Homemade Dark Chocolate Syrup (sugar, honey, and cinnamon)

Hey Burlesquers,

Has anyone read On the Road by Jack Kerouac?

Image by Barefoot Duchess at blogspot. Cool, huh?

This is one of the books I read as a teen that I just loved. Every young person–any race, class, or sex—just has a WHOLE lot of feelings and thoughts, you know? You’re young, you’re confused about loving others, loving yourself, and life, and you’re trying to figure it all out.

“I like too many things and get all confused and hung-up running from one falling star to another till I drop. This is the night, what it does to you. I had nothing to offer anybody except my own confusion.” —Jack Kerouac

This book, with its non-linear, Road narrative and poetic prose, really speaks to that youthful energy . As an adult, I recognize that this book is, at times, admittedly racist, filled with drugs, and not quite as a brilliant as I once thought. In fact, the book’s characters are adults behaving badly, as opposed to young people behaving badly (which is somehow more excusable?).  I do, however, still believe that On the Road captures a certain moment or energy that we all at some point feel–those highs and lows (that I sometimes miss). Am I the only one who did a little rebellion as a kid? I swear, I was more rebellious in high school than college! You can imagine I had even less forethought and more confusion as a 14 year old.

Anyway, there is a movie adaptation of On the Road, and I am excited to see it! (I am ignoring the fact that Kristen Stewart stars in it, yuck.) Here’s the trailer for anyone interested.

I can’t wait to see this. It’s going to be a rental for me (most likely), but I will definitely see this. And you know what I will be eating as a snack while watching? Fruit with my new Homemade Dark Chocolate Syrup!

Ronaldo and I were looking for a syrup alternative to Hershey’s that had less sugar and more natural ingredients, but we couldn’t find anything! And if we did, it was 5 dollars too much. I suggested we make our own, and wooo, I’m glad we did! This syrup is definitely dark and even a bit bitter for all those dark chocolate lovers out there! It pairs perfectly with fruit. (I ate a tbsp with a banana last night.) If you prefer milk chocolate or would like it sweeter, use a Hershey’s Cocoa mix, add more of stevia or sugar, and you will love it. Next time, I think I’m going to add a touch more stevia and Bailey’s!

Music video for the new Carly Rae Jepsen/Owl City song, “Good Time”

Hey all,

Remember when I talked about loving the new Carly Rae Jepsen and Owl City single, “Good Time”? Well, the duo has come out with a video for the song and…it’s pretty cute. Aside from being one long Urban Outfitters ad,  the music video is fun and age appropriate! The writers over at Jezebel describe the two musicians as “Catchy pop monsters” and  Owl City as “Emo haircut/musician.” Sounds about right.

Btw, does anyone else notice how the musician of Owl City looks incredibly awkward throughout the entire video? Kind of adorable. Poor guy is out of his element, right? And— knowing he is notoriously shy—he might be a tad bit overwhelmed by all the pretty girls in the video! (His awkwardness, of course, means I immediately think he is adorable and definitely crush-worthy.)

Enjoy!

Music to Write Home About: “She’s So Mean”, the new Matchbox 20 single!

I told you all the 90s are back. This generation has f-f-f-finally realized how great the era is (duh). To add to the 90s revival, Matchbox 20– a popular 90s pop band led by frontman Rob Thomas–is releasing a new album! You may remember Matchbox 20 from “Push” and “3 am”. Now the boys of Mbox 20 have a new fun pop-rock single out called, “She’s So Mean.” If you exercise or hit the gym, you will want to download this song ASAP! Mbox 20 definitely has a new sound!

 

They’ve released their own lyric video for the song–interesting marketing, right? And they hired Rob Thomas’  stunning wife to star in it! The color pink and bright lollipops fill the video, but the actual song is bittersweet–something akin to Maroon 5′s single, “This Love”. In fact, there is a whole slew of songs that follow the narrative of  “the supposedly innocent, good guy in love (or in lust) with the bad girl.”

How about Third Eye Blind’s “Never Let You Go?” “There’s every good reason for letting you go. She’s sneaky and smoked out, and it’s starting to show.”

 

Or, Beastie Boys’ “She’s Crafty”, where fictional Lucy steals all the band’s stuff? ” The girl is crafty like ice is cold….when I woke up late in the afternoon, she had taken all of things inside of his room….She had taken the bed and the chest of drawers. The mirror, the tv…she robbed us blind!”

In the “She’s So Mean” video, you see a pair of woman’s legs rocking bright pink hot pants and red lips eating candy behind the lyrics, ”For an angel she is a hot mess.. She’s like a one way ticket/cause you can’t come back./ Yeah, you want her, but she’s so mean!”

I don’t love the connotations of this song…… but I like listening to it. The song equates women with candy (women objectified for consumption? annoying), candy stores (women as something to be bought? really annoying), and childlike innocence with hot pants and candy (okay, women are all adults and don’t need to be taken care of. super annoying). However, I somehow feel better by recognizing its faults? And knowing what it’s portraying? I think we all recognize that there are tons of GREAT books, movies, and songs that are problematic: racist, sexist, gendered, and so on. A great example would be the movie Gone with the Wind. The unnamed Black Americans in the movie were portrayed as the nineteenth century US stereotype of the “Mammy”: a jovial, mother-like, enslaved woman who is happy and complacent with her oppressed condition.  This “Mammy” type figure in fact loomed large in 19th century US culture–in stories, poetry, and periodicals–as justifying rhetoric of why slavery was a “positive-good” for the community as a whole. (Did I mention I am an expert in 19th century US popular culture? BB loves pop culture!!) Knowing this, I can still say Gone with the Wind, in some aspects, is a well-made film, but definitely tempered with racist undertones that can’t, and shouldn’t be, ignored. Make sense? There’s today’s pop culture lesson! Cheers!

Music to Write Home About: “Good Time”, the new Carly Rae Jepsen single!

And just when you thought you’ve had enough of Carly Rae Jepsen…..you hear this. And then you can’t stop listening! I know, I know—she is a slightly overproduced teen pop star, but her voice is fitting for pop music, isn’t it? Entertainment Weekly gave this new single positive reviews, saying, “‘Good Time’ goes down easier than a frozen margarita at a beachfront tiki bar.” And I’m going to have to agree. This is pop gold, as far as I am concerned. And you KNOW I will be listening to this at the gym!

from Ryanseacrest.com. The single’s Album art!

I also like her musical partner on this single: Owl City. If you all don’t remember your celebrity gossip, Owl City is the Myspace phenomenon-turned-electronica-pop-star, Adam Young. He is also the adorable young man who released a love song for Taylor Swift on Valentine’s Day. Young found out Swift’s song “Enchanted” was, in fact, about her first meeting with him, and he released a lovely adaptation of her song for her, because he was “enchanted” to meet her, too. (Swift didn’t respond to the chivalrous act, most likely because she is young with still terrible taste in men….like John Mayer.) So, anyway, an adorably geeky, tech pop star singing with a cheeky Canadian pop starlet about “good times”? Yes, please!

Chocolate Kahlua Cake in a Jar (with Almond Whipped Cream)

Hey Burlesquers!

I woke up to humid weather and a weather forecast of almost triple digits. It’s going to be a hot one today, folks! Try and stay cool out there!

Cocoa Cola art, from Pop and Roll.com

Nothing new around my neck of the woods, although I’ve noticed something…..The 90s are back! You may not know, but I love 90s and turn-of-the-millenium culture in the US. Give me Britney Spears, boy bands, and other sappy, cliched pop songs! Give me Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Brian Setzer, and other bands of the Swing Revival in the 90s! Give me all the great Ska punk bands, like No Doubt and Save Ferris! I want to see Greasers, swing kids, hepcats, 2-tone shoes, and Ska lovers out there with their adapted 50 styles!

Honestly, when Emo and the rise of the Hipster started taking over culture—you know, the supposed ironic display of working man’s culture with skinny jeans, flannel, full beards and mustaches, and the consumption of cheap, lower to middle class products, like Pabst Blue Ribbon—I immediately became sad.

(Image from SkinnyDip blog!)

I cannot identify with this trend… at all. Half the population doesn’t even understand that they’re ironically assuming and fetishizing the look of the working class (factory-worker, etc.) as part of the trend. People credit this irony as brilliant, but when most of the hipster populations don’t even know that they’re doing that (or even understand what class consciousness is), I can’t agree.

Anyway, you can imagine my delight when, in a week’s span, I learned that No Doubt, Fiona Apple, and Smashing Pumpkins are out with new albums (if not now, soon), and I spotted students wearing Doc Martins (remember those?) and a ska t-shirt. Then I heard the Aquabats had returned and are on tour, AND Goldfinger and Reel Big Fish announced the “Summer of Ska” tour!  Wooohoo, the 90s are back, folks!  I am so excited!

from Children of the 90s blogspot!

“American Skathic” album art by Jump Up Records

Anyway, in celebration of these fun changes in pop culture (and because of the HOT weather), I decided to debut my cool cakes in a jar. Behold, burlesquers, my BBQ treat: Kahlua Cake with Sweet Almond Whipped Cream.

Sweet to see you!

Barbecuties! Two Kahlua Cakes in Jars for our BBQ dinner with the happy couple.

Ok, these cakes were relatively easy, but there’s definitely a learning curve to this process. For example, I used a bundt-type cake recipe, which actually needs the bundt pan to cook correctly because of its numerous wet ingredients (sour cream, oil, eggs).  (The “hole” in the bundt cake pan allows for an even, overall bake.) However, I cooked the  bundt cake batter right in the jars, and the cakes ended up baking unevenly. My original cooking time was off! Next time, I’m going to limit some of the “wet” ingredients or simply cook a normal “cake” recipe in my jars (nothing too thick or moist). I also quickly figured out that it is damn near impossible NOT to drip cake batter or topping on the sides of the jar. I ended up cooking the cakes in jars and transferring the cakes to new, clean jars for the final prep. I recommend reading the cake-in-a-jar tutorial at the  Beehive and Birds Nest blog. Very helpful!

Overall, the presentation of these cakes was so fun for a BBQ, and I am happy I finally gave this dessert a whirl! Enjoy!