Cooking on TV

I was excited this morning to see a commercial for the upcoming Cooking Channel due to launch May 31st. A quick internet check told me it's a replacement of the Fine Living Channel (which is unfortunate because I LOVE that channel) and it's kinda, sorta but not really a spin-off of the Food Network (the same company owns both channels). By the sound of it, the Cooking Channel will be going back to basics and focusing more on the instructional cooking shows we all know and love but that Food Network has steadily been shying away from. I've never been a huge reality show fan and hate how Food Network seems to be cranking out more and more reality shows every season until ::gasp:: I'm just not tuning in as much as I used to.

Anyway, I'm especially excited about the news that the Cooking Channel will include shows on how to prepare international cuisine and will be including chefs from Canada and the UK among others! Upcoming shows will include Chuck's Day Off (who's Chuck?;), Chinese Food Made Easy, Everyday Exotic, and French Food at Home. However, if you're not sick to death of Ms. EVOO, want to see more of Bobby Flay and miss seeing Emeril on your screen, these three will also have new shows on the Cooking Channel.

I don't know how much good it actually does but their commercial says to call your cable or satellite provider about getting the Cooking Channel. The way I figure it, if your provider has been carrying the Fine Living Network you'll most likely get to see the new channel come May 31st. Meanwhile, as hubby and I already hate our cable company with the fire of 1000 suns *coughcough*Comcast*coughcough* and have firsthand experience of Direct TV's rotten military transfer policy, we're seriously looking to switch to Dish Network this summer.

On the candle front, tea light sets are now available for sale. You can choose from 10 different scents in clear plastic and come in Neapolitan (chocolate, french vanilla and strawberry) and Taste of the Tropics (pina colada, margarita, orange cream and lemon). You can also mix and match tea lights in assorted sets of 4, 6, 8 and 10 or just stock up on your favorite scent. I'm also adding to my Breakfast In a Jar line with Strawberry Preserve, Blueberry Preserve and Maple Syrup Jars.

Also, be advised Culinarychiq Concepts will not ship to areas experiencing a High Heat Advisory or Warning until it's been lifted by the National Weather Service. This is due to the fact that the wax I use is much softer and has a lower melting point than traditional wax and frankly there's too much risk of a candle being damaged while waiting in the mailbox or on the porch. I've seen them go liquid in direct Floridian sunlight so it's just too much of a risk to take.

That's about it, I think. I'm off to take my beasties for a walk on a very nice day:) Stay safe those of you in areas facing severe weather and condolences, thoughts and prayers to the people in Tornado Alley who have lost loved ones, house and home. Chow for now!

Who Wants Breakfast?

This has been an interesting week of inspiration for me. I sat there staring at my new fragrance oils and mulling over what to do with them after some disastrous results last week and wondering if for the first time I might have to chalk up my latest purchase to a loss. No one in business likes to lose money and the best thing to do is always try to make back at least what you spent.

Anyway, I was watching my favorite movie Julie & Julia (by the way if you haven't read Julia Child's autobiography, My Life In France, definitely pick it up it's an awesome read:) and everything started to fall into place! And so I bring you my latest creations the Breakfast In a Jar scented soy candles:

Choose between Breakfast In a Jar, Continental Breakfast In a Jar and Deluxe Breakfast In a Jar, layered candles with lids hand painted to reflect a bright sunny morning:)

Deluxe Breakfast In a Jar contains the fresh scents of Orange Juice, Smoky Bacon and Maple Syrup reminiscent of a good Sunday morning breakfast!

Continental Breakfast In a Jar has Orange Juice and Maple Syrup scents of breakfast on the go!

Breakfast In a Jar is the idea that started it all and has the scents of Smoky Bacon and Maple Syrup.

Finally, a candle I'm most proud of at how well an experiment can turn out, but then I'm always happy when a risky candle turns out well, Bacon In a Jar!

This candle smells just like smoked bacon cooking on a griddle with a lid that's hand painted to look like strips of streaky bacon!

Every jar candle shown today contains 8oz of wax and sells for $10 plus shipping. Visit culinarychiqconcepts.etsy.com to order from my shop and as always custom orders are welcome. That's about it for now I think. Have a great week everyone, be sure to voice your opinion in my vanilla milkshake poll in the top left corner of your screen by Wednesday, April 21st and don't forget to check out my personal blog Egg Drop Soup. Chow for now!

Candles, candles and more candles

Apologies for the delay folks, with upcoming events in May and June fast approaching time just got away from me! Don't you just hate when it seems like there aren't enough hours in the day?

Anyway, despite the NAMI Walk and Art show being just three weeks away, my imagination refuses to let me mindlessly crank out candles like a machine and so this week I've listed 8 new candles including smaller versions of the Pina Colada, Margarita and Hot Fudge Sundae Candles. I especially love the little green cactus stem on the new Margarita glass!

The new candles listed are Chocolate and Strawberry Milkshake candles and a votive sized chocolate milkshake so you can get both milkshakes either lifesized for $16 or votive sized for $5. It seems I caught chocolate fever because I was also inspired to create the Chocolate Silk Pie candle which is about as much decadent chocolatey goodness you can get without packing on the pounds! Finally, there's the crustless Lemon Meringue pie votive with a cute little whipped cream dollop on top.

I'm working on three more candles and hope to release them next week. My plans for the Maple Syrup and Bacon candles didn't go quite as I'd hoped hence the delay but that can happen when dealing with handmade. You can either release garbage and hope it sells or you can go back to the drawing board and make another attempt at good quality. I prefer the latter! And yes, you did read right, I am attempting a bacon scented candle! It's a wonderful scent, so smoky and meaty the husband wanted to drink the oil right out of the bottle! So if you're a bacon lover keep watch for the listing of this little gem. I'm also attempting a vanilla milkshake this weekend, the only problem is figuring out what color says vanilla to the most people. Personally I envision an off yellow shake (almost like the small pina colada), however others have told me white like my hot fudge sundaes while others have suggested more of a beige color. So I think this calls for a poll. Please take a moment between now and the 21st to let me know what you think via the poll on the top left of your screen. Your input is greatly appreciated!

Finally, specifically for the NAMI walk but soon to be listed on Etsy and 1000markets, I'll be selling Tealight Sampler packs of 3, 4, 6, and 8 so you can get a test sniff of any scent you're curious about. The Neopolitan Tealight Sampler with chocolate, vanilla and strawberry will be available in sets of 3 and 6, the Tropical Tealight Sampler will feature Pina Colada, Margarita, Lemon and Orange Creamsicle in packs of 4 and 8, the Fruit Bowl Tealight Sampler will contain Strawberry, Lemon, Apple and Blueberry tealights in packs of 4 and 8 and the Pie Sampler which gives you a choice of chocolate cream, lemon meringue, blueberry, pumpkin, pecan and apple pies in sets of 3 and 6. You can also buy the Assorted Sampler where you can choose any of the above mentioned scents as well as Creme Brulee in packs of 3, 4, 6, and 8. Mix and match or just get the one scent, whatever takes your fancy! Custom orders will also be available for sets of 10 and 12.

That's about it for this week. Be sure to check my personal blog, Egg Drop Soup! Chow for now.

Obscure Food Holidays

The weather this weekend is just too gorgeous for words so I'm about to run out and fly my Smurf kite before sitting down to a nice homemade dinner of Chicken Korma with Basmati rice and Na'an bread (we felt like going Indian tonight:)! As I'm preparing inventory for events in the Portland/Augusta area in May and June, there's nothing new to report. However, next week I should have some pictures and details about my new Creme Brulee and Chocolate Cream Pie candles oh, and possibly an unusual but pleasant surprise.

So have a great week, and tell every man you know to check this blog this time next week:) And of course don't forget to check my other blog, Egg Drop Soup, for a chance to enter a new giveaway!

Obscure Food Holidays for the Month of April

2 National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day – Don’t just settle for a boring ole’ sandwich today, make a Peanut Butter and Jelly swirl Bundt cake!

7 Caramel Popcorn Day - Buy me some peanuts and cracker jack... or you could settle for this cute little notebook made from a recycled Cracker Jack box!

14 National Pecan Day - Find out anything and everything you ever wanted to know about the Pecan, courtesy of the National Pecan Shellers Association.

16 National Eggs Benedict Day - Do you have too many (well, what's too many?) Cadbury Creme Eggs leftover from Easter? This recipe takes my favorite egg dish celebrated on this day and gives it a nice chocolatey twist that I think you'll like:-D

17 National Cheeseball Day - Even the lactose intolerant can celebrate this day with some erm uh, cheezy art! Buy your favorite cheese fan some cheeseball cufflinks or mull over "Cheese Balls and Storm Trooper". Not sure what one has to do with the other but I guess that's what makes good cheese;)

19 National Garlic Day - Not just for keeping vampires out of the kitchen, apparently catfish like it too!

22 National Jelly Bean Day - Put the kids to bed early and call your friends over for some Jelly Bean Shooters!

23 National Zucchini Bread Day - This lady has some great zucchini bread recipes with pictured step by step instructions.

24 Pig in a Blanket Day - We be stylin' with these adorable handmade earrings:)

26 National Pretzel Day - No one makes pretzels like the good people of New York City and you haven't experienced pretzel heaven until you've chomped down on a nice Pretzel Roll! Check out this link to find out where to get some good ones in the city.

27 National Prime Rib Day - This site claims to have the key to making the perfect Prime Rib and has lots of information from choosing the perfect cut to what to serve it with to complete the meal; and for the Prime Rib enthusiast who has everything, this is just too cute for words!

29 National Shrimp Scampi Day - This site claims to have THE best recipe for Shrimp Scampi and it appears that at least 100 people agree with them!