THE LAST BITE! A Gourmet Food Blog

A Break From Food to Support a Great Person!

2012-01-04T12:20:00.000-08:00

On June 3rd 2011 Monica was on her way to work when the phone rang and the Dr. on the line gave her the horrific news; “it’s bad… really bad, I’m sorry, you have cancer”. This news came on the heals of three years of very serious pain in her left breast where doctors have been telling her “it’s not cancer, cancer does not hurt”.

And so started the battle; Monica was diagnosed with grade three, invasive ductile carcinoma. To make matters worse it was quickly discovered that her cancer was “Triple Negative”, a rare form of cancer that does not respond to the treatment that women are given to fight recurrence after the chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery are over.

http://www.giveforward.com/helpmonicawinherbattle

My New Creative Outlet: Psycho Donuts.

2011-11-14T12:21:00.000-08:00

Here is a post from the PD Blog describing some of my Holiday Creations. Since starting at Psycho Donuts I have produced many innovative items that are currently receiving much press.

The Drunkin' Punkin' is a Chef Ron masterpiece; his own Plymouth Rock. We start with a bourbon-spiked pumpkin cake donut. Seriously. We top it with cheesecake icing, fresh pecans, and a cross-hatch of maple and caramel drizzle. If the pilgrims knew of this donutrocity, they may have landed in Santa Cruz rather than Plymouth Rock.

Bourbon donuts a little much for ya? Check out the Punkin' Spice Latte. This pilgrim is filled with spiced pumpkin, and topped with coffee and cinnamon icing.

Maybe your real Thanksgiving headliner is our Psweet PotatOnut. This crazed concoction is a raised donut topped with torched marshmallows, graham crackers, and a pumpkin spice filling.

Ready for dessert? How about some Punkin' Pie? Our Punkin' Pie Donut has pumpkin filling, and a topping of maple icing and crushed graham crackers.

Hot Sauce For Your iPhone!

2010-10-28T19:00:00.000-07:00

PAIA, HI October 21,2010
A First for the Iphone, an app dedicated to hot sauce for sauce lovers. A growing list of over 500 sizzling sauces from around the world. www.jimsburningringoffire.com

Jimʼs Burning Ring of Fire empowers you to ignite your inner pyro and manage your flaming tastebuds through hot sauce reviews and ratings on the Scoville heat unit scale. Also included, up to 20% off from our friends at Ashley Foods, makers of the world famous Mad Dog brand. Be one of the first 20,000 to purchase and receive a chance to win a 3 day trip for two to Baldface Lodge www.baldface.net one of the worlds premier snowcat ski lodges. Value $5,500.

Manage all your favorite flames.
Ever had your tongue ignited with flavor and fire and forgot the name of the sauce? Sometimes it is just the effort to fetch paper and pencil that keeps us from writing it down. Jimʼs Burning Ring of Fire lets you retain your memory quickly and easily. Your return on Jimʼs Burning Ring of Fire app will be immediate when you can instantly recall the name of your favorite flame for your next outing.

Meet some cool and hot sauces.

In addition to hot sauces, you have a scoville scale with peppers and sauces rated from 0 to 16,000,000 Scoville heat units. The fire of love will be stoked as you meet and mingle with fellow arsonists and chili heads from around the world. Share your ratings and reviews with friends on Facebook and Twitter and dynamically search for sauces by name or company to quickly read and write reviews on your flaming flavorful favorites. To cool the burn we also include ideas on how to tame the flames.

Discover your true pyretic tendencies.
Whether you discover new ways of eating fire or simply adding some cool chipotle to your BBQ, itʼs good to know what your getting into before it come out the other end. So whether itʼs cayenne, chipotle or red hot habanero...you will impress them all with your flair and flavor as you bring the hottest party favor. A must have for all CHILI-HEADS!!

Going Mobile LLC After 12 years of owning and operating one of the largest backcountry ski resorts in Canada, Jim Fraps needed a change and moved to Maui. After a year of learning to surf he needed a project. Seeing Iphone apps booming but having no real computer skills, but lots of marketing talent, Fraps got in touch with an old high school pal Paul Yago who has worked in the computer industry for 20+ years. Seeing that they were both “chili heads” the hot sauce idea came to life. Together they have created JimʼsBurning Ring of Fire, a hot sauce app to share with the world. Jimʼs Burning Ring of Fire will be available for purchase for $2.99 at the Iphone app store.

Please contact:
Jim Fraps for more information.
808-214-7557
jim@jimsburningringoffire.com
www.jimsburningringoffire.com

Fresh from the Farmers Market: Scotty B’s Hot Sauces

2010-10-18T23:07:00.000-07:00

Our good friend and fellow hot sauce maker Scott Bailie asked me to help spread the word about his awesome sauces. Here is an article that recently appeared in the Agoura Hills Patch.

Fiery, scorching and burning were used to describe not the weather last Sunday, but Scotty B's Hot Sauces. The Capistrano Beach-based company is one of several vendors at the year-round Agoura Hills Farmers Market.

Marinade, hot sauce, dip and salad dressing in one, the gourmet hot sauces come in 12.75 oz. bottles, larger than your usual table hot sauce, and six variants, ranging from mildly hot to the over-the-top, triple X hot. They sell for $8 a bottle, except for the Nemesis triple X type, which sells for $9. Volume discounts are also available.

"Most hot sauces are vinegar-based, but ours are tomato-based and natural," said Brotha Zeigler, a sales representative for Scotty B's. Additionally, Scotty B's hot sauces have no corn syrup, no preservatives and no artificial flavors. The sweet versions have only one gram of sugar in each bottle.

Many levels of hotness

Among the six types, Zeigler said the Sweet Jalapeno Heat is the most popular and sells out every Sunday. California-grown red jalapenos, which Zeigler said are sweeter than their green counterparts, are the main ingredient. This variety is good as a glaze or dipping sauce for pork, chicken, lamb and turkey, Zeigler said.

Chipotle Fever is considered the mildest among the hot sauces. It goes well with most Mexican dishes, as well as pizza and pasta dishes. The use of chipotle peppers gives this hot sauce a unique flavor.

Berries in Heat is good with salmon, beef and chicken, and as a dip for egg rolls and other Chinese dishes. "Most people cannot imagine how we were able to combine strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries with a hot sauce, because the combination is just astounding," said Zeigler. This hot sauce uses serrano peppers, noted for their crisp and biting flavor.

Jalapeno Scream, a green hot sauce, is good with eggs, breakfast burritos, nachos and tortilla chips, Zeigler said. It is also good as a marinade or basting sauce for barbecue chicken or pork. The main ingredients are green serranos and green jalapenos.

Sweet Habanero uses the same recipe as the Sweet Jalapeno Heat but with more heat thanks to the habanero peppers, which are at least 10 times hotter than jalapenos. Sweet Habanero is recommended for use with pork, lamb, chicken and turkey. It also goes well with many Thai and Chinese dishes, according to Zeigler.

"There is nothing hotter and more wicked than the Nemesis Hot Sauce, said Zeigler. The "hottest of the hot" has red habanero peppers as its main ingredient. It is considered a triple X hot sauce because of the habanero peppers' elevated heat level of 100,000 to 350,000 Scoville units.

Read the rest of this article here...

Seasoned Rice Vinegar; A Versatile Condiment.

2010-09-12T23:37:00.000-07:00

When I received a bottle of Nakano Red Pepper Seasoned Rice vinegar in the mail, I really was not sure what I would do with it. I had made some Hot & Sour Soup with a similar product in the past. I suppose a vinaigrette would have been a simple solution, but I decided to check the Nakano website to see what was in their recipe database. This great looking recipe caught my eye and I suddenly found myself in a stir-fry mood.

This turned out to be one of the freshest tasting stir-frys I have made and the sauce was nice and light and not gloppy and heavy. I was quite surprised by the versatility of rice vinegar. I will certainly be adding a splash of flavor more often now that I have had the opportunity to try Nakano's great product!

Garlic-Chicken Ginger Stir Fry

INGREDIENTS

1-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken (preferably thighs), cut bite-size
6 large garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons minced ginger
3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons NAKANO Seasoned Rice Vinegar—Original or Red Pepper, divided
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon soy sauce, divided
1/2 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
4 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium red onion, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
1 pound broccoli crowns, cut into small florets

DIRECTIONS
In a medium bowl, toss together the chicken, garlic, ginger, 2 teaspoons seasoned rice vinegar, and 1 teaspoon soy sauce; season with salt and pepper, as desired. Let stand 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix the broth, cornstarch (mixed with water), remaining 3 tablespoons vinegar, and remaining tablespoon soy sauce; set aside.

Heat a large wok or skillet over high heat; swirl the oil around the sides and bottom of wok. Sauté the chicken in the oil for 6 minutes, stirring 2 or 3 times. Add the onion; stir-fry 1 minute.

Stir in the vinegar mixture; bring to a boil. Add the broccoli; stir-fry until the broccoli is tender-crisp and the sauce is translucent, about 3 minutes. Adjust the soy sauce and pepper to taste.

Makes 4 servings

Variations: Add one or more of the following: two cups of torn basil leaves; a cup of cilantro leaves; a couple handfuls of cashews; a slivered red bell pepper; sesame oil; or a tablespoon of Thai fish sauce or Chinese oyster sauce (reduce the soy sauce if you add fish or oyster sauce). For a spicy dish, season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or add a couple of slivered jalapeños with the onion.

Nakano provided me with a $50 and a free bottle of seasoned vinegar for this campaign. They also want to award one lucky Last Bite reader with a prize package to enjoy!
The prize package will consist of One Bottle of Nakano product, a $25 Gift Card, and a recipe/coupon booklet!

To register to win the NAKANO Prize Package simply post a link in the comment section to your favorite NAKANO recipe found here http://bit.ly/dlCwV2.

Gourmet Beef Jerky, America's Favorite Snack Food!

2010-08-27T20:31:00.000-07:00

Every now and then I get a box of something in the mail to review that makes me happy to be a food blogger. I can tell you without a doubt that beef jerky is one of those “somethings” that makes me happy! It really helps that Jeff’s Gourmet Jerky is a particularly high quality product and definitely in my top three favorite brands.

In my packet there were four flavors to review and wanting to give this product the time to properly appreciate the nuances a good jerky can present, I thought I might taste it a little at a time so I packed the golden pouches into my briefcase and off I went. As a result this jerky has been doing a bit of traveling with me. We have had wonderful journey together but alas today it must end.

Old Fashioned Original:
Original to me means this is where it all started, so naturally this is where we will start. Upon opening the packet you will notice the distinct beefy aroma. It reminds me of the smell of a steak being seared in a hot cast iron pan. Then the Worcestershire sauce and smoke come out, it’s like being next to the grill while someone is cooking the steaks for dinner and they just brushed on some steak sauce.

Ingredients:
Beef, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, chili sauce, spice, natural smoke flavoring.

Visually this jerky looks very nice, thick slices of meat, cut against the grain with just a little marbling. There is no visible silver skin or gristle and much to my eating enjoyment I did not find any hidden while chewing. The meat is moist and has a nice chewy texture that holds together. It never crumbles or gets mushy in your mouth. It also breaks down nicely while you’re eating it so you do not develop giant body builder cheek muscles as you try to chomp it down.

The flavor is very steak like, especially when you hit the tiny bits of fat that appear on some pieces. It’s very beefy up front with a sweet forward tone and a tangy saucy finish. The chili flavor does not come in until you have finished the piece in your mouth. If you can wait before you jam the next piece in you will notice the slight warm glow on the back and sides of your tongue. If you can’t wait to get the next piece in your mouth you might just have to wait until the bag is empty to experience this sensation.

Black Pepper & Sea Salt:
To the cracked black pepper fan, this is a visually exciting bag of jerky. The thick slices of beef are crusted with course black pepper and small fleck of red chile. I don’t see any sea salt on the pieces but there is definitely a salty element to the jerky. The aroma is very similar to that of the Original flavor and surprisingly the pepper does not come out, in the old sniff test.

Ingredients
Beef, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, chili sauce, natural smoke flavoring, sea salt, spice, pepper, vinegar.

Like the Original flavor, the Black Pepper & Sea Salt variety is quite tender. In fact I think the slices in this flavor are even more moist than the Original and have a sticky feel to the outside of them.

The marinade seems to come through more, hiding some of the beefy, steak, flavors. The black pepper is very noticeable visually and in texture, but the marinade holds the peppery flavor back until you finish the slice that you are working on. As you work through the bag the black pepper flavor builds up on your tongue and floods your mouth as your lips develop a slight peppery warmth.

Sweet Teriyaki:
The Sweet Teriyaki flavor had the most dense slices of the four flavors we sampled. The teriyaki flavor was certainly sweet as promised, and this was sure to make it a favorite of the kids who were certain to avoid the Black Pepper flavor. The slices were dark and the sweetness gave the meat a richer mouth feel than the other flavors. While I personally prefer a more vibrant variety of teriyaki flavor, I am not really a big teriyaki fan and the others gladly devoured the remainder of the bag in minutes.

Ingredients
Beef, soy sauce, sugar, pineapple juice, chili sauce, vinegar, spices, sesame oil.

The Teriyaki strips seemed to have more chewiness and I can’t be sure if that is result of the process, the marinade or if it was just the luck of the cut. In any event the tougher chew was not a bad thing, just different than the others we sampled.

The marinade was tangy and sweet and the ginger and soy flavors were present in the finish. The sesame oil in the ingredient list did not come out while eating, but a hint of sesame was left lingering. While this was an enjoyable jerky, the bag says intense flavor and I’m not sure that was achieved here.

Jalapeno Carne Asada – Hot & Spicy
This pouch had me intrigued. It came in a smaller packet, no label, no ingredients, and the flavor was written in sharpie! I’m thinking pre production sample or perhaps a short run test flavor. Just the kind of stuff I love!

I tear open the top and shove my nose in the bag and inhale… Chiles! Jalapeno pepper to be exact. Oh how I love that smell. This flavor has a drier appearance and is coated in a powdery spice. I can only assume carne asada seasoning, since I have no ingredient list for this flavor. When I bite into the slice, the spices become a bit sticky and the meat takes on an odd texture. It is however my second favorite flavor after the Original. The spiciness is at that addicting level where you have to keep eating it, and the jalapeno keeps me wanting more. I’m a bit of a chile-head so I’m not sure I would consider this Hot and spicy, but you will be happy to know my associate found it too hot for her taste and returned the half eaten piece to me. So it’s safe to assume it is spicy at the least.

Overall, Jeff’s Gourmet Jerky is a great choice for your snacking enjoyment. It sells on their site for $13.95 for two 3oz bags. Jeff's Gourmet uses premium cuts of beef in original fusion marinades that are slow cooked. Jeff’s mission is to make you the highest quality, most intense flavor and simply the best beef jerky available anywhere. Get a couple of bag of Jeff’s Gourmet Jerky and check them out for yourself!

http://www.jeffsgourmetjerky.com

Review: Robert Rothschild Farm Southwest Chipotle Salsa

2010-08-21T16:54:00.000-07:00

Thanks to our good friends at Robert Rothschild Farm, and their generous sample pack that arrived at The Last Bite/The Smoky Chipotle headquarters, we had the opportunity to test drive a jar of their Southwest Chipotle Salsa.

When it comes to salsa there are a few things that make me very happy; first of all the presence of chipotle peppers is always a pleaser. Next I love a salsa that is rich and thick, a real chip breaker, if you get my drift! Finally, black beans and corn always add a flavor and textural element that I truly enjoy.
Well I got to tell you, this little jar is packed full of all that and more! My only complaint is that the jar is not big enough, especially if you’re sharing, and just try to open a jar of this salsa and keep it to yourself!

There is a sweetness to the tomatoes that is unlike most other salsas in this class. A quick review of the ingredients panel verifies that there is no added sugar, something I found surprising. I can only assume that the roasted corn and red peppers are helping to accent the sweetness of this tasty dip!

The chipotle is definitely a star in this jar! The fiery heat is balanced by all the sweetness of the fruit; remember tomatoes are a fruit, and the smokiness of the chipotles tantalizes both your nose and your palette. I’m telling you if you open this jar and other people are home the potential for a feeding frenzy is high!

So now the bad news, at $8.99 for a 10.5 oz jar, this will most likely not be your daily munch. With two kids in the house this jar, once opened, lasted just under 10 minutes, and while they were an oh so joyous 10 minutes, the sound of the spoon hitting the empty glass walls of the jar brought a sudden sadness to us all. If only it could have lasted just a few minutes longer. On the bright side there is a jar of Raspberry Chipotle Salsa in the box as well. That however is a review for another day!

Quick Summer Pickles Makes a Nice Crunchy Snack!

2010-07-16T18:36:00.000-07:00

You might have a bumper crop of pickling cukes ready to harvest in your raised bed, planter, or standard garden. Maybe you just couldn't pass up on the beautiful green gems on the table at your local farmers market. Either way you have to do something great with all those cucumbers, right!

This is a simple and inexpensive way to have and enjoy the crisp and tangy treats we all love to crunch on! There are no exotic ingredients and no complicated procedures or processes to producing the best, and freshest pickles you may ever eat.

Ingredients:
10-12 small cucumbers
2 Cups Vinegar
1 Cup Water
3 Tblsps Salt
1/2 Tsp Sugar
small bunch fresh dill tops
small bunch flatleaf parsley
3 cloves garlic (optional)

Directions:
In a tub add dill, parsley, and garlic. Arrange cucumbers in tub with herbs. In a pot heat water enough to dissolve salt and sugar. Remove from heat. Add vinegar to mixture. Pour mixture over cucumbers in tub and allow to cool slightly. Put lid on tub and place in fridge for 3-4 days. Enjoy your crunchy pickles!

For large cucumbers cut in half or quarter into spears. You can adjust the components of the brine to allow for taste or even add your own blend of pickling spice.

How to Cook Real Food: An Online Cooking Class

2010-05-14T19:00:00.000-07:00

Jamie Oliver’s “Food Revolution” is spreading the word about just why we need to eat “real food” for our health. Michael Pollan tells us to cook from scratch — he says, “Eat real food. Not edible food-like substances. Eat things your great-grandmother would have recognized as food.”

It seems simple enough. Eat real food. Cook from scratch. Shop locally. But how do you make it happen in your own kitchen? Especially those of us who never learned how to cook — we were raised on microwave suppers, boxed cereals and toaster pastries. We all face the challenges of a modern life – balancing work and parenthood, all the while trying to feed our families healthier meals.

Our food supply has changed drastically in the past few decades. These days, you have to be a chemist to make sense of it all. Artificial growth hormones. Hydrogenated soybean oil. High-fructose corn syrup. And isn’t organic food more expensive? Sure, eating healthier is great, but not if you go broke in the process. How do you feed your family healthy, nourishing meals without spending all day in the kitchen and blowing your food budget?

You value real food, your local economy and your family’s health. But just how do you get started?

MORE INFO HERE!

Review: The Famous Rib Shack

2010-04-22T22:35:00.000-07:00

If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area you would have probably noticed the two, somewhat annoying things; the complete lack of enthusiasm by people serving you in the restaurant industry, and the poor state of barbecue in the entire bay area. Don’t get me wrong, there are those shining stars, the places you stumble across and thank your stars that something made you stop there on that particular day. The Famous Rib Shack is such a place.

Coming back from a regular trip to San Francisco we found ourselves hungry and looking for some quality eats. Having read a recent email from YELP on BBQ planted the seed in our heads, and when we saw the large Rib Shack sign on El Camino we knew that we had found lunch!

When we entered the Rib Shack, we were immediately greeted by Tes, who we later learned was the manager there. When she found out that we were new to the establishment she was very excited and wanted to make sure we tried everything on the menu. Her hospitality and passion for the wonderful BBQ that they put out will definitely have us coming back for more!

Instead of the two standard sides that came with the “Tailgater for Two” Tes gave us the option to have four smaller sides. I’m glad we did because the side dishes at the Rib Shack are homemade, fresh and delicious! Our platter consisted of pork ribs, rib tips, beef ribs, hot links, polish sausage, and brisket. We added a couple of those meats as we wanted to get a sample of everything we love about barbecue. The sides we chose to go with our giant platter ‘o meat was mac ‘n cheese, coleslaw, potato salad, and collard greens. She threw in some great chili beans that were loaded with brisket, and a couple of cornbread muffins that are baked with little chunks of pineapple hidden inside them. Needless to say the leftovers we brought back with us produced many smiles and a bunch of chomping sounds.

If I had to pick the highlight of this platter I would have to say brisket. This is no ordinary brisket; in fact I have only had brisket this moist and tender one other time in my barbecue eating life, and that was at Jack’s Bar-B-Que in Nashville, TN. The only thing missing was the pink smoke ring and dominant smoky flavor. The meat at The Rib Shack had only a very slight smokiness. The sauce, served on the side for dipping, does provide a little of that for you to add as you desire.

Now the ribs were delightful! The pork ribs were tender and juicy with a nice caramelized bark on the outside, as were the rib tips. I enjoyed pulling off pieces and dunking them in the spicy, sweet, and tangy sauce. There is nothing like the contrast of the soft tender meat and the crisp outer bark of those pork ribs. The beef ribs were also very good. I typically avoid beef ribs because they are mostly prepared quite poorly, these were not! The beef was trimmed of excess fat, and the meat was tender and came off the bone with just the right amount of pull. You won’t get that stringy, hairy teeth look from these beef ribs! The sausages were done nicely and sliced for us on the platter. The polish was garlicky with a natural casing and the hot link was spicy without blowing your taste buds out. They are a great add on to a meal!

The side dishes at The Famous Rib Shack deserve a whole review by themselves as every one of them was made from scratch, extra tasty, and as Tes told us; made with love! I especially loved the coleslaw. It’s not one of those shredded, soggy slaws you might be used to getting. This is big and chunky and crunchy with a sweet, smooth, and creamy poppy seed dressing. The collard greens were a real treat! You have to try them! Forget about everything you know about collard greens and try these! They are tangy and savory and have just the right amount of acidity to cut through the richness of the meat. The chili beans were fantastic and loaded with shredded brisket, and the potato salad was fluffy and creamy and melted away in your mouth. If you love mac ‘n cheese, dive into a big bowl of this stuff. It is loaded with sauce and was very creamy; a classic roux based mac ‘n cheese.

If you love great barbecue and find yourself in the San Bruno area, stop in at the Famous Rib Shack and tell Tes you were sent by Ron at “The Last Bite”.

The Famous Rib Shack
223 El Camino Real
San Bruno, CA 94066
PH: (650) 952 2809
www.famousribshack.com

Moni's Marvelous Meatloaf

2010-04-08T20:42:00.000-07:00

This is most amazing meatloaf recipe anywhere. Monica created this to sneak tons of vegetables onto our kids plates without them knowing. She's even used mushrooms, which they dislike most, and they were never the wiser and always love it! It's always moist, flavorful, and has no bread in it; so it is low-carb and diabetic friendly as well.

Ingredients:
5 lbs lean ground beef
3 zucchini(med), shredded
6 oz spinach, chopped
1 onion(lrg), diced
1 can diced tomato(28oz), drained
2 eggs(lrg)
3 oz french fried onions, crushed
4 tbsp dried parsley
1.5 cups shredded cheese blend(Mexican)
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 packet onion soup mix
1 tbsp olive oil(to saute)
1/2 cup sugar free BBQ sauce
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
In a large pan, saute chopped onion until sweated. Add zucchini to pan and continue to saute until softened. Add garlic and spinach to pan and cook until spinach is wilted. Vegetables will release some water. Continue to cook vegetables until there is no water left in pan. Remove from heat and let cool.

In a very large bowl add ground beef, drained tomatoes, cheese, egg, and cooled vegetable mixture, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, onion soup mix, dried parsley, and french fried onion, reserve some onion for garnishing top. Mix all ingredients very well using your hands. Form into a large ring on pan with high sides. This helps to cook the meatloaf more evenly. Cook at 350 degrees for 1.5 hours or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Use a turkey baster to drain off any extra fat or juices. When done, top with a mixture of the BBQ sauce and remaining Worcestershire. Sprinkle with french fried onions and return to oven for 5-10 minutes as needed.

This makes a huge amount of meatloaf which freezes very well for future meals. Feel free to play around with the portions and swap the vegetable to customize it to your families taste!

Recipe: Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken

2010-03-09T07:02:00.000-08:00

Rich and delicious, this chicken dish features complex flavors that will surprise and delight you!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
3 tablespoon Pebble Creek Roasted Garlic & Red Chile Mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
pinch salt
1 green onion, chopped
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Directions:
In a bowl, combine all ingredients except chicken and green onion. Set aside 1/3 cup mustard mixture. Grill chicken, brushing frequently with mustard mixture until chicken is cooked, and juices run clear. Serve chicken with reserved mustard mixture and garnish with chopped green onions if desired.

Makes 4 Servings

Product Review: Sabrosa Fire Roasted Pepper Medium Salsa

2010-02-21T14:28:00.000-08:00

Duane Thompson's passion for salsa sparked in the mid-1990's after having a tough day. After the college football team he played for had a particularly awful game, Duane returned to his dorm room exhausted only to find that his friends had raided his fridge, including the bag of garden fresh vegetables his grandmother had delivered to him that morning. With the few vegetables and half a bag of tortilla chips he had left, Duane created his earliest version of Sabrosa salsa. Realizing that the snack he just created left him without any of the stomach troubles he experienced from other salsas, he made it his mission to tweak his recipe in search for the perfect salsa.

By 2000, demand for his homemade salsa had grown so high that he decided to quit making the salsa altogether so he could figure out how to bring it to market while maintaining his standard of local, wholesome ingredients. In 2006, he founded Sabrosa (Spanish for "tasty") Foods Inc and began manufacturing his salsas in a co-packing plant in Virginia Beach.

The primary ingredient in his salsas are bell peppers instead of a tomato base common in
many salsas, making his salsas a better option for heartburn sufferers. The naturally balanced pH makes Sabrosa salsas shelf stable for up to two years without the use of artificial preservatives. All of the produce in his salsas are fresh from local sources: "If you don't continue to harvest the farms around here, they'll go away," he says. "If you're buying local, you're growing your own community."

Sabrosa Foods Inc.'s mission is to produce healthy, flavorful, all-natural gourmet condiments which seems to be no problem for Duane. His simple-but-powerful recipe is bound to please anyone who likes salsa, including those people with acid reflux or heartburn troubles.

Today we had the pleasure of sampling the Sabrosa Medium Salsa. It is described as a medium all natural, no preservatives, roasted bell pepper based salsa perfectly Ph-balanced to help keep acid-reflux and heartburn at bay. The medium has a great flavor with just the right touch of heat. We found this to be exactly the case!

When you first open the jar you are confronted with the mouth watering arouma of fire roasted peppers. Unlike your standard tomato salsas, Sabrosa Salsa is based on the peppers not the tomatoes so the flavor is quite unique. In fact I enjoyed the Sabrosa Salsa's bold flavor much more than your typical, watery, grocery store brand.

The first test of any salsa is of course the chip test. Sabrosa Salsa is wonderful simply dipped with chips, however upon fist taste your will realize the unlimited potential culinary uses the condiment can provide. Used as a topping to cheeses, an ingredient in recipes, or as a pepper tapenade, the bold flavor of the fire roasted peppers will stand up to many possible combinations.

We used our jar as a topping to some freshly made Chile Rellenos. The medium salsa elevated this dish to another level of flavor complexity, in fact we enjoyed it so much that used it to flavor up the refried beans that accompanied the entree.

I think if you try the Sabroso Brand Fire Roasted salsas you will agree that the flavor and versatility is far beyond that of your current chip dip. Oh, we almost forgot; low acidity means no heartburn with this tasty condiment!

You can find Sabrosa Salsa at many retail locations in Pennsylvania and Virginia or at their site www.sabrosafoods.com

Best Hot Sauce of the Decade According to RateItAll!

2010-01-15T08:53:00.000-08:00

If you have ever been to the popular website rateitall.com you know the drill. You can out up any product and you can rate that product and put up a review.

Well, for the last 10 years that's what has been happening and it appears that all the fans of Baboon Ass Brand Habanero Hot Sauce think it's a 5 out of 5 stars.

Thanks to the awesome fans of Baboon Ass Brand Hot Sauce we have received the Best Of The Decade Award from RateItAll.

We want our fans to know that we appreciate their loyalty and support, so we are putting together a rewards program at RoJosGourmet.com. Of course the purchase of any Baboon Ass Brand product will earn you double the reward points! We will make a formal announcement when the rewards program is officially launched so stay tuned for details!

Thanks again to all our customers, fans, friends, and supporters! We appreciate you! If you have not yet had the opportunity to rate and review Baboon Ass Brand Hot Sauce; click on the trophy above and RateItAll!

Cash Strapped Consumers Bring the Steakhouse Home.

2009-10-31T13:49:00.000-07:00

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Meat-loving consumers in the United States are eating out less, but they are not forgoing taste and quality as researchers have found that more restaurant-quality prime- and choice-grade steaks are being served on family dinner tables.

Beginning in 2008, cash-strapped consumers shifted to at-home dining. As a result, with restaurant business on the decline, meat companies are now shipping more of their restaurant fare to grocery stores and consumers are buying it, according to data presented on Thursday at the Worldwide Food Expo.

"Before, if you wanted a great steak you had to go to a restaurant. Now you can get it in the grocery store," Merrill Shugoll, president of Shugoll Research, told Reuters on the Expo sidelines.

Supermarket sales of all meat have improved this year, which had Shugoll optimistic for better sales ahead. This improvement has been attributed to lower prices and to supermarkets aggressively marketing meat.

Review: Bistro Tupaz; Rustic, Seasonal, A Hidden Gem.

2009-09-28T13:01:00.000-07:00

Wikipedia defines Bistro as follows:
A bistro, sometimes spelled bistrot, is, in its original Parisian incarnation, a small restaurant serving moderately priced simple meals in a modest setting. Bistros are defined mostly by the foods they serve. Slow-cooked foods like braised meats are typical. Bistro patrons do not necessarily expect professional service or printed menus.

Bistros likely developed out of the basement kitchens of Parisian apartments where tenants paid for both room and board. Landlords could supplement their income by opening their kitchen to the paying public. Menus were built around foods that were simple, could be prepared in quantity and would keep over time. Wine and coffee were also served. The limited space for diners in these cramped corners prompted the tradition of adding table service to the footpath. As the idea caught hold, architecture and menus both became more specific.

California Culinary Academy trained Executive Chef Deo Tupaz has taken the principals of this Old world Parisian concept and translated it to modern California. In a part of San Jose where the strip mall is king and the fast food joint its queen Bistro Tupaz is a welcome deviation from the norm. In fact Chef Deo has vowed to abide by his mission statement:

“Provide a rustic style bistro that offers a seasonal menu and dishes made with customers’ well being in mind, using fresh ingredients whenever possible, supporting ingredients grown through sustainable farming, and avoiding ingredients which are detrimental to our health. We will never serve any dishes which we will not make for ourselves, families, and friends.”

The concept of bistro dining is a bit foreign to us here in San Jose. You order at the counter, pick up your table settings and take a seat. The staff at Bistro Tupaz takes it from there and provides some pretty fantastic table service. We have dined here twice now and both times the service was top notch. Having forgotten that we prepaid for our meal digging up some cash for the tip was the only problem we had.

Once seated the server brought us a basket of fresh house baked bread and grissini. This was served with a delicious blend of butter and goat cheese. I had ordered the French Onion Gratinee; Gruyere, Crouton, Veal Broth, a small crock for $5.95. This was rich, hearty, and delicious.

For the main course we ordered Wild Boar Osso Bucco; Braised Wild Boar Shanks, Gremolata, Herbed Polenta $27.95. Moussaka; Eggplant, Lamb and Beef served with Rosemary $15.95, and Seafood Fettuccini; Calamari, Prawns, Alfredo $14.95. These dishes were all beautifully presented and delicious. The freshness and integrity of the ingredients becomes apparent upon first taste and there is no doubt corners are not being cut here. We were shown by our server that many of the fresh herbs used in the preparation of our meals were grown right on the premises.

With the entrée out of the way the only thing that was left was dessert. Make sure you leave some room for dessert as Bistro Tupaz makes all their pastry in house in the classic patisserie style. From scones and biscotti, to opera cake and other fancy gateaux; Bistro topaz has a selection of pastry and desserts from simple to sublime. On this occasion we sampled a wonderful bread pudding and a gateau of three chocolates. Needless to say the three of us made quick work of the delectable sweet finale.

If you are looking for an escape from the usual chain restaurants and fast food options of south San Jose, and you want a place that will serve you a hearty, rustic meal that utilizes fresh, quality ingredients; Bistro Tupaz is the hidden gem you are looking for. Don’t wait until you can’t stand to eat one more pizza or wait in one more drive thru, get yourself to Bistro Tupaz.

Bistro Tupaz
5899 Santa Teresa Blvd
Ste 103
San Jose, CA 95123

(408) 578-5860

www.bistrotupaz.com

Review: Neal's Coffee Shop, Burlingame, CA

2009-09-15T21:21:00.001-07:00

My reviews are usually quite long and detailed, however after the painfully mediocre dining experience I can't even bring myself to write a whole lot about Neal's.

Here's the short of it; lunch... not good! I ordered a Cobb Salad and got what appeared to be a salad of leftover ingredients; three slivers of brown avocado, four paper thin half slices of tomato and some grilled chicken crumbs. Don't let me forget the bacon; it was totally dried out and tasted like old deep fryer fat. On the bright side the lettuce seemed fresh and the blue cheese dressing was fine.

My lunch companion ordered the corned beef Reuben with green salad. Lets do the good stuff first; the side salad was OK and the marble rye croutons were nice. As for the sandwich; the filling was meager and the corned beef was full of gristle and as tough a shoe leather.

This place is like being time warped to the 80's; the menu, the food, and even the music. It's also the average age of both the patrons and the servers. My guess is breakfast is better here. How else would they get that four star rating that led me to walk in. I should have read more reviews...

Best Recipe In The West Casting Amateur Cooks!

2009-09-01T22:41:00.000-07:00

Do you have a family recipe that has people begging for more? Is there a recipe that your family has passed down from generation to generation?

Perhaps it's something regional like Burgoo from Kentucky or Fish Taco from Baja. Is your recipe worthy of the title “America’s Best Recipe?”

PARADE Magazine along with a major network are shooting a Pilot episode to find "America's Best Recipe". They are casting for the Pacific Regional Pilot and you can be part of it by simply emailing them.

All the information is available is at the Parade magazine website.

Review: H Butler Bar-B-Q

2009-08-27T18:49:00.000-07:00

Why is it that as of lately, taking a chance on a new place to eat equates to massive disappointment? I remember not too long ago stopping in at a new mom and pop restaurant meant someone put their heart and soul into providing you with an experience that would be comparable to dining at their home. You know, something they would be proud to serve and say; "This is our family recipe." I'm not sure if this was once the scenario at H. Butler BBQ, but it's certainly not the scene there today.

My dining companion and I were famished this afternoon having sustained ourselves on coffee and sugar free butterscotch candies during a seminar we attended earlier. We found ourselves driving down El Camino looking for a place to get some lunch. Amass the countless now vacant restaurants we happened upon a sign that said BBQ. As we are barbecue lovers we decided to give it a try.

Walking into H Butler's BBQ did not set off any immediate alarms. It was approaching 2:30 so the few patrons inside would not be an indicator of the heinous BBQ violations that would unknowingly be committed. It's not the cleanest restaurant in which I have eaten, but if you know BBQ, you will know that some of the biggest dives produce some of the greatest food! Unfortunately, not the case here!

There were a couple of patrons at booths and no one in line so we walked straight up to the register. There was no one on the other side of the counter but the owner arrived in a reasonable amount of time. We ordered two lunch combo #4s; brisket and ribs, one with slaw and beans, the other with mac and cheese and beans, and both with corn muffin. Since I had decided I would review this place I ordered some sliced pork and a polish sausage ala carte. Denied! I was informed by the owner that they would no longer add extra meat to any orders since it would cause a huge slowdown in the kitchen and this would create a line or a crowd. Are you kidding me, there were three people in the place including the two of us? I told him I wouldn't force anyone to take more of my money than they wanted and concluded our order.

After about twenty minutes the first plate of food came out. It was accompanied by some crusty silverware that I asked the server to replace. The second plate of food and the new crust free silverware came about seven minutes later. I guess it's hard not to get side tract when you are walking across an empty restaurant.

On to the food, and I have to say I'm glad the owner wouldn't let me order any more. Can we talk brisket? I should rather starve than to eat this lousy brisket! It resembled a desiccated pot roast you might find in a hospital cafeteria. There was no smoke ring, no pinkness, and no flavor! I take that back there was a flavor, and that flavor was salt. It was so salty that it was barely edible at all; perhaps that's what drew all of the moisture out?

The pork ribs were a little more on the edible side. The seasoning was not as obtrusive, but also not great. I tried to put some barbecue sauce on them to help with the flavor only to find that it was fermented in the bottle. Prison wine with your brisket anyone?

The side dishes were equally horrendous; there was the bland and cold mac and cheese, baked beans straight from the can to the microwave, and the overly sweet and mushy, water logged coleslaw. I think the corn muffin deserves its own description as it was quite a bit worse than the other sides. This was without a doubt the single worst pastry I have ever put in my mouth. It was as if the muffin was perhaps baked from the corn husks instead of the corn itself. There was not even any butter served to help lubricate the walls of your esophagus enough to choke it down. I can only assume the baker ran out of flour and ground up a sheet of drywall to use in its place.

While H Butler's BBQ is permanently scratched out of my book of places to try, I still have hope that the mom and pop restaurant is alive and well. We need the charisma and personality of local, independent businesses to rise up and succeed so we are not left with just the cookie cutter chains and franchises.

568 E El Camino Real
Sunnyvale, CA 94087

(408) 738-4996

www.hbutlersbbq.com

Foodbuzz Tastemakers: Emeril's Gourmet Chicken Broth

2009-08-16T14:20:00.000-07:00

Our good friends at Foodbuzz have sent us a selection of fine Emeril's products to sample and report out findings. One of those items
was some of Emeril's gourmet chicken broth. We decided to make a local favorite meal that would definately feature the full flavor of Emeril's broth; Chicken PHO.
Below is the recipe we created. This dish can be made with a variety of noodles; we cooked three kinds to suite everyone's desires. The tasty PHO was equally delicious
with both egg and rice noodles, and was even great with low carb shirataki noodles.

Ingredients

2 ounces rice or egg noodles
1 piece ginger root
1 garlic clove, crushed
4 spring onions, chopped
3 tablespoons fish sauce
1 stalk lemongrass, chopped
6 cups Emeril's chicken broth
4 ounces raw chicken, sliced in strips
1 bunch baby bok choy
4 large carrots peeled
2 ounces bean sprouts
1 small bunch fresh cilantro stems
4 cloves
2 star anise
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 lime

Directions

1. Add the ginger, garlic, bok choy, carrots, fish sauce and lemon grass, and spices to the broth and simmer for 45 minutes.

2. Strain and reserve.

3. Add the chicken pieces to the strained stock and simmer for 10 minutes.

4. Cook the noodles in boiling water for four minutes.

5. Drain and divide the noodles between the soup bowls.

6. Pour the soup over noodles.

7. Garnish each bowl with some of the bean sprouts, cilantro and a wedge of lime.

Serve with Hoisin and Sriracha hot sauce.

Foodbuzz Tastemakers: Nakano Rice Vinegar

2009-08-09T15:00:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the great people at Foodbuzz and Nakano brand foods we have the opportunity to bring you a great recipe from their booklet.

The awesome flavor of the Nakano rice vinegar gives this soup that wonderful tang that is reminiscent of your favorite Chinese food restaurant. This soup is incredibly easy to make at home and as delicious as any restaurant will produce. All the ingredients are available in most regular grocery stores.

NAKANO HOT & SOUR SOUP

4 cups (32 oz.) chicken broth
1/4 cup NAKANO NATURAL RICE
VINEGAR or NAKANO SEASONED RICE
VINEGAR—ORIGINAL
2 Tbsp. lite soy sauce
114 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes or 1 tsp.
hot chile oil
4 ounces firm silken tofu, well drained,
cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 can (15 oz.) sliced mushrooms or
straw mushrooms, drained
1/2 cup drained canned bamboo shoots
3 Tbsp. water
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 egg white, slightly beaten
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
2 tsp. dark toasted sesame oil

Combine broth, Nakano Seasoned Rice
Vinegar, soy sauce and red pepper flakes in a
large saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat.

Reduce heat to medium; simmer 2 minutes.
Stir in tofu, mushrooms and bamboo shoots;
heat through. Combine water and cornstarch,
mixing until smooth. Stir into soup; cook until
soup boils and thickens, about 5 minutes,
stirring frequently.

Remove from heat. Stirring soup constantly in one direction,
slowly pour egg white in a thin stream into soup. Stir in green onions and sesame oil.

Ladle into soup bowls. Serves 4 (makes about 5-1/2 cups).

Tip: Silken tofu is sold alongside regular tofu
in the produce section of your supermarket.
Its creamy texture is excellent in soup. If
unavailable, diced cooked chicken or pork
may be substituted.

Total preparation and cook time: 25 minutes

Nutritional information per serving:
111 calories; 7g protein; lOg carbohydrate;
5g fat; Omg cholesterol; 1,573mg sodium

10 Gourmet Foods That are Illegal in the US.

2009-07-27T19:47:00.001-07:00

Some illegal foods are illegal for health reasons, others are for the survival of a species or against acts of animal cruelty. Some may be delicious and others may be downright nasty. Different cultures all have their own palette. The United States has banned these 10 foods whether you’d eat them or not. Take a look and see what you can’t eat and what might be worth the risk to you.

Unpasteurized cheese – Unpasteurized cheese is not your typical Kraft block of cheese. This cheese is full flavor and is touted by enthusiasts as the best cheese to ever hit your taste buds. It carries a dangerous health risk: bacteria. The FDA warns against eating any unpasteurized dairy products, but cheese lovers from across the country are willing to take their chances.
Beluga sturgeon caviar – The eggs of the beluga sturgeon fetch prices as high as a few thousand dollars for as little as three ounces, but you can’t buy it in the U.S. The Federal Fish and Wildlife Service added the beluga sturgeon to its endangered species list in 2004 and approved a nation-wide ban on the import of all Caspian Sea beluga sturgeon caviar in 2005. Caviar from the fish is often considered the best available, but the fish are dwindling in numbers from overfishing and poor habitat conditions.
Foie gras – A French favorite, foie gras is made from the fattened liver of a duck or goose. Two states have imposed bans on foie gras – California and Chicago. California’s ban will not take effect until 2012. Chicago’s foie gras ban started in 2006, but was overturned in 2008. What’s all the fuss? Foie gras is traditionally obtained by force feeding the waterfowl and then harvesting it. Many people continue to eat and enjoy the duck delicacy, despite surrounding controversy.
Chilean sea bass – While Chilean sea bass are not illegal to consume, the U.S. government closely regulates the illegal fishing and importing of the buttery-tasting fish. According to the Department of State, consumers and restaraunteurs should ask about where the fish comes from before eating or buying it to help prevent the illegal harvesting of the pricey import.
Mangosteens – Until 2007, fresh mangosteens were illegal to import into the U.S. because of the potential for Asian fruit flies to endanger crops. Now people can enjoy the delicate fruit for a high price from specialty stores. The mangosteen had some famous fans including Queen Victoria who would offer rewards to anyone that could bring her a mangosteen.
Sichuan peppercorns – These little Asian fruits are the mainstay of many traditional Chinese dishes. The peppercorns are no longer illegal in the U.S. provided that the peppercorns are heated to kill harmful, difficult to control bacteria, citrus canker, that can kill citrus crops. The FDA lifted the 37-year ban in 2005.
Raw milk – Raw milk drinkers have existed for centuries and rave about the health benefits of drinking the unpasteurized cow’s milk. The FDA does not though. As a matter of fact, the FDA has attributed illnesses and even deaths to drinking unpasteurized milk.
Sea turtles – Sea turtle soup is a European dish that has been around for several centuries. A mock turtle soup must now be cooked from the gelatinous area of a calf’s neck and head since catching a sea turtle, much less eating a sea turtle, can land you in serious trouble with the law for poaching. Sea turtle soup is famed for being delicious, but the endangered species tops the list as a higher priority than soup for the Federal Fish and Wildlife Service and for the millions of people that stopped eating it.
Moonshine – A product of the abolishment of alcohol, moonshine is still around today intoxicating those brave enough to sip it. The home distillation of moonshine is illegal, but for those who sneak the drink, it’s a delight worth tangling with the law over.
Horse – While many people would probably not eat a horse in the U.S., Texas passed legislation to ban the slaughter of horses for consumption in 2007 to prevent American horses from ending up as dinner in foreign countries that routinely eat the animal.

Now you know some of the illegal foods in the U.S. so don’t say we didn’t warn you!

Provided by http://www.physicaltherapyassistantschools.org

Gourmet Sauce Business Thrives in Soft Economy.

2009-07-09T13:40:00.000-07:00

Our good friend Gary at The Black Market Condiment Company could use your vote! Click the image and vote for BMCC today and everyday until they win the Home-Based 100 contest. No registration is needed so vote daily to show your support!

Black Market Condiment Company are purveyors of gourmet-style condiment products including pepper sauces, dry rubs, marinades, grilling sauces, grilling sprays and more. All of our products are all natural, contain no additives or preservatives, are gluten free and vegan friendly.

We are a true home based start-up company in the truest sense. Founded in December 2005 in our kitchen, Black Market has already had it's fair share of bumps and bruises and almost didn't happen at all. In our first year of business our contract packager built all of our products wrong and would not make good on their mistake. After a lengthy (1-year) attempt at arbitration, we decided to cut our losses and liquidated our entire inventory for nickles on the dollar. We then spent the next 14 months, and a bunch more money, working with a new contract packager who flawlessly took us from point A to Z of the process and in March of this year delivered three delicious pepper sauces that are now on the shelves of major and independent grocers all across the California Central Coast. With the sauces selling very well, we are now in the process of initial talks with a handful of distributors with the goal of moving into the northern, central and southern California markets in the next six to nine months, and other states in the southwest corner of the U.S. in the next year.

There were many times that we would have liked to have thrown in the towel and called it quits, but the desire to succeed at something we are passionate about outweighed any sort of adversity and in the end has only made us a wiser and stronger company.

Recent press release:

New Paso Robles Condiment Company Launches First Products

PASO ROBLES, California – June 08, 2009 – Black Market Condiment Company, a new Paso Robles based producer of innovative gourmet-style condiment products, announced today the launch of the first three products from their Original Black Market Brand line of pepper sauces.

The first three products to be released are their fiery roasted garlic pepper sauce, chipotle pepper sauce, and black pepper blend pepper sauce. All three contain no additives or preservatives, are all natural, gluten-free, vegan friendly and in the medium heat range. Being gourmet-style products, they are fairly complex and are made with only the finest ingredients, perfect for beef, chicken, lamb, pork, seafood, veggies, and of course, taco night.

Original Black Market Brand pepper sauces are currently available at all central coast Albertsons stores, select Spencer’s Markets, Meridian Vineyards, and New Frontiers Natural Marketplace, with more stores being added weekly. They are also available online at www.originalblackmarketbrand.com.

“All three of the Black Market pepper sauces have been very well received by local consumers,” says owner Gary Gannon. “We are thrilled to finally have our products out there and available to the consumer. Everyone who’s tried them absolutely loves them. They become instant fans and repeat customers,” he added. “We’re going to begin doing tasting demos at the stores that carry our line so that those who haven’t tried our products can have a taste and see for themselves why people are excited about them.”

Black Market Condiment Company is committed to providing high-quality and creative new products to those who wish to bring a new flavor dimension to their meals. Future product releases will include a full line of gourmet-style marinades, grilling sauces, dry rubs, and grilling sprays.

Turnkey Gourmet Food Business at Bargin Basement Price!

2009-06-20T12:32:00.000-07:00

Monty's Gourmet Food has been in the business of selling specialty sauces, spices, pickles, and even oxygen, going on 10 years now.

Recently, due to Monty's declining health and the increased responsibility of caring for his elderly parents; Monty has decided to shut down the business and sell it off.

Monty's sauces hold the bragging right to over 50 awards and the Monty's Gourmet brand has been shipped to nearly every state. "This is a complete brick and mortar business in a box" says Monty Fritts.

Monty is looking to get only $9,000 for this entire set-up which even includes the inventory and fixtures to set up your own retail outlet. This is way below the value of the itemized listing provided by the accountants.

If you are wanting to get into the specialty food business; here is an inexpensive way to get everything you need to get started. If you are already in business here is a great way to get some inventory and fixtures at a steal.

The Last Bite would like to wish all the best to Monty. We hope that you have success in the sale of your business and take care of your health.

If you are interested in Monty's Gourmet Foods you can contact Monty directly for details at mfritts@montysgourmet.com

Food Was Hard To Get At The Great American Food & Music Festival

2009-06-14T01:33:00.000-07:00

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, either way it was certainly interesting! The Great American Food and Music Festival was no doubt one of the most screwy events I have ever attended.

We arrived at around 3:00pm with the intention of grabbing a bite to eat and enjoying the big band beat of Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.

The wait to get parking at Shoreline was pretty reasonable; no worse than any other event or concert. Once we parked and exited the vehicle it started getting a bit weird. As we made our way to the pedestrian crossing we encountered hoards of festival goers only they were moving in the wrong direction and yelling; “Rip Off!” and “Don’t waste your money, there’s no food here!” This went on for about 10 minutes; all the way to the entrance! There was even a line that was several hundred people deep waiting for refunds!?! Could the food festival actually be out of food? I really didn’t want to stand in that Disneyland E-ticket length line to get a refund and then go find something else to eat in Mountain View. Besides, I still need to see BBVD.

Taking matters in my own hands I decided to speak with the gate security and find out what all the hullabaloo was really all about? It turns out that there had been several logistic breakdowns throughout the day; not only were the vendors unable keep up with the demand for food, the credit card system they had in place was no longer working and had to be taken offline resulting in a cash or ticket only situation. This apparently wreaked havoc amongst the masses. The kind security person assured me there was plenty o food to be had and if we were not happy with the situation once we entered we could always leave and request a refund. We decided to take our chances.

Wow! There are a lot of people at this event; we passed booth after booth of food purveyors with most incredible lines I have seen. The thing about these lines is that they were not moving. It has become a game of “Is is worth it?” The game goes like this; Pinks Hot Dogs? Not worth the line, LA is close and we’ve been there before. Burgermiester? They are in San Francisco; we could go there tomorrow, not worth the wait in that huge line! We finally ended up in the Katz’s Deli/Anchor Bar & Grill Line, it might be worth the wait, how long will the wait be? Let’s give it a shot, and wait we did, for two hours to be exact!

Do you think a pastrami sandwich from Katz’s Deli and twenty wings from Anchor are worth a two hour wait? Well neither did we, but once you have invested over an hour it’s hard to leave, especially when you are literally three feet from success. Unfortunately success never came. We got to the window to order and they informed us that the pastrami people have gone on some kind of extended smoke break but we could have 20 wings to share amongst the 4 of us. You see they were now rationing the wings at five per person! WTF!?! If we want pastrami they recommend coming back in an hour… Uh, right?

Wings in hand we are now on a mission to scrounge up something else to eat and make it to the Big Bad Voodoo Daddy concert. I can’t believe we are starving at a food festival! Look! There is no line at Barney Greengrass; the Sturgeon King. We run up and grab two bagels with cream cheese and Nova Lox, well at least two of us will eat well, Muahaahaa! Maybe three if the young one is hungry enough. Off we go to the amphitheatre to catch the end of the Bobby Flay’s burger throwdown and BBVD, Woohoo!

Now we are in a happy place, we are chowing wings, and lox and bagels, and grooving to the beat of the swing band on the stage. For the moment life is good, until the food ran out. My oldest son decided this would be a good time to grab a burger; hunger seems to have made him a bit less picky and the swing band is not quite the hiphop/hard rock stuff he likes, so off he goes to get us a burger. I have to admit Burgermiester make a really good burger. I felt like the Nova Lox were very fresh, but the bagels were wrapped and lost their outer crunch. After a two hour wait Katz’s lack of pastrami was a total disappointment, and the wings from Anchor were OK, but honestly Hooters original wings are just as good with only a fifteen minute wait and they aren’t a buck a wing! So far Burgermeister has my vote.

With the burger split four ways and the concert over we headed out to see if we could get another decent nosh, maybe some ice cream from Grater’s …Uhmm, nope sold out! There were some fantastic chocolate bouchons from Bouchon in Napa. They were crisp on the outside and fudgy and rich in the middle. They were reminiscent of a brownie, but so much more. I felt that they were worth the two bucks, but I really wanted the ice cream.

We decided to see if anyone incited a riot at the pastrami booth. While it seemed there were no casualties, we were informed that people have waited at least an hour and a half and they were next to be served. I hope they don’t run out again, for their sake, I’m not waiting.

So we finally find ourselves at the Tony Luke’s booth. The line is manageable and actually moving. This booth has security at the front of every line, I wonder what happened here. I heard Philly can get rough but sheesh! In any event the line is hopping and we get a Philly and an Italian Pork sandwich. Both of these are awesome! The meat on the Philly is shaved paper thin. I have never seen anything like this in California! There is a bit of cream cheese on the roll and that’s it, but that’s all it needs! This is juicy and flavorful and delicious. If you know of a Philly like this outside of Philly you need to write me and let me know where I can get it! The Italian pork was equally fantastic; sliced paper thin and perfectly seasoned, and topped with braised greens. Tony Luke’s was the new star of the food segment of this festival, for me anyways.

All in all it was a great day out with my family. Aside from the Deli Debacle perpetrated by Katz’s whose pastrami we waited for and never tasted, we had a great time. Nice weather, good food, great music! Would I do it again next year? I’m inclined to say no, but Big Bad Voodoo Daddy could convince me otherwise.

Brew-B-Q Father’s Day Contest. Sponsored by MUG Root Beer

2009-06-13T11:18:00.000-07:00

The Last Bite Food Network member "The BBQ Grail" is hosting a contest sponsored by Mug root beer. We love to support our members; especially when prizes are involved, so check out this great contest and win your Dad some awesome MUG swag!

MUG Root Beer knows 40 percent of dads have received a Father’s Day gift that wasn’t on their wish list. This year, MUG Root Beer is reinventing the Father’s Day tradition with Dad’s favorite past time-a frosty brew and ingredients for spending time with family and friends outdoors. I have received five MUG Root Beer “Brew-B-Q” Gift Packs. The gift pack contains a cooler, 2 liters of MUG Root Beer and all the ingredients to make their special Southern Brew-B-Q Sauce recipe

Does your dad deserve to win a “Brew-B-Q” Gift pack? Or maybe your husband? If you’d like to nominate someone, send an email to to bbqgrail@earthlink.net and tell me why “dad” deserves to win. Remember, this is a Father’s Day contest so it has to be about dad, the kids and BBQ. You can include a picture if you’d like. (If you send me a picture, you are giving me permission to publish!) All entries will be posted on the BBQ Grail blog. Winner’s will be decided by me and announced here on Father’s Day. You’ll receive an email if you win, requesting your address.

Pink's Hot Dog Stand in Hollywood, A Family Tradition.

2009-06-08T13:19:00.000-07:00

Richard Pink and his wife and sister don't plan to franchise the nearly 70-year-old landmark, a big celebrity and tourist draw. They'll stick to its original location at La Brea and Melrose.

By Hugo Martín
June 7, 2009

The gig: Co-owners of the Pink's hot dog stand. Richard Pink, 65, his sister, Beverly Pink Wolfe, and his wife, Gloria Pink, inherited the stand near the corner of Melrose Avenue and La Brea Boulevard in Hollywood from Richard and Beverly's parents. Richard Pink, a real estate lawyer for ING Real Estate, holds the title of president. His wife oversees operations and promotions. The family took the business from a humble pushcart in a weed-choked lot to a Hollywood landmark.

The eatery seats a maximum of 80 people but serves as many as 2,500 hot dogs and nearly 170 pounds of chili a day. The wait time to order a meal ranges from a few minutes to two hours or more, depending on the time of day.

Pink's Hot Dogs will be available at the Great American Food & Music Fest this weekend!

Read The Rest Here...

Review: KHAYA Cookies 5 Flavors

2009-05-30T18:05:00.000-07:00

Hey Foodies, It’s review time again! Today we are sitting down with some little cookies sent to us by the KHAYA Cookie Company. KHAYA cookies are made in South Africa and distributed in Philadelphia, PA. They have a business model based on giving back to the communities where they reside and help support those who contribute.

The KHAYA Cookie Company is currently holding a contest for their consumers where the grand prize is a trip to South Africa. Follow the link for all the details! Quest For Cape Town...

We have five flavors of KHAYA cookies to sample today, so we poured a big cup of coffee, and here we go!

The cookies fall into two categories; Krunchi and Shortbread. I’ll start with the Krunchi:

Orange & Chocolate Krunchi – this cookie is similar to a bite sized granola bar, only with much more intense flavors of orange zest and Belgian Chocolate. These would be very enjoyable as part of any breakfast or snack. It is not only delicious it boasts the benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids in the flaxseed and essential fiber and nutrients in oats and sunflower seeds. A total of 13.5g of heart healthy Omega 3, 6 & 9 fatty acids per box.

Granola Fruit Krunchi – are really loaded with fruit and a little softer than the Orange & Chocolate Krunchi. Another healthy treat, these tasty nuggets would be perfect alongside your yogurt or as an energy boost on a bike ride or walk. This no guilt snack is loaded with dates and apricots and 14 essential vitamins and minerals. You also get 4 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber per serving. Perfect!

Orange Rooibos Shortbread – Imagine a buttery, crisp and crumbly shortbread cookie, now add the intense aroma and taste of citrus peel, paired with the antioxidant and health benefits of Rooibos you have a remarkable and healthy cookie for anytime snacking! We like it paired with a cup of delicate white tea, or with a glass of fine dessert wine.

Cranberry Rooibos Shortbread – A bite sized morsel that seems even more rich and buttery than the last ones. The tart bits of cranberry are just perfect for cutting through the richness and teasing your pallet. Again with the antioxidant and health benefits of Rooibos you have a remarkable and healthy cookie for anytime snacking! This cookie was a perfect accompaniment to my cup of dark roasted coffee.

Grapeseed Shortbread - This shortbread is made with grapeseed—known for their incredible nutritional properties including a potent dose of Vitamin C and antioxidants. This shortbread has pure grapeseed and tangy, tiny currents. We found it has a delectable depth of flavor—not too sweet and just buttery enough. The currents add another level of chewy texture and sweetness making this shortbread one of our favorites!

Delectable Khaya cookies are created with care to give you the kind of pleasure that only handcrafted, naturally wholesome treats can deliver. Khaya (Kī-ya) is the Xhosa word for home.

Khaya Cookie Commitments
#1 We use only the freshest, finest, all-natural ingredients and no preservatives. All of our cookies are carefully crafted, by hand and with pride.

#2 We are committed to empowering people so that they can earn a living-with solid business and life skills.

#3 We hire previously unemployed women and men and turn them into highly skilled bakers. All Khaya Cookie Bakers participate in a Skills Training Program that gives them cross-training in every aspect of the business as well as personal budgeting and debt management.

Review: Miller's Secret Sauce Original Bar-B-Q

2009-05-23T12:34:00.000-07:00

Hello Foodies, the Memorial Day weekend is upon us, and what better way to commemorate those that have given so much so that Americans can be free, than by surrounding yourself with friends and family and pay tribute to all of our military; past and present.

You will have to feed all those people, and the best way to feed a large group is barbecue. So here is another awesome review to help you make a choice when you are standing in the BBQ sauce section of your local grocery store. Today’s sampling is Miller’s Secret Sauce; Original flavor.

Initial Impression: Right off the bat I love the color of this sauce, it has a reddish, root beer brown color and it comes in a tall bottle with a narrow label so that you can see the actual sauce in the jar. The labels on both the Original flavor and the Spicy flavor are nostalgic and sexy looking and make me want to put the jar in my shopping cart.

Ingredients: Tomato concentrate, distilled vinegar, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, honey, brown sugar, water, liquid smoke, butter, molasses, chili pepper, spices, garlic, onion, salt, natural flavor, jalapeno, anchovies, tamarind.

The ingredient list is really nice and clean. There are no preservatives or artificial anything. Yes I noticed the High Fructose Corn Syrup and I’m not sure there is anything much worse than a stigma attached to this ingredient; it’s made from corn and corn is natural, right?!

Appearance: This is one rich, thick, and sexy sauce. It is reddish brown sauce and there are sparse but definite pieces of herbs and spices floating around. The consistency of this barbecue sauce lends it to many applications. It was super thick and brushes on and sticks to your meat nicely. It also makes a great dipping sauce since it won’t drip off of whatever you’re ‘queuing.

Aroma: Mouthwatering. Really, it made me drool. I popped the cap and took a whiff. It made my mouth water like crazy. Now that I calmed down I can tell you that this sauce has definite layers of aroma. At first you get a sweet tomatoey perfume, next the vinegar pops you in the nostrils and makes your mouth water. The velvety smokiness comes in for the finish and practically hypnotizes you; I could smell this all day. I wonder if they can make a car freshener in this flavor.

Taste: Sweet, tangy, and smoky with emphasis on sweet. This could be a dessert topping. Tasting it from the jar it has a definite tangy fruity flavor. There are some larger pieces of garlic in it. Like magic they appear in your mouth and add yet another layer of flavor. The garlic is pronounced but well balanced. The smokiness is very slight and more of a background note, any strong flavor will knock out that layer, but I suspect the BBQ will put it back in whatever you are grilling or ‘queuing.

The Food Test: Since we were having some nice weather I decided to fire up the grill and throw some yard stroller on it. Well, not the whole bird just some drumsticks and thigh sections. I gave it a quick rub down with some of Monty’s prototype Spicy Barbecue Rub and fired away. Once the chicken was done I brushed the Miller’s on them. Since there is such a high sugar content I didn’t apply it until the last few minutes. The Miller’s takes well to heat and the caramelization of the sugars rounds out all of the flavors.

Conclusion: Miller’s Secret Sauce Original BBQ Sauce has layers of flavors like molasses, garlic, and smoke. Secret Sauce Original BBQ Sauce has no detectable heat so it would be perfect for those in your family that prefer you don’t singe off their eyebrows. For those of you who prefer a spicier version I would recommend the Miller’s Secret Sauce Spicy BBQ Sauce or even a dry rub with some spice. If you love a sweet, sticky, BBQ sauce that caramelizes nicely and has layers of flavor, Miller’s Secret Sauce is for you!

Review:The Firehouse Bar & Grill N’awlins Eatery, Gilroy, CA

2009-05-15T17:07:00.000-07:00

A new restaurant opened in the downtown area of Gilroy. It’s called The Firehouse Bar & Grill N’awlins Eatery. They have occupied the recently failed Happy Dog Pizza Co in the newly remodeled firehouse on Fifth & Monterey Road.

The new occupants have done a decent job spiffying up the place but there seems to be a cold cafeteria feel to it. There are some Mardi Gras masks and beads scattered throughout the dining room but I didn’t get the N’awlins feel when we entered the restaurant.

The service was Ok, although we were the only couple in the place. Drinks were served immediately and a basket of piping hot cornbread and butter was brought to the table, a nice touch, my expectations were raised.

We ordered the “Bucket Brigade” appetizer described as two crab cakes, four chicken wings and a generous portion of calamari $18. Unfortunately, it took a half hour before it arrived at the table. I guess it’s a good thing we weren’t waiting on an actual bucket brigade as the house would have surely burned to the ground before they got there! When the plate finally arrived at the table we were a bit put off by the presentation. On one side there was a giant mound of sprouts with a hole bored in the center, a green onion that had been flared open was standing straight up like some kind of vegetable geyser in suspended animation; a silly attempt at a garnish as it was not pretty nor was it edible. The crab cakes were the size of silver dollars and were loaded up with green and red diced bell pepper; in fact the only element I could taste in the crab cake was bell pepper. The chicken wings were fine with a BBQ style sauce, I didn’t get any N’awlins flavors but they were OK. The calamari was tragic. A calamari steak was sliced into thick strips, dredged in corn meal and deep fried to the consistency of crispy coated rubber bands. It took a lot of the Cajun mayo sauce to make these edible.

Being a huge fan of Cajun/Creole cooking and more specifically Gumbo, I ordered the Chicken Gumbo Soup; “Classic N’awlins soup with okra, Andouille sausage, and chicken” $6 for the bowl. Now I know a bit about Gumbo, I make a fine Gumbo myself, in fact on a trip to New Orleans I attended a class at the Louisiana School of Cooking to learn to make the classic Cajun dishes, Gumbo being one of those. What I was served was NOT Gumbo! It was loaded with carrots and crushed tomatoes and was completely absent of any flavor. It was based on a vegetable broth and seemed completely devoid of any roux. The only thing worse than this Gumbo fraud was the giant pile of overcooked rice dumped in the center.

My dining companion ordered the Bourbon Street Ribeye with Peppercorn Sauce; “10 Oz ribeye with a green peppercorn Bourbon Sauce served with sautéed vegetable and red potato mash” $22. The steak was ordered medium rare and I guess if you averaged out the doneness; raw on one end and well done on the other, that is sort of what she got. The sauce was bland and the steak, beside being under and overcooked at the same time was lacking of any seasoning and tasted of radiant char-broiler fumes, I suppose the veg and mash were Ok, but who could tell anymore?

Against my advice my dining companion ordered dessert; the Crème Brulee $6. It seems the perfect finale to a ridiculous meal. This was actually so bad the server offered to take it off the ticket. The top of the brulee was so thick with caramelized sugar on one side you could barely break through it by hammering the surface with the spoon, the other side had spots with no sugar topping and as a result were actually charred black by the torch. To make matters worse once you jack hammered your way through the caramel crust you were confronted with a tasty, yet runny custard. Anyone got a straw?

As much as I wanted to love this place I am hard pressed to find anything other than the friendly staff that would even bring me back for a second try. The food is not good and the atmosphere is nowhere near N’awlins. If it’s Cajun/Creole food you crave, I’m afraid you won’t find any in Gilroy.

The Firehouse Bar & Grill
N’awlins Eatery
55 5th Street,
Gilroy, CA 95020

Phone: (408) 847-2765
Fax: (408) 847-2619

The Gourmet Cookie With A Conscience.

2009-05-12T13:14:00.000-07:00

Our friends at the Khaya Cookie Company have just announce the following in their latest press release:

New York, New York, May 11, 2009 The Khaya Cookie Company™ is a socially-conscious company that treats its customers to premium, all-natural, preservative-free cookies, while helping South African communities grow and thrive. As Khaya treats you to the unique flavors of South Africa, it is also providing jobs, education, and life-skills to the women and men whose hard work and dedication make Khaya Cookies so irresistibly great.

Made of all-natural ingredients indigenous to South Africa like rooibos and grapeseed powder, the Khaya Cookie Co.™ uses fresh dates, apricots, rolled oats, sunflower seeds and flaxseeds in its all-natural recipes. Khaya blends health, great-taste, and a feeling of home into a unique bite size cookie.

Khaya Cookies, shortbreads, and granolas may be small enough to eat with one bite but it is their cause that is as rich as their taste.

The more boxes of Khaya Cookies sold, the greater number of jobs created in their South African production facility as well as their distribution center in Philadelphia, PA. Khaya means “home” in Xhosa - one of the official languages of South Africa. For founder Alicia Polak, a former NYC investment banker turned social entrepreneur, South Africa is where she found her home.

A Dream Turns to Reality

Alicia was a NYC investment banker, and working on Wall Street who had aspirations of aiding those in need. Choosing to live out her dream of helping others, she changed the course of her life. She began consulting for the Freeplay Foundation, a non-profit organization in South Africa that produced and distributed wind-up radios that provided on-air education and helped those in times of disaster. She fell in love with South Africa, where she first visited years ago and found herself wanting to do more.

Taken aback by the country’s beauty and culture, Alicia began her quest to make her new home and community flourish.

The Quest for Cape Town

The Khaya Cookie Company™ believes in connecting good intentions with real-life action. And it is little surprise that the more cookies we sell, the more jobs we can create. We want you to be a part of our journey to Cape Town and embark on Khaya’s quest to contributing to a more socially conscious world.

With a minimum purchase of three boxes of Khaya Cookies, you will automatically be entered into a drawing to win an all expenses paid trip for two to Cape Town in March 2010. Beginning May 15, 2009, we’re offering discounts on every box of Khaya Cookies. You can have your choice of our delectable shortbreads or granolas purchased over a 60-day period.

So, you get to enjoy delicious Khaya Cookies, granolas, and shortbreads, help create jobs, and feel accomplished in following-through on that good deed you’ve been “meaning to do.” Something so small can go towards something so big.

And there’s more to be earned as well. For every additional (3) boxes you buy, you’ll increase your chances of winning this rare, once-in-a lifetime trip. We should also mention that additional gifts like the Amazon Kindle™ (fully loaded with South African literature, culinary books and wine magazines), 5 quart Kitchen Aid Mixer ®, a Handpresso® (this is really cool!) and complimentary boxes of Khaya Cookies will also be up for grabs!

Anytime you share a friend or anyone that you think is a generally pretty cool person’s email address with us– we’ll give you another entry into the contest (of course, only valid emails count).

Enter beginning May 15th at www.questforcapetown.com, get your “Quest” code and start sharing about The Quest for Cape Town – on Facebook©, Twitter©, your roommate’s girlfriend’s blog – all a step closer to a South African dream.

Buy some cookies and have a chance to experience the sights, smells, and sensations of South Africa. You’ll be saving the world a little too.

Khaya Cookies: Great Taste, an Even Greater Cause

Nurse, Get the Glaze STAT!

2009-05-05T21:05:00.000-07:00

It was like most other Sunday afternoons around here. We were heading home from the Farmer’s Market; downtown Campbell, when the eerie site entered my peripheral vision. It was a new sign, a simple shop sign. It was not very large, and not outrageously colored, but it did grab my attention. All I could think about was “What in God’s name would make a donut Psycho?” A quick U-turn into the parking lot would begin the journey to find out what makes donuts psycho!

According to their website they have taken donuts to the next demented level. They bid a fond farewell to the tired, round ring of lameness, and the drab, time-weathered environment of donut past. Psycho Donuts has taken the neighborhood donut and put it on medication, and given it shock treatment.

Psycho Donuts are very unique and, well, crazy. They are committed to not only be the craziest/fun donut experience you’ll ever have, but one of the most unique places in the South Bay. This is apparent from the minute you step in the front door where you find yourself face to face with a rubber room. I understand if you are lucky enough to find yourself there at the right time you can be strapped into the rubber room and fed donuts by one of the lovely nurses on staff. The walls are covered with an abundance of quirky local art and sculpture, and psychotic memorabilia, and the counter is filled with donut flavors that could only be described as eclectic.

The S’more is one of the signature donuts in this asylum of sweets. While a s’more does not seem that crazy it gets a bit wacky when you translate it to donut. First you take the fluffiest yeast raised donut you can imagine, these are fluffier! Add a glaze of chocolate icing and top it with gooey marshmallow. Then shards of smashed graham crackers are added and the whole thing is drizzled with more chocolate. I can hear the campfire crackling, can you?

Who can resist a MHT (massive head trauma)? The Psycho Donuts answer to the boring old jelly filled. Another incredibly soft and fluffy yeast raised donut is topped with vanilla icing and a face is drawn on it with chocolate. The center is then filled with berry jelly and the donut guy’s skull is then caved in with a crowbar (kidding), exposing the delicious cerebral jelly!

We tried several other donuts that day, for research purposes only of course, and every one of them was incredible! Some were round, some were square, and some even triangular. No matter what the shape or whether they were stuffed with banana custard and iced with chocolate and topped with dried banana chips, or glazed and filled with juicy chunks of apricot, these are without a doubt some of the best donuts I have ever tasted. Having been a donut baker in the past I feel confident in making that statement.

If you want to experience great donuts and an uber fun atmosphere we definitely recommend Psycho Donuts in Campbell, CA.

Psycho Donuts
2006 Winchester Blvd
Campbell, CA 95008
Phone:(408)378-4540

Foodbuzz Tastemasters: Buitoni Riserva Wild Mushroom Agnolotti

2009-04-27T19:10:00.000-07:00

After a long Sunday loaded with household chores, a visit to the farmer’s market, and some light gardening it was time for dinner. Feeling somewhat drained I was looking for a simple solution to a tasty meal without a lot of mess and prep. Thanks to Buitoni and The Foodbuzz Tastemaster program I had that solution close at hand.

Buitoni’s new Riserva line of fresh pasta has eclectic flavors such as Quattro Fromaggi Agnolotti, Wild Mushroom Agnolotti, Chicken and Four Cheese Ravioli, and Braised Beef Sausage Ravioli. I received the Wild Mushroom Agnolotti in my package.

Buitoni describes it as follows:

A blend of earthy mushrooms, including sweet, rustic portobellos and delicate criminis, creates an impeccable pairing with fresh-roasted garlic and imported grana padano and parmesan cheeses, wrapped inside thin layers of stone-ground semolina pasta.

I wanted to keep the sauce light to compliment the pasta, so that we could taste the pasta and filling. So many sauces bury the flavors of the pasta so all you can taste is the sauce. I created a light garlic-sage cream to elevate this fantastic pasta. I sautéed a little garlic in olive oil and added in a splash of chicken stock and sage. Remove the sage leaves once the sauce has begun to reduce. Just a splash of cream and the pasta goes in to finish cooking. I arrange the pasta on two plates and finish the sauce by mounting with a little butter. The mounted sage cream is spooned over the Wild Mushroom Agnolotti. This pasta was fresh and delicious and the mushroom, cheese, and roasted garlic filling was earthy, smooth, and sweet. You could taste the individual elements of the filling and the combination of those elements was sublime.

This pasta was a perfect with the broccolini and vine ripened tomatoes that we picked up earlier that day at the farmer’s market. The broccolini was lightly sautéed and the tomatoes were sliced and sprinkled with kosher sea salt and drizzled with extra virgin olive oil.

The Buitoni Riserva Wild Mushroom Agnolotti was the perfect center of the plate for our farm fresh produce.

Marinade, Brush-on, or Dip. It Depends on the Sauce!

2009-04-19T18:41:00.000-07:00

Have you ever marinated chicken in your favorite BBQ sauce overnight only to end up with a charred mess on the grill the next day? We tell you how to avoid this from happening again!

Marinade: There is no better way to get flavor deep inside your meat than the marinade method. You can use a dry rub or a wet mixture to impart that flavor. You do however need to be sure you are using an appropriate flavor delivery system to accomplish this. If you use a sugar, honey, or molasses laden blend you will surely find yourself in a sticky and burnt situation. If you like the idea of marinating try using a sauce like Stone Brewing Co's IPA Curry Mustard Grill Sauce. Perfect on chicken, pork, or even lamb, you can use more; brushed on top for a nice blast of flavor!

Brush-On: What could be nicer than a tangy glaze on your chicken or ribs? Many sauces are suitable for glazing. The key to identifying one of these is usually thickness. The thick sauce should be brushed or mopped on in layers during the last twenty minutes of cooking. This will give your sauce time to thicken further and caramelize on the surface of your meat. While BBQ sauce like Pebble Creek's, Phil's, or Russian River Fine Foods lines are all great for brushing on your meat, Tony Tah's Chinese Chicken Salad Dressing makes an incredible tangy glaze, especially if you are looking for something a little different for your family or friends!

Dip: Perhaps you opted for the dry rub method because you love that crusty bark on your brisket or ribs but you still enjoy some sauce with your barbeque. Dipping is the perfect way to have the best of both worlds. All the sauce previously mentioned are excellent for dipping, but don't just pour the sauce from the bottle into a bowl, nothing will put a damper on your BBQ like cold sauce! Heating the sauce for dipping is the perfect way to enhance both your sauce and the meal. The heat will help intensify the flavors and develop some caramelization and thickness, and you won't be giving your pork the cold shoulder!

Review: Silva's Taco Shop -El Cajon, CA

2009-04-07T00:16:00.000-07:00

Have you ever gotten to the point where you just had enough? Enough Fresh Mex, or Tex Mex, and enough thinking outside the bun, or running for the border? Well when you hit the crappy Mexican food wall, and you will because there is definitely more crap than the good stuff out there, you will need to find a real taqueria to redeem yourself.

Silva’s Taco Shop in El Cajon, California is one such taqueria. In fact The Last Bite feels that Silva’s Taco Shop is the ubiquitous taqueria. This is apparent in the appearance and décor of Silva’s. The exterior of the building is painted in bright yellow and red high gloss paint and is trimmed out in orange. To the right is the patio; the furniture is made up of painted cinder blocks and table tops and benches are tiled. The interior of Silva’s is incredibly void of any décor, in fact other than the menu board and the special; hand drawn on paper an taped to the wall, I don’t recall any specific details of the dining room at all. This type of environment is crucial for the proper execution of taqueria fare. I’m convinced the more refined the atmosphere the lower the quality of the taqueria food.

The food at Silva’s is the shining star of the taqueria world. For this review we ordered a few of the different specialties that they prepare. The Rolled Tacos and Carne Asada Chips are both indigenous to the San Diego area and don’t try to tell me that these are the same as Nachos and taquitos ‘cuz they’re not!

The Carne Asada Chips starts with a large plate (Styrofoam clamshell) of tortilla chips and piled high with sizzling, savory, carne asada; under that carne asada is the smooth and delicious refried beans. The whole thing is then slathered with sour cream and Silva’s specially prepared guacamole. A mountain of shredded mild cheddar cheese buries this entire delight. We recommend having a bottle of Silva’s house made red sauce in hand for liberal application during consumption. It’s a huge portion so bring someone with you because it is so delicious you might try to eat it all by yourself and that will hurt.

If you’ve never had a Rolled Taco you haven’t really been to San Diego. Like I said before; the rolled taco is the furthest thing from the sad little taquito. Picture a fresh made tortilla stuffed with Silva’s shredded beef, rolled into a cigar shape and fried until it is crispy golden brown. Take 3 or 5 of those babies and line them up on a plate for the next step; toppings. The whole plate is topped with guacamole, shredded lettuce, pico de gallo, and a fist full of mild Mexican cheddar cheese. Again keep that red sauce, or green if you prefer, handy because once you start eating these addicting rolled tacos you won’t be able to put them down.

My favorite item on the menu is the Baja Style Fish tacos. Silva’s version starts with their house made tortillas. They are over stuffed with crispy golden brown pieces of deep fried fish, lettuce, pico de gallo, and their creamy rich white sauce. It’s served with a couple of lemon wedges and a squeeze bottle of the red or green sauce. Be prepared to drip this all over your shirt as it is so wonderfully indulgent you won’t even bother to stop and clean up ‘til it’s gone. The combination of flavors and texture in this taco will have you wanting for more but they are so big one or two is the limit.

Finally, my old standby, the Carnitas Taco, what could be more perfect than hunks of crispy seasoned pork; nestled in two house made tortillas and stuffed with the classic taco fillings of shredded lettuce and pico de gallo. The only thing that could make it better are the roasted Serrano chiles that are served on the tacos. Douse liberally with red sauce and get them in your mouth for an unforgettable taqueria experience.

All these dishes are served with Silva’s house made “Hot Carrots” in escabeche , just tender and fragrant with herbs and vinegar, they are the perfect accompaniment to cut the richness of the food and spank the pallet with a bit of heat between bites.

If you are looking for an authentic taco shop experience and not some prefabricated wannabe Mexican food slop, visit Silva’s Taco Shop in El Cajon and tell we sent you from San Francisco!

Silva’s Taco Shop
998 Broadway
El Cajon, CA 92021
(619) 447-4196

Things Are Heating Up For California Caterer.

2009-04-03T00:19:00.000-07:00

Do you remember that Top Chef Quaker Oats Challenge I asked you all to vote on a while back? Well here's the skinny:

Our fellow Foodie friend Maurice "Ben" Larimer made it to the finals and then he won the cook-off event with his Oatmeal Crusted Chile Relleno. He used a combination of Poblano/Pasilla peppers to keep things lively! The Chiles are stuffed with an Oatmeal Goat Cheese, Mango, and Grilled Chipotle Shrimp Stuffing, and are topped with a Green Chile Ranchero Sauce. Even the description is enough to get your mouth watering! “Top Chef Winner Hosea loved the dish”, says Larimer, “and so did Annie from Quaker Oats and Nikki”

The grueling day began at 7am with a walkthrough of the small outdoor kitchen. At 9am the dinner bell sounded and it was off to the races; only 45 minutes to complete the entire dish. Ben tells us that his best time so far was 47 minutes during his home trials. It seems as though Ben had found his groove and managed to complete and plate the dish with 2 minutes left to spare. I can’t imaging cooking Chile Rellenos start to finish is such a short time. Incidentally, Chef Larimer was the only male contestant out of the ten semi-finalists.

This cook-off is scheduled to air on bravotv.com on Monday, April 6th in its entirety. So be sure to check that out!

When Maurice “Ben” Larimer is not whipping up prize winning dishes in record time he puts his 21 years of culinary experience to good use at CocoMoe’s Catering in Red Bluff California.

With his passion for food and perfection Ben has acquired a reputation for amazing food, and an incredible sense of what foods fit best for your event. His experience dates back to 1986 when his first job was a dishwasher/prep cook in a small restaurant in Oklahoma. From there he has apprenticed under 2 separate chefs 1 Spanish, 1 Italian for a total of 4 years. After working in the industry for a number of years, Ben decided to give catering a try.

CocoMoe’s has catered for many celebrities including the likes of, Brooks & Dunn, Reba McEntire, Trace Adkins, Colin Raye, The Beach Boys, Jesse Colin Young and The Youngbloods, George Thorogood and The Destroyers. Also businesses and groups such as the Redding Rodeo Association, Shasta Regional Hospital, Wal-Mart Redding , and their most important accomplishment to date, over 11,000 Marines at 29 Palms Marine Base. As well as many residents of the Northstate here in California.

To learn more about Larimer and his catering business, you can log on to www.cocomoes.net

Rediscover America's Legend - Tabasco!

2009-04-01T16:27:00.000-07:00

By: Courtney Phillips

You can find it at any dinner across the heartland of America and in almost any refrigerator or pantry, but not many people know the history of this definitive American legend. Myth surrounds its early history, with some of the early rumors proving true according to the historians and curators at the McIlhenny Company,

The Legend Begins

It was a man by the name of Edmund McIlhenny who is credited with the development of the recipe and process that created the spicy red concoction focusing on a natural fermentation of the liquid instead of an accelerated boiling process. In 1868 he grew his own commercial crop of peppers for his first official batch. In 1869 McIlhenny sent out 658 bottles of liquid heat to sell to grocers and markets in the southern gulf coast.

Selling for one dollar a piece he labeled the bottles “Tabasco,” a word of Mexican Indian origin meaning “place where the soil is humid.” In 1870 he secured a patent for the name and the rest, as they say… well you can finish that one.

Today

The brand is still in heavy production five generations later, being produced on Avery Island, Louisiana, where half of the factory’s 200 workers still live. Many are the descendants of the factory’s original workers and all working today for Paul McIlhenny, the sixth generation descendant of the inventor.

The Tradition

The recipe remains unchanged and the ‘mash’, or main pulp and spices for the recipe, is still made in much the same way as the original, although the quality of some of the ingredients has been improved over the years. The sauce is aged in white oak barrels for as long as 3 years and only at the permission of the family, who supervise the process very closely, is it allowed to be mixed with vinegar before being bottled.

Fun Facts and Secrets

One fact you may not know about Tabasco brand hot sauce is that every drop is aged in barrels which come from the Jack Daniels distillery in Lynchburg, TN. The company purchases used barrels that Jack Daniels brand whiskey has been aged in and subsequently uses them to age their hot sauce. The bottles that Tabasco goes into were not all that original at their start either. According to legend Edmund McIlhenny originally used discarded cologne bottles to package his first few batches, a fact confirmed through the company’s own historians!

This post was contributed by Courtney Phillips, who writes about the culinary school ranking. She welcomes your feedback at CourtneyPhillips80 at gmail.com

Without Coffee There Would Be No Joy!

2009-03-28T22:58:00.000-07:00

Especially on Monday Morning, am I right? Our friends at Happy Bean Coffee take the little Arabica coffee bean most seriously to bring you the finest coffee experience!

In the dreamy hours of the morning, the coffee bean begins anew to draw energy from dark, rich, volcanic soil and sunlight filtered through the remains of the previous night. The coffee bean stirs within and, to the first sounds of birds and the morning rituals of nearby inhabitants, the rain forest awakens around it.

It is drawn forth towards the day, guided by the call of nature and its own internal rhythm. It will be a gourmet Arabica bean or it will be nothing; it will taste rich and be aromatic or existence will be meaningless. It will surpass all expectations. It will start this day as it should and as it does always.

As the morning's milky fog washes over these young coffee beans, it convenes subtle harmonies in its eddies. The high mountain rain showers it with elixirs of stimulation and vitality. Fresh breezes carry the rain forest's earthy aroma and gently
stir perfect humidity and temperature against the bean's exterior. From the rich rain forest floor percolate flavors that define the bean's origin and gourmet heritage. Organic perfection is developing within. Along with it, develop the rich complexities and exquisite body and acidity that are its hallmark.

But perfection ripens at its own pace. In the thin air of the equatorial mountains and in the shade of a broad, leafy canopy, an endless eon of eager anticipation must pass before the bean is ready. Dreams of lattes, French roast, decaf, espresso and perhaps, flavored hints of hazelnut, chocolate, or vanilla, may fill the time, but ultimate satisfaction is yet a long way off. For now, the gourmet coffee bean is tucked in the caring hands of the plantation farmer and there it will stay, until inevitability pulls it from its cozy mountainside home.

Read the Rest of the Story....

Review: Dave's Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce

2009-03-19T19:41:00.000-07:00

So Hot It’s Spooky! That’s the catch phrase pasted across the top of the Dave’s Gourmet Ghost Pepper Sauce. You would think that would have been enough to have me steer clear of this torturous elixir. But something drew me in, something eerie and unexplainable. Perhaps it was the lost souls whom have succumbed to the ghost pepper itself?

Initial Impression: FEAR! While I ain’t ‘fraid of no ghost, I am afraid of the ghost pepper or Bhut Jolokia as it is known is the Tezpur region of India. This big daddy of hot pepper sauces looks harmless while trapped in its bottle, but even it slightly pinkish hue reminds me that something is wrong here!

Ingredients: Ghost pepper/Naga Jolokia peppers, hot pepper extract, salt, vegetable oil, roasted garlic pulp, acetic acid.

Extract??? Dave, are you trying to say that 1 million Scoville units of tongue blistering heat is not enough? This is a truly sadistic endevour!

Appearance: This is a very smooth reddish sauce with a slight pink hue. Upon closer inspection you can see tiny red globules of chile extract forming in the neck of the bottle, it’s hard to keep that extract in suspension so you had better shake this well before you use it!

Aroma: Wow. This is a really great smelling sauce. When I first uncap the bottle and take a slow smooth smell It makes my mouth water. The Jolokia peppers have super sweet melon like aroma. It is slightly smoky and has a little twang on the nostrils, something you would expect from vinegar. Interestingly, the is no vinegar in this sauce.

Taste: The very first flavor to hit me is uhhmm PAIN, no wait it’s sweet and smoky and you can actually taste the garlic in the back for a second, then the PAIN! Wow, this is some hot stuff! Interestingly enough you go from a few seconds of pain to completely numb. My gums are still tingling, but I guess the endorphins have kicked in and blocked the pain cuz’ it’s gone. I think this is actually one of the best tasting super hots I have tasted. The bitter extract taste is not present in this sauce as in other super hots. I think I can find a few uses for this super hot sauce.

The Food Test: Are you kidding? The food test is everything I eat until the fire in my face goes away.

Conclusion: This one is a doozy! I love the fragrant aroma and the smoky melon like flavor. This has more than enough heat for the serious Chile-head and is almost forgiving enough for a supervised beginner to bungee jump their tongue. Have your cream cheese or ice-cream ghost buster nearby just in case you need a rescue party. Who you gonna call?

Packaging 9/10 – Typical DG Packaging
Aroma 9/10 – Fragrant and Enticing
Appearance 9/10 – Thick and pinkish
Taste 9/10 – Smoky Melon Pain
Heat 10/10 – Respect the Ghost

Overall 9/10

Exclusive Hell's Kitchen Interview: Chef Matt Sigel.

2009-03-08T20:41:00.000-07:00

Here is a treat for all you Hell’s Kitchen fans! We recently had the opportunity to speak with Chef Matt Sigel of season four. While Chef Matt may have not won the prize of the executive chef position at London West, he did provide fans with a whole lot of entertainment.

The Last Bite wanted to know more about Chef Matt, what got him interested in cooking, and where his passion for the culinary arts comes from. Of course we threw in a few questions about Hell’s Kitchen and Chef Gordon Ramsey:

TLB: At what age did you know you were going to be a chef and why?

Chef Matt: I did not go to culinary school until Feb 2000 at Institute of Culinary Education (formerly known as Peter Kumps) I always loved cooking and was offered the opportunity to go to CIA. I turned it down to go work on Wall Street. I starting meeting celebrity chefs in my late 20’s and realized there is no shame of being a chef.

TLB: Where did you attend your training and did you find it easy or difficult?

Chef Matt: I attended ICE. I found it to be ok. I really did not like the majority of my classmates. So it made it difficult. Most of them went out after class while I went to work after class and worked till 1am and had to be in school by 8. They felt bad for each other being tired.

TLB: Knowing what you know now, would you do it again?

Chef Matt: I would have gone at 18 and traveled to Europe.

TLB: What is best advice you would give a home cook that wants to go pro?

Chef Matt: You better learn to eat crow and be passionate. Having an ego will kill you. Always need to learn you can even learn from a dishwasher. Be patient not many make it in this business and don’t name drop.

TLB: If you had only one tip for the home cooking enthusiast what would that be?

Chef Matt: Know your ingredient and appreciate where it comes from and how it gets to your marketplace.

TLB: If you could only have your knives and one gadget, what would that be and why?

Chef Matt: My hand blender. I use that baby for a lot of things. Everyone should own one.

TLB: What is your favorite ingredient, and your favorite way to utilize that ingredient?

Chef Matt: LMAO! Asking a chef what his favorite ingredient is. I do love lobster. Nothing like fresh lobster off the coast of Maine waters. I had this experience in Bar Harbor Maine. I think people are so used to eating it baked or broiled. I have fun with lobster doing ceviche pairing it up with foie gras. Shocking people tempured style with a vanilla bean sauce.

TLB: What is your least favorite ingredient and why?

Chef Matt: I’d say tripe. Look I hate the stuff but I always try it. As a chef or a so called foodie you should taste everything out there. I hate beets. But I love them roasted. I would never ever known that if I just stuck with "I hate that."

TLB: Describe your funniest kitchen incident.

Chef Matt: There is so much funny stuff that goes on in a kitchen. It is high stress so the littlest things are funny. I think hells kitchen when I did you want to see crazy routine. People thought I was going nuts it was me being silly.

TLB: At home who does most of the cooking, and what do you like to eat?

Chef Matt: My wife does not cook. We go out a lot. She’s in retail we don’t have normal hours. But I am simple. We go out to eat a lot so its basic stuff. When we go out to dine which is occasionally we go to the popular places. I love Popeye’s fried chicken, white castle and pig out at taco bell. I do hate McD’s. Im just as human as the next person.

TLB: What is your favorite cookbook?

Chef Matt: I own a lot of cookbooks. But I do love Daniel Boulud’s Letters to a Young Chef. I know it’s not a cookbook. If you’re looking for food artistry Jean-George and Alfred Portale are two of my faves.

TLB: Hell’s Kitchen; what is your favorite story from your season?

Chef Matt: Chef Ramsey saying that was the best risotto to leave hells kitchen he only said that to me. I was the first one he said it to and everyone else he says it’s good.

TLB: Describe how you felt about Chef Ramsey during your time on the show. Do you feel the same way now?

Chef Matt: I love Chef Ramsey. He is a great chef. He reinvented me. Also people forget about Chef Scott and Chef Gloria on the show. Look Chefs yell; Ramsey wants passion and wants people to succeed.

TLB: Do you feel that you learned anything from the show that influenced your cooking?

Chef Matt: Yeah keep it simple. You can use flavors but keep it simple.

TLB: Would you participate in other cooking related productions?

Chef Matt: Yeah my own. Anyone want to produce a show?

TLB: What is Chef Matt’s dream job situation?

Chef Matt: I have a concept and concepts for restaurants that will put casual dinning over the edge. I need deep wallets to back me.

TLB: What do you want our reader to know about Chef Matt Sigel?

Chef Matt: I’m fun loving. I care about the customer. Personally besides cooking I love to read. Love politics. Have over 600 DVDs. And collect chef things (figurines, decorative stuff, have the Swedish Chef play set)

The Last Bite thanks Chef Matt for taking the time to answer our questions. If you would like to contact Chef Matt in regards to media, employment, or similar opportunities, contact The Last Bite or leave a comment here.

Canadian Hot Sauce Company Heads South For the Winter

2009-03-05T00:26:00.000-08:00

I was recently speaking with Denzel Sandburg of Denzel’s Gourmet Foods in British Colombia, Canada. He was telling me that he may get his fantastic products out here to the Napa area for the Mustard Festival. Denzel recently learned that his honey mustard sauce took the top prize at the Napa Valley Mustard Festival Worldwide Mustard Competition.

Then today while surfing my usual food related searches I can across this article about Denzel in the Vernon Morning Star:

Denzel Sandberg has to drain every grocery store along Highway 97 in the Okanagan to collect enough habaneros — the spiciest naturally-grown hot pepper — for his world famous hot sauces. It takes about 20 pounds of habaneros to make a batch of Fire Hazard, a hot sauce ranking eight out of eight on his spicy scale because it uses twice as many habaneros as his next-hottest sauce (Dangerous Goods, a seven) and which he uses the word really three times to convey how hot it is.

“It’s my drug of choice. This one is ‘aahhh,’” he says, widening his arms as if he were imitating a bear.

In the four-hour process of grinding, chopping, and roasting the habaneros for Fire Hazard, his eyes burn, his skin flares and his nostril hairs seer.

“It smells good but it burns,” said Sandberg. “It hurts.”

Making hot sauce is hard work, which is why the Enderby entrepreneur/chef, whose bottles have been bringing him international awards since he started Denzel’s Gourmet Foods seven years ago, entertained the idea of getting into the barbecue sauce business. Less than a year later, three of his four barbecue sauces have won some of the world’s top sauce prizes.

We hope that we will see you in Napa!

Read the rest here...

Napa Valley Mustard Festival 2009

2009-02-27T10:39:00.000-08:00

Celebrating the unique food, wine, art, and rich agricultural & cultural bounties of the Napa Valley!

The Mustard Season offers a full palette of food, wine, art, entertainment, and cultural activities staged throughout the world-famous grape growing region when fields, vineyards, and hillsides are vibrant with wild mustard in bloom.

This, the sixteenth annual mustard festival is the sixth year that Innuendo Foods will be attending the event. It is the second time the event is changing venues. Initially at the Napa Fairgrounds the festival quickly outgrew the venue and was relocated to Copia; the Napa Center for Food and Wine. This year the Marketplace Event will be hosted by the Robert Mondavi Winery in Oakville.

Highlights of this rain or shine food, wine and arts festival include: celebrity chef cooking demonstrations, a KGO Newstalk AM810 live remote broadcast of Dining Around with Gene Burns, a Sunset Magazine pavilion, and taping of Martha Stewart Living radio shows. Artful activities include fine arts and crafts presented by juried artists and artisans, and live performances of jazz, world, and classical music.

Adult admission to The Marketplace at $35 in advance, $40 at the door, includes eight food and five wine tasting tickets (value $1 each), plus a souvenir wine glass. Student admission, ages 13 to 20, at $10 includes five food tasting tickets. Admission for children ages 6 to 12 is $5. Children under the age of 6 are admitted for free. Visit participating Raley's, Nob Hill Foods and Bel Aire Markets to purchase adult tickets in advance, which include a voucher for five additional tasting tickets.

Purchase a weekend package in advance at mustardfestival.org which includes both The Awards and The Marketplace at $125 per person.

Look for us at the Innuendo Foods / Dave's Gourmet booth at the Marketplace Event for some great gourmet fun and samples of a selection of our fine products! See you there and let us know you read it in The Last Bite!

Take the Kentucky Challenge With Us!

2009-02-22T12:27:00.000-08:00

Recently, a close friend of mine was trapped in his home for weeks without power by the ice storms in Kentucky. Luckily for them the gas was still available and they had plenty of wood for the pot belly stove to warm the house. These storms were so bad that grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations were all closed for over a week, even today many residence are still without power.

This got me thinking; what if the grocery stores in your neighborhood were closed for a week? Would you have enough food to keep you going? We believe you do. As a matter of fact most middle-class Americans have enough food in their pantries, freezers and cupboards to survive weeks without taking on new ingredients.

So we have decided to issue a challenge and dedicate it to my friends and family that endured that week at home. The Kentucky Challenge goes like this; for the next week you eat only what you have at home. Dig deep in your pantry, cupboards, and freezers and get creative. Not only will you have a good time challenging yourself in the kitchen, you will also save the $100-$200 that you would have spent that week at the store, and you will use up all the extra stuff that you have at home. You know that stuff that you would have thrown away after it expired in your pantry or got freezer burned sitting around too long in the deep freeze.

I know that I'm not alone when I get home from the supermarket and can barely fit the new food in the refrigerator because there's so much of the old food left. So I’m sure that I'm not alone in being able to skip a week of shopping and still be able to eat well. If you have a dietary requirement for dairy or something perishable, I say get that item and only that item. Just don’t do the shopping thing and you’re still in the running.

I’ll be doing my Kentucky Challenge from California where luckily the weather won’t be a factor. Will you be joining me? Document your progress at The Last Bite Network. Use the blog section of your Mypage to chronicle your progress.

You Did WHAT with Chocolate!?!?

2009-02-19T20:40:00.000-08:00

Chocolate. Can you think of a more perfect indulgence? Some people even claim to have an addiction to this dark, rich, sweet, and almost intoxicating treat. It has even been said to have the same effect as love on some people; releasing similar hormones that create the feeling of euphoria. Could it get any better?

Bisous Pure Belgian Chocolates in the UK felt that they had finally made an improvement that people would notice. And so was born “The Incredible Edible Anus”. Made of only the finest all natural Belgian chocolate and manufactured by hand in the UK, these curious “chocolate starfish” are sold both online and in stores at Coco de Mer in the UK and the USA.

Now, I know it’s hard to believe that this is serious, I didn’t at first. I assure you that the website is legitimate and there are pages of testimonials touting the magnificence of the puckered chocolate butt-holes:

‘Edible Anus Chocolates - World's Most Unique Gift Idea! They would make the PERFECT gift for your proctocologist. ’
Kristie Leong M.D.

‘The chocolates look incredibly realistic and they make a great gift.’
Boyz Magazine

They have a minimum order of five boxes, and each box contains a dark, milk, and white chocolate poop shoot.

If you’re a serious fan and can’t get enough; there is even a limited edition solid silver anus made from 55 grams of hallmarked silver, cradled in an elegant presentation box and exquisitely crafted into that most sensuous of body parts, this is a unique and thought-provoking gift. Edition of 100 (edition # engraved).

There is a link to the Coco de Mer website which according to the browsing I did is an adult store. They sell lingerie, toys, books, and yes edible anuses. There is an entire section dedicated to erotica and how-to guides. The site is done in a sensual and respectful manner and is not at all trashy or flashy. There is as U.S. site so purchases can be made on-line by U.S. customers without much difficulty. (http://www.coco-de-mer.co.uk/)

IWYSWYG: Jack In The Box Chipotle Chicken Ciabatta Sandwich

2009-02-16T21:59:00.000-08:00

It's time once again to play IWYSYWG; or "Is What You See What You Get?" You know where you see all the amazingly delicious looking FoodPorn that companies put out to make you drool on your shirt. Then when you get the burger or other food item depicted in the advertisement it looks like the server carried out to you in their back pocket.

Today's selection is the Chipotle Chicken Ciabatta Sandwich from Jack in the Box Restaurants. Below you can see the lovely stylized images that you are shown. Scrumptious!

Now here is the actual Jack In The Box Chipotle Chicken Ciabatta Sandwich that we received:

We only got the one sandwich and did not have a fancy plate to place it on for the photo shoot but we figured the nice box that it came in would be good enough.

Perhaps this should be called a Chipotle Chicken Ciabatta Salad Sandwich? I mean what is with all the lettuce anyways? I'll have to do a little harvesting before I can attempt to eat this thing!

Clearly these don't look the same do they? But would you have ordered it if your expectations were not set real high? Hey it has chipotle on it. I would have ordered it sight unseen. In any event it was actually quite delicious and I would get one of these again.

The Last Bite will have to grade this WYSIWYG with a C. The real this albeit delicious was not very close to the image. The bun was not as toasty looking and the only topping you see it lettuce. Better luck next time Jack In The Box.

Do you have a WYSIWYG? Send us the information and we'll follow up, or send us your photos and we'll post them for other to see If What You See Is What You Get!

Fuzia; New Morgan Hill Restaurant is Just OK.

2009-02-13T23:21:00.000-08:00

It has been one of those weeks, you know the kind. What would make the memories of a tough week go away faster than a great meal? A great meal with awesome wine! Fortunately an OK meal was enough to take the edge off. It was probably the wine.

Fuzia, from what I understand, is a fairly new place and in the two months it’s been opened they seem to have gathered quite a following. We arrived at 5pm and the dining room promptly filled up to reservation only capacity.

The decor is modern and obviously new and the sparse decoration created an atmosphere that was a bit cold. The dark wood tables and woven chairs were just not enough to warm up the blank walls.

The service was very attentive; even at the busiest times and the server was instrumental at describing the specials and recommending wine that pairs well with the courses that we had chosen.

We decided to share the Baked Brie for Two, described on the menu as; smoked and grilled vegetables, curried meats, garlic, caper berries, grilled bread. Unfortunately, if I had to describe this appetizer in one word, that word would be tragic. Elements of this dish were fine but overall it was a mess. To start with the baked brie was undercooked and was a greasy doughy mound. The grilled bread, while pretty on the plate seemed to have been pre-grilled and already cold. Actually the grilled vegetables while tasty were also cold. The curried meats was clearly a typo as there was four thin slices of cured salami on the plate and no curry to be found. The absence of caper berries was seemingly replaced with a pile of marinated grape tomato slices. There was a bulb of roasted garlic on the plate. It was cold, but again tasty.

For our entrée selection I chose the Braised Lamb Shank. It was served atop creamy white polenta with the braising liquid and vegetables. The polenta was a perfect match for the tender braised lamb, and the lamb was perfectly cooked. It was fork tender and fell cleanly from the bone. My only gripe was that the lamb itself was slightly under seasoned, but that was easily corrected using the salt and pepper shakers. The Perrone cabernet that the server had recommended was a perfect match as the tones of oak, cherry and black pepper mirrored the flavors of the meal.

My dining companion ordered the Prime Rib Special as recommended by our server. It was served au jus with celery root mashed potato and steamed broccolini. This dish was presented beautifully but immediately became a disappointment. In retrospect I should have taken a picture because it was really a superbly plated meal. Unfortunately, the beef was quite tough and the mashed potato was stone cold. I was rather disgusted to learn that this twelve ounce prime rib entrée was $31. The 12oz prime rib dinner at Outback Steakhouse was much better quality and will cost you eleven dollars less.

Our server offered us some coffee and dessert. I inquired as to whether the desserts were house made or brought in; he assured us that they were made in house. We decided to try the Apple Crisp with Vanilla Gelato, it was on par with the rest of the meal. The granola topping seemed a bit stale and the apple bits may have been tossed in sugar and cinnamon before being placed in the bowl. The apples were softened, perhaps even baked but not served warm. Apple crisp as I remember it is sticky and gooey and warms your soul.

Over all the food was tasty but had its issues. The service was friendly, attentive, and really on point. The quality of the food was not a good value at the current prices, but if they can work out the bugs in the kitchen it will be alright. These things have a way of working themselves out. I might go back someday.

Garlic City's Hidden Secret; Fine Dinning In Gilroy.

2009-02-12T14:25:00.000-08:00

Gilroy California has long been known as the garlic capital of the world, but it has definitely never been referred to as a culinary destination. If you are looking for fast food franchises, chain restaurants, and taquerias; Gilroy has you covered. But what do you do if you are not in the mood for burgers and burritos?

The Westside Grill is a hidden jewel in this town of cheap eats. Located at the corner of Santa Teresa and Hecker Pass Highway, you would probably drive past it if you didn't know what you were looking for.

Opened in 2006, The Westside Grill has rapidly become a local Gilroy favorite for lunch, dinner, and now on weekends, brunch. Offering a standard menu, and an ever-changing list of daily specials, the Westside Grill is open seven evenings a week for dinner, Monday thru Friday for lunch and on Saturday and Sunday for brunch.

I have been to the Westside Grill on several occasions and for today's lunch light fare seemed appropriate. I ordered the soup du jour; chicken tortilla soup, and a Cobb Salad. My dining companions today ordered the tortilla soup and a Steak Caesar Salad and the Prime Rib Sandwich from the specials menu with a cup of Lobster Bisque. The Lobster Bisque is a specialty of the Westside Grill and is always on the menu.

The Chicken Tortilla Soup was quite delicious and perfectly seasoned with just a few crisp strips of tortilla for texture and flavor. I was expecting a light brothy soup and was surprised to get a slightly heartier version that was partially pureed. The Cobb Salad was quite nice as well, served with vinaigrette and some blue cheese dressing which I requested. The greens were crisp and fresh and the addition of snow peas added an extra sweet crunch. The bacon was perfectly cooked and the chicken was served warm. Sliced hardboiled egg and Gorgonzola were fresh and delicious atop the greens and garnished with grape tomato. To be honest I don't recall if there was actually any avocado on this salad, in any event it was quite wonderful so shame on me for not noticing.

While I did not taste the other entrees at the table they were presented with equal care. The Prime Rib Sandwich was served open faced, sliced thin, and piled high. There was a rich jus over the sandwich and mashed potato. The Steak Caesar Salad was served in classic manner with shredded parmesan cheese. The steak appeared to be cooked nicely.

While the food was good there were a few glitches with the service. Perhaps the midweek lunch shift has them running lean. The tortilla soup was served in a crock that was cracked all the way through the bottom and my knife had some bits of dried food on it.

When we ordered our lunch the person with the Lobster Bisque inquired if it would be counted as the "soup or salad" that came with the special and was told yes. Later when the bill arrived there was a $2 upcharge for the soup. We questioned the up-charge and were told the bisque was more. Upon reminding the server that we inquired at the time, specifically about that order, her response was; "I said that because when I tell people it's two dollars more they don't want it". She went on to comment about how she just finished arguing with table 34 about the same thing. I suspect a possible training point may be presenting itself here.

All in all, the Westside Grill is a good find in Gilroy. The food is great and the atmoshphere is friendly and casual yet still upscale. We will be back despite the deception.

The Westside Grill
8080 Santa Teresa Blvd.
Gilroy, CA 95020
408-847-3800

Corned Beef Pastrami Maven Dies at Age of 90

2009-02-05T13:16:00.000-08:00

Today in the International Herald Tribune was an announcement that would surely have foodies everywhere hold their heads down in a moment of silence.

Milton Parker, the longtime owner of the famous Carnegie Deli renowned for its gargantuan pastrami, tongue and chopped liver sandwiches, has died. He was 90.

Parker, whose business card said Milton Parker CPM — for Corned Beef and Pastrami Maven — died Friday of respiratory problems, said his daughter, Marian Levine.

His family says nothing will change at the legendary Theater District deli where Woody Allen filmed scenes in "Broadway Danny Rose."

Parker's son-in-law, Sanford Levine, told the Daily News: "It's the food, the communal tables, the menu. That's not going to change."

Read the rest of the story...

Is What You See, What You Get? Chili's Grill.

2009-02-04T18:59:00.000-08:00

Have you ever gone into one of those family style or chain restaurants where the menu is loaded with pictures of the food? You know the menus with pictures of giant burgers or steaks dripping with melting compound butter.

How about prepared food packages with the beautifully styled food on the box. Have you ever been disappointed or maybe surprised by the quality of the contents?

In this new section of The Last Bite we'll look at the art of food marketing. You will see the difference between what you were promised and what you actually receive.

Today we visited Chili's Grill & Bar, an international restaurant chain. Chili's loves to fill their menu with seductive shots of sexy food to entice you.

We ordered the JALAPEÑO SMOKEHOUSE BACON BIG MOUTH BURGER described in the menu as:

Extra thick-cut applewood smoked bacon topped with smoked cheddar cheese, crispy tortilla strips, jalapeños, mayo, shredded lettuce, tomato and onion. Served with jalapeño-ranch dressing.

And here is the accompanying photo:

How could you not want to get this beauty? Look at that thick sliced bacon, crispy tortilla strips, melty cheese, and perfect patty nestled atop perfect layers of produce and sliced pickled jalapenos. Notice how the seeded bun is perched perfectly to show off those lean strips of perfectly crisped bacon. This is truly a masterpiece of a burger. I'm sure glad I ordered it! But is this what I got?.....

OK so admittedly this burger is not as pretty as the photo in the menu, but no one expected it to be, did they? It is however pretty darned close. All the elements of the picture are represented in the real deal and with a bit more care I bet Chili's could actually get a few out a day that almost hit the mark. It be nice if the bacon wasn't trying to escape off the side of the burger. It would also be nice if the bacon was even half a crisp as the bacon in the picture appeared to be. You don't see any translucent fatty bacon on the top picture do you? Even though you don't see tomato in the real deal it was there, and the tortilla strips tasted like they had been in the kitchen for a month but in all fairness this is an likeness comparison and the strips in the menu picture could be made of Kevlar and fiberglass for all I know.

All in all I'm gonna have to give Chili's Grill a WYSIWYG Grade C. When it comes to the JALAPEÑO SMOKEHOUSE BACON BIG MOUTH BURGER What you see is almost what you get. And what you will get when you order this in undoubtedly full!

Do you have a WYSIWYG? Send us the information and we'll follow up, or send us your photos and we'll post them for other to see If What You See Is What You Get!

Review: Donya Marie’s Original Dark Chocolate BBQ Sauce

2009-02-02T23:05:00.000-08:00

Hello Last Bite Foodies. Two of my favorite things in the food world are barbecue and chocolate, and not just any old chocolate, dark chocolate. In fact I don’t really consider milk chocolate to even be chocolate as there tends to be more sugar, milk, and fillers that actual chocolate in that particular variety.

One thing I never expected to see was the two of those elements combined. The mere thought of chocolate BBQ sauce seems utterly absurd at first, right? But then what about mole; made of spices, nuts, seeds and chocolate. While Donya’s BBQ sauce is not a mole, I put myself in that frame of mind when I approached this taste test.

Initial Impression: I have to admit it confounded my senses. The bottle was appealing with a simple off white label and two-tone gold lettering. The white label against the dark reddish brown sauce is well played. Uncomplicated and elegant, but what the label says to me; “Dark Chocolate Barbecue Sauce” leaves me unsure what to expect.

Ingredients: Tomato concentrate, vinegar, cocoa, corn syrup, canola oil, onion, garlic, salt, paprika, black pepper, prepared mustard, sugar, lemon juice, xanthan gum.

The ingredient list is really nice and clean. There are no preservatives or artificial anything. Yes I see the corn syrup and frankly I don’t get the whole stigma of corn syrup. When did corn become a poison anyways? Corn is a vegetable that we all eat so get over it!

Appearance: This is one rich, thick, and sexy sauce. It is reddish brown sauce and there are sparse but definite bits of spices floating around. The consistency of this barbecue sauce presents many applications. It was super thick and sticks to your meat, or whatever else you would use it on nicely. It also makes a great dipping sauce since it won’t drip off of whatever you’re dunking.

Aroma: I popped the cap and took in a snoot full of fumes. Mouthwatering, like drool down your chin, mouthwatering. Now that I cleaned myself up I can tell you that this sauce has some subtle layers of aroma. At first you get a sweet tropical fruit perfume; next the tomatoey fragrance fills your nostrils and makes your mouth water. The velvety cocoa aroma comes in for the finish and practically hypnotizes you.

Taste: Sweet and tangy, this could be a dessert sauce. Tasting it from the jar it has a definite tangy fruity flavor. There are some pieces of black pepper in it that come up next. The pepper is pronounced but not overpowering or out of balance. Next the vinegar tang comes out a bit and the rich cocoa flavor puts it out before it gets out of control. I can taste the chocolate in the finish, but it’s not at all what I expected.

The Food Test: Since we were having some nice weather I decided to fire up the grill and throw on some Tri-tip. I gave it a quick rub down with some Just Simply Good Stuff Original Rub. Tri-tip is tender enough to get away with grilling if you stick to medium rare at the most. The Donya Marie’s BBQ sauce was a perfect match for this lean cut. I would also like to try it on ribs and see how it pairs with richer meats.

Conclusion: Not knowing what to expect made this a great culinary experience. When most BBQ sauces taste the same, Donya Marie’s Dark Chocolate BBQ Sauce stands out from the crowd. It is extremely rich and thick and flows with layers of flavors and aroma. While the chocolate may be more pronounced on the label than it is in the sauce, it has to be that way to make it as delicious as it is. If you are a fan of BBQ you will be a fan of this sauce. Pair this meal with a nice zinfandel and finish with a flourless chocolate torte.

Hell's Kitchen Season Five Begins

2009-01-30T00:53:00.000-08:00

Tonight was the opening night of Hell’s Kitchen season 5; the show where renowned celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey berates a ragtag team of wannabe cooks. These 16 cooks are vying for Ramsey’s attention in hopes that they will win the prize of a quarter million dollars and a position at the Borgata Hotel Casino in Atlantic City.

At first impression the teams that were chosen for this season seemed to be of higher caliber than the prior season with more executive and sous chefs in the line. Once the tasting of their opening dishes commenced it was clear that some of the contestants were clearly not destined for greatness. Ben seemed to do well with his version of Peking duck in contrast to Colleen’s “Diaper” of enchiladas. As it turns out Colleen the cooking instructor actually has no formal cooks training. There seemed to be a few stand out dishes but for the most part Chef Ramsey spent a lot of time spitting out food.

As usual most patrons in the Hell’s Kitchen dining room don’t get fed until the 5th or 6th episode. Having so many trained cooks on the line; one would think they could get out a single service for dinner, but that would not really make great TV would it.

The red team (girls) had a few issue right from the start with buffet cook Lacey quitting during prep. It seemed that the ice cream machine had gotten the better of her. Once the work was done she miraculously pulled herself together to join the rest for dinner service announcing to her team that she had never worked on a line before and would need to be helped. That’s when Coi called her out in front of Chef Ramsey and threatened to take care of her if she got her kicked off the show.

The blue team (boys) were not without their problems when Wil with one L, seemed to lose all semblance of what a cook does, and Seth; who has already alienated himself from the entire team, could not seems to put out a lamb chop to save his life. Ramsey has taken to calling Seth Forrest, as in Gump and need not worry about what to call Wil as he’s already been eliminated. It truly does suck the worst to be first.

Processor Knowingly Sold Contaminted Peanut Products

2009-01-28T10:22:00.000-08:00

The Georgia peanut plant linked to a salmonella outbreak that has killed eight people and sickened 500 more across the country knowingly shipped out contaminated peanut butter 12 times in the past two years, federal officials said yesterday.

Officials at the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which have been investigating the outbreak of salmonella illness, said yesterday that Peanut Corporation of America found salmonella in internal tests a dozen times in 2007 and 2008 but sold the products anyway, sometimes after getting a negative finding from a different laboratory.

Read On...

Just Simply Great Products!

2009-01-27T13:03:00.000-08:00

Our friends at Just Simply Good Stuff sent us a box of sample to check out and we have been dragging our feet or tongues, getting to the taste tests. So recently we went on a total taste test rampage and dove head first into this box of savory spice blends.

Robin Carter’s seasonings are all created from scratch using her own recipes. They grind and mix individual chilies, herbs, and spices to create unique dry rubs and blends, and salt is only used to enhance the blends not weigh them down. Their spice blends are all natural, contain no MSG, and are simply delicious.

As it turns out Just Simply Good Stuff is more like Really Great Stuff! It has taken us quite some time to get through all the items that we received because they are so versatile we kept finding new uses for them. A favorite of our; the Lemon Lime Salt is fantastic on Beer Can Chicken. The Wild Game Rub elevated my Grilled Tri-Tip to new heights, and the Smoky Jalapeno Rub was extraordinary as a pre-seasoning for hot wings. We also used the Lemon Lime salt to make some remarkable Tequila Lime Prawns!

For those of you whom have been to the Just Simply Good Stuff website you know there is a library of recipes and serving suggestions that show you great ways to use these wonderful products. We went through and recreated a few of these to get a feel for how Robin intended the spice blends to be used. We were very pleased with the results! Here are the recipes that we used:

Smoky Jalapeno Corn on the Cob

Butter corn, sprinkle with Smoky Jalapeno Rub & Smoky Mesquite salt. Wrap in foil, grill or bake. This recipe is especially handy when you're feeding a crowd. Just unwrap the corn and you're good to go! (No need to pass around all of the butter and salt & pepper… it's already done!)

Grilled Zucchini

Slice zucchini lengthwise, layer 3 - 4 sheets of paper towels, lay slices on and sprinkle with kosher or sea salt, let set for about 20 minutes to draw out some moisture, rinse lightly and pat dry, brush both sides lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle on Mediterranean Medley and Lemon/Lime salt lightly on one side; grill (2-3 min) until you get golden brown grill marks, flip & repeat. Remove, sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Serve immediately while hot.

Holiday Prime Rib Roast

Prime Rib Rub

1 Prime Rib Roast 7-8 lbs (or about 4-5 ribs)

Directions

Ask the butcher for the small end of the Prime. Season generously on all sides with our Prime Rib Rub, Place Roast bone side down in a hot pre-heated oven at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 250 degrees and cook about 20 to 30 minutes per pound. Test the beef with a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the roast (center of the eye) being careful not to touch the bone. Remove the roast when the internal temperature reaches 130 degrees for rare, 140 for medium rare or 150 degrees for medium. Cover the roast loosely with aluminum foil and let sit for 1/2 hour. The internal roast temperature will continue to rise about 5 degrees even after you take it out of the oven.

You can see how simple it is to get great results with Just Simply Good Stuff products. Try some of these unique and delicious blends and soon you will have your own favorite way to prepare Simply Great Food!

Sunday Dinner: Soy Sauce Roasted Chicken

2009-01-25T21:04:00.001-08:00

Today’s Sunday Dinner was inspired by some samples delivered to us by the people at Wan Ja Shan. Their soy sauce products are so vibrant and delicious it makes cooking a great meal a simple task. It’s true that when you start with great ingredients you get great results!

This dish is prepared classically as a pan fried heavily sauced dish served over rice. We chose to lighten it up a bit and use the sauce as a baste for the whole roasted bird.

Ingredients:
1 whole roasting chicken
1/3-1/2 cup soy sauce (use low sodium if you like)
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1/4 cup rice wine or dry sherry
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, crushed
1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder
1-2 piece star anise
2 cloves garlic
chopped hot chiles (optional)
1 stalk scallion, chopped
sesame seed

Directions:
Mix all ingredients, except chicken, scallions, sesame seeds in a deep roaster over medium heat.

Add chicken, and then roast at 375degrees for 15 minutes per pound. Baste chicken occasionally.

Chicken is done when the juices run clear or the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees in the thickest part.

Remove chicken from the sauce and set aside in a platter to rest.
Skim fat from the sauce, thicken it with cornstarch mixture (1 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 1 TB water) and pour the sauce over chicken.

Sprinkle scallions and sesame seeds and serve with rice and steamed broccoli.

Need a Recipe? Got a Recipe to Share? This is a great place to do it! Email us with your recipe and we'll add it to the list and give you some props too!

Quaker Changes the Rules In The Granola Bar Game.

2009-01-23T16:29:00.000-08:00

Today in the mail we received a nice treat from the Quaker Oats company. As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaster program we have been given the opportunity to sample and report on the new Quaker True Delights brand of chewy granola bars that are about to hit the shelves at your local market. We could not wait to dig in to these healthy and delicious looking snack bars!

Quaker describes the True Delights - Toasted Coconut Banana Macadamia Nut bar as a taste of the exotic with our captivating blend of toasted coconut, ripe banana and rich, buttery macadamia nut. Your taste buds will be tropically transported when they encounter this decadent flavor combination. We found this flavor was pretty close to their description, perhaps without the teleportation aspect. The banana flavor is more of a background note that carries through the experience of this bar. Up front is the coconut and a sweet honey like flavor. The large chunks of macadamia nuts definitely add to the decadent rich buttery flavor. It’s hard to believe something this tasty is also good for you.

Quaker describes the True Delights - Dark Chocolate Raspberry Almond as a responsible decadence. With the surprisingly rich flavor combination of dark chocolate chunks, luscious raspberries and whole almonds, you might not be able to stop yourself. And why would you? It is packed to the hilt with chunks of bittersweet chocolate, whole almonds and bits of dried raspberry. This is a great flavor combinations the raspberries tart flavors explode in your mouth. The bittersweet chocolate chunks play of the berry tartness and the whole toasted almonds bring all the flavors together. So far these are proving to be some of the most complex flavor combinations you will see in a snack food like this. Bring on the last flavor!

Quaker True Delights - Honey Roasted Cashew Mixed Berry is described as the best of both worlds. Our chewy granola made with whole grain is combined with sumptuous honey, roasted cashews and mixed berries for a crunchy, chewy snack that will delight your taste buds. This is definitely my favorite of the lot. The first bite is reminiscent of a salted caramel as the honey and salty rich cashews play off each other’s subtle flavors. The whole thing is rich, buttery and toasty with a tangy berry finish. AWESOME! These are truly a gourmet granola bar. Forget about what you think you know about granola bars, Quaker has just changed the rules.

Hopefully I was able to give you an idea of how wonderfully tasty these new granola bars could be, but why take my word for it. Quaker is willing to give you your own free sample. Just click the link and fill out the form!

Cowgirl Chocolates; A Concert of Taste and Texture.

2009-01-20T00:55:00.000-08:00

The Last Bite recently received a small box of unique and delicious sweet chocolaty treats from Cowgirl Chocolates. The eclectic flavors were divided into two categories; spicy and mild. Included are flavors such as Spicy Double Dark Chocolate, Raspberry Lemon, and Habanero Caramel.

While I love chocolates and spicy foods I gathered a group of four tasters so as not to put myself into a diabetic coma. We found that the common thread amongst all the delicious flavors was the super creamy and rich texture of the truffle centers and the crisp sweet chocolate shells.
On the mild side the flavors are Double Dark Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, Ivory Orange, and Raspberry Lemon.

The spicy side of the box was filled with flavors such as Raspberry Dark Chocolate, Double Dark Chocolate, Hazelnut Milk Chocolate, Cappuccino, Habanero Dark Chocolate, and Habanero Caramel.

The presentation of these fine chocolate screams of quality and makes you want to devour them immediately upon receipt. Once you tear open the red paper and remove the ribbons, a myriad of shiny colored foil wrappers entice you with their hidden secrets.

As a group we pretty much agreed on the favorites. While we loved them all, there were definitely standouts in the bunch. We all enjoyed the Ivory Orange Truffle; crisp white chocolate encases a velvety milk chocolate spiked with tangy orange essence. Chocolate and orange is a classic combination, but the ivory white chocolate elevates this truffle beyond the ordinary.
Removal of the aqua colored foil reveals a favorite flavor of chocolate lovers, the Double Dark Chocolate truffle. The dark bittersweet shell is filled with creamy dark bittersweet ganache. What more could you want from a tasty chocolate morsel; more of them.

The spicy side of sweet brings a whole new perspective to chocolates. I’ve had spicy chocolates that were ok, and some that were not good at all. The spicy treats in this little red box were nothing short of greatness. The spiciness was well balanced in all the various flavors. The favorite of the spicy menu was definitely the Habanero Caramel. While there was no chocolate on this one it was one of the most remarkable caramels I have ever tasted. The caramel itself was buttery and had sweet vanilla undertones. There were several layers of flavor before the spiciness of the habanero pepper beat its way to your taste buds. The sweetness of the creamy caramel offset the heat of the habanero enough to let you enjoy the caramel without too much pain, but enough of the habanero comes through to make sweat a bit. It was the perfect combination of pain and pleasure.

The other standout on the spicy side was the Cappuccino Truffle. It had the added element of texture; as if the spiciness was not enough to wow your taste buds the outer shell of cappuccino truffle had a crystallized coffee crunch to it. Combined with the rich sweet cappuccino crème center and the ever so present spiciness this chocolate bite was certainly a concert of taste and texture.

All of us at The Last Bite thank the people at Cowgirl Chocolates and Foodbuzz for the opportunity to sample and report on this awesome taste of Fine Chocolates!

Road Trip: Jim Neely's Interstate Bar-B-Q Memphis, TN

2009-01-18T13:59:00.000-08:00

Do you have a food that you are totally nuts over? For me, and a few of my friends it’s barbecue. There is not one thing about BBQ that we don’t love. Even the act of walking into a new barbecue joint is a joyous event. So when I say we drove a 545 mile return trip for a single BBQ meal you should not be surprised; especially when I tell you that this was a road trip to the famous Jim Neely’s Interstate Bar-B-Q in Memphis, Tennessee!

Our motley crew was comprised of Eric from BBQHub.com, a friend of his named Cecil, and of course myself. We all packed into Eric’s car for the 4 and a half hour drive from Madisonville, Kentucky to Memphis, Tennessee. Armed with only our coffee, our appetites and about two and a half hours worth of small talk we started our journey to one of the World’s most famous BBQ bastions.

In 1978, Jim Neely purchased Interstate Grocery at 2265 South 3rd Street. Not only would the grocery store provide his son with a job, Neely thought the store might provide himself with a way to supplement his income once he retired from the insurance business. The store was run down and had become a place for a rough element to hang out, drink, take drugs and get in the occasional fight. Most people probably would never have imagined the store could become a prosperous business. People asked why he came to this location, "It's not the land, it's the man," says Neely. "I had a vision for what this place could become.

In 1979 He purchased the property and then converted the store to Interstate BBQ Restaurant. This established the Neely name on the Memphis BBQ scene. Today Jim Neely’s Interstate Bar-B-Q has fame status and is well known in barbecue and foodie circles all over the world.
When we finally arrived at our destination we were immediately revitalized by the prospects of an incredible barbecue meal. As strange as it sounds, just stepping out of the car in the Interstate Bar-B-Q parking lot felt like it was already worthwhile. It was as if we knew it was going to be great without really knowing, if that makes sense.

When you enter the doors to the restaurant the aroma hits you like a velvet wall of smoky goodness. Your mouth starts to salivate in anticipation of the delights that are about to come. The place itself shows its age, but not in a bad way. It is like you are entering a historical landmark; the history of great BBQ was made here.

I ordered the Bar-B-Q Sampler and an unsweet iced tea. In the south tea is either sweet or unsweet and sweet means SWEET, so you better be ready if you order it that way. I figured the sampler would give me the widest assortment of Interstate Bar-B-Q experiences without causing me permanent and irreparable damage.

The sampler is made up of Pork Ribs, Beef Ribs, Links, Beef Brisket, Pork Shoulder, B-B-Q Spaghetti, Beans, Slaw and Bread. The Sampler Platter is described as “A Trip to Hog Heaven”! This was really a stand out barbecue meal everything on the plate was clearly top notch; the pork ribs were fall off the bone tender, the beef ribs had just the right amount of texture and were not tough at all, links were made in house and were incredibly seasoned. The chopped brisket was tender and smoky with a hint of tangy sauce, and the pork shoulder was pulled and sauced and was incredible on the plain white bread with some slaw. To me the star of the sampler was the B-B-Q Spaghetti, it had the perfect amount of sauce and meat and the flavors were far more complex than I expected. The side dishes were all great as well, there was tons of meat in the beans and they were hearty and rich. The slaw was both tangy and creamy and cut through and enhanced the sweet rich pork.

We finished the meal with a piece of the Sock-it-to-me cake which we all shared. It was described to us as a pound cake pumped up with sour cream and love. That it was for sure, there was a cinnamon crumble center and a sweet glaze over the cake. It seemed like it would be the lighter of the desserts on the menu. I’m looking forward to some sweet potato pie on my next visit.

If you find yourself in Memphis or you are willing to make the long drive out from wherever you are, the ride to Jim Neely’s Interstate Bar-B-Q will be worth time and travel. Taste some barbecue history for yourself. On the way out we thanked Jim for an excellent meal.

Let him know that we sent ya!

Jim Neely's Interstate Bar-B-Q
2265 S. Third Street
Memphis, Tennessee 38109
901-775-2304 - Restaurant
901-775-3149 - Fax and Order by Fax

The Year of the Ghost Pepper!

2009-01-17T13:48:00.000-08:00

Did you know that 2009 is the year of the ghost? No, not on the Chinese calendar, on the Chile-head calendar.

It seems that there is finally enough of the incredibly hot Bhut Jolokia pepper commercially available not that a plethora of ghostly hot products have hit the market running.

The Naga Jolokia (also known as Bhut Jolokia, Ghost Chili, Ghost Pepper, Naga Morich) is a chili pepper that grows primarily in Assam state of India, but also in northeastern India (Nagaland, Manipur), Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. In 2006, it was confirmed by Guinness World Records to be the hottest chili in the world, replacing the Red Savina.

In 2000, scientists at India's Defense Research Laboratory (DRL) reported a rating of 855,000 units on the Scoville scale, and in 2004 an Indian company obtained a rating of 1,041,427 units through HPLC analysis. This makes it almost twice as hot as the Red Savina pepper. For comparison, pure capsaicin rates at 15,000,000–16,000,000 Scoville units.

In 2005 at New Mexico State University Chile Pepper Institute near Las Cruces, New Mexico, Regents Professor Paul Bosland found Naga Jolokia grown from seed in southern New Mexico to have a Scoville rating of 1,001,304 SHU by HPLC.

In February 2007, Guinness World Records certified the Bhut Jolokia (Prof. Bosland's preferred name for the pepper) as the world's hottest chili pepper.

Last year Dave’s Gourmet, famous for their Insanity Sauce released the first 2008 Ghost Pepper Private Reserve in the well know wood coffin caution tape wrapped packaging. This year the Return of the Ghost Pepper Private Reserve 2009 is making its debut and apparition like disappearance. Hundreds of the ghoulish hot sauce has been pre-sold prior to its release and current inventory is flying off the shelves. We anticipate that in a very short time you will have to hire yourself a ghost hunter to locate this spicy specter.

While we don’t have the actual Scoville rating of the 2009 Private Reserve the addition of Jolokia peppers insures that these will be some of the hottest reserves ever made by the spicemeister.

In other ethereal hot sauce news from Dave’s Gourmet, Ghost Pepper Naga Jolokia Hot Sauce, the newest member of the insanity line has just been released. This sauce is “So Hot It’s Spooky”, and it says so right across the top of the label. A quick review of the ingredient declaration shows that Jolokia peppers are the primary ingredient in this sauce, and if that’s not enough for you it’s spiked up with hot chile extract. In case your taste but are not completely flambéed roasted garlic is added to round out the flavor. Don’t be fooled though, the primary flavor in this new hot sauce is PAIN! This stuff should have no problem getting your endorphins rushing to ghost bust your horrifying agony.

Who You Gonna Call?

Closed Napa Food & Wine Center To ReOpen.

2008-12-01T20:53:00.000-08:00

Six months after California wine pioneer Robert Mondavi's death, the not-for-profit Copia wine and food center he founded filed for bankruptcy on Monday while it seeks to restructure and stay afloat.

The center, located in California's Napa Valley, said its decision to restructure through a Chapter 11 filing will provide an additional six months to achieve long-term sustainability.

In the filing, Copia estimated its outstanding liabilities at between $50 million and $100 million. Recent news reports put its debt at $78 million.

Black Friday Sale In Great Taste!

2008-11-27T23:28:00.000-08:00

RoJo's Gourmet Foods is rolling out Black Friday specials with great taste. Make the foodie, home cook, tailgater, or anyone excited about their gourmet gift this year. No standing in long lines, no worries about returns. Everyone loves to get a gourmet gift! So save yourself from the turkey and stuffing induced coma by hopping on your computer and doing a little holiday shopping from the comfort of your home.

Dave's Gourmet Original Insanity Hot Sauce

List Price: $7.49
Our Price: $6.95
Sale Price: $4.25
You Save $3.24!

Your S'more 4-Pack, All-In-One Indoor S'more. 4-3.5oz, Individually
Wrapped

List Price: $14.25
Our Price: $11.95
Sale Price: $10.95
You Save $3.30!

Dave's Gourmet Spicy Twelve Pack Miniature Hot Sauce Collection

List Price: $23.95
Our Price: $21.95
Sale Price: $18.95
You Save $5.00!

Tony Tah's Chinese Chicken Salad Dressing & Marinade

List Price: $6.29
Our Price: $5.95
Sale Price: $4.25
You Save $2.04!

And many more items on sale! Plus every order gets a FREE hot sauce added and at $89 worth of qualifying merchandise we will pick up the cost to ship it to you by FedEx ground or home!

Wan Ja Shan Gourmet Dumpling Sauce

2008-11-22T17:06:00.001-08:00

The folks at Wan Ja Shan have been reading The Last Bite and were enjoying it so much they decided to send us a box of sauces that they make to test out on our review team.

Today we have reached into that box and pulled out their Dumpling Sauce, and what better way to use than on dumplings! I just happen to have some Chinese dumpling in the freezer waiting for just such an occasion.

Wan Ja Shan's natural brewing method captures the essence of ancient Oriental tradition using scientific, modern-day technology. After special heat-treating, crushing, mixing and culturing, their wheat and soybeans are combined in a salt water brine solution. Then they are stored in 25,000 gallon storage tanks for a six-month aging period before being pressed, pasteurized, tested, refined and bottled. Wan Ja Shan soy sauce is NATURALLY BREWED from the basic ingredients of soybean, wheat, salt and water. This wonderful soy sauce is the base for the dumpling sauce we are sampling today.

Wan Ja Shan recommendsto use this as a dipping sauce for dumplings and all dim-sum dishes to bring out that authentic Chinese taste. In addition, Wan Ja Shan Dumpling Sauce also serves as an all-purpose seasoning for marinating and stir-frying meats and vegetables.

The first thing that struck me was the wonderful rich aroma of this sauce, it immediately made me hungry as it wafted it's wonderfully tangy, toasty scent.

I always taste every sauce by itself before applying it to food. This allows me to taste the delicate nuances one might miss when paired with food. This dumpling sauce was actually quite complex and full of tasty layers of flavor.

The initial flavor is of the tangy vinegar and saltiness of the soy. It is then smoothed over by the toasty, nutty sesame oil. There is a slight sweetness and garlicky notes in the ever so light zestiness that finishes the flavor profile of this sauce. The brew of the soy comes through nicely but never overpowers the balance of this sauce.

We really enjoyed sampling the dumpling sauce from Wan Ja Shan. It definitely elevated our dumplings to a higher level.

Cibo; Italian For Mediocre and Expensive.

2008-11-22T11:51:00.000-08:00

It was seven PM on a Friday night and we were hungry. After making the drive through the ubiquitous no parking available district in Palo Alto we decided to head up to El Camino and find a nice place to enjoy dinner. We came across Cibo Restaurant and Bar. It was everything we were looking for, we thought, as we approached the parking spot in their own lot.

When you enter the lobby you see one of the three seating areas, this is where the confusion begins. The first seating area is mostly diner style booths, past that was room with tables that appeared to be closed and to the right; by the bar was the area which we were lead. This room had a little style with white table cloths and semi-dimmed lighting; so far so good.

Open menu, scratch head? It was really hard to tell what is going on here? The appetizer section had mix of Middle Eastern items and bar food. I felt like I needed to relax a minute from my day before wrapping my head around this menu so I turned to the wine list. Unfortunately the wine list lacked any creativity and read like the bottom shelf of the wine section at your local grocery store. By this time our server had been to the table twice and seemed as confused as we were.

We ordered the “Earth & Surf “, a calamari appetizer that turned out to be an over battered calamari with bell pepper and onion dish. I clearly remember reading the line “lightly battered”; it was served with a flavored mayo for dipping. The whole thing was served on some rough chopped romaine that quickly soaked up the grease from the dish and became dark, limp and un-appetizing.

Our entrees arrived in good time; however we quickly discovered that this was due to the lack of cooking time applied to the meals. I ordered the lamb chops and my dining companion ordered the prime Angus rib eye steak. We both ordered our meat prepared medium rare. While the steak was close to medium rare; cooked mostly on one side and seared on the other, the lamb chops were a wobbly bloody mess and had to be returned. We decided to share the steak while the lamb was being redone.

This $32.95 Angus Prime Rib Eye was disappointing to say the least. I have had better steaks at Sizzler. If that steak was actually prime Angus beef I’m a monkey’s uncle. It was tough as leather and had no flavor, there was no marbling and it lacked any recognizable characteristics of a rib eye cut. The rest of the food on the plate was the quality I would expect get at my local family eatery.

The lamb was back and this time it was prepare medium rare. I found the meat to be tasty and the gravy like sauce had a nice red wine flavor that paired well with the rosemary marinade of the lamb. The potatoes were sticky and overworked and my veggies seemed to be the original ones from my returned plate that have been re-sautéed and somewhat scorched, it was all under seasoned and bland.

When the waiter had returned with the lamb we inquired as to a verification of the cut of steak, admittedly he was unsure and charged us for the less expensive NY cut. Either way I would not expect that you are getting any prime Angus beef at Cibo.
We skipped coffee and dessert and hastened our departure as we had truly had enough of this painfully mediocre eatery.

3398 El Camino Real
Palo Alto, CA 94306
(650) 494-2426
Get directions

Europe Embraces Deviant Fruits and Veg.

2008-11-13T09:54:00.000-08:00

BRUSSELS (AFP) — EU nations on Wednesday gave the green light Monday for bent cucumbers and other 'wonky' fruit and vegetables to be sold in supermarkets and elsewhere, as part of a drive to cut red tape.

"This is a happy day indeed for the curvy cucumber and the knobbly carrot, and other amusingly shaped fruits and vegetables," said European Commission spokesman Michael Mann.

"Rules governing the size and shape of fruit and vegetables will be consigned to history", the commission said in a statement.

In all, marketing standards for 26 fruits and vegetables are being scrapped, paving the way for the return to shopping trolleys of forked carrots, onions that are less than two thirds covered with skin and the bent cucumbers among other deviant vegetables.

The rules had been derided as "bonkers" by the likes of major British supermarket chain Sainsbury's, while major agricultural nations such as France have argued that scrapping the restrictions will lead to a fall in prices and thereby hit farmers.

"This marks a new dawn for the curvy cucumber and the knobbly carrot," said EU Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel.

Recipe: Monica's Cuban Sandwich Wrap

2008-11-05T09:02:00.000-08:00

The Cuban sandwich is a wonderful combination of flavors and textures. For this version we use a commercially available bread wrap. The pork filling is slow roasted and by using a Crockpot, a perfect result it easily achieved. Pork recipe follows below.

Ingredients:
1 FlatOut bread wrap
2 pcs Ham, thick sliced
8oz. Pork, shredded (slow roasted)
2 pcs Cheese, Colby Jack sliced
1 lg. Dill Pickle, Sliced
1 tablespoon Roasted Garlic & Red Chile Mustard
1 teaspoon Mayonaise
1 teaspoon butter, softened

Directions:
Butter one side of FlatOut bread wrap. Place butter side down in a skillet or grille pan. Place the cheese on one half of the bread wrap. While the cheese is beginning to melt sear the ham slices in the pan and place on top of the melting cheese. Spread spicy mustard on the ham and spread out 6 to 8 ounces of roasted pork over the mustard. Sliced dill pickles go on top of the roasted pork. Spread the mayo on the opposite half of the bread wrap and fold over. Transfer to a cutting board and slice the sandwich in half.

Serve with some tortilla chips, black bean dip, and plenty of hot sauce.

FOR SLOW ROASTED PORK

3 Onions
1 Pork shoulder
Hawaiian red salt
Fresh cracked black pepper

Peel and half three onions. Place onions cut side down in Crockpot. Clean and pat dry pork shoulder. Season liberally with Hawaiian red salt and fresh cracked pepper. Place seasoned pork shoulder on onion halves. Cover with lid and set to cook for 12 hours on high. DO NOT add any liquid. This should be a slow cooker that reaches a max temp of about 275 degrees. For the last three hours prop the lid up so that the accumulated liquid can reduce. You should be left with very little liquid at end of cooking.

The pork should be fork tender and the onions should be dark brown and completely caramelized. Using two large forks shred up the pork and onion together making sure they are well mixed.

Besides the Cuban sandwich, this pulled pork can be used as an ingredient in many dishes. The very simplistic seasoning allows it to take on the flavors of any dish without adding an uncharacteristic element. It works well in tacos, carnitas, BBQ pork sandwiches, and more!

Review: Dragon’s Breath, MOJO Citrus Juice Hot Sauce

2008-11-03T20:01:00.000-08:00

It’s been a while since I have conducted a product review and looking at my shelf of awaiting items I figured tonight was as good a night as any to get one more done.

Initial Impression: This looks like your typical hot sauce, and while I can’t say that any one thing jumps out at me and says “I’m special, eat me”, there is also nothing fundamentally wrong with the first glance of this hot sauce.

Ingredients: Habanero, Serrano and Red Peppers, Carrots, Onions, Garlic, Citrus Juice, Spices, and Salt. This ingredient list checks out A-OK with me. All natural, no preservatives, and peppers are the first ingredient in this list, what more could you want?

Appearance: A nice looking, reddish sauce with bits of black pepper and chili pepper skin. MOJO Hot Sauce has a thick appearance that coats the inside of the bottle so I was a little surprised to see that under the cap is one of those little plastic orifice restrictors. Getting this nice thick sauce out of the bottle was a pain with the plastic doohickey in place. Pull it off and throw it out.

Aroma: Ohh yeah. This is a really great smelling sauce. When I first uncap the bottle and take a healthy snort I get the aroma of toasted cumin and chili powder. The next to hit your nose is garlic and some smoky elements. It makes my mouth water.

Taste: The very first flavor to hit me is a citrus tang. I initially thought vinegar, but there is none in the ingredient list. Further tasting leads me to think lime juice. The sudden heat of the Habanero and Serrano chilies come next. The heat is short lived and does not ever actually get to a nice searing hot level. This is a medium heat at best, but this is a nice heat level for this sauce and it feels well balanced.

The Food Test: This sauce paired perfectly with tonight’s meal! Since the label says it works well with Caribbean dishes I figured the Cuban Sandwich Wraps we made would be a match made in heaven. All I can say is YES; the sauce IS a perfect match! The richness of the pork is cut by the acidity of the citrus juice in the sauce and the flavor of the spices elevates this sandwich. The MOJO Sauce could use a bit more heat as a good amount of it is lost to the food. I used a quarter of the bottle on my sandwich.

Conclusion: Thick and tangy this hot sauce is a pleasure to eat. It doesn’t have a pile of heat but it’s enough for a regular dose of flavor so you can splash it on liberally without hurting yourself. I think I’ll bring this sauce to our local Cuban restaurant to test drive it some more.

Packaging 7/10 – Typical Hot Sauce
Aroma 9/10 – Fragrant and Enticing
Appearance 9/10 – Thick with Bits
Taste 9/10 – Tangy, Complex & Spicy
Heat 6/10 –Medium, Short Lived

Overall 8/10

Serbian Chef is Nuts for Balls!

2008-11-01T11:49:00.000-07:00

With the credit crunch kicking in, shoppers will be relieved to hear a cost-effective alternative to steak is now available for creating classic meat dishes.

The Testicle Cookbook: Cooking With Balls has been hailed as the world's first testicle recipe collection and includes testicle pizza, battered testicles and barbecued testicles with giblets.

And if counting the pennies isn't enough of a reason to indulge in the delicacy, testicles are also renowned for their libido-boosting properties.

Rich in testosterone, they are believed to be a powerful aphrodisiac in countries such as Serbia and China.

The e-book, available for download from the Internet, comes with handy video guides showing the author, Ljubomir Erovic, peeling the skin off testicles and slicing them up into bite-size chunks.

Several different animals, including stallions, ostriches, bulls, pigs and turkeys, get the Erovic treatment.

Sunday Night Dinner: Chicken and Dumplings

2008-10-26T18:36:00.000-07:00

Now that the winter months are here the nights get quite chilly and the evening meal plan turns to the steamy hot comfort foods that warm your cockles. Chicken and dumpling is just such a meal. Hot steamy chicken soup; loaded with aromatic vegetables, chicken, and tender, fluffy drop dumplings.

The Last Bite Network member, Monilicious provided us with her recipe for this hearty winter fare.

Ingredients
Soup:
*chicken broth
(I made a rich chicken stock from scratch. To save time you can use your favorite chicken broth).
*2 ribs celery, chopped
*1 large onion, chopped
*2 large carrots, chopped
*1 chicken breast
* salt & pepper to taste
*1 teaspoon olive oil

Dumplings:
* 1 cup flour, sifted
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 tablespoon butter
* 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
* 1/4 cup milk

Directions

Cook chicken breast in broth at a slow simmer until done. Remove chicken breast from pot; set aside. When cool enough to handle, remove skin from breast, then remove meat from bones and shred into bite-size pieces; discard skin and bones. Strain broth into a large bowl and discard any remaining chicken pieces and bones.

Sauté chopped vegetables in olive oil until they begin to sweat. Return strained broth to pot. Continue to cook vegetables until tender. Return cooked chicken to pot and continue to simmer.

Combine all dry dumpling ingredients in a bowl. Cut in butter. Add chopped parsley. Mix in milk and egg with a fork; mixture should be moist and fluffy. Do not over mix. Drop into simmering soup by forkful.

These Are Not Your Mother's Cupcakes!

2008-10-26T00:11:00.000-07:00

Remember the days when you were a kid; you get home from school and find the whole house filled with the intoxicating perfume of fresh baked goodies. Cupcakes to be more specific!

In the early 19th century, before muffin tins were widely available, the cakes were often baked in individual pottery cups, ramekins, or molds and took their name from the cups they were baked in.

Clearly the cupcakes of today have evolved into a gourmet version of your childhood favorite. It makes sense that America would be enamored with these tiny little cakes; they’re part tasty little oven baked treat and part heartwarming childhood memory.

Our curiosity got the best of us and we decided to test out the two more well known cupcake boutiques in the area; Sprinkles Cupcakes and Kara’s Cupcakes. The Sprinkles Cupcakes we visited is located at the Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto, California. Kara’s Cupcakes was only a short drive away, also in Palo Alto, at the Town and Country Plaza.

We purchased several cupcakes at each location, however in order to keep this review balanced, we will focus only on the flavor we found to be our favorite at each location.

At Sprinkles we sampled the Dark Chocolate, Red Velvet, Orange, and Chocolate Marshmallow. Our selection from Kara’s comprised of Chocolate Velvet, Kara’s Karrot, Banana Caramel, and Chocolate Caramel Fleur de Sel. This was a very close contest for best from each location, and while choosing was incredibly difficult my unwavering bias for chocolate will almost always prevail.

The Sprinkles Cupcakes favorite was their Chocolate Marshmallow cupcake, described by Sprinkles as; Belgian dark chocolate cake and marshmallow cream filling with bittersweet chocolate ganache. This is an impressive looking cupcake with a shiny dark chocolate ganache topping and marked with an uber modern candy dot. Beneath the rich, bittersweet chocolate ganache is a fluffy, sweet, marshmallow filling; surrounded by moist dark chocolate cake. Cutting into this cupcake releases a mouthwatering brownie like aroma. The bittersweet flavor of the ganache and cake is nicely balanced by the sweetness of the fluffy white filling. While Sprinkles call this a marshmallow filling, to me it was more reminiscent of the creamy white center of a Hostess Ding Dong. The dot that marks the top makes for a stunning presentation but detracts from the eating experience as it is very crunchy and has no flavor element to contribute. Overall a satisfying cupcake, however, I felt there was an absence of complexity in the flavor profile.

Our favorite from Kara’s Cupcakes was their Chocolate Caramel Fleur de Sel. Kara’s description is a chocolate cupcake with caramel filling, ganache frosting and fleur de sel. Visually, this is a spectacular cupcake. The contrasts of the elements combine to make a particularly intriguing statement. Dark chocolate cake is topped with a large rosette of creamy dark chocolate ganache frosting. From beneath the frosting oozes the rich buttery caramel filling. In the center of the ganache is a sprinkling of Fleur de Sel; delicate crystals of French sea salt. As it turns out this cupcake tastes as spectacular as it looks. The cake, the foundation of this delight is moist, soft, and complex. Flavors of bittersweet dark cocoa and vanilla are prominent while the caramel filling’s sweetness plays off the sharper tones. The ganache is super creamy, almost buttery, and not to sweet. There is an espresso note in the frosting and when the fleur de sel hits your tongue it brings out the toasty, nutty, flavors in the caramel filling.

Overall, the consensus was that while both of these cupcake boutiques had superb examples of excellence in their craft, the Kara’s Cupcake product was the favorable of the two. Sprinkles has a more contemporary look that makes you feel that this is something new and exciting, while Kara’s has a more traditional appeal. When you get down to tasting we felt that Kara’s Cupcakes excels in the areas of flavor, moist cake, frosting mouth feel, and design.

No matter which cupcake bakery you find yourself in, we’re sure you will agree that a freshly baked cupcake will always put a smile on your face and bring back some childhood memories.

The Foodbuzz 24: 24 Meals, 24 Hours, 24 Blogs

2008-10-22T14:01:00.000-07:00

Launch Of A Gourmet Food Social Network

2008-10-21T09:43:00.000-07:00

A social network for foodies? That’s what “The Last Bite Gourmet Food Network” is all about; people with a similar interests getting together on line to discuss issues, share recipes or techniques, or just read articles related to a subject that they are all passionate about.

While the giants like Facebook and Myspace dominate the social networking world Innuendo Enterprises LLC has created The Last Bite to offer a place where foodies can avoid the distraction of being “poked” or having 1500 friend requests to deny. We don’t have a Mafia or Texas Hold’em, and so far there is only one profile image of a scantily dressed person and he seems to be connected to a gas grill.

With no aspirations to become a social networking giant we will continue to develop and enhance The Last Bite to suit the need of our community. There is currently a forum where members can join in on an active discussion or start one of their own. There is a photo slideshow section where members can upload relevant images of interest; restaurants, products, or FoodPorn. The Blog sections of the site are currently being fed by three blogs; the original Last Bite Blog, The Smoky Chipotle with its 100% chipotle content, and The LABIT Report with its restaurant review and ratings data. Events pertaining to gourmet food are listed in the Events segment of the site, and there is a Chat area for real time live discussion and general interaction.

Each member of The Last Bite is allocated a member page that can be modified and personalized with their own blogs, photos, discussions, comments and even areas to promote their own sites, webstores, add widgets and links, RSS feeds, or anything relevant to the community.

This online foodie community is in its infancy and there are many future plans for expansion and enhancement as the needs arise.

Check out the buzz at The Last Bite Gourmet Food Network at www.thelastbite.ning.com

Sunday Night Dinner: Braciole

2008-10-18T18:47:00.000-07:00

Every Sunday night we try to make a special dinner and spend the last quiet time of the week together as a family, enjoying good food and good company.

Last weeks recipe for Braciole comes from FoodTV's Alton Brown. It was great as written but feel free to put your own spin on things and let us know how it came out!

Ingredients

* 3 cups tomato sauce
* 1 1/4 cups flavored croutons
* 1/3 cup grated Parmesan
* 2 eggs
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
* 1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
* 1 teaspoon finely chopped thyme
* 1 clove garlic
* 1 pound flank steak, pounded to 1/4-inch thick
* Olive oil, for brushing
* Salt and pepper
* Vegetable oil, for searing

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the tomato sauce in a 9 by 13-inch baking dish and place in the oven to heat.

In a the bowl of a food processor mix the croutons, cheese, eggs, herbs and garlic until it forms a paste.

Brush the pounded flank steak with the olive oil and season generously with the salt and pepper. Spread the filling evenly over the meat. Roll tightly and tie with butcher's twine.

In a large saute pan heat 1 to 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and sear all sides of the rolled meat. Remove from the pan.

Add to the hot tomato sauce, cover with a tin foil tent so that the foil is not touching the meat. Braise for 35 minutes or, up to 3 hours.

S'mores; Not Just For Camping Anymore!

2008-10-16T00:17:00.000-07:00

My good friend and fellow chef Ken Alary of Russian River Fine Foods has really outdone himself this time. It’s not that this is a revelation of culinary ingenuity; rules were not rewritten, and the cooking world has not been turned upside-down. But you have to admit this is an awesome idea that no one, until now, has put together.

Everything awesome about the smore; or “s’more” is translated to this quick and simple, easy to use package called the "your s'more". No mess, no fuss and it is every bit as good as the original version.

What you get is a graham cracker crust, filled with a layer of semi-sweet chocolate, and topped with a generous dollop of creamy marshmallow. This is wrapped in a single serving cello pack and is ready to be ripped opened and popped into the oven or even toaster oven for about three minute. Every bite of this nostalgic treat reminds me of days spent camping with the family or at the fire pit in the backyard on a warm summer evening; the warm graham cracker, the molten semi-sweet chocolate, and the perfectly toasted, gooey marshmallow topping. Now you can enjoy this iconic treat anytime, rain or shine.

What you won’t get with this version is the black charred flaming ball of molten lava that falls off your stick into your lap as you try to blow it out. You might also miss the way the graham cracker breaks and the chocolate spurt out of the side and down the front of your shirt. I especially felt a void when I thought about the sticky globs of ant summoning goo that was left all over the table, yard, and grill, and how I won’t need to clean up that mess tonight!

Everyone loves s’mores, especially kids. This tasty treat definitely makes it to my highly recommended list. Try one for yourself; you’ll be hooked!