Bailey! Congratulations You win! You win!!

This box of Kreta Olive Oil Truffles created by Bissinger’s Handcrafted Chocolatier will soon be all yours to indulge in whenever you need that chocolate fix.

Thanks for all the fun comments! Now, if I’m ever at a loss on how to satisfy the toughest choco-craving, I’ll know where to turn.

From classic fixes that involve eating chocolate in various forms straight from the bag/jar/spoon, to more extreme solutions like explosive chocolates embedded with pop rocks, and er…snorting lines of cocoa powder…you guys covered it all!

Mmmm I want some chocolate now.

Dude’s Night: Cooking 101

A dude’s gotta feed himself. And he’s gotta learn a few tricks….for the laaaadies.

For our Foodbuzz 24, 24, 24 meal, we brought together 10 dudes, 5 dishes, and a 2-pronged attack:

(1) Learn to feed yourself with a man meal that is hearty and easy to make
(2) Learn how to put together a date night meal that doesn’t involve take-out.

Welcome to Dude’s Night: Cooking 101.

» Continue Reading “Foodbuzz 24, 24, 24: Dude’s Night, Cooking 101″…

Bissinger's Kreta Olive Oil Truffles

Some of you may remember a post I did back in January about the delicious chocolates I discovered at the Winter Fancy Food Show (San Francisco). I was particularly smitten by what I called “the Sophia Loren of the chocolate world,” the Kreta Olive Oil Truffle created by Bissinger’s Handcrafted Chocolatier, because it seduces you over and over again.

I had noted after tasting it for the first time:

The masterpiece confection is enrobed in a luxurious coat of rich milk chocolate, and perfectly accented with a sprinkling of Fleur de Sel on top, giving you a little burst of excitement every time your tongue hits a crystal.

The flavor is playful, dreamlike, and dissolves in your mouth like slowly melting satin. You will be taken away for a few exquisite moments, trying to capture the elusive flavor of liquid gold coaxed from the ageless olive trees of Crete.

And now, because I love you, and because it’s time I had another Friday Freebie, I offer you…a chance to win this box of luxurious, alluring, and utterly divine, Bissinger’s Kreta Olive Oil Truffles.

» Continue Reading “Bissinger’s Olive Oil Truffle Giveaway!”…

As featured in Bay Area Bites, June 24, 2009.

Vahlrona Chocolate Souffle, Oola

“There is nothing like good food, good wine and a bad girl.”

So says the fine print on the menu at Oola. It sure does set the tone, and on a Monday night at that.

Monday date night at Oola

The strategic lighting, exposed brick, and soaring-ceilings make you feel a little mysterious, a little daring, a little come-hither.

So while we’re being naughty, let’s start with dessert first. Our Vahlrona Chocolate Souffle served with a Chambord ice cream sauce, fresh berries, and a cute little puff of meringue was an absolute treat.

» Continue Reading “Oola la Souffle Mondays”…

Poised at the crossroads of Union Square’s shopping district and the FiDi, what better place to bring back the martini lunch?

Gotta love it when you can slink into a stylish joint and get a $5 martini at the lunch counter.

Too aggressive? Try one of Midi’s specialty cocktails. Most are concocted with interesting house-made syrups or flavorings, like the dangerously easy to drink Midi-rita, a sexy white tequila margarita spiked with homemade blood orange marmalade.

» Continue Reading “Midi: Bringing Back the Martini Lunch”…

The Great American Food & Music Festival (6/13/09), Mountain View, CA

If you made it to the Great American Food & Music Festival this weekend, you may still be grumbling, “You mean the not so great American no-Food Festival”…

Katz’s Deli, New York Pastrami on Rye

The first time event was just not prepared for the hordes of hungry festival-goers, eyes glowing red from want of a Katz’s Pastrami and other best of the best eats from around the country.

» Continue Reading “The Great American Food & Music Festival”…

As featured in Bay Area Bites, June 10, 2009.

Chocolate chip heaven

Ah, the chocolate chip cookie. A classic. An American icon. A comfort so versatile, it is as satisfying raw as it is baked.

I’m sure we’ve all sampled our share of this pervasive sweet treat, from those that were passable (but got the job done), to those that reached heights of heavenly decadence.

Chocolate chip cookie, unflattened golf ball version

I had one such cookie lately that made me wonder: What makes the ultimate chocolate chip cookie?

» Continue Reading “The Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie”…

As featured in Bay Area Bites, June 3, 2009.

Dim Sum at Asian Pearl, Richmond

Ever since I’ve relocated to this lovely city by the bay, I’ve been asking every local denizen that enjoys good food (and yes, there are quite a few of you) the hard question:

I almost always hear the same reputable establishments — Yank Sing, Ton Kiang, Mayflower.

In a perfect world, I would find the ultimate dim sum spot where the food is exceptional, the wait not frightening, and the prices so low they incur giggles of disbelief and delight at the end of the meal. I know, it’s a tall order, but somewhere out there I know…it awaits me.

And, I must admit, the quest is not a painful one (usually). I have stumbled upon some tasty discoveries worth sharing, such as these star dishes at Asian Pearl in Richmond.

» Continue Reading “Desperately Seeking Dim Sum”…

Spoiler: Spats, Del’s Lemonade, Blue State Coffee, and Tortilla Flats.

Spats, Providence

If Part 1 was all about the eats, Part 2 is all about the drinks…so this should really be titled Providence Drinkfest.

Reunionfied

Yeahhh collllllege!

» Continue Reading “Brown Reunion: Providence Eatfest, Part 2″…

Spoiler: Andreas, Antonio’s, and sweet baby Jesus…East Side Pockets!

Brown University main green, all dressed up for Campus Dance

My apologies everyone, I know the posts were a bit slow coming this past week…it’s because I’m still digesting from my trip back to lovely Bruno, my sweet alma mater, Brown University. It was a wonderful trip down memory lane, celebrating our 5-year reunion on campus, reminiscing about the days we walked the main green, partied young and invincible, and of course…ate our way down Thayer Street.

» Continue Reading “Brown Reunion: Providence Eatfest, Part 1″…