2012: A Delicious Year in Reviewfeatured

2012. She came. She conquered.

This was a big year. It was our first year back to SF after our blip on the East coast and our travels.

We celebrated with a lot of oyster excursions. We had fun visitors. Dear friends got married and had baaabies. We ran a half marathon and din’t die. I turned 30. There were magical rainbows. 2012 was a good year. Here are 12 tasty moments to remember:

1. Salted Caramel Apple Pie

This was one of the most popular posts of the year. It could just be that, like me, you were obsessed with the easy salted caramel recipe in it. Or maybe it was the tips on perfect pie crust and step-by-step lattice tutorial. Whatever it was, the results were clear. Salted Caramel + Apple Pie = True Love Forever.

2. Best Eggplant Parm Ever

Easily one of the best things I’ve ever made. This recipe will be with me forever. This is so good, I can pretty much guarantee I’ll never use another recipe for eggplant parm again. It will change your life.

3. Juicing

We got mean and green in 2012. Kale? Juiced it, loved it. Spinach? Juiced it, felt like Popeye. Broccoli? Juiced it, don’t recommend it. Freshly juiced OJ mimosas on the other hand? Ab fab.

4. Pancetta Mac & Cheese

Easily one of the top mac & cheeses I’ve ever had was at Cochon Butcher during my NOLA gorge-fest. It was astoundingly rich, with depth of flavor, crispy bits of pancetta, and a buttery crunchy crust. I scored the recipe. Win.

5. Roli Roti Porchetta & Alice Waters

Roli Roti’s Porchetta Sandwich was one of the reasons Hua and I moved back to SF. Just kidding…but not really. Well, we fully indulged ourselves this year and ate our fair share of juicy, crispy-skinned porchetta. Along the way, we met Alice Waters. She also loves crispy skin.

6. Avo-Cobb-O Guacamole

A return to California meant a return to year-round avocados! Love. I learned a nifty trick on how to pit and peel avocados. I then used my new skill a lot. Hello, guacamole.

7. Burning Man Rocky Road Rice Krispies Treats

We made our maiden voyage to Burning Man in 2012. It was an experience I will remember forever, and I already can’t wait for my next journey to the playa. My gift of Rocky Road Rice Krispies Treats were a hit, especially late night. What’s not to like – two nostalgic treats merge into one with this goodie. Classic Rice Krispies Treats retro-fitted with chocolate, studs of salted peanuts and marshmallows, and a subtle buzz of coffee. )’(

8. Skillet Chicken Marbella

This was the winning chicken dish of 2012. It made chicken not boring. I love the sweet, salty, subtly smoky combination of prunes, olives, and capers in this. And, it’s a one-skillet recipe. Gotta love that.

9. Frozen Key Lime Pie

Creamy, dreamy, sweet, tart, and refreshing. With a lime custard filling like soft ice cream and clouds of vanilla whipped cream, this cool treat was a favorite summer dessert.

10. Forbidden Foie Gras

The ban on foie gras fell on California this year, but not before I got my hot little hands on the most ridiculously decadent sandwich of my life, stuffed with Foie Gras & Duck Prosciutto. *Quack*

11. Tomato Pie 2.0

If at first you don’t succeed, try try again. I worked hard on this new and improved recipe for Tomato Pie, and while there is still no substitute for the real Philly original, I’m happy to say this is pretty darn close. An airy, soft, chewy crust topped with a thick layer of sweet, tangy tomato sauce.

12. Apple Crumb Cake

Old-fashioned crumb cake – heavy on the crumb – with chunks of apples baked in. Reminiscent of apple-picking and old-fashioned donut shops. Yes, it tastes as charming and it sounds. This is one of those recipes that you can use to trick people into thinking you truly are a domestic goddess.

*****Happy New Year, Friends!
May 2013 be filled with good eats and tasty adventures 🙂

Not quite ready to move on yet? Take a stroll down memory lane:
Remember what happened in 2011? … 2010? … 2009?