Saturday, October 30, 2010

London & Paris Trip

I'm back and have a lot to share! London & Paris are amazing!!

The first place we had breakfast was in Greenwich, UK called The Green Cafe


 It was a great little cafe with fresh foods and lovely desserts and english dishes. I got an english breakfast which included scrambled eggs, bacon (real bacon!...more like American ham), sauteed mushrooms, roasted tomatoe, and toast. All the veggies were so fresh! It was very delicious! My mom got the traditional English breakfast with beans and blood sausage as well. She enjoyed hers very much too.   I would definitely come back if and when I do come back.





 I spotted this little pub near Leicester Square called The Bear & Staff when we were looking for a place to eat, so we decided to try it out...and good thing we did!

We ate upstairs and it was exactly what I was imagining in my head of a pub I wanted to eat at! The view was beautiful...flowers and the city right in front of us. We had a pot of tea to go traditional. I had a grilled salmon on a bed of roasted root vegetables and it was very rustic and delicious. The toad in the holes that my two uk guests had were huge! They said they weren't very traditional...but were very good. It was basically a giant square of a yorkshire pudding filled with mashed potatoes, broccoli, sausage, and gravy.   Would love to come back here too!

Now for Paris....
This was a ham and four cheese quiche I had at at Le Mistral on our way to the Notre Dame. It was dreamy...a bit thick and rich, but soooo good!

Bakeries galore (seriously they are everywhere)......





Looks so yummy I know!

We did visit the oldest candy shop in Paris called A la mere de famille which was founded in 1761.
Really cool place to visit. I got a few candies, a marzipan cookie, and some white and dark chocolate bars...I think that was the best chocolate i have ever had! We went to the one on rue du Faubourg Montmartre which is a little bit bigger than the one on Rue Cler (pictured below).

Rue Cler is the most famous market street in Paris...and for good reason! I was like a kid in a candy shop! Fish markets, meat and cheese markets, fruit and vegetables, bakeries, etc. It was incredible!


The 2 photos right above are taken at boulangerie patisserie. There was a long line, but it went fast. Oh lord everything looked so good, I wanted to get it all! We got some fruit and custard tarts and almond and chocolate merengue cookies. Oh were they tasty!

LA DUREE
Patisserie on Champs Elysees

Known as the best macaron shop in the world as well as some of the most luxurious cakes.  It also has a beautiful tearoom. Established in 1862.  I had to try these macarons!! They are a bit pricey, but to me they were worth it. 8 euros for 2 large macarons. I got the framboise with raspberry jam inside, and salted caramel with rich caramel inside. They were the best macarons I have had ever! They almost leave you speechless. The shop was beautiful inside and out!

They wouldn't let me take photos when I got inside, but I snuck a few...shhh!



That's not everything...but that would take forever! My trip was a foodies' dream for sure. It was a dream come true for me I must say!

Thursday, September 30, 2010

London & Paris await!

I finally get the chance to go to London & Paris here shortly and I am soooo excited I can barely contain myself! Just to see the streetside cafes and food markets will be amazing. I have been mapping out places I want to visit in both places, like La Duree in Paris for their macaroons (pictured).
Honestly, I am just going to wing it and see what happens, but I will be posting what I find when I get back. If you have any suggestions on places to eat or go in London or Paris please share!

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Dutch Pancake



This is truly so easy to make, and has a big wow factor to it as well! I did not come up with this recipe, but I just wanted to show it to you to inspire you to make it too. A dutch pancake is like a thick crepe. It turns out best in a cast iron skillet (dutch oven).  Heres how you make it: (BTW: Makes 2-4 servings)
  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and put an iron skillet in the oven
  • In a medium bowl beat 3 eggs until they are frothy
  • Fold in 1/2 cup milk, 1/8 tsp vanilla, 1/8 tsp cinnamon, a pinch of salt, and 1/2 cup flour (sifted)
  • Mix until smooth (will be thin, but it will puff up in the oven like you wouldn't believe!) . Put 7tsp of butter into the pan and coat it
  • Pour the batter into the Pan and and bake for 20-25 minutes
  • Once out of the oven it will slowly deflate so eat it right away
  • You can add powdered sugar, blueberries, strawberries, cinnamon, or I even like to sprinkle a little bit of turbinado sugar on top!
It is so goooooood! I made this for breakfast, but you could also make it dessert.

The Gristmill in Gruene, TX



This is one of those gems that you will never forget! I have been going there since I was little and it surprises me every time I go back. Tucked away in the town of Gruene, TX in between Austin and San Antonio on I-35, the Gristmill sits above and overlooks the Guadalupe River. The atmosphere alone is amazing and relaxing in a casual kind of way. Go in the daytime to eat by the river and go at night to see the live music. The food is great to match the atmosphere! Homecooking with a twist is what I would have to call the menu. I always remember getting the Chicken Fried Chicken when I was younger, and it is yummy! The burgers are great...and big too! Last time I tried the Ribs and they were so amazingly tender and juicy and flavorful! That is one of my favorites now. They make homemade salad dressings that taste fresh. I think everything is good! The strawberry shortcake and the cheesecake with fresh strawberries are addictive! If you haven't been here before, it is definitely a place to visit and if you have been here then you know what I'm talking about : ) By the way...the whole town of Gruene is historic and interesting and lovely.

Saturday, August 28, 2010

LOVE SHACK





We tried the Love Shack right in the heart of Fort Worth, TX  near the Stockyards (owned by awesome chef Tim Love) after driving by it on a trip to Fort Worth and we Loved it! We loved how open and relaxed it was... it even has live music! Well, Love Shack has some of the best gourmet burgers! We tried the Amore Caliente which has poblano chile, guacamole and pepper jack cheese on top. It had nice heat and great flavor! We also tried the Dirty Love Burger which was a bacon cheeseburger with Love sauce of course and surprise...a quail egg! It was sinfully tasty! The homemade fries are to die for!  You have to check this one out if you live close or are visiting! Very reasonably priced too. The atmosphere reminded me of the Gristmill in Greune, TX (which I will get to shortly btw).

About the Blog

Hello! I love love love to cook and find new and fun places to eat everywhere I go!
So from now on I will share my eats with you!