Desserts Make Me Insanely Happy

Homemade Cranberry Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies (sort of)

2012-01-22T14:57:00.000-08:00

Snow. It's pretty. But it's also cold. Very cold.
Did I just haiku?

One of the big changes I made when I moved to New York is that I'm now car-less. While there are perks (no more gas bill! no more oil changes!), sometimes I really miss my car. Especially when I'm running errands. Why? Because now, I literally run errands. Combine that with the cold, and I can easily talk myself out of doing anything. "Um, the hardware store is 7 blocks away. I didn't really need lightbulbs, right? I mean I can go another week without any light source in my kitchen."

This is a true story, by the way. I have fancy (read: really really old) lights that burned out on Day 3. It took me 3 months to figure out how to get these effin vintage lightbulbs out of their sockets so I could take them to the hardware store. The hardware store guy seriously marveled at them. I'm pretty sure he's taking them to the nearest museum. But I digress.

I miraculously got all of my errands done this morning, despite sloshing around in the snowy, bone-chilling 18 degree weather. So, what to do with the rest of my chilly winter Sunday afternoon? Why bake, of course!

I made these. No need to wonder--yes, they were really, really good.

Since today is a Very Important Football Day, I wanted to do something rather quick so I could still catch the games. I visited my local organic grocery store, because it's the closest store to my place (again, I'm cold). I was intrigued by an organic chocolate chip cookie mix so I dropped that in my basket. But I like to add my own twist, and I love superstuffed, full-of-awesomeness chunky monkey cookies, so I also chose organic walnuts and plump dried cranberries.

Sweet, luscious cranberries and crunchy walnuts

The mix was very easy to follow, and just required butter and eggs, along with my pizazzy additions.

All of the ingredients, in my now brightly lit kitchen.

Step 1: I first beat the softened butter and eggs with a blender. Note: I don't eat a lot of eggs so Egg Beaters tend to come in handy. I keep it in the fridge all the time for cookie emergencies.

Blending the butter and eggs. We're off to a good start.

Step 2: I added the chocolate chip cookie dough mix, massaged it into the wet ingredients with my hands. This is a great mixing method because the warmth of your hands helps to melt the butter and gently adheres the dough together. But more importantly, I get to eat whatever dough ends up on my fingers.

I love cookie dough. Sometimes I stop at this step.

Step 3: Add awesomeness. This can be absolutely anything (I briefly considered almonds and apricots), but I was in a cranberry and walnut mood.

Crammed full of cranberries and walnuts.

Step 4: Make little round balls and place them on your greased cookie pan. I eyeballed them. I like my cookies huge and chunky, so instead of the recommended 24, I doubled up and made 12.

Perfect little cookie dough balls. About to be ruined in the oven.

Step 5: The mix recommended baking them for 9 minutes, but because I doubled their size, I baked them for 12 and then watched them carefully. They needed another 3 minutes or so to be lightly browned. I hate overbaked cookies, so I tend to pull them earlier than recommended so they remain soft and not overly crispy.

Sweet, crunchy, soft and warm= cookie heaven.

Step 6: Let them cool. Please. I've always found this rule hilarious. If you actually wait for them to cool, my hat goes off to you, my friend. I like them best when hot out of the oven. And I needed to test them, so I picked one up and took a bite. Oh wow. Warm and a bit crumbly, the creamy chocolate chips combined with the crunchy walnuts and the spike of sweet and plump cranberries were a perfectly delightful mix.

Note: these are somewhat healthy, because of the fruit (antioxidants!), nuts (good fat!) and chocolate (more antioxidants!). Another note: Yes, I know I'm grasping at straws.

Yummyness.

I may have tried 2 more. Then I waited for them to cool (See, I can follow directions. Sometimes), and gently placed them in a ziplock bag.

I always bake with someone in mind--it's amazing how something as small as a homemade cookie can bring someone so much joy. Also, while I probably could, I should not eat an entire batch of cookies. So tomorrow, the rest of the Cranberry Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies will be given to my super, Jose, who is one of the hardest working, nicest people I've ever met. He also lights up whenever I bake for him. We both win. :)

Banana Chocolate Scones and Tea with Alice in Wonderland

2012-01-21T11:09:00.000-08:00

It's a Mad Hatter Tea Par-tay!

I love quaint. I tend to tilt my head and sigh "awwww" when I spot quaintness. This is one reason why I melt as soon as I land anywhere in Europe; any city on the entire continent could be renamed "Quaintville". (Side note: I just made up two new words. If you're playing a drinking game while reading this, I advise you to buckle up; there's more ridiculousness where that came from).

One of my favorite things to do every morning in any European city: sit outside at a quaint little cafe on a tree-lined cobblestone street, while sipping something warm and soothing and munching on a deliciously flaky pastry, watching the elegant locals stroll by. So quaintly.

Magical Fairy Dust kindly greeted us at the front door.

This is just one reason why I love New York: it can rival Europe with its quaintliness.

By now you can probably guess which word popped into my head the first time I walked into Alice's Tea Cup: quaint! This charming little tea shop is not only adorable, it serves some of the most tasty scones I've ever had.

I ordered the appropriately named "Alice's Mad Morning Tea" which included my choice of one scrumptious scone, my choice of eggs, crunchy homemade granola with vanilla yogurt, and of course, a quaint little pot of tea. My friend Mel chose a similar spread, except instead of granola, she received a plateful of yummy cookies. We quickly learned an important lesson: you can't go wrong here.

Homemade granola sprinkled with fresh berries

I chose the signature "Alice's Tea", a blend of Indian black tea, Japanese green tea, vanilla and rose petals. Smooth, silky, almost creamy...one sip and I immediately understood why this tea has a dedicated following.

Then came the hard part: choosing The Scone. I have never seen so many different types of crazy tasty scones in my life. Scones are one of my favorite breakfast pastries (anything made with outrageous amounts of butter ranks high on my favorites list), so I took some time making my very important choice. After staring at them for a while, and animatedly discussing them with the Scone Lady (there was lots of pointing and oohing and ahhing), I finally narrowed it down to three:

Option #1: Glazed Pumpkin Scone

Option #2: Berry Chocolate Chip Scone

Option #3: Banana Chocolate Scone

While I wanted to try them all (and I will--these have been added to my already very long Next Time List), I chose #3. First, because it contains bananas, which is a fruit, which made me feel better about eating a scone the size of my head. Second, because I believe that chocolate makes everything better. And it did--crumbly, buttery, fruity and chocolatey, this scone was quaintly delicious.

As if the to-die-for scones weren't enough reason to come back, Alice's Tea Cup also makes cupcakes, cakes, and many other mouthwatering desserts that have also been added to my Next Time List.

Banana Nutella layered cake? Are you people in my head?

I can't wait to try all of the locations, and have another lovely and quaint afternoon tea.

Also added to the Next Time List. This list is getting long.

Alice's Tea Cup

156 E 64th St

New York, NY 10021

www.alicesteacup.com

212-486-9200

Not Your Mother's Chocolate Pudding

2012-01-15T13:58:00.000-08:00

Chocolate lovers, prepare to be wowed.

Just one of the great things about having a dessert blog: when people find out about it, they feel challenged to introduce you to the most amazing dessert they know, especially if I'm visiting their territory.

In addition, as a natural instigator (some may say it's a gift), I like to add fuel to the fire; it always makes life more interesting. "So listen, no pressure but I have a dessert blog so if we don't have the most incredible dessert ever, it might affect our friendship. But don't worry, I'm sure you'll choose well." (Yep, I'm a stinker).

Such was the case with this next little gem. I recently had meetings in the adorable Lafayette, CA, which is located in the East Bay, about 30 minutes from the San Francisco Airport. Quaint and charming, it's the type of small town where a life-sized gingerbread house would blend in well.

The incredibly charming restaurant. Perhaps you can get a sense
of how ridiculously cute the rest of the town is. I half expected a
hobbit to start skipping out the door.

We had dinner at the fabulous Postino, an old post office converted into a cozy Italian restaurant (excellent choice, Anthony). The real food was delicious, but of course I was ready to dive into the desserts. I'm always on the lookout of the most unusual dessert, so it's easy to see why this one caught my eye: Not Your Mother's Chocolate Pudding. And then the description: CHOCOLATE...blah blah...TRUFFLE. (I'm a sucker for anything truffle). Done.

This one was calling my name.

When it arrived, I thought, well of course you're cute. Just like everything else in this flipping adorable town.

Not enough chocolate, they thought. Maybe if we add chocolate chip cookies,
she'll go out of her mind. Mission Accomplished, Postino.

Creamy milk chocolate pudding mixed with rich dark chocolate truffle, topped with a dense white chocolate whipped cream and sprinkled with tiny crunchy malt balls, this chocolate pudding was like no other. Perfectly chilled, it also arrived with two bite-sized chocolate chip cookies. Yum.

The next day, I arrived at the office, ready for a long day of meetings. Being the clever people they are, my colleagues decided to help the day go faster. And what helps you get through a long day of meetings? Why, a plate full of scrumptious cupcakes, of course! (Thanks Katie, you're a superstar!)

Smores, Red Velvet and Coconut were my favorites.

Postino
3565 Mt. Diablo Boulevard

Lafayette, California 94549
925-299-8700
www.postinorestaurant.com

The Perfect Chocolate Croissant

2012-01-13T08:40:00.000-08:00

One of the great (slash dangerous) things about desserts is that they're available EVERYWHERE. I do a fair share of traveling--which I love--because there are always fun, new dessert places for me to try, wherever I go.

One of my favorite French words: Pain Au Chocolat

I was recently in gorgeous San Francisco, and had a spare 30 minutes. Hmmm. What to do with 30 minutes? Find the best bakery in San Francisco, of course.

My friend Melanie used to live in SF so I asked for her best dessert recommendation. She answered immediately: "Tartine! The chocolate croissants are the best I've ever had." Then she added something very intriguing: "Even better than Paris." Quite a bold claim so now I'm curious beyond belief. Tartine it is.

I didn't have much time. Between landing, finding Tartine, and then making my way to my hotel--Go Speed Racer!-- I was a bit nervous about my challenging schedule. I was also extremely unconfident in my ability to find any of these places due to my legendary lack of direction. So I requested a Garmin. I'm not a huge fan of GPS systems--I hate being told that I'm supposed to take an exit 2 seconds before I pass it-- but I knew it was necessary. And miraculously, it took me directly to Tartine...on my first try. Whoohoo!

(Side note: holy cow does SF have a ton of freeways, highways and bridges. And really charming place names. For example, Treasure Island. Obviously they'd have dessert. For about 3 seconds, I seriously considered heading there. But I digress).

Banana Cream Tart is just one of many delightful specialities.

I found the general area, despite some crazy construction, and then looked for a sign. Of course, no sign. However, from the crowd of people sitting at cute cafe tables to the snaking line inside...it was clear I had found Tartine.

Frangipane Cranberry Almond Tarts. It's hard to tell from this photo
but this thing is larger than my hand and weighs about 100 pounds.

I was slightly concerned about parking. Between the street construction and overall lack of street parking, I was prepared to leave, as sad as this made me, if I couldn't find a space in 10 minutes. I shouldn't have worried. I quickly found a generous parking space just one block away. I took this as a sign. Some things are just meant to be, right?

I literally jogged to the corner with giddy anticipation (excuse me, coming through, it's a chocolate croissant emergency!)

As soon as I entered this baking haven, I was overwhelmend. In a very good way.

Chocolate spilling over buttery flakes

So. Many. Choices. Banana Cream Tarts, Buttermilk Scones, Morning Buns, Bread Pudding! I spent a good 5 minutes with the baking lady trying to figure out what to choose! In the end, of course I had to go with the Pain Au Chocolat. Soft, flaky and most importantly--BUTTERY! And chocolate oozing from the middle...it really was the Perfect Chocolate Croissant. And Mel was right. I dare say, it at least rivaled the Parisian Croissants I adore so much.

I enjoyed my fabulous croissant and a lovely cup of coffee at a corner table bursting with lilies. Gently pulling a small piece, flakes flew everywhere. I burst out laughing. Within a minute, I was completely covered in decadent, buttery crumbs. I wasn't alone. This type of scene is perfectly acceptable in a cafe where everyone was gorging on decadent treats.

It was easy to get lost in my thoughts as I imagined myself eating this little treasure at a Parisian cafe on St. Germain. Bliss. A quick yet delightful little discovery. And then I was off. But not without a souvenir, of course.

I may have gotten something to go.
It may or may not be a Frangipane Cranberry Almond Tart.

Tartine
600 Guerrero Street San Francisco, CA 94110
415 487 2600
www.tartinebakery.com

Red Velvet Waffles with Taro Cream Cheese

2012-01-10T16:16:00.000-08:00

Red velvet waffles topped with taro cream cheese, red velvet cake cubes,
and chocolate sauce. And a swirly chocolate thingy.

As I was pondering where to meet my friend Erica for lunch, I realized it might be a good idea to offset my recent sugar marathon with some actual food. (Sometimes I hate being responsible).

Me: I really need something healthy, maybe a salad?

Erica: Got it, I have just the place.

Now granted, Yogurstory offered salads but what my wonderful friend failed to mention is that this place is known for their crazy dessert waffles! No matter, we're adults and as I mention above, totally responsible. So, in an effort to be healthy, we brilliantly ordered salads.

Proof that I ate a salad.

And then promptly wolfed down some super tasty waffles.

We actually ordered the waffles at the same time as the salads, because we're so efficient (ok maybe I was dying to see what these waffles looked like). I wouldn't recommend this method unless you enjoy staring longingly at your dessert while trying to get excited about a forkful of spinach.

I need to back up. Because I'm sure you're scratching your head right now if you caught the name of this restaurant. Yogurstory. Let's get this discussion over with, shall we?

Yes, it's called Yogurstory. No, that's not a typo. No, it's not just a frozen yogurt shop. No, they don't tell stories. Yes, I realize none of that really makes sense. Such is life, people.

Proof that I didn't make up "Yogurstory".
There it is in print, people.

The waffles were yummy as expected--very soft, with a hint of red velvet, complemented by the red velvet cake cubes scattered on top. Dark and creamy chocolate sauce.

But what really amazed me about this dish was the Taro Cream Cheese. My mouth is watering just talking about this unique topping. I never would have thought to mix the two together, but it was absolutely delicious. I seriously could have eaten a tub of this stuff by itself.

Oh did I fail to mention it comes as a 4-pack?

Yogurstory has really taken waffles to the next level. Red Velvet Waffles with Red Velvet Cake Cubes, Taro Cream Cheese and Chocolate Sauce is pretty inventive.

But Red Velvet has friends. Very good looking friends.

Next on my list of waffles to try, it's a tie between:

Sweet Potato Waffles with Coconut Haupia Sauce, Toasted Coconut and whipped cream, or
West Hollywood Oreo Waffles with White Chocolate Mousse, Chocolate Chips, Belgian 58% Chocolate Sauce and Creme Anglaise.

Holy waffle house, Batman.

Proof that these crazy waffles actually exist.

Yogurstory. Silly name. Awesome waffles.

Yogurstory

815 Keeaumoku St
Honolulu, HI 96814

(808) 942-0505

Okinawan Sweet Potato Haupia Squares

2012-01-08T16:24:00.000-08:00

Enjoying my little treat on gorgeous Waikiki Beach

One of the things I loved about growing up in Hawaii was being exposed to so many different cultures, languages, and of course, food. While the title of this next delicious dessert sounds completely normal to me, after telling a friend from New York about it, she replied, "the whatta?"

So let's break it down:

Okinawan: where this pretty little potato is from. For the geography-challenged, Okinawa is one of Japan's southern prefectures (ok, I may have looked that up. I was going to say "somewhere in south Japan" but that sounded a bit vague).

Sweet Potato: Okinawan sweet potato is my FAVORITE kind of sweet potato, not just for it's lovely sweetness, but for it's wildly different color--a beautiful deep purple hue.

Poor little guys, I wanted to take them all home.

Haupia: this is my FAVORITE Hawaiian dessert. In a nutshell, it's coconut pudding--but definitely not your average pudding. Traditional haupia is very thick with a creamy, coconut flavor that's mildly sweet.

You can probably see that by combining two of my favorite foods--Okinawan sweet potato and Haupia--we're already off to a really good start. Add a sweet and crunchy graham cracker crust and POW: a delectable dessert, courtesy of a fabulous mix of cultures (Japanese + Hawaiian + American).

Don't be fooled by the simple sign--just go inside.
You can thank me later.

The best part about this story is where I found this little gem- a tiny little deli/bakery with no sign, which sits next to a walk-up order window selling plate lunches. Yet another reason to love Hawaii: some of the most amazing foods are found in the most hidden, discreet places.

A few of my Hawaii friends told me that the next time I visited, I had to stop at the Diamond Head Bakery, located near the zoo. Luckily, we were able to stop by on my last day to not only try a few lovely desserts, but also meet up with my friends Adrene and Bart from LA.

Hanging out in front of The Moana, my favorite hotel in Waikiki

After oohing and aahing at the huge selection of available treats (Diamond Head Torte, Pumpkin Crunch, Coconut Bread Pudding were also contenders), I settled on the delicious Okinawan Sweet Potato Haupia Square. Adrene and Bart grabbed a scrumptious plate lunch and then the crew brilliantly decided to head to nearby Waikiki Beach, one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, to enjoy our treasures. Such a lovely end to my trip--delectable treats enjoyed on gorgeous, warm, sunny Waikiki Beach.

And a few hours later, I was on a plane back to New York. Gorgeous, warm, sunny New York.

Diamond Head Market & Grill
3158 Monsarrat Ave.
Honolulu, Hawaii 96815
(808) 732-0077
www.diamondheadmarket.com

Desserts Make Me Insanely Happy's Top 5 Best Desserts of 2011

2012-01-01T13:58:00.000-08:00

A really close runner-up: The seriously addicting
Beignets at Cafe Du Monde, New Orleans, LA.
Note: this is not a staged picture. I seriously
get this excited about desserts.

I'm a sucker for rankings. Whether it's College Football (sadly neither of my teams-- Colorado or UH-- have made the Top 25 for many, many years), Music Videos (I'm convinced this is the sole reason why VH1 exists), or dentists (if it's not immediately obvious why this is important, allow me to explain: I have a dessert blog).

I've had the privilege of traveling and, of course, eating A LOT of desserts in 2011. And because I love rankings, I thought it might be fun to share with you my favorite desserts of the year. But first, a shout out.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to my lovely friends and family who accompanied me on my little Dessert Adventures. You all seriously deserve a medal. That you put up with me dragging you to odd and out of the way bakeries, the incessant picture taking/food styling, for making you wear silly hats (see Sylvia below), and for the oh-so embarrassing gasping and overall giddy eye-popping excitement...my deepest appreciation.

Actually, I really like this idea. Maybe I'll make Certificates: "I Survived Eating Dessert with This Really Crazy Lady". Hmmm. Stay tuned.

Oh the things my wonderful friends will do for me.
Thanks, Syl, for being the most patient and up for
anything friend I've ever known. Love ya, babe.

Since there are so many different types of desserts, I've thoughtfully organized them by category.

I hereby declare Desserts Make Me Insanely Happy's First Annual Top 5 Best Desserts of The Year!

Drum roll please, Keri (yet another extremely patient friend who also happens to play the drums)...

5. Most Interesting Combination of Weird Things Dessert: Waffles with Ice Cream
From This Swedish Place (sorry I forgot to write it down), Stockholm, Sweden.

We devoured this refreshing treat outside the nameless store,
on the beautiful streets of Old Town Stockholm

I first spotted these my first day as I was walking through the streets of Old Town Stockholm. My friend Amy, who lives in Sweden, and I decided that though we had just had breakfast, we needed to try these magical waffles with ice cream ASAP.

As expected, this combination was absolutely delightful. The Swedish Waffles were sugary and crisp, which perfectly offset the soft and creamy blueberry and nutella ice cream placed delicately on top (you can choose your own ice cream!) They were so good, I had them again the next day (thanks for indulging me, Scott).

The only thing that sucks about these is that
they live in Sweden.

4. Most Chocolate You Can Cram Into A Dessert Dessert: La Dame Chocolat
Extraordinary Desserts, San Diego, California

I've never had reason to call a cake gorgeous, until now.

Extraordinary Desserts is a beautiful and unique space that offers many special desserts, but I was a bit blown away by the chocolate intensity of La Dame Chocolat. If the picture of this decadent treat didn't already move you, listen to the description: rich chocolate mousse, interrupted by layers of flourless chocolate cake, covered in chocolate ganache and sprinkled with chocolate shavings. Mmmmmm.

Ryan, I still can't believe we ate this thing AFTER a huge brunch. (Who am I kidding, of course I believe this).

This thing is mouthwatering from all angles.

3. Most Unexpected Finding Dessert: Peanut Butter Chocolate Nanaimo Bar
The Sweet Escape Patisserie, Toronto, Canada

Why "unexpected," you ask? Because I found it here.
And no, this is not a prison.

Truly a diamond in the rough. I stumbled upon this adorable distillery-turned-shopping-space in Toronto after a business meeting. I'm a beacon for bakeries, and when I spotted the Sweet Escape Patisserie, I knew I had to stop in.

The Peanut Butter Chocolate Nanaimo Bar was instantly recommended to me when I requested the most unique item in the shop. This Canadian favorite is traditionally made without Peanut Butter, but apparently The Sweet Escape Patisserie agrees with me: Peanut Butter makes everything better. Layers of chocolate, whipped cream, coconut flakes, and of course, peanut butter, all in a conveniently portable bar. Ridiculously good.

I want to jump through this picture right now.

2. Most Hugest Thing I've Ever Seen Dessert: Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookie
Levain Bakery, New York, New York

It's a bit blurry because I was too excited to hold the camera still.

I love living in New York for many reasons, but now I have an even better reason: I can have these bad boys anytime I want. Levain's cookies are legend, and it's so easy to see why. They're gigantic, they contain combinations of mouthwatering ingredients, and they're soft, chewy, and crumbly all at the same time. While the Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip is my favorite, they're all incredibly good.

My friend Rebekah, who joined me on this cookie quest, and I agreed: it's The Perfect Cookie. And so did Andrew, who thoughtfully replenished our stock the following morning.

With 4 outstanding choices, you can't go wrong

And last, but certainly not least...

1. Most Awesome and Highly Craved When I'm Homesick Dessert: Haupia Malasada
Leonard's Bakery, Honolulu, Hawaii

The Fab Four: Original, Lilikoi, Haupia, and Dobash

Oh how I love these things. I have fond memories of growing up and eating these all over Hawaii, but if you want the best, you head to Leonard's Bakery, the island malasada king. So what's a malasada? It's a Portugese Doughnut, without the hole. You can order The Original, or the Malasada Puff, a cream-filled version offered in a variety of yummy local flavors: lilikoi (passionfruit), dobash (chocolate), and haupia (coconut).

If that wasn't enough to make you happy, they also arrive warm and fresh, and are a steal at $1.25 a piece. This place is one of my top stops for breakfast before a much-needed hike in Manoa Valley, which is where my sister, mom and I are about to go in this below picture.

Fun for the whole family!

This was a difficult task for me, as there were so many other incredible desserts that were begging to be mentioned (seriously, I had about 35 Honorable Mentions). But this list feels right. Well, maybe...no, no, I'm done.

I hope you've enjoyed my little Adventures in Dessert, as much as I've enjoyed sharing my delicious journey with you. I feel very blessed and privileged to live a truly amazing life. I can't wait to see which new desserts 2012 will bring!

Wishing you all an "Insanely Happy" New Year!

If you have any comments or recommendations, please feel free to comment directly, or email me at: dessertsmakemeinsanelyhappy@gmail.com.

You can find these incredible desserts at:

Waffle and Ice Cream Shop Place
Gamla Stan, Stockholm, Sweden

Extraordinary Desserts

1430 Union Street

San Diego, CA 92101
619.294.7001

www.extraordinarydesserts.com

The Sweet Escape Patisserie
55 Mill Street
Toronto, ON M5A 3C4, Canada
416.214.2253
www.thesweetescapedistillery.com

Levain Bakery

167 West 74th St

New York, NY 10023

212.874.6080

www.levainbakery.com

Leonard's Bakery

933 Kapahulu Ave

Honolulu, HI 96816-1434
808.737.5591

www.leonardshawaii.com

I Didn't Eat One Pineapple at the Pineapple Room

2011-12-30T19:03:00.000-08:00

Warm Chocolate Bread Pudding with lots of fun extras

And that's a good thing. Being from Hawaii, you'd think I love pineapple. But I don't. In college, my friends would order the "Hawaiian Pizza," thrilled that I'd be able to experience a taste from home. Here's the thing: I hate pineapple on pizza. And "Canadian Bacon" (which is just a fancy way of saying "ham", by the way), is kinda ewww. So pineapple plus fake bacon? Double ewww.

But I'm a fan of Alan Wong's and I've never been to his highly-rated Pineapple Room, so my family and I visited one night. And I'm so glad we did, because we all agreed: this was one of the best meals we've ever had on Oahu.

The Pineapple Room is a casual yet beautiful restaurant located in Ala Moana, one of the largest outdoor malls in the world, and my favorite shopping mall on the island. Simple yet cozy, the focus is the quality of the food--a wonderful mix of Asian cuisine with a Hawaiian twist.

Chinese Style Pan Steamed Onaga, so pretty and so tasty

The real food was all delicious (the Onaga was perfectly steamed and bursting with flavor), but of course I was giddy about the desserts! All of the choices looked incredible, and I wanted them all. But that would just be silly. So so silly. (Note: I will be back. Oh yes, I will be back).

The vanilla ice cream slowly melting into a pool of creamy goodness

We were set on ordering 2, and then our lovely and very charming waitress twisted my arm and convinced me to go with 3 (what she said: "I also recommend the Japanese strawberry cheesecake...". Me, interrupting: "OK!"). The Warm Chocolate Bread Pudding with Peanut Butter Vanilla Anglaise, Vanilla Ice Cream and Carmelized Bananas were an obvious choice (Note: it contains peanut butter. Enough said). This decadent treat was a tasty combination of moist, light chocolate cake, doused in a creamy vanilla ice cream, topped with a light peanut butter glaze (I would have been happy with a bowl of that peanut butter sauce by itself), and topped with delicately carmelized bananas. Such a wonderful mix of flavors, textures, and temperatures!

Then there was the Japanese-style strawberry cheesecake. This delicate masterpiece was light and fluffy with a crunchy cookie-like crust, and topped with fresh strawberries. A sweet strawberry salsa complemented this lovely little dish.

A yummy and healthy (remember, strawberries are a fruit) dessert.

The most fun dessert, and my favorite of the 3, was the Haupia Tapioca Halo Halo. The fact that this dessert was on the menu was completely unexpected. Since I'm a giant sucker for anything a bit different from the norm, I was intrigued. Halo Halo is a Filipino dessert that usually involves shave ice, evaporated milk, and fruits or beans. Alan Wong took this traditional dessert to a new level by making it gourmet, Hawaiian-style.

Halo Halo!

The Halo Halo begins with a base of coconut shave ice, haupia tapioca, and mango kanten. Icy, creamy, and jelly-ish, it's an explosion of yummy differences. Sweet corn and azuki beans are infused throughout. And sprinkled on top, a fruity mix of bananas, melon, strawberries and pineapple (I skipped the pineapple). So many different flavors blended together for a refreshing, fruity treat.

And to top off this perfect meal? A bit of shopping, of course!

The Pineapple Room by Alan Wong
1450 Ala Moana Blvd
Honolulu, HI 96814
808.945.6573
www.alanwongs.com/pineapple-room-welcome

Hawaiian Style Blueberry Macadamia Nut Pancakes with Secret Sauce

2011-12-27T20:28:00.000-08:00

Pondering life on Gorgeous Lanikai Beach

I've visited some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, but my favorite will always be a little hidden gem on my home island of Oahu. One of the reasons I love it is because it's a secret beach. (My apologies to the locals who might be a tad nervous about me sharing this information, but it's so beautiful it should be shared. Plus, I just saw it listed in "1000 Places to Visit Before You Die" so, sorry everyone, cat's out of the bag).

If you continue past Kailua Beach, you will enter a very small residential area called...Lanikai. Ahhhhhh. The name alone brings a smile to my face.

So anytime I'm on Oahu, of course I make time for relaxing and catching up on reading at Lanikai ("The Happiness Project" by Gretchen Rubin is my book of choice at the moment. I also have 6 half-read books sitting on my nightstand but that's another story). And to make the experience even more spectacular, on my way, I always stop at the Boots and Kimo's in Kailua, another hidden gem that can also be a tad difficult to find. Not only do they have the best Macadamia Nut Pancakes on the island, Boots and Kimo's could be the coolest name for a restaurant ever.

I just love to say Boots and Kimo's

Boots and Kimo's is the hands-down winner of the best pancakes on the island. (They seriously win Honolulu's Best Pancake Awards annually; surprisingly, I'm not just making this up). So while the menu is extensive, it's not too difficult to figure out that my order will somehow involve pancakes. And since they're famous for their Macadamia Nut Pancakes, at least one order of these always find their way to our table.

Blueberry Macadamia Nut Pancakes with Secret Sauce

Now I bet you're thinking, "Uh thanks lady, pancakes with macadamia nuts, whoopee", but let me tell you, these aren't just any old pancakes. Oh no. These pancakes are special. Why? Because they contain a Secret Ingredient.

The pancakes themselves are lovely--light, fluffy, buttery--everything a pancake should be. But it's the sauce that sets it apart. It's just a rumor, but supposedly, the sauce is made of melted macadamia nut ice cream. Wow. Just let the weight of that statement sink in for a minute. A triple stack of wonderful pancakes dripping in creamy, frothy, melted macadamia nut ice cream is pure yumminess.

And adding to the deliciousness, blueberries! Yay for Today's Special!

For your clarification, my helpful mom conveniently
points to the pancakes.

Here's the thing, I don't even care if the rumor is true. These pancakes are so delicious, the 30 minute plus wait time is absolutely worth it (they don't accept reservations so cross your fingers that it's not a crazy busy day).

The crew ready to chow in the super fun
football-themed restaurant

On a side note, a few years ago, we ran into a few secret service men--easily spotted by their earpieces-- hanging around the restaurant, trying to blend in (a note: bright red shirts covered in giant hibiscuses and cursive ALOHA's might make you stand out a bit). President Obama tends to stay in this area when he vacations in Hawaii, so we jumped to the conclusion that he must have placed an order. I have no idea this is true, but don't you just love the idea of the Leader of the Free World taking a call with the Kremlin, while munching on Boots and Kimo's Macadamia Nut Pancakes?

Boots and Kimo's
151 Hekili St
Kailua, HI 96734
(808) 263-7929

Matsumoto's: Shave Ice with a Surprise

2011-12-24T20:21:00.000-08:00

My sister Aulani and I getting really excited!

It's a given. If you visit the North Shore, you stop at Matsumoto's.

I love stopping at Matsumoto's because that means two very important things have happened: I'm home! And we're driving to the North Shore!

Of course there are probably hundreds of shave ice places on Oahu, but Matsumoto's has always been my go-to stop since I was a little girl. (By the way, say "shaved" and you'll get a slap on the head from a local. You're welcome, Greg).

The drive to the North Shore is one of my favorite things to do when I'm back at home visiting family and friends. It's not hard to see why. The gist is, you drive around the beautiful island viewing some of the most gorgeous scenery in the world, occasionally stopping to eat some of the best food in the world. Perhaps you can see why I like this idea.

Wonderful Waimea Bay

Lush Pali Lookout

And as much as I love New York, and all of the wonderful places I have had the privilege of visiting, for me, Hawaii has the best of everything, especially when it comes to food.

The iconic sign that hangs above the little shave ice shack

Shave ice is such a lovely treat, especially after a hot day at the beach. So after a stop at Waimea Bay, we pulled into a pretty packed Matsumoto's parking lot. Normally we battle it out with vans and buses full of tourists, and a line snaking around the corner, but today was our lucky day: a parking spot under the trees, and a line of only 20 people! Score!

One of the reasons I love this place is that even though it's incredibly successful, they've kept everything pretty much the same, just as I remember it years ago.

So many flavors, so little time!

Despite the abundance of flavors, I tend to stick to a few favorites: coconut, guava and lychee. Trust me, I've tried almost every flavor, and I officially declare these three as the best.

Icy, sugary, bean-filled yumminess

The really cool thing about Matsumoto's is that in addition to the finely shaved ice, you can choose your own surprise! At the bottom of your little cone, you can choose from ice cream, azuki beans or both. I was feeling beany so I went with the lovely, slightly sweet azuki beans.

Getting down to the good stuff

After slurping every last drop of sugary syrup, fishing out every last bean, and taking a bite of my mom's ice cream, we bid farewell to our favorite little shave ice stop.

A hui ho, Matsumoto's.

Matsumoto Shave Ice

66-087 Kamehameha Hwy

Haleiwa, HI 96712

808-637-4827
www.matsumotoshaveice.com

I Think I Just Found The Best Cookies in NYC

2011-12-22T19:31:00.000-08:00

Soft, gooey, nutty chocolate goodness.

It's true, my friends. Never mind New York City. I'm pretty sure I've just eaten the best cookies on earth.

Now I realize I've only lived here for a few months, but during this time, I've been highly dedicated to finding the very best desserts my new city has to offer. And trust me, I've done a really good job so far.
This next wondrous discovery was recommended by quite a few people, especially when I mention I have a dessert blog. This was a typical comment: "well obviously you've been to Levain." Disappointed head shaking would ensue when I muttered an uncomfortable "uh, no". So when my friend Rebekah, a fellow Dessert Lover, came to visit, it was the perfect opportunity to finally enter the hallowed doors of the famous Levain Bakery.

Oh Cookie, I think I love you.

After dinner at 'Cesca, a lovely little neighborhood gem, we decided to walk off our Italian carb fest and headed to the nearby bakery, in an awesome attempt to continue the carb extravaganza.

At first we walked right by it. Besides the fact that I was born with zero sense of direction, this isn't hard to do. Why? It's tiny. I mean, teeny weeny. And it's below street level so it's even more difficult to find. The only reason we even saw it is because of the crowd of people coming in and out of the tiny screen door (ok I'm making this place sound like the Keebler Elf Factory; the screen door was in fact regular-people sized).
(A side note: My directionlessness is legendary. I even get lost in my hometown. My sisters will happily tell you the now classic story of how I got lost in Waianae, which happens to be about 45 minutes from my house. I think. But I digress).

We found it! Hooray!

As we descended the little steps to the bakery counter, I got excited--and I wasn't the only one. Everyone in the small space seemed to be sporting a giddy little grin, especially the ones stuffing their faces with some of the largest, most gorgeous cookies I've ever seen.
The beauty of Levain bakery is in its simplicity. There are only 4 cookies! Utterly brilliant! I like to think they focus on making the 4 best cookies in the universe, and that's it. They do have other amazing baked goods too, but these Cookies are the Hero!

Of course we bought one of each, plus a buttermilk Oatmeal Raisin scone, all in the name of serious baking research.
Here they are, in all their delicious glory:
1. Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookie
2. Dark Chocolate Chip Cookie
3. Oatmeal Raisin Cookie
4. Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip

Welcome to Cookie Heaven

How to describe these sugary treasures? My friend Paula tried once ("see, they're soft but also chewy and on top they're a bit hard...oh just try them") Well, she was right.

They're extremely unique for two reasons:

1. They're HUMONGOUS. Little Cookie Mountains. You can gently cradle this softball-sized treat in the palm of your hand.
2. They're a crazy mix of TEXTURES. Soft on the inside--almost underbaked which is my favorite way to eat them--yet slightly crumbly, and perfectly crisp on top. Now you're probably thinking what the hell is she talking about, but here's where I'll quote Paula: oh just try them.

To explain my Love of Scones, I offer a mathematical theorem:
Scones are made of Butter. Butter is Good.
Therefore, Scones are Good.

I had a favorite, of course. If you know me even a little bit, you'll know that I kinda enjoy the heavenly taste of God's gift to man, aka Peanut Butter. The Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookie left me utterly breathless. A perfect combination of not too sweet but richly flavored dark chocolate cookie dough mixed with a proportionate amount of mini Peanut Butter chips. Bravo, Levain.

The next day, after a ridiculously necessary vigorous morning workout, Rebekah and I met one of her friends at Sarabeths (love love love Sarabeths!). After introductions were made, Andrew hands me a rather heavy paper bag and says, "I hear you have a dessert blog, have you tried Levains?" Well hello, new best friend.

By the way Bekah, all this counting was for you. :)

Levain Bakery
167 West 74th St New York, NY 10023
212-874-6080
www.levainbakery.com

Gourmet Football Food: Have They Gone Too Far? (Answer: No)

2011-12-18T19:52:00.000-08:00

Cinnamon sugar popcorn with a super
secret ingredient: 3 scoops of melted butter

There's something about watching a sporting event live that gives any game (even golf) a whole new level of excitement. Speaking of golf, on tv, it's like watching grass grow (sorry Dad). In person, it's a bit more interesting (in fairness, I may be referring to a celebrity pro-am game where I basically stalked Drew Brees). Hockey? Channel surf time. But in person? I turn into a raging idiot who can't wait for the next fight ("Is that BLOOD? AWESOME!" This would be a direct quote from me at a recent Rangers game).

My favorite sport of all time is football. I grew up watching it and learning about it from my dad and have become a passionate supporter of some of the worst teams in the universe (Buffs, thanks for sucking it up for about a decade. Jets, you're not making me very happy this year either).

Our fun picture with the Cheerleaders. I mean Flight Girls.

My friend Sylvia, a fabulous fellow football fan, recently flew from LA to meet me for a riveting Chiefs vs Jets game (aka "The S*%# Bowl") at the Metlife Meadowlands Stadium in beautiful, scenic Rutherford, NJ.

I could have taken this little red-headed kid.

One of the funnest things about football, besides the food--I'm getting to that--is the pre-game activities. Sylvia and I showed up a bit early in anticipation of exploring all the fun things to do!

First, pictures with Flight Girls--not to be confused with cheerleaders because that's just silly. This is different because these girls wear Top Gun uniforms, carry pom-poms and cheer, but again people, learn from my mistake, they are NOT cheerleaders.

Next, warm up drills on a little fake field! Oh wait! DENIED. Apparently this was a contest for little kids only. Awww. I was just a bit disappointed.

So we moved on to the truly important task of finding which football foods we wanted to eat. The MetLife Stadium offers a huge variety--even Gluten Free food stands, which I must say, I did not see one person approach the entire game.

Look at these amazing options! Maple French
Toast Sugar Popcorn! At a stadium!

I was most excited about The Food Network, which apparently has a little deal with the stadium, catering to "football foodies" who might want something more than a hot dog and a beer.

So in the spirit of supporting the Jets, my team since 2010 (long story and perhaps Mark Sanchez was a factor), I decided to try a few things, starting with The Food Network stand. First on the list, Maple French Toast Sugar Popcorn! Very warm and buttery, it was a nice little snack but very difficult to eat with gloves on (it was sooooo cooooooold).

Jets green cotton candy, in a surprisingly fun flavor.

So I gave it to our nice neighbors, who then rewarded me with some of the stadium's signature green cotton candy. Hmmmm. Not my first dessert choice, but they enticed me with this: "You'll never guess what flavor it is". Ok nice neighbors, I'll bite. Sylvia guessed Mint. Well that's a perfectly reasonable guess, isn't it?

For some reason, the first thing that came to my mind was Green Tea. In my defense, if they can serve Sun-Dried Tomato Caesar Salad, and call their cheerleaders Flight Girls (yeah, I'm not over that yet), why not serve Green Tea Cotton Candy?

Thank goodness I'm not in charge of cotton candy flavors. The smart people at The MetLife Stadium chose Green Apple--a much, much better idea. I'm not a huge cotton candy fan, but I have to tell you, flavored cotton candy is a pretty spectacular.

Ooooh pizza....

We also ended up eating gorgonzola pear and margherita pizza, a cinnamon pretzel stick, a hot dog, and 2 Mrs. Fields cookies. You know, just a few things.

The game finally wound down, which for Sylvia, a die-hard Chiefs fan, could not come soon enough. Between my incessant chanting "And that's a JETS FIRST DOWN!" and my awesome touchdown dance (both of which happened about every 10 minutes), we were ready to go home. Thank goodness our driver knew exactly where to pick us up ("Hello lady, I'm at the stadium, near a flag. Where are you?" What I wanted to say: "Great, I'm the girl in the black jacket.") Another story entirely.

MetLife Stadium
102 Route 120
East Rutherford, NJ 07073
www.metlifestadium.com

Fact: Peanut Butter Is Awesome. Bigger Fact: The Peanut Butter Co. is Awesomeness x 1000

2011-12-16T17:46:00.000-08:00

If everyone dreamed of dark chocolate peanut butter,
the world would be a happier place.

To say that I'm a fan of peanut butter is just plain silly. "Fan" doesn't begin to cover the all- encompassing obsession I have for this superfood. I'm not sure why peanut butter has such a hold on me, but for some reason I cannot control myself around it.

In fact, I cannot keep peanut butter in my house. Why? Because one of my joys in life is to sit on my couch with a jar of peanut butter and a spoon and before I know it...the entire jar is gone. Poof. In one sitting. I've seriously done this a few times. (You say "eww", I say Winner!)

The Peach Smoothie. Just kidding.

If you have never eaten peanut butter with a spoon, I don't know what you're waiting for. (To really connect with this story, I suggest taking a spoon to a jar of peanut butter while you read this).

And if you're feeling really wild and crazy, here are two fun ideas that you should maybe try: sprinkle some M&M's into the peanut butter jar and gently scoop out a little mound of the creamy mixture dotted with M&M's for a crunchy, colorful mixture that's oh so tasty. Or another random idea, mix a spoonful of peanut butter with a spoonful of Nutella; double dip for optimum deliciousness. These are just two amazing ideas I've heard about that I can imagine were really successful.

Ok back to my story. So now that you better understand my obsession with peanut butter, you might be able to see that I was a teensy bit excited when I learned that there was a restaurant entirely devoted to peanut butter.

Friends, it is my pleasure to introduce you to The Peanut Butter Company.

I visited this lovely establishment with my friend Ryan, a fellow Peanut Butter Junkie, who flew to New York just to visit this restaurant (this statement may be slightly embellished. But just slightly).

The Elvis. I'm All Shook Up.

Ryan ordered The Elvis, a grilled peanut butter sandwich filled with bananas, honey and bacon. Delightful. A purist, he ordered just a peanut butter sandwich. Silly. I, on the other hand, got a bit out of control...

The Peanut Butter and Pumpkin Sandwich, which comes with
a little carrot and disappointingly, non-peanut butter covered
potato chips. (You say "eww", I say "yes please").

I ordered the PB&J of the week, The Peanut Butter and Pumpkin Sandwich. There were so many delectable choices (my second choice was Dark Chocolate Dreams--dark chocolate peanut butter with cherry jam, stuffed with shredded coconut...holy good idea), but the fact that I adore both Peanut Butter and Pumpkin-anything made this decision not as difficult as I thought. I also ordered the Peanut Butter Smoothie, a wonderful frozen blend of peanut butter, bananas, honey and soy milk. YUM.

More gratuitous peanut butter porn.
I bought many, many things.

Then I bought some gifts. Mostly for others. Dark Chocolate Dreams and Old Fashioned Creamy for some fellow Peanut Butter Junkies, Peanut Butter Brownie mix (sorry Angelique, that was meant for you but didn't quite make it), a Peanut Butter cookie (pretty good but it could have used More Peanut Butter!), and a Peanut Butter button. Yup, I bought a button. Because I want everyone to know that I'm officially "Team Peanut Butter Co". Also it had a picture of a cute little monkey on it. Feel free to call me The Gift Shop Sucker.

Old Fashioned Smooth would be my favorite:
I like it pure and classy.

The Peanut Butter Company
240 Sullivan Street
NY, NY 10012
212-677-3995
www.ilovepeanutbutter.com

The Apricot Buckwheat Quince Green Tea, the Most Clever Dessert Ever Created

2011-12-09T09:18:00.000-08:00

Not only is each plate mouthwateringly yummy,
they are gorgeous to behold. I mean, come on,
I could frame this.

What did I do Wednesday night? Oh, I just had one of the most Memorable Meals Of My Life.

Now I know I tend to exaggerate—it’s just my nature—but I’m not kidding here, people. This place had incredibly unique, yet equally tasty food, excellent service, a warm and fun ambience, and of course, impeccable desserts.

One of the contributing factors in my recent move to New York was, honestly, food. New York has the most inventive, diverse restaurant selection per square inch than any other city on the planet. This is a scientific fact, based on absolutely nothing.

I love learning about new chefs, dishes, and restaurants. I’m a big fan of The Food Network and The Cooking Channel—Unique Sweets, Best Thing I Ever Ate, Cupcake Wars and Giada DeLaurentiis tend to clog up my DVR--which is how I learned about WD-50.

Monkfish, Smoked Barley, Beet-Mustard, Nori. If you've
never had smoked barley, run to the nearest smoked
barley store.

WD-50 serves the most unique, delicious, and humorous dishes I have ever come across. This restaurant is the brainchild of Wylie Dufresne ( seriously one of the coooooolest chef names ever). I have been dying to try this restaurant since I moved to New York. So, as is typical with these types of places, I booked the first available reservation at a decent dining hour, which was on a Wednesday night at 6:30pm. 6 weeks later…

The day arrived. And with it, a crazy rainstorm that robbed me of any cabs within a 2 mile radius. So instead I took the slowest train in the history of trains-- the appropriately named “F”. It got me close enough to the restaurant that I could swim to Clinton Street, but I still arrived 15 minutes late. Gulp. (The nightmare running through my head: “I’m sorry, our next available seating is at 11pm. In 2014.”)

Everything Bagel (except it's Ice Cream!), Smoked Salmon Threads,
Crispy Cream Cheese. Clever and Delicious.

Luckily my friend Keri arrived on time, and the hostess didn’t seem at all perturbed by my late arrival. We were seated immediately and gravitated to the Tasting Menu. 11 courses containing some of the most unbelievable food combinations I’ve ever seen? And we were celebrating Keri’s birthday? Easy choice.

The real food was phenomenal, but of course I was geeking out over the—not 1, not 2, but 3 incredible desserts that we would have the privilege of trying. (In actuality, it became 5. Can you believe it? 5 desserts! AHH!)

You'll never guess what this is so I'm just gonna tell you:
Sweet Shrimp, Miso Noodles, Chicory, Yuzu. Delectable.

Foie-lafel. Get it? HA! It took me a second,
then I burst out laughing. So clever!

Quail, Chartreuse Yogurt, Turnip, Nutmeg.
I had no idea how much I loved quail until now.

And now, to the incredibly unique desserts...(for those of you who are counting, #5 is at the beginning of the story)

Milk chocolate, black bean, plaintain, soy, peanut
An exotic mix of unbelievable flavors, and
gorgeously presented. We did a lot of staring.

Candied Egg Yolk, brown buttermilk, jackfruit,
hazelnut. I can't begin to describe how surprisingly
mouthwatering this little ensemble turned out to be. I wonder if they'll let me order this to go...

These fried rice pudding balls arrived perfectly
warm. To Die For is one way to explain them.
Another treat they should sell by the dozen.

Frozen "rice krispy treats". Delicious! Refreshing!
A perfect end to the meal!

What an experience! There was such intelligence infused into this meal, I experienced a pleasant disconnect between my mouth and my brain. When I would read the description of the upcoming dish on the menu, I had a picture in my mind. And every time, what arrived blew me away.

I also need to give a shout out to the staff. The service could not have been more impeccable. Our waitress, as well as the entire waitstaff, was extremely knowledgeable about every dish, and you could almost feel their passion for the food. That can't be taught. Oh, and Wylie himself happened to be in his own kitchen! When do you see that happen? The hostess informed us that he's always there. Wow.

There's something special going on at WD-50; I highly encourage you to experience it for yourself.

WD-50

50 Clinton Street

New York, NY 10022

212.477.2900

http://www.wd-50.com

My Signature Spiced Caramel Apple Deep Dish Pie

2011-12-05T19:20:00.000-08:00

Before...and After!

Though I've only made it twice, it was so amazingly delicious and received such worldwide acclaim (from the 5 people that tried it), I hereby declare my Signature Thanksgiving Pie...drum roll please...The Spiced Caramel Apple Deep Dish Pie! Oooh even the description makes my mouth water.

I made this extraordinary pie at Thanksgiving last year, and it was the obvious winner over every other pie made by my friends and family. **This statement may or may not be verified by aforementioned friends and family who, granted, also made some yummy pies. (I come from a competitive family. You've been forewarned if you ever dare play a game of flag football with us).

The Amazing Pies of 2010. Oh Look! There's
the Best Caramel Apple Deep Dish Pie Ever!

I decided to make the pie again this year, with some changes. I started with a base recipe, but I should tell you that I don't follow recipes very well. It's not that I think I know better (bake with me once and you'll realize I clearly do not), I just like putting my own spin on everything.

I found an online recipe called "Caramel Apple Pie II" (Boh-ring. I improved upon the pie name just a little. I love naming things. When I was little I wanted my job to be Crayola Crayon Namer--who doesn't want to color with Supersilly Purpleness?)

It's a pretty easy recipe, a little time consuming. It took me about 30 min to prepare the pie, then another 45 minutes to bake. Here are the steps I followed. I included the real recipe below.

1. Buy/Make 2 Deep Dish Pie Crusts: I thought I'd save time so I bought a pretty crappy frozen pie crust. I'm still trying to figure out how the grocery stores work around here. Sometimes I feel like I moved to Turkey. Turns out I should have just made the pie crust from scratch (more on this later).

The very perfect frozen pie crust

2. Slice Some Apples. I like to use a variety of apples, for the burst of color and the mix of flavors. Granny Smith are a favorite, and I also found some wonderful organic Honeycrisp apples at the Lincoln Square Farmer's Market. How you slice the apples is key: I used an apple corer (what an awesome invention) and a mandolin to slice the apples very thinly.

Gorgeously cored and mandolin-sliced apples

3. Add cinnamon, sugar, lemon and flour to the bowl of apples and mix thoroughly. I also added a secret ingredient this year because I walked by the spice counter at Trader Joe's and thought the bottle looked really cute. Welcome to the recipe, Pumpkin Pie Spice.

Makes a great pie filling, or snack...

4. Add a thin layer of the apple mix to the pie crust.

Layer #1: yummy Apple filling

5. Then add a layer of caramels. Then a layer of apples. Then a layer of caramels. You get the idea.

An extremely generous layer of caramels

6. Keep building layer upon layer until you've built a beautiful dome of apples and caramels. (I skipped the toffee layer since I more than made up for it with these little caramels).

Delicious Caramel Apple Mountain

7. Cover the layers with the second deep dish pie crust. Now this is where I ran into trouble. I planned to take the second frozen pie crust from its shell and elegantly drape it over the apple mix. The pie crust had other plans. It decided to crumble like an old dry cookie. Thank you, frozen pie crust that I will never buy again. So I had to make my second pie crust. I quickly grabbed some flour, butter and water and made what turned out to be one of the ugliest pie crusts known to man. I hate making pie crust. It's truly an art, as I learned from my mom and my friend Amy, both of whom could win pie-crust making competitions.

Not my finest hour, but I made it work.

Miraculously, this silly homemade crust fit. I then designed a
little flower on top and egg washed the crust.

8. Place it in the oven, covered in foil for the first 30 minutes or so. Then uncover to help the crust turn crispy and brown.

Et voila! The Spiced Caramel Apple Deep Dish Pie

9. Let cool and then eat it. I actually didn't have a chance to try this lovely pie. I had two Thanksgiving meals that day and was a bit full by the time I arrived at the second meal, so I left this wonderful treat at my friend Margaret's house. She reportedly enjoyed it to the last bite.

I guess I'll just have to make another one next year.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/caramel-apple-pie-ii

1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust deep dish pie
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
5 cups thinly sliced apples
2/3 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon lemon juice
20 caramels, halved
2 tablespoons milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
To Make Taffy: In a small bowl combine brown sugar, melted butter or margarine, and 1/3 cup flour. Mix well and set aside.
To Make Apple Filling: Place apples in a large bowl. Add white sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, cinnamon, and lemon juice. Toss until all ingredients are mixed well and apples are thoroughly coated.
Spoon half of apple filling into pastry-lined deep-dish pan. Top with half of caramels and half of taffy mixture. Repeat process with remaining apple filling, caramels and taffy mixture. Place top pastry over filling and seal well (this is very important--if edges are not sealed, caramel will leak out all over). Cut steam vents and brush top crust with milk or light cream.
Cover pie with foil and place on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil from pie and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, until crust is golden. Serve warm.

A Lovely Tea Party at The Plaza

2011-12-04T19:53:00.000-08:00

The classics, dahling: Earl Grey Tea and a Currant Scone
(I'm typing this with a British accent. In fact, I recommend
reading this entire story with a British accent).

There are few things lovelier in life than high tea. Donning a beautiful dress and a fabulous hat, I never feel as elegant, ladylike--or British--as when I'm surrounded by scones and strawberries, devonshire cream and soothing hot tea. In LA, The Peninsula Hotel was a favorite. Now that I'm in New York, I'm officially on a quest to find the Best Place in New York for High Tea.

The fabulously elegant Palm Court

But where to start? So many choices, so little time. I decided to begin at one of my favorite hotels in the city, the classic and gorgeous Plaza Hotel. And luckily, my fabulous friend Sylvia was in town to join me.

Set across from beautiful Central Park, The Plaza offers gorgeous scenery both inside and outside its grounds.

Palm Court, where high tea is offered on weekend afternoons, is an elegant space, complete with high ceilings, crystal chandeliers, plush velvet chairs, gilded staircases, and a jungle of palm trees. What a perfect stage for a lovely afternoon tea party.

One of the things I love most about high tea is the high tea stand. Mini sandwiches, scones, muffins, and petit fours are already fun, but arrange them ever so perfectly on cascading china? Behold, The Tower of Goodies.

This little egg-filled buttery pastry cup could not be more
adorable (or yummy).

My all-time favorite little sandwich (I asked for 2!)
Smoked salmon with a rich cream cheese and dill. Divine.

In addition to the standard sandwiches and scones, placed delicately at the top of the stand was a bevy of fabulous little desserts. The Plaza didn't stop at 2 or 3 choices--this dessert plate offered 6 very different treats- from cakes to macaroons to chocolates to chewy fruit bars.

A warm welcome to you all, my friends.

Well hello little chocolate cake surprise (I'm still not sure
exactly what this was.)

Thank God they're bite-sized or I would have been at the gym for the rest of the day (of course I tried them all). My favorite dessert was the beautiful little marble sized chocolate button, swirled with beautiful white and red swirls. Almost too beautiful to eat. Almost.

Our lovely tea experience was made even more so by the addition of adorable little girls with their mothers, bringing their Eloise dolls, and some even wearing matching Eloise outfits. If you're not sure who Eloise is, she is the star of a children's story of a little girl who lived in the penthouse of The Plaza. In fact, there's a lovely painting of Eloise that hangs on the wall next to Palm Court. It seems to be tradition that when the girls are finished with their tea, they take photos with Eloise and their dolls. Sylvia and I happened to be sitting next to the painting, and witnessed this cute little scene several times during our 3-hour tea. Absolutely adorable!

Thank you, Eloise, for making our
tea experience even more enjoyable.

The Plaza Hotel

Fifth Avenue and Central Park South

NY, NY 10019

212-546-5300

www.theplaza.com

The Magical Pumpkin Waffle and Muffins at Sarabeth's

2011-12-03T16:52:00.000-08:00

Yay for Pumpkin Waffles with lots of fun stuff on top!

It's time to talk about Sarabeth's. Glorious, glorious Sarabeth's.

If you're a fellow Fan of Brunch, and you ask any New Yorker for their recommendation, you will hear Sarabeth's--East, West, South, North Pole, whatever--mentioned again and again. And I quickly found out why.

It's cute, it's cozy and they happen to serve super yummy brunch items like Lemon Ricotta Pancakes, Pumpkin Waffles topped with Pumpkin Seeds and Raisins, Almond Crusted French Toast and Cheese Blintzes, to name a few. Carb lovers, rejoice!

Look at these ridiculous choices.
You can't go wrong here, people.

The first time I visited Sarabeth's at the Central Park South location, I met my lovely friend Mel, whom I hadn't seen in 15 years. Catching up with her was exciting enough, but the experience became even more magical very quickly. After reminiscing about band camp (seriously), all of a sudden, there was a flurry of excitement in the restaurant. I looked out the front window and much to my surprise, it was SNOWING! IN OCTOBER!

I attribute at least 100 of these footsteps to
me frolicking through this winter wonderland.

I quickly grabbed my phone and sprinted outside to capture some shocking pictures of what the pretty weather lady said would be "light rain with a chance of snow." In actuality, it became a full-blown snowstorm. Ok, I might be slightly exaggerating. But to a girl from Hawaii whose been living in LA for the last 10 years, it looked like a flipping blizzard.

After capturing a completely silly amount of snow pictures, I skipped back to the restaurant to partake in our fabulous fare. Mel ordered the Pumpkin Waffles, perhaps at my suggestion. I tend to make a lot of friendly suggestions; just a slight warning to anyone who may dine with me.

Crispy on the outside, warm and fluffy on the inside, with just a hint of pumpkin--it was a perfectly executed waffle. The pumpkin seeds added crunch while the raisins and strawberries infused a fruity flavor burst. And of course the maple syrup perfectly finished off this lovely little dish.

Yummy is all I have to say here.

I decided on something eggy. I adore carbs, but considering how much I love them, I try to fit in some protein from time to time. I honestly can't remember exactly what the eggy thing was (a fritatta? with chives?). What I do remember is the pumpkin muffin, topped with sunflower seeds and a delicious mixed berry jam. YUM.

Keeping in theme (I love themes!), I ordered a pumpkin
muffin to complement our pumpkin waffle. I may have also had
a Pumpkin Spice Latte earlier that morning. Don't get me started
on my Pumpkin Spice Latte addiction.

In addition to breakfast, Sarabeth's also offers lunch and dinner, but the crown jewel, and her most famous offering, is her yummy jams. I've had the pleasure of trying a few--the Blood Orange Marmalade was magically delicious-- and it is my lofty goal to try them all when Autumn, my fantastic friend who makes really fun and unusual jams, comes to visit. (You can see her blog at www.autumnscopperpot.blogspot.com).

Autumn, I can only imagine how you're
going out of your mind right now.
Miss you, silly.

Sarabeth's
40 Central Park South
New York, NY 10019
(212) 826-5959
www.sarabethscps.com

http://goddessofbakedom.com/sb/sarabeth/

It's Amazing, it's Incredible, it's Extraordinary Desserts

2011-11-20T14:00:00.000-08:00

Allow me to introduce you to the appropriately
named Dame Chocolat. Try not to drool.

There are precious few dessert places that have made me lose my mind. The first time I walked into this next little gem located in beautiful downtown San Diego, since there were a million beautiful treats displayed everywhere, I literally started skipping from one dessert to the other, in a desperate attempt to view all of these amazing creations in the shortest amount of time possible (thank you to my always-embarrassed friends who accompany me on these little dessert adventures).

In fact, this next little gem inspired me to start a fun contest. At the end of the year, I will be highlighting My Top 5 Best Desserts of 2011. Congratulations, Extraordinary Desserts, for being considered for this truly amazing honor.

Even the sign is extraordinary.

In addition to having some of the most beautiful mouth-watering desserts in existence, Extraordinary Desserts is one of the hippest, most artfully decorated venues I have ever seen. When I took my first step inside, while the space is quite large and slightly overwhelming, I felt a delicious combination of total happiness and yet, total zen. To better understand this confusing experience, I will explain it in mathematical terms, which should be especially helpful to any engineers.

Gorgeously decorated cakes + pies + cookies + tortes + chocolates = happiness.
Well-organized space + giant silver Buddha = zen.

Surprise! The Sunday Brunch Buffet!

I met a friend for lunch there--they also serve real food and wonderful and rare teas too--with the strategy of quickly ordering a bowl of soup or something passable as lunch, so we could get to the good stuff immediately. So imagine my good fortune at stumbling across the Extraordinary Dessert Sunday Brunch Buffet!

Brunch is hands down my favorite mealtime. Why? Easy. Most breakfast items can technically qualify as desserts (Almond crusted french toast drizzled in maple syrup? Pumpkin waffles with candied walnuts?), but more importantly, it's this: no one thinks you're crazy if you eat dessert at brunch. Pick up a brownie for breakfast, you might get some stares. Grab a slice of blueberry cheesecake at brunch? Perfectly acceptable.

My attempt to appear normal by eating "lunch" type food.
From the super cute make your own sandwich bar.

As if there weren't enough desserts around, luscious
strawberry, blueberry and raspberry pastries
entice you at the end of the buffet. I tried one of each
for research purposes.

After lunch, which did include mini desserts, it took us 1.24 seconds to decide that additional dessert was in order. Off to the dessert counter (and more skipping)!

Selecting which beautiful, delectable treat to try was truly one of the most challenging parts of this experience. I somehow narrowed it down to three choices. Here they are, for your viewing pleasure.

Toasted Macadamia Caramel Cheesecake,
covered in gorgeous roses, dahlias and calla lilies.

Honestly I can't remember what these are. Napoleans?
Does it matter? Look at these things. AHHH!

La Dame Chocolat, adorned with a single phalaeonopsis orchid,
roses, gerber daisies, tuberose and a happy little green bow.

Did you guess Dame Chocolat? (If you didn't, you're slow. Check out the first photo I shared). I get a bit crazy over chocolate anything, but the description of this Grande Dame of all Tortes nearly sent me over the edge: intense, dark chocolate mousse floating between a light layer of flourless chocolate cake, covered in chocolate ganache and fresh chocolate shavings. All I heard was chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate.

We could have ordered an entire cake, but that would
have been silly. We just had lunch! With desserts!
So instead we ordered a little slice. Silly Ryan.

The Dame Chocolat lived up to her name. The mousse was perfectly creamy, bursting with the intenseness of rich dark chocolate, while the airy flourless chocolate cake provided a nice balance to the overall richness of the dessert. Just a few bites were all I needed.

I highly recommend visiting Extraordinary Desserts anytime you're in San Diego. I also highly recommend that when I'm in San Diego and invite you to a party, and you're asked to bring something to said party, and oh let's also say you also live about 30 seconds away from Extraordinary Desserts, I was thinking maybe you could bring something from Extraordinary Desserts. You know, maybe.

Extraordinary Desserts

1430 Union Street

San Diego, CA 92101
619.294.7001

www.extraordinarydesserts.com

C is for Cookie

2011-09-27T22:40:00.000-07:00

Cookie Monster, you're in for a treat. As an experienced and longtime Cookie Fan, I can honestly say I have never seen, heard or most importantly, tasted anything as unique as these fun little cookies I just happened to run into at the OB Jazz Fest.

Peanut Butter Overload Extravaganza. Love this name
(I may have added the "Extravaganza")

I love Fests, in general. But a Jazz Fest? Double love. So when my sister Aulani told me about the Ocean Beach Jazz Fest in San Diego, I got a bit excited. Shutting down Newport for an all-day street closure featuring the top jazz bands in socal? In!

What we (and when I say we, I mean Aulani) didn't realize, is that not only was there amazing music, this fest featured gourmet food tents, too!

Me: Aww so there's no food?

Aulani: Nope, no food.

And then we turned the corner and saw 80,000 food tents.

Tent after tent of arts, crafts, and oh, food...

I, of course, noticed the Cookie Tent right away. But everyone wanted to listen to this band that was about to start, so fine, I went to The Harp, one of the many jazzy venues of the day. And I'm glad I did because I would have missed out on my new favorite jazz band, the Nathan James Trio. Love!

The Nathan James Trio--not sure what I love more--
their hats or the little washboard guitar!

But I was still thinking about cookies.

And I may have told everyone I was thinking about cookies.

So. We went to find the cookies. :)

An awesome New Orleans-style jazz band
sashaying down Newport

What we didn't realize at the time was that we were about to experience Cookie History. These were not just your average cookies. These were the most unique and innovative cookies in the history of cookies.

Me infiltrating the Cravory Cookie tent

The geniuses at The Cravory have actually created 950 customized cookies, all of which are available online and at little fairs. Allow me to highlight a few of my favorites...

Red Velvet and Birthday Cake

Rosemary Balsamic. Because why not?

And here the crown jewel, (drum roll please...)
Pancake & Bacon Cookies!
Consensus: they were very...interesting.

All of them were pretty amazing (we tried about 6 different treats). Perhaps not surprisingly, my favorite was Peanut Butter Overload. Why? See if this doesn't move you: Organic Peanut Butter Dough with Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Reese's Chips and Guittard Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips. Holy peanuty heaven.

I quickly designated myself as the Cookie Keeper. This responsibility involved guarding the cookies and generously doling them throughout the day as we listened to amazing band after amazing band. All in all, an incredible day made even better by the discovery of some of the most special cookies on earth.

Aulani fully enjoying her Peanut Butter Overload.

Speaking of sharing, I leave you with one parting thought from the master himself: "Sometimes me think what is love, and then me think love is what last cookie is for. Me give up the last cookie for you." As if I didn't already love Cookie Monster.

http://www.thecravory.com/

Peanut Butter Stuffed Hawaiian Sweet Bread French Toast with Bananas and Walnuts

2011-09-22T19:54:00.000-07:00

So breakfast is my absolute faaaaavorite meal of the day. And I'm always looking for ways to "dessertify" (yes I make up my own words) any food, but especially anything remotely related to the breakfast category (cue my constant debate with co-worker Burton about whether Blueberry Muffins are dessert or breakfast. Burton, for the last time, they're breakfast-dessertish. Obviously).

My Little Cooking Fairy

A shout out to Cafe 123 in San Diego, CA for the inspiration of this next insanely tasty breakfast treat. They had a strong opening act--warmed up the audience a bit, if you will--but I like to think I brought the house down. Heyo!

The nice thing about The Peanut Butter Stuffed Hawaiian Sweet Bread French Toast with Walnuts and Bananas is that though it's a mouthful to say, they're relatively fast and easy to make.

One caveat before we begin: I highly, highly recommend hiring a Little Cooking Fairy. They're not just the best helpers on earth, they're pretty adorable, too. And they're happy to get paid in French Toast.

So here's what you'll need (this is the closest thing you'll ever get to a recipe from me, so please pay attention, Jenny and Kailey's mom).

- 1 Loaf of King's Hawaiian Sweet Bread (I also love Ani's from Long's in Hawaii and Big Island Punalu'u Sweet Bread but those may be a tad more difficult to source)

- Light Soy milk (fine, you can use fattening regular milk but I do live in LA so there you go)

- Eggs (brown and organic are best. Just kidding, I think I got some on sale.)

- Cinnamon

- Vanilla Extract

- Bananas

- Walnuts, chopped (or smashed depending on the skill level of your Little Cooking Fairy)

- Peanut Butter (the more creamy and processed and less natural, the better. That one's for you, Ryan Lau.)

Step 1: Make your french toast batter. I made breakfast for the whole family (5) so I cracked 10 eggs, then mixed in about 2 cups of soy milk and gave it to the Cooking Fairy to mix (not letting the fairy crack the eggs is crucial, just trust me on this). I then sprinkled about 2 tablespoons of cinnamon and maybe 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. I'll be honest, I kinda winged in. But it turned out ok. Just have fun out there, people.

Dipping Time!

Step 2: Dip your Hawaiian Sweet Bread slice in the funky batter.

Nicely cooked on both sides

Step 3: Place the dipped bread onto a hot frying pan (I turned the burner to Medium), already coated in Pam (or butter. Again I live in LA so I'm trying to make these as healthy as possible. Yes, I know that sounds ridiculous). Flip when ready, about 2 minutes on each side until they're cooked all the way through. I suggest doing two at a time since you'll need 2 for each creation.

Step 4: Place 1 slice of French Toast on a plate. Coat the top in a thick, luscious, rich, delectable, delicious layer of peanut butter (sorry I got a bit carried away). Coat the bottom of a 2nd slice of French Toast with an equally amazing layer of peanut butter.

Yay for Peanut Butter!

Think of it as a fried peanut butter sandwich but it's healthy
because it includes bananas and walnuts.

Step 5: Place the second slice of French Toast on top of the first slice, like a peanut butter sandwich. Cover with sliced bananas and destroyed walnut bits. Et voila, The Peanut Butter Stuffed Hawaiian Sweet Bread French Toast with Walnuts and Bananas.

Add a little bit of maple syrup...

Holy peanut butter yumminess

They were soooo yummy. The sweetness of the Hawaiian bread plus the creaminess of the peanut butter combined with the fresh bananas and crunchiness of the walnuts was the perfect combination of tastes and textures. Oh boy I love these. If you'll excuse me, I think I'll go make some right now...

This picture has nothing to do with anything,
I just can't stand how flippin cute she is.

Life is Short...Eat Dessert First!

2011-09-18T22:33:00.000-07:00

Jacques Torres, brilliant chocolatier and sign maker

I could not agree with you more, Jacques Torres. It turns out I basically agree with you about everything, but especially this little gem of a motto. (I could not have been more excited to take this picture, can you tell??? In fact, this was one of the only publishable photos where I wasn't grinning like a giant dork. Keri, you're seriously one of the most patient people on earth. Nothing but love for you.)

I recently had the awesome privilege of visiting Jacques Torres' adorable little chocolate haven in Brooklyn (it's actually in DUMBO--Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass--is that not the cutest thing ever? But I digress.) Ever dreamed of visiting Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory? Well, here's your chance.

Entering Chocolateland (cue the singing angels).

Jacques Torres is a master pastry chef and chocolatier, with thousands of delectable treats to prove it, but his true genius is in the completely charming and almost overwhelming display of chocolateness that literally makes you want to eat or buy everything the minute you walk into the store.

The building's exterior is plain yet very clever--it's a working chocolate factory, so the windows expose their magical chocolate-making machines. And the minute you step inside...the wonderful and powerful scent of all things chocolate wafts through the air. Combined with the gorgeous dark brown and orange color palette and overwhelming displays of all things chocolate, I felt Instant Chocolate Happiness. Forget a kid on Christmas. At Jacques Torres, I felt like a kid on crack riding a pony on Christmas.

Perfectly packaged, delightfully delicious.

Row upon row of any and every imaginable chocolate treat lives in this store--chocolate malt balls, chocolate cheerios, chocolate bark with roasted hazelnuts, candied ginger bars, chocolate chip cookies, hot chocolate, dark chocolate bars, milk chocolate bars, white chocolate bars with almonds, dark chocolate covered peanuts...you get the idea.

[Enter Crazy Chocolate Freak to counter]
Me: I'll take it.
Chocolate Lady: You buy the bark by the pound.
Me: Ok, I'll take 10.
Chocolate Lady: That's a lot. I think you mean 1.
Me:*pause* Nope.
Chocolate Lady: *blank stare*
[And scene]

I bought a bit of everything. You know, as gifts. For others. Because I'm a giver. Seriously, I did give some away. That's the nice thing about chocolate. Who doesn't like it? I don't know anyone who would refuse the Gift of Chocolate.

I chose almost one of everything because
variety is the spice of life.

Here I am in front of the store with my glorious chocolate gift box filled with beautiful, delectable chocolate treats, intended for my co-workers.

Geeking out!

And here is the above mentioned box that I opened in my hotel room. I forgot what I had ordered so I wanted to take a peek. And I then remembered that I wanted to try the Peanut Butter Chocolate Ganache--ummm to die for. Wish I had bought a whole box of it.

Life is like a box of chocolates. (Except I knew what I was
getting since I hand picked each one).

It is a small miracle that 10 of these chocolates actually made it back to LA. Co-workers, you are welcome.

Jacques Torres
66 Water Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
718-875-1269
www.mrchocolate.com

The Popsicle Part II: Dark Chocolate Mixed Berry with Hazelnuts

2011-09-09T21:26:00.000-07:00

The fabulous Irene with
her fabulous creation

I never thought I'd utter "popsicle" and "genius" in the same sentence, but boy, Pop Bar, do you deserve it.

So gourmet popsicles are kind of a big deal right now. I make this bold statement based on the fact that in one day, I ran into TWO different popsicle places! (I tend to exaggerate. A little. Ok a lot). I thought the Doughnut Peach Basil Popsicle was inventive. Holy wow Pop Bar, you took the popsicle to another level entirely.

My friend Irene and I had a somewhat disappointing dinner--gorgeous atmosphere but hello Flavor, we missed you. Needless to say, we were very hesitant to try their dessert.

That's when Irene brilliantly suggested Pop Bar, which happened to be around the corner. At first the idea of another popsicle wasn't that exciting to me. I had just tried a doughnut popsicle that afternoon, and there were sooooo many other dessert places I wanted to try. But when she described how unique this popsicle place was, I couldn't resist.

What's so different about Pop Bar? You get to customize your popsicle! Allow me (and Paul, the personal popsicle professional) to walk you through this fun, easy process.

Step 1: So many flavors, so little time!

Step 1: Choose your Flavor. A wide variety of fabulous freshly frozen flavors are available, made from Gelato, Sorbetto, or Yogurt: Blood Orange, Grapefruit, Mango, Chocolate, Strawberry, Pistachio, Peach...you get the picture. I chose Mixed Berry, a combination of (I think) Blueberries, Strawberries and Raspberries. Yay for summer fruit!

Step 2: Choose your Chocolate. White, Milk, or Dark. You really can't go wrong with any of these choices. Your popsicle can be fully dipped or half dipped, depending on your preference. I of course chose to let my popsicle completely submerge in the yummy pool of dark chocolate.

Step 2: Chocolate Time! I like dark chocolate because
it contains antioxidants. That makes it good for you.

Step 3: Choose your Nuts. Almonds, Pistachios, Peanuts, or Hazelnuts. Decisions, decisions! While Paul was pushing pistachios, the hazelnuts were calling to me. Here I reveal my complex thought process: chocolate + hazelnuts = Nutella. Done.

Step 3: It's nuts in here. Paul was encouraging
pistachios but I was feeling hazelnutty.

Et voila! The Dark Chocolate Dipped Mixed Berry with Hazelnuts Popsicle, made just for me!

The finished masterpiece!

These little treats were exactly what we were looking for, and completely made up for our dinner misadventure. The crunchy hazelnuts added a unique texture to the smooth, rich dark chocolate, which elegantly coated the sweet frozen berries. Refreshing, sweet, and savory-yum yum yum.

To complete the wonderful experience, we headed to the park across the street and sat on a bench, enjoying our tasty creations on a warm, beautiful night.

Thank you, Irene, for informing me AFTER we left the park that hundreds of little mice were running around our feet THE ENTIRE TIME. (She wisely concluded that I would freak the hell out. Which I did, later).

In conclusion, I highly recommend visiting Pop Bar. I also highly recommend not eating them in the park.

Popsicles in the park on a warm
New York summer night....bliss.

Pop Bar
5 Carmine St. (@ 6^th Ave.)
New York, NY 10014
212 255 4874

The Doughnut Peach Basil Ice Pop

2011-09-07T22:46:00.000-07:00

The Doughnut Peach Basil Popsicle

"I want to be a part of it, New York, New York!" Oh New York, I just love ya. The moment my plane hits the ground, there's an undeniable energy in the air that makes me giddy with excitement. (Side note: Every time I'm about to land in NYC, that fabulous Sinatra song plays in my head. Seriously. Every time.)

Oh the possibilities! You never know what could happen, who you might run into, or most importantly, what incredible, exotic and revolutionary new food might be lurking just around the corner.

Take the popsicle. Only in New York could this simple childhood amusement become a gourmet affair of epic proportions. I tried two different types of this trendy treat, and both were pretty ridiculous.

Walking the High Line

The first stop, which we found completely by accident (these unplanned discoveries are often when I find the best things ever. Lesson: be open to everything all the time, friends): People's Pops, a cute little old fashioned popsicle cart on the High Line.

The High Line is a gorgeous new park on the west side that cleverly converted a dreary, unused space into a fabulous walking path, complete with beautiful landscapes and outrageous views of the Hudson.

I happened to walk the High Line with my friend Keri on a really hot day, so when I spied this little ice cream stand, I was pretty open to whatever the little ice cream guy was offering.

Let's see, I'll have the...
doughnut popsicle???

But much to my surprise, this ice cream cart didn't carry Drumsticks or Good Humor bars. I was left with this dilemma: Doughnut Peach Basil or Nectarine Chai.

Before I saw the sign, I was thinking, ok I'll probably have a little vanilla ice cream sandwich or maybe a fudgesicle. But noooo, these were not my choices. I was debating between two ice pops that contained some of the most exotic ingredients on earth.

So of course I went with the Doughnut (I always say yes to fried). I was beyond intrigued by what crazy genius would think to include a doughnut in an ice pop.

The first bite was so refreshing, it was like taking a big gulp of fresh water on a hot day. (This also made me realize I was really thirsty, but luckily there were tons of drinking fountains around. Drinking fountains that talk, by the way. But I digress). This popsicle was different from anything I had tried before--just by looking at it, you could tell it was fresh, homemade, and going to be delicious.

There were generous chunks of peach distributed throughout the bar. Chopped basil added a unique, herbal essence. And the doughnuts? Sadly, while I could see the chunks, they didn't have much taste. But no matter. I just liked saying that I ate a doughnut popsicle. All in all, a perfect treat for a hot summer day.

In fact, I've been wondering how feasible it is to have them shipped to me in LA. Hint to my NY friends: perhaps you can bring a cooler of popsicles with you the next time you're in LA).

This is all that remained after 1.37 minutes.

The Dim Sum Club

2011-09-05T20:52:00.000-07:00

Ni hao, Chinatown.

No, this is not a review of a new historic, touching, yet seriously depressing Amy Tan novel. This is better (and shorter). It's the beginning of a wonderful dessert story that stars Chinatown in Los Angeles, which must be one of the smallest Chinatowns in the history of Chinatowns.

A few lovely girlfriends decided to meet for dim sum recently, and we had such a fabulous time, I suggested we form the Dim Sum Club! I wanted to do this every Sunday! (While no one was very excited about my absolutely terrible name for a foodie club, we agreed that we should all meet again soon for more fabulous adventures).

There were just a few left, so I took them all. For the blog.

Chinatown is such a visual treat. I love that I can visit a Chinatown in just about any city in the world and eat all my favorite foods, buy a "Cucci" watch, handpainted paper lanterns, and a live baby turtle, all in one stop. I've had quite a few Chinatown turtles in my lifetime. Mooncake and General Tao were my favorites, namely because they provided hours of entertainment when I decided to add them to my once lively fish tank (No, I don't suggest this. Yes, they ate the fish).

Chinese desserts bring me back to childhood. I'm one-quarter Chinese, and I remember as a young girl, my tiny yet very speedy Chinese grandmother, sprinting through Honolulu's Chinatown, picking up her favorite treats and groceries along the way, with my sisters and I panting behind her.

Empress Pavillion Take Out. This couple was so cute.

One of her favorite desserts was Gin Doi. While my favorite version is located at a nondescript little stand in Honolulu's Chinatown, luckily, you can find this important dessert at most Chinatown bakeries.

We had dim sum and Gin Doi at Empress Pavillion (not to be confused with Happy Princess Dragon Palace, my first guess), but I also wanted to take some home, so I went next door and bought a few from their brilliant Take Out bakery.

I took a zillion pictures at the bakery, and drew some attention from a couple inside, who were trying to choose their treats between shots. I apologized and explained that I have a blog, to which the woman gave me a blank stare. She then sheepily asked, "Um so what is a 'blog'?" It was a precious moment as I showed her my blog on my phone and explained why the heck I was taking so many pictures of desserts. But I digress.

Tear-shaped Gin Doi available at Empress Pavillion

So what is it? Gin doi is the Chinese version of a doughnut. This round, tanned treat is covered in toasted sesame seeds that envelop a thick, sticky layer of sweet rice. And the inside--surprise! While seemingly hidden, the filling is a burst of sugary, smooth black bean or lotus paste. And then of course, it's deep fried. Fried, sweet, yummy goodness.

One sweet, crunchy, oozy bite and I'm transported back to Maunakea Street, darting into the hard-to-find Gin Doi shop, while my Popo orders/barters/argues a few Gin Doi from the owner. Thank you, Popo, for all the yummy memories.

Cut in half, in the hopes that we would "share"
(we each had a whole one).

Empress Pavillion

988 N. Hill Street,
(located in the Chinatown Bamboo Plaza)
Los Angeles, CA 90012

213-617-9898

Mochi + Peanut Butter = All My Dreams Come True

2011-08-29T19:22:00.000-07:00

Can you believe I grew up here?
Simply gorgeous.

Growing up in Hawaii, a delicious cultural melting pot, Asian food was and is a regular part of my life. While there's a sushi place on every corner in LA, my favorite Japanese treats can be a tad more difficult to find.

Which is why I'm obsessed with Mitsuwa, my local Japanese food court/ bakery/ grocery/ magazine/ toy/ beauty store. I head here pretty regularly to get my fix, always dragging a few colleagues with me. No matter what kind of day I'm having, the minute I walk in the door, I break into a silly little grin. Feels like home.

The Torrance location is phenomenal. Not only is it the size of a small country, it houses everything a girl from Hawaii could want-- good kine rice, chicken katsu, spicy hot ramen, the best shrimp tempura ever, tofu curry, fresh sashimi, and of course, my reason for living--treats. Ohhhh the treats.

While I like food, the treats are my main reason for visiting. And without fail, before leaving this glorious place, I always pick up some type of mochi.

Row upon row of marvelous mochi

I've been a Fan of Mochi my whole life. It may have started because of the Japanese New Year tradition to make and eat lots of mochi. And New Years happens to be one of Hawaii's most celebrated holidays. Coincidence? I think not. Another theory: my mom makes a killer butter mochi and I make a pretty good coconut mochi; I'll cover both another divine desserts another time.

So imagine my surprise when a recent lunch visit (edamame and tofu salad) uncovered a genius new offering I had never seen before: Peanut Butter Mochi.

Wait, what?

I came to a screeching halt and got up nice and close to re-read--and take pictures of--the sign. This is when The Mochi Lady started laughing at me.

The sign that stopped me in my tracks

Could it be? The combination of two of my all-time favorite treats in one?

I adore these sweet rice treats plain with no bells and whistles, but I especially love daifuku--mochi with a little surprise in the middle. Red bean was my favorite, until now. Peanut butter??? Holy mother of pearl.

The Peanut Butter Mochi in all its glory

I politely (perhaps creepily) asked The Mochi Lady to please hurry and wrap up two (one for me, and one intended for my friend Lisa, another pb fan--more on that later). The Mochi Lady painstakingly--and slowly, I might add--wrapped each delectable ball of goodness individually in several layers of tissue, and then gently placed them in an adorable treat bag, and perfectly sealed them with a Mitsuwa sticker. It's not Japanese if it's not covered in 18 layers of gorgeous packaging.

I literally couldn't think straight as we drove back to work. (Burton, next time you drive).

As soon as I got back to my desk, I ripped through the layers of tissue paper to get to my treat (sorry, Mochi Lady). Staring back at me were two beautifully and perfectly made mochi balls. I dove in.

So much peanut buttery goodness packed
into a tiny little package.

The yummy yellow mochi covering, decorated with a happy little sunshine, was sensually soft and gorgeously gooey. But the star of the show was simply breathtaking: the unique peanut butter filling was moist, sweet, and slightly crumbly. It was generously packed with wall-to-wall peanut butter, so you're guaranteed a peanut butter chunk in every bite. Heavenly.

You're probably wondering if the second Peanut Butter Mochi made it to Lisa. I'm not gonna lie, it was a difficult decision. In the end, I gave it away. Here's why: Lisa is my Peanut Butter Enabler, ie the owner of the jar of peanut butter that I tend to snack from every day at 4pm. (I cannot be trusted to have my own jar of peanut butter, I am required to eat it under supervision). To continue regular access to my pb supply, and since she's such a crazy pb fan herself, I couldn't deny her my newly found treasure. So I shared.

(Of course I will also be back to Mitsuwa very shortly and plan to order the rest of the tray).

Mitsuwa

21515 Western Ave

Torrance, CA 90501

(310) 782-0335