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It is said, it 'tastes like chicken'. Some of the testers of the controversial kind of pizza being served in Florida Everglades restaurant are positive when it comes to patronizing the unique concoction.


Python pizza is considered as a new delicacy invading the plates of Florida restaurants. It can be availed at Evan’s Neighborhood Pizza.

Owners of the restaurant Evan and Avis Daniell came up with the non-traditional toppings and they continue to produce Python pizza despite warnings related to the threat to local biodiversity.

Mr. Daniell is all set to making the pizza as it captures huge acceptance from the local customers of the Everglades Pizza.

People talk about it all the time and whether it's negative or positive, it really doesn't matter because the fact is: we can make it and it's delicious

Python pizza maybe bizarre but it became a bestseller at the restaurant located in Fort Myers.


Since it is illegal to hunt and kill phytons in Florida, Daniell's meat comes from Vietnam.

Every Chinese New Year in the Philippines, the most iconic food you can see in the market or perhaps receive from a friend or family will be Tikoy (Nian Gao). It's a delicacy, kept as a long standing custom by our Chinese brethren, symbolizing good fortune and prosperity.


Tikoy is made from glutinous rice, grounded and pounded until it  became paste.

In celebration of Chinese New Year for 2014, you might want to check these tasteful-looking Tikoy recipes: (Source)

1. TIKOY and PEANUT CHEESE STICKS by Chef Jam

Ingredients: Tikoy, Cheese, Nuts (crushed), Eggs, Lumpia wrapper, Oil

How to prepare TIKOY and PEANUT CHEESE STICKS:

Cut tikoy and cheese into strips. Dip in beaten eggs then roll on nuts. Put a piece of tikoy and peanut cheese strip in the center of a lumpia wrapper, roll, fold sides and seal.

Heat oil in a pan. Deep fry tikoy and peanut cheese sticks in batches until golden brown. Serve.

2. GINATAANG TIKOY by Chef Jam

Ingredients: Tikoy, Saba banana, Pandan leaves, Coconut milk (or gata), Sugar, Salt, Water

How to prepare GINATAANG TIKOY:

Boil water, and then add in pandan leaves, sugar and a pinch of salt for flavor. Pour in coconut milk. Bring these ingredients to a boil.

While waiting for the mixture to boil, slice the bananas and cut the tikoy in cubes.

Once it boils, remove the pandan leaves then add in the sliced bananas and tikoy. Mix it well for 15 minutes or until the bananas are cooked. 

3. BIBINGKOY (Bibingka-Tikoy) by Chef Jam

Ingredients: Tikoy, Sweetened mongo, Sugar, Banana leaves

How to prepare BIBINGKOY:

Cut the banana leaves into several round pieces. Mold the homemade tikoy to a round shape using the mouth of a glass. Place the molded tikoy on a banana leaf piece, then top it off with sweetened mongo and cheese strips.

4. Special Sweet Tikoy by Elaine Ilagan of http://www.executivegourmet.ph/ "How to Prepare Tikoy for Chinese New Year"

Ingredients: Tikoy or glutinous rice flour, Sugar, 1 cup water or more, 2 Eggs, Flour, 2 tbsp Oil

How to prepare Special Sweet Tikoy:

Mix all the ingredients sugar, water, eggs and flour. (You can still add other flavorings to make it more delicious and colorings). Set aside.

Pre heat round pan with oil.

Dip the tikoy in the mixture and fry it within 2 minutes or until golden brown.

Put in a platter and serve immediately.

Garnish with buko, nata or sago

Going back to the roots, Tikoy or Nian Gao has several types:

Tikoy (Nian Gao) in Shanghai cuisine - the rice paste is stir-fried or added to soups.

Northern Nian Gao - Tikoy is served steamed or fried. Sometimes, the Nian Gao is stuffed or filled with red bean paste or jujube.

Fujian Nian Gao - In the southern regions of China, Nian Gao is prepared wrapped in egg or corn starch.

Jiangnan Nian Gao - the paste is sometimes served with pickled pork soup.

Cantonese cuisine - In Guangdong, Nian Gao is sweetened with usually, brown sugar. Occasionally, it is served as a pudding with rosewater bean paste.

Do you have any Tikoy (Nian Gao) recipe for the New Year to share? Tell us through the comment box below this post.

Gong Xi Fa Cai / Gong Hey Fat Choy!

We've seen quite a lot before and for one in this news blog, we once posted about China selling rat meat as lamb. This time around, lamb meat injected with dirty water to swell and add weight, therefore higher selling price.

In Shanghai, at least seven people were arrested for doing the above dirty trick. The suspects, according to reports, slaughter up to 100 sheep per day at an illegal warehouse, inject up to 6 kilograms of filthy liquids into the meats before selling them in the markets.

Just last week Wal-Mart Stores Inc. had to apologize after discovering a Chinese supplier of donkey meat mixed with fox meat.

There's been a lot of food scandals hitting china - last we heard was about gutter oil used for cooking and dairy products tainted with deadly chemicals.

Even major food chains were caught up in the food safety issues in China. (Image: http://therealsingapore.com/)

General Mills' Cheerios is now without genetically modified ingredients, the company announced on Jan. 2 (Thurs). In its online article, General Mills Inc. said:

Consumers across the U.S. are seeing “not made with genetically modified ingredients” this week on familiar yellow boxes of original Cheerios.

The move could be the result of the pressures from the consumers and activist groups urging General Mills Inc. to stop using genetically modified organisms or GMOs.

There were no changes made in the cereal oats used in Cheerios as it has always been made with whole grain oats but the company says, it made changes in its sourcing. Now, the food company only uses " non-GMO pure cane sugar instead of beet sugar", spokesman Mike Siemienas said.

Siemienas added:

We do value our Cheerios fans and we do listen to their thoughts and suggestions

Consumers of Cheerios have been worried about the health and environmental issues concerning GMOs.

Anti-GMO groups are now constantly pressuring American food makers to remove genetically modified ingredients from all foods or at least, inform the public by putting on proper labels, which foods contain GMOs. (Source)

Definitely, Filipino media noche recipes will be taking their rounds during the new year's eve for 2014 in the Philippines. During this day, Filipinos just love to gather together and cook their heart out as they welcome and celebrate the coming of the new year.

In every house you visit during the new year's eve, a media noche preparation is an indispensable part of the feast. While Filipinos love to eat, it is also a perfect family bonding avenue.

So what are the Filipino media noche recipes you know by the way? Do you plan to cook any of them in a few hours or so?

Why don't you consider these eight (8) Filipino recipes for your media noche this year?

1. Arroz Valenciana Recipe 
2. Mango Float Recipe
3. Pansit Palabok Recipe
4. Crema de Fruta Recipe
5. Ube Biko Recipe
6. Baked Bibingka Supreme Recipe
7. Lumpiang Sariwa or Lumpia Sariwa
8. Creamy Chicken Curry Recipe

Did you plan to prepare any of those in the list above?

If you think, you don't feel like cooking those 8 recipes we've chosen, you may take a look at the rest of the hundreds of Filipino media noche recipes at Pinoyrecipe.net.

Photo full credits to http://movingcouchpotato.blogspot.com

China implemented a shark fin ban, including bird's nest in the delicacies served in the official banquets. It's one of China government's move in going after extravagance.
To run the said law, China passed a regulation that rules out dishes with shark fins, bird nests and other animal products in any official receptions.

Among other things affected by the ban is the use of luxurious cigars and liquors. It is China's way of regulating the use of public funds by the government officials.

Following the said shark fin ban are a number of hotels in Hong Kong and China revoking their shark's fin soup from their existing menus.

Airlines also followed suit. Cathay Pacific for one banned shark fins in its cargo loads.

In UK, spiders in bananas alarmed a family after buying some from Sainsbury's supermarket. They were even advised to leave their home while the spiders are being removed.
Horrified, the mother noticed that the spiders in the bananas she bought looked like a mold. She took the bananas back to the supermarket and was given a refund.

Spiders in bananas can be a common scene since they often hide in between the fruits.

A spider exterminator said, those arachnids are Brazilian spiders and they are considered as one of the deadliest kind, in the world.

For sure Halloween has passed but nobody wants to bring it back by suffering from a scare out of those creepy and deadly spiders.

It may be treated differently by different mindsets of people in the world but as how reality bites in the world we live in, insects could be alternatives to our massively produced animal meats every year.





In other famine stricken countries or perhaps economically challenged nations, insects can be considered as a delicious meal. But how about bringing the idea into the Dutch cookery?

A Sittard based chef Cecile invited her students to introduce insects into traditional recipes. Her students Richard, 41, Mariet, 53, and Seppo, 43 have been looking for environmentally-friendly alternative to meat and now, they are considering insects in their cooking book.

Said Richard in a feature video:

I want to live in a healthy way, but being vegetarian is a bit too hard for me

Watch the video here: http://ph.news.yahoo.com/video/insects-making-eco-friendly-buzz-110702493.html

Insects are not only easy to process but they are also nutritious.

How about you? In your side of the food industry and market, will you consider insects as part of your dishes and cooking adventures?