Vosges Haut Chocolat

It's sultry, savory, sexy and sublime. The smell is exotic and erotic and when I taste it, I quiver. It feels so orgasmic and makes my heart race. I want it daily. If only I were describing sex, but I'm actually referring to the other kind of sex-- eating chocolate!

The first time I had a Vosges Haut Chocolat bar was when I was in Chicago. Mark and I stayed at the Peninsula Hotel in downtown Chicago and there was a Vosges boutique either in the hotel or nearby. I don't remember-sorry! What intrigued me about their chocolates was the exotic and unusual flavors used in their candy dishes: sweet Indian curry, guajillo and pasilla chilies, Madagascar vanilla bean, hibiscus, blood orange, bacon and even champagne. I immediately fell in love with the color of their packaging; a very deep purple and almost lavender color, which I think is their signature color. The store itself is very clean and classy and their online website is pretty too.

I recall picking up a few bars: Naga Bar, Amalfi Bar and Blood Orange Caramel Bar. All three were super delicious. The Naga Bar has the Indian Curry with coconut that really taste like you are eating curry flavored chocolate. Now I imagine this might be a bit too exotic for some of you chocolate lovers, especially if you like yours plain, but it is definitely exceptional and worth trying. The Amalfi Bar is a white chocolate bar with lemon zest and pink peppercorns--talk about exotic! The lemon zest balances the sweetness of the white chocolate and the peppercorns definitely bring an unusual blend to the mix. It's like, wow! The Blood Orange Caramel Bar is also striking. Heck, come to think of it, I think they are all pretty striking and interesting, but the blood orange bar has a complex mix of carmel, blood orange puree, hibiscus flowers (who knew you could eat this) and Campari. All I have to say is try it with an open mind.

The second time I had Vosges was in Las Vegas. I was so excited that we randomly came across a boutique while walking on the Strip. Of course we entered and purchased some bars and the sales person was even nice enough to enclose a few ice packs so the bars wouldn't melt on the way back to the hotel because it was so hot outside. We tried a few different ones this time, but for the life of me, I can't remember which ones. Sorry!

Earlier this year, Mark returned home from a Chicago trip and guess what? He brought back more Vosges, and this time, different chocolates. I was so thrilled and excited to try new candy dishes. He picked up a box of 16 exotic milk chocolate truffles, clementine ginger toffee and chocolate caramel bon bons. I went through the toffee and bon bons quickly. I ate them both within a few days. The bon bons were tasty with burnt sugar carmel, dark chocolate and fleur de sel sea salt sprinkles. There's something about sea salt and caramel that works so well. The toffee definitely stood out. I love ginger, but I never imagined it in chocolate. I've had hard ginger candy the kind you often find in Chinese super markets and I've had soft ginger chews made by Chimes, so eating it in buttery toffee fortified with rooibos tea and lime is magnificent. Why have normal toffee when you can have clementine ginger toffee?

Just like the lavender candy I got from Turkey, I waited a few months to dig into the 16-piece milk chocolate truffle box. It sat in the fridge, but every time I opened it, it begged for me to just open it and eat it. This past week we finally did and oh boy, again, why did I wait so long? I recognize some of the names of the truffles, which are similar to the candy bars, so it's like eating a small truffle version of it. However, many of the other names are really fun and spunky like "funk and disco", "wink of the rabbit", "gospel" and "soul and motown". There is a booklet in the box that describes the inspiration behind the names and its ingredients, which I think is helpful. I'm not going into detail about each one and how it tastes because I want you to have that pleasure. I suggest clearing your palette after each truffle instead of popping them in your mouth one-by-one because you can miss the interesting ingredients in every single one so take your time eating them and savor each bite. Enjoy!

Vosges Haut Chocolat: Website

The Meatball Shop & 44 & X

Double menu day! Thanks in part to a guest in town and I love when that happens.

I've been wanting to check out The Meatball Shop for quite some time. I walk past it on my way to swimming and the name alone sounds like they would be meatball connoisseurs, right?

I came here during a late lunch on Thursday with Todd, our guest from LA, and it was fairly quiet since it was post-lunch and pre-dinner. It was empty so we were told to sit anywhere. We sat near the entrance at a 2-person table with only one other 2-person table next to us, which was empty the whole time-thank God! The menus were already laid out on all the tables throughout the restaurant so I already saw an opportunity. I'm sure you already know where this is going.

This is the first restaurant I have been to where you write down your order. It's pretty neat, fun and clever, I suppose, because you can't blame the restaurant for getting your order wrong since you hand picked it. Another thing that I observed is the restaurant staff doesn't do much work except to take the menus from you, input your order into the computer and asks how you are doing from time-to-time. How simple is that? So you think.

I ordered a few meatball sliders (pork, chicken and classic) and seasoned green beans to start. I love root beer, so I ordered one, but it never came. Booooo! She even charged us, but quickly took it off the bill once I said something. After we finished our order, we were still super hungry, so we ordered another round of meatball sliders and included veggie meatballs. They were a bit dry, of course, but pretty decent with the sauce. I tried to mix and match the sliders with different sauces: pesto, tomato, and mushroom. I enjoyed pesto the most followed by mushroom then tomato. The meatballs themselves were seasoned well and juicy. The sliders were small, so if you are really hungry, I suggest ordering half a dozen. Would I come here again? Probably.

Since the staff member forgot my root beer, I figured I would get even by collecting the menu. What kind of logic is that, right? She didn't even bother to ask if I still wanted the root beer, which was bad because had I been the restaurant owner, I'd be pissed because my staff member lost me a couple dollars. I waited for an opportune time when all the staff were in the back of the restaurant and quickly grabbed the menus off the table next to us and slipped it in my bag. Oh yeah, I already knew prior to coming here that I was grabbing the menu. The spot where this restaurant is located has changed restaurants so much that eventually this place will be a goner too. This location is cursed!

FYI: The Meatball Shop has other locations.

The Meatball Shop: 200 9th Ave between 22 & 23 St.
Chelsea, NYC
Website

The Meatball Shop

Off to a Broadway show we go to see Old Jews Telling Jokes at The Westside Theater on 43rd St. It was pretty funny. Without giving too much away, the show basically takes you through the life stage of a Jewish person. I don't know how accurate it was, but the story was funny nonetheless.

Mark made dinner reservations at Buca di Beppo, a family style Italian restaurant that just opened up in the city. We have been to another Buca, in Los Angeles, so we were familiar with the food. However, after the show ended we cancelled the reservation because we didn't feel like walking too far so we went around the corner to 44 & X (ten).

Mark and I have been here before so we were familiar with this restaurant as well. The mac-n-cheese is to die for and one of the best in the city. It is up there on our top 3 places to go for the best mac-n-cheese. The other two places? Cafeteria and Beechers.

I ordered a drink that tasted like a minty mojito. It was called "The Mint-tilla". It had gin, cucumber and mint. All their specialty cocktails had Broadway show title themes like "Kinky Booze" (Kinky Boots) and Lil' Orphan Crannie (Lil' Orphan Annie).

We shared a few appetizers: beats and summer salad with watermelon. Remind me to never order beets again. I don't know what possessed me to order this. I don't eat it and have never liked it. Why I thought it would be fancy and different this time around? I have no idea, but it was gross. I literally had to run up to the bar next to us and grab a cocktail napkin to spit it out. The summer salad was delicious. Long pieces of watermelon on top of bright yellow and red tomatoes sprinkled with feta and seasoning made this summer salad refreshing and light.

For dinner, we did get the mac-n-cheese along with 3 fish dishes: tilapia, cod and salmon. All 3 fish dishes were excellent. I didn't want to go with another meat dish today, since we did have meat(balls) for lunch, so I went with fish.

Collecting the menu was fairly easy. Again, I brought my bag in anticipation of collecting the menu. As I stated in an earlier post, it's easier to collect a menu when there's 2+ people in the group because it's harder to keep track of all the menus given back to the server. My "shtick" is I simply remember my order and stash the menu in my bag. It also helped that we were sitting at the last table in a row near the wall and away from other tables. Oy vey!

44 & X: 622 10th Ave.

Hell's Kitchen, NYC

Website

44 & X

Shanghai Restaurant - Funny Chinese Food Menu

One of my readers, Todd L., sent me a link about a world traveler who blogs about his adventures of traveling all over the world, but in a recent blog post, it wasn't about unusual customs he'd observed or scenic landscapes he'd seen nor interesting places he'd visited, but the menu of a restaurant during a night out in Shanghai.

I've mentioned Engrish before in my Chelsea Cottage post. It's a slang term for the misuse of the English language usually in written translation by mostly Asian countries. It's hysterical! I'm not trying to be mean or insensitive, but  I just can't help laughing every time I see Engrish.

Here are a few pictures of the menu that the blog writer posted.

Coconut juice with string bean slob? Yes, I'll take 2, please. Hang law speculation crispy gizzard?

Yes, I want food that will allow me to keep the baby! Hot and sour potatoes wire? No thanks.

Totally hysterical, right? I was laughing so hard! Thank you, Todd L., for sending me this link. For the complete blog post and the pictures of the funny menu, click here: Shanghai Restaurant - Funny Chinese Food Menu.

A Brief History of the Children's Menu

I came across an online article about what children used to eat before the standard children's menu of today. Since I collect restaurant menus of all sorts, it only makes sense that I blog about children's menus and come to think of it, I don't think I own any. I will have to change that. I mean, why would I? I have no kids and I'm an adult.

Apparently, children's menues haven't changed much since Prohibition. Food back then for children were carefully planned for the menu with the child's health in mind and earlier pediatricians wrote articles for parents and cooks advising them of what a child should and shouldn't eat. For example, children should not be given fresh fruit because it can give them diarrhea (can be fatal with small kids) or eat meat because it contains parasites. However, as time moves forward and thanks to the advance of science, medicine and technology, children can eat just about anything and everything these days.

The article suggests that restaurants need not craft a special menu for children, but serve them the same exact foods for adults but in smaller portions. I'm not sure if I completely agree with this idea.

Here is a closer look a children's menu past and present day from Disney. Apart from the dietary restrictions disclaimer and higher prices, not much as changed. If I was a child, I'd say, "forget the PB&J momma and dadda, gimme some bwaised short bwibs with wasabi flabored mash potatoes and ruffel fries!"

Read the complete article here: A Brief History of the Children's Menu

Stew Leonard's

Oh-em-gee! Love this place. It's the Disneyland of supermarkets. If you've got kids, bring 'em. They'll love this place. From singing animatronics to petting zoos, Stew Leonard's really knows how to make your shopping experience entertaining for all, and I truly mean that. In addition, the produce and dairy are fresh and local, they have a humungous hot food buffet station and sushi bar and sampling stations like Costco has. They also have the best potato chips ever and if you spend over $100 you get free ice cream.

For a history of Stew Leonard's, click here: Stew Leonard's History. (Store sign photo and store photos below taken by S. Honigman).

We come here when we go to our Connecticut house. It's pretty much a routine stop for us. As I mentioned earlier, they have the best potato chips ever. What makes it so good? It's kettle style and baked fresh daily. It's crisp, not greasy and you can smell and taste the potatoes. There's not a whole lot of seasonings unless you get the flavored chips. Sometimes I get lucky and grab a bag with chips still wet, but not soggy wet, wet like it was just pulled out from the fryer and hasn't dried yet. Somehow it still maintains its crispiness. I can eat a whole bag in a matter of an hour. I usually try to save some and bring back home to NYC because our concierge, Lavada, loves them too. She gets so excited when she sees the white Stew Leonard's chip bag that she does her excited chip dance in her chair. Although, her favorite (and Mark's too) is the salt and vinegar flavor. Stew also makes sour cream and onion and BBQ, but regular flavor is the best.

Stew Leonard's fresh baked country hearth bread is really good bread. It reminds me of sourdough bread, but not quite. I love to toast and spread butter on it and have it any time of the day. I was able to find this cool video online about how Stew Leonard's makes this: country hearth bread

In the fall, I look forward to THE BEST pumpkin brownies ever! I swear, if I could eat this everyday, I would. Pumpkin brownie with cream cheese frosting sprinkled with pecans, what is not to love? I tried to make my own using a recipe I found online, but it doesn't compare. Thank God fall is next month.

Here is the one I made. It was pretty good and I ate it all in a few days. Can you believe it? I used this simple recipe from Cooks.com: pumpkin brownies

Who knew watermelon juice would go so well with pear vodka? Me! One of my favorite and signature drinks that I sort of stumbled upon and invented is pomegranate juice with pear vodka. Pomegranate juice can be strong, tart and sweet and mixing it with pear vodka offsets those flavors by making it less tart and more fragrant and floral. You can barely taste the alcohol. Anyway, Stew Leonard's is the only place I know of that makes watermelon juice. It's a tad sweet, but very tasty. I usually like to mix it with sparkling soda to give it some bubbles and to cut some of the sweetness.

You all know about the cronut craze in NYC, right? A Cronut is a hybrid doughnut and croissant, and is made fresh daily from pastry chef Dominique Ansel, who sells them at his bakery in Soho. People will stand in line for hours before the shop opens up at 8AM Mon-Sat and 9AM on Sun, and after all that waiting, you can only purchase 2 cronuts per person. However, you can order 6 cronuts 2 weeks in advance if you get on the "pre-order list", and even that's not that easy. You have to call on Mondays during certain times and keep calling until you get through. I'm not sure what's more annoying? Waiting in line for a few hours or having to press redial every second, but at least if you stand in a line early enough you have a better chance. I have yet to make it down there, but I will soon. Stew Leonard's has created their own version called "CRO-DOS". Since I haven't had the "real" cronuts yet, Stew's version will have to do. It's pretty good actually, but I'm definitely looking forward to the real cronut.

So if you find yourself near a Stew Leonard's you should def stop in and check it out and get all the products I mentioned above. There are 3 locations in Connecticut: Danbury, Norwalk, and Newington, and 1 in New York: Yonkers. We go to the one in Danbury.

White Cloud Tea

My order has arrived! Normally, I don't go out of my way to buy tea, but when Mark came home from his retreat at Mii amo Spa in Sedona, Arizona last year, he brought home this exotic tea called "White Cloud". I felt like I was floating on a white cloud after drinking it. Disappointed that I ran out so quickly, I went online to see if I could buy more and lo and behold Mii amo Spa sells it online. Thank God! This time I bought 2 small bottles to last me a while. For a 2oz. jar the cost is $23. I know- expensive right- but if you want the 8oz jar it's $92. It's worth it though. You'll be floating on a white cloud! Go here to start floating: Mii amo White Cloud Tea.

This white tea has hints of coconut and pineapple. It is very light and has very low caffeine. The taste is very subtle not strong and the smell is very sweet even though there is only a hint of sweetness in the taste. I like to drink it both hot and cold.

This card was enclosed in the package. I thought it was awesome and made me appreciate the product and the company even more. I believe more companies should enclose a handwritten thank you note from the President or a representative when you purchase their product. It's classy like that.

Anyone who knows me well knows that I drink tea everyday religiously. Aside from coffee in the morning and water throughout the day, I only drink hot or cold tea. I make cold tea year round from herbal teas, white teas, green teas to black teas and flavored teas. You'll find 3 pitchers in my fridge: 1 coffee and 2 different flavored teas. At the moment I have peppermint and passion (red tea). I've just started mixing different black teas with herbal teas because I have an abundance of black teas and since black teas tend to be higher in caffeine I mix it with herbal teas for additional flavor and to balance the caffeine.

My other favorite brand teas:

Lupicia: has a store in the Ala Moana Shopping Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. When I go back home to visit you bet your tight buns I stop by there. The store carries Hawaiian tea blends that they don't sell online. These blends are so unbelievably magnificent that it reminds me of home when I long to be there. For example, "Malama" blend has chocolate flavors with macadamia nuts and "Lanikai" blend has pineapple with coconut scents and sweet vanilla. I miss home already just writing about it. In addition, Lupicia carries interesting flavored teas such as grapefruit green, carmel and rum, peach melba and so much more. They also have a Christmas tea collection that is super fun with holiday names like "Joy" and "Noel". If you spend more than $30 you can sign up for their monthly newsletter and you receive a free sample every mailing.

Ten Ren: has several stores in Chinatown, NYC. Each individual tea is wrapped in a small package so you can put it on a co-workers desk as a surprise or food good health. They have a herbal blend called "Spirits Tea" that is minty and very soothing. They also have another blend called "Relaxing Tea" that is more fruity and floral. Try them both along with their Jasmine tea.

Mariage Frères: a gourmet tea company in France. I love that each individual tea comes in a sachet or at least the boxes that we have. We currently have a box of Eros, French Breakfast Tea, and Marco Polo all black teas, but honestly, I don't even know what's in them because everything is in French. All I know is it tastes gourmet and smells heavenly.

Roswell Teahouse: located in Roswell, Georgia, where Mark's parents live has excellent house blends. Allergy Relief has golden seal, elderberry, nettle leaf, ginger root, spearmint and rosehip. I feel like the mint overpowers the other ingredients, but after drinking a cup I definitely feel like my sinuses clear up. La Vie en Rose is a favorite of mine. It is a blend of jasmine tea with lemon verbena, spearmint, peppermint, lavender and rosebud. The flavor is very floral and refreshing. Long Island Strawberry and Shanghai Lychee Jasmine tea are also some of my favorite green tea blends that they offer.

Yogi & Tazo: I'm a big fan of both. I like the accessibility of both these teas as I can pretty much get them at any grocery or drug store. They have a range of flavors and teas. I especially like Yogi because each tea bag comes with an inspiring quote.

Trader Joe's: has 2 very good seasonal teas (Christmas) that we stock up on every year: Candy Cane Green Tea & Vanilla and Cinnamon Black Tea. I'm a huge fan of the green tea and Mark loves the black tea. It's cheap, delicious and soothing.

Revolution: Mark picked up these samples from a conference in Las Vegas. I'm glad he did because these flavors are excellent. I've slowed down on drinking these, but this is all we have left: tropical green, english breakfast tea, earl grey lavender (my fav of the bunch), golden chamomile and sweet ginger peach (my second fav). I will definitely order more once we drink them all.

Grand Hotel Tea Blend: here is one blend I will definitely miss and be sorry about when I'm done drinking all of it, so I'm taking my time. First off, the smell is amazing! You open the package and you can immediately smell the strong bergamot scent. It's intoxicating. The blend is made from Chinese Keemun and Yunnan teas mixed with teas from five regions in Sri Lanka. What you taste is unbelievable! It's dark and rich with hints of fruits and bergamot. It definitely tastes as good as it smells.  Second off, the hotel is in Stockholm, so it's not that accessible and I can't find anywhere online to purchase this. Anyone going to Stockholm anytime soon? Third off, did I tell you how amazingly wonderful this tastes?

If you're a daily tea drinker like me, Steepster.com is an online tea community where you can rate and review teas with like-minded steepsters.

Read here for a good description and breakdown of teas: Types of Teas.

For tea accessories, I usually just run into places like Bed Bath & Beyond or Container Store. Between the two, they have everything from tea balls to tea storage containers. Here is a clear plastic tea bag storage container I purchased from Container Store that has 6 sections and holds up to 10-12 individual packets, so it can hold up to 72 neatly. It's practical and handy for sure!

For loose leaf teas you have your choice of using a tea ball or a disposable tea filter. I've been using the brand T-sac because it holds a lot more tea (for my cold tea). You can get it in packets of 100 on Amazon for pretty cheap.

There's so much tea in this world to try that if you know of any that you think I would like to try, please feel free to pass along recommendations. I'm open to a lot of different teas. However, I am not a big fan of barley based teas

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Oh, and I like my tea pure-no milk/cream or sugar.