Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Gastronomic Voyeurism and West Ukrainian Cheese Cake


West Ukrainian Cheese Cake


If there was a ‘worlds ugliest cake’ competition, this will win, hands down. Photos like this shouldn't even be allowed on the internet. I guess you would never guess that this is a cheesecake. It looks more like something that came from outer space. But it tastes good.

The recipe uses quark instead of cream cheese. The quark I used had 0.3% fat, so it’s a relatively low fat dessert. The recipe is available here.

Today's Favourite Photo
Source: Camemberu
Aftermath of a yusheng



Today’s Favourite Blog
Have you heard of or tried gastronomic voyeurism? It’s a Korean invention, also known as meok-bang or broadcast eating. The concept is quite simple, you eat, people watch online and pay. 

The country’s most popular broadcast eater is 34 year old Park Seo-yeon. For her, the broadcasts were so popular that she was able to quit her day job and become a professional broadcast eater. She earns money via a virtual currency called Star Balloons which is convertible into Korean won. A single broadcast can earn Park as much 1.1 million won (£600) and she says she has an average monthly income of around £5,600. 

Park’s evening meals go on for hours. She spends almost £2000 each month on top quality ingredients and in a single sitting can eat as much as 12 hamburgers, 12 fried eggs, and three bowls of kimchi stew. And she has managed to put on just an additional 9kg in weight. 

The food world is certainly innovating, or getting weirder, depending on how you look at it. I don’t think our ancestors ever anticipated a profession known as broadcast eating where you simply eat and people pay to watch you eat. Whats next?

12 comments:

  1. I remember that yusheng, we use to do that back in Malaysia for prosperity you have to throw them really high

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    1. I've never tried one, sounds like an interesting experience

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  2. First of all: if you asked me I'd guess it's a cheesecake. (I wanted to start a discussion about the word "instead" and that you should reverse the "cream cheese" which is used instead of REAL cheese... ;-) anyway, I'm sure it tasted better than made with tasteless cream cheese).
    I have several possible reasons why it has "deflated" (I have made cheesecake at least hundred times in my life), but the most important is the cheese is not fat enough and you haven't fixed it in any other way: you should have used at least 20% fat quark and if not, add some semolina, the way I do with my baked cheesecake (recipe on my blog) because low-fat cheese has more water than fatter cheese and the water evaporates... semolina keeps the moisture inside (I'll check the recipe and tell you the rest, hoping you are interested in improvement ;-)
    Gastronomic voyeurism concept sounds crazy!

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    1. Yes Sissi, the recipe uses quark instead of REAL CHEESE and cream cheese. And maybe a discussion on whether or not quark is cheese:)

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    2. Misunderstanding! Quark is cheese of course (Philadelphia no). This is what I meant ;-) I also use quark in cheesecakes!

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  3. Update: you have added semolina! Then it's the whipped whites. I never add whipped whites (some people do) because they tend to fall down if they don't have enough "solid" batter around... I would add more eggs and more semolina next time too! Otherwise the cut down piece looks delicious!

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    1. Thats a good point. I think of soufflé which rises and falls. Strange to use whipped egg whites in a cheesecake recipe. West Ukrainian!!!

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    2. In Poland many people do it too.
      PS Oh, I have just remembered about your friend saying quark is not cheese... Anyway, let's say quark is a natural dairy product.

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    3. Yes, we've had that quark is/isn't cheese discussion couple of times:) My friend was here last weekend. Doesn't eat cheese, doesn't even like the smell but told me about a kvarg chocolate cake he makes:)
      The dense texture in cheesecake is quite appealing - so prefer without whipped egg whites. I think Poles and Ukrainians should learn how to make cheese cake properly, from Americans using cream cheese, without whipped egg whites:)

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  4. Ever see the American version of Wilfred? At one point the roommate makes her living of webcam eating lol. What ever rocks your boat! That is a funny cake, not ugly, looks like a chef's hat.

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  5. Pretty food don't always taste good.

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