Barack Obama sushi by chef Ken Kawasuma.
Photo courtesy MSN Japan.

Somehow we missed this back in 2009, and only recently came across it on the MSN Japan website.

Sushi Chef Ken Kawasumi of Tokyo Sushi Academy took the 2009 championship title in Japan’s National Sushi Awards, with his sushi interpretation of President Barack Obama.

This is a sushi roll, rolled on a bamboo mat like all other maki sushi. How can anyone top it?

Obamazushi is just one of the stupefying creations of the brilliant Chef Kawasumi, whom we consider to be the Andy Warhol of edible art.

Check out “Ken Kawasumi” on Google Images. It will make you want to book a trip to Yokohama to dine at his restaurant, Sushisho Kawasumi.

In fact, Sushisho Kawasumi has replaced The Fat Duck as the restaurant to which we’d most like to win a trip. Kawasumi’s seemingly limitless repertoire extends from panda-shaped sushi to life-size sushi “paintings,” including an edible version of Van Gogh’s “Sunflowers.”

If you won’t be heading to Yokahama anytime soon, check out Chef Kawasumi’s books:

 
Learn your sushi by reading our beautiful Sushi Glossary.
  

In our review, we suggested making caramel sauce by melting the caramels.

Now, Happy Goat has launched its own goat caramel sauce in two flavors:

 
You can purchase both on the company’s website.

Pick up some superfine sugar. It dissolves
instantly in cold drinks. Photo courtesy
Domino Sugar.

Superfine sugar, also known as ultrafine sugar (and caster or castor sugar in the U.K.), is more finely pulverized than table sugar (granulated sugar). The grain size of regular table sugar is about .5mm; superfine sugar grains are about 3.5mm.

The result is that superfine sugar dissolves instantly. No vigorous stirring is required to get the sugar to dissolve; no undissolved sugar sinks to the bottom of the glass.

Many pastry chefs and bakers prefer using superfine sugar in order to create higher-rising cakes with a slightly finer crumb (grain). For the same reason, superfine sugar is used to make delicate baked goods such as meringues and angel food cakes. As a result, superfine sugar is sometimes called bakers’ sugar.

Just substitute the same amount as regular granulated sugar in your recipes.

You can find superfine sugar in most supermarkets, or buy it online.

When we were growing up, chips meant potato chips or corn chips.

Today, the chip aisle is bursting with choices. There are bean chips, nut chips, plantain chips, rice chips, tortilla chips and vegetable chips.

And now, there are wonton chips.

Inspired by the wonton strips served at Chinese restaurants (great for dipping in hot mustard or duck sauce), the product was developed by two friends who had enjoyed many a meal in Boston’s Chinatown.

Unlike the darker colored restaurant wonton strips, Want’ems are pale and light in texture, made from whole grain wheat flour and fried in canola oil. They taste like wonton strips “lite.”

The all-natural chips are available in Original and Asian BBQ. The BBQ has added hints of soy sauce, garlic and brown sugar.

Want’ems is aiming for national distribution, so they may not be easy to find at your nearest store. But they’re available on Amazon.

Learn more about Want’ems at Wantems.com.

Find reviews of our favorite snacks in our Gourmet Snacks Section.
  

Try grilled halloumi cheese to start.
Why not serve it with grilled romaine?
Photo by Ina Peters | IST.

You may also have tried grilling pizza (if not, try these grilled pizza recipes).

But how about these four: grilled halloumi cheese, grilled lettuce, grilled avocado and grilled cake?

1. Grilled Halloumi Cheese
Halloumi cheese, from Cyprus, is made to be grilled or pan-fried. It keeps its shape when cooked, and makes a great appetizer. Add slices to a salad or make grilled cheese and vegetable skewers. We like halloumi so much, it was a Top Pick Of The Week. Read our full review, which includes recipes.

2. Grilled Lettuce
Follow a grilled halloumi appetizer with a grilled salad. Even people who won’t eat a green salad can be attracted to lettuce grilled with an alluring char. Grill heartier varieties of lettuce such as endive, radicchio and romaine. Cut the head in two and grill the halves face down, or separate and grill individual leaves. Brush lightly with olive oil and grill over medium heat until just charred (don’t let the leaves wilt). Serve with grilled tomatoes and your favorite dressing. Or generate excitement with a grilled Caesar salad.

4. Grilled Cake
End the meal with grilled cake. Did you see our recipe for grilled angel food cake last month? Just as you can toast a bun on the grill, you can toast slices of angel food cake, pound cake, banana bread and other firm cakes (loaf cakes work well). Simply brush the sides with butter and toast over medium heat until grill marks appear. You can serve grilled cake with grilled fruit or fresh fruit marinated in orange liqueur (like Grand Marnier or Gran Gala), ice cream, mascarpone or whipped cream.

You can also toast cake in the toaster. You won’t get grill marks, but you will get toasty good flavor.

 
Thanks to Care2.com for inspiring this story.