Peanut Clusters

On of my favorite travel must haves are chocolate peanut clusters ( or turtles) and magnets :). Lately, when I travel I usually end up in a candy store purchasing a peanut clusters. A few places I frequent are the Candy Kitchen in Savannah, The General Store in Greenville, SC,  and there is a nice little candy store in Charleston, SC, that I loved. Thinking back to my childhood, I realized that my love for these classic treats remind me of "the good old days" when my mom would buy clusters from Winn Dixie and we would go through them like it was nothing or my Great-Grandmother Doris' love for a Mr. Goodbar (do they still even make them....?).

Again, while visiting in Philly, I was excited to inform my followers and fellow travelers of a new find in Reading Terminal Market. In short, this place is like a farmers market and restaurant food court all in one. The food is fresh, diverse, reasonably priced and pretty good. They even have the largest shrimp that I have ever seen. So large that a pound equals 4 to 6 shrimp and cost $25, crazy!

Back to the clusters....so, my preferences are pecan, almond or peanut milk chocolate clusters. Simple and straight to the point, and no caramel ......ewwww! The clusters at Chocolate by Muller were like a party in my mouth, smooth, not too sweet and plenty of nuts....yum!! To me the amount of nuts set them apart because some of the clusters I have sampled have more chocolate than nuts. This time I had nuts in every bite!

You know when you taste something that is good and after you have digested it, you still seem to be tasting and chewing on it, well this is what I experienced when I tried clusters at Chocolate by Muller, in Philadelphia, PA!!

This time, I was a head of the game and got some to go!

Midnight Cookies (Gainesville, Fl)

Merry, Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa and Happy New Year! Yes, I am still committed to the cause of helping the world find great food and life experiences. Yes, it has been a while, since August 2013 to be exact, but I have not been inspired at all..... until this past weekend while in Gainesville, Fl visiting my sister at University of Florida (Go Gators!!).

If you are from FL and have been to Gainesville, you know that there is nothing in Gainesville but UF....and now Midnight Cookies! During my visit, my sister excitedly suggested that we go to Midnight Cookies after having her first sushi experience.... and let me just say OMG!! This place really lives up to its name because business hours are from 6pm to 2am (yes!). According to my sister, these cookies are must haves during late night study sessions, and she said they deliver!

Back to the goodness... when I walked in the store I was instantly sold and excited from the smell of fresh baked cookies! It smelled like sugar and chocolate rolled in one. I was even more excited after I realized they are made fresh to order in 8 minutes!

I also loved the variety of cookies that they had. My selections (above) included red velvet ( yessss!!), cookies n cream (my favorite) and chocolate cookie crunch (no words..).  So fellow cookie lovers, if you ever pass through "Gator Alley" in the evening time (lol) be sure to check out Midnight Cookies!!

Yes, I ordered some cookie dough to go!

"Funeral Cake"

Finally...inspiration!! Where have I been, you ask? Well, I have been in a "food desert" of sorts, meaning I have not been inspired. It is good to know that people read my blog. It never fails that when I go silent I get asked "why have you not written anything?".  Well, the truth is....I DO NOT write unless I am inspired, I mean really inspired. As any writer will tell you, writing cannot be forced, rather it should be inspired and when it is, it comes in waves and here it goes...

On Tuesday, July 30th, I attended a funeral in Philadelphia, PA, and of all places, the repast is where I found my inspiration by way of the infamous " funeral cake." Think about it, you have probably been to a funeral where there was a selection of cake (at least in Miami) which is usually coconut cake and/or pound cake (my favorites). Well at this particular repast, I had the pleasure of experiencing both of my favorites and a new favorite,  pistachio cake....mmmmmmm!

The pistachio cake was a first for me and I will admit it caught me by surprise. I am not an icing person, which is why I prefer pound cake, but this particular cake had a funky lime green pistachio icing that initially turned me off (see below picture). Thankfully, I was feeling adventurous and tasted it and I will say the icing complimented the cake very well, shut my mouth!

The pound cake was delicious and moist as well, but I will say I could have done without the icing because it had little beads in it ( which did not do anything for me). However, the cake itself was awesome!

But......the star of the show was the awemazing......... coconut cake!!! OMG....this was by far the best coconut cake/funeral cake that I have eveeeerrrrrr tasted!! When I say I love coconut cake, I loovvveee coconut cake, no seriously! It was so good that I took a few slices to go, which did not make it back to the hotel!! This cake was definitely " life changing" in that it was "heavy", moist and it smelled good. Plus, it had the right amount of icing to make a perfect blend....deelish!

Baby Disms: A "heavy" cake is one that has some weight to it when you touch it and hold it in your hand. This is usually an indication that the cake is homemade and good.

After eating a sample of the three cakes ( yes, I had a moment) I had to thank the person that made them, Mr. Ethomas "The Cake Man" Heckstall ! To hear his story and love for cooking and baking made the cake even better. The Cake Man, as I dubbed him, came from a looooong line of cooks. While talking to him, I was informed  the pistachio cake is his grandfather's recipe. The Cake Man also proudly informed me he had been baking since the age of 16 ( now he is in his 60s), so you know he has definitely perfected his skill!

In hindsight, I wish I was not trying to be so cute and watch my sexy because I regret not freezing some and bringing it back to Atlanta....ugh!!! I know my Great-Grandmom Doris and Aunt Bunny (RIP) are shaking their heads in heaven saying  "Ms. Thang, you should always travel with a plastic bag or a piece of foil", lol!!

In memory of.... Mr. William "Fatt Daddy" Evans...RIP.

Nothing Bundt Pumpkin Spice!

Happy Holidays!!!!!

Over Thanksgiving I managed to discover something great and of all things....it was a pumpkin spice bundt cake! If you like pumpkin or if you are skeptical about it, I urge you to try this.

My first introduction to pumpkin anything was when I lived in Arizona. However, growing up in Miami, I was used to sweet potato everything, but Arizona taught me something different and I ended up taking my new found fall dessert with me to Georgia. Since I moved from AZ to GA one of my close friends in AZ would FedEx a loaf of her special homemade pumpkin bread and it is awesome! Around this time of year, I check the mailbox daily in hopes that my special delivery of pumpkin bread is in there......I am still checking :).

While visiting "Nothing Bundt Cakes" to order my Thanksgiving dessert, I tried a sample of their pumpkin spice cake and OMG....instant foodgasam! I literally saw stars flashing because it was so good and because it was, I switched my original order to have one of those and it was worth it! The flavors are well blended and as I mentioned in a previous post, the cake is always moist and the icing is perfect.

You can thank me later!!

Nothing Bundt Cakes!

Greetings folks! I hope everyone is doing well. You should know by now that when I am MIA it is not due to lack of inspiration ( because I am always eating :) ) but moreso due to life and work taking over. None the less, I have something for you...."Nothing Bundt Cakes", in Sandy Springs, GA (yes, I be every where)!

In early June, I had a girlfriends weekend and it was great! We hungout, ate, relaxed and had a fabolous time in the ATL! Normally when I have guest I try to take them to the best "mom and pop" restaurants in town because I figure, why eat at chain restaurants when there is so much variety in Atlanta?

So....of course, I made my pilgramige to the infamous Cami Cakes and without fail my guest looooved them! While we were eating our cupcakes a friend of mine mention a place in Alabama called "Nothing Bundt Cakes". She went on to say they sale miniture ( and large) budnt cakes in a few flavors and that they are awesome ( this is where get excited). She said they give out free samples and they encourage you to try as many as you like. However, she warned me that the red velvet had choclate chips in it and they were "unexpected" and a different experience. So, I made a mental note and we went on with our weekend.

Lo and behold on Sunday when we went to The Flying Biscuit ( another favorite) I saw this cute little van next to the restaurant that advertised bundt cakes. Next thing I knew, I looked up and I was standing infront of the bundt cake store!! Unfortunately, it was Sunday and they were closed.

However, the following Saturday I was going to a concert in the area and I stopped by to finally give this place a try. When I walked in I expected the shop to smell like sugar and fresh baked goods, but to my suprise and disappointment it smelt like nail acrylic....WTH! I mentioned this out loud and the worker said it was a nail shop next door and the fumes were so strong it overpowers the store.....wow, can we say health hazard!

After getting over the initial shock I saw the amazing display of cakes!!!!! I also looked in the corner and saw red velvet samples!!!!! Before I could even taste one, I picked it up with a napkin and noticed it was sooooooo moist. Thankfully, my friend had prepared me for the choclate chips but to my suprise they were not that bad, just different. With every bite ( yes, I had two samples) all I could say was " oh my god!" because this stuff was better than good, lets say "life changing"!

I was so excited that I could not decide on which one to get, so I ended up leaving with a red velvet and a pecan praline that is slap your momma good. I do not know what they put in them cakes to make them so moist but they do a hellava job.

Evevrytime I think of them my mouth begins to water  ( like now) . I have to try my best to stay away while I am on " Operation Sexy Back" but whenever I make my trek to the concert hall I will be sure to stop by!

Oregano's

Continuing with my Arizona visit.....Saturday night and well into Sunday was visitation day with my friends in Phoenix and Tucson. So, on Saturday night, I met a few people at one of my favorite restaurants in Arizona, Oregano's!!!! I am getting excited just thinking about it! I know living in Arizona you may think Mexican food would be the way to go, which in some cases it is but when I think of Arizona food I crave Oregano's pizza, salad and hot cookies......mmmmmm!

On this particular Saturday night when I was dog tired from my day in Sedona and from driving, I still found the strength to drive 30 minutes to the restaurant and I am glad I did! As usual, I knew I was getting the thin crust peperoni pizza ( yes, I am simple when it comes to pizza), a anti-pasta salad and a hot cookie!! All of these deserve their own section so here it is.....

The Pizza

Oregano's pizza is some of the best pizza that I have ever had. I have never tried the Chicago style they offer because it takes 45 minutes to get and that is just to long for me to wait. So, I go with the thin crust which is perfect. Normally, I do not like thin crust because it is not filling (sorry carb haters) but I love bread and pizza crust. Anyway, the thin crust is perfect because they cut them in perfect squares and the combination of sauce, cheese and pepperoni is amazing! Best of all, they allow you to split the pizza if you are with someone who wants something else.

The Salad

Oregano's also have some of the best salads that I have tasted. Again, they have the right blend of indigents to make the salad memorable. My favorite salad is the anti-pasta salad (yes!). This salad has just about every Italian ingredient in it but pasta, hence the name :). The salad has peperoni, salami, artichokes, olive oil, onions, tomatoes and a few other items but it is mouth watering!!! A word to the wise........never go and not order a salad! Oh, the cesar is great as well!
The Cookie......mmmmm!

So, the hot chocolate chip cookie is my all time favorite dessert! It takes 15 minutes to make and once you get it you will see why. The cookie comes in a skillet with several scoops of ice cream on the top, big enough to share! Once I tasted it I was in heaven and so was the rest of the table. The perfect lend of hot and cold gets me everytime. If you do not like chocolate chips, they also have one with macadamia nuts, but you already know my preference :).

Sorry folks, its only an Arizona chain :(, but I kow you were there in spirit!

Sweet Georgia's Juke Joint

Greetings!

I pray that everyone is doing well and that you are enjoying St. Patrick's Day!!

Last week I had the pleasure of spending the weekend with my dear sorority (line) sisters, and we had a blast! So much so that I was tired after it was all said and done and I was reminded that I cannot hang like I use too :). However, one of our experiences entailed an after dinner snack and dessert ( yes we ate good!) at Sweet Georgia's Juke Joint, in downtown Atlanta.

                                                      ( Picture by www.myurbanaccess.com)

If you live in Atlanta, you will know that this is a hard place to get in to. Speaking from experience,  I have tried on several occasions to get a reservation and they are always booked!! Luckily, we went early last Sunday and was able to get a table without a problem. After speaking to the hostess, she said there is a 3 week wait....damn!!

Dessert
(Sorry no picture folks, I ate first and thought about the blog later, lol!)

While waiting for the band to set-up we snacked on samplers, drinks (which were pretty good) and..........bread pudding....OMG!! In my opinion, and those that were at the table, this was some of the best restaurant bread pudding we had ever tasted. It was the prefect blend of sweet, pecans and the brown sugar topping that they put on there. My only suggestion would be to have raisins and more nuts in it, but I understand that it is a restaurant dessert, so it might not be safe to have all that in there. None the less, it was worth the $7 that I paid for it.

Food

Now the food......is another story. I was not impressed with the sampler of okra (that was used as a garnish....WTH!!!??), fried green tomatoes and fried onions. Furthermore, the shrimp and grits were not anything to write home about either. I think nothing ruins a dish like that more than undercooked grits that you have to work on....no bueno!

Atmosphere

If not for anything else, it is a great place to visit for the atmosphere and grown and sexy feel, the music is great  and so are the drinks and dessert! Oh, and there is a $5 per person entertainment charge as well, but it is better than paying the $20 to get in a crowded smokey club! Hopefully, you will be paying them a visit in the future but when you do, keepp the above items in mind and you can thank me later!

Have fun and happy eating!!

Red Velvet Cake Ice Cream....Fact or Fiction?

Greetings and Happy (Belated) New Year to All!!

I hope everyone is doing well. Yes, I am happy to be back , so let's get to it!

In my humble opinion, Publix premium ice cream is some of the best store brand ice cream I have ever tasted. Everytime I go into Publix I swing by the ice cream section to see if they have the infamous and rare Red Velvet Cake ice cream (Yes, ice cream!). Once you have a taste of it you will understand my obsession with it. Last year, I was informed that it is a "limited edition" ( if you will) and only comes out once a year. Unfortunately, I could never remember when that time was so I got in the habit of looking for it year round with hopes of seeing that red and pink container. A few weeks ago, my search paid off and I found it!!! Come to find out it only comes out in February in honor of Valentine's Day.....aaaaawwww!!

As usual during my unique discoveries  I send out a mass text message to my devoted followers and to people who at one point thought this ice cream was a figment of my imagination, just like the sweet potato cake .....mmmmm. The picture above is proof that it does indeed exist and might I add, worth the $4.98 you pay for it.

To describe Red Velvet Cake Ice Cream is like no other and it can only be described as what it is, red velvet cake ice cream. One scoop is like a party in your mouth because every bite is something different. This delicious concoction is made of chunks or red velvet cake ( yes!), pecans, butter cream icing and what I believe to be strawberry ice cream; and yes, it is as good as it sounds.

So......whenever you are in Publix stroll by the ice cream section and I promise you will not regret it or you might, because it is addicting!!

Happy Eating!!

Brick Street Cafe (Greenville, SC)

Greetings devoted followers, I am delighted to bring you another great find all the way from Greenville, SC! This weekend, I had the pleasure of visiting Greenville. I know you maybe thinking ......"what's in Greenville?", but if you have never been I suggest that you put in on your bucket list. Although, this was my third trip there I still get excited when I talk about my favorite part of the city, downtown Main St. The best word to describe it, is cute and quaint. Cute in that you can walk the strip to shop, eat or just enjoy the scenery and the beautiful tree lined streets. On any account, my reason for writing is inspired by my visit to the Brick Street Cafe and my encounter with the famous Miss Sue.

(bakeryboyblog.files.wordpress.com)

The Brick Street Cafe was recommended by a local older couple that described the restaurant, their infamous sweet potato pie cake and love muffin as "life changing" (no joke). After hearing my favorite phrase, I immediate knew where I wanted to go for lunch. After speaking with the couple for a few and learning that the restaurant's chef and matriarch is a older black woman named Miss Sue and the family that owns the restaurant basically allows Miss Sue to cook and run the restaurant. I was also surprised to learn that Miss Sue was the family's cook for years. Once I heard that I was even more intrigued to experience Miss Sue and the Brick Street Cafe....

I immediately Googled the restaurant and saw that it had 4 out of 5 stars and all the reviews were excellent. When I arrived at the cafe, I mistaking (but thankfully) entered through the banquet room entrance/bakery of the restaurant. Once I entered, I was greeted by the overwhelming smell of sugar and homemade cakes, and I honestly thought I was in my great-grandmother's kitchen. I eventually made my way upstairs and I was amazed at the ambiance and decor of the restaurant because it reminded me of pictures that I have seen of cafes in Paris. The main dinning area had individual rooms with different themes and various colors and customers are able to select any area to dine in, and I thought that was so cute. Then in the back of the restaurant I saw the cake display......sigh!

After deciding on the "Merry Christmas" room, I looked over the menu and immediately went to the desserts and everything looked great. A local couple nearby overheard my conversation about the love muffin and the unknown woman suggested I try Miss Sue's Chicken Salad, fruit and love muffin meal. She went on to say that the love muffin was "life changing" and she then went on to describe the taste and the muffin with so much passion that she began biting her hand, as if to say " it is that good".

Needless to say, I decided on Miss Sue's chicken salad sandwich, a love muffin and the bakery lady offered a piece of sweet potato pie cake.....and boy was it deelish! The cake was like a perfect blend of cake and sweet potato pie and it is by far the best cake creation (and cake) that I have everrrrrrrr tasted. Even the homemade butter cream icing was bliss and I am not a big fan of icing. Of course the love muffin and chicken salad sandwich was great, but that cake stole the show......mmmmmmmmmmmmmm! After I dined, I left there with a raspberry chocolate cake, sweet potato pie cake and a coconut cake....and everything was moist and a perfect blend of deliciousness.

Although the food and experience was excellent, I had the opportunity to meet and talk to Miss Sue and this was a priceless and blessed experience that I will never forget. If I did not know any better I would have thought she was a regular worker who was busing tables and minding her business.........but no, this is the person who's pictures are on the walls of the restaurant and for sale at the register, not to mention she is the creator of the delicious cakes and some of the menu items. According to Miss Sue , she is the only one that makes the chicken salad and sweet potato pie cake daily. She also told me that she raised 10 kids alone, loves to work and go to church and that God is her source. As she was talking I was praying that at 80 years old God blesses me with a life that I can be proud of, a constant zeal for life, the motivation to live and keep me in my right mind because Miss Sue exemplified all that and some, as well as the respect of everyone in that restaurant, and probably town. Miss Sue is what I call a DIVA in her own right, and she is most deserving of the honor that is displayed in the restaurant that she has created a name for.

Cafe Intermezzo

Back in 2009, I was introduced to a sweet spot in Atlanta called Cafe Intermezzo. On this particular night, I recall leaving a jazz club with a few friends and craving dessert. One of the ladies I was with suggested this spot and mentioned that they stayed open late ( 2AM) and the atmosphere and desserts were great. True to her word, it was a great experience and I always remembered the little restaurant, with the great dessert display and smelled of sugar when you walked in ( that is when you know it is good!).

Strangely enough, on Friday, the scene played out the same when I was out with a few friends. After we enjoyed dinner, music and drinks we wanted to seal the night with dessert. Instantly, I though of and suggested Cafe Intermezzo, the group agreed and off we went. However, this time, my GPS led me to another location downtown that I was not familiar with but to my surprise the experience was the same from the ambiance to the welcoming smell of sugar and then..........the lovely display of cheesecakes and other desserts!!!!!

Instantly, I saw the Oreo cheesecake and as I walked by the counter to go to the restroom it said "hello" and I was sold! Call me crazy but I am a firm believer that some things speak to me ( especially food, shoes, clothes etc..) and it is just meant for me to have, especially when that happens. Needless to say, the waiter over heard my request and ordered my Oreo and a traditional strawberry cheesecake for my friend, which she was eating and moaning at the same time....too funny!

People that know me well will tell you that I looooooooove (really, love) The Cheesecake Factory and that my favorite cheesecake is the sneakers, but the Oreo is a close second. However...........I dare to say that Cafe Intermezzo has some of the best restaurant cheesecake that I have every tasted  (even better than Junior's in NYC....sorry but true) and it is so smooth and rich, so much so that I could only eat half.

Thankfully the night and the experience was nice and we had the pleasure of sitting outside and enjoying our davine cheesecake experience. So, the next time you are in ATL or Charlotte, be sure to stop by for a late night snack at Cafe Intermezzo. Ohhhh.....they also have a full restaurant menu that looks pretty good, but as of now I cannot comment on that.....one indulgence at a time....gotta try and keep it sexy!!