Food You Can Wear

Well, it's no secret that I LOVE food. My family is known for planing the next meal while still eating. I recently found a way to indulge without all the calories. Q-Pot! This Japanese brand was founded in 2000. The designer, ex-fashion model, Tadaaki Wakamatsu, created his designs to make the world a more cheerful place. His aim was to create something fun that would make people smile and open up communication between people. His goal has been accomplished.
Somehow, even though I was surrounded by his designs in Japan I didn't buy anything. But when I came across the first US store. I HAD to. Outside the Ala Moana store, I was ready to purchase some delicious looking macaroons. Once I had entered, I realized I came across something much better. FOOD JEWELRY!
The store was full of Wakamatsu's latest creations: macaroons, dripping honey, caviar, hamburgers, ice cream, teeth, and slices of fruit. My favorites were the hamburgers and ice cream.
After walking around the 3 story mall with these delights on my mind, I knew I had to get something. I went back and tried on both the hamburger necklace, ring and the ice cream necklace. The hamburgers were super cute, but didn't lay well once you got them on. It was a little hard to tell what they were.
Finally, I settled upon the necklace below (worn by yours truly). I love it!!! These creations are not cheap but they will sure set you a part from the crowd. I can't wait to see what more Q-Pot comes up with! I'm getting hungry just thinking about it ;)

Mmm, A Great Summer Drink

Looking for something to quench your thirst? How about some lavender lemon aid? Mmm, doesn't it sound yummy?!?

Fresh lavender imparts a subtle flavor to the lemonade. If you are using dried culinary lavender, cut the amount in half since its stronger taste can quickly become overpowering. At Sunshine Lavender Farm, Annie Baggett makes lemonade by putting dried lavender in a tea ball and letting it steep in hot water until the desired flavor is reached.

Lavender Lemonade

Makes a generous quart

Ingredients:

3-1/2 cups water
1 cup sugar
5 fresh lavender flower heads, or 1-1/2 teaspoons dried culinary lavender (see note)
2/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, strained
4 springs fresh lavender, for garnish

1. Combine 1 cup of water with the sugar in a medium saucepan over a hot flame and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add the remaining 2-1/2 cups water and the fresh or dried lavender and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. (If using dried lavender, put it in a tea ball.) Remove from the heat and let the mixture steep for 20 minutes, or until it has a light lavender taste.

2. Strain the mixture into a pitcher or jar, and stir in the lemon juice. Refrigerate until it is cold.

3. To serve, pour the lemonade over a glass of ice and garnish with a sprig of fresh lavender.

This Is A Commercial For WHAT?

Dita Von Teese is beautiful as usual, but I can't believe this commercial. It amazing me what companies will go through to sell their product. What does Dita have to do with water?!?!

Oh Man, This Sounds GOOD!

I really don't eat much meat. I'm not vegetarian. I don't do it for health or moral reasons. I just don't really like meat. But when something like this comes up, I will have NO issues eating it. Delicious meaty goodness. Mmmm. Check out the Bacon Explosion. Does this not look like the most amazing thing you've seen?

I can' wait to try this at a bbq. Here's how to make your very own Bacon Explosion.

Here’s what you’ll need…

2 pounds thick cut bacon
2 pounds Italian sausage
1 jar of your favorite barbeque sauce
1 jar of your favorite barbeque rub

1.) You need to create a 5×5 bacon weave. If the strips you’re using aren’t as wide as the ones pictured, then you may need to use a few extra slices to fill out the pattern. Just make sure your bacon weave is tight and that you end up with a nice square shape to work with.

2.) The next step is to add some barbecue seasoning on top of your bacon weave. Seeing as not everyone has the time, or the expertise, to create a tasty rub of their own, you could try Cowtown Sweet Spot for the best combination. Plowboys Yardbird, Bad Byron’s Butt Rub, and Rendezvous Famous Seasoning are also excellent choices.

3.) Take two pounds of Italian sausage and layer it directly on top of your bacon weave. Be sure to press the sausage to the outer edges of the bacon creating a patty that is the same thickness all the way across. Most grocery stores carry loose sausage, so just pick out one you like.

4.) Next up is bacon layer number two. Take the remaining bacon slices and fry them up the same way you would for breakfast. If you like soft bacon, make it soft. If you like crunchy bacon, make it crunchy. These pieces are going to be a major part of the inner flavor of our sausage fatty, so cook them your favorite way. Next, crumble or chop the cooked strips into bite size pieces and place on top of the sausage layer.

5.) Take your favorite sauce and drizzle it all over the top of the bacon pieces. Once you’ve sauced the bacon, sprinkle on some more of the barbeque seasoning you used on the bacon weave.

6.) Now comes the fun part. Very carefully separate the front edge of the sausage layer from the bacon weave and begin rolling backwards. You want to include all layers EXCEPT the bacon weave in your roll. Try and keep the sausage as tight as possible and be sure to release any air pockets that may have formed. Once the sausage is fully rolled up, pinch together the seams and ends to seal all of the bacon goodness inside.

7.) To complte the constuction process, roll the sausage forward completely wrapping it in the bacon weave. Make sure it sits with the seam facing downward to help keep it all sealed up.

8.) Sprinkle some barbeque seasoning on the outside of the bacon weave. Now this bad boy is ready for the smoker! Cook your Bacon Explosion at 225 degrees in a constant cloud of hickory smoke until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Normally this will take about 1 hour for each inch of thickness, but that could vary depending on how well you maintain your fire and also how many times you open the smoker to take a peek. It should take around 2.5 hours.

9.) Remember that barbecue sauce we used for inner flavor? We’ll be using that same sauce to glaze the cooked bacon weave. Using a basting brush, coat the entire surface with a thin layer of sauce. Sweet sauces are loaded with sugars, so they’ll give your fatty a nice glossy finish. Spicy and vinegar based sauces don’t contain as much, so they won’t set up as well. If you’re dead set on using those sauces, just cut them with a bit of honey and you’ll get the same effect.

10.) Slice the Bacon Explosion into quarter to half inch rounds to serve.

Mmmmmm!

As If I Needed Another Reason.....

Baby, don't freak out, but I found another reason we should go back to Napa (as if we needed another reason). Napa has some how scored itself another delicious restaurant.

We all know Chef Masahaur Morimoto from the show Iron Chef. His Morimoto Napa restaurant in the Napa Riverfront development opens this month. The restaurant will offer a variety of dining options from the full omakase experience at the sushi bar to quick bites at the lounge. The fish will be flown in from Japan but other ingredients will be sourced locally. Some Morimoto favorites like tuna pizza will be served along with other new Napa dishes like the daring sea urchin carbonara (udon, smoked bacon, crispy shallots, sea urchin) and fig tempura (whole fried Black Mission figs, sliced and served with foie gras peanut butter sauce and pomegranate reduction). Mmm, drooling! The menu is designed to pair with California wines and Morimoto will be serving his signature Rogue ale and the restaurant has applied for a brewery license so housemade suds should be in the future.

When can we go?!??!

A Birthday Card Worth Paying For

Most times, I hate buying cards....especially for people you're not that close to. Why should I pay $6 for something I'm just gonna write Happy Birthday in?!? Well, guess what American Greetings has finally come out with a card worth paying for. A card equipped with a special treat!

"Tasties" cards will feature a flavor strip that tastes like a cupcake to commemorate the occasion — what a fantastic idea!

Sweet, now you don't have to buy people birthday treats either. Hhahaah. That would suck!

You Know You Have Too Much Time On Your Hands When.....

Ok, you know you have too much time on your hands when you decide to create colored BACON!!! We won't mention the recent oil spill....because we know people are out there creating amazing things like colored bacon. Graphic designer Neil Caldwell has created multi-colored delicious BACON that comes in blue, yellow, green, pink, purple, and red - and retains its color even after it's cooked! Seems pretty gross to me!!!

Don't worry, there are no plans to sell the bacon.....yet. This guys mom must be real proud.

Make Your Own Chocolate Bar

Most everyone likes chocolate. There are so many kinds out there now. It's more than just milk or dark. There's bacon chocolate, chocolate with fancy salt, and chocolate from Venezuela. How's a girl supposed to know what to pick?

Well, now you can pick exactly what you want. Chocri has made your wildest wishes come true! Chocri customized chocolate bars are made from organic, fair trade Belgian chocolate. You can pick milk chocolate, white chocolate, dark chocolate or a milk and white combination for your base chocolate bar, then you can go crazy customizing. Options include, but are not limited to:

• Goji Berries
• Fig Bits
• Banana Chips
• Papaya Cubes
• Sea Salt
• Rosemary (it's getting interesting, isn't it?)
• Jalapenos
• Bourbon Vanilla
• Ginger
• Chives
• Hazelnut Brittle
• Wasabi Peanuts
• Pine Nuts
• Licorice
• Sizzle Rocks
• Gummy Bears
• Marzipan Carrots (now we're onto crazy)
• Sugar Flowers
• Real Gold Flakes
• Tiny Stars
• Bacon
• Candied Lilac
• Candied Rose Petals
• Organic Mint Leaves
• Organic Poppy Seeds

Once you design your chocolate, you name it and pay for it (you control the price by paying for whatever ingredients you add ... real gold flakes are $2.10 per bar), and it's sent to you in a personalized box. You can also enter your previous chocolate's barcode number, in case whatever you made last time was clearly the ultimate chocolate creation of all time.

This chocolate company also has a heart, 1 percent of the profits from every chocolate bar sold goes to aid children in the Ivory Coast region. And best of all, for every five bars you make, you get one free. Sign me up!!

Mmm! Summer Meal Ideas

Mmm, I love salmon. Summer, winter, all times are good for salmon. Here's a recipe from famed Health spa, Canyon Ranch. I like the twist on the mango salsa. Can't wait to give it a try!

Blueberry Mango Salsa:

1/3 cup diced mango

1/3 cup blueberries

2 tablespoons minced red onion

2 tablespoons minced red bell pepper

1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1/2 teaspoon minced jalapenos

2 teaspoons evaporated cane juice

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

4 4-ounce salmon fillets

Pinch sea salt

Pinch freshly ground black pepper

1. In a medium bowl combine all ingredients for blueberry mango salsa. Lightly crush

with a fork to release juices. Set aside.

2. Heat olive oil a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Season salmon with salt and

pepper and sear for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, or until salmon is cooked through.

3. Serve each salmon fillet with ¼ cup of blueberry mango salsa.

Makes 4 servings, each containing approximately:

205 calories

Juicy Sparking Juice

Another one of my million dollar ideas stolen! I don't know why it took them this long to think of this....cause it's about time! I love Santa Cruz Organic juices but they are too sweet for me. Normally, I'll get a 32 ounce bottle of juice and a few bottles of sparkling water. I like a 1/3 juice, 2/3 sparking water combo. Well, no longer will I have to make my ghetto juice. Santa Cruz Organic has recently come out with 10.5 ounce cans of sparkling beverage. The have 5 flavors: orange mango, lemonade, mango lemonade, pom limeade, and raspberry lemonade. I've tried the mango lemonade and raspberry lemonade. Both were great. Sweet, but not too sweet. Mmm, a great addition to your fridge for summer.

CurryUpNow: 2010 Version of the Taco Truck

Sick of all the same options for lunch at work? Don't have time for a sit down meal, but want something more exciting than a sandwich? I have the perfect answer for you! What can only be described as the modern day taco truck, CurryUpNow.

One of the things I love about the Bay Area is the diversity. From Afghani to Vietnamese, it's easy to find in the Bay. CurryUpNow has answered the call for a more "modern" taco truck. Just about 7 days a week, they drive around the Bay (Palo Alto, Mountain View, Redwood City, Burlingame, San Mateo, and SF) serving up delicious Indian street fair. The best way to track their trucks and find out what they are serving up that day is to add them as a "friend" on Facebook or Twitter. There are daily updates.

As you can see from the menu above, the prices are reasonable....and you can see from the pics below, that the portions aren't small.


Today, I had a samosa and the "daily" burrito. Both were yummy! The burrito was moist and had just the right amount of spice. Spicy but not too hot. The samosa was crunchy and filled with potatoes and a mix of other diced up veggies. I will definitely be back for more!! Looking forward to trying more of their items.

Word from the wise, COME EARLY! (Lines can be 30 mins long)

The Flavor Bible

This book is a must for every chef. Some people just look at ingredients and know how to pair and prepare them. Ahh, yes a creme brulee of foie gras. Yes, that would be perfect.... I'll never forget when my roommate's boyfriend in college cooked for us. The 3 of us that lived together thought we were left for dead. Our fridge was empty. We had a chicken breast and some dry pasta, a little bit of butter....that was about it. Some how, he cooked an amazing dinner that I still remember to this day. You would have thought we had intended dinner to turn out that way. If you know what you're doing, you really can make something out of nothing. Well, for those of us who aren't so culinary-ly inclined, we now have a chance! The Flavor Bible (brought to my attetion by my personal librarian). This book breaks down why people like a meal: taste buds, the mouthfeel, balanced flavors, quality, and as they call, "the X-Factor--visual, emotional and mental. Once you've got these things mastered, you can move on to matching flavors. They do this in different ways: by ingredent and by cuisine (ie African, Southern, etc.). So, if you were looking to cook Belgian cuisine, you would most likely use: almonds, brussels sprouts, potatoes, vinegar, or endive. Who knew!?! Or if you wanted to make a dish with matsutake mushrooms, you would want to pair them with: butter, chicken, cream, fish, mirin, or custard. Impressive, right? Who knew cooking could be this easy!?!? They also have ways to cook the items. The best way to cook sweetbreads is to braise, deep fry, grill, pan roast or saute them. If you like to cook I would definitely check this book out! (by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg)

I've died and gone to heaven

So I guess I should make it public knowledge that I have a bit of an obessision with biscuits, especially Popeyes. Mmm, just mentioning it gets my mouth salvating and my tummy growling. Well, much to my surprize I was able to find the Popeyes recipie in a book. I haven't made them yet, due to my lack of kitchen and oven, but just knowing I have the recipie makes me feel good. Here's the recipie below, in case you'd like to make them for me :)



Also, today I came across this link: http://gizmodo.com/5520455/bob-evans-sausage-gravy-machine-is-the-last-machine-youll-need

Since I can't make biscuits at my house, maybe I need to purchase one of these. Then all my biscuity needs could be filled by one simple station. I must know, who is this Bob Evans? And why did he not come up with the great idea earlier?!?! Mmm, biscuits!

Mmm, lunch

Well after finding some stunning Hello Kitty bento boxes (while looking for the HK Cafe is Hawaii), I was reminising about my Japanese students lunches. When I was in elementary school, I was luck if my mom even made me lunch. Japanese mothers get up at the crack of dawn and meticulously make their kids lunches. These creations are just a few of the masterpieces that Japanese mothers make each day. Here are just a few examples of Japanese bentos.

Hello Kitty Food! Hawaii here I come!

Freaking sweet, right??

My mom never made me a lunch that looked like this!!

Guess what just opened in Hawaii?!?! A Hello Kitty Cafe. How at Ala Moana Shopping Center in Honolulu you can eat all the HK food you can stomach. Next time I go to Hawaii this is going to be 2nd on my list (1st being the beach. Hehe). Here's some more info about the Cafe and a few pictures of their food (HK shaped, of course): http://www.sanrio.com/hellokittyblog/around-the-world/coffee-cake-and-cute-sanrio-cafe-opens/

A weekend in SF (4/10/10)

Well, another exciting adventure under our belts! Dave and I went to San Francisco for one night.

Saturday is a GREAT day to be at the Ferry Building. They have a huge Farmers Market going on. There were tons of vendors selling veggies, cheese, meats, fruit, and hot and cold snacks. But that's not what we had come for. We were there for one sole purpose. Recchiuti!! Racchuiuti is a San Francisco based chocolatier. These chocolates are out of this world. What I like best about Racchuiuti is their "truffle" flavors. Some of my favorites are: fleur de sel, rose carmel, ginger heart, lavender vanilla, star anise & pink peppercorn and pearl mint tea. I don't know if I notice a real difference in their (plain) chocolate compared to other brands but their "truffles" are FAR surperiour to any others.

Well, after the crowds of the Ferry Buidling we were ready to get away from all the people and decided to head up the hill to our room. After a short (and very steep) walk we arrived at the San Francisco Fairmont. Construction on this hotel started in 1902 but the hotel didn't officially open until 1907 (due to the earthquake of 1906). We have stayed at this Fairmont a few times and have really enjoyed our stays. This time we got especially lucky. Somehow by the grace of the Fairmont gods, we got upgraded to the $1000 a night Cambridge Suite (in the Main Building). The room was huge and beautiful! Really a throw back to how the Fairmont probably felt and looked over 100 years ago. Below you can see a video tour of our room (tour guide, yours truly).

Our living room (Cambridge Suite)

On Saturday night we had the pleasure of eating at the World Famous House of Prime Rib (thanks to Anthony Bourdain). Mmm, it was yummy meaty goodness. Huge cuts of meats with delicious sides and TONS of food. We had salad, bread, cornbread, prime rib, mashed potatoes and gravy, baked potatoes, cream spinach, Yorkshire pudding and creme brulee. And it was all GOOD. All things considered the prices were decent for the amount of food you got. Make sure to bring your appitite when you come. We will be back!

Dinner is served!

Dave's huge porition of meat

On Sunday after getting rained out at the Cherry Blossom Festival (2nd biggest in US, only to Washington DC). We decided to head downtown and do a little shopping. We had a great surprise when we got to Macy's. Currently, they are having their annual flower show. There were beautiful flowers all over.

These two displays were some of my favoites

Well, all in all event though our main event (Cherry Blossom Festival) got rained out we still had a GREAT weekend. Thanks to the Fairmont for making sure we had a beautiful and jaw dropping room. As always, we were sad to leave....but back to reality.