Thursday, December 27, 2012

THE MELT....OR SHOULD WE CALL IT THE SALT?

Created by a guy who made a lot of money with Flip Video, The Melt is supposed to be a new concept  in fast food, a quick healthy grilled cheese and soup in the amount of time it would take to order say McD's fast food. He created a machine that can cut the time it takes to make the sandwiches in half. Evidently he wants this idea to really take off and be like what Chipotle is for burritos. He has some big name backers and one way or another they will probably push their way to chain status whether you like it or not. The very first location opened around the corner from where I work.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

RED VELVET CHOCOLATE MILK, FUDGE ICED GINGERBREAD MEN AND FRUITCAKE...STORE BOUGHT HOLIDAY GOODNESS (AND GLUTTONY)

It's the holiday season and retailers everywhere are battling for peoples money left and right. And food vendors don't want to be left out in the cold either so they constantly strive to come up with holiday themed foods to entice people to plunk down their dough for their Christmas product. Some can be inspired while others just add green or red colors, which doesn't take much thought (I'm looking at you Oreo) or they add, ugh, peppermint to some chocolate and call it a day. Yuck. Again, see Oreo. And peppermint bark is its own special hell to me. Ghirardelli Chocolates is known for it and the SO loves it but me--ick. I have, however, succumbed to several other holiday food treats that fortunately for me only come out once a year, otherwise I would be as big as Santa from scarfing it down on a daily basis. Herewith, then, are a three of my favorites. First up is red velvet chocolate milk put out by Target.


Upon first hearing about this I was dubious to say the least, but after trying it, I was magically surprised. Yes the main ingredient is chocolate milk with a heavy dose of red food coloring but something about has that red velvet cake taste and it is literally like drinking cake batter. That's a good thing, like eating raw cookie dough, this stuff is delicioso! Now to get all Sandra Lee on you there are ways to make it even better. One is to add a shot of brandy to an 8 ounce glass, it's a great alternative to egg nog--and very smooth. Other options include warming it up or freezing it to serve like an ice cream. And if you want to go all out, take half a tub of whipped cream cheese and mix it with 1/4 cup of powder sugar and a pint of heavy whipping cream. Mix it till it's frosting like then you put a table spoon or dollop on top of either warm, frozen or cold and it will be like the cake plus the frosting in liquid form. If you have sweet tooth this will definitely satisfy it several times over. Next are fudge iced gingerbread men from Trader Joe's


These little cookies are like ginger crack--you just can't stop eating them--so I have found out to my waistlines despair. Yet we've gone through 4 boxes in the last 2 weeks. The cookies are crunchy on the outside and chewy inside with bits of candied ginger inside the cookie. They have a very strong ginger taste, one that borders ever so slightly on bitter but is pulled back by the fudge icing on the back. Together it makes these cookies a must have taste treat. If only the Trader Joe's were closer to my house I could get more, but then again maybe it's a good thing it's not. Finally I now take a stand for what I call--In Defense of Fruitcake.

Thursday, December 13, 2012

GITANE...DINING WORLDS AWAY..AND BEFORE THE FIRE

***Seems they decided to refresh this place and have totally revamped the menu to a more specific Mediterranean focus***

Located down in the Financial District on a little side street called Claude Lane sits Gitane. A stalwart of the San Francisco dining scene, it's been around awhile yet I've never quite made it down there.

Sunday, December 9, 2012

MARKET & RYE...BRUNCH OFF THE BEATEN PATH

I find myself on the 10 Townsend headed to the Portrero Hill neighborhood--just for something different. It's an area of town that probably bustles during the week but on weekends is relatively low key. So it is this particular Saturday when I walk by Market & Rye. This is one of two locations, the other being in West Portal, and in addition to catering seems the owner also used to do 3 Sum Eats food truck which is no longer and previously reviewed by me.

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

NEW TASTE MARKETPLACE..EAT LOCAL..SUPPORT A CAUSE

It's a rainy Saturday and what better way to spend part of the day than indoors at a holiday food market! One such recent event was the New Taste Marketplace at St Gregory's Episcopal Church in the Portrero Hill neighborhood of San Francisco.

Thursday, December 27, 2012

THE MELT....OR SHOULD WE CALL IT THE SALT?

Created by a guy who made a lot of money with Flip Video, The Melt is supposed to be a new concept  in fast food, a quick healthy grilled cheese and soup in the amount of time it would take to order say McD's fast food. He created a machine that can cut the time it takes to make the sandwiches in half. Evidently he wants this idea to really take off and be like what Chipotle is for burritos. He has some big name backers and one way or another they will probably push their way to chain status whether you like it or not. The very first location opened around the corner from where I work.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

RED VELVET CHOCOLATE MILK, FUDGE ICED GINGERBREAD MEN AND FRUITCAKE...STORE BOUGHT HOLIDAY GOODNESS (AND GLUTTONY)

It's the holiday season and retailers everywhere are battling for peoples money left and right. And food vendors don't want to be left out in the cold either so they constantly strive to come up with holiday themed foods to entice people to plunk down their dough for their Christmas product. Some can be inspired while others just add green or red colors, which doesn't take much thought (I'm looking at you Oreo) or they add, ugh, peppermint to some chocolate and call it a day. Yuck. Again, see Oreo. And peppermint bark is its own special hell to me. Ghirardelli Chocolates is known for it and the SO loves it but me--ick. I have, however, succumbed to several other holiday food treats that fortunately for me only come out once a year, otherwise I would be as big as Santa from scarfing it down on a daily basis. Herewith, then, are a three of my favorites. First up is red velvet chocolate milk put out by Target.


Upon first hearing about this I was dubious to say the least, but after trying it, I was magically surprised. Yes the main ingredient is chocolate milk with a heavy dose of red food coloring but something about has that red velvet cake taste and it is literally like drinking cake batter. That's a good thing, like eating raw cookie dough, this stuff is delicioso! Now to get all Sandra Lee on you there are ways to make it even better. One is to add a shot of brandy to an 8 ounce glass, it's a great alternative to egg nog--and very smooth. Other options include warming it up or freezing it to serve like an ice cream. And if you want to go all out, take half a tub of whipped cream cheese and mix it with 1/4 cup of powder sugar and a pint of heavy whipping cream. Mix it till it's frosting like then you put a table spoon or dollop on top of either warm, frozen or cold and it will be like the cake plus the frosting in liquid form. If you have sweet tooth this will definitely satisfy it several times over. Next are fudge iced gingerbread men from Trader Joe's


These little cookies are like ginger crack--you just can't stop eating them--so I have found out to my waistlines despair. Yet we've gone through 4 boxes in the last 2 weeks. The cookies are crunchy on the outside and chewy inside with bits of candied ginger inside the cookie. They have a very strong ginger taste, one that borders ever so slightly on bitter but is pulled back by the fudge icing on the back. Together it makes these cookies a must have taste treat. If only the Trader Joe's were closer to my house I could get more, but then again maybe it's a good thing it's not. Finally I now take a stand for what I call--In Defense of Fruitcake.

Thursday, December 13, 2012

GITANE...DINING WORLDS AWAY..AND BEFORE THE FIRE

***Seems they decided to refresh this place and have totally revamped the menu to a more specific Mediterranean focus***

Located down in the Financial District on a little side street called Claude Lane sits Gitane. A stalwart of the San Francisco dining scene, it's been around awhile yet I've never quite made it down there.

Sunday, December 9, 2012

MARKET & RYE...BRUNCH OFF THE BEATEN PATH

I find myself on the 10 Townsend headed to the Portrero Hill neighborhood--just for something different. It's an area of town that probably bustles during the week but on weekends is relatively low key. So it is this particular Saturday when I walk by Market & Rye. This is one of two locations, the other being in West Portal, and in addition to catering seems the owner also used to do 3 Sum Eats food truck which is no longer and previously reviewed by me.

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

NEW TASTE MARKETPLACE..EAT LOCAL..SUPPORT A CAUSE

It's a rainy Saturday and what better way to spend part of the day than indoors at a holiday food market! One such recent event was the New Taste Marketplace at St Gregory's Episcopal Church in the Portrero Hill neighborhood of San Francisco.