Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Renaissance Cook Challenge



Don't get me wrong, cooking is the spin on my world. But I do have other hobbies. For instance, I unabashedly bookmark style blogs (yes, those folks who take pictures of what they're wearing every day) and am quite the amateur stylist myself. If I had a walk-in closet, I would easily spend as much time there as in the kitchen. Before my husband and I arranged to spend this June through December clad in our unglamorous farming duds, I was even planning to start another blog called The Chickenless Wardrobe.

Now that you know my other hobby, I want to know yours. In the interest of well-roundedness, I hereby present to you my first Renaissance Cook Challenge!

Step #1

Pick a hobby other than cooking.

Step #2

Invent a dish inspired by said hobby. It can be a direct interpretation (example: frosting a cake to look like a soccer ball), or a loose one (example: arranging a dessert tray with all black-and-white foods).

Step #3

Post the results on your blog if you have one, or send pics to dontbeawuss@gmail.com so I can share them here.

The deadline for the Renaissance Cook Challenge will be Tuesday, January 26th. That gives you two weeks to pick a hobby and make your dish.

Have at it! Please feel free to post any questions you may have in the comments.

Addendum: My sharp-minded Foodbuzz buddy Ryan has brought up an excellent question: Are you allowed to re-post about foods you've already cooked? Sorry guys, but this is The Chickenless Kitchen. The point of my challenges is to expand your culinary horizons. So I'm going to have to be a big jerk and say no to that one. However, you may create a different dish inspired by the same hobby. Thanks for the question, Ryan!

Beat the eggs. Whip the cream. Show no mercy.


32 comments:

Tasty Eats At Home said...

Awesome challenge! Except, you already mentioned my other hobby - soccer - so now I can't frost a cake shaped like a soccer ball! :( Just kidding. I am not much for cake decorating anyway. Not sure what I'll do that has to do with soccer...hmmm...

I do want to see the Chickenless Wardrobe though. Sounds intriguing!

Kiyi Kiyi said...

Oh this sounds fun!
Too bad I already did a gingerbread garden and chicken house....I would have entered that.
Hmmmm, what else could I do?

Miriam said...

Such a good idea! One of my other hobbies is painting, I surely could pick a dish based on some painting theme, but I don't know if I'll have the time...

Ally's Sweet and Savory Eats said...

Hmm...might have to think about this one! My other hobby is reading, so I'll need to think of how to incorporate that:)

Cajun Chef Ryan said...

Hummm....now that is an interesting challenge. Can I post one I did already? My other hobby is railroading, and I have posted about railroad dining, combines my love of cooking and railroads.

Regards,
CCR
=:~)

Serena said...

What a cool idea! One of my other hobbies is making collages, which can be a rather jumbled collection of pictures...wonder how I'll create that into a dish?

Seriously Soupy Serena

kathy gori said...

I knit...hmmm could be a little dry.

Robin, David, Simon and Leo said...

Must make an edible remote control somehow...

singerinkitchen said...

That is funny Robin! I like this challenge. I will have to brainstorm.

luvtocook said...

This is such a great way to be creative.I accept your challenge. My other hobbies by the way are gardening(thats too easy though),and painting.

Flirting with Flour said...

What an innovative approach to cooking. I'm excited about this challenge.. Only the first thing that came to mind is Visual Basics (recently, I have used them on my job and am having a lot of fun manipulating data in Excel - so I'm not sure what I could possibly cook to represent that?! hah) But as you can tell I have a wide array of interests so perhaps I'll have to pick a different hobby! :p

Anonymous said...

Intriguing and fun challenge. Hmm, my non-food hobbies are photography and knitting and photographing my knitting. We'll see where that takes me. Kathy makes a good point about it being dry, but where there's an appetite, er... I mean... where there's a will there's a way.

Unknown said...

My other "hobby" is watching Korean dramas. Hmm..... since most of my cooking is Korean food anyway....I'll have to think about this one.

Mary Poppins in Heels said...

What a great idea! I'm in, though I have to think, think, think...it has to be appropriate, yes??

Cooking Rookie said...

Great idea :-). I need to think of something.... mmmm...

The Chickenless Chick said...

@MP... LOL No. No it does not. I wouldn't stifle your creativity that way ;)

Mary Poppins in Heels said...

You are the best, Chick!

wasabi prime said...

ooh, you saucy food challenger, you! I'm inspired; may have to combine my second blog for this challenge. I'm TOTALLY one of those vain people who take pics of what I wear! Well, I'm usually not wearing them when the pics are posted, I take pics of the clothes, clean up in Photoshop, and make layouts like in magazines. You can see it on http://jauntymagpie.blogspot.com

The Chickenless Chick said...

@Wasabi Prime... Cool, will have to check it out! If anyone else has a style blog, please let me know. I'm a total sucker for those things. I only meant the term "vain losers" in jest, since I am easily just as vain and don't consider myself a loser... think I'm gonna go back and change that wording now so no one gets the wrong idea.

Unknown said...

hhmm--my hobby is exercise and cooking is the second one--wait I am also a mom--maybe if I cooked a chil---I mean...I will have to see what I can come up with!

No one would want me to take pictures of what I wear--in fact I need a what Moe should not wear blog so I can follow that before leaving the house!
-Moe

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a fun challenge! Can't wait to see what everyone will come up with!

Mary Poppins in Heels said...

Chick, I'm thinking we all knew that you were only teasing us about our love of making a permanent record of our dress-up play sessions. It's the admission that we're all into it that let's you know that we can laugh at ourselves!!

Besides, I heard a giggle coming from Wasabi's note, didn't I, Wasabi?! ;~)

Dacia said...

Great idea! I love yoga ... I'm sure I can find a way to work that into a dish ....

redkathy said...

Great challenge idea. Can't wait to see the results!

Tasty Trix said...

This is a fun challenge. Hmmm, I have a ton of things I love to do (Jack of all trades, master of none, as they say) ... Consider my thinking cap firmly perched atop my head.

bunkycooks said...

What a great idea! I now need to figure out how to do what I am thinking...I don't think I have seen my closet since I started this blog!!

Mae said...

Oh boy... I have ideas a-brewin!

Viviane, Taste-Buds said...

That is one cool challenge!
I'd love to see what comes up with everyone, who knows I might even chip in if I feel inspired!

theUngourmet said...

Sounds fun! I'll have to take a peek to see how it all turns out. :) I think I'm just too boring to play along. I guess I'd better think of a new and exciting hobby!

Shirley said...

Hey Lindsay,
Here's my entry. I sent you a mail as well. Thanks for the challenge, I enjoyed it.
http://enrichingyourkid.blogspot.com/2010/01/birds-nest.html

Mae said...

I just got the "special equipment" for my entry in the mail (stupid UPS!). So, obviously I missed the cutoff. But I'm going to post it anyway on the weekend! :)

Mae said...

I posted mine on Sunday... too late, sadly :( http://peaslovecarrots.blogspot.com/2010/01/cook-your-hobby-scrabble-cookies.html