Food Favorite

I love fresh herbs; they add life and vitality to even the simplest of dishes. Though very convenient, I've come to the conclusion that most dried herbs just aren't worth the bother. I can't remember the last dish with dried herbs that really impressed me. Recently I heard the tip...

The only thing better than leftover Chinese food for breakfast are the memories of Chinese food from R&G Lounge the night before. Visions of divine crab, tender and crispy Peking duck, salt and pepper shrimp, delicate pea sprouts, sweet and savory char siu pork and so much more...

When it comes to food, I don't believe in secrets. Secret restaurants, secret menu items, or secret recipes are all bad ideas. Food should be enjoyed and keeping it secret just gets in the way of that. I used to work with a Southern gal who told me her aunt made the best biscuits...

Just a week ago I visited historic Sherrill's Inn in Hickory Nut Gap just South of Asheville, North Carolina. Set against a backdrop of rolling hills and manicured gardens I enjoyed a leisurely cooking demonstation that utilized produce and meat from farms less than a mile away....

Culinate is a terrific new food site. It's about food but also about where food comes from and the decisions we make about what to buy and what to eat. It manages to be credible but never preachy. Articles and reviews are often thought-provoking and their profiles tend to go beyond...

Did you know I'm a Glam girl? Ok, not really, but I did get to post a guest spot over at the Glam web site courtesy of Lifestyle Editor and Last Minute Party Girl author and contributor to magazines like Food & Wine, Bon Appetit and InStyle, Erika Lenkert. Since I am almost always...

I was going to just relax and stay in this weekend, but a sneak preview of Ratatouille lured me out of my lair. Set in Paris, it's the story of a talented rat with great ambitions. Because he appreciates fine food, he wants to leave the nest and become a chef. Remy the rat is guided...

Have you been to the StarChefs web site lately? If not, you might want to take a look. It's a site devoted to culinary professionals, but there is a lot the non-professional can learn from lurking too. In addition to recipes from restaurant chefs, there are some interesting articles....

Finding great restaurants on short notice is always a challenge. Before I came to Asheville, North Carolina, I read as many restaurant reviews as I could. When I got here, I asked folks where they like to eat and several places were mentioned time and again. My goal was to get a...

#flickr_badge_source_txt {padding:0; font: 11px Arial, Helvetica, Sans serif; color:#666666;}#flickr_badge_icon {display:block !important; margin:0 !important; border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0) !important;}#flickr_icon_td {padding:0 5px 0 0 !important;}.flickr_badge_image {text-align:center !important;}.flickr_badge_image img {border: 1px solid black...

A few years back my mom told me I would love Asheville, North Carolina. So when the kindly folks in Asheville invited food bloggers to town, I cleared my schedule and got on a plane. Driving in from the airport the sight of lush green slopes and a rushing river lulled me into relaxation....

No one likes airplane food. The best solution is clearly to bring your own eats. So what snacks do you bring on the plane? That's the question that was posed by Epicurious editor/blogger Tanya Steel a few weeks back, prior to her travels. Suggestions were made for granola, chili...

Once upon a time a guy wanted to propose to his gal. He decided a romantic trip to San Francisco would be just the ticket. He talked to the folks at the front desk of the hip Hotel Triton and they mentioned that he might want to consider checking out the new "Sweet Suite" designed...

Just a quick note to say the monthly email newsletter went out today. If you didn't get it, feel free to sign up for it and I'll send you a copy. It is a double opt-in system, so after you sign up you'll be asked to confirm your subscription. In other words, if you don't confirm,...

The brouhaha over the remarks by Carlo Petrini about the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market lead me to post something that unfortunately lead to some bad feelings and misunderstandings. So I thought I'd take this opportunity to clarify my own positions, once and for all. Slow FoodIt's a...

Just a few weeks ago I ate dinner at Poleng Lounge. It's in an unlikely location near the Panhandle in San Francisco and while part of the restaurant is a nightclub, the food is definitely not an afterthought. Forget about "fusion" chef Tim Luym seeks out unusual ingredients and uses traditional techniques in an effort to stay true to the cultures...

This Saturday June 2nd Cheese Plus is having an anniversay event. Stop by between 3 and 7 pm and taste local goodies I love like CMB Sweets jam, McQuade's Chutney and Charles Chocolates. In fact, I will be the one sampling my friend Alison's fabulous chutney that I've been raving...