I purchased some Meiji “Kinoko No Yama” mushrooms on impulse at Uwajimaya, an Asian specialty super-store in Seattle. I thought they’d look adorable on a treat for Christmas! Some people gave the little mushroom guys quite a negative review (or a very close relative to what I purchased), but honestly they’re no worse than Hershey kisses in quality.

I got the recipe for some Dulce de Leche cheesecake squares off of the Smitten Kitchen blog, and had high hopes for it based on the description and the comments. The cheesecake itself had a very different, somewhat strange consistency. I think it’s the gelatin and the dulce de leche; the bite-size cakes had a custardy quality to them. It’s definitely creamy but perhaps doesn’t have the .. flake? .. I’m used to in a proper cheesecake. Perhaps I’m being too critical though – the husband said he’d love to eat the creamyness out of a big bowl if that was an option the next time I make it.