The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen

Grilled cheese sandwiches are so versatile; you can have them for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and any time for the matter.  I made a stop at The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen, where you can order all different kinds of grilled cheese sandwiches.  I ordered the Foghorn Leghorn and a glass of raspberry lemonade.  

What is your favorite kind of grilled cheese sandwich?

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Gilroy Garlic Festival

This past weekend, I went to the Gilroy Garlic Festival for the first time.  I did not know what to expect, and was happily surprised with endless food stands, and booths that sold jewelry, homemade potions, and other crafts.  I walked around to see what piqued my interest and below were my choices.  

Garlic Onion Rings

That garlic butter complemented the crispiness of these onion rings well.  If you have ever had garlic fries, imagine the garlic onion rings as the cousin.

Garlic Bread

I could not pass this bread up!  It was toasty, fluffy, and full of flavor.  It was the best garlic bread I have had.  I am sure others felt similarly, as many lined up after me.  

Garlic Pesto Pasta

 I saw numerous people walk around with this pasta bowl and decided to try one for myself.  This small bowl definitely kept me full.  The garlic in the pasta was not subtle, but not too strong either.  The mix of the pesto flavor with the garlic was a nice combination that I had not tried before.  

Garlic Ice Cream

Last, but certainly not least, I ordered garlic almond ice cream served in a cantaloupe bowl.  Initially, I was not sure if I would even like garlic ice cream.  The words sounded too weird, and I could not associate ice cream with anything that was not sweet.  The line for the free sample of garlic ice cream was miles long.  I decided to take a chance in the paid line, and was pleasantly surprised.  The garlic in the ice cream was more of a subtle aftertaste, and the almond flavor prevailed.  The ice cream itself was refreshing on such a hot day.  And the cantaloupe bowl was a cute concept in which to serve ice cream.  I will have to replicate this idea at home some day.

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

The Cheese Board Collective

I waited in a long to try the pizza from The Cheese Board Collective.  One slice was just not enough, so I ordered two slices, and lunch was perfect.

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I Bao To The Chairman

Here is an overview shot of all four.

Have you tried any of these steamed buns of deliciousness from The Chairman yet?  Ever since I heard of The Chairman, I had to find him.  So I looked for him via Twitter, Facebook, Off the Grid, and Food Truck Mafia.  A little overboard, I know, but it was because he always seemed so far away and I felt I was missing out.  I finally met him, and waited in line for what was a torturing 30 minutes to see what I had been missing.  When it was my turn in line to order, I said, "One of each, steamed," and the person who took my order laughed at me.  Maybe it was not only my belly that was hungry, but my eyes, ears, nose, and probably my whole persona too, and the worker sensed me a mile away.  When I received my box of goodies, I was childishly giddy.  I was in Bao Heaven.

The next week, I had bao cravings, and had to find The Chairman again.  When I found him the next time, I did exactly what I did before, and ordered one of each of the choices, steamed.  The tender pork belly bao is usually made with turmeric pickled daikon and green shiso.  The Chairman ran out of those ingredients that day, and gave me pickled carrots, cucumber, and cilantro instead.  Even with the substitutions, everything was so yummy.  Should I look for The Chairman again in the near future?  Of course!

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More On New Orleans

The St. Louis Cathedral

My trip to New Orleans was memorable in many ways, where I fulfilled my cravings for good food, music, and sites.  This is a tiny sampling of the numerous things I enjoyed on my visit.  If you seek to make good use of your five senses, New Orleans is a great travel choice.   Enjoy the pictures!  

Lafayette Cemetery No. 1

I booked a tour via Save Our Cemeteries, which I highly recommend.

The Garden District

The exterior of this building was so pretty.  Can you spot the outdoor hanging fans?

I splurged on a nice lunch here.  Turtle soup anyone? 

 I loved looking up at the trees with all the pretty adornments.  I have not seen trees decorated like this anywhere else.  Such a nice pop of color!  

New Orleans from a distance via the Algiers Ferry.

I went to Hové for its unique fragrances, and to entertain my inner goddess.  The potential to get super girly there is high.  I came back with soaps with scents such as "Tea Olive," and "Southern Magnolia."  

This Parkway po' boy sandwich was amazing.  I also ordered Barq's root beer and Zapp's chips.  I visited Parkway when it was not too busy and was able to order as soon as I walked in.  Lucky me!

For great music, I went to The Spotted Cat on Frenchmen Street.  This place was incredible.  I did not just hear the music, I also felt it.  It was that good.  The Spotted Cat got pretty crowded the night I visited, and not everyone who came by could fit in the space.  Despite the capacity limitations, people still enjoyed the music from the streets, and the dancing that accompanied the sounds was infectious.

You can read my other posts about New Orleans here, here, here, and here.

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Praise for Pralines

I met my first praline in New Orleans.  I had a nice chat with a local, and she confirmed that locals, herself included, eat that yummy goodness pretty regularly.  She recommended Southern Candymakers, and indicated that they make the best pralines in the city.  On my walk towards the Mississippi River one day,  I found one of the two stores.  It was raining, so escaping inside with few visitors was perfect timing for browsing and taking everything in at my own pace.  I was promptly offered a sample of the Original Creamy variety.  It is a cliché, but once I tasted that praline, the world came to a pause.  And because my sense of reality was slightly derailed, without much thought, I ordered two one-pound boxes of the Original Creamy.  There were other praline flavors offered, but I was already sold on the classic flavor.  Despite the rain, I was as happy as a clam.  I thank the local who led me to Southern Candymakers!

Readers, have you tried pralines from New Orleans?  What is your favorite flavor?

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Holiday Happiness

I hope you had a great holiday weekend!  I sure did!  My first stop was at Ike's Place in San Francisco.  If you have not tried their sandwiches yet, they are amazing.  Ike's caught my attention because of the whimsical names of their sandwiches, such as "Super Mario," "Kryptonite," and "Blind Date."  My very first sandwich from Ike's was the "Lincecum," which consisted of avocado, bacon, ham, Havarti cheese, and turkey.  I have since tried the "Matt Cain," "Spiffy Tiffy," and now, the "Madison Bumgarner."  My "Madison Bumgarner" sandwich consisted of steak, pepper jack cheese, American cheese, yellow barbecue sauce, and habanero sauce.  It surely packed a punch!  I also got Zapp's chips and the best ginger ale ever, then headed over to Dolores Park for a relaxing picnic and great views of the City.

Here were my picnic neighbors.

Some nature shots from where I ate my sandwich.

Can you spot the Bay Bridge?

After picnicking, I just had to get my ice cream fix at Bi-Rite Creamery.  I ordered the Trifecta, which consisted of a scoop each of salted caramel, brown sugar with ginger caramel swirl, and malted vanilla with peanut brittle and chocolate.  What I like about Bi-Rite is that their ice cream is made from scratch with local, handmade, and organic ingredients.  I have consistently waited patiently in line to try the day's flavors, and everything I have tried so far has been stellar.  You have got to try Bi-Rite too!

Finally, Independence Day is best served with a visual feast of fireworks.  Needless to say, I enjoyed the view.

I hope you had a wonderful July 4th!  As always, thanks for stopping by!

A Colossal Sandwich

I did not know what a colossal sandwich was, until I met the Original Muffuletta, a la Central Grocery New Orleans.  My sandwich consisted of scrumptious layers of marinated olive salad, Italian meats, and provolone cheese.  To get an idea of how colossal it was, it was ten inches in diameter!  I could only finish half of the sandwich!  Braving the rain to try this wonder was certainly worth it.  Readers, have you ever tried a muffuletta sandwich?

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Fearless on a Friday

Blazer: Zara 

Top: H&M 

Jeans: Old Navy

Heels: Zara

Sunglasses: F21

Watch: Michael Kors 

Spike Bracelet: Target

Beaded DNA Bracelet: Thanks to Bead Origami, based on a modified pattern from Gwen Fisher

I hope you had a wonderful July 4th!  Wishing you a great weekend, filled with good food (of course), great company, and perpetual smiles!

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Cafe Of The World

I have long been a fan of Café Du Monde coffee.  A friend introduced me to it, informing me that it is frequently used to make Vietnamese iced coffee.  When I first spotted that familiar orange can at the grocery store, I scooped it up and made some of that goodness at home.  To spread the joy, I made some for loved ones, guests, and colleagues alike.  So when I had the opportunity to visit New Orleans, I had to go to the Café Du Monde.  The menu was nice and simple, making ordering a cinch.  I ordered a café au lait and a plate of beignets.  As you can see from the photo, the beignets were generously dusted with powdered sugar.  When you visit this adorable coffee establishment, make sure you wear light colored pants, or put some napkins over your lap because that sugar will likely not stay on its plate.  The evidence for this will be provided by the sugar coated floor, which you must see for yourself!

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Oh Shucks

When I arrived in New Orleans, Louisiana, my first meal was one at Acme Oyster House.  Eating under the soft glow of the restaurant's neon lights, coupled with some southern hospitality put a smile on my face.  Additionally, the restaurant had oyster shucking and seafood cooking down to a science.  I ordered one dozen raw oysters.  Though Acme was busy at the time I visited, my server was cool about checking up on me every so often.  It had been a while since I had oysters, so I took my time and enjoyed the atmosphere of being in a new place filled with new sights, sounds, and aromas.  

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