Tiffany Tastes

Mmm....veggies

I've always said that I could be a vegetarian if it weren't for chicken and bacon, because I generally don't eat a lot of red meat.  I usually get a craving for a hamburger 3 times a year and a steak even less than that.  That being said, I'm pretty picky about my vegetables, and I think it can often be difficult to make really tasty, meat-free dishes. I would like to offer up a couple of my favorite meatless wonders.

NOTE: These are NOT vegan recipes; as much as I try to change, I am a lover of almost all things dairy

Fresh Corn Frittata with Smoked Mozzarella
(This recipe is adapted for my personal tastes.  You can find the original recipe in All-New Complete Cooking Light Cookbook Oxmoor House 2006, pg 307)

Cooking spray
1/2 cup diced yellow onion
1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 3 ears)
1/2 cup (2 ounce) shredded smoked mozzarella cheese, divided
1 tablespoon of chopped fresh basil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
5 large egg whites, lightly beaten
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1. Preheat broiler
2. Heat a medium (8 inch works well) ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray.  Add onion and corn, and sauté 5 minutes.  Remove pan from heat and allow to cool for 2 minutes. Combine corn, 3 tablespoons of cheese, basil and remaining ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk.
3. Heat pan over medium heat.  Coat pan with cooking spray; add corn mixture.  Cover and cook 5 minutes or until almost set.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Broil 5 minutes or until set and browned. Cut into wedges.  Yield: 4 servings.

This is really tasty hot or at room temperature.  It makes a good brunch item, or you can turn it into a light dinner by adding a salad or a cup of soup.  You can substitute an equal amount of thawed frozen corn to replace the fresh, but it won't be quite the same. However, I find that canned corn makes the final product a bit too salty even after omitting all of the salt that the recipe calls for.

The next recipe is one of Tom's recent favorites.

Broccoli Cornbread
(This recipe has been adapted for my personal tastes.  You can find the original recipe in Jenny Craig's Simple Pleasures: Recipes to Nourish Body and Soul Oxmoor House 1998, pg 70)

Cooking Spray
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and drained
1 (8 1/2) ounce corn muffin mix (Get the Jiffy; it's not the same with the store brand)
3/4 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1/2 cup egg substitute
1/2 cup shredded extra sharp low fat cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground  black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Coat a small skillet with cooking spray.  Add onion and sauté over medium heat for 5 minutes or until softened
3. Coat an 8-inch square pan with cooking spray.  Add butter and place in oven for 3 minutes or until butter melts.
4. Press broccoli between paper towels to remove excess moisture.  Combine broccoli, muffin mix, onion, and remaining ingredients, stirring well.  Spoon into prepared pan.  Bake for 23-25 minutes or until set and golden.  Yield 16 servings.

Now loyal readers (all 2 of you :P) I ask that you submit your favorite vegetarian recipes to be featured in an upcoming post.  If it's not an original recipe, please include your source material, and if you would like your name to appear a certain way, please let me know.  And yes, I'm fishing for comments, so leave some ;)

Roll out the red carpet

When you first walk into Napa Cafe, the first thing you will probably notice is the decor; vibrant and lush, this restaurant is just saturated with color, including a ruby red carpet.  You will probably also see classically dressed servers in crisp white shirts and black pants, and and it will probably be fairly crowded. Napa Cafe is a popular weekday ladies luncheon spot, tucked in an unassuming strip mall off the main thoroughfare. I recently dropped in on a Friday afternoon to have lunch with a colleague.

I started out ordering the summer squash soup; I really appreciate when restaurants take steps to address seasonality with their ingredients and preparations.  The soup was light and delicate, garnished with a spoonful of crème fraîche and snipped chives.  It would have been perfect with a touch more salt.

For my entrée, I chose the ham and apple sandwich, which is definitely a play on the idea of pairing savory items with sweet items. The sandwich was served on herb ciabatta bread and came with sweet potato chips.  The ham was a bit too salty, and the sweetness from the apples could not quite counterbalance the ham.  The sweet potato chips were crisp, tasty, and not at all greasy.

For dessert, I tried to order the buttermilk pie (a creamier version of cheesecake that doesn't necessarily have to be served cold), but they were out of it.  I had to "settle" for the Ghiradelli chocolate paté, a rich, creamy, piece of chocolate heaven.  It is served with strawberries and fresh whipped cream, and it is sinfully delicious.

Final Impressions: The food was really quite tasty, and our service was impeccable. They have an excellent wine list (Then agan, what would you expect from a restaurant called Napa Cafe?) If you're not forty-five or older, then you probably won't see anyone your age dining at Napa Cafe during the lunch rush.  However, the dinner crowd is a bit more eclectic.  I would recommend this restaurant to those looking for a romantic night out, or a lunch date with the girls.

Tiffany's Favorite Part: Chocolate Paté

Tiffany's Rating: :) :) :) out of :) :) :) :)

Napa Cafe
5101 Sanderlin Ave, Suite 122
Memphis, TN 38117
(901) 683-0441

Average Soup/Salad Price: $5-$13
Average Sandwich Price: (Lunch Only) $8-$10
Average Entree Price: (Lunch) $10-$13 (Dinner) $18-$30
Average Dessert Price: $6-$8

Operating Hours
Lunch: Monday-Friday 11:00am-2:00pm
Dinner: Monday-Thursday 5:00pm-9:00pm
           Friday and Saturday 5:00pm-10:00pm

Ooooh....$250 Chocolate Chip Cookies

I love a good story just as much as the next person, and this one is a lot of fun.  There is an old internet urban legend about some extremely expensive cookies.  A few years ago, an e-mail was sent out to recipients all over the world.  Over time, the details (like the location of the event) have changed, but the story basically goes like this:

As I checked my e-mail today I found this story and couldn't resist sending it to everybody I knew and didn´t know…even worse than she expected!!

Here goes… the woman wrote: My daughter and I had just finished a salad at Neiman-Marcus café in Dallas, and decided to have a small desert. Because both of us are such cookie lovers, we decided to try the "Neiman-Marcus Cookie" Neiman-Marcus is a very expensive department store. It was so excellent, that I asked for the recipe, and the waitress said with a frown, "I'm afraid not". Well, I said, then can you sell it to me? With a cute smile, the waitress said "yes" I asked how much, and the waitress said, "only two-fifty, it's a great deal!". I said with approval, just put it on my tab.. Thirty days later, I received my visa statement from Neiman-Marcus and it was $285.00. I looked again, and remembered that I had spent about $20.00 for a scarf, and $9.95 for two salads. As I looked at the bottom of the bill, it said, cookie recipe $250.00. That´s outrageous. I CALLED Neiman-Marcus and spoke to someone in the billing dept., and told them the waitress had told me two fifty, not two hundred fifty. Two fifty does not by any means suggest two hundred fifty dollars. Well, they refused to refund my money, because according to them, "What the waitress told you is not our problem." You have already seen our recipe, and we will absolutely not refund your money at this point. I explained to her the criminal statutes that govern fraud in Texas, and I threatened to report them to the Better Business Bureau, and the states Attorney General, for fraud, and I was in so many words, told "do what you have to do we don't give a crap, and we will not refund your money." Well, then I told the lady that I was going to send the recipe to everyone and anyone who has E-mail.

Well I thought I´d give her a hand, and do the ICQ blanket thing and this way we all can share it with all of our friends. POST IT ALL OVER TEXAS!!!!!! HELP THIS WOMAN GET EVEN!!! Here´s the recipe. Make sure you try it, and pass it on to everyone you can think of!!!! And thanks!!!

This recipe may be halved.

2 cups of butter
4 cups of flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 cups sugar
5 cups blended oatmeal
24 oz. Choclate chips
2 cups brown sugar
1 tsp. Salt
1 eight oz. Hershey bar (grated)
4 eggs
2 tsp. Baking powder
2 tsp. Vanilla
3 cups chopped nuts (your choice)

Measure oatmeal and blend in a blender to a fine powder. Cream the butter and both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla; mix together with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and soda. Add chocolate chips, Hershey Bar and nuts. Roll into balls and place two inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees. Makes 48 cookies.

Enjoy cooking the most expensive cookies in the world - FREE!! This is true. Please take the time to read this and send it to everyone you know!!!

Now, this e-mail has been passed around for years; however, Neiman Marcus denies that this event ever happened.  In fact, if you visit the Neiman Marcus website and visit the "About" section, this is what you will find:

"An urban myth is a modern folk tale, its origins unknown, its believability enhanced simply by the frequency with which it is repeated. Our signature chocolate chip cookie is the subject of one such myth. If you haven't heard the story, we won't perpetuate it here. If you have, the recipe below should serve to refute it. Copy it, print it out, pass it along to friends and family. It's a terrific recipe. And it's absolutely free."

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1 cup light brown sugar

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 large egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1-3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 teaspoons instant espresso coffee powder

1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

1.	Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Cream the butter with the sugars using an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy (approximately 30 seconds)
2.	Beat in the egg and the vanilla extract for another 30 seconds.
3.	In a mixing bowl, sift together the dry ingredients and beat into the butter mixture at low speed for about 15 seconds. Stir in the espresso coffee powder and chocolate chips.
4.	Using a 1 ounce scoop or a 2 tablespoon measure, drop cookie dough onto a greased cookie sheet about 3 inches apart. Gently press down on the dough with the back of a spoon to spread out into a 2 inch circle. Bake for about 20 minutes or until nicely browned around the edges. Bake a little longer for a crispier cookie.
Yield:	2 dozen cookies

The two chocolate chip recipes are completely different, but if you Google "$250 cookies" the first recipe is the one that will pop up most often.  So, according Neiman Marcus, the above e-mail tail can be placed in the folder marked "Myth" as it has been denounced as a true urban legend.

NOTE: Tiff's Mom has made the "urban legend" cookie recipe several times, and she claims that it is one of the best chocolate chip cookies she has ever eaten.  We don't have any info on the actual Neiman Marcus cookie recipe. Hmmm...maybe we can test those for a later post :)

Ya'll Come Back Now...Please?

If you ask my husband, he'll tell you that I have extraordinary luck at the casinos.  Unfortunately, gambling is illegal in Tennessee.  Luckily, there is pack of casinos about 35 minutes outside of Memphis in Tunica, MS.  In the past ten years, Tunica has become a mecca for gamblers looking for Las Vegas-style action without having to trek all the way to Nevada.  Most people know that at many casinos, food is an afterthought, often given away for free as part of generous comp packages.  I don't mean that the food is bad; actually, it's quite the opposite.  Several casinos in Tunica have twenty-four hour buffets with many choices.  However, they're all pretty much the same. If you've been to one, you've been to all of them. 

Food Network's reigning queen of all things butter and mayonnaise, "Lady" Paula Deen, sought to change the monotony plaguing the casino buffets by offering her name and likeness to the newly renovated Harrah's Tunica, formerly The Grand Casino.  In May of 2008, the all-new Paula Deen Buffet opened with a whirlwind of commercials and high expectations.

I have a feeling that Paula had creative control over almost every aspect of this restaurant, from the southern colonial decor to the large gift shop featuring a wide array of Paula Deen merchandise.  This place is so huge that there is a map given to the diners when they enter.  There are several different dining rooms, each with their own names and themes, as well as five different buffet stations- The Lady and Sons (signature comfort food such as fried chicken and southern-style vegetables), Captain Michael's Smokehouse (smoked meats like ribs and brisket), Granny Paul's Garden (the salad bar), Uncle Bubba's Oyster House (seafood), and Little Jack's Corner (desserts).

Having made several trips to The Lady and Sons in Savannah, I was really excited about the prospect of being able to get Paula Deen food so close to Memphis.  The hubby and I visited the buffet on a Saturday night to grab a bite to eat before hitting the blackjack tables. Because I tend to taste a little bit of everything in a buffet setting, I'll only hit the highlights and the low points in this review.

THE GOOD: The chicken pot pie, while not as refined as the version that is served at The Lady and Sons,  had great flavor, and the crust had good texture.  The collard greens and boiled cabbage were well cooked (not at all mushy) and well-seasoned.  The fried shrimp was flavorful and had just right amount of breading.  The cheesy biscuits were light, fluffy, and a perfect accompaniment to the meal.  The gooey butter cake was just as good as the one served at the Savannah restaurant.

THE BAD: The sqaush casserole was very bland, runny, and contained a large amount of bell peppers that were way under cooked.  The hubby said that it was the worst squash casserole he had ever eaten.  The green bean casserole was incredibly mushy and flavorless. The cheesy meatloaf had these strange crunchy bits in it, and the sauce tasted like melted Velveeta. The brisket was so tough that I couldn't chew through it.  I honestly had to spit it out. The chocolate covered cream puffs were soggy, and the pastry cream was extremely gritty. The bread pudding was so hard and dry, that even a scoop of good quality vanilla ice cream couldn't save it.  But, the biggest disappointment had to be the macaroni and cheese (which is pretty standard as far as southern cuisine goes, and should hold up well on a buffet).  However, the macaroni had no flavor, the cheese sauce had weird chunks in it, and the noodles were way over cooked, making the whole thing a mushy, soggy, mess. 

Final Impressions: Our service was great, but unfortunately, a lot of the food was not.  There was more bad than good, and the bad was really, really bad.  With a price that exceeds the dinner buffet price at The Lady and Sons in Savannah by five dollars (when you visit on Friday or Saturday night), I expected the food to be amazing.  However, upon leaving, I had to admit that the experience was at best mediocre.  If you want a great southern-style buffet that is worth the price of admission, make the trek to Savannah.  While I've always left The Lady and Sons feeling satisfied, I walked out of the Paula Deen Buffet extremely disappointed.

Tiffany's Favorite Part: Chicken Pot Pie and Cheesy Biscuits
Tom L's Favorite Part: Fried Shrimp

Tiffany's Rating  :) :) out of :) :) :) :)

Paula Deen Buffet
13615 Old Highway 61 North
Robinsonville, MS 38664
(800) 964-4946

Breakfast Buffet Price: $8.99
Lunch Buffet Price: $10.99
Dinner Price (Monday-Thursday): $17.99
Dinner Price (Friday and Saturday): $22.99
Sunday Supper Price: $17.99

Operating Hours
Breakfast: Monday-Sunday 7:00am-10:30am
Lunch: Monday-Saturday 11:00am-3:00pm
Dinner: Monday-Thursday 4:00pm-10:00pm
            Friday-Saturday 4:00pm-1:00am
Sunday Supper: 10:30am-10:00pm

Honey Lemon Soufflé

I've always been a big fan of soufflé; anything served in individual cups or ramekins makes me feel special :)  My good friend Ed R. and some of his buddies recently made a Honey Lemon Soufflé with Earl Gray Anglaise.  An anglaise is a cream sauce made from cooked egg yolks and sugar, and is generally used as a finishing sauce for desserts.  I thought that the combination of honey, lemon, and Earl Gray was very interesting, and Ed said it was absolutely delicious. So, I offer this recipe for your perusal.

Honey Lemon Soufflé

Original Posting: The Culinary Media Network

4-8 servings, depending on the size of the ramekins

Ingredients

Preparation

Prepare the Earl Gray anglaise:
Combine the cream, vanilla bean, tea and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat.  Let steep for 5-10 minutes.  Remove from the heat and strain through a fine mesh sieve.

In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugar until pale and thick, about 3 minutes.  Temper the yolks with the warm cream by slowly pouring a small amount of the cream into the yolks while whisking constantly.  Add the rest of the cream to the tempered yolks and return the mixture to the saucepan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick and the temperature on a candy thermometer
reads 180° F.  Be careful not to overcook it by heating above 180° F or the anglaise will curdle and separate.  To check if it is the right consistency, the custard should coat the back of a wooden spoon and a streak should remain when you run your finger through the cream.   

Remove from the heat and strain again through a fine mesh sieve to ensure smoothness.  The anglaise can either be served now while warm or chilled by placing the bowl in an ice bath to cool.  To store, cover with plastic wrap, pressing down against the surface to prevent a skin from forming.  Refrigerate until well chilled, about 1-2 hours.  To serve the anglaise warm after refrigerating, slowly reheat in a
microwave at 15 second intervals, stirring after each interval.

[Chef’s Note: The anglaise can be prepared up to 3 days in advance.]

Prepare the honey soufflé:
Prepare the molds by buttering the insides with a pastry brush in upward brush strokes making sure to cover every inch of the mold.  Pour a small amount of sugar into the bottom of each mold and carefully swirl the ramekin, dumping out the excess, to completely coat with a light dusting of sugar.  Place the molds in the refrigerator or freezer until the soufflé mixture is prepared.

[Chef’s Note: Inadequately buttered ramekins will produce an uneven rise or prevent it completely.  The light dusting of sugar also helps to give the souffle a lattice to climb while baking.]

Place the milk, vanilla bean and zest in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat; remove from the heat and let steep for 5 minutes.  Whisk together the egg yolks, honey, 2 tablespoons sugar, cornstarch and salt in a large bowl until thoroughly combined.  Strain the milk mixture using a fine mesh sieve into a measuring cup with a spout and carefully temper the egg yolk mixture by slowly pouring the milk into the eggs while whisking constantly.  Pour everything back into the pot and cook over medium heat while whisking until the mixture thickens, pulls away from the sides of the pan and no longer tastes of cornstarch.  Transfer to another bowl and cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming.  Cool completely, about 1 hour.

[Chef’s Note: The pastry cream base can be prepared up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated until ready for use.]

Place the egg whites into a clean, dry non-reactive bowl and whisk on low speed using a handheld or standing electric mixer.  Once the eggs become foamy and frothy, begin adding the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until all the sugar has been incorporated.  Continue whipping, slowly increasing the speed, until
the egg whites become very stiff.  Immediately fold the egg whites into the cooled pastry cream in three additions until thoroughly combined, being careful to use a fluid motion and not deflate the egg whites.   

Remove the ramekins from the refrigerator.  Fill each ramekin to the top, and then flatten the tops with an offset metal spatula or the back of a knife.  Clean off any excess batter that may have dripped onto the sides of the ramekins.  The soufflés can now either be baked, stored for later in the refrigerator for up to 4 hours or stored in the freezer for up to 5 days. 

To bake the soufflés: Preheat the oven to 350° F.  If using frozen soufflés, make sure to remove them from the freezer one hour before baking.  Place the soufflés on a flat baking sheet and bake on the bottom rack of the oven.  The baking time will be significantly less, 7-10 minutes, if using smaller sized ramekins and about 15-20 minutes if using larger 8-ounce ramekins.  Rotate the baking sheet half-way
through the baking time to ensure even cooking.  The soufflés are finished when they have risen 1-2 inches above the tops of the ramekins, the top has light color and they appear sturdy.  Remove from the oven and sprinkle a light dusting of powdered sugar over the surface of the soufflé for a finished look.  Serve immediately with Earl Gray crème anglaise.
                                  

Photograph by Eduardo M. Rodriguez

We were lucky to get a picture before the entire soufflé was devoured. Ed also says that the Earl Gray anglaise is delicious on almost anything, including sugar cookies.

 

Sometimes it just doesn't work out...

I read some positive Yahoo reviews about an Italian restaurant close to our place here in Memphis, so The Hubby and I decided to check it out.  Villa Castrioti is located in a strip mall off of a main thoroughfare in Cordova, a suburb of Memphis.   When we first arrived I was extremely impressed for two reasons. First of all, it was packed. Almost every table was filled.  Also, the decor was extremely elegant.  However, the host did not seem to fit the decor as he was wearing very baggy jeans, grungy tennis shoes, and an over-sized purple and white striped polo shirt. Since all of the waitstaff were wearing standard white tops and black pants, I originally mistook the host for a customer waiting for takeout.

We were seated promptly, but it took several minutes for a server to come by and bring us water, and several more minutes for our waitress to greet us and take our drink orders.  Our server's blouse was about 2-3 sizes too small, the last two buttons seemed to be missing, and this left her shirt gaping open and her stomach hanging over her pants...not very appetizing.

For an appetizer we ordered the gnocchi.  The portion size was very good for an appetizer; the gnocchi had great texture-very light and fluffy.  It was served with a white sauce that I found to be pretty bland, but The Hubby thought it was tasty.

The first time I go to an Italian restaurant, I try to order a simple, classic, pasta dish because I love pasta, and if they can't do the simple stuff well, then the more intricate dishes probably won't be any good either. A simple pasta dish also helps me determine how good their sauce is, and lets me know if they use high-quality ingredients.  With this in mind, I ordered baked ziti for my entrée.

At Villa Castrioti, the baked ziti consists of penne tossed with marinara sauce and ricotta cheese, and finished with melted mozzarella.  My ziti was mediocre at best.  While the pasta was perfectly al dente, the sauce was extremely watery and very, very bland.  The only part worth eating was the part that was covered with melted mozzarella.  After three or four bites, the mozzarella was pretty much gone, leaving a plate of watery noodles, that I found pretty much inedible.

Now, Tom L. ordered the seafood pizza (the daily fish selection with your choice of whtie or red sauce).  He chose the white sauce, and while that was probably the best choice for the type of pizza it was, he found the pizza to be pretty terrible.  There was an overwhelming flavor of lemon, and the chunks of fish were so large that when he picked up the slice, they fell off.  On a positive note, even though the pizza was fairly expensive, there was so much seafood on the pizza that he definitely felt as though he got his money's worth.

Final Impressions: This meal was pretty terrible.  After reading the reviews, we had high expectations.  I didn't even order dessert.  However, the complimentary bread was tasty, and the texture on the gnocchi appetizer was perfect.  That being said, we won't be coming back.  Tom L. said it hurt to spend fifty dollars on such a bad meal.

Tiffany's Favorite Part: Complimentary Bread
Tom L's Favorite Part: Gnocchi Appetizer

Tiffany's Rating  :) out of :) :) :) :)

Villa Castrioti
714 N. Germantown Parkway
Cordova, TN 38018
(901) 753-3894

Average Appetizer Price: $5-$9
Avereage Soup/Salad Price: $3-$9
Average Pizza Price: $9-$30
Average Pasta Price: $10-$20
Average Entrée Price: $14-$30
Average Dessert Price: $3-$5

Operating Hours:
Lunch: Monday-Thursday 11:00am-2:00pm
Dinner: Monday-Saturday 5:00pm-11:00pm

A few things you should know...

There are probably a few things you should understand when perusing my site.

Restaurant Reviews:

Basically, anything 2.5 smiley faces and above is what I consider a good experience.  The combination of the food, ambiance, and service was enough to leave me satisfied. Obviously there are some experiences that are better than others. My scale goes a little something like this:

1 Smiley Face or below: This rating is pretty hard for me to give out, because I can generally find something good about most any experience. If I give a restaurant 1 smiley face or less, then most of the experience was miserable.  Generally, the food would have to be inedible, and the service of very poor quality.  And, I won't be coming back...ever.

:) 1/2 - :) :)   This would fall under the lines of fair to mediocre.  The food didn't make me nauseous, but it probably wasn't worth the money that was paid for it.  I probably won't be going back to the restaurants that fall under this category.

:) :) 1/2 - :) :) :)   Everything was uniformly good.  Nothing was amazing or spectacular, but I was happy when I left, and provided the meal didn't cost an arm and a leg, I would probably patronize the establishment again.

:) :) :) 1/2  This meal was very, very good.  The food was tasty, the service was on point, and I was satisfied as I left.  The hubby and I might talk about this meal the next day, and we will definitely be future customers to this restaurant.

:) :) :) :)  This meal was so amazing, and I was truly blown away.  The food, service, and ambiance were so spectacular that I will be talking about this meal for months.  The entire experience has to be so close to perfect that I've yet to come across a 4-smiley restaurant in the time that I have been writing reviews.  But when I do, you'll be the first to know.

Since I rarely go out to eat alone, some names will pop up in my posts.  The most frequent would probably be my husband, who I will refer to as the hubby, Tom L. or my better half.  Another person I'll probably mention is my mom (Tiff's Mom will probably be her moniker) .  Other names you might see are Ed R., X-tina, Alissa H., and Lucie W.  These are some of my foodie friends who all have great palates, and I greatly respect their thoughts and opinions on food.

One last thing; I tend to only review restaurants that aren't large, national chains.  If  a restaurant has more than 5 separate locations, you won't be reading about it here.

Recipes:

My recipes will generally fall into 2 categories.  Healthy Recipes (Recipes that I get from healthy cookbooks, low-fat cookbooks, or personal recipes that I have altered to be healthier versions of full-fat counterparts) and Fully Loaded Recipes (These are recipes that you can use when you're splurging or celebrating)

Product Reviews:

It seems like new items are popping up in grocery stores all the time. My goal for these posts is to test out those items and give you my opinion about them.  I will also be using these post to do product comparisons. For example, comparing Ben and Jerry's Original Cherry Garcia with the low-fat version that uses frozen yogurt instead of ice cream.

Misc:

Thanks to Diana F. for my brand new profile icon, which you see if you visit my profile page by clicking the "About" link on the top right hand corner of the page, just under the fabulous Miami skyline.

I think that's enough to get you started. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to drop me a line.

My first official review

When trying to decide which review I wanted to start with, I decided to begin with a bang and write about one of my best experiences.

Not too long ago, I took a trip to Tallahassee.  I was actually there for a memorial party for a friend who had passed away.  But, it gave me a chance to reconnect with some old friends and go to one of my favorite restaurants Kool Beanz Cafe.  (Thanks to my friend Alissa H. for my first trip during a mock trial competition back when we were in college)

Kool Beanz is very eclectic; the walls are a colorful backdrop for local artists to hang their work.  It's almost always crowded, and people always seem to be having a great time.  They have a small but serviceable wine list that is printed as a label on an empty wine bottle, and their beer selections are listed the same way on an an empty beer bottle.  The menu changes daily to take advantage of fresh, seasonal ingredients.  If you want to watch your food being made, you can take a seat at the small bar right next to the kitchen. Sometimes, the restaurant is so crowded, sitting at the bar might be your only option.  The restaurant is small, so come prepared to wait a while if you visit during high-traffic time periods.  I dropped in at 1:00pm on a Friday afternoon, and I didn't have to wait at all for a table.

I started off with a salad with heirloom tomatoes, eggs, and a lemon-feta vinaigrette.  The dressing was super tangy, and I loved the home-made croutons.  My only complaint: I wish there were a few more heirloom tomatoes. Those that I did get were delicious, juicy, and ripe, but there were so few that they didn't even begin to satisfy. My entrée was a panéed chicken breast with fried eggplant, fresh mozzarella, and a stewed tomato jam.  The combination of flavors was interesting; at first I thought the stewed tomato jam was a bit too sweet, but the more I ate, the more I liked it.  In fact, everything on the plate tasted better smothered in the jam.  I only wished that they had sprinkled the fried eggplant with a little salt when it came out of the pan.  For dessert, I had  key lime pie with orange liquer marinated strawberries. It was a beautifully presented, individual tart. The filling was super smooth and creamy, and the strawberries were a nice accompaniment. Light and refreshing; a great way to end a great meal.

Final Impressions: Delicious food, and impeccable service in a casual atmosphere.  Oh yeah, and spring the extra dollar for the bread and butter basket. It's addictive.  I wouldn't go to Kool Beanz Cafe for a romantic date night only because it's small, crowded, and can get a bit loud. But, if you're hanging out with a few friends and looking for good food and a good time, it's a great place to go.

Tiffany's favorite part of the meal: Key Lime Pie

Tiffany's Rating :) :) :) 1/2 out of :) :) :) :)

Kool Beanz Cafe
921 Thomasville Road
Tallahassee, Florida 32303
(850) 224-2466

Average Appetizer Price: (Dinner Only) $6-$10
Average Soup/Salad Price: (Lunch and Dinner) $5-$7
Average Entrée Price: (Lunch) $7-$12 (Dinner) $15-$20
Average Dessert Price: (Lunch and Dinner) $6

Operating Hours
Lunch: Monday-Friday 11:00am-2:30pm
Dinner: Monday-Saturday 5:30pm-10:00pm

Hello and Welcome

Welcome to my site! This is the inaugural post of tiffanytastes.com, my food blog.  As time goes on, I will post restaurant and food product reviews, as well as my general musings an all things involving mastication (and no, that's not a dirty word ;) You'll probably also notice that I love smiley emoticons, and will use them quite often. If you don't like it, too bad. This is my website, and I will use as many smiley faces as I want.  I will try to update this on a regular basis, and I want to thank you for coming along on the journey.

Once again, welcome to tiffanytastes.com, and I hope you enjoy your stay.