Ethnic Libations

Often times we get stuck in a rut, sticking with only what we know. But one of the greatest pleasures in life is the variety available to us. The ability to try new things, encounter new experiences, is part of the great adventure of life.

Steve and I really try to adhere to this call to adventure, especially when it comes to food. We'll often search out certain ethnic foods in our area that we've never tried before, to get a better sense of their flavors and culture.

from Paajaka Recipes

Our biggest adventures usually come in the form of a libation. I recently had my first taste of a mango lassi. Made with yogurt, milk, mango, sugar, and cardamom, it is the Indian form of a smoothie. They are sweet treats, perfectly complementary with Indian curry dishes.

Accompanying our Ethiopian cuisine one evening, we enjoyed a bottle of mead. Mead is a rather syrupy wine, a bit too sweet for my taste. Flavored with honey, it dominates, but will certainly satisfy those who like the flavor. The alcohol content in mead is often in the 18% range, so it is not for the faint of heart.

Greek gyros find a friend in Retsina wine. From the fine island of Greece, this white wine gives off a pine scent and flavor. A bit striking on first sip, one accustoms well to its woodsy demeanor. Also good with a bite of baklava.


Please share some of your fun drink finds in the comments! 

A Tour of Italy: Il Fornaio's Festa Regionale

As you've probably gathered by now, travelling is a great love of mine. I wish I could indulge in it more often, but until I win the lottery or someone pays me to travel around the world, I'll have to stick with cheaper alternatives. Such as culinary journeys.

For nearly two years now, my mother and I have made the trek at the beginning of each month to Il Fornaio. For the first two weeks of each month, this authentic Italian restaurant features a revolving regional menu with dishes and delicacies from the various regions of Italia. Each region you "visit," you receive a stamp in your passaporto and a take-home gift such as risotto or chili-infused olive oil.

Last month featured cuisine from the northern Italian region of Piemonte (or Piedmont in our Anglicized version). The dinner menu featured several dishes with white truffles, a specialty of the region. A genuine treat, as truffles are quite expensive, requiring a painstaking process to find and harvest.



We started off our supper with freshly baked bread and a generous dose of olive oil and Balsamic vinegar for dunking.

I usually opt for their Taste of... choice, which allows for a 3-course meal of appetizer, first course and second course. 

To start off, I chose the Insalata Bianca, a unique salad of Belgian endive, Bosc pear, garbanzo beans, Italian farro, and boschetto al tartufo cheese, drizzled with a lemon-olive oil dressing. This green-less salad was light but full of protein to help quell a rumbling stomach.

The prima piatti consisted of a Gnocchi con Brasato di Coniglio, housemade potato dumplings with a braised rabbit ragu, sage, onions, tomato and parmesan cheese. The rabbit gave a richness to this dish that I especially enjoyed. This was my first experience with gnocchi -- the potato dumplings are filling so a smaller serving was good.

The Medaglioni di Vitello ai Funghi Porcini e Tartufo of the secondi piatti was phenomenal. The veal medallions were drizzled with a sauce composed of roasted garlic, porcini mushrooms, white wine and white truffle oil, and served alongside a grilled Roma tomato, sauteed green beans, and roasted Yukon gold potatoes. It was a hearty dish, well-suited to filling Piedmontians who live in the high-altitude area of this region. Also good for satisfying a cold, starving Californian.... ;)

The dolci to cap the evening was the Bonet Classico, an amaretto-coffee custard with caramel sauce and coffee-creme anglaise, accented by powdered sugar and coffee beans. Normally, my mother eats only a bite or two of the dessert, but this time I was compelled to keep up the pace as she was quickly devouring every delicious bite.

They also include regional wines which they pair well with their dinner selections.

Il Fornaio's upcoming Festa Regionale menu in December (5-18) will be a "best of" this year's regional dishes, a wonderful sampling of their fabulous dishes and a great way to fuel up between Christmas shopping trips. For the restaurant nearest you, see this listing of their locations.

Fire Roasted Chile Chevre

Many Americans are afraid of cheese with bold flavor.

Not this American.

I prefer my cheese to bite back. I like a cheese with some pizazz. A cheese with the ability to make your tastebuds dance.

One of my favorite types of cheese is chevre (or goat). Although its flavor is rather audacious, it pairs well with a variety of fruits and vegetables. A personal favorite is pineapple. I once purchased a small round rolled in tiny pieces at a cheese stall in a Parisian market, and made it my lunch alongside a rustic baguette from the local boulangerie. It is my top pick in a quiche, nestled among the asparagus spears.

As an added bonus, goat cheese is healthier for you than that made from cow's milk. It is lower in calories, cholesterol, and fat and easier on the human digestive tract.

At a food conference I attended a few weeks ago, I was introduced to this chevre cheese with fire roasted chiles by Redwood Hill Farm. I was so in love I nearly felt compelled to grab an entire container off the tasting table for later. Rather, I picked it from a miniature fridge beside the freshly baked bread (they just go together) at the market the following day and threw it into my basket. It was consumed quickly as dinner cooked. The only complaint we had was that the container was too small. We're thinking a Costco upgrade would be an excellent idea.

Perfect as a pre-Thanksgiving appetizer on crackers or bread.

Irish Through and Through

Who says St. Patrick's Day can be celebrated only on the 17th of March?

Irish car bombs, Irish whiskey, Bailey's Irish Cream, Guinness Stout. Irish Soda Bread, Colcannon, Corned Beef, Irish Stew. These things are too good to be enjoyed only once a year.

Here's to a long life and a happy one. A quick death and an easy one.
A pretty girl and an honest one. A cold beer -- and another one!

This quaint little pub in Auburn, California serves it up all year round. The food, drinks and atmosphere make you believe you are sipping a pint in Belfast. In addition to an impressive pub menu, including their famous sliders to munch while viewing the current football game on the big screens, they brew their own beer.

I wasn't in the mood for beer the other night, but when Stephen suggested Irish coffees, I couldn't -- no, wouldn't -- turn that down. Made with freshly brewed coffee, Jameson's Whiskey, Bailey's Irish Creme, and a large dollop of whipped cream atop, dyed green with a bit of Creme de Menthe, they sated an Irish soul and aided in a lively discussion on the nature of Truth.



Vibrant Eggs

Tasting food all afternoon is hard work. I didn't think it would make me hungry.

Exploring the food booths at the 3rd annual Foodbuzz Festival this past Saturday, the folks at the Sargento and Sabra booths handed me a few samples to take for later. They came in handy when my belly was rumbling later that evening.

Sargento's on-the-go packaging is extremely convenient when you want to throw something in your bag and run out the door. No mess, no fuss. Just grab and go. It is also great for portioning if you're watching caloric intake. I slipped it right into my purse on my way to the Godiva booth.

Their cubed colby jack was the perfect addition to my eggs after I smothered it in Sabra's salsa. Normally, I prefer my salsas to be on the spicier side, but the flavor of this one was satisfying despite the lack of spiciness. Fortunately, their vibrant colors, with the aid of my fire-engine red peppers, masked the mess I made of flipping the eggs. :)

Vibrant Eggs

2 eggs, scrambled (with a bit of milk if you like)

colby jack cheese

salsa

quarter of a red bell pepper, diced

Sautee the red pepper for about 5 minutes over medium heat. Add eggs and cook until scrambled. Top with your favorite cheese and salsa.

Opening a Coffee Shop: Broadacre Coffee

What a great idea!

Plotting to open a new shop in town? One of the best marketing schemes you can employ is to find a location that replaces a reputable shop of the same peruasion. This is especially true if it involves food and/or drink. Customers will come meandering (or rushing) in, starved or parched, greatly desiring sustenance. Initially, they will be a bit dazed when they encounter the unfamiliar decor and offerings, but will be pleasantly surprised they find they still have the potential to be satisfied by what you offer.

 

However, you will be responsible for catching their eye and holding them captive with your own appetizing flair. I have faith in you.

This coffee shop recently moved into one of the quaint shops in downtown Sacramento, replacing one of my favorite coffee haunts, Temple. (Fortunately, they have two other locations to visit.) It is one of those spots you can easily miss if you don't know what you are looking for. Their triangular exterior framing above the front door is the sole object that alerts you to its presence. Once sipping your beverage of choice, their cozy window seats allow you to gaze outside, losing yourself in deep philosophical thought or people-watching, two of my favorite pasttimes.

I was pleasantly surprised with their ability to sate my thirst with fine flavors. But, truly, they went above and beyond.

That bit of flair I mentioned?

I was entranced by their swirling foam decorations. Well done.

Yards of Beer

This could be about gardening, but, as it turns out, there was something better in store (pun intended).  In what used to be an upscale gardening boutique, a lively restaurant with over 130 beers on tap moved into town.  It was an easy and honest mistake to misapply the name of The Yard House, thinking it was a purveyor of tools and lawn statues rather than a glorious eating establishment housing over a hundred beers on tap and other fine drinks and foods.  But this is a far cry from dirt and snails.

The centerpiece of this restaurant is the elongated bar, a good place to cozy up to and quiz the knowledgable bartenders who are here to help you find your perfect libation.  (Even the servers are required to undergo a six-week intenstive training to learn all the ins-and-outs of the myriad of drinks they serve.)  All beer is cooled to a perfect 34-36 degrees in the keg room which is, then, piped in refrigerated tubes that run along the ceiling to their taps in the center of the bar. 

Their appetizers, such as the tower of onion rings, are a perfect pairing with the beers.  Or, if you are in the mood for something more, they serve delicious thin-crust pizzas, jumbo, full-flavored burgers, and other appetizing main dishes.

It is a requirement that you order beer here. It is highly unlikely, even if you normally dislike beer, that you will be unable to find something to satisfy on their extensive menu.  At least try their rotating six-pack beer sampler or their deliciously sweet Double Chocolate Stout beer float.  (C'mon, it's chocolate, ladies!!)

It is difficult to get to the last drop at the bottom, but don't let that deter you.

The half-yard glass is a specialty piece of The Yard House. Most of their draft beers are offered in this tower of beer. I'm always afraid an errant hand in aid to animated conversation is going to send it flying in one fellow swoop.  Actually, they had to do away with the yard glasses due to a growing tendency of folks using them as lightsabers after finishing....

Tsk, tsk....playing with your food.

Remembrances

A pleasant memory of a summer past. Who knew an ice cream bar could hold so much power?

  Source {via}

My first visit to France during the summer of 2003 was spent with many hours poolside sipping a refreshing limonade and consuming bite after bite of a little delicious little bar called Magnum. It was the summer of a magnificent heat wave that caused the expiration of many, especially the eldery, due to a lack of cooling systems. My brother and I, however, had found the solution. Or, rather, Mamina had provided it. My dear friend's French grandmere filled her freezer to the brim with these delightful frozen morsels for us to eat. After each short dip in the water, we would climb out, dash to the floor freezer in the musty basement, and choose a Magnum bar to enjoy. This would occur, oh, at least a dozen times a day.

I was thoroughly disappointed when I returned stateside and could not find them in any grocer's freezer this side of the Atlantic. I would search for other ice cream bars that would fit the bill, but none could compare. Dove bars, I think, were the closest I could find, but they were still lacking.

Until now.

When Foodbuzz's Tastemaker Program asked if I would like to receive a trial box of Magnums, I was first in a state of shock, not believing what I read. After I snapped out of it, I was literally rejoicing with songs of praise for the person who made the honorable decision to make these available to grateful Americans! Thank you!!!

Source: {via}

Magnum means "great" or "mighty," an apt name for this, albeit small, flavorful bite of sweetness. Their chocolatey coating is, in fact, mighty. Certainly not for those who prefer the taste of Hershey's. Their hearty shell contains a delightful ice cream, every bit rich and creamy. There was a bit of difficulty finding these at the store as others had discovered their greatness too. If you find some lurking in the freezer section, be sure to snatch them up quickly before others in your area are turned on to their supreme flavor. Only 3 in a box, you might need to stock up.

Duchess Grey Tea

The latest acquisiton for my tea cabinet is a delightfully citrusy black tea. In need of a refill on my breakfast tea to get my mind and body movin' in the mornin', I happily stumbled across the Duchess Grey Tea on my weekly shopping trip to Trader Joe's. They are notorious for their fresh, new items - I always find something deliciously novel to try when I stop in.

A big fan of Earl Grey -- especially that bergamot flavor -- the "Grey" label hollered to me from the shelf. I threw it into my basket without a second thought. When I first pulled the box out of the cupboard in the morning, the scent that hit me was the citrus notes of lemon and orange. Not normally a huge fan of strongly citrusy teas, I was nearly hesitant to taste a cup. But with my regular added splash of milk, the harmony of bergamot, lemon, and orange sang a beautiful chorus on my breakfast table. Definitely a keeper.

Clean or Not Clean, That is the Question.

The ironic thing about hypochondriacs is sometimes they inflict the very thing they are trying to avoid. In truth, if you try too hard to protect yourself and others from all germs, you may just end up becoming ill as your body is unable to build up antibodies to ward off unwanted intruders.

Not quite the situation that ensued yesterday, but it is something that often crosses my mind when I see mothers hyper-cleaning everything their children touch. Funny, how they are always the ones with the runny noses. Now, don't get me wrong...people should attempt to keep their children out of harm's way but a little dirt never hurt anyone, did it?

Sanitary?

I have a certain sibling who can be rather anal about germs, especially ones involving food in the kitchen. He refuses to eat off of dishes that have been handwashed by him because he does not trust himself to get them clean enough. However, he's fine if someone else does it and he doesn't see them...out of sight, out of mind??? If anything comes remotely close to raw eggs, raw meat, etc., it must all be hosed down with disinfectant.

He'd been offering to make dinner for his girlfriend (my roommate) for a few days now and she decided to take him up on the offer. The meal planned: fried chicken. Fried chicken involves raw meat and raw eggs. Two points on the hypochondriac meter. Red alert. He oh-so-carefully sliced the chicken into thin strips with a fork and knife on the cutting board, making sure not to come in contact with the contagion. Unfortunately, he was not so lucky when it came time to fry up the poultry. He was forced to dip the raw chicken by hand into raw egg before arriving at the stovetop. The poison was held precariously at arms length as he hastily transferred it from bowl to pan. He nearly lost his marbles as a drop of egg landed on the space between...."NOOO!!! Quick, clean it up before it mutates into a man-eating beast from the depths of hell!" Needless to say, he survived the experience and lives to tell the tale. But my story does not end here. Oh no.

He was also kind enough to fulfill dish duty after dinner as well. For him, that meant rinsing the dishes so well that they were nearly clean before they hit the dishwasher. Lamentably, for us, it made it rather difficult to tell whether the dishes were clean or dirty. I innocently came home last night to make a quesadilla. Opening the dishwasher, it appeared in the process of being loaded as it was not quite full. However, I decided to investigate further as perhaps some had simply been removed after washing. Peeking into coffee cups that had no stains, bowls that were bereft of their milk rings, and frying pans that had been degreased, I came to the conclusion that the dishes were clean after all. I removed the frying pan from the top rack and went to work on my quesadilla....

Flash forward about 4-5 hours and I'm heaped over on the floor at a friend's house with horrible pain in my abdomen. Sometimes I get this type of pain comes from eating greasy foods so thought it was perhaps that, but it was much worse than usual and I hadn't really eaten anything particularly greasy....

Flash forward to the next morning, I'm still not feeling so chipper and wondering why this is lingering. I'm chatting with my roommate in our kitchen about my uncomfortable night as she goes to unload the rest of the dishwasher. She opens the door, takes a look inside, and is also confused about the status of the dishes inside. We inspect again, determine they must be clean and she begins to unload, as she tells me the story of my brother's humorous, chicken-frying experience. As she goes to unload the last spoon from the dishwasher, she glances down to discover food visibly crusted on the spoon. Uh oh. You missed one, dude. Dirty. And all of the pieces come together....

Yep, I cooked my quesadilla in an unsanitary pan thanks to the hypochondriac who rinsed those dishes so well they appeared clean....but I'm still alive to tell my tale too. :)

Chimay - Trappist Ale

When asked to bring drinks to a party, Rick usually came toting a slender, long-necked bottle uniquely corked. Being a sucker for unconventional, appealing wrappings, the bottle intrigued me, but I never had the chance to become acquainted with its contents before it disappeared down the throats of the parched gentlemen. (Somehow the guys always get to the good beer first while the ladies are cooking and chatting....) And another attractive attribute of this beer: it was made by Trappist monks in Belgium. Monks who make beer are simply awesome in my book. Tasting it probably wasn't even a necessity for me to become a fan.

After a hauntingly beautiful Holy Saturday Tenebrae service yesterday morning, we did as all good Catholics do and headed to the local British pub for a breaking of the Lenten fasts with alcoholic libations. The pub offered a generous variety of beers on tap, including the ever-elusive Chimay -- the aforementioned Trappist ale. Here, finally, was my chance! It was so wonderfully smooth, a perfect pre-brunch drink. I had come in dreaming about a mimosa, but was pleasantly satisfied (and converted) by this blond ale, the Chimay Triple. I would even venture to say it was on the sweet side, with a lovely head crowning its golden base. Oh, and did I mention that they serve it from the tap as well with the proper 'trappings'? (pun intended) The Chimay is served in a chalice glass in order to adequately experience all the delicate flavors of this fine beer.

Just in Time for Strawberry Season....

Completely in love with this new dish pattern created by Sur La Table. How I would love to sip my tea out of one of these cute cups on a summery morning! :) They also have plates, bowls, and an adorable cake platter. The cook can dress the part in her strawberry-festooned apron and remove her baked goods from the oven with a matching oven mitt.

Swoon....

A Taste of the Irish

Back when I was researching the possibility of going to cooking school, I ran across this quaint culinary school in Ireland, Ballymaloe Cookery School. (Just the name of it gives me warm fuzzies...) A college friend of mine had recently done a series of course there, so it seemed feasible to me at the time. I dreamed of living in one of their cottages, rooming with another zealous culinary artist or two. I would wake up with my fellow classmates early each morning with the first light, and help pick the fresh, organic produce from the garden as the dewy drops hung in suspension still from the leaf tendrils. We would spend countless hours in the kitchen every day learning how to make bread dough rise just so, the exact ratio of flour and sugar to produce the perfect cake, how to cook a beef tenderloin to medium-rare, a myriad of new vegetable combinations for delicious salads I had never thought of before....and that would be just the beginning! The simiplicity was its charm. Every dish would be created using the simplest of ingredients -- nothing unnecessary and all well-balanced.

But the reality of distance and finances hang over my head (maybe some day), so I am resigned to making Ballymaloe dishes in my own kitchen using Myrtle Allen's, The Ballymaloe Cookbook. Forgive me if I speak in an Irish accent when I ask for the flour off the shelf....

In an attempt to use up some more of my never-ending basket of apples, I made this delicious breakfast pastry.

Irish Apple Cake

1 3/4 c. flour

1/4 t. baking powder

1/2 c. butter

1/2 c. + 1 T. brown sugar

1 egg

approx. 1/2 c. milk

2 cooking apples

Mix flour and baking powder together. Cut butter into pieces and mix in flour by hand until it resembles course crumbs. Add 1/2 c. sugar, beaten egg and enough milk to make a soft dough. Divide in two. Roll out one ball of dough and place in the bottom of a pie dish. Cut apples into chunks or slices, arrange on top of dough in dish and sprinkle with 1 T. of sugar. Roll out second ball of dough and place on top of apples, pinching down the sides. Cut vents on top. Bake about 40 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Easy as pie. :-)

A Smashing Success

I've been eager to try out this particular smoothie ever since a friend, knowing my love for all things pumpkin, texted me about its existence.

If there is anything better than pumpkin pie and a creamy smoothie, it is the two combined into ONE. That's right...liquified pumpkin pie. The Pumpkin Smash smoothie from Jamba Juice contains all the warm, spicy flavors of Fall, yet you can enjoy it even when it is 80 degrees and sunny. Ah, the beauty of living in California.... ;-)

Crepeville

A lazy Sunday morning enjoying breakfast at Crepeville

I have yet to master the art of French crepe-making. One day when I'm rich I will invest in one of those ginormous, round griddles specially designed for making crepes. But until then I will satisfy my cravings for savory and sweet crepes alike at Crepeville.

Of all the American crepes I have tasted, the ones at Crepeville come the closest to authentic French cuisine. Even if they didn't, they are fantastically stuffed with delicious fillings, such as chicken and pesto, Canadian bacon, cheese and pineapple, marinara and provolone cheese. My favorite is the California crepe with spinach, avocado, onions, provolone, and sundried tomato pesto. Mmm, mmm good. The crepes are served with a generous helping of seasoned, roasted potatoes. Even one who is not particularly fond of potatoes will become a fast friend of these savory morsels.

Sadly, I have yet to try a sweet crepe, the numerous times I have been there, due to the filling nature of the main dish. One of these days -- so many choices: chocolate, raspberry blintz, strawberries and cream....

And on a chilly, blustery day, you can order a pot of tea in one of their nifty golden teapots. Their freshly squeezed orange or carrot juice is another excellent choice for quaffing your thirst.

Comes complete with a tea strainer to keep those pesky leaves out of your tea cup

Crepeville also has omelettes, salads, sandwiches, soups, and several other wonderful selections... none of which I'll probably ever bring myself to try as I love those crepes! ;-)

A friend we ran into on the way back to the car, storing up food for the winter

Canned Pumpkin Scarcity

Just as the autumnal weather comes upon us, causing me to gear up for Fall baking endeavors with my delicious pumpkin, I discover a SHORTAGE of canned pumpkin at the grocer. Yes, you read that correctly: a scarcity of canned pumpkin.

My past few promenades down the canned vegetable aisle have left me disappointed without a trace of pumpkin in sight. I thought it was merely a coincidence. But then, a few days ago I went to the store, eager to buy some pumpkin for these scones I've been craving, and found a gaping hole where the canned pumpkin should have been. I was seriously in disbelief. How could it be that no stores in my area were keeping pumpkin in stock! Especially this time of year when everyone is beginning to crave that scrumptious Fall veggie! Scandalous! I kept glancing up and down the aisle, hoping that they had been misplaced. We even consulted a clerk as to whether they were on special display somewhere else in the store.

Not a can in sight.

I resorted to the pumpkin pie canned mixture and tweaked my recipe to accommodate. (Doesn't quite taste the same though, but did the trick.)

Then, as we are checking out, bemoaning the fact we could not find our beloved canned pumpkin, the cashier informs us that there has recently been a run (and, therefore, a scarcity) on canned pumpkin caused by a new fad of feeding pumpkin to one's dogs.

Apparently, pumpkin is the new doggie diet pill. It is recommended for overweight dogs to replace a bit of the dry food with canned pumpkin. It aids them in digestion and keeps them full longer due to the added fiber, keeping them from eating too much fattening dry food....Hey! Maybe we should try this diet for fat humans too! Ingenious. I claim the canned pumpkin for the humans. We get first dibs! Sorry, but I'd rather keep myself looking svelte than my dog....is that selfish?

So, yes, if you want to make anything other than a pumpkin pie right now (unless your local pumpkin patch is open and you want to cook a pumpkin), your fresh out of luck because our dogs are on the skinny pumpkin diet. Currently searching for a substitute....sweet potatoes, anyone??

Hot and Sweet

I discovered this new flavor of Jelly Belly the other day: Chili Mango. It is their latest in the 50 Flavor line-up. It produces a progression of flavors, from fruity sweetness to a spicy kick. The lady at the shop said she tried it with some chips and salsa....I do love me some mango salsa. Perhaps I'll give it a whirl.

Julie and Julia

I have been hugely remiss the past few months in cooking, baking, blogging...all those things which keep me on an even keel. I've been occupied with some other pressing activities lately, but I'm beginning to realize that even the most of hectic of lifestyles --at least for me -- must include some time for domestic activity and related rambling thoughts.



The other night, I went to see the film, Julie and Julia, based on the memoirs of Julia Child and her aspiring follower, Julie Powell, who blogged her way through the first volume of Julia's cookbooks over the course of a year. (Both of which I received as a birthday gift this year.)

Although it may be a film about food and cooking, for all intents and purposes it is primarily a full-fledged chick flick. I mean, it would have to be based on the director's (Nora Ephron) previous track record, such as Sleepless in Seattle and You've Got Mail. It is hugely an analysis of how these women's enterprises affect their relationships with their husbands. Nevertheless, it was also a culinary inspiration to me -- a kick-in-the-pants, you might say -- to get my butt back in the kitchen and start cooking on a regular basis again.

There is much talk throughout the film about Julia's famous Boeuf Bourguignon. Julie's favorite childhood memories include that of her mother making the dish. The thought of the delicious aroma wafting from the kitchen when she was young spawned the idea of using Julia's cookbook as inspiration for her blog. In Julie's first attempt at making the dish -- no less on a night when someone famous is scheduled to come to dinner -- she falls asleep during the 3 hour cooking process, misses the alarm, and wakes up to a charred mess. It turns out splendid on the second round, although her dinner guest cancels due to inclement weather.

Her husband's perfectly happy to take care of the leftovers though.... ;-)

At any rate, this weekend's family supper will feature this delicious dish. It's about time I do Julia proud by whipping up this fantastic beef stew. I'll let you know how it goes.... :-)

Ecole des Gourmandes, here I come.

Ghiradelli Chocolate: A San Francisco Treat

Rarely a trip to San Francisco passes without a visit to Ghiradelli Square. Consumption of their chocolate is an imperative when visiting the city by the bay. Not only is every flavor of Ghiradelli chocolate available in their cozy gift shop, but there is a soda fountain and ice cream bar in the space next door where you can indulge in a warm mug of their world famous hot chocolate, amply graced with fresh whipped cream, or a dish of your favorite ice cream flavors floating in their luscious hot fudge. While entering into your sugar coma, you can also observe their machine demonstrating the process of making chocolate. Mmmm....if only I could get one of those for my kitchen.

Patiently awaiting our Ghiradelli sundae with cookies 'n cream, coffee, and chocolate ice creams...drizzled in hot fudge, of course!

Eagerly anticipating the first bite...

...and he's had enough of my photographing. ;-) Time to dig in.

I can't believe how quickly we managed to consume that! :-)

Strangely, I found I have been horribly remiss in my SF trips with Ryan. He had never set foot in the chocolate haven until our last one. This is a double offense as he is the most sugar-loving person I have ever met. He certainly should have been introduced to the best place for sweet treats in San Fran!

P.S. This visit, we discovered a new flavor in their line of filled chocolates. PEANUT BUTTER! Move over Reese's, a new chocolate-peanut butter bite is in town. Ghiradelli's bars has peanut pieces hidden inside the thin chocolate wafers, giving a delightful crunch to each bite.

My handsome model demonstrating how to perfectly nibble a chocolate bar.