Making Mario Mushrooms or I Remember When This Seemed Like a Good Idea...

A while back someone mentioned making Mario mushrooms. So, I, of course...

1. "Huh?"
2. Googled
3. "OMG, they're adorable!"

I should really stop googling. Or learn some restraint. (I'm not posting the original photo because of copyright. Read: "Mine will look even more pathetic in comparison!")

So, three grocery stores and a few days later, I brought home the least sketchy bunch of the lot. This is the "Before" twitpic. I included the five intact fingers as a joke.

These radishes wanted to be mice. Note their shape and built-in tails. Too bad, little radishes. I have other plans for you Mwahahaha!!!! I removed the turning-slimy greens and stuck the poor little things in the fridge to begin their long, cold, neglected death. My husband put them in water after a few days. Several days later, with a blueberry pie inexplicably in the oven, and the kitchen mostly cleaned up again again, I thought of the poor drowned radishes and thought why not half-ass one more project tonight?

So, the not quite right shape, shriveling, turning clear radishes came out of the fridge and a not-quite-right-for-the-job paring knife came out of the knife block. Btw, you should be as distracted as possible when you do this. If you don't have small children to aid in the task, perhaps you have a pet that can climb all over you and preferably bite you at inconvenient moments. In between checking the pie 54 times, negotiating and doling out bedtime snacks and 23 other even less exciting things, I whittled away at the radishes. And, lo and behold...a fairy ring appeared!

I like crafty little projects. Especially with food. Especiallier when I ought to be doing something else. Especialliest if someone else will be amused. Oh well, two out of three ain't so bad. I guess.