The Most Creative Chocolate Gifts You’ll Instantly Adore

March 31, 2016 By Toby Isaacson Leave a Comment

When in need of a quick and certain way to impress a beloved one, there are some things that will probably never get old and that always seem to do the trick. Gifting flowers, watches, or mugs (yes, mugs) are some of those things that not even the most pretentious people can turn down. You obviously can’t diminish the thoughtfulness of a bouquet of flowers, the expensiveness of a watch, or the general practicality of a mug. Whether it’s coffee, tea, soup, or any other beverage, I find it hard to believe that there are people who never use mugs for anything.

Although all of these gifts are definitely nice, I have yet to see one that manages to light up someone’s eyes the way chocolate does. Someone once told me to never trust people who don’t like chocolate – any kind of chocolate. With such a huge variety scattered around the markets of literally every single place in the world, how can someone dislike all types of chocolates? This is why you can generally never go wrong. Not only is it a nice gesture of appreciation (with romantic connotations if you will), but it’s also an implosion of glee-inducing heavenly tastes – scientifically proven, nonetheless.

So, when chocolate gifts are being presented as tokens of appreciation all over the place, what can you do to make your present stand out more? You reinvent it, obviously. These following suggestions are creative ideas that have taken the classic chocolate box and reshaped it in a way that will make your beloved’s jaws drop in awe. They might be a tad riskier, but if you hit the nail on the head, you’ll be able to say that you’ve made a memorable chocolate gift.

The “L” in “Chocolate” Means Luxury

The line between a trivial something and a truly special something can be often drawn by quality. Impress your loved ones by offering them some chocolate gifts that are as unexpected as they are refined and unique. A company in London called L’artisan du Chocolate produces “chocolate pearls,” which are pralines coated in a smooth ganache layer and edible pearlescent silver glazing on top of it. As the name strongly suggests, they resemble the look of the sophisticated pearls, which is bound to make anyone think twice before indulging in one of those finely decorated boxes.

If you want to go for the whole experience, don’t get something that only looks luxurious. Acquire something for the truly expensive sweet tooth. For example, DeLafee makes truffles that blend fine Swiss chocolate with edible (and very much real) gold. Everything from the packaging to the taste is going to leave an everlasting impression on the person on the receiving end.

Personalize the Chocolate

Choosing chocolate gifts like this are going to show that you also know the person you are offering it to. Who wouldn’t smile at the prospect of someone paying attention to their hobbies, interests, and passions? There are many chocolate producers out there that can take pretty much any mundane object and turn it into a chocolaty delight. Is your beloved a shoe lover? Christophe Artisan Chocolatier – Patissier, for example, crafts chocolate sculptures that will make you feel incredibly weird about taking a bite out of one.

If you really want to go beyond the “subtle personalizing” zone, you may even want to try pasting your beloved’s face on one of those gifts. M&M’s, for instance, offers the possibility to create custom bags. Someone might feel a bit odd when they’re presented with an M&M’s bag as a gift, but once they open it and find plenty of the mini chocolaty treats covered in messages and pictures, they’re definitely going to be won over. For the ones who really, really wish to go all the way through, companies such as ChocoArt and Choc Edge can even reproduce a person’s head and turn it into a chocolate bust replica. This is all thanks to the innovative wonders of the latest 3D-printing technology. As long as you don’t think biting off their own head will be mildly strange for your beloved one, by all means – go for it.

Pretty Much Anything Covered in Chocolate

What’s better than chocolate itself? Chocolate covering other things, obviously. The number one choice, in this case, is the classic chocolate covered strawberry, with many companies offering these treats in attractive baskets and boxes. Shari’s Berries, for example, has a variety of fruity wonders up for grabs that involve more than just dipping them in a chocolate fountain. So, not only are they tasty, but they’re completely working the fun aesthetic that will make eating them so much more pleasant.

Fruits aren’t the only options here, though. For the coffee lover, there are producers who offer chocolate covered espresso beans. Those who live the exotic lifestyle might enjoy taking a slice of Chocolate Pizza’s Company, well, chocolate pizza. They even get specific about it, allowing customers to choose whether they want their chocolate to be milky, dark, or white. Last but not least, if you’re unsure or undecided, you may opt for one of Ghiradelli’s assortment tins, which contain chocolate covered almonds, peanuts, blueberries, raisins, cherries, and espresso beans.

Serve a Glass of Chocolate

Solid isn’t the only way to enjoy chocolate. There are some truly unique combinations on the market that are likely going to make you (and the person you’re gifting them to) question everything you know. One of these products is Chocolate Shop’s Sparkling Chocolate Red Wine, which, as the name suggests, blends the sweet marvel with the taste of red wine. But wait – there’s more. The company offers more than the classic previously mentioned, also providing bottles of strawberry chocolate wine and chocolate mint wine.

Perhaps chocolate in alcohol isn’t something that you think would work well for your dear one. In this case, you need to turn your attention to Republic of Tea, a company that brings the soothing taste of chocolate to our afternoon tea cup. The variety is impressive, with some of the most notable variants being banana, peppermint, red velvet, strawberry, and coconut chocolate.

Chocolate is an incredibly versatile ingredient. In the hands of a skilled person, it can be mixed with pretty much anything or turned into something completely crazy, like a screwdriver, a sculpture, or even edible clothes. Needless to say, there are many ways in which you can turn chocolate into a creative gift and those mentioned above are definitely hot suggestions.

Image sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

13 Absolute Spiciest Foods In The World

March 9, 2016 By Toby Isaacson Leave a Comment

Every person tolerates spiciness differently. Some people can’t tolerate it at all, preferring everything they eat to be mild and nice. Some would sprinkle pepper even on their ice-cream if they could. And if you’re not in either of these categories, chances are that you don’t necessarily love spicy food, but you don’t really mind it either. A slight amount of hotness to your meals is something you can probably put up with. However, there are some dishes that can make even the biggest hot pepper enthusiast break a sweat. If you want to test your resistance to food that makes you feel like you’re eating fire, here are the 13 Absolute Spiciest Foods In The World.

1. Sik Sik Wat

This Ethiopian’s dish particularity comes from the red pepper paste (known as berbere) covering the beef that is stewed here. However, it’s not just the red pepper that gives it a flaming hot aftertaste. Another ingredient is the “niter kebbeh,” which is a type of spicy butter.

2. Huo Guo

Huo Guo is the Chinese social equivalent of fondue in Western culture. Basically translating to “hot pot,” it’s a dish that’s known for uniting friends and family members around the table. It can be cooked with many different raw ingredients, which means that it’s easy to cook a huo guo that can soothe anyone’s taste buds.

3. Cau-Cau

A dish extremely popular in Peru’s fanciest restaurants and most modest homes alike, it’s said to have its roots in Africa. This dish was supposedly first cooked by the slaves that traveled all the way to Peru. Over time, it quickly grew in popularity, becoming a first-class meal. It’s traditionally cooked with tripe, but that can be substituted with seafood or chicken. Ideally, cau-cau should be served alongside rice, which absorbs the sauce and balances its strong taste.

4. Kimchi Jjigae

Jjigae is a Korean type of dish that strongly resembles the Western stew. A common presence on Korean tables, one of its most popular varieties is the one prepared with kimchi. The latter is another popular traditional food, which is basically pickled vegetables with hot peppers. The spiciness of kimchi is retained in the kimchi jjigae composition, though just how hot the meal is, differs from one cook to another.

5. Sambal Oelek

The term “sambal” is used to define a certain type of Southern Asiatic sauce, which is made from a variety of chili peppers and various other secondary ingredients. There are many variations of this sauce, depending on its composition and the food it’s served along with. Sambal oelek is one of them and it stands out through the fact that it contains some of the spiciest breeds of chili peppers, including the habanero and bird’s eye chilies.

6. Spicy Tuna Rolls

This recipe is not only popular in its place of origin, Bushido, Japan, but also in the Western world. It’s traditionally prepared with tuna scrape, which is what’s left behind after the fillet has been removed from the bones. A certain restaurant in Charleston found the tuna rolls to be so spicy, that they host contests in which participants are challenged to consume ten rolls. So far, no one has succeeded.

7. Korean Suicide Burrito

Despite its name, this dish was first cooked in John’s Snack & Deli, San Francisco. Its ingredients are a mix of the spiciest peppers from China, Mexico, and Korea, with kimchi often being included in the composition. If you’re curious about just how harrowing one bite into a Korean suicide burrito can be, a blogger wrote all about this experience. Needless to say, the spiciness haunted him for days to come.

8. Pearl’s Fried Rice

It’s pretty clear that this dish was invented with the goal of setting your tongue on fire. It’s served Pearl Café, in Florissant, and so far, only four hundred people have accepted the challenge of trying it out. Out of all them, only twenty-one lived to tell the tale. Well, the rest didn’t die, but I’m sure in that moment they probably felt like they did.

9. Hell Brined, Smoked, and Grilled Jerk Chicken Wings at East Coast Grill

That’s definitely a very hardcore name, but at least, it fits an equally hardcore dish. East Coast Grill serves these chicken wings with six bombs by its side, meaning that they wholeheartedly intend to make our innards suffer. Many ingredients go into the making of this meal, with the majority of them being chilies and other spices.

10. Kua Kling Phat Tha Lung

This popular Thailandese dish also found popularity beyond the borders. It ranked a place on the menus of several restaurants in Los Angeles, where it’s considered to be the epitome of spiciness. Many have said that it’s almost as if it oozes heat, which is a perfect indicator of how scorching a single bite can be.

11. Pad Prik Khing

Another Thai dish, Pad Prik Khing’s focal ingredient is pork, which is joined either by seafood of firm vegetables. The one to blame for this meal’s spot among one of the spiciest foods in the world is the curry paste, which is made from chili ginger, infamous for its fiery taste.

12. Griot with Sauce Ti-Malice

Griot is very popular in Haiti, despite the fact that its spiciness means it may not be a dish easily tolerated by everyone. What gives it its flaming aftertaste is the sauce on top, which contains ingredients that include habanero chili, spicy pickled peppers, and apple cider vinegar.

13. Otak-Otak

The name may sound like fun, but actually having a taste of this explosive dish sure isn’t. Otak-otak is a kind of fish flake, creatively served within a grilled banana leaf. The dry pepper pieces scattered on top of it are what makes this Southern Asian meal so blazing.

I consider myself to be someone that can enjoy spicy foods, but these dishes sound a bit too much even for me. After all, there is a reason why they are the 13 Absolute Spiciest Foods In The World.

Image sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13.

12 Vegetables That You Know Nothing About

February 26, 2016 By Toby Isaacson Leave a Comment

How frustrating is it when you decide you want to cook something, look up the recipe and then realize that some of the ingredients there can only be found in some secluded temple in Tibet for the mere price of one of your lungs? Or worse, you realize you haven’t even heard of them. As far as aliments go, it’s difficult to incorporate them in a meal or your regular diet without having a starting point to go by. What does it taste like? If it’s a condiment, how strong is it? Can you use in combination with anything? What happens if I shove a tablespoon of it in my mouth and post it on YouTube? So many questions. We’re not here to answer them, though. We’re here to provide you with even more obscurity, by presenting 12 Vegetables That You Know Nothing About and offering a few pieces of knowledge about them.

1. Purslane

If you think this vegetable looks familiar, that’s because it’s similar to dandelion. A very popular ingredient in Greek and Mexican dishes, purslane brings a great deal of benefits to health. It’s rich in Vitamins C and E, and fibers that are very good for stomach protection. As far as taste go, it’s very lemon-y and crunchy, many chefs often opting to include it to pesto sauces, sandwiches and salads.

2. Hubbard Squash

I know it doesn’t look too attractive. In fact, it looks like the ugly distant relative of pumpkins. But since we were all taught to judge a book by its cover, I’ll have you know that the beauty of a hubbard squash is inside. It provides a great deal of vitamins, fiber and potassium. The ideal ways to consume it are in stews or roasted, served with pasta and kale.

3. Celeriac

The name resembles celery because it has a taste that does strongly resemble celery, except it has a knobbier looking root. Among the beneficial substances you can find in a celeriac, we count magnesium, potassium and three kinds of vitamins. The best thing about this vegetable, though, is that it can be cooked in a variety of ways. You can add it to salads by peeling and grating it, or you can mash it just like you’d do with mashed potatoes.

4. Purple Sweet Potato

Potatoes, we trusted you. I can’t believe there are still sides of you we know nothing about. This sweet breed of potatoes has its origins in Okinawa, a small Japanese island. While on the outside, nothing gives away their differences, on the inside they’re rich in dark purple pigments, which contain cancer-fighting substances. They taste so sweet that they’re mostly used for deserts.

5. Fiddleheads

Let’s just agree from the start that “fiddleheads” is probably the cutest name you could give a vegetable. They’re relatively new and pretty pretentious, given the fact that you can only grow them during springtime. Having a grassy taste, they’re popular inclusions in Asian and French cuisine.

6. Romanesco

With an appearance that makes me think of a mutated cauliflower, this Italian vegetable actually is a relative of the cauliflower, having even a very similar taste. The most fascinating thing about romanesco has to be the unique pattern spreading all over its surface, known also as the mathematical Fibonacci.

7. Sea Beans

These veggies hold the title for the coolest set of aliases: Sea Pickles, Pickleweeds and – check this out – Sea Asparagus 5 and Salicornias5. They almost sound like secret commando fighters. If you choose to purchase some sea beans, you should know that the edible part of the herb is the small leaves that are barely visible, which are mostly used as condiments. Beware, though: they’re very salty, so you might want to boil them in water first.

8. Yardlong Beans

A very fitting name for a vegetable that can reach even up to two feet in length. These beans are a popular culinary choice in South Asia, in Mid-West being ingredients that you can find in Chinese Green Noodles and Chinese Red Noodles. Should you ever decide that you want to grow these strange vegetables, make note of the fact that the ideal harvest time is before the seeds begin growing.

9. Gai Lan

This kind of vegetable tastes very similarly to broccoli, thus its alias as the “Chinese broccoli.” The only differences are that gai lan tastes more bitterly, since it doesn’t host the average broccoli florets. You can either boil or stir-fry the green leaves and stalks.

10. Mizuna

A type of mustard green that’s been grown in Japan since the oldest time, mizuna is a necessary addition to your daily or regular menu if you wish to improve your immunity. It contains iron, Vitamin C and folate, as well as several antioxidants that can greatly reduce the risk of cancer. You’ll need to keep in mind when going to purchase mizuna to check if its leaves are green and crisp, and not withered, if you want to benefit from all of its effects.

11. Kohlrabi

In German, this translates to “cabbage turnip.” An interesting combo, isn’t it? Kohlrabi is a member of the turnip family, thus also being rich Vitamin C and fiber. The inside is protected by two layers that must carefully be peeled off before you attempt to consume it. Speaking of consuming, whether cooked or raw, it has an excellent taste, so don’t worry about it. The most common place you can find this vegetable in is Asian stores.

12. Oca

Also known as the “New Zealand yam” or “the veggie that split America apart.” I say this because, while extremely rare in North America, oca is the second most consumed vegetable in South America, after the famous potato. Given oca’s variety in colors, there is also a variety of flavors.

Some of the best discoveries, even in the culinary field, occurred from responsible experimenting. So, as long as you can find and afford these 12 Vegetables That You Know Nothing About, which also happen to be packed with nutrients and beneficial substances, you have nothing to lose if you start using them as ingredients in your normal meals.

Image sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12.

10 Facts That You Thought To Be True

February 2, 2016 By Toby Isaacson Leave a Comment

… but really aren’t. And that’s perfectly fine. Over the course of time, humanity has been constantly evolving, and that refers to the knowledge we possess. Back in the B.C. times, people thought that rain was a sign that the sky was going to collapse on them. That obviously isn’t true, and funnily enough, neither are the things that are on this list. But given the constant change in our perception, maybe ten years from now someone will be writing an article proving that, in fact, they are true. But let’s not get into that. For now, here are 10 Facts That You Thought To Be True (but unfortunately aren’t).

1. Lightning Doesn’t Strike The Same Place Twice

We’ve all heard this expression before, though I can bet that it had a much more metaphorical sense to it. Scientifically, however, there is absolutely no foundation that would prove the statement to be true. Nature doesn’t abide by any rules, especially a powerful force like the lightning. If it wants to strike the same place twice, it will do it and it’s done it before. Lightning hooks to the nearest electricity conductor, making tall buildings and constructions like the Empire State Building and the Eiffel Tower sure targets. And there are people out there who can vouch that they have definitely been struck more than once.

2. Bats Are Blind

This common misconception has spawned one of the most used retaliations: have you ever heard of the expression “blind as a bat?” Couldn’t be falser. Unless you’re insinuating that the certain someone the expression is aimed for needs some eyesight improvement, in which case you’ve hit the nail. Out of over 1200 total bat species, none of them are sightless. Truth be told, there are some that that don’t really see particularly well, but they have their infamous “echolocation” systems to guide them around through the power of high frequency sounds.

3. Red Is a Bull’s Greatest Enemy

Except, it’s not the color, it’s the flag. Like most other animals, bulls are what we call “color blind.” The crew of Myth Busters made it their quest to disprove this particularly intriguing myth, and they were successful in their attempts. It turns out that the bull helping with the experiment charged towards the waved flags, regardless of their colors. It’s safe to assume that the red flag is more of a symbol in bull fighting rather than a scientific means to an end.

4. America Was Discovered By Christopher Columbus

Then why is it named America? Because it’s named after another one of history’s greatest explorers: Amerigo Vespucci. And because Christopher Columbus never actually set foot on North American land. Most of his voyages circled around Caribbean islands and he definitely made plenty of important discoveries. However, America wasn’t just a deserted land prior to his so called discovery. The continent was inhabited by indigenous folk, and long before Columbus was even born, the first people to set foot on American land were the Vikings of the 11th century. Who’s pro changing America’s name to Vikingia?

5. Sushi Is Raw Fish

For many people, sushi is a delicate type of dish. After all, how many people are readily willing to experience the taste of raw fish? If this is your case, then you don’t have to worry about sushi. That’s because what sushi really refers to is a type of dish served with vinegar rice. The Japanese meal that consists of raw fish is sashimi, something entirely different from sushi. Moreover, so many people still believe this to be true and, in turn, avoid consuming sushi, that new types have been intended, marketed solely for westerners so they won’t have to worry about eating raw fish again.

6. Coffee Is Made From Beans

This one is a definite shocker. But don’t worry, it’s not too far away from truth either. Coffee is actually made from the seeds of a type of fruit called “coffee cherries.” They’re red, strongly resembling grapes, and underneath a layer of bitter skin lays delicious, sweet flesh. As for the “beans” we’re all so fond of, in their natural form they’re a blue-green hue, gaining the well known brown shade after being roasted.

7. China’s Wall Is Visible From Space

The Great Wall of China is seemed as one of the greatest man made constructions in history, and this statement has been backed up by the claim that it can be allegedly sighted from outer space. Well, surprise, it’s not. It’d be a wonder if it were barely visible. In fact, astronauts would need vision 17,000 times better than your average human’s to be able to see it. That doesn’t mean that nothing else is visible from space. Several astronauts claimed that, upon looking at the shadowed side of Earth, they were able to clearly see city lights and distinguish cities from the outer, less populated areas. Some say that, with the aid of binoculars, they were able to see large buildings, roads, airports, dams and even large sea and air vehicles.

8. Mount Everest Is The World’s Tallest Mountain

The delicate bit about this statement is the wording. While at 8,850 meters, Mount Everest definitely possesses the highest altitude on Earth, it’s not the tallest. When we talk about how tall a mountain is, we need to refer to the meters both below and under the sea level. On the other hand, altitude only refers to the distance above the sea level and the mountain’s summit. Going by this criteria, the tallest mountain in the world is actually in Hawaii, and it’s called Mauna Kea. While its altitude is half Mount Everest’s, given how 60% of the mountain is below sea level, it sums up a total of 10,100 meters from base to summit, making it the true tallest mountain in the world.

9. Fortune Cookies Are Chinese

Odd, isn’t it? Apparently, they’re an American invention, although how they came to be created is up to debate. Some say it was a Cantonese immigrant from 1918 who took pity on the poor and started spreading around cookies with inspirational, Biblical based messages in them. Others say that it was a Japanese man who wanted to thank his new employer at San Francisco’s Japanese Tea Garden for taking care of him, by slipping a small note of gratitude in his cookie. Whichever will prove to be the real story, we can be sure of one thing: fortune cookies were never a Chinese thing.

10. People Thought The Earth Was Flat

Some believe that before Christopher Columbus made the legendary discovery of American land (which he didn’t, as we’ve just established), people thought that the Earth was flat. Wrong. Contrary to popular belief, Columbus wasn’t the first man to set sail and explore the world beyond European borders. Many before him have traveled the seas and oceans, and have concluded that the Earth was indeed round. More than that, this claim was made even longer prior to the 15th century: Greek philosopher Pythagoras suggested Earth’s roundness back in the 6th century B.C. It’s true, however, that there was a point in time between the 18th and the 20th centuries when this claim was up to debate, but it was mainly kept between religious and secular groups.

How did this list affect your views on the world? Changes in perspective and even universally accepted realities have been a common recurrence in the course of humanity’s existence. They happened before and they definitely still will. This is why all of these were 10 Facts That You Thought To Be True.

Image sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

5 Great Snacks That Anyone Can Make

October 8, 2015 By Anne Burwell Leave a Comment

If you’re a typical consumer like… most everyone, then you also are intimately familiar with the craving for something to chew that’s, sadly, just lurking in a corner of your awareness, waiting to pounce at any of the myriad opportunities that come along each day (movie, multiplayer gaming session, beer and social chat with friends etc.).

I say sadly, because, well it’s not healthy at all to keep stuffing yourself all day like a “crunchies and munchies” addict. Especially if the snacks in question are toxic, chemically filled, cholesterol raising monsters, which most are. And especially if you live a sedentary life!

But. Assuming you DO work out and try to have a healthy diet, here’s 5 great snacks that anyone can make and that you can have once in a while.

1. The Universal Bond, Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

Used as cream or an ingredient in complex treats, or in pancakes with banana slices, or simply spread on a slice of bread, chocolate hazelnut spread (like Nutella) is a versatile helper when you need to appease the Cookie Monster.

An easy to make snack based on the classic puffed-rice squares: stir some of the spread into the marshmallow-cereal mixture, put a melted mix of milk chocolate chips and Nutella on top of the treats and then chop some hazelnuts and sprinkle them over everything. (Recipe from Stephanie Banyas‘ new book, “Treat”).

2. Bread and Cheese Yummy Fast Food

A slice of bread can be a perfect, edible foundation for many culinary applications that don’t require many other ingredients. As is this recipe which relies mainly on broiling some slices of bread that you’ve spread 1 tsp of butter and sprinkled some cinnamon-sugar on until they’re toast, spreading a healthy dose of mascarpone cheese on it, then spreading an even healthier dose of grape mixture. This you make by baking with oil some grapes in the pan (along with thyme sprigs, salt, and black pepper) until they burst from the heat and the juice seeps out creating a great mixture to put on the cheese, as it will complement the taste nicely.

3. Lemon Bars

If you like your sweets like you like your Western heroes, firm and crusty at the exterior but with a sweet and mellow core, then you should go for making lemon bars. Especially since they’re so easy to make and can be served either right out of the fridge or at room temperature. The main things you need are flour, sugar, eggs, butter and lemon juice and a some time. You make the crust out of mixing the butter, flour, sugar and some salt and then pressing that mixture into the bottom of a baking pan and … well, baking it. You make the filling from sugar, flour, cornstarch, eggs and lemon juice.

4. Salsa Sauce And Avocado

Salsa sauce is real easy to make and it’s a great complement for many delicious Mexican dishes. However, you don’t need to put on your sombrero and go all-out Mexican cHef(e) to enjoy it. You can simply pair it with avocado halves for a refreshing natural snack. All you need to do is cook tomatillos, onion and garlic in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until heavily charred on both sides, about 15 minutes. Then peel garlic and transfer to a food processor with other roasted vegetables, chipotles, lime juice and salt, pulsing until they combine, adding seasoning to taste. Spoon the salsa over the avocado halves. This avocado solution also comes in handy if you happen to have left-over salsa sauce from a party or gathering and don’t know what to do with it. No point in letting it go to waste when you can give it new life and purpose.

5. Crunchy Party Mix

A great recipe you can use at parties when you want to put a mix on the table with a little bit more personality is to put together, in a small bowl, 3 tsp of water, chili powder, onion powder, Worcestershire, salt, honey and garlic powder that you will then pour, in a large bowl, over a mix of pretzels, peanuts, cereal, wasabi peas (optional) and popcorn. Stirring once in a while, bake everything in the oven using a large baking sheet until the mixture is dry.

Image source: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.