26 Mar 2010

Taste of Chattanooga: Chattanooga Cupcake

by | posted in: Uncategorized | 0

I love the downtown area of Chattanooga: stores, restaurants, theatres, the Tennessee River, the aquarium. I first learned of it a few years ago by sightseeing with a friend, but now I just love to explore.
Today I went there for lunch and dessert. Dessert was a no-brainer when we saw the sign “Chattanooga Cupcakes”. (The wonderful pictures will come Sunday because I can’t get them to load.)
The folks in there were so kind to let us take pictures of the cute decor, the beautiful cased cupcakes, and to gladly sell us to wonderfully delicious cupcakes.
I chose the Italian Creme cupcake – the frosting was out of this world – I think I literally said “this is better than Publix frosting” – never before said that.
Aarica had the lemon raspberry cupcake – which had raspberry cream cheees filling with lemon frosting and raspberry drizzle on top. The cupcake was so moist and scrumptious with the filling.
If you are ever in downtown Chatt – by the Aquarium – you MUST stop in – save some room for a cupcake – which is usually a necessity of life!
5 Mar 2010

Foodie Night with Brandi

by | posted in: Uncategorized | 1

I love my foodie friends!
Brandi and I worked together at SBTS before she went and had a baby. Last night was our last time to get together and hang out before I move on as well. Such is the life of seminary workers!

We had so much fun and I personally ate too much!
I made a huge salad: green leaf lettuce, roma tomato, cuk, feta cheese, pecans, dried cherries. YUM
Brandi made chuck bbq with Sweet Baby Rays sauce that she had slow cooked and then shredded. We ate it the only way you can: on a yellow bread roll that was garlic-ized in the oven on broil.
We also had baked doritos and baked ruffles.
For dessert: an eggo waffle topped with fruit, cinnamon, and maple syrup.

End the night with a Diet Doctor Pepper and my fave dude on TV solving a food-related murder – could it get any better?
I’ll definitely miss Brandi – and am thankful for social media and email!
25 Jan 2010

Product Review: Ciao Bella Sorbet

by | posted in: Uncategorized | 2

Love. This. Stuff.
Whole Foods comes through in little individual containers of yummy goodness!
Ciao Bella is a gelato place in NYC (they have some great stuff don’t they) – and they send their sorbet to my Whole Foods here in Louisville.
I tried the Sicilian Blood Orange flavor of sorbet. For 100 calories – amazing. I felt like I was eating a blood orange with a spoon. I also put a scoop of free cool whip and a sprinkle of coconut on top – just for textural and temperature changes (important in my consumption of cold things).
1. With this, I don’t have to wait till the oranges are in season
2. I don’t have to be in Florida to get good oranges when I have this stuff.
3. It was cold – which felt good on my sore throat
4. It was better for me than ice cream.
5. I will be trying other flavors.

Yum – hey Ciao Bella people – got any coupons?

20 Jan 2010

Taste of Chicago – Grand Lux Cafe

by | posted in: Uncategorized | 0

We thought the bags looked pretty familiar when we walked in – we were right – this place is owned by the same folks who own Cheesecake Factory. You know its going to be good. And it was next door to Ann Taylor – so how bad could it bed? And it had a wait at 4pm? We only waited about 15 minutes and when we walked out – it was about an hour wait. Glad we got there early!
I was not anticipating a sit-down nice restaurant when I heard about this place from a friend just based on the name alone. I’m so glad we stopped there.
We had their bread – very good. I took lots of photos. I dropped my knife and fork – silly me. The tables were completely on top of each other, but people know how to dine. I couldn’t tell you what the other folks were talking about at their table. Most of the time people talk so loud at restaurants. Our first waiter wasn’t all that, but halfway through they changed shifts and our waitress was much better.
To start off with – the Edamame: stir fried with Spicy Szechwan Sauce. SO GOOD! Better than Chais in Durham (gasp!)
Then, Janel got the soup of the day – a chicken chowder with veggies. I took a bite – good and warm on a cold day.
I got the mini goat cheese and mushroom pizza. This was not mini (about 7 inches by 3 inches) and was only 4.95 and was AMAZING. I would go back there every time and order this.
For dessert (and take home): New Orleans Beignets Served Warm with Three Sauces (a creme anglaise (close your eyes and savor the warmth and richness good), chocolate, and raspberry. They were warm and yummy. Thanks Kathy for the suggestion.
This place was definitely the best place I ate all weekend and I would gladly go there again! 🙂