I’m online all day at work. Then when I’m blogging, after work or on weekends, I’m also online. It’s a lot of time spent on the internets.

Over time, I have encountered some really interesting articles all on food facts. I’m kind of a nerd about these kind of things so I started compiling my favorites (saving various articles or research) and now they’re here, to share with you.

Interesting Food Facts:

• A typical banana travels 4,000 miles before being eaten. Americans eat 12 billion bananas each year.
• According to a recent survey by Technomic Inc., 81 percent of men were likely to order beer during happy hour at a bar or restaurant, while women favoured a cocktail or a mixed drink. Germany is in the top three European countries in beer production, producing more than 95 million litres in 2010.
• Honey never goes bad. Ever.
• There are over 1000 different kids of apples. Apples also are better at waking you up in the morning than coffee.
• Cherries are a member of the rose family
• Saffron is the most expensive substance on earth largely because of its harvesting difficulty – 150 saffron flowers will only yield you 0.035 ounces of saffron.
• Actually a fruit, it took a ruling by the Supreme Court in 1893 to make the tomato a vegetable.
• Potatoes are only 20% solids and 80% water. I don’t get this one!
• The color orange was named after the fruit.
• All peaches, cherries, plums and apricots are stone fruits, also known as drupes.
• Croissants were created to commemorate the victory of the French armies over Turkey. The crescent shape of the pastry alludes to the crescent shape on the Turkish flag.
• Chocolate was originally just for drinking and was served bitter.
• Refried beans are only fried once. It’s a translation error – the originals are frijoles refritos which actually means “well fried beans” – not re-fried. Doh!
• Peanuts are an ingredient in dynamite.
• Around 70 million people suffer from food poisoning every year with around 7 million of these cases being fatal. Yikes!
• Americans on average eat 18 acres of pizza every day.
• McDonald’s in Germany, sells beer.
• The term “Banana Republic” was coined for states that were primarily run by large banana companies who generally would support some dictator whose primary purpose was to protect the banana companies and ensure large, cheap crops.

I was raised vegetarian and although I am not one now, I still find a meat-free diet often in my day-to-day, often not on purpose but just because it’s something I’m comfortable with. I have never been vegan, as cheese is one of my favorite foods ever and we actually are quite agreeable. That said, there’s still a lot of delectable vegan food and I’m down with it.

I’ve tried probably every veggie burger out there. From the store-bought brands, to making our own based on falafel, bean, quinoa, etc., to sampling restaurants’ (there’s usually one on a menu, even at bars/pubs these days).

This recipe is the best we’ve ever made.

The Man (a full on carnivore) uncovered this recipe from ultrarunner, Scott Jurek via his new book Eat and Run. I learned Jurek grew up in a “meat and potato” household and overtime, became very conscious about his diet as running became serious in his life. Maybe that’s why this recipe is still so hearty and savory, even though it’s a vegan burger.

The base are lentils and mushrooms, making for a deliciously paired taste and it’s packed with protein. We’ve been making a big batch, keeping the rest throughout the week to pop them on the grill and make veggie burgers on our salads, sandwiches, etc. throughout the week. I encourage you to try these – they won’t disappoint.

Recipe adapted from Scott Jurek via Eat and Run:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried green lentils
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon chives (fresh)
• 4 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 1/4 cup onions (chopped)
• 1 cup walnuts (chopped)
• 2 cups bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup ground flaxseeds
• 3 cups finely chopped mushrooms (any will do, we like crimini)
• 1 1/2 cup kale
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Method:

First, you will want to take a medium size pot and boil about 3 cups of water. Once boiling, add the 1 cup of dried lentils, the parsley, chives, garlic clove and 1/4 cup of the chopped onions. This will take about 30-40 minutes, leave it on simmer.

In another bowl, combine the 1 cup of walnuts, 2 cups bread crumbs and 1/2 cup ground flaxseeds (we grind ours in our food processor, but make sure they’re ground). Then set aside.

Take a pan on the stove, heat it over medium heat and add olive oil to cover the pan. Saute the remainder of the chopped onions (1 cup), 3 garlic cloves, 3 cups of the chopped mushrooms and 1 1/2 cups finely chopped kale for 8-10 minutes. After done, set aside to cool.

By this time, the lentils should be finished. Remove them from the heat and season with 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar and mash the ingredients together. Take a large bowl and combine this lentil mixture with the sauteed mushroom/kale mix and bread crumb mixture. Let this cool in a refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

After it’s cooled, form the mixture into round patties to fry or put on the grill.

I love that there’s greens like kale, chives and parsley in the burger mix itself, but it goes great with lettuce or perhaps pickles. If you’re like me, and make it un-vegan, I added a slab of sharp cheddar cheese on top, melted into the bun.

This recipe yields about 10-12 burgers so be prepared for leftovers if this is just for a few people!

One of the newer Summer additions to Boulder’s food scene is Snarfburger.

Residing in the iconic, yet small 350-square foot space that once-was Daddy Bruce’s BBQ on Arapahoe and 20th, Snarfburger has taken over “The Shack” and is serving up simple, yet classic American burgers, fries and custard.

Opened by Jim “Snarf” Seidel, of famed Snarf’s Sandwich Shop, it has been a longtime dream of his to have a burger joint. Opened in May, he already has ambitious plans to expand this concept to Lafayette, by the end of this summer at 985 S. Public Road.

The 20th and Arapahoe location is right next to Boulder High School, CU and Naropa – a prime location for student foot traffic.

Upon entering the small shop, you’re immediately hit with that savory smell of sizzling, fried food and the sound of burgers being flipped on the spitting, hot grill. The menu is dead simple and I love it like that. It’s no frills. Everything is well under $10 and with a place like this, there aren’t in surprises. It’s consistent and always hits the spot.

You place your order, then they’ll call out your name whether you’re sitting on the patio seats outside, waiting for take-out or sitting at the few bar-like seats on the perimeter of the small space, inside. The space and vibe is casual, yet welcoming.

As someone who was vegetarian for a longtime, I actually wanted to also try their veggie burger that has a delectable falafel crust. With an addition of the famous Snarf’s hot peppers it made for the best veggie burger I’ve had in Boulder.

Another bonus are their hours. There aren’t a lot of places in Boulder to get good late-night food. Snarfburger plans to be open almost everyday of the year, starting at 11 AM for lunch and closes around midnight. For Thursday, Friday and Saturdays – they plan to stay open until 2 AM.

If you’re picky or need a lot of options, perhaps Snarfburger isn’t up your alley. Don’t go expecting a lot of substitutions or varying ingredient options. To be honest, the above mentioned is actually one of the best things about Snarfburger. They keep it real, it’s simple and what you see is what you get for good fast food.

Q&A With Owner/Founder, Jim Seidel:

I spoke with Jim to ask him some questions around his special custard, to the simple menu concept, to their best seller and more!

Why burgers? Has this been a longtime love of yours or did you feel there was a hole in Boulder for this type of joint?

It was an idea I had considered for awhile, but it wasn’t until recently that I felt compelled to actually set it in motion. One reason in particular was the opportunity to take over the former Daddy Bruce’s BBQ space, which is so reminiscent of the original Pearl St. Snarf’s that I opened in 1996. At that point, I had already acquired a mini-fanbase in the form of family, friends & employees, all of who encouraged me to make it happen. And, who doesn’t love a great burger?

Can people expect to see any specials periodically or just the menu as is?

We specifically designed the menu with simplicity in mind. I love restaurants that offer a variety of hamburger options, but wanted to stick to the basics at SnarfBurger – it’s all about the classic American Cheeseburger. Of course, our new concept wouldn’t feel quite at home in the Snarf’s family if we didn’t offer something a little unique, like a Fried Bologna Sandwich or the fan favorite Hot Dog with Cheese and Bacon.

Can you talk about the custard and the kind you use/make?

This was a no-brainer. I grew up in St. Louis where Ted Drewes Frozen Custard is a local institution and remains my all-time favorite dessert. The feeling we are trying to convey at SnarfBurger is that of an old-fashioned hamburger stand – a no frills type of place with menu offerings that may remind you of your childhood. For me, that’s always been hamburgers and frozen custard.

I noticed there isn’t parking in the area – do you expect to have a lot of foot traffic or are there parking options for those that come and go via car?

There is some parking in the area, but I think it will be primarily foot/bike traffic. The surrounding neighborhood is filled with college students, so we have great visibility along the route to both CU & Naropa. I think we’ll also do really well with Boulder High students who have off-campus privileges.

What’s your best seller thus far?

A loaded Double SnarfBurger!

—

Find Them: 2000 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder, CO | http://snarfburger.com/

Last year, I had the pleasure of joining a small group to the Western Slope of Colorado and visiting wineries and trying hundreds of different wines right from our state. When it comes to local, wine in Colorado is one of the last pieces to be adopted or understood (especially in my mind). This particular experience was in conjunction with the DrinkLocalWine Conference and it completely changed my viewpoint of our Colorado wine.

For instance, id you know there are close to 100 wineries in Colorado and Colorado wine is a $42 million industry? It’s no small feat.

Colorado Wine Week:

This year, I’m excited to be attending and covering Colorado Wine Week. And really, it’s a statewide affair! in 2011, Governor John Hickenlooper declared the first week of June to be “Colorado Wine Week” to coincide with Colorado Urban Winefest.

A few years later, it’s a full week with wine specials throughout Denver/Boulder restaurants, special events and of course the Colorado Urban Winefest.

 The Schedule:

Here are some fun options throughout the week that you may want to partake in:

Farm to Turntable, 7 p.m.-10 p.m. June 2 at The Universal
This event will pair inspired farm cuisine with Colorado wines and music from the legendary Steve French.

Colorado Wine Cocktail Celebration, 4:30-6:30 p.m. June 4 at Green Russell 
Six top bartenders will create terrior inspired cocktails in this second annual (friendly) competition.

Colorado Urban Winefest presented by Westminster Total Beverage, 1-6 p.m. June 8 at Infinity Park
More than three dozen Colorado wineries will serve a variety of artisan wines at the third annual event’s new venue, Infinity Park. We’ll have a chef demo stage with top chefs creating unique wine-paired snacks, live music, wine education and more.

There are more than 20 top restaurants signed up to provide unique small plates and Colorado wine pairings for $20 or less throughout the week. The roster includes Mizuna, The Squeaky Bean and Row 14.

If you’re interested in purchasing tickets to these events or learning more about the schedule follow this link.

Extra information: If you’re interested in learning more about the history of Colorado wine and how it has come to me, check out this post.

When I first moved to Boulder I serendipitously found a home on Baseline and 10th – at the very entrance of Chautauqua. I remember hearing live music from my backyard from their Summer concert series, walking across the street for many hikes and picnicking in the front lawn. What I don’t remember as well was eating at Chautauqua’s Dining Hall. I went once for brunch and it was very camp-like, with long lines, buffet food and a dated interior. It wasn’t memorable.

Late last year, it was announced the Chautauqua Dining Hall would have new operators in Lenny and Sara Martinelli, owners of Three Leaf Concepts and well-known and respected restauranteurs in the area. This Spring as they’ve reopened with a new look, chef, bar and menu and they’re setting out to make the experience memorable and welcoming.

The process of finding new operators is no small feat. Lenny and Sara were selected after almost a year process by the association itself as the restaurant is deeply historical as it was built in 1898 and is now 114 years-old. They are also joined by Tom Warnke, who handles the day-to-day operations and he serves as the managing partner.

The Space:

As I walked into the space, it had clearly been transformed.

They ripped up the carpet and underneath were old oak floors they brightened up the space from it’s once-dingy carpet. They moved the bar and the bar top is a reclaimed vintage boxcar floor (think of all the places that has been across the country!) and underneath the stools at the bar, they have foot rails from railroad tracks dating from the early 1900′s.

They put in two stone fireplaces made from local field stone that makes you feel you’re really in a lodge and local artists work, hand picked by Sara Martinelli, line the walls. In the corner below where one fireplace sits, you can lounge on comfortable couches to enjoy a drink, snack or your meal.

The only thing I didn’t love about the interior was that there were a few televisions throughout the restaurant – making it a little less charming. After thinking about it though, they have to accommodate a lot of out of town guests with the cabin and in that way, it’s almost like a hotel and most hotels have a television somewhere. They weren’t too intrusive, but I understand the balance they’re trying to hold.

The Food:

The entire menu was revamped with a focus on Colorado, farm fresh and serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. Much of the produce will begin to come from their farm, Three Leaf Far, in Lafayette, as well.

New Executive Chef, Brian Horton, who worked at Frasca and The Pinyon prior, has ensured the menu pays homage to Colorado cuisine and fresh ingredients.

Chef Brian Horton and Operator Lenny Martinelli (Right) Share Their Plans for the New Dining Hall

As an iconic location, it’s welcoming enough for tourists, those coming down from a hike, and locals alike. Sara Martinelli who guided the design and unique antiques and pieces that dot the restaurant’s interior said her inspiration was, après hike. I love the concept.

One of my favorite things about the dining hall, that was unchanged, is their wrap-around porch that provides beautiful views. I’m excited for their happy hour menu and trying breakfast, lunch and dinner coming forward. It’s the perfect place to bring guests and it’s also welcoming for those after their outdoor activities through the trails nearby on the Flatirons.

I’m hopeful and believe it’s renewed menu and interior aesthetics, really make it a new and welcome addition to Boulder’s culinary landscape.

You can learn more about Chautauqua’s Dining Hall here.

Open year round serving breakfast, lunch, happy hour and dinner Monday – Friday from 8 AM – Close. Saturday and Sunday brunch starts at 8 AM – 3 PM, happy hour is 3-6 PM and dinner is 5 PM – Close.

Let us gather.

Recently I was invited to attend The Denver Botanic Gardens somewhat hush-hush, new pop-up dinner, Gather.

Hosted quarterly at Denver Botanic Gardens in partnership with Catering by Design and a local chef in the Denver area, Gather is a somewhat new initiative for the Botanic Gardens but it’s open to the public and you should keep your ears open for the next! Past chefs included Top Chef Hosea Rosenberg, Fruition’s Alex Seidel and Panzano’s Elise Wiggins. The dinner I attended was with Chef Daniel Asher of Rootdown and Linger – two of my favorite restaurants in the Denver area.

The dinner is served family style in their Orangery space, with four courses that are seasonally-inspired and creatively prepared just for the evening. It’s BYOB and the cost if $75 per person. The dinner can fit up to 75 people.

Surprised about this lucrative and special pop-up farm-like dinners at Botanic Gardens amongst their beautiful, 45 different garden space? Well, I was. I had no idea.

Furthermore, I also learned about all their other food initiatives they host. They have 600 classes a year and a large portion are food-related ranging from canning, cooking classes, preparing the perfect picnic, plant to plate cooking for children and even an upcoming event called “The Drunken Botanist” which will have a mixology cocktail focus from famed author, Amy Stewart. You can learn more about their programming, lectures and classes here.

Gather – The Evening:

As I’ve written about other farm dinners, I adore family-style eating as you “break bread” together, meet strangers over engaging topics and of course, enjoy a rewarding meal. Gather proved to be a special evening, facilitating all these wonderful components.

We started our evening with a Beet Down cocktail from Root Down’s Mike Henderson, a cocktail service tech. The drink was a beautiful beet red and included gin, aperol, canton ginger liquer, beet juice, mint and lemon juice.
The cocktails were served with a metal spoon that also served as a fork and of course, are reusable so they cut down on waste with regular straws.

Our first course was a simple, yet incredible flavorful salad titled, “Spring has almost sprung” with radishes of the moment, grilled ramps, english peas, beets, salt roasted baby turnips, broken shovels chevre, chili peptias and micro celery.

A special treat during this dish was their hydroponic station from Aero Farms that sat in between our two long tables. Asher encouraged diners to get up and pick greens to add to their salad. Everything on this dish, was picked that day and I loved the interactive piece of choosing some spicy greens from the hydroponic “salad tower”. Talk about a vegetable to plate experience.

Our second dish was the most whimsical and beautiful visually. It was an Andalusian white gazpacho with fresh green almonds, marconas, fiddleheads, chili oil, sweet apple vinegar, rhubarb, cucumber brunoise and micro celery.

The dish was served with all the “toppings” and then the gazpacho was poured on top. This was a thoughtful presentation and playful way to serve our dish.

Our main dish was an interpretation of peking duck with Maple Leaf Farms duck leg confit, hoisin lacquer, White Mountain Farms black quinoa (Colorado quinoa), dried cherries and pistachio. 

Finally, for dessert, they served cheesecake outside the box with pineapple mascarpone, Lundberg Farms jasmine rice, pineapple jalapeno jam, macadamia and sesame.

The evening began at 6:30 PM and we left at around 9:15 PM. It was a leisurely evening, filled with great conversation, thoughtful food and a fresh perspective. It felt special to be sitting amongst the beautiful gardens in Denver and sharing with everyone around you (strangers or not).

Learn More: If you’re interested in participating in these wonderful dinners, you can keep tabs on the Botanic Gardens calendar here. Although the next one isn’t on there yet, you can expect to see it sometime around September. Then you too, can be part of these pop-up dinners that celebrate such local, quality food.

Uptown on 17th Avenue is one of my favorite spots in Denver – the restaurants there are a huge reason why.

In the old Olivéa space sits Beast + Bottle, run by brother and sister, Paul and Aileen Reilly, formerly of Encore on Colfax. I dig any brother and sister team that can seamlessly run front and back of the house and I loved what they did at Encore.

Beast + Bottle’s space is small and intimate, with a prominent neighborhood feel. If anything, there is a patio out front where people can still see Denver’s skyline and people watch from Hamburger Mary’s to Marczyk’s Fine Foods across the street.

Their menu is an homage to the whole animal (hence the “beast”) and really uses all parts of the animal. They have in-house butchery at the restaurant, and their menu rotates frequently based on the freshest produce from all the farmers and ranchers they engage and work with. They even have hens laying organic eggs for them, fondly known as “the ladies”.

The bottle portion is driven by drinking wine by the glass, half-pour or even carafe’s (all available on the menu). Their wine list is impressive with Aileen leading the charge, and they also have a saison called “Barn House Ale” made by City Star Brewing, which is made special just for the restaurant.

I loved how the menu visually represents this.

Albeit small, the decor is clean and reminiscent of a warm, farmhouse with a palette of gray, white, and browns. The bar has hanging wood palettes for their glasses, which is a touch I loved.

For appetizers my friend and I enjoyed scallops with cauliflower puree, golden raisins and 25 year sherry vinegar (15), english pea souffle with yogurt and mint (11) and one of my favorites, ricotta gnudi with leek soubise, asparagus and asparagus chips (11). Already the menu proved to be unique with special pairings.

I was looking for something light this evening so I went with the spaghetti maccheroni alla chitarra with jonah crab, trevisio raddichio and spring onion (24).

Each dish was thoughtful in presentation and beautiful. Although we ate many dishes throughout the evening the portions were small and the ingredients fresh which left me satisfied but not gorged or too full.

Then, we turned to dessert. We picked the chocolate dacquoise with peanut vacherin, peanut butter mousse and sea salt caramel (7). Since it’s in season I loved the rhubarb custard tart with ginger coulis and cardamom chantilly.

I wish Beast + Bottle was in my ‘hood so I could belly up to the bar to enjoy a carafe and peruse through their menu to see what they’re featuring that week. It’s a wonderful and cozy location and the Reilly’s are tried and true restauranteurs.

Find Them:

http://beastandbottle.com | @BeastAndBottle | Facebook.com/BeastandBottle

Thanks to Beast + Bottle for inviting and hosting us!

I love The Lyons Farmette in Lyons, Colorado.

Just outside of Boulder, sits the most adorable farmette that has vegetables, goats and chickens and they host a slew of classes, farm dinners and events at their beautiful community land and space. They involve and engage so many local artisan, farmers, chefs and producers it is a true circle of celebration right on the land.

I’ve attended two farm dinners there before and recently, took part in one of their cheese making classes where we made mozzarella and ricotta (the good, “easy” cheese to start to make).

Taught by Hilary Van Dusen, previously a cheese maker at Haystack Mountain Goat Dairy, the morning was filled with knowledge, applicable cheese-making and of course, tasting the results.

If you haven’t made cheese before, the basics are easier than you might think. It’s incredibly rewarding to make your meals and food from scratch and cheese is no exception.

If you’re interested in other classes at The Lyons Farmette, I highly recommend them. They range from dutch oven cooking, to beer brewing, to flower arranging to seed saving. You can learn more about their classes here.

Cheese making time:

I’ve included (with my notes) Hilary’s recipe for ricotta. As you can see, it’s straight forward and there are still ways to play around with the texture, creaminess and softness of the ricotta as you become more of an expert.

As Hilary shared, ricotta is often the cheese you make when you mess up other cheese.

Ricotta (Cow) Cheese Recipe – via Hilary Van Dusen: 

Ingredients:

• 1 gallon whole milk. We used Morning Fresh from Colorado that you can pick up at Whole Foods and be sure it’s non-homogenized whole milk. A good rule of thumb is that 1 gallon of whole milk makes about 1 pound of cheese.
• 1 teaspoon citric acid dissolved in 1/4 cup cold water. If you’re planning on making cheese, you can buy a little bottle of this and have it handy. You can find it at Vitamin Cottage in the sprouting section.
• 1-2 teaspoons of cream (optional). We opted for something a little sweeter and creamier, so we included the cream at the end. Personally, I think it’s lovely.
• 1 teaspoon cheese salt (optional)

You will also need a thermometer that can go from 0 to boiling. They’re available at Bed Bath & Beyond or you can order them online. Do not use a meat thermometer. The cheese cloth suggestion was butter muslin which you can re-use overtime.

Pour the milk into a stainless steel pot (aka soup pot) with the heat on high. Add the citric acid and salt, and begin to mix well. Be sure to continually stir, but not too furious.

Keep your thermometer nearby and check for the heat. When it gets to 170 degrees Fahrenheit you can turn down the heat slightly. You’re looking to get your heat between 185-195 degrees Fahrenheit. You’re looking for a yellow-ish color as the heat increases.

When curds and whey separate (which you can literally see as it comes off your stainless steel spoon), pull off the heat and let it sit for 10 minutes. During these 10 minutes, do not stir!

Line a colander with cheese cloth and spoon the curds into the cloth.

Tie the cloth together and let it drain for 20-30 minutes until you have the consistency you want. We let ours sit for only 10 minutes as we wanted to keep it soft.

Add cream as desired for taste and mix. Enjoy (with jam on toasted bread and ricotta and honey!)

Whenever I’m on a business trip for work I always try to scout out the dining scene of said city and pick a great restaurant. On my most recent trip, my longtime friend Chris used to live in Atlanta and his family is from the area, so his immediate suggestion was Empire State South.

Empire State South (ESS) has been featured in Food and Wine Magazine, to the New York Times and it’s for good reason. ESS can be described as, “a modern version of the traditional “meat and three” soul food restaurant.” Hugh Acheson is a Partner at ESS while the Executive Chef is Ryan Smith (he just announced he is actually leaving, but he was there while I was. Both of which, I hear nothing but great things from.

{Ryan Smith Left, Hugh Acheson Right}

I travel solo usually and mid-week, so when I arrived in downtown Atlanta off of the main drag, Peachtree Street I cozied up to the bar and began to soak it in.

As I entered through the back of their location, there were long wooden picnic tables, a game of bocce ball “court” setup and lounge chairs for those waiting for a table, in the humid Atlanta spring air.

It felt like someone’s warm and inviting backyard. People were laughing, there were cans of beer, glasses of whiskey and I was immediately comfortable.

The restaurant itself is filled with pine and cypress wood from the floor to the ceilings and there’s a slight feeling of an old classic saloon, but with a modern twist. The walls are a mix of gray/blue/green color and some of the booths have great leather upholstery, while you sit at a solid wooden table (see above).

At the bar, the staff dressed much like you might see at a speakeasy with vests, Southern inspired gingham and plaid while their spirits section was displayed wonderfully across the entire bar wall (with a sliding ladder to access the top).

The restaurant serves breakfast, weekend brunch, lunch, dinner and even a to-go service. They’ve got it all covered.

The service, even at the bar, was attentive, thoughtful and kind. I ended up ordering and having, one of my favorite meals of 2013.

I ordered the Fava Bean Tortellini which came with a fermented raisin puree: swiss chard, green garlic, ramps, sprouted wheatberries. This was an incredibly beautiful dish, that was pungent with the savory ramps and green garlic. My only complaint, for $20 I had about 6 tortellini and would have loved more.

I had a Commanderie de peyrassol rosé alongside my meal that was lovely, bright and crisp. Although I didn’t get too nuts with their cocktail program (titled Hooch on the menu) I liked what they had going on, with interesting spirits and they even were rocking my Iowa Templeton Rye.

I couldn’t resist going all in and ordering a dessert so I asked the bartender his favorite dessert and without hesitation, he guided me to the Cocoa and Farro Brioche. This bread pudding comes with toffee sauced, puffed farro (I loved the crunch!), coffee toffee and malted milk ice ream. I licked the bowl. Literally.

The evening was lovely overall. I’m so glad I went and to anyone in the Atlanta area, I recommend Empire State South. I don’t think you will be let down.

Note: Please excuse the food photos, ala my iPhone. All other photos via Empire State South’s website.

Recently I came upon Esslack, (aka edible spray paint) from The Deli Garage. I get the appeal and stylistic approach. You can achieve some serious bling.

Check out these pimped out tomatoes.

It seems there is no end to the food accessories or ‘out there’ products people will get their hands on to stand out or try something new. I can appreciate that and I honestly think on baked goods, this could be fun.

But, I can’t help but feel that I want my food in it’s natural, authentic state. For my day-to-day, I prefer the bright colors of natural food, taking the flavor that is born into that cut of meat, that vegetable from the earth or that fruit from the tree and pairing it with something that makes your eyes flutter and your stomach flip flop (in the best possible way). Just as is.

Personally, I could get down on some edible spray paint for decorative items, but not to eat.

What about you? Have you used it before?