We pulled up to the quaint Ramekins Cooking School and Inn in Sonoma, and knew I’d like this place as soon as I laid eyes on the spork and spoon handles on the front door.
I was invited by Ramekins to check out one of their many cooking classes and stay at their 6-room bed and [...]

It all started with a G-chat…
Ali: Do you make punch ever?
Me: My punch knowledge is pretty limited. It’s either from middle school (sherbet and ginger ale with random floating fruit) or college (a.k.a. Jungle Juice – Kool Aide, grain alcohol, batches made in trash bags)…neither of which are particularly appealing.
Ali: Hahahahhaha. I have [...]

Some exciting news…last Friday, Leslie Sbrocco, host of the new food and wine segment on KQED 9’s This Week in Northern California (you may also know her from Check, Please! Bay Area), invited me and another Bay Area Bites blogger, Thy Tran, to chat with her about celebrating the food and traditions of the Lunar [...]

Not off my toffee kick yet! Poco Dolce brings a grown-up spin on the classic treat with flavors that are sophisticated and exceptional.
Their Toffee Square Sampler is comprised of four different flavors, each hand-cut into one inch squares and coated in bittersweet chocolate: Sea Salt, Burnt Caramel, Super Chile, and Double Shot Toffee.
Maybe [...]

The 15 day celebration of Chinese New Year (or Lunar New Year, as many Asian cultures refer to it) comes to a close this weekend, and with it, so does my dumpling stash. Resembling little purses stuffed with riches, it is tradition to eat plenty of dumplings during this time because they symbolize prosperity. [...]

Brandini Toffee tastes like it was made by your sweet little grandma-ma…buttery, comforting, and chock full of love. All true, except for the grandma-ma part. Quite the opposite in fact, the company was started by (then) high school freshmen, Brandon Weimer and Leah Post, in order to raise money for a school trip [...]

Congrats to last week’s giveaway winners! Dskco will be enjoying her Honeysuckle and Clover EMBER from JimmyJane…
Valrhona’s decadent Degustation Grands Crus & Equinoxe Collection Box will hopefully be just the thing Les needs to help her heal her broken ankle quickly…
and Michelle will be receiving gift certificates to enjoy this week’s inaugural Sonoma County Restaurant [...]

Today I have something really special: Fran’s Gray & Smoked Salt Caramels.
For those who know…oh, you know. For those who have yet to experience the heavenly bliss that is Fran’s Chocolates…you just have not lived until you put one of these salted caramels in your mouth.
These [...]

When I started procrastinating about an hour ago, Facebook group Secret San Francisco was at 42,654 members. Now, it’s at 43,736 members.
A mere 12 days ago, it was just a glint in Jamie Quint’s eye.
The 24-year-old entrepreneur started this group based on the model of Secret London, which went from zero to [...]

Yess…the Oprah giveaway streak continues! Not to worry, I’m not done with the chocolate yet…but let’s take a brief respite for some food and wine
The first-ever Sonoma County Restaurant Week begins February 22nd and will run through February 28th (about time, huh?).
The seven day event will celebrate Sonoma’s wealth of local, farm-fresh [...]