Tag Archives: Food

Billboard that smells like French Fries tempts you to go to McDonald’s

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There’s a chocolate drink factory near our place and when the wind blows down the main street, the smell of chocolate fills the entire area and every person is brought back to their childhood drinking a cup of hot cocoa in the morning. Also, on my walk to and from the office and my house, I pass by a McDonald’s store. When I’m especially hungry, that distinct smell of burger and fries (and sometimes chicken) actually tempts me to make a detour and enter the store to buy my dinner.

Designer: TBWANeboko and Raul & Rigel for McDonalds

There are just some food brands that triggers our olfactory nerves and makes us want to buy their products to satisfy this craving brought about by smell. McDonald’s believes they’re one of those brands and in Netherlands, they’re putting this to good, creative, and aromatic use. Their ad agency TBWANeboko worked with production company Raul&Rigel to put up a series of unbranded street billboards with just the red and yellow colors. When you pass by within 5 meters of them, you get to smell the distinct aroma of McDonald’s French Fries, hopefully triggering a craving.

These scented billboards actually have a hidden compartment in them to store the aforementioned fries. There’s also an internal heat and ventilation system that is responsible for intensifying this smell and tempt anyone passing by to get fries. Of course they are located strategically near a McDonald’s, 200 meters away in fact, so that you can sate that craving and get your favorite fries (and maybe other things) because of that billboard smell.

It’s a pretty creative way to take advantage of that feeling evoked in us when we smell something so distinct. It’s bad news though for people like me who are trying to stay away from carbs. Good thing that fries-scented billboard is only in the Netherlands, although passing by that McDonald’s every day is already temptation enough.

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Edible AirPods-looking earbuds are (expensive) fanciful candy

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We see a lot of Airpod dupes out there in the market that are not as expensive and therefore may also not last as long as the originals. I’ve heard of some people who keep getting these non-authentic earbuds that look the same as Apple’s original because either they stop working properly or they keep losing them. And with the way that a lot of these earbuds are made, it’s not surprising that people keep losing them. What if there are AirPods though that are meant to be lost….into your mouth?

Designer: MSCHF

The Brooklyn-based art collective called MSCHF, known for their unserious and sometimes prank-ish products, have come up with their own take on the AirPods. But instead of giving you music, this may very well give you a toothache. That’s because their Candy AirPods are just exactly what the name says. They are edible earbuds that don’t have any other function except to be consumed. Well, unless, you want to keep them around for a long time even though they can’t let you listen to your favorite songs or podcasts.

The AirPods-looking candy come in a box just like the actual AirPods. They really do look like the earbuds as they are “ergonomically fitted to your ears” even though they’re not meant to be actually be put into your ears. The edible earbuds are made from isomalt, water, food coloring, and natural and artificial flavors and only contain 10 calories per container. If you have any allergies, you shouldn’t worry as they are GMO-free, fat-free, and allergen-free. They’re even manufactured in a nut-free facility so you can be sure you won’t get an allergy attack if you eat them.

Right now, it looks like they’re already sold out on the MSCHF website and we don’t know if they will still be restocking. But in case they will, it will cost you $50 which is a pretty steep price for two pieces of candy. They also can’t ship outside of Continental America since it’s not meant to travel far.

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World’s First 3D Printed Edible Eel: Sushi Ready

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Hot on the heels of 3D-printed salmon comes the world’s first 3D-printed eel, made by Steakholder Foods using its line of 3D meat printers. Its current iteration of eel is plant-based, but it plans to ethically harvested eel cells and cultivate them once “economies of scale allow for price-competitive cell development.” These are fascinating times for the sushi industry!

SteakHolder’s printing process involves printing alternating layers of varied textures to as closely resemble the meat it’s printing as possible. So, it’s not just a solid block of the same texture and flavor. Its printing technology also allows the company to produce meat alternatives using significantly fewer ingredients than others currently on the market.

Above: A filet of grouper being printed.

SteakHolder Foods CEO Arik Kaufman says, “The launch of our printed eel marks a pivotal moment in the seafood industry…This technology is designed to enable partners to generate products on a potential industrial scale of hundreds of tons monthly, not only at lower costs compared to wild eel, but also with the flexibility to create a variety of printed products using the same production line.”

Would you eat 3D-printed eel? I would. As a matter of fact, I want some right now. Ideally, laid atop some rice with wasabi and soy sauce on the side. Great, now I want sushi. But I just had Mexican! I suppose I still have a little room…

[via TechEBlog]

A ramen-themed desktop PC is perfect for those late-night gaming sessions

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Contrary to stereotypes, gamers actually love some bling on their gear. Consoles themed around certain games or characters really sell well, while towering desktops often light up like Christmas trees regardless of the season. Curiously, theme desktop PCs are hard to come by, and you often have to style your computer on your own if you want to show off any sort of attachment to brands, fandoms, or even food. Apparently, there are some PC users who would indeed like to tell everyone around them about their favorite dish, or at least that’s the implication of this quirky collection of PCs designed around one of the survival necessities for gamers on a late-night binge: a hot bowl of instant ramen noodles.

Designer: AFTERSHOCK PC

Granted, it’s objectively an unhealthy lifestyle, but it has almost become a part of gamer culture to have instant noodles on the side while you frantically mash buttons or keys, at least for PC gamers in certain parts of the world. Given their cheap prices, fast “cooking” time, and the fact that they don’t leave crumbs on keyboards the way chips do, fried noodles and instant ramen have become the go-to energy sources for these people. In fact, some have even developed a love for the taste and the experience, perhaps enough to warrant buying a PC themed around the food.

This Ramen PC collection is a delicious oddity, and while they thankfully don’t resemble cups or bowls, they have all the markings of an authentic instant ramen experience. The front shows the flavor, available in Tonkotsu, Seafood, and Tom Yum varieties, that would make connoisseurs or hungry gamers drool. The top of the front panel even has marks resembling the ribbing that these cups use to prevent burning your fingers when holding them. One side has a panel that has the customary nutritional information label as well as cooking instructions. And just to make sure your mind doesn’t play tricks on you, there’s a large label warning not to microwave your PC, presuming you can even a microwave large enough to shove it into.

The panel on the opposite side is transparent on the upper half, while the lower half has wavy lines suggestive of the noodly contents of the “cup.” To complete the serving, the PC uses a bespoke GPU backplate expertly handcrafted with images of the ingredients unique to each flavor. The GPU conveniently sits right above the wavy patterns, giving the image of these delectable morsels floating above the noodles and the savory broth. The proverbial cherry on top is a custom magnet charm that sits on top of the tower, taking the form of chopsticks lifting some noodles and seemingly floating in mid-air.

The Ramen PC isn’t just all looks, though, and can be configured with some of the best gaming specs available in the market. The design isn’t going to be everyone’s cup of tea, or noodles, rather, but it’s definitely a fun and interesting way to spice up your desktop computer and set it apart from the rest of those colorful but boring RGB towers that flood the market.

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Sushi-themed suitcases bring joy to one of the most stressful aspects of traveling

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After being stuck indoors for so long because of COVID, people have started traveling again en masse and with such intensity that the term “revenge travel” was coined. Whether it’s just across the country or to another one, people have started to remember the feeling of freedom that traveling produces. At the same time, however, it also reminds them of some of the stress involved, particularly when it comes to packing and anxiously waiting for their bags to appear on the luggage conveyor belt. Truth be told, it’s probably impossible to completely get rid of all those negative emotions, so every little thing that lightens the mood can help. This design concept, for example, doesn’t make packing easier or make time go faster, but it adds a rather playful flavor to your suitcase that might give you joy, or even make you drool, every time you see it.

Designer: Yujeong Shin

Most travel bags are designed with greater emphasis on functionality and durability, especially for suitcases that can never escape rough handling and tumbling on flights or cruises. Of course, that doesn’t mean they can’t be made to look beautiful or visually interesting, especially when aesthetics also add value to the product beyond just appearances. With the right choice of materials and thoughtful design, almost any type of theme can be used to make a suitcase look enticing without sacrificing its core features.

These pieces of luggage, for example, were made to resemble the rather famous appearance of sushi. In particular, they’re made with the dual tones of “nigiri” in mind, with white “rice” topped by a colorful ingredient, something that’s a bit easy to pull off considering suitcases are made of two halves in the first place. Associating suitcases with food might be an odd idea, but the motif is almost perfect when you consider how these rectangular containers on the airport conveyor belt almost look like sushi on food conveyor belts that are popular in Japan.

The designs cover three popular types of sushi, each with its own distinct colors as well as ridges unique to the flavors. The yellow egg (“tamago”) design has the usual spiral design you’ll see on such sushi, while both the brown eel (“unagi”) and orange salmon (“sake”) have raised waves that run across the top. Admittedly, there are more flavors of nigiri available, though the collection is oddly missing the equally popular red tuna (“maguro”).

The sushi metaphor doesn’t stop there, however, and another aspect reveals a rather genius marriage of form and function. A strap wraps around the width of the suitcase, resembling the strip of seaweed (“nori”) used to hold the two halves of sushi together. This strap has an area for writing your information and saves you the trouble of having to buy a separate accessory for the suitcase. The sushi suitcase isn’t a groundbreaking new design that changes the formula completely, but it helps make traveling a bit more enjoyable and even fun, especially if you’re going to Japan.

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How to make ice cream while playing with a Sanrio yo-yo

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If you grew up in a household where you were reprimanded for “playing with your food”, the idea of putting together toys and food may be either sacrilege or a fun activity to do with your own kids (or by yourself). There are several toys out there that can turn cooking or making food more interesting and even educational at times. The Japanese in particular have a knack for creating things like this which make you wish you had them when you were a kid.

Designer: Takara Tomy

The Ice Da Yo-Yo is a collaboration between the Japanese toymaker and popular brand Sanrio. From the name itself, you can probably tell that it has something to do with yo-yos and ice cream. It’s basically a portable ice cream maker that teaches kids the science of making no-churn ice cream while also enjoying the classic yo-yo. And the reward at the end of the process is that you get to eat the sweet concoction that you made while you were playing.

The thingamajig is made up of two containers. One is where you place the ingredients like the fruit and the milk and the other is where you place ice, water, and salt, the latter of which causes the ice to become colder and help freeze the other ingredients. Then you spend three minutes bobbing the yo-yo until you’re able to finally create ice cream and eat it afterwards.

The Ice Da Yo-Yo features designs with popular Sanrio characters like Hello Kitty, My Melody, Cinnamoroll and Kuromi. It also comes with a booklet with different ice cream recipes like strawberry, chocolate, mango, cookies and cream, and even an orange sherbet for the lactose intolerant. It’s something I’d add to my shopping cart if I ever make my way to Japan again soon. Or maybe I’ll just buy my own ice cream and leave it to the kids to study how to make it on their own.

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This portable three-way smoker makes you the Master of the Pit anywhere you go

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There are many techniques and tricks these days that try to recreate certain food smells and tastes with minimum fuss, but they can only go so far. The distinct flavor and scent of smoked food, for example, is extremely difficult to emulate without actually smoking the ingredients. Unfortunately, typical smokers are large and cumbersome to use, and they can only be used outdoors. Smoker guns, on the other hand, are too simplistic and sacrifice quality for convenience. Fortunately, the situation isn’t as hopeless as it sounds, and this portable smoker isn’t just easy to use indoors and outdoors, it even supports three styles of smoking to suit your food and your taste.

Designer: KIWAMIYATEI

Click Here to Buy Now: $159 $250 ($91 off). Hurry, less than 72 hours left! Raised over $182,000.

Barbecues and smoked food are some of the more difficult types of dishes to make, mostly because of the inconvenience of where you can do the smoking. Measuring only 24cm x 24cm by 21cm, SMOKER-X tears down those barriers and lets you smoke wherever you want to, even indoors. In fact, this smoker’s body is so compact that it works with any kind of stove top, whether it’s gas, electric, or induction. Whenever you feel the craving for a good smoked dish, you can quickly whip out the SMOKER-X to satisfy your appetite.

Mouth-watering hot bacon.

Hot Smoking – Fire up your wood chips and smoke passes right through to cook your food and infuse it with smoky goodness.

Portability, however, is just one of the tricks up the SMOKER-X’s sleeve. Its versatility lets you smoke any type of food or ingredient using the exact same smoker. Want a traditional hot barbecue? Just place some wood chips inside the main frame, light up a fire underneath, and you’re on your way to a great slab of bacon or steak. The built-in thermometer gives you a precise readout of how hot it is inside.

Perfect cold smoked salmon.

Cold Smoking with Ice – Add ice cubes to the saucer and place it over the wood chips. The smoke cools off as it passes through the ice, infusing your fresh salmon, cheeses and meats with smoky flavor without them heating up or melting.

Smoking more delicate food like salmon, nuts, and cheese? Put ice on the saucer between the wood chips and mesh rack, and you have an instant cold smoker that separates the heat from the smoke.

Wine-infused wings.

Water Smoking with Beer or Wine – The smoke from the wood chips passes through the liquid so that the smoke and beer/wine vapor is absorbed, resulting in juicy spare ribs or chicken infused with flavor.

Cook savory meats by pouring wine into the saucer for water smoking, infusing the food with a special blend of flavors in the process. Whatever the smoking style you want or need, SMOKER-X can handle it without breaking a sweat. Part of the secret is the smoker’s unique design that creates a narrow 6mm pathway for the smoke to pass through the saucer, making it possible to create all types of smoked foods.

Despite its small size, this multi-talented smoker is built to last. Unlike typical smokers that rust over time, SMOKER-X is made from durable and rust-resistant materials, employing three layers of stainless steel 304, aluminum, and stainless steel 404 for good measure. At the same time, the smoker is easy to clean as well and can be safely placed inside dishwashers. They say that productivity is about working smarter rather than harder, and smoking doesn’t get any smarter than this. With a portable yet durable construction and its three-way smoking capability, the SMOKER-X lets you become the barbecue hero of the party anytime, anywhere.

Click Here to Buy Now: $159 $250 ($91 off). Hurry, less than 72 hours left! Raised over $182,000.

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Nike’s salmon sushi-inspired sneakers come with in-built chopsticks for when the hunger-pangs strike

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Have you ever felt the urge to eat your shoes while looking at them? Well, that’s probably not a normal reaction, more like you want to stare at a pair or your shoe collection for a long time or there may be times that you’d want to hug a pair to yourself or put it in your bed with you (hopefully, it’s still an unused pair). But if you have a food-inspired pair of sneakers and that food is your favorite, you might get the urge to go to the nearest place that serves your cravings, in this case, sushi.

Designer: Damian Sim (Bespoke IND)

Menulog, a food delivery service in Australia and New Zealand, asked Melbourne-based shoe customizer Bespoke IND to create limited-edition sneakers inspired by Katy Perry’s sushi dress in her campaign with the former. What you get is the handcrafted Sushi Sneakers, designed on top of the classic Nike Air Force 1, which Katy occasionally wears. What you get is a pair of sneakers reminiscent of a salmon maki roll to make you hungry for sushi.

The design is entirely created from scratch, except for the midsole which is from the Nike sneakers. You get a leather that looks like seaweed and even has a texture that is seaweed-y. In the center, you have laser-engraved marbled salmon and a “shari” sushi rice panel. You also have built-in chopsticks that are secured by fishtail loops and you even get an “emergency pouch” to put your soy sauce since you “need” it for your sushi.

There are only three limited-edition Sushi Sneakers available and you can get them by playing the Menulog Run game. This is a special lens on TikTok which was created to help people wait for their food order and not get so impatient. And if you win one of the three coveted pairs, you also get free sushi for an entire year. At least you can just order the sushi whenever you feel the urge to eat your sneakers.

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This beautiful food container lets you use the lid as a plate without feeling awkward

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It’s not unusual for people to cook more food than they can finish in one sitting. That’s especially true for single-person households that have to save money by having leftovers they can eat the next day or so. Storage for these leftovers, however, sometimes becomes just a second thought, at least until you stare at your fridge or start preparing your meal using them. Food storage isn’t just about keeping food fresh and edible, though that is definitely a primary concern. Keeping them presentable is also a key factor that could affect your appetite, and this “two-way” container design concept helps store food the way you would eat them on a plate by officially making the dish cap serve as a plate as well.

Designer: Haechan Ryu

It might sound strange at first, but it’s actually not uncommon for people to use a food container’s lid as an ad hoc plate, both for reheating food as well as eating from it. This often happens when you store food in a deep dish, like a bowl, and then have to transfer it to a plate for serving. The back-and-forth moving of food from different containers and plates not only involves more work but also risks losing some of the flavors in the process.

Roll is an attempt to preserve not only the flavors of food but also their presentation. It eschews the traditional square or rectangular shape of food containers in favor of something round. Admittedly, it might not be the most space-efficient shape, especially when you’re stocking a lot of food in the fridge. It is, however, more presentable and visually interesting, and the single-person households these containers are designed for usually don’t store as much food as large families anyway.

What makes Roll different from bowl food containers (which do exist, of course) is that it wholeheartedly embraces the culture of using the lid or dish cap as a plate. That’s why the cap itself was made to look presentable, using soft and clean tones like ivory, sky blue, and terracotta. The idea is that you set the freshly cooked food on the lid itself and then later just cover it with the glass bowl when it’s time to put it away. The next time you want to eat it, you don’t have to rearrange the food again to make it presentable. Simply take off the cover and dig in!

Roll takes the food container concept upside-down, literally, by making it usable, whether as a bowl with a round lid or a plate with a bowl cover. It definitely saves a bit of work and time and helps keep even leftovers looking scrumptious, something that you might have sorely missed if you’ve been living by yourself for a long time.

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This rocking chair design concept is an odd ode to couch potatoes

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“Form follows function” is one of the most famous principles of good design, one that is deceptively simple as the three words would seem to suggest. After all, it sounds logical enough for an object’s shape to be based on what it’s meant to do or that its design should at least not get in the way of its operation. It might not always work that way, though, especially when the form dictated by function would turn out to be something drab or even downright repulsive. Sometimes, however, it does result in quite a few interesting concepts, especially when designers take things almost too literally. This rocking chair, for example, has quite the appealing curves that might make you chuckle in amusement when you find out that it is inspired by a couch potato’s stereotypical favorite snack.

Designer: Pranay Patidar

Rocking chairs are famous for their soothing back-and-forth motion that often reminds us of our infancy. The core design for this chair is pretty simple, only requiring that it incorporate a way to use simple physics to rock the person back and forth. Typical designs attach curved bars or structures to the legs of the chair, but it isn’t really the only way to make a chair rock.

In essence, a rocking chair revolves around curved shapes to make that motion possible, and the Chipp concept design takes inspiration from a shape that is all too familiar to people who love to lounge around on chairs and couches. Potato chips, particularly of the Pringles variety, come in a rather distinctive curved form, and using it as the basis of a rocking chair is both poetic and comical. More importantly, however, it actually works, at least as far as the concept goes.

Chipp is actually composed of three potato chip-shaped parts in different sizes. The biggest forms the backbone of the rocking chair and is responsible for creating that rocking motion. Curiously enough, the actual seat isn’t built into this part of the chair but is yet another “chip” that curves in the opposite direction and is attached to the base with a single pillar. The third and smallest chip is on the back to prevent the chair from completely rolling backward.

It might be a bit questionable whether this potato chip rocking chair is structurally sound and safe, but it is definitely an interesting interpretation of an old furniture design. The chair could be made from different materials, including both wood and plastic, though it will probably score bonus points if it looks exactly like that snack, just to go along with your Loafa bread sofa.

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