I don’t know about you, but I am still in Fringe withdrawal. I was late to the party – I didn’t even start watching the show until a few months before it ended. But once I got started, I was hooked on the pseudo-science-y plot devices, the mystery of the observers, the playful episode easter eggs, and of course the lovable mad-scientist Walter Bishop.

In honor of Walter, we decided to recreate one of his favorite foods: a strawberry milkshake. Now, the list of Walter’s most beloved foods is long and very particular; it includes red licorice, root beer floats, blue cotton candy, fruit cocktail, flan, and coffee cake; but it’s his description of the ingredients for the perfect strawberry milkshake that intrigued us.

For the obsessive fans, the inspiration for this recipe can be found in  episode 3.10, “The Firefly” when Walter meets his musical idol from the fictional band Violet Sedan Chair and they bond over their love of strawberry milkshakes. He sends Astrid to the store for ingredients: specifically strawberry ice cream, sweet whey, and brewer’s yeast, which I used to create this recipe.

Walter Bishop’s Perfect Strawberry Milkshake

3-4 cups Strawberry Ice Cream
½ cup milk
1 ½ tbsp sweet whey powder
1 tsp brewer’s yeast
½ tsp vanilla
whipped cream topping

Blend it up and get ready for a strawberry milkshake that basically tastes like candy. Walter Bishop would probably disapprove of my unscientific research, design and recipe testing methods, but I think he’d approve of the results anyway.

Enjoy! And remember: observers are here.

Read this post and other nerd-tastic delights at Fanboy Comics!

We know that we seem to always be cooking (and somehow are!) but we, like everyone, sometimes find ourselves needing to eat out! Luckily, Los Angeles has some pretty great restaurant offerings. Here are six restaurants we love in Los Angeles:

1) Village Pizza. This is one of our staples. Jeff loves pizza. Cor and I love a good salad. Their calzones also hit the mark, making us a little less homesick one ricotta-filled bite at a time. Located in Hollywood (and we’re in their delivery zone!), they also have a spot on Larchmont, which is an adorable street to peruse on a date night (or just a free afternoon – think lots of coffee shops!)

2) Grub. This spot we found a while back and it’s quickly become a favorite. Although they don’t deliver, they’re a quick five minute drive from our place, and we bring our out of town guests here to experience some stereotypical outdoor Los Angeles eating. They have a macaroni and cheese to die for, and their salads are huge and hit a great balance of meat and veg – what more could we want?

3) Palermo. I’ve said it before. I’ll say it again: Jeff and I are Italian, and we love to eat pizza and pasta all hours. Palermo’s is in Los Feliz, and has a homey feel that some Los Angeles restaurants are lacking. You feel like you could stay three hours, you don’t need to be in club attire to be there, and the lighting isn’t so low you can’t read the menu. It’s a family place! We like to bring crowds here when we want a really fun Friday night!

4) Spitz. Here’s another example of a great Friday hangout – just recently opened in Los Feliz (but has several locations), this is a place we go when we want to grab a beer…with our twenty closest friends! It’s a big space that’s never overly crowded, has big tables for large parties, and has a great beer list – and delicious food (those fries!) Although now that I have told all of you about it, I hope you can keep it a secret….so it doesn’t become too popular!

5) Crave Cafe. Technically not in Los Angeles, but The Valley, Crave is open twenty four hours, they have delicious crepes, coffee, and sandwiches. I love crepes more than most things, so finding this place was very exciting. Did I mention their open twenty four hours? Jeff and I headed there on Valentine’s Day for a post-dinner dessert crepe, and we snagged a table, even!

6) Cafe Verona. Jeff and I just discovered this place, and I am so sad we never headed there before! It’s on La Brea, and I had driven by many times – I am glad we made the trip. The food is delicious, and their coffee is one of the best I’ve had in Los Angeles – plus it comes in a bowl, basically, making it one of my new favorite places.

What are some of your favorite restaurants in your city? Artu in Boston, anyone?

If you’re like me, you probably buy eggs every week at the grocery store, regardless of whether or not you need ’em for anything. They’re a staple that I like to have on hand for baking, breakfast, or thickening a cheese sauce (another post for another time!) Sometimes though, you don’t find a use for them, and before they go bad, you want to hard cook them so you don’t waste them. That’s where egg salad comes in.

First off all, you need to hard cook your eggs – I prefer to hard boil them. Take a pot, and just cover your eggs with cold water. Bring to a boil, and then remove from heat and let sit covered for 15 minutes. Then, rinse under cold water and store until ready to use.

To make your egg salad, shell your hard boiled eggs, and dice them. Then dice your green onions, and roughly chop your thyme. Next, mix your wet ingredients: put your mayo, curry powder, and lemon juice in a bowl and stir. Add together with your dry, and then salt and pepper to taste.

Serve on crusty bread with a sprinkling of paprika and avocado slices, if you want! Get the full recipe here.

What spices do you put in your egg salad?

What a fantastic 3-day weekend. On Saturday, Rebecca continued to explore her new home, visiting the London Natural History Museum and Harrod’s Tea Room. Here in Los Angeles, we celebrated my birthday with a night out at Hyperion Public in Silverlake.

Jennie and Mary spent Sunday morning at the Farmer’s Market; it was Mary’s first time at the Hollywood Market and she thoroughly enjoyed herself. Jennie brought home quite the bounty in fresh produce.

After that, I joined Mary and Jennie for some wedding dress browsing followed by a delicious lunch at Cafe Midi. We all got different versions of the croque monsieur!

Sunday evening, Jennie and Jeff hosted a game night that involved some childhood favorites, including Mouse Trap and Clue.

And after all that, we were lucky enough to have Monday off for President’s day. So, Jennie and I had a cooking day. We finally made one of my mom’s favorite breakfast dishes – Wine, Bread, Cheese and Thou. We experimented with fennel, beets, and made a LOT of cheese sauce. Needless to say, we ate well and enjoyed the holiday.

I hope your weekend was as restful and fun as ours!

UPDATE: Due to awesome friends, we have discovered this is a carrot stick cutter. Thanks to Ana who figured it out for us!!

Hello readers! Today, we’re cooking up a storm at GMS! We are currently making some egg salad, and we came across this weird utensil in Jennie’s kitchen – and we don’t know what it is! We’ve had it for years, and we can’t think of what you could use it for, except maybe to spear cucumbers?

Help – does anyone know what this is?