The Museum of Modern Art in New York features an exhibit on the design evolution of the kitchen. The Washington Post covers the kitchen-as-art history exhibit, called "Counter Space: Design and the Modern Kitchen," which displays kitchens and gadgets from the last century. It illustrates how, as people gave up servants and had to fend for themselves, simple and sleek design replaced fussy opulence, similar to the changes in the art world. It features the 1927 "Frankfurt Kitchen", which is considered the first modern convenience kitchen. It's pretty snazzy, even by today's standards.
Not everything has evolved since the early part of the 20th century. Candy has gotten an increasingly bad rap. Dr. Candy aims to fix that. The New York Times features Samira Kawash, a writer and former Rutgers professor, who pens the blog Candy Professor. She started the blog after another parent likened jelly beans to crack cocaine. "It was clear to me that there was an irrational equation of candy and danger in that house, and that was irresistible to me." In her blog she forgoes the candy nostalgia for the sociological issues, "...untangling the threads of control, danger and temptation that candy has carried since it became widely available in the 1880s". And perhaps it's not quite as bad for us as we might think.
Since Dr Candy's given us the go-ahead to chow on the Halloween goodies, why not go all the way and pair candy with wine? Slashfood.com gives the definitive lists of vintages for sweet vittles. M&Ms pair with malty, chocolatey Argentinian Malbecs. Candy corn's tooth-rotting sweetness sparkles with cheap Gewurztraminer. And we all know Jolly Ranchers are best when dissolved in vodka. (That last one isn't on the list, as it's common knowledge.)
What to do with that wicked candy and booze buzz? Bury a magician living in a glass box with canned goods until he's invisible, of course. In Toronto, magician Scott Hammell is living in a plexiglass box in Union Station until Sunday, where he promises to disappear by magic if people donate enough canned goods for Daily Bread Food Bank to cover his box. Which shouldn't be too difficult, seeing as he'll be hidden behind four walls of cans. The National Post covers his progress.
