Wagashi are traditional Japanese confections. Archivists have digitized a lovely multivolume illustrated catalog of the sweet treats, many of which still look the same as they did hundreds of years ago when the art form flourished in the Edo period. Read the rest

When my son was very young, he referred to S'Mores as "ores," as in, "I really want an ore. Can we make some ores?" We always laughed but apparently the original name is indeed a "Some More," at least according to the 1927 edition of the Girl Scout manual "Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts" where the treat was first mentioned. From Smithsonian:

The oldest ingredient in the s’more’s holy trinity is the marshmallow, a sweet that gets its name from a plant called, appropriately enough, the marsh mallow. Marsh mallow, or Althea officinalis, is a plant indigenous to Eurasia and Northern Africa. For thousands of years, the root sap was boiled, strained and sweetened to cure sore throats or simply be eaten as a treat.

The white and puffy modern marshmallow looks much like its ancient ancestor. But for hundreds of years, creation of marshmallows was very time-consuming. Each marshmallow had to be manually poured and molded, and they were a treat that only the wealthy could afford. By the mid-19th century, the process had become mechanized and machines could make them so cheaply that they were included in most penny candy selections.

"Let Us Tell You S’more About America’s Favorite Campfire Treat" (Smithsonian)

image: Kevin Smith/Flickr Read the rest

r/forbiddensnacks is my new favorite subreddit. It features consumer products that look just like candy or other delicious treats, but are in fact inedible or outright poisonous items such as pebbles, toilet cleaner or rat poison (pictured, by u/snarfgarfunkel) Read the rest

During the rainy season I a always looking for new toys to entertain my Cavalier King Charles, Pretzel. The Orbee-Tuff Snoop is a simple, clean and easy toy that buys me 30-45 minutes of fascinated with something other than me time.

Snack filled puzzle toys tend to make a lot of noise. Not so with the Snoop, it is made of a soft rubber compound that doesn't rattle and bang when knocked around, and survives the dogs tearing at it. Simply pop the Snoop inside out, load it with some kibble, turn it it rightside out and let the dog have at it. Pretzel bats it around and then pins it.

This toy will not withstand deep interest from my Great Pyrenees, Nemo. It is perfect for 15-30lb dogs. I do worry about giving her too much food, and she tends towards the sausage shape, so I reduce her meal time kibble to allow for these kinds of toys.

Planet Dog Orbee-Tuff Snoop Treat Dispensing Dog Toys via Amazon Read the rest

My dogs love toys that pay out treats. The Tug-A-Jug by PetSafe is another winner for the small to medium sized dog.

Pretzel, my Cavalier King Charles, drags the medium sized bottle around even after it is empty. The design is simple, a knotted rope in the neck of the bottle offers treats some resistance, so they don't just pour out. Your dog has to tip, tilt and batter the bottle to get treats to fall out. Note, however, if Nemo, my Great Pyrenees, was interested in this bottle it would be dust.

PetSafe claims you can feed your entire dog an entire meal with this bottle. I have two dogs and carefully regulate the amount of food each gets I doubt I'll try.

PetSafe Busy Buddy Tug-A-Jug Meal Dispensing Dog Toy, Medium/Large

Previously on Boing Boing:

KONG Extreme dog toy

Treat Triad dog puzzle

Another great dog distraction - the Busy Buddy Kibble Nibble Read the rest