrated Oktoberfest, an event which celebrates German traditions of eating, beer-tasting and lederhosen, among other things. Because we couldn't get it together on time, our Oktoberfest conveniently became the Novemberfest. Nonetheless, we couldn't wait to cook up traditional German dishes and taste exclusive dark beers, whilst (of course) discussing our next food-fest.

We enjoyed dishes like hand-twisted pretzels, bratwurst, red cabbage, braised ribs, apple cake and deep-fried sauerkraut balls. Deep-fried WHAT? Yes, you heard it right. These batter dipped globes of cheesy, garlicky sauerkraut treats quickly became fodder for ideas "all things deep-fried." We scoured the fridge, looking for anything to deep-fry: Olives, jalapeños, cheese. And then it happened before we could even think twice—deep-fried CLIF and Nectar bars (check out the picture above).

We were surprised by how deliciously right these were. They were warm, oozing with sweet, wholesome flavor, and surrounded by a crispy little deep-fried crust. Yum!  And guess what? All the nutrition and goodness you expect in these bars was still there—albeit a few extra calories!

Although we in the kitchen certainly don't recommend eating deep-fried anything all the time, we certainly encourage trying new things and pushing the limits of creativity.     

Tschüss!