Little Kitchen of Horrors

June 15, 2018
Simple steps, nasty names, and sickening setups transform everyday foods into disgusting dishes that will leave diners grossed out but hungry for more.A blender transforms ingredients including spinach, bananas, and yogurt into Snot Smoothies. Cake pops are transformed into eyeballs, hot dogs become writhing worms, and kale is baked into Charred Zombie-Skin Crisps. Some recipes, such as Big Ol' Bowl of Snot (lime gelatin with pineapple chunks and raisins) and Cat Litter Cake (crumbled cake with Tootsie Rolls), might make even the heartiest eaters lose their appetites. Others--Creature-in-My-Pot Pie and Mummy Dogs (hotdogs wrapped in refrigerated dough), for instance--are more silly than scary. Disappointingly, calling graham crackers with marshmallows and raspberry jam Used Bandage Delights or burgers topped with rice Maggot Burgers cannot transform easily recognizable ingredients. But these duds are few. Many recipes call for animal products, but tips suggest substituting almond milk for dairy and using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. Ingredients are available from most any well-stocked grocery store, and many recipes require little to no cooking, relying on ready-to-eat products. Each recipe includes photographs of well-staged dishes as well as step-by-step instructions that make frightening foods accessible for even young chefs. The occasional children photographed are diverse both racially and in age. Safety tips, substitutions, and ways to personalize the recipes are included in the more than 50 barfworthy recipes.Mealtime never looked so horrifying. (Nonfiction. 6-12)

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