Happy Fourth of July!

This weekend we celebrate our country’s independence in a variety of ways with most including a fantastic fireworks display. One of our favorite displays is at Harriett Island in St Paul, MN.  The Taste of Minnesota has upped the ante this year with nearly 50 food purveyors, chef demonstrations and a great musical line-up. Headliners include P.O.S.. Atmosphere, Sammy Hagar and Counting Crows. If you should decide to leave the event on Harriett to view the fireworks from the East Bank of the mighty Mississippi, look for the Chef Shack trailer. They serve the most addictive Curry Mini Donuts.  For festival tickets and information, http://tasteofmn.com/index.html

Naperville, IL.’s Knoch Park will play host to RibFest. Of course there is a barbecue competition that benefits all barbecue lovers. Lee Ann Rimes will headline on July 3^rd as part of a line-up that includes Sammy Hagar, Sister Hazel, Tonic and The Giving Tree Band. The event proceeds are used to help eliminate child abuse and violence. Learn more at, http://www.ribfest.net/

Another barbecue festival is hosted in Lake Placid, NY. I love Barbecue Junior World Championship. This event in its second year is full of fun and creative cooking challenges for youth ages 16-21 years old. This competition is fun, creative and shows how passionate young people can be about cooking. Find out more at, http://www.ilbbqf.com/

Mandeville Seafood Festival has gotten underway in Fountainebleau State Park. This celebration of Louisiana Seafood is a family focused fun event to celebrate Independence Day. Get tickets at, http://www.seafoodfest.com/index.php

What better beverage to wash down the barbecue than BEER? If you want some of the best selections of crafted beers head to Seattle, WA for the Seattle International Beer Festival. The Mural Amphitheater at Seattle Center will be the venue for this festival with more than 150 beers to taste you will quickly become either drunk or an aficionado. Check it out, http://www.seattlebeerfest.com/Index2%20SIB.htm

The National Cherry Festival kicks off it weeklong celebration this week in Traverse City, MI. This is a Food and Wine Festival with plenty of family entertainment. Musical performances by Los Lonely Boys, Tommy Castro and Randy Hauser. This event focused on our favorite stone fruit is sure to please everyone. Check out the air show featuring the Blue Angels on Saturday. To see the schedule and plan your outing, http://visit.cherryfestival.org/

Head out to Floyd, VA for the Floyd Fandango Wine and Beer Fest. You can enjoy some of Virginia’s finest Appalachian wines and learn about the process of winemaking. The craft brews from the region will be sampling their tasty treats as well. Don’t be misguided; this is an event the whole family can enjoy. http://www.floydfandango.com/

In Stockton, CA you can enjoy the Taste Of San Joaquin and the Way Out West Barbecue Championship. This one-day event is held at the Weber Point Event Center in downtown Stockton. http://downtownstockton.org/stockton_events_taste_of_san_joaquin.php

Nye Beach, OR and Cedar Key, FL will be having beachside clambakes to celebrate the Fourth. Get information at http://www.nyebeach.org/ClamBake.html and http://www.cedarkey.org/clamerica/index.html

Former Nashville, TN Mayor, Bill Purcell is proud to bring the Music City Hot Chicken Festival to the Music City to celebrate the Fourth. This event will take place in East Park from noon till 5pm. http://www.musiccityhotchickenfestival.com./

What is the Fourth of July without Nathan’s International July Fourth Hot Dog Eating Contest on Coney Island? This years competitors may have a better chance since Tsunami Kobayashi has announced he will not be able to compete this year. But the Tsunami never intimidated Joey Chestnut. Learn more at. http://nathansfamous.com/PageFetch/getpage.php?pgid=38

Have a great Fourth of July weekend.  

Wine and Food are celebrated from the Mountains to the Crystal Blue Waters.

The NYC Food Film Festival got underway this week. It is a great event that brings the foods that are in the films being screened to the mouths of the attendees. Some screenings are sold out but there is still plenty to enjoy. Get your tickets at the door or learn more at, http://www.nycfoodfilmfestival.com/about.html

Kapalua, HI kicks off its annual Food and Wine Fest this week. This is a wonderful wine event that pairs cheeses, and regional cuisine with some of the country’s best wines. A four-day festival pass is $699.00. If you are on Maui looking for a unique Hawaiian experience this is it. Learn more at, http://www.kapalua.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=137&Itemid=897/

The Telluride Wine Festival promises a great event in the beautiful Rocky Mountains of Colorado. The weekend will include food and wine events throughout Telluride and will feature Iron Chef Cat Cora. The casual attitude that is Telluride will present 2 nights of great music in Town Park. Not many wine festivals have a live musical line up. We applaud Telluride for this, as we love nothing better than to dine and dance. Get more information at, http://www.telluridewinefestival.com/

The Long Island Wine and Food Festival has its inaugural event this week on the North Fork of Long Island. You will get to experience the products from the local wine regions and chefs and restaurants. Learn more at, http://www.longislandwineandfoodfestival.com/

The Cleveland Wine Festival is also this weekend showcasing more than 200 wines from around the world. Wine seminars and cooking demonstrations are conducted by exhibiting wineries and local area chefs and restaurants. Check it out at, http://www.clevelandwinefestival.com/index.html

The taste of Chicago is so big it runs for a whole week. With celebrity chefs, Giada de Laurentis and Mario Batali joining many others and an incredible music line up including, Rob Thomas, Mat Kearney, Los Lobos and many others. This is a festival worth catching everyday of the week. As a matter of fact maybe we should skip the Fancy Food Show in New York and road trip it to Chicago! Check out the schedule at, http://www.explorechicago.org/city/en/things_see_do/event_landing/special_events/mose/taste_of_chicago.html

Speaking of Fancy Food Show. The Javits center in New York host the annual summer show beginning on the 27^th. This show is for the trade and we will be there (unless we can get a majority vote to hit the road west to Chicago). The show attracts producers from all over the world and we go twice annually to help source great items to include in our 3goodeggs.com offerings.

The Great American Food and Music Festival takes place in Foxborough, MA on Saturday. This is an event we hate to miss because our favorite wine critic, Gary Vaynerchuck will be presenting Wine Library Classes. There are a lot of other activities packed into this one-day event so check out the schedule here, http://www.greatamericanfoodandmusicfest.com/index.html

Saturday is also the date for the Slow Food Orange County Annual Barbeque in Bommer Canyon, Irvine, CA. Not to miss is the docent guided short loop hike through the canyon. It’s historical significance as a cattle camp creates a backdrop to the importance of the preservation of plants and wildlife that thrive in the area. Learn more at, http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/112350

The Grand Festival of Pinot Days takes place on Sunday at San Francisco’s Fort Mason. This is an incredible event focused on the Pinot Noir grape’s production of wines. See the full remaining schedule at http://www.pinotdays.com/

Some local festivals to note: Strawberry Festivals are being held in London, OH, Long Grove, IL and South Berwick, ME. The websites are, http://www.londonstrawberryfestival.com/ http://www.longgroveonline.com/strawberry.html and http://southberwickstrawberryfestival.com/default.aspx

Watermelon Festivals are being held in Luling, TX, DeRidder, LA and Chipley, FL. Learn more at, http://www.watermelonthump.com/, http://www.beauregardwatermelonfestival.com/index.html and http://www.panhandlewatermelonfestival.com/

In Emerson, AR you must check out the PurpleHull Pea Festival. http://www.purplehull.com/

These local festivals are important as they celebrate the harvest of what so many in our communities do to provide sustainable communities through agriculture. Get out and celebrate the fruits of their labors.

One last thing we ask you to do. Please go to http://taste.strength.org/site/PageServer?pagename=TOTN_homepage and learn more about Share Our Strength’s mission. This is such an important cause and daunting task, to end childhood hunger in the US by 2015. If you are not able to attend one of the many events this group produces to raise funds and awareness, you are able to make donations online. If we create a partnership of growers, producers and consumers we can achieve this goal,

Have a great weekend and look for us at the Fancy Food Show or Taste of Chicago. We’re still awaiting the results of the three secret ballots

Ice Cream, Chicken, Pigs and Flying Pizza Dough try to compete with the Grand Daddy of Food Festivals.

If you want to get up close and personal to some of the best chefs in America you need just fork over $1,185. 00 to attend The Food and Wine Classic of Aspen. Beginning Friday morning with a program titled ‘Meet The Masters’ this event is attended by many of the up and coming culinary stars and those of us who appreciate the accomplishments of the artists creating great food and wine. You will learn about Food and Wine pairing, Wine production and of course taste some delicious foods. Any true gourmand will want to be here. Purchase tickets at, https://www.stayaspensnowmass.com/foodandwine/register

Aspen is not the only ski resort hosting a Wine and Food Classic. Stowe, Vermont hosts their own classic at the Trapp Family Lodge. Friday night’s opening Wine Tasting will take you through a comparison of Oregon and Burgundy’s wines from vintage 2005. Chef Brian Thomlinson and Owen Roe’s wines host Saturday’s Gala Dinner. Sunday is the Grand Tasting and silent auction. Learn more at, http://www.stowewine.com/

Another spectacular event is the Gettysburg Festival. This event celebrates all things art including the culinary arts. There are 11 culinary events in ten days. Don’t forget the other arts that are showcased in this grand event. You can get more information at, http://www.gettysburgfestival.org/roadblock.asp

Natick, MA celebrates the Visiting Nurses Association with ‘A Fresh Taste’. This event features local chefs and fresh ingredients paired with wines. This is a great cause and good food. You can learn a lot about paring wines. For more information, http://www.natickvna.org/content325.html

Salem, Oregon plays host to the Wine, Chocolate and More Benefit. Beginning Friday evening you are invited to enjoy decadent chocolate and wines from more than a dozen wineries. I am not sure what wines would be paired with the Mad Cupcake Love and Icing offerings but I am sure I could find a great pairing. Access more information at, http://www.winechocolateandmore.com/

Le Mars, Iowa is the Ice Cream Capital of the World and began its celebration of Ice Cream on Wednesday. We have a brother who lives here and whenever we visit we always get a few of our favorite scoops. So if you are near be sure to check out the festivities. On Saturday is the Grill and Chill Rib Rally. Barbecue and Ice Cream…is there a better combination?

In San Francisco celebrate Italy and have the pooch blessed at the North Beach Festival. The festival showcases a pizza throwing contest, Arte di Gesso (sidewalk chalk art), and the blessing of the animals. This is a great way to enjoy some of San Francisco’s best Italian foods. It is a free event on Saturday and Sunday.

Barbecue still holds the summer crowds at events in National Harbor, Maryland, Hillsborough, North Carolina and Fort Wayne, Indiana. Get the 411 at, http://www.beerandbourbon.com/national-harbor/show-info, http://www.hogdays.com/index.htm and http://www.bbqribfest.com/custom1.html

Chicken Festivals are being held in Crewe, Virginia and Dover, Delaware. More information at, http://www.virginiachickenfestival.org/ and http://www.dpichicken.org/

On Saturday Burgaw, North Carolina and Brewton, Alabama host their annual blueberry festivals. Did someone say ‘Blueberry Danish’? Yum. More info at, http://www.ncblueberryfestival.com/ and http://www.alabamablueberryfestival.com/

Have a delicious weekend. We are headed to another family campout with our eyes peeled for more local farm stands along the way.
 

World Cup is here!

What goes better with the greatness of the World Cup from South Africa than a food truck with a flat screen television on top? ESPN is sending food trucks, called the ESPN Match Truck, around Los Angeles and New York so that locals can cheer for their favorite national teams in the World Cup.

Kogi BBQ Chef Roy Choi, who was recently named "Best New Chef"  by Food & Wine magazine, designed an international menu inspired by local street foods of some the teams participating in the World Cup. This means you can order anything from South Africa's Bunny Chow to USA Silver Dollar Pancakes to South Korea's Yaki Mandoo Dumplings to Italy's Seared Rice Balls. The Greek Lamb Gyro is particularly tasty, as is Mexican Carne Asada Burrito. We have to imagine Greece and Mexico's national teams wish they had performed as well on the field.

So if you come across an ESPN Match Truck, stop by for a delicious bite... and of course, cheer loudly for your favorite team or blow your vuvuzelas!

Strawberry Season hits its stride in June

June is chock full of Strawberry Festivals across the country. The season will end soon for a lot of our local growers so now is the time to get out to these festivals and enjoy that ever-so summertime treat, The Strawberry Shortcake.

The Troy Strawberry Festival kicks off with a parade on Saturday morning. The Festival site will open at 10 am with lots of treats and fun for the whole family. Of course all summer food events need a little music. This festival is no exception. Learn more at http://www.troyohiostrawberryfestival.com.

Other Strawberry Festivals are taking place in Pittsburg, PA on June 4^th. In  Kimmswick, MO on June 5^th and 6^th. In Lebanon, OR on June 6^th. In Ashland, VA on June 5^th. In West Cape May, NJ on June 5^th. Enjoy the sweet and tart treats that your local strawberry growers bring to our tables.

The Gourmet Latino Festival kicks off today in New York’s Astor Center with an opening cocktail party. The party features Latin inspired cocktails and wines paired with antojitos from New York’s best Latin restaurants. The festival continues with exciting food and libations events through the weekend. Then enjoy Latin Dining Week at participating restaurants throughout the city. Learn more at http://www.gourmetlatinofestival.com.

What could be more fun than playing in the Colorado slopes in the late spring? We love that they just like to party. This weekend the folks in Snowmass are going to throw one in honor of the Chili Pepper and Brews. This annual event has competitions in both Chili cook-offs and a microbrew competition. But don’t forget your dancing shoes. Friday night the Kyle Hollingsworth Band headlines followed on Saturday by Brett Dennen and on Sunday George Clinton and Parliament/Funkadelic wraps it up. Now you know why we just love the Colorado Mountains all year round.

Here’s a twist. A 3-Day Louisiana and New Orleans style music, food and camping festival kicks off today in of all places…Augusta, NJ. This 3 day festival started as a small crawfish boil for transplants from the muddy south missing their national food. This is the 21^st annual celebration of Crawfish Fest. It is nice to have an event that honors the good people that are struggling with the disaster in the gulf.  Get out and enjoy some crawfish pie, red beans and rice and especially some alligator sausage. The headliners are Taj Mahal, Galactic and Marcia Ball joined by more than 20 other performers. Campgrounds open today at Sussex County Fairgrounds. Learn more and purchase tickets at http://www.crawfishfest.com/index.html.

California is celebrating the fruit of the vine. The LA Wine Fest takes place this weekend featuring wine and spirits from around the globe. This annual event draws people from across the country.  This event is about learning and tasting with seminars daily. Check it out at the Raleigh Studios on Melrose in Hollywood. Tickets and seminar reservations can be made through their website, http://www.lawinefest.com/.

Other wine events in California include the Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine Festival. This is a great event that fills the morning sky with colorful hot air balloons. Temecula Valley is a prolific wine producing region and you will get to taste some of the best. Entertainment includes Jimmy Wayne, Gin Blossoms, Paul Rodgers and Spyro Gyra. We have always come away from wine tasting tours in this region with cases of wine and a lilt in our step. We didn’t even need the hot air balloons for the lilt! Check out their website for more information, http://www.tvbwf.com/.

Newport Beach and Foster City also have food and wine festivals this weekend. I guess we will need helicopters and jets to get to all of these.

The Great Chowder Cook-Off takes place at the Newport Yachting Center in Newport, RI on Saturday. There is stiff competition to become known as the Top Clam. The whole family is sure to enjoy the live entertainment.

Monday kicks off Dr. Pepper’s 119^th Birthday Bash in Dublin, TX. This is a weeklong celebration so important to the region that Dublin changes its name to Dr. Pepper. If you have never had a Dublin Dr Pepper you need to get here. This takes you back to the days of natural flavorings to savor on a hot summer day.

Please make sure you send your comments, tweets and pics with us if you attend any of the events. If you spot one of us 3 Good Eggs you’ll see a delicious smile on our face!

Barbecue Weekend Is Here! Happy Memorial Day

This is the weekend to remember those that we have lost. Especially those who serve us so bravely in the military. Take time to raise a toast to all who have served us in their special way. This weekend across the country many of us will be enjoying the delicious foods created on an open fire.

Thursday begins the Kodiak Crab Festival in Kodiak Alaska. This local event features regional foods. Yes all the beautiful seafood from the Northern Pacific too. It is a quaint event that welcomes spring. It is a rich tradition that entertains the whole family with a midway of rides and games as well as music. Nothing brings a thaw more than good food and dancing. This event runs from May 27 through May 31.

In Shreveport, LA the Mudbug Madness kicks off. This is sure to be another great dance and food event. After all how can you sit still to zydeco music? This festival features crawfish and of course the southern Louisiana attitude ‘Laissez, les bon temps roulez.’ With great music and a goofy fun Crawfish Eating Contest this is sure to be a two-steppin’ good time. It takes place May 27 through May 30.

The St Louis Ribs America Festival starts Friday May 28^th  and runs through Monday the 31^st. This event features barbecue aficionados competing for the blue ribbon. We attendees get the benefit of tasting all the great barbecue styles from around the country. The topper to all the good eats is the musical entertainment including Bret Michaels headlining on Saturday night. Ain’t nothing better than dancing with a sloppy rib in your hand and a barbecue slathered mouth. You can access more information at www.Ribamerica.com.

Another great barbecue event is Marc’s Great American Rib Cook-off in Cleveland Ohio. The barbecue contests draw aficionados from Texas to Toronto. Famous Dave’s from Minnesota is the reigning champ and will be there to defend their title. We really like Famous Dave’s ribs with their spicy sauce. When we head out of Minneapolis we will find a Famous Dave’s to get one last taste of these finger lickin’ delights. As any good Memorial Day barbecue event this one entertains with more than a dozen bands to keep you swinging those hips. The Cook-off begins Friday and runs through Monday. For more information check out their website, http://www.cleveland.com/rib/

The World’s Largest Brat Festival in Madison, WI kicks off Friday and continues through Monday. This festival has raised close to one million dollars for local charities. It is about enjoying that Upper Midwest sausage and giving back to the community. Get there, eat brats and help them top the million dollar mark. It happens at Willow Island – Alliant Energy Center.

Fruit has become a balancing ingredient in many barbecue sauces. The Garden Grove Strawberry Festival will showcase strawberry confections as well as several contests for the whole family. This year’s theme is ‘Celebrating the Magic of Music’ You can learn more about the festival at, www.strawberryfestival.org/index.html

Finish your Memorial Weekend at the Bklyn Yard, 400 Carroll St. in Brooklyn, NY. Parked: Gowanus Food Truck Festival brings the best food trucks of New York City to showcase their offerings. What a great way to get the best street food without trying to get all over the city for your favorites. This is part of the celebration of the re-opening of BKLYN YARD, an event space along the Gowanus canal. You can access more information at www.meanredproductions.com/1582

There are many other food events around the country focused on barbecue and celebrating the dawning of summer. If you know something we should note and especially get to taste, please comment, so we all can satisfy our hunger for regional foods.

Food Events Abound

It is the beginning of summer and food festivals are tempting our adventurous palates. We will keep you aware of happenings in different parts of the country once a week. If you get a chance to attend any of these events please write a comment or review for your fellow readers

Cooking For Solutions kicks off their annual event on Friday night with a program featuring Chef of The Year, Suzanne Goin accompanied by Rick Bayless. at The Monterey Bay Aquarium. This event is about bringing awareness to seafood production and consumption in a more sustainable manner to bring keep our oceans healthy. Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Program is the beneficiary. Great cause and many talented chefs preparing tasty food. Purchase tickets at their website, http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/vi/vi_events/cooking/default.aspx

Tour de Champagne takes it’s event to Atlanta this weekend. A one night event featuring pours from more than a dozen champagne producers and restaurants. This event benefits Angel Flight of Georgia. Purchase tickets at http://www.tourdechampagne.com/atlanta.html

Some of the best grapes grown in the US will put on a grand display at the Paso Robles Wine Festival in Paso Robles, CA. The food offerings and educational are provided by some of the region’s most talented chefs, featuring farm to table dishes. This weekend event has a lot to offer. Get your tickets at http://www.pasowine.com/events/wine-festival-tickets.php

Coastal Uncorked continues through the weekend in Myrtle Beach, SC. This Wine and Food event benefits a great cause…our future culinary professionals through donations to local culinary and hospitality programs. Be sure to check out the Food Fight Gala on Sunday. There will be food sampling and wine pours as you enjoy an Iron Chef style competition of area chefs. I know, you were thinking more pie in the face fun. But this is sure to please your palate without creating a huge dry cleaning bill. For more information and tickets visit http://www.coastaluncorked.com/

Train Food. How about a delicious food festival and the music of Train? The taste of Addison kicks off on Friday with more than 60 participating restaurants. Cousin LuLu tells us that Addison has more five star restaurants in a five mile radius than anywhere else! So this is bound to be a tasty treat. In addition to the food they have some great music lined up. Train is to perform on Saturday Night. Purchase tickets by visiting http://www.addisontexas.net/events/TasteAddison/

All things Sicilian in San Diego! This Festival of culture will take place in San Diego’s Little Italy neighborhood on Sunday. It features food, entertainment and cultural artisanry. You can even attend a traditional Sicilian wedding for a Sicilian American couple. It’s sure to be a good time in the southern California sun.

Have a delicious weekend. Did anyone make it to the Soul Food festival in San Antonio last week? We would love to hear about it. 

Awe Summertime. Food Events Abound!

It is the beginning of summer and food festivals are tempting our adventurous palates. We will keep you aware of happenings in different parts of the country once a week. If you get a chance to attend any of these events please write a comment or review for your fellow readers.

Friday Night marks the opening of the North Beach Friday Night Farmers Market. This is one of the most fun regular food happenings on the Chesapeake Bay. Though we are still very partial to beer and bushels for whiling away a sunny afternoon.

In San Antonio you can get closer to God beginning Friday morning at 10 am. A gospel choir will open the San Antonio Soul Food Festival in La Villita Square. This is a free event and you are asked to bring a canned food donation.

San Francisco will get you all worked up before watching or running with the colorful runners in the Bay to Breakers. The Annual OysterFest will take place on the Great Meadow in Fort Mason Saturday beginning at noon. This event promises great food, quenching brew and fun music to keep you on your toes starring Cake. This is a quintessential San Francisco weekend.

If you want a stinky good time, get to Seattle for the Seattle Cheese Festival to be held at Pike Place Public Market on Saturday and Sunday. Sponsored in part by DeLaurenti Food and Wine shop, one of our favorite Seattle food purveyors, this event will host more than two dozen international and domestic cheese makers. Wish we could be there as this event gets better every year.

If you are in Los Angeles, you can still get on the waiting list for FERMENT. Sue Conley from Cowgirl Creamery will present on the art of making cheese while touring you through samples of her highly regarded Mt Tam cheese at various ages. She will have musical integration from Chris Kallmyer making this a multi-media presentation. Machine Project, an innovative art collective that bridges art, science and craft, presents this event. Visit machineproject.com to get on the wait list.

Taste of Arlington, VA takes place on Sunday from noon to 5pm at the Ballston Common Mall. This year’s event has shown more growth and has added a bigger footprint with more food and wine options. You can buy your tickets at the event or on their website, Tasteofarlington.com.

Have a delicious weekend. We are headed to a family campout with our eyes peeled for farm stands along the way.

Mother’s Day Brunch-Eggs for Dinner

This last Sunday we celebrated Mother’s Day with a brunch. This may sound all too common but in our uncommon family we served it as an evening meal. Cinnamon rolls, omelet bar, fried potatoes, fruit, it was all a brunch should be. Most of us have experienced having a breakfast meal for dinner. After all, is there any thing more comforting than pancakes drenched in butter and syrup? It has to be the ultimate comfort food. It reminded me of a time I had invited some friends for dinner and found little in the pantry and refrigerator but worst of all little in my wallet. So as any good cook does, I improvised. I had some fresh corn, peppers, squash and tomatoes that I had purchased at the farmers market. I also had a dozen eggs, that’s four times three good eggs;-). I decided to make a corn waffle, top it off with ratatouille and a poached egg covered in hollandaise. The meal was a smashing success. My friends still talk about the creativity of the meal. I was glad because it only required I buy a lemon from the store. It left me money in my wallet to buy a sherbet to end the meal.

Eggs are a great protein that is highly appropriate to serve at dinnertime. In the early nineties I use to frequent a lovely little French bistro in the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco. Café Jacqueline served soufflés and salads. It was my habit at first to have dinner at one of the great Italian restaurants, then walk over to Café Jacqueline for a dessert soufflé to share. One day I took a look at the complete menu and vowed to come back for a romantic dinner of a shared salad, shared savory soufflé and a shared sweet soufflé. It is still one of my fondest food memories. Now I find myself in Dallas and had discovered a restaurant called Rise in University Park. I was only lacking a companion to go and share a meal with me. Rise serves individual soufflés as well a plethora of other contemporary Bistro food. But I was there for the soufflé. The soufflés were light and moist. They were the perfect size for an entrée followed by a salad. The dessert soufflés also come in individual servings though we ordered just one to share. So it seems there is plenty of good reasons to have three good eggs for dinner.

Corn Waffle Recipe

2 ears corn, grilled
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups milk
½ cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon white sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Remove kernels from cob and puree in a blender.
Pour into a mixing bowl with eggs milk, vanilla and oil. Mix well.
Add mixed dry ingredients of flour, salt, baking soda and sugar to the wet mixture. Stir with a whisk until wet. Do not over mix.
Pour batter into waffle iron according to directions.

Note: If using a Belgium Waffle Iron I always separate the eggs and whip the egg whites to a stiff peak, then fold them into the other ingredients.

We've Gone Nuts!

It's been a damp, cool weekend here, so we decided to go nuts and make some sweet and spicy pecans. These are easy to make and make great, unique hor d'oeuvres for cocktail parties. We enjoyed snacking on them with a nice martini and olives.

Below is the recipe and you can add the seasoning to taste. We like ours with a nice kick, so we use the full amount of cayenne and Tabasco, but you can certainly reduce those if you want it less spicy.

1 extra large egg white
1/2 cup sugar
2 T sweet paprika
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce
2 tsp cayenne pepper (if you don't like it too spicy cut in half)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 1/2 cups raw pecan halves

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a bowl whisk the egg white until it is frothy. Then whisk in the sugar, paprika, Worcestershire sauce,  Tabasco, cayenne pepper and salt. Add the pecans and gently toss, coating them completely.

3. Place on parchment paper and arrange into a single layer. Place in the oven and cook. Since Worcestershire sauce has a tendency to burn, stir the nuts every 20 minutes. Cook for approximately 1 hour until the nuts are dried out.

4. Remove from the oven and loosen the nuts. Set aside to cool. Note: Let nuts completely cool before placing them in a container or covering them. You do not want the humidity from the heat to build up in the container and make the nuts soft.

Enjoy!

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Food Paparazzi

I love photography. I love taking photographs. I adore going to museums to see great photographs. Since I was young I've been taking pictures of just about anything in front of me. Sometimes with success. Most times not. Well now, since starting this blog, I've been taking pictures of nearly everything I eat, and I've also noticed that the tables next to me are doing the same thing. The LA Times has referred to us as the "Food Paparazzi". And it is a growing phenomenon. 

The waiter delivers the plate and immediately cameras are taken out and flashes are popping. Often people get up to photograph the chefs in the kitchen as well. Not only is an open kitchen performance art, it's also become a photo shoot.

In New York, foodies have always been alive and well, but why the new fascination with photographing our food? We don't have lightboxes set up that allow these pictures to look amazing. Most of mine are taken with an iPhone. The lighting is what the lighting is. And often it isn't conducive to beautiful food photography.

I love the Payard croissants and had them often until they closed their New York location. When I was in Las Vegas I was ecstatic to find a Payard outpost and had an almond croissant almost every day. For as delicious as the croissant was (and as patient as I could be before devouring it), I never mastered the shot. Always taken on the sly, too, in the middle of a casino where cameras are not exactly welcome.

I try to take photos for this blog. Many times the meal (and the photo) are unremarkable and never get their day in the sun. For others their photos are reminders of good meals (although you take the photo before you know how good or bad it is.) Fascinated by food and photos, I will continue to make the best out of my iPhone. I am hoping practice makes perfect, because as you can see, I have a long way to go. Perhaps I will get pointers from the table next to me. The table with four diners snapping away. Flashes popping. Shutters clicking.

Please share some of your food photos. Good food is good art. Click away.

All this talk of Burgers

Today in New York GO Burger (from the fine folks at the BLT empire) opened a food truck bringing gourmet burgers to various NYC neighborhoods. For the lucky few who got there in time (we are glad to be included in this group), today they gave away free burgers. You have to love "practice runs". Under a perfect, warm spring sun, we ate our burgers, and they were delicious. Perfectly cooked and topped with onions, lettuce and sweet pickles. We look forward to being able to add fries and a vanilla shake to the order.

So with all this talk of burgers, it made us wonder who has the best burger? In New York you have the Shake Shack lovers who swear the 45 minute line is worth it. The perennial favorite is always the Corner Bistro, although besides the good location that love affair completely escapes us. Do the new outposts in town like Market Table & Little Owl outperform the old standards like JG Melon and PJ Clarke's?

It seems it's been a good year for burgers for us. For such a "lowbrow" meal, it has packed a lot of flavor. When we were in Las Vegas we had a late night burger at Bradley Ogden, and we are convinced it could make a vegetarian eat meat again. We have a friendly debate among ourselves, but some are convinced that Bradley Ogden has provided the best tasting burger ever. A spicy mustard, a tasty bun just add to the perfection that is the deliciously seasoned meat. There is an argument in favor of The Grape in Dallas. Another for JG Melon in New York City. 

Where is your favorite burger? And what made it the best?

One thing we do know is that with the weather getting better, we are excited about new outdoor burger joints even if we do have to chase a truck.

Hola amigos

Greetings from Barcelona, Spain.

Recently we spent a week in Barcelona, and like the Catalans, we didn't miss an opportunity to eat ham. This is snack time in Spain. Thinly sliced, sometimes added to a little bread with a drizzle of olive oil, jamón ibérico was our afternoon treat. The British have tea, the Spaniards have jamón ibérico and Rioja.

This photo was taken at La Vinya del Senyor right across the street from Basilica de Santa Maria del Mar. One spring afternoon, as we were sitting on the square, a newly married bride and groom walked out of the church to cheering locals and tourists alike. No one left their seats, but many chants and raised glasses were sent their way. Quite a scene.

Once we had finished our jamón, manchego and rioja snack, we walked through the el Born barrio, taste-testing in chocolate shops, shops roasting nuts on the premises, and those specializing in Spanish olive oils. Barcelona is a food lovers' delight, and el Born offers everything you could want. El Born is part of the older Barcelona and with its narrow streets, small shops and small alleys, has the old Europe feel. Tourists mingle at the tapas counters with many trendy locals.

The food throughout Barcelona is plentiful, almost always delicious and often innovative. After our day of snacking and shopping, it was time for dinner at Cal Pep. Like many others, waiting for a seat is expected, but once you get one you won't regret it. With no menus, you are given a choice of any or all - seafood, meat or vegetables, we chose all. And Pep delivers. Artichokes, peppers, fava beans, cod, shrimp, calamari, sausage, chorizo, and on and on. Just when you thought you were done, another round came. And of course, we were given more jamón to try, as well as a lesson on the finer points of eating with your fingers- all told in catalan with much gusto. A few glasses of cerveza later, we had cleaned our plates (if you didn't Pep was there to put the rest on your plate). Since the Catalans claim to have invented creme brulee, called crema catalana, we couldn't leave without trying it. Whoever invented it, we are glad they did.

Next it was time for some late night cocktails behind a nameless wooden door to take it all in. Just another day turning to night in Barcelona.

Mardi Gras! Carnaval! Samba!

Happy Mardi Gras!

In the spirit of Mardi Gras- and the New Orleans Saints' Super Bowl win- we stopped by Emeril Lagasses's Table 10 at the Venetian. And what else would you order for lunch except a bowl of gumbo and an Abita to wash it down?

The gumbo of the day included Bison meat (no seafood in this one). There was plenty of andouille sausage to give it that cajun feel. The roux was thick and delicious. The main disappointment was the lack of heat. Luckily they give you a bottle of Tabasco to add your own. Needless to say, we added a lot. It would've been preferable to have the heat already there, but not everything can be as perfect as a Saints' win.

Before the decadence ends, it seemed only fitting to go on a gelato tour of Las Vegas. Each casino could supply it's own tasting tour of Italy's favorite dessert. We stuck to the Jean-Philipe at the Bellagio with the world's largest chocolate fountain and Cocolini's at the Venetian. Even if it isn't as good as you remember from that first trip to Italy, they are both good. And you can't go wrong with gelato. It's always a perfect finish to any meal. Luckily there are more meals to be had and more gelato places to try!

Have a great Mardi Gras celebration, and let us know what you are doing to celebrate.

Happy New Year!

Officially the Year of the Tiger has begun. Every casino in Vegas went all out decorating for Chinese New Year. This tiger was at the Venetian, but the Bellagio, Wynn and Caesar's were equally decked out.

In that spirit, 3 Good Eggs stopped at Beijing Noodle No. 9 at Caesar's Palace to ring in the new year with traditional Chinese food. As can be expected at a restaurant in Las Vegas, showmanship seemed to reign supreme. The decor at Beijing Noodle No. 9 was up for debate - somewhere between the milk bar in a Clockwork Orange and the inside of a greeting card. The white cutout silhouettes accented with splashes of red and a tankful of orange goldfish at the entrance leave you feeling a little disoriented. The best thing to do is to bury yourself in the menu.

We tried the Kung Pao chicken (a favorite of our waiter), the handmade noodles with sliced pork & mushrooms, steamed vegetables & rice, and the duck. Unfortunately, for all the promises of authentic Northern Chinese food, we were left disappointed. Truthfully the waiter was right and the Kung Pao chicken was the tastiest dish. The duck was full of bones, so while it tasted okay picking through the bones left it a tedious task more than an enjoyable meal. The handmade noodles themselves were delicious (and fun to watch them make them in the front of the restaurant), but the overall dish lacked any great flavor. The Kung Pao chicken was good, but it was no more exciting than any ordinary take out Chinese anywhere.

Overall it was disappointing given that we were told it would be an authentic Northern style Chinese restaurant. Many of the waitstaff are from China and said the food was delicious. Sadly, in the end, we would've been better off at PF Chang's at Bally. The decorations in the casinos kept us in the new year's spirit though.

Happy Year of the Tiger!

Viva Las Vegas!

Say Vegas and people think of smoke-filled casinos, strip joints and various levels of debauchery. And while plenty of these can be easily found (or find you), Vegas has also become an oasis for fine dining. Chefs from around the world have brought outposts to this once little desert town. Nobu is here. Il Mulino. Bradley Ogden. Spago. Le Cirque.

This week we will visit various places- both high end and low end- to discover the cuisine Vegas has to offer in between the time spent at the craps tables.

Any suggestions from Vegas lovers? Don't be shy.