On a Goat Farm in France

The Loire Valley, France Our travels in France gave us appreciation for quality ingredients and simple cooking. Gather a few mushrooms, spears of asparagus and fresh eggs at the Farmer’s Market. Stop by the cheese shop for a round of chèvre. Viola, the ingredients for crafting the perfect omelet. The omelet recipe below employs our lessons learned.   Mapping the Day…

Crafted in Santa Ana

Santa Ana, California Who knew there is a thriving craft beer scene in Santa Ana? We took a Saturday afternoon walk in Downtown Santa Ana and found some very cool spots to people watch and relax with a few cold ones. We also loved the Brussels sprouts chips with our beer at our first stop….

Craft Beer Crawl: San Clemente

San Clemente, California San Clemente sets the stage for a casual Craft Beer Crawl. Drink great local brews and graze some excellent food offerings. Be sure to designate a sober driver for your beer-inspired shinanigans. When you get home, try our Crawl-inspired Herb-Infused Olive Oil & Balsamic Reduction Appetizer with Roasted Garlic, Tomatoes and Goat Cheese.   …

Beginning of the Summer Season

Lake Arrowhead, California It’s the beginning of summer! Regardless of our Memorial Day weekend gathering venue, be it picnicing, backyard barbecuing or hunkering down inside for the baseball game on TV, we love chips and dip with ice cold beer. We make a quick Pan-Roasted Veggie Dip to get the party started. It is fresh and…

London Shopping

London, England Shopping in London gave us a bit of sticker shock. On our visit in March 2015, the U.S. dollar was weak for purchasing goods. We did some window shopping and our fair share of buying. We also gleaned inspiration at unique shopping venues for exquisite culinary preparations like Smoked Salmon & Lobster Roulade, Pie & Mash and Beef Wellington. The…

Cut on The Shard

London, England At The Shard’s Oblix Lounge, small plates offerings include a standup presentation of a wedge-ingredients salad. We call it the “Shard Cut” Wedge Salad for fun.  It is just as tasty as a traditional Wedge Salad, but demonstrates creativity and inspiration for presentation.   Mapping the Day According to many published and online travel commentaries,…

When in London, Drink Gin

London, England London Dry Gin production was indeed a worthy lesson to explore in our quest for all things culinary in England’s capital. And as always, when we travel, we drink like locals. We had wonderful experiences at two London Gin Distilleries. Each experience differed, just as dramatically as their products.     Mapping the…

Mind the Gap

London, England “Mind the Gap,” “Bubble & Squeak,” “Zed” not “Zee” for the last letter of the alphabet and “Crisps” not “Pototo Chips.” The British have their own unique phrases and we were determined to embrace the Queen’s English and the London lifestyle from day one. From our inaugural ride on the underground subway to our first meal…

Selfies #2

Fort Worth, Texas Selfies are the ubiquitous content all across social media. Some of us are more adept than others in capturing memorable moments in life. We have found that a newly acquired selfie stick aids our self portraits. Look below at our awesome pictures with the staff at Bonnell’s Restaurant in Fort Worth. Our evening…