Count Spatula's Guide to Baking blog tour!

I can't remember a time of my life that I wasn't a foodie. I can remember avidly watching Julia Child & Jacques Pepin on PBS as a toddler, and I can remember rushing home throughout my pre-teen and teen years to watch Daisy Martinez cook and act saucy, or lose myself in Breaking Bread with Father Dominic, and being very irritated if I missed either one. (Once again, thank you PBS.) Normal pursuits for a kid to obsess over? Can't say, but I have a feeling the answer is no. But such was my life, and frankly, still is, and I can't remember a time I haven't loved to see people prepare or talk about or savor and enjoy food.

Except for jello.

Which is why I find it moderately hilarious that for my leg of the Princess Decomposia & Count Spatula blog tour today, I have said Count talking about, of all things, jello.  Now, don't get me wrong, I've eaten jello (and had my fair share of jello shots...), so it's not a taste thing. I blame it on many, many childhood viewings of The Blob, actually, and on that uncanny jiggling. *shudder*
(But strangely enough, I kinda like jello jigglers. Go figure.)

But that said, I do understand that gelatin has a long and storied history, and there is a case to be made for the humble jello.
So I'll allow the Count to make that case...
Enjoy, and let me know if you have weird foodie quirks like this in the comments!

On Jello by Count Spatula

Jello, that colourful, wobbly delicious delight we remember from our childhood. Some chefs believe jello is best confined to children's birthday parties and is beneath their notice. I find it a remarkably flexible dessert, not only in concert with other ingredients to make trifles and (in very rare cases) salad, but in its own right. Quick and easy to make in bulk, I've found jello has remarkable properties when combined with a little bit of imagination and a touch of magic. At it's most advanced, jello work should be regarded with the same respect as sugar craft. Below are just some of my signature dishes using this enchanting dessert.


Jelly Babies. Once eaten these gelatinous treats produce peculiar effects. Firstly, once consumed, the eater loses the power of speech and can only communicate in a variety of gurgles and burbles. Friends and relatives may find this adorable or repulsive. Brief periods of deep sleep are punctuated by lengthy bouts of inconsolable crying. The tears produced are thick and sticky and share the bright colour of jello. Due to these strange effects, those who eat the jelly babies are often taken home early by a responsible adult and told that they're 'overtired'. Do not fly or use heavy machinery after eating.

Jelly Teen. These larger and slightly more mature jelly babies share a similar recipe. The effects again involve the loss of speech, although this is through choice rather than lack of vocal development. Grunts and nods replace gurgles as a method of communication. Long, deep periods of sleep are punctuated by sulking, mood swings and violent slamming of doors. Those who have eaten jelly teens inevitably end up confining themselves to their bedroom and refuse to come out for meals.

Jelly Mould. Jelly left out or in the back of cold storage for extended periods will develop this virulent bacteria. Any jelly showing signs of the mould should not be eaten. Those who consume jelly mould will exhibit symptoms of jelly poisoning, these include: nausea; uncontrollable quivering; lime, strawberry and blackcurrant flavoured mucus and, in the most severe cases, a visibly transparent complexion. A hot bath, anti-gelatin tablets and eating absorbent sponge fingers usually cure the problem.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Princess Decomposia and Count Spatula by Andi Watson
Get It | Add It
Graphic Novel, 176 pages
Published February 24th 2015 by First Second

Princess Decomposia is overworked and underappreciated.

This princess of the underworld has plenty of her own work to do but always seems to find herself doing her layabout father's job, as well. The king doesn't feel quite well, you see. Ever. So the princess is left scurrying through the halls, dodging her mummy, werewolf, and ghost subjects, always running behind and always buried under a ton of paperwork. Oh, and her father just fired the chef, so now she has to hire a new cook as well.

Luckily for Princess Decomposia, she makes a good hire in Count Spatula, the vampire chef with a sweet tooth. He's a charming go-getter of a blood-sucker, and pretty soon the two young ghouls become friends. And then...more than friends? Maybe eventually, but first Princess Decomposia has to sort out her life. And with Count Spatula at her side, you can be sure she'll succeed.

Andi Watson (Glister, Gum Girl) brings his signature gothy-cute sensibility to this very sweet and mildly spooky tale of friendship, family, and management training for the undead.

Andrew "Andi" Watson (born 1969) is a British cartoonist and illustrator best known for the graphic novels Breakfast After Noon, Slow News Day and his series Love Fights, published by Oni Press and Slave Labor Graphics.

Watson has also worked for more mainstream American comic publishers with some work at DC Comics, a twelve-issue limited series at Marvel Comics, with the majority at Dark Horse Comics, moving recently to Image Comics.

CHECK OUT MORE OF THE COUNT SPATULA'S GUIDE TO BAKING BLOG TOUR HERE!