Taking a Rain Check With Cupcakes

Every time I post new content on the blog, which seems to now be an annual activity, I always mention that I have a lot to share and plan on doing. Well, this plan did not work out even with a pandemic raging around the world and ended up taking a rain check. 

I recently injured my leg, so my injury has encouraged me to get back to my original commitment and share more content! 

So, what’s new? Plenty. Pretending to run a Thai restaurant in our apartment, perfecting my favorite baked goods that aren’t sourdough or banana bread, and revisiting my professional wine tasting skills to name a scant few. 

What has been really fun during the pandemic has been exploring cookbooks. I only have a portion of my cookbook library currently with me in Germany, but what has been really revolutionary about a cookbook to me is how they can physically transport you to a place in the world without having to go anywhere. This has been a challenging time and preventing me from traveling anywhere for a year, but my cookbooks have been a treasure to explore. I plan to share more on this topic, but I won’t spill the beans yet.

What I can share is that my sister recently had her first child, and prior to his arrival, we held a virtual (of course!) baby shower. We had to make sure we were definitely the “party scene” along with my sister and brother-in-law so I made cupcakes from a cake recipe I used several years ago. The result? Probably the best cupcakes I made in a long time, if not, ever!

Four takeaways as to why I think the cupcakes were a success: 

Using happy eggs – This was almost revolutionary for me. The happier the egg (meaning how the chicken is treated), the more satisfactory or textbook your recipe will become. If you ever had high-quality Iberico de Bellota or Pata Negra from a Spanish producer, you will understand what I mean.

Our homemade amaretto as an almond extract – My partner loves apricots and started making his own amaretto two years ago. Simply save the extra seeds, let them seep in a neutral spirit for several weeks, discard the seeds, and that’s it! 

Sifting the flour – Yes, sometimes we feel rushed, but we really need to sift that flour. The texture transforms the cake into something that you usually have at a bakery: moist, soft, and compact. 

Using high-quality chocolate (for the frosting) – It is worth the investment, I promise!

If you want to give it a try, this is the recipe from Carissa Shaw’s blog I used for the cake. I used a different recipe (from Add a Pinch) for the frosting and it's certainly worth it if you are looking for a useful buttercream chocolate frosting!

I will be back. 

To Hungary, with Love Part One: Croissants are not French

The time period of social distancing definitely has given me the opportunity to think more about sharing what’s been going on in and outside of the kitchen since I moved here. 

One of my most favorite things I discovered since 2018 in Europe is Hungary. We went there for a brief period of time in late 2018 just after the wine harvest, and it definitely falls into the “All I want to do is go back” category. There is so much culture to see, eat, and drink, and I think this is an understatement. 

Another item that I have become obsessed with over time since moving here is the croissant. I am not as obsessed with the pastry as my partner, but there is a genuine, lovingly fascination that I have about the “patisserie of patisserie”. 

Two things that I did not know until recently: 

1. Croissants are not French. In fact, there is quite a bit of discussion as to where they originate. The most obvious answer is Austria, as they were originally called Kipferl before the French took it away to become the jet-setter that it now is forever. However, there is discussion that it traveled from what was the Ottoman Empire and was called a Kifli, the Hungarian name for the pastry before it made its way to Vienna.
2. Croissants are astonishingly easy to make. Yes, this magically, ever-lasting layered creation of butter, yeast, and flour is surprisingly a breeze to make, particularly if you have the patience for 2-3 days. 

After going to Paris last year and trying practically every croissant that we could find along the streets, I decided to finally face my fears of the “patisserie of patisserie” and give this a go myself. I found a recipe via Pintrest that I highly recommend, especially if you have time constraints or if you just cannot wait 3 days to indulge your croissant craving. 

We gave the three-day recipe an initial try around Christmas 2019, and it was a huge success that we decided to do it again for Easter 2020. Now, trying it a second time, I want to share some quick tips if you decide to face your fear of patisserie:

• Don’t worry if you did not have enough yeast (we ran out and due to the panic buying that is going around town, we had to cut the portion slightly shorter). I was worried at first, but they rose just as much the second time around as they did the first so do not worry. 

• Make sure you do set the butter in pieces as recommended overnight. This helps them spread within the flour evenly when it’s time to laminate the dough. 

• The splits in the middle of each triangle help the croissant dough form the crescent shapes. I found that not exactly clear in the recipe so hopefully this clarifies that step when its time to shape the dough into crescents. 

• Take your time in the oven. Just because they are browning, doesn’t mean they are burning. If fact, they might not be completely baked through so have patience. We noticed that we needed more time in the oven than what the recipe states, but we also live in another part of the world, and our oven is a little older. 

Go ahead and give these magnificent gems a try. When you have a little more time than you normally would these days, projects like these definitely are worth the time and satisfaction they create. 

Re-Reserving

It"s been over two years and I have not shared one thing in writing, but I have managed to share the world in pictures. 

I finally moved to the one place I always wanted to live: Germany. Yes, Germany. I can go in depths on end as to reasons why, but I will save that for another post. 

Overall, so far I met the love of my life, discovered my most favorite part of Germany, and realized that my favorite restaurant so far has been our kitchen. 

More to come and looking forward to sharing every bite.

Ice Cream Crazy

Finally, writing again. This year has been wild, fast and happily doesn’t plan on slowing down.  

While I have been busy away with being “busy”, I redeveloped a love for ice cream. Maybe it’s just the current trend these days in DC, but I rediscovered a love for this sweet treat in ways I never really thought I would enjoy it.

I only liked two kinds of ice cream as a kid: Mint chocolate chip and chocolate chip cookie dough. No questions asked and nothing more. Now, I am willing to discover anything that will satisfy my taste buds at the time. I even wanted ice cream so much that I made my own Dairy Queen Blizzard this summer.

In any case, here are some of my selections to share in case you haven’t tried or want to get on the ice cream bandwagon too. It’s a good time to hop on.

Jennis Splendid Ice Cream

This über popular brand is finally in DC, and it's definitely a good way to finish a nice lunch on 14^th Street. For six dollars, I was able to enjoy three mini scoops of their creations. Mine:

Peanut Butter J

Sweet Cream

Whisky J

J  = Winner

Where: 1925 14^th Street NW, Washington DC 20009

Reese’s Blizzard From Scratch

I experienced one of those intense cravings for a specific kind of ice cream one day, and the victim was a Dairy Queen Blizzard. Not just any Dairy Queen Blizzard, a Reese’s Cup Dairy Queen Blizzard. So, I got Pinterest-happy and searched anything I could find to remake this treat because let’s be honest, I wasn’t going to drive DC traffic to find a Dairy Queen.

Result: It was 100% accurate and if you want to save it for later, I highly recommend using a Yeti. It made me think of my summers when I couldn’t finish my Blizzards and would stick them in the freezer for later. Highly recommend.

Gelato

I had my fair share of gelato this year. So much it was almost every weekend I was indulging in some sort of gelato, either at home or outside.

Where did I go?

1. Union Market – Java Cookies ‘N Cream. It was more like a cookie rolled in cream rather than the other way around. J

Where: 1309 5^th Street NE, Washington, DC 2002

2. Europe – Will save my results for this later.

3. Weekly Stash – I have to admit, Breyers does a pretty good job with their Gelato Indulgences. I was a little skeptical about them at first, but they are pretty tasty. My regulars were Tiramisu and Raspberry Cheesecake.

4. Café Sorriso – I had the Stracciatella and all I have to say is J

Where: 2311 Calvert Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Ice Cream Jubilee

Now, this was interesting. I really had no idea what I was getting into. I thought it would be similar to Jennis Ice Cream, but what I ordered ended up being definitely worth your six dollars: Two oversized scoops of ice cream on top of a cone that could barely keep up with the weight.

Pistachio Cannoli J

Salted Caramel

Where: 1407 T Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

Halo Top

All I have to say is that this product is one word: Addicting. As much as I wanted to try their super-popular flavor, Birthday Cake, I opted for Red Velvet Cake instead. I practically felt I was savoring the perfect definition of what a cake and ice cream would be if they were blended together in machine mixer. I might go back to my Breyers on occasion, but I definitely know where to find this delicacy again just in case I cannot live without it.

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The Undiscovered Family Pie

I always heard of rumors of a family “strawberry-rhubarb pie” that would float around in conversations from time to time, particularly around the summer time or around the holiday season while growing up as a kid. My mother refused to make it, claiming that her mother and aunt made it so much while she was growing up that it made her sick. Therefore, the strawberry-rhubarb pie rumors remained rumors.

Until last month.

I was craving a pie and ice cream terribly and had a couple of hours to kill so I decided to make the pie that I always wanted to try: the strawberry-rhubarb pie.

Sure, I have had strawberry tarts and rhubarb jam but never in combination with one another, and I always believed as a kid that making food with rhubarb was somehow too complex for me. Mind you, this was before I entered the food world as a professional.

I have no idea why my mother never gave in for one moment, because the minute I tried this pie, my heart, palette, and stomach sparkled with delight. I have never been a complete, dedicated fan of pie until I tried this one. The simple combination of sugar, cinnamon, strawberries, and rhubarb evolves into an addicting, sweet and tangy center of awesomeness. 

And the addition of ice cream? I’m not sure if I have any words other than a milky, liquid gold.

If you have any secret recipes that your family has not tried, do yourself a favor and try them. You have no idea what you are missing, because just trying the undiscovered, strawberry-rhubarb pie just made me realize that there are family members that really do have a palette like mine.

If you want to try the pie yourself, try it here.

Malay in Morristown

Southeast Asia has grasped my attention, particularly ever since I started working around some amazing people in Jean-Georges’ restaurants and lived not far from densely populated Asian community in Queens, NY.  Being someone from the southeast United States, I find a few parallels in their culinary communities: spices, tropical fruits, and peanut butter amongst other minor similarities. Therefore, whenever I see or hear of a Southeast Asian restaurant, I am always in for a try.

And that is what led me to Malay, a Malaysian restaurant located in Morristown, NJ. I visited a friend last spring who moved to this town, and we stumbled across this newly opened gem not far from the train station for dinner before a movie. We noticed the packs of people inside so we know we were already up for the experience.

The funny thing about this is that it was so good, that I did not photograph anything. It was one the most eclectic dining experiences we ever had. I remember the dishes so vividly that it took me no time to recollect them as I was writing this post. That’s how good our food tasted.

We started ordering our apps but then we turned to the staff for recommendations on main courses. We were so curious as to what we were going to receive, partly because I haven’t specifically “tasted” Malaysian cuisine in the past.

We basically had the following:

Thai Lettuce Wrap

Mango Salad

Malay Char Kway Teow: Stir fry flat noodles with shrimp, squid, bean sprouts, eggs, soy sauce and chili paste

Salted Fish with Eggplant, the special of that night

Peanut Cookies: The best things ever.

The Thai Lettuce Wraps had an spice that lingered in your mouth for minutes, and the mango salad I know for a fact I cleared the plate. The Malay Char Kway Teow had squid that reminded me of my days in Spain and the Salted Fish with Eggplant was clearly the piece de resistance. It served as a full fish along with vegetables and eggplant complimented the fish in so many ways that will never be forgotten. The butteryness of the eggplant and the saltiness of the fish combined to really create a satiating explosion. Okay, I will say it: It was pretty orgasmic.

The best part though was dessert. Mostly because we did not expect this as we were paying the bill. They gave out some Peanut Cookies along with our check, and we were just expecting some pre-made, packaged cookie. This was a melt-in-your mouth, piece of magic that I can still remember the flavors melting and crumbling in the mouth. It was like combining, cotton candy, peanut butter, and shortbread into your mouth. I would return just to take the cookies again and then go home because they surprised me that much.

This restaurant just proved to me that there is always going to be a hole in a wall that clearly defines its place in the world, and Malay knows how to paint a culinary postcard. If you are ever in the area of Morristown, its definitely worth a visit.

Malay

147 Morris Street

Morriston, NJ 07960

http://www.malaymorristown.com/index.asp

973.538.3322

The Life of the Single Serving (Favorite Single Serving Recipes)

 The culinary life of a single serving for me is not Ramen Noodles. Nor is it microwave dinners or other packaged, boxed up, frozen, or canned mystery findings. Don’t worry, I definitely do my fair share of frozen pizzas (thank you, Dr. Oetker), ham and cheese sandwiches, and Chinese or Thai. I am also a sucker for chocolate chip muffins or croissants from my local bakery. There are moments where I wish I could make for four or five people in my world, but honestly single servings are just as satisfying, if not more. If I did make for four or five people in my world, I always get sick of the leftovers by the third meal. It’s just not going to happen.

So, for all of the single serving lovers out there, I provide you some of my favorites in courses. Most of these are comfort foods, but at least you can enjoy them by yourself, without worrying about what to do with the other servings of food. Yes, some of them “do” say they are set for four to six people, etc., but I guarantee you that it will take you no more than two, maybe three servings so if it was so good that you just had to have it one more time (and one time only), its waiting for you.

Appetizer: From my first chef I ever got to get to know

Pasta: Mushroom Risotto. It’s so addicting I now have it once a month a least.

Buffalo Hot Wings: If you really need that sports watching day all to yourself

Welsh Rarebit: Basically, it’s a cheese sandwich on crack

Dessert: Big Ass Chocolate Chip Cookie

Breakfast: Pancakes

Rum Runnin' It

Are you itching to get into warmer weather? Every year when it becomes colder I always crave something that I enjoy during warmer weather, like ice cream for instance. For me lately, it’s been a rum runner. It brings me back to the moments in Jekyll Island, GA from spring to late fall. My family will vacation from time to time down at the Club hotel, and if you could picture a place that will make your favorite creation, no matter how new or vintage it is, this is the place.

My pick is the rum runner. My family enjoys these so much that we even researched a recipe to enjoy at home when we cannot travel to the hotel. A mix of two, sometimes three different rums, pineapple juice, orange juice, blackberry liquor, banana liquor, grenadine, garnished with a cherry and orange is the ultimate spiked punch one will ever have when you just want to enjoy the warm weather, sun and the water.

What is the one recipe we find to be most accurate? Click here to find out and enjoy it for hopes of better weather soon.

http://www.florida-keys-guide.com/rum-runner-recipe/

Falling for a Revival

I fell in love in October 2015. I will never forget the night we met. We were actually introduced through a friend of mine, and the moment we laid eyes on each other, I knew it was going to be a relationship that would for last a long time.

That “special someone” is a Glendronach 15-Year Revival – a Highland single malt, Oloroso sherry cask, Scotch whisky. I am fan of sherry in general so the instant I learned that this Scotch whisky is aged in Oloroso sherry casks, I knew I had to give it a try to see why my friend treasured it so much.

Its velvety rich, currant, caramel palate with its long lasting finish left me lingering for more. So much that after three bottles of it, I decided to slowly enjoy my last bottle once I learned to realize that they were retiring the 15-Year Scotch for three years. I actually am a proud owner of the last bottle for sale in D.C. I am sure there are secret stashes at restaurants around the area, but I keep this one for me for only special occasions, because you never know when a beauty like this will come around again.

For more information on Glendronach, check out their website below. Hopefully, you will be able to have a chance to fall in love too: http://glendronachdistillery.co.uk

Cake Practice

I recently had a bridal shower and had to make a cake. Not my first time making a cake for a special occasion, but it was the most formal of them I have ever done. Especially for someone who has been to culinary art school so there is a little bit of pressure here.

I felt compelled to actually do some “practice” so that I can get the hang of baking something of this nature again. It is not so much the cake part, that part for me is well “a piece of cake” ( I know, terrible phrase but I just couldn’t help it ). However, it is the icing part of the procedure that always gets me. Maybe it is because I get lazy or forget to do something, fill something, etc. that makes it just the cake that more novice.

What did I decide to do? http://www.howsweeteats.com/2011/03/one-bowl-vanilla-cupcakes-for-two/

Result? Well… Here you go. This was the practice round in the making. 

And here is the actual result.

It was so amazing that I have 2 more slices in the freezer. Enough said. A sincere thanks to King Arthur Flour. If you want the recipe, check out their baking recipe book. 

Weekend in Wilmington

A couple of friends of mine traveled to Wilmington back in October to visit a friend of ours who just had a baby. I had little knowledge of Wilmington other than the hit 1990’s TV show, “Dawson’s Creek” until we actually visited there.

Was I pleasantly surprised. It is a blossoming tourist town and actively growing by the minute. You can see new restaurant to shop open back to back as if it is a growth spurt that does not plan on slowing. It is certainly a culinary getaway if you are looking for some tasty seafood, beer, and ice cream.

We did not do much for being there less than 36 hours, but what we did get to do was pretty delectable. Unfortunately, I do not have all the details ( I was the driver and not the writer), but here is a sampling of my memory:

Ruben at Copper Penny: All I have to say is that this Ruben is close but not quite to the king of all Rubens in the south, the Cavalier in Lynchburg, VA. It was very tasty though and left me full for the afternoon.

Beer at Waterline Brewing Company: We were in the middle of their Oktoberfest and it was filled with fun, music and of course, beer. I had their Rye IPA which was quite nice.

Cocktails at The Blind Elephant: Historically known to be a 1920’s prohibition bar, that took its name to another direction other than the typical names at the time such as Blind Tiger for instance. They sold the Moscow Mules on Tap and I was definitely craving one in the heat. Overall, really refreshing and enjoyed the active atmosphere for a Saturday night in a small, tourist town.

Oysters at Dock Street Oyster Bar: Best meal all weekend. I loved these Oysters which where basically local, straight off the shore. They had a wide range of vinegars so I kept mine simple with red wine vinegar and horseradish. The corn was also a great compliment to completely finish my lunch.

Ice Cream at Kilwin’s Chocolates: This was some of the best American ice cream I have tasted in a while. I went with the fan favorite, peanut butter cup despite my yearning for mint chocolate chip. The verdict? I could have had a full pint of it, but happy that I stuck with my small scoop. Otherwise I would have definitely spoiled my dinner.

                                              

Overall, you must travel to Wilmington. It is perfect for a weekend getaway or a longer trip up or down the southeast coast.

3 Stars Saturday

After my overwhelming experience at Wegmans, I decided to join some friends at 3 Stars Brewery in Takoma Park. The afternoon was perfect: overcast, not cold, just a perfect afternoon to spend with some beer and conversation.

I instantly regretted eating my sandwich at Wegmans, because Sloppy Momma’s truck was right in front of my face upon entering the brewery. I guess next time.

In any case, I was delivered 4 tasting tickets to sample beer and a tour before purchasing flights, growlers, glasses and merchandise. Very fun and active scene as if I was at an indoor festival.

Because of lack of time, I decided to go straight to the flights where you can choose four, 4 oz. glasses of beer at a very reasonable $8. Out of the one’s that I picked, Ghost white IPA was my absolute favorite. Not too hoppy for an IPA, fresh, and slightly fruity.  A must try. Additionally, do try a bottle of Madness. Not only is the labeling classy, so is the flavor.

Despite the lack of time I had that afternoon, I will definitely give this location another go when I make more time for my Saturday. However, it was definitely a more relaxing finish to my overwhelming afternoon.

Overwhelmed at Wegmans

After living here for six years, I decided to do something different than usual for my weekend grocery shopping routine.  I decided to go Wegmans, the one grocery store that a lot of locals have raved about the past. I decided to give it a go and see what the craze is all about.

For starters, I probably went to the one location at the wrong time to go. I went to the location at Potomac Mills in the middle of a Saturday afternoon. 2pm to be exact.

I go in and I am already starving, because I heard their café items are pretty tasty. So I go in and I can’t describe anything else other than being extremely overwhelmed.  There must have been a swim meet in the area because every team known in the county was there purchasing lunch. It got me so overwhelmed that I decided to just get a drink and a sandwich at the café immediately to let the storm pass. Not bad of a turkey sandwich but nothing to go crazy about regarding taste.

Afterwards, I contemplated whether I should do my actual grocery shopping or should I just get a few items and finish the rest at home. I decided to go for it and honestly, it took me forever. I just could not go over how many kinds of one particular item they had and how it was organized. I had a hard time finding some basic items (olive oil and sour cream, for example), but the amount of the assortments just blew my mind.

Few things I did enjoy though were the candy section (it is like you are in your own candy store), the make your beer case assortment, and the prices. They are truly very reasonable compared to shopping at the Vegas of grocery stores, Whole Foods and the like.

Would I go again? Not sure, to be honest, maybe to find a beer that I cannot find or if I am traveling and need to go to a quick pit stop. Other than that, I just cannot think of another reason to be overwhelmed again. It was very interesting to see what is there, but it left me just wanting to go back to my neighborhood’s grocery stores and do my usual routine.

It is, however, definitely a place that is worth shopping quality products at reasonable prices. That I can definitely agree with and will probably be the one factor to consider when I cannot find a particular item in my usual spots. Give it a go, yourself and let me know what you think!

Pizzaholic

When I purchase my calendar for 2018, I need to make sure it comes with every national ”food” holiday. If we are going to have national holidays for food, we need to make sure they are labeled just like all the other holidays we have on our calendars, no exceptions.  

In any case, this past week was National Pizza Day, and ironically enough I was making homemade pizza that evening. Therefore, I made it much more of a meal than I expected it to be.

What did I make? Spinach pizza, of course! Spinach pizza is the king of pizzas in my personal opinion. Of course I love meat, mushrooms, peppers, and the other creative fixings on top of my pizza, but nothing can beat a spinach pizza with the right combination of ingredients. You don’t want it to taste like you’re eating a salad, but you also do not want it to taste too much like spinach dip either.

I am an addict of purchasing Dr. Oetker’s frozen pizzas, but I recently decided to go back to family’s recipe and make our pizza dough. The recipe derives from Wolfgang Puck’s bread maker recipe book so if you have a bread maker, this recipe is ideal.

Some notes to this recipe:

1. Place the bread maker setting on BASIC and have it in there for about 2 hours and 5 minutes or just before it goes into the “bake” phase.

2. Make sure that you give the dough some time to rest after it is finished. I recommend around 30 minutes. Also ensure that you place a paper towel over the dough when it is resting.

3. If you are making this the night before, place the dough in a bowl, cover it tightly with plastic wrap and place it in a refrigerator. This will allow the dough to rest and expand. This can be in the fridge for up to 2 days so if you plan to use any remaining dough for another time, I recommend placing it in a plastic bag and into the freezer.

Alright, here is the fun part: the recipe!

Serves up to 6 people or makes 3 personal pizzas.

Ingredients

1 C room temperature water

2 T olive oil

1 T honey

1 t kosher salt

3 C unbleached bread flour (organic works really well too!)

2.5 t bread machine yeast

Instructions

Place all ingredients in order above into a bread maker

Place setting to BASIC and press START

Take out before BAKE phase. Dough will be warm but not extremely hot.

 Cover dough with a paper towel and let rest for 30 minutes

Prepare pizza peel with breadcrumbs

Shape dough as desired and place on pizza peel

Top with desired toppings and place in oven over a pizza stone (I like 450 degrees Fahrenheit but its up to you).

 Remove from oven, cool for about 5 minutes, serve. Enjoy! 

Muffin Mondays

Every city I lived in I developed a habit for something sweet in the morning. In Germany, it was Oschenaugen, Schoko Croissants, or a pastry with sugary crumbles and icing on top. I cannot remember the name, but they were huge and I would devour them usually if we had a big night from dancing in town.

In New York, it was either a chocolate chip scone from Fairway (the best ever) or a strawberry muffin from our local corner deli.

In Atlanta for my 1.5-year break was the Beso, a Mexican pastry of two shortbread pecan cookies sandwiched with pineapple jam and covered with sugar. I usually would enjoy these after a Bikram yoga class.

DC has been a wide variety of sweet treats, mostly from my local bakery but since I enjoy a wide variety of pastries in the area, I thought it would be fun to start sharing what I do enjoy on a weekly basis with my first cup of coffee, and there is no better way to share it other than, that’s right, Mondays.

Therefore, to start it off, here is my favorite, regular sweet treat here in my local neighborhood: the chocolate chip muffin from Firehook Bakery. Sometimes I have a habit of enjoying these almost three times a week. Totally inexcusable, I know but they are worth it every visit. So much, that I just might go tomorrow and have another with no regrets.

Stay tuned, because Mondays might not always be muffins.

2016

2016. What a year and it is not even over yet. I think everyone could possibly agree that this year has been a year of twists and turns in every part of the world, in almost any area of life.

I have been pretty much absent this year, mostly because I was busy with various freelance projects, and I earned a new full-time position. However, there is quite a bit to share: A renaissance with German cuisine, travels up north to Canada and down south to North Carolina, a new, everlasting relationship with a 15 year Scotch whisky, some of the best peanut butter cookies ever at a Malaysian restaurant, an obsession with sorrel mushrooms, having a day job as a tourist, and enjoying beers at 9:00 am amongst other discoveries worth noting, some of them exploring on my own and some of them with a good friend of mine who recently moved back home.

In any case, stay tuned, as I plan to sneak in few new discoveries along the way.

The RSVP Inbox: How a Speakeasy “Hides”

My sister sent this to me a couple of days ago. Just when I think I have been to every type of “speakeasy”, I am fooled again. I have been to everything from side streets to hot dog joints to just a wall with one lonesome light hanging above the middle of no where, but an old school, adult video store called Adults Only is a new speakeasy that has me entertained, curious, and itching to the day I get to go back to L.A., especially when they claim it has a little bit of an SNL Stefon vibe to its atmosphere.

 From FWx

Two words: cannot wait.

Read more here from FWx.

Europe's 2015 Vintage Rumors

I was at a German Riesling tasting several months ago and we as a group heard that the 2015 European vintage is predicted to become one of the greatest vintages in winemaking history. The harvest was exceptional this year; from Spain to Germany someone has something to savor this coming year.

I became so excited about it that I started doing some brief research to see if the rumors are true and so far, they are correct. The weather played an exceptional part with the region’s terroir this year, and when a wine maker has good weather with wine producing terrior, the result is bound to impress if the wines are made properly.

What to do now? Besides save your money (because these will get expensive if the rumors are true), check out some of these resources below:

Decanter

Wine Spectator

Baltimore Seafood Festival

I finally started my return to food festivals this year! Rather than being a presenter, I was actually part of the massive “foodie” crowds in pretending I “knew” what I was talking about to restaurant owners and purveyors. It felt odd since I am used to bein on the other side, but it was wonderful to just relax and enjoy the food, wine and the weather.

My first was the Baltimore Seafood Festival and it was hot. Unfortunately since I have been so late on sharing articles in recent months, I unfortunately do not remember specific details which include where I tried certain items. However, since it was a “seafood festival” most of the items I sampled are not hard to decipher. 

Pros

Location: Was great to be naturally in the weather in a great area of Baltimore.

Oysters: They were not too bad. Even though I do not remember exactly which purveyor I tried the oysters, they were very good. I am a pacific oyster lover and despite these being East Coast oysters, I really enjoyed them. Refreshing and I think the additional toppings helped.

Cons

Cost: I was not impressed by the cost. Though you paid a reasonable $38 in advance, you only received 10 tickets and those 10 tickets did not translate well with the vendors and their portions of food. I understand oysters can be expensive but if they are local there should not be much competition with the cost. I had to purchase more tickets in order to feel like I got my “experience worth” of food. Maybe I am just used to the festivals in the South stuffing you with food to the point of no return.

Overall: Though this is their 2^nd attempt at this type of festival, I praise it especially for having something like this during the warmer months of the year and to attract more visitors to Baltimore, a challenge I know faces regularly. Looking forward to the next one! 

The Social Menu: Weekly Trending Foods in Social Media

Ube Donuts have made center stage everywhere there is a screen in the culinary world within the past couple of weeks. I first found these out on Facebook from a friend within a day went viral. The Observer and ESPN were making references to these so-called, luxurious delicacies.

What is Ube? It is a yam that is widely used in desserts and pastries in the Philippines. You can make anything from jams to cakes to ice cream.

I was reluctant to share these items, because this yam and its creation got so viral that viewers might be tired of seeing them or even bored, depending on where you are from in the world. In any case, America has now been officially introduced and here are the results, compliments of Manila Social ClubManila Social Club in Brooklyn:

Ube Bae Donuts

The Piece de Resistance: Golden Cristal Ube Donut

This edible “jewel” is $100 per donut or $1000 per dozen. They are made with ube mousse, champagne jelly and covered with champagne icing, sprinkled with 24k gold. Do I need to say more? It’s an exotic piece of culinary luxury that you almost want to find a way to wear it rather than eat it.

The question is: Is it worth it? Time will only tell until the day I get to go back to New York and decide to spend $100 on a donut.