"This is 'Top Chef,' Not 'Top Scallop'!"

If you've met me, you know that I love reality television.  (I currently have the new season of "The Real World" on in the background.)  However, "Top Chef" is my current love.

My obsession with food reality television is a new one.  Partly due to the lack of cable television through most of my life.  Now, though?  Between "Top Chef" (favourite = Jamie... and Radhika,) "Ace of Cakes" (love Geoff,) "Ultimate Recipe Showdown," "Amazing Wedding Cakes" and "Iron Chef" (where I always root for Michael Symon,) it's a wonder I'm not a better chef...  Also, I'm constantly amazed by my intrigue in these shows - it's not like I get to try the food!

That being said, I occasionally come away with some good tips / tricks / hints.  While watching "Ultimate Recipe Showdown: Cakes," the winning "birthday cake" has turned into a true winner in my life.  I bring you, courtesy of Doreen Howarth, the Put-the-Lime-in-the-Coconut Cake!  (Slight changes: I used coconut extract instead of coconut oil.  Also, I used an additional 0.5 c butter instead of shortening for the icing.)  It's always awesome to see something being made on television and actually being able to execute it yourself!  I made this for S's birthday yesterday:

The coconut is green because it's grass, people!

Drop the Chalupa (!) (?)

Today is my friend's S's birthday.  (Happy 27th!)  It was a delightful evening, full of joy!

After consuming some delicious Thai food (from Lemon Thai, my favourite Boston-area Thai place,) we chatted for awhile, and then decided it was game time.

And by "game time," I mean literally that.  It was time to play a game.

The game du jour?  Catch Phrase!  I had never played this before, but it's similar to Taboo, in that you are trying to get other people to say a word or phrase.  Unlike Taboo, some of the "phrases" are a little more obscure.

We had "Swiss Alps."  We had "Numero Uno."  We had "Budget Cuts" and "Tom Brokaw."  But then:

Drop the Chalupa.

This was something I was supposed to get my friends to say.  A) I've never heard that

 before.  B) I'm not entirely sure what a chalupa even is, so how am I supposed to get my friends to say it?  So, I just busted out laughing and said it aloud.  This prompted theories of some stoned guy planning the electronic game having a roommate (named Frank) who worked at Taco Bell.  (Thanks, M1!)  All in all, absolutely hilarious.  (Perhaps less so in the retelling, but...)

I did get curious, though.  According to Urban Dictionary, "drop the chalupa" has two meanings:

1.  Give birth

2.  Take a large, ahem, dump (especially, and I quote, after consuming f

ood from Taco Bell)

And... I think that makes me done for the night!

Happy Birthday, S!  Inspiration: