Just What The Doctor Ordered...

YES! Bravo announced that they'll be picking up Top Chef Masters! What a treat (except for that awful Padma wannabe Kelly Choi)! Also everyone's favourite Canadienne, Gail Simmons, will be joining the already prestigious table of critics. Kudos Gail, and kudos Top Chef Masters!!

Special Specialty

O&Co. Olive Oil Shop. Fillmore St, San Francisco.

Midnight Snack

Chocolate Pudding Cup with Whipped Cream Tower. Indulgent.

Dinner For One

Chicken, spinach and mushrooms in tomato sauce on a bed of arugula
with heirloom grape tomatoes.

Baby Blues BBQ

After a screening of the frightening (and somewhat hilarious) Paranormal Activity my pals and I wanted to grab a drink and maybe some chow. Three of us, on separate occasions, by different people, had Baby Blues BBQ recommended to us.

This is a place with a great vibe and some pretty delicious BBQ. We all chatted and laughed over a few beers, some sloppy ribs and crumbly delicious cornbread.

I opted for The Deuce, which is a platter consisting of 1/2 a rack of Memphis style ribs, 5 of their BBQ shrimp (which were recommended to our table by some random cook who came out for no reason other than to tell us we should order the shrimp - they were delicious), cornbread and my choice of two from an extensive list of "fixins". It reads like a who's who of barbeque: collard greens, potato salad, baked beans, mac 'n' cheese, okra - fried and sauteed, mashed potatoes, stewed tomatoes, pork 'n' beans, etc. I opted for cole slaw and fried okra. At $22.95 this wasn't such a bad deal.
Top marks went to the honey butter - yes, HONEY BUTTER, that was served alongside the cornbread. It was a true showstopper. I also really appreciated that each table was equipped with its very own roll of paper towels. Not napkins. Paper towels.

Grade: B+

Ultimate Food Weakness

Candy corn

Pink & Cheap Platter

My cousin Sophia and I hosted a joint birthday party this last weekend. The theme was Pink & Cheap. One of the better party themes out there if you ask me. In addition to chili dogs (inspired by Pink's), steak tacos (medium rare and pink) and the famed toasting station (strawberry jam and pop tarts, anyone?) I served up this killer platter:


Pink wafer cookies, Homer Simpson donuts and Mother's Frosted Animal cookies.

Here's a look at the toasting station. It was a huge hit after-hours!

Reaping

Yesterday's Trader Joe's buys. From left: herb salad mix, romaine hearts, baby carrots, dried bing cherries, organic whole wheat penne, organic whole grain quinoa, zucchini, vanilla almond milk, alfalfa sprouts, roma tomatoes, Ezekiel sprouted grain sesame bread (aka fitness bread), portobello mushrooms.

And all for only $34.