Musing: Apple Dumplings, Taste vs Presentation, Kitty Litter Box Cake

 

September 17th, Apple Dumpling Day
Food of the Day: One-Year Goal
Day: #73

Emily made lazy guacamole on Guacamole Day, but you can’t keep the Wow Mom down for long. For Apple Dumpling Day, she outdid herself with homemade apple dumplings (see above picture) and then paired them with the movie The Apple Dumpling Gang for her little dumplings to watch.

Sorry, Emily—over the last couple of posts we have called the children “dumplings” and “muffins,” but it is not our fault. Your kids are so darn endearing and adorable. BUT, let me go on record as saying that the Wow Children are as smart, tough, and innovative as they are sweet and adorable.

My apple dumplings? Well, they tasted ok, but in the looks department they were nothing muchers and certainly not worthy of a picture. I do make beautifully poofy popovers, though!

Let’s muse: We have all heard at one time or another, “Well, it may not look great, but it tastes really good.”

Yes…but if it doesn’t look good, do we even want to try it?

When my friend Isabel, who is a great cook, made a kitty litter box cake for a school event, I was not the least bit tempted to snag a Tootsie Roll off of it.

My taste is not just in my mouth. Presentation matters to me.

Ugly food deserves a chance. I would never dismiss on looks alone; that would be mean. However, I do want it served in the most appealing manner…some drizzled sauce, fresh fruit, flowers, or brown sugar and cinnamon might help. Ugly food needs to have a great personality.

My ugly dumplings were not worth the effort, but if I had been stuck serving them to company I would have melted some butter and lightly brushed it on them, followed by a generous sprinkle of brown sugar. I would then have placed them on a beautiful plate surrounded by apple slices. Those of us that cannot cook are some of the best food illusionists around.

Muse with me: Presentation vs. taste. In a perfect world, we would have both. But just in case your world isn’t always perfect, choose one. Odd Loves Company!


Kb

And in case you want to make one (Halloween is just around the corner:  The Kitty Litter Box Cake.

Isabel’s Cat Box Cake~Odd Exclusive from Katybeth on Vimeo.

5 thoughts on “Musing: Apple Dumplings, Taste vs Presentation, Kitty Litter Box Cake

  1. The cat box cake is too funny!!
    Taste is very important to me but I guess if my mashed potatoes are lumpy and dry looking I’m not excited about them until I load them up so presentation certainly helps.

    Now if only I had the nerve to make that cake!

  2. Nope, I’ll pass, no kitty litter cake for me. I don’t care how cute it is, I just couldn’t get past it.
    TTFN
    M

  3. Its always fun to eat food that is presented well. Taste is important but I would be doubtful that a glob of food on my plate could be very tasty.

    The cat box cake is hilarious.

    Claire

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