Recent Posts

Martinez: The Pre-Martini

June 26, 2014July 19, 2016 Gin, Martini, Sweet Vermouth

Classic cocktails are all the rage and for good reason. The balance and deliciousness of a well made cocktail is akin to a perfect salad, each ingredient playing a key part while contributing to the whole. What is difficult for cocktail enthusiasts like me, is figuring out the traditional recipe... Read More

Restaurants Tampa

Edison: food+drink lab

June 25, 2014July 19, 2016

Tampa is just two hours from Orlando, and while I have to go occasionally for work, like the beach, visiting Tampa for fun has been on my to-do list for quite a while. When I finally got time and made plans to visit, it was really a pilgrimage to Bern's... Read More

✷ Recipe Snacks Testing

Refrigerator Pickles

June 24, 2014September 1, 2016 pickles, snacks, vegetables, vinegar

Who doesn't love a good pickle? Crunchy, fresh and tangy, the bright acidity wakes up anything you serve it with. I haven't met a pickle I didn't enjoy, from little cornichons to sweet bread and butter, but my hands-down favorite is a crunchy, dilly, sour pickle. I was originally feeding... Read More

Restaurants Tampa

Bern’s Steak House

June 24, 2014July 19, 2016

I don't remember how I first heard about Bern's Steakhouse. What I do remember, quite distinctly, is my disbelief when I found out that the largest wine cellar in North America (and I believe the 2nd largest in the world) resided in Tampa, FL. As a wine lover, I knew... Read More

France Gamay Tasting Wine

2010 Chateau Thivin Cote de Brouilly

June 24, 2014September 9, 2016

Beaujolais. I've written of my love of Beaujolais before, but now we're getting to the heart of the matter. Beaujolais is a wine region in France, considered part of the Burgundy region though Gamay is the primary red grape used for winemaking (vs. Pinot Noir for the rest of the... Read More

Orlando Restaurants

The Ravenous Pig

June 23, 2014July 19, 2016

I know I've said this before, but the Ravenous Pig is hands-down my favorite restaurant here in the Orlando area. Candied bacon tops an Old Fashioned Orlando has the sad reputation of being a culinary wasteland. The prevalence of chain restaurants, theme parks and tourist attractions hasn't helped, but its... Read More

Recipe Side Dishes Snacks

Lumpia – Filipino Spring Rolls

June 22, 2014September 1, 2016 Asian, egg rolls, sides, spring rolls

Eat in any Filipino's home, and there are a handful of dishes certain to be on the table. Pancit, fried rice, and chicken adobo are among the staples, but right alongside them is always lumpia. Lumpia comes in may shapes and sizes, from super long and skinny to thick... Read More

NYC Restaurants

Torrisi Italian Specialties

June 22, 2014July 19, 2016

I had been hearing whispers about Torrisi Italian Specialties since it opened in the end of 2009. By the time they started their tasting menu in 2010, it had officially piqued my interest. By December of 2013, I knew I had to eat there. So I booked my reservation and... Read More

✷ Recipe Sweets Treats

Homemade Oreos

June 21, 2014September 1, 2016 baking, chocolate, cookies, sweets

As a kid, I loved oreo cookies. Okay, fine, I'll admit it, I still love oreos. So when I first saw TKOs (Thomas Keller Oreos) at Bouchon Bakery, I was hooked. I had to make them at home. The best part about home cooking and baking is the freedom you have to... Read More

✷ Orlando Restaurants

Kabooki Sushi

June 21, 2014July 19, 2016 sushi

On the corner E. Colonial Dr. and Maguire Ave, across from the Fashion Square Mall, sits a tiny gem of a restaurant in an unassuming cluster of businesses not big enough to be considered a "strip mall." Kabooki Sushi is small, just a handful of tables as well as seats... Read More