My wardrobe is a vast rainbow of black. Those who wear enough black, know there are two rules about it; one, you can never have too much black and two, there’s a legit rainbow of shades of black (oh, and good luck matching them all). So there’s the backstory on my love for black. Truthfully I probably have a few dozen Instagram outfit posts hashtagged #blackonblackonblack because that’s how I am. However, fashion and food rarely combine, and no, spilling spaghetti on your white shirt doesn’t count. Lately though, the culinary world has been bought into the whole black obsession – and black food is popping up everywhere. From charcoal, ash and squid ink infused, people are obsessing over the coolest looking food around. Here are some items to sell you on the idea of indulging your black as night food needs. Morticia Addams would be proud.
Red velvet, take a back seat. Black velvet is here, and she’s newer and prettier. I bet she tastes dang good, too. This recipe is for a Nebula cake, with a galaxy like exterior and a black as the night sky cake inside.
http://www.sprinklebakes.com/2016/04/black-velvet-nebula-cake.html Photo by: Sprinkle Bakes
At Christmas time, I love to be that neighbor who brings treats to the ‘hood in tiny holiday tins filled with caramels, cookies and fudges. The first time I made caramels, I was shocked that they were probably 900% better than any store bought kind, with a flavor truly unmatched. Licorice (or anise) is also known for being a digestive aid, and capable of soothing a sore throat! Perfect for having on hand this chilly season.
http://www.barbarabakes.com/black-licorice-caramels/ Photo by: Barbara Bakes
Pasta is my fall-back meal to cook when people are coming over. It’s easy, it’s predictable and everybody loves it. The only problem is that it can be a little predictable. So how can you possibly impress with pasta? BLACK! Why? Because it’s COOL. Dyed with squid ink, this pasta is served up with garlic and tomatoes for a fast meal at home that is completely Instagram worthy.
http://www.upcloseandtasty.com/blog/2015/october/squid-ink-pasta-with-garlic-and-tomatoes Photo by: Upclose & Tasty
This recipe creator has my heart for life. Black and coffee and food all in one recipe? Hello, winning!
http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/coffee-jelly/ Photo by: Foodie With Family
When you want to sip a martini and be classy as all get out, go black. This recipe gives step by step instructions so even the most amateur of bartenders can whip this cocktail up with ease.
http://honestlyyum.com/6888/the-blackbeard/ Photo by: Honestly Yum
Black ice cream became a massive trend lately with everyone Instagramming their charcoal, squid, black sesame, and coconut ash infused ice cream cones, and you know what? They were pretty freaking rad. The problem is, you have to have access to a major city in order to indulge these days. So, alternatively – you can just whip it up at home like this black sesame gelato version.
http://www.supernummy.com/black-sesame-gelato/ Photo by: Super Nummy
I gotta be honest here, these cupcakes look so badass – they’re almost intimidating. However, as tough as they may look, they are still made of sweet sweet sugar.
http://www.karascouturecakes.com/blackout-chocolate-cupcakes-and-blackout-frosting/ Photo by: Kara’s Couture Cakes
Blackboard, chalkboard…potato, potatoh. A big reason black is back (pfft it never went anywhere) is because chalkboards are so incredibly IN. It’s a fad I really thought would have died off by now, but alas, here we are…with chalkboard cookies. You can customize these as thank you’s, guests seating tags, love letters, or just to draw pretty pictures on. The world is your canvas! Or, the cookie is at least.
http://snargblog.blogspot.ca/2012/03/tutorial-hand-painting-basics.html Photo by: Alli Bee’s Bakeshop
Hello darkness, my old friend. Come to Mama.
http://www.fancyfactory.it/macaron-neri-al-carbone-vegetale-e-amarena-fabbri/?utm_content=buffer71e53&utm_medium=social&utm_source=pinterest.com&utm_campaign=buffer Photo by: Fancy Factory
Take a classic, make it black and it’s suddenly so much more sophisticated and chic. Simply making sushi rolls using ‘forbidden’ black rice, brings this favorite dish to the darkside.
http://savorthebest.com/black-rice-sushi-rolls/ Photo by: Savor The Best
Oh, this is getting deeper, darker and more decadent. Black rice is used to create a rice pudding, perfectly complimented by the tart yet sweet blackberries and the divine chocolate sauce. Stunning.
http://circahappy.com/2016/05/15/the-black-white-issue-blackberry-black-rice-pudding-with-chocolate-sauce/ Photo by: Circa Happy
The black burger bun was a hit in Asian cultures, and the use of bamboo charcoal in recipes has continued to rise ever since. Plus, I’m pretty sure dark carbs are calorie free, just a rumor tho. Or wishful thinking…
http://grimgrains.com/basic-black-bread Photo by: Grim Grains
Now there’s something to shake up the lemonade stand. This recipe not only explains the trend, but also what exactly is activated charcoal (the stuff that makes it black in this case).
http://styleandspice.com/activated-charcoal-lemonade/ Photo by: Style & Spice
