From Around the Web...

By Diane

It's been awhile since I have written something...I feel bad enough as it is, so no need to scold me. I had to pop in for a bit to share some fantastic articles I've seen around the web. Until I get it together to write my own post, here are some things I wish I had written:

• My favorite bagels get their due! Congrats Eltana! (Only place I'd pay almost $3 for a bagel.)
• Thou shalt not envy thy neighbors chain.
• Last minute road trip anyone?? The Coast with the Most!
• Seattle's foodie gem in Ballard!
• Great news...Fall's Favorite Drink is back!
• Everyone's favorite SNL sketch is now a new Ben & Jerry's flavor!

So read up and enjoy!

French Baguette Vending Machines

 by Laura

Yes, you read that right- French Baguette Vending Machines. We haven't blogged in a while so I knew I had to come back with something outrageously wonderful and I think this is it. Imagine coming home from work and stopping off to get a redbox and a french baguette side-by-side; if the French have anything to do with it, that day isn't too far off. Check out the video below to see how easy it can be to elevate your meal with a fresh baguette! 

 

All I can say is that I hope an entrepreneur catches wind of this and brings it to my neighborhood soon!

P.S. It feels so great to be blogging about food again!

Amazon Fresh

As some of you may know, we have just relocated to Seattle and have definitely picked up on a lot of fresh food trends. Seattle is the home to a lot of fresh food such as Pike's Place Market that offers fresh catch, produce  and flowers coming in from all over Washington state and Oregon. Lucky for us, Seattle is also home to Amazon.com. As we were driving around, getting to know the neighborhood we saw a delivery truck marked: Amazon Fresh. We immediately started researching, when we got home. As it turns out, this Amazon subsidiary is a pilot home grocery delivery service. Pilot, in this case, means the delivery service area is restricted to certain zip codes in the Seattle area, ours being one of them!

We were overjoyed and quickly put together an order large enough to fulfill the free delivery service. Although most of our readers will not be able to take advantage of this service, the use of it by Seattleites (me!) will hopefully close the gap between Amazon Fresh and your front door! I could try to explain how it works, but it would probably be clearer to read this page explaining each step!

Since we placed our order before midnight we could request the pre-dawn doorstep delivery option, and jumped at the chance to have our groceries waiting for us when we awoke. However, for some reason on the night before the delivery, I could not sleep. I was still awake when the delivery arrived at 2:30 a.m.! Below are a few things that I observed:

1. The delivery man turned off his truck engine when he arrived! He was so quiet when he set the bins on the stoop that if I had been asleep he would not have disturbed my slumber!
2. All the grocery items came in zip-tied shut bins! If they had been tampered with, the zip ties would be broken and I would know immediately! 
3. The refrigerated items were packed with ice packs inside of soft insulated bags. 
4. We received a "Welcome" bouquet of flowers to thank me for trying the Amazon Fresh service. 

I would definitely try this again and cannot wait to see what items they add as the service grows!

Thank you Amazon (and Amazon Fresh)!

Bagels & Doughnuts

I know breakfast should be nutritionally balanced, but every now and then bagels and doughnuts call my name! I love making homemade donuts and I've never even attempted a bagel. But thank God for Murray's Bagels and Doughnut Plant in NYC:

Murray's hand rolled bagels are softer than any bagels I have ever had, thanks to New York City water, or so say the regulars. Traditional toppings of capers and lox, and a few new ones such as scallion tofu and vegetable tofu "cream cheese," are bound to put any bagel lover over the moon! Now onto the doughnuts...

Opening in 2000, Doughnut Plant dares to be different by serving cake and yeast doughnuts with exotic flavors like rose petal and ducle de leche. My favorite flavor is their signature square jelly doughnuts, yes square! Not only is it fun eating a square doughnut, but the jelly is so tasty and balanced (see smiling faces below).

As with any good thing, the lines at Doughnut Plant and Murray's Bagels can wrap out the door! However, the lines move quickly and believe me...the food is worth the wait!

Delicious Holiday Beverages

Holiday time is one of the best times to dabble in delicious drinks. From classics like eggnog, mulled cider, and hot cocoa, to the less common bevies like wassail or a Chocolate-y Christmas Cafe au Lait, there are many strong views about what is the appropriate drink for this festive time of the year. As you know from earlier posts, I love a good glass of Pomegranate 7up myself...but I could be convinced of picking up a glass of something else. So feel free to take part in the poll on the side of this page or scroll down and use the new contact feature to email me and tell me what your favorite beverage during the holidays is and why I should spotlight it! 

If hot chocolate is your drink, there is a great deal to keep you happy over at Stephen's hot cocoa, started here in Utah, and can be purchased at your local Utah Costco (there is currently a great deal for a pick your own variety 4-pack). For those outside of the state, get your hands on some Stephen's hot cocoa. Flavors include: Belgian Dark, Italian Amaretto, Dulce de Leche, Chocolate Cinnamon, Candy Cane, Chocolate Mint Truffle, Roasted Hazelnut, Irish Cream Cocoa, and many, many others. 

So...get you thinking about what warms you during this holiday season!

Thanksgiving: Focus on Sides (Day 2)

The parade of sides continues. Martha Stewart is definitely in the spirit with sides with this quiz to find out what side dish you would be. I hoped I would be candied yams, but alas...

Here are my results:

You are undoubtedly
Mashed Potatoes and Gravy.

You find comfort in familiarity and like things that go together. Milk and cookies. Bacon and eggs. Where would mashed potatoes be without the gravy? This Thanksgiving, your plate is sure to feature this classic combo.

I would have to agree that I do love comfort classics, but with a sophisticated spicy twist. Go find out what side you are!

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year...at Starbucks

I am so obsessed with the holidays and I love that everyone, including Starbucks, is getting into it. The holiday cups and drinks are now back at Starbucks and I'm so happy about that. So here are the new 2008 drinks:

• Gingersnap Latte
  
• Chai Egg Nog Latte
• Peppermint Mocha Twist
• Peppermint Hot Chocolate
• White Peppermint Hot Chocolate
• Espresso Truffle  
• Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha

The best part about it is that most of these drinks can be made hot or iced. You can also mix up and take the flavor profiles to make new drinks,  like hot chocolates. These drinks will get you warm and in the festive holiday mood. I know I'm ready! So feel free to add one more thing to your christmas wish list, I did...

National Sandwich Day

I know I should I have told you all this yesterday, but today is National Sandwich Day. For those who know me, the worst part of me comes to the surface when it comes to sandwiches. Why? Sandwiches happen to be one of the few places that I demand perfection. I have cried over sandwiches that have fallen apart in the past. I have started a fight with my mother when she tried to help me out by cutting a large sandwich in half...yes, it was in a public restaurant in NYC. I have thrown away  seemingly good sandwiches simple because they weren't to my liking. 

So, where did a sandwich start? It's been rumored to start with the 4th Earl of Sandwich, John Montague, who wanted to eat without getting his cards greasy by meats during a long session of cards. Sandwiches seemingly gained their popularity when people started having to leave home to work and didn't get long enough lunch breaks and had to get their food in a quick and easy package. 

What gives a sandwich it's unique characteristics? Two or more slices of bread, with one or more layers of filling. That's it. It ranges from the cheesesteak to the Po'boy; the hero to the hotdog, even the hamburger to the panini, and the oh so classic PB & J.  

Here is a list of my favorite places to get sandwiches:

• Robin's Nest (SLC)--sandwiches on wheat, white, marbled rye, and lots of others. They have cool names like The Flower Child (vegetarian) to Thanksgiving inspired sandwich with turkey and cranberry spread. My new favorite--BLT. 
• J-Dawgs (Provo, Utah)--best hot dogs in the country! Hands down. 
• Potbelly Sandwich Works (East and Northwest U.S.)--best hot sandwiches, I recommend the tuna salad with a sugar cookie!
• El Taco Nazo (Chino Hills, Ca)--delicious tortas! I dream of them all the time.
• Red Rock Brewery(Salt Lake City, Utah)--Really good Ruebens and great sandwiches of the day, like Tuna ahi sandwiches.
• Billy Goats Tavern (DC)--Simple delicious burgers and classic (kinda buttery) grilled cheeses. 
• Gelato Italiano (LA) Get delicious paninis and creamy gelato..even with celebrity sitings. 
• Creamery on Ninth--9th Street Grill (Provo, Utah)--Laura digs their grilled cheese. 

Tell me your favorites! Go have a good sammy today!

Pomegranate

Pomegranate has taken over the culinary scene as of late. Perhaps it's because it's considered to be the forbidden fruit (Adam & Eve's love apple), or because it's chock full of vitamin C, potassium, fiber, and low in calories, or because the real fruit is hidden beneath a layer of peel trapped in little of shiny, almost gem-like flavorful sacs. It may seem tough to handle these crazy little fruits, but they are well worth the effort. So, let's see what we can do with these delicious fruits.

(photos above taken from bonappetit.com.)

Here are five great things to do with pomegranates:

1. How to Seed a Pomegranate (from Bon Appetit).
2. How to find the ready-made pure pomegranate juice. 
3. How to Find Great Pomegranate Recipes.
4. How to make a great Mediterranean Pomegranate salad (pictured above).
5. Drinks for those over 21 and those with more dry sensibilities.

(taken from bonappetit.com)

The great thing about pomegranate is that it's flavorful and perfect festive for the upcoming holidays. An easy, but limited edition way to deal with pomegranate right now is Pomegranate 7up! When we first saw this, Laura and I took no chances in buying 6 2-liter bottles and have been back for me. This delightful treat came out last holiday season and will be great for holiday parties and treats. For more great ideas, check out this out! 

Taking National Pizza Month Seriously

While I'm taking a day off from eating pizza, I'm glad to know someone is taking National Pizza Month seriously. His name is Sean Taylor and about 8 days ago, he began his 31 days of pizza. Sean is an ivy-league educated improv actor and host of his own talk show the Spotlight with Sean Taylor. He has been doing his annual quest for the last 6 years. He only has three rules:

1) Eat at least one slice of pizza a day

2) with at least one other person

3) at a different pizza place each day. 

He is open to any place with anybody, as long as it's pizza. He has done video journals and other tracking. If you want to try to meet up with him or invite him along, all you do is have to email him out to meet up with you in the NYC metropolitan area. Not only does he eat the pizza, but he reviews each pizza joint as well by value, ambience, taste, and service. 

What's with the Aioli?

If you, like me, have noticed aioli popping up on menus and more importantly in your food from everything from your burgers and paninis to seafood and salads. How can one sauce go on every type of dish? Aioli is a cold traditional sauce made of olive oil and garlic, however most add eggs to add a creamy texture making it very similar to mayonnaise. The greatest thing about aioli is that it lends itself to be a medium for other flavors. Current trends include chipotle and caper aioli, but feel free to get adventurous with saffron aioli and spicy red pepper aioli, or traditional with lemon aioli and citrus aioli. Any way you emulsify it, it spreads deliciously. Get your taste buds ready for explosion of creamy layered flavor. 

Here's a simple aioli recipe, courtesy of Emeril Lagasse and Food Network, that I found that you can use to make your own. Play with the proportions of oil and eggs to drizzle on your seafoods and salads or spread on your next sandwich. 

Yields about 1 cup

Ingredients
4 cloves garlic
2 egg yolks*
Pinch salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons good olive oil
Directions
Place the garlic in a large mortar and crush. Add the eggs and incorporate. Season with salt. Slowly stir in the oil, a little at a time, until all of the oil is incorporated and the mixture is like a thick mayonnaise.

*RAW EGG WARNING

Food Network Kitchens suggest caution in consuming raw and lightly-cooked eggs due to the slight risk of Salmonella or other food-borne illness. To reduce this risk, we recommend you use only fresh, properly-refrigerated, clean, grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolks or whites and the shell.