2012 Consumer Electronics Show- The Vehicles



Electric Concept Car- Audi Urban



One of the more surprising aspects of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is the number of automobiles that are on display.  A car is a machine, that needs oil and fuel, and drives in the snow and rain.  Cars are not like computers or TVs right?  Well, actually it is all of the above.  Just ask the thankful parents that never hear "Are we there yet?" from their children happily viewing their favorite programs on seat mounted TVs in the back seat.  The amount of technology and programing that goes in to modern vehicles is staggering and extremely complex.  They truly are computers on wheels.  And in fact unveiling new technologies within an automobile is a great way to garner attention at the CES.

There are a few trends in cars right now.  Voice recognition and activation, and heads up displays are going to be a part the driving experience in the years to come.  These will allow you to make phone calls, listen and reply to emails and texts, and see all functionality of the vehicle all while keeping your eyes on the road.  There are various services and devices that will allow you to do this currently, but these advancements are begining to be baked into new models and concept vehicles, so in the future they will most likely come standard.

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Blackberry Flan (known as "Black Flan" for the 2011 Oscar Party)

I have a love-hate relationship with flan.  It never sounds good.  It is not something I would order after dinner.  And there is something about it that just looks... odd.  But every time I do venture out and give it a shot I'm always surprised just how tasty it is.  I mean off-the-charts-good.  I sit there with a look of confusion as to why I don't eat flan every day.  I should have by this point of my life realized that, despite all of my thoughts to the contrary, I like flan.

I think many other people have a similar reaction.  Hesitation at first, followed by bewilderment, and finished with cravings for more.  The problem is getting people to try the first bite.  Which can by quite an obstacle.  This is why serving flan at a party is a bold move, especially if you are straying from the deliciously traditional caramel custard. 

Black Swan section from the 100 Mile Hallway Mural

But when this years Oscar nominees were announced, I had a sinking feeling once I realized I had to do it: I had to make "Black Flan".  Not only was I going to try making a dish I wasn't sure I even liked, I was going to be making a dish I had never made before, and with a twist that could ruin the whole thing...  Gulp.  But that feeling seemed to fit right in line with the scary, uneasy, psychedelic nature of Natalie Portman's Oscar winning portrayal in Black Swan.  And much like the dancer in Black Swan, the dish had to straddle both traditional beauty and technique, with avant-garde danger and risk.  Ok, that's a bit dramatic, adding blackberries to custard ain't exactly a Warhol painting, but just go with the metaphor here will ya?

So after some practice and trying out a couple different recipes it came down to 3 basic steps:

1. Making Blackberry Simple Syrup
2. Making the Flan Custard
3. Baking and Serving

Really that's it.  There are a few steps in between, and a couple little tweaks for fun, but that is just about it.  So let's get going...

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