Food Diary: New Jersey and Philadelphia

I don't know who coined the word, "foodie," but whoever did was genius. The first time I heard that term used in a sentence, I was intrigued. I wondered, am I a foodie?

I remembered when I was about 8 or 9 years old and my Pop's and Elaine had us look at the humongous Sears catalog and circle the toys or clothes we wanted for Christmas. And I always, always circled the Easy Bake Oven and I never got one. Come to think of it, I don't think any of us ever got anything we circled from that damn catalog. Was I a foodie then? I remember I would dream of getting that Easy Bake Oven and make the chocolate cake that the girl made in the commercial (if you're as old as me, you know what I'm talking about). Of course, my second pick from the catalog was the Snoopy Sno-Cone Machine. And I never got that one either!

Fast forward to the late 90's when I moved to Boston and that is when I heard the word, foodie. Someone mentioned it to me because I was describing how incredible the sweet potatoes fries at Bartley's Burger Cottage were. Then I went on to describe the steak salad at the now defunct Grafton Street Cafe on Mass Ave. Perhaps, yes, I think I was, and am, a foodie. But I realized that I really was one when my friends from college and I formed a cooking club, and the rest, as they say, is history.

So why am I telling you this? Just last week I traveled over 3000 miles to be with my husband (in New Jersey, no less!) and what did we do? We found remote wineries in New Jersey...YES, New Jersey, and bought more wine than we needed; we drove to Hershey, PA to get our chocolate fix, then moseyed on over to Philadelphia just to have a Philly steak cheese at Pat's, the Kind of Steaks; and we found probably one of the best Italian restaurants in Freehold, NJ...the town The Boss is from. So, yes, I totally I am a foodie (and so is my husband), and I think many of us are in one way or another, although not many are as crazy as us and drive to Philly just to eat and authentic cheese steak wit cheese whiz...but then again, if you're reading this, you probably are. Happy eating!

The Princess Diaries, Part Deux

Name: Princess Diaz
Breed: Short hair Chihuahua
Hometown: Chula Vista, CA
Hobbies: Sleeping, tanning, eating chicken, barking at Elvis (the evil dog that lives next door), did I mention sleeping?

Dear Diary:

La pinche Bean doesn't leave me alone. I don't know how poor Lilu can stand her. Sometimes I just want to slap Bean...if only these paws would let me. Today was sunny (finally) and I tanned a little. Then Lilu and I went up the side of the hill and pooped and peed, and then the ridiculous Bean followed us. Then I took a nap. Ate a bit more. Cleaned myself. Took another nap and my so-called owners fed me chicken, which is my favorite. After that big meal, I tanned some more then took a 4 hour nap. Oh, I think it's bedtime now. Buenas noches!

SOFT DOGGIE TREATS (for older dogs with sensitive teeth)

INGREDIENTS

• 3 (2 1/2 oz. each) jars of baby food; either beef or chicken
• 1/4 cup Dry milk powder
• 1/4 cup Wheat germ or cream of wheat

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all ingredients in bowl and mix well. Roll into small balls and place on well-greased cookie sheet. Flatten slightly with a fork. Bake in preheated 350F oven for 15 minutes until brown. Cool on wire rack. Refrigerate to keep fresh or freeze. Great for older dogs with teeth problems.

The Ned Diaries

Name: Ned Blaha
Breed: lhasa apso Irish
Hometown: Northfield, MN
Hobbies: Fighting squirrels, peeing on Armida, long walks on the dirt road...

Dear Diary,

Today was a good day. I was able to escape the Blaha household and immediately ran towards Mike's moon unit in the back yard. I peed everywhere and I also tracked a squirrel. The squirrel and I got into a fight, but the little turd ran up the tree. I then walked towards Matthew's vineyard and generously fertilized the ground. *wink* *wink* Then I did a recon of the neighborhood and eventually Jim and Kay (they still think they are my owners) called me and fed me dinner. Yes, it was a good day.

TURKEY TREATS FOR DOGGIES

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups cooked turkey, chopped*
• 2 cloves garlic
• 4 teaspoons grated cheese
• 1 tablespoon parsley, freshly chopped
• 2 egg
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 tablespoons brewer's yeast
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine turkey, garlic, cheese, parsley and mix well. Beat the eggs in a bowl and pour over turkey mixture. Add the flour, yeast, and oil. Stir until thoroughly mixed and all ingredients are coated. Drop into small lumps onto ungreased cookie sheet. Cook in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes, until brown and firm. Store in refrigerator or freeze for up to 2 months.

*Note: you can use 2 cups of cooked and chopped chicken livers if you prefer.

Death By Cake

I stumbled upon some very disturbingly funny foodie photographs by Daniela Edburg, who is a very talented artist from Mexico. Her eye is remarkable and her photographs seem as quirky and surreal as a three-legged Chihuahua wearing a lucha libre mask. The photo, Death by Cake, is my favorite. But she's got other good ones like Death by Oreo, Death by Bananas (my husband hates this one), Death by Slimfast, and several others. Anyway, it's a slow day at work and I wanted to share these gorgeous photos with y'all.

Images courtesy of Kunsthaus and Daniela Edburg, copyright © Daniela Edburg.

Nathalie's First Cocktails

During Christmastime, my sister, Nathalie, came to San Diego for a visit all the way from Hawaii. And now that she's finally 21, Matthew and I were finally able to take her to The Turf Supper Club in Golden Hill. The Turf Club is a bar and grill restaurant with a very 40's retro feel. Here you cook your own steak in an indoor grill right smack in the middle of the restaurant. The food is good, and very affordable, but I especially like their cocktails. My sister tried two of their best: the sidecar, made with tequila, and, of course, a sex-on-the-beach.

TEQUILA SIDECAR

INGREDIENTS

• 2 ounces 1800 Anejo Tequila
• 1 ounce Torres Orange Liqueur
• 1 ounce lemon juice
• lemon twist
• sugar, for the rim

PREPARATION

In an ice-filled martini shaker, combine 1800, Torres Orange Liqueur and juice. Shake well and strain mixture into a Martini glass rimmed with sugar. Garnish with a lemon twist.

This cocktail is quite fruity and sweet, and it's specially good for people who are not into hard alcohol. It's usually good to only have one or two of these because sometimes you tend to forget that they are loaded with alcohol.

SEX ON THE BEACH

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 oz vodka
• 3/4 oz peach schnapps
• 1/2 oz crème de cassis
• 2 oz orange juice
• 2 oz cranberry juice
• Orange slice for garnish
• maraschino cherry for garnish

PREPARATION

Pour all the ingredients, except for orange slice and cherry, into a shaker filled with ice cubes. Shake well. Strain into a martini glass. Garnish with the orange slice and maraschino cherry.

How to Make Crème Fraîche

Usually you can find crème fraîche is most big supermarkets in the US and at Trader Joe's. But but just in case you are unable to find it, a substitute for crème fraîche can be produced by adding 1–2 tablespoon of cultured buttermilk to two cups of pasteurized (not ultra-pasteurized) heavy cream [heavy cream has a fat content between 36% and 40%] and letting the mixture stand at room temperature (leave the container ajar, and place on a high shelf in a warm part of the kitchen or on top of the refrigerator) for 8 - 24 hours until thick; to develop a fuller flavor, allow the mixture to sit an additional 12 hours.

Minnesota State Fair On A Stick

YUMMY! Who doesn't love food-on-a-stick?

My Epicurean Journey to Tijuana

Oftentimes when people hear the name Tijuana, Mexico, the first thing they think about is either the border or illegal immigrants or partying and underage drinking for crazy Americans. And, yes, those are all true, but did you know that Tijuana has a growing restaurant scene, specially gourmet establishments, and Mexican wines and wine tasting is on the rise?

The city itself is not pretty. It's congested, dirty and most of the buildings look like they are ready to collapse. However, it takes a trained eye to see the beauty beyond the buildings. One such place is the L.A. Cetto Winery. The bottling plant is located in Tijuana and it's open to the public. Wine tastings cost $2 per person and they have free winery tours before 2PM.

L.A. Cetto has some very good wines, with the Nebbiolo as their flagship wine. Their reserved wines are excellent, but even their lower end wines such as Blanc de Blanc and the Riesling are fantastic. You can order L.A. Cetto wines here, but they are considerably cheaper if you buy them at the winery.

After our 90 minute long wine tasting and tour, my mom treated us to a late lunch at Palma Azul restaurant located in the Aguas Caliente area of Tijuana. Although the service was slow and the prices a bit high, their food was fresh and really good.

We first started with an appetizer of Marlin fish tacos with cheese. The tortillas were pan fried and it came with a spicy tomatillo sauce. That was a hit with all of us.

My mom ordered the asparagus stuffed sole with a burre blanc sauce. It came with whipped sweet potatoes and thinly sliced Portobello mushrooms with reduced balsamic vinegar. Superb!

My sister ordered the tortilla soup. It wasn't phenomenal, but it was pretty good home-cookin'. She still prefers Chili’s or The Prado's tortilla soup.

Finally, my husband ordered the fettuccini with grilled Salmon. The salmon was perfectly grilled and it was fresh. We could tell because it didn't even have that fishy, salmon smell. The fettuccini was cooked perfectly and the tomato sauce was not overpowering.

I had their mixed seafood cocktail. Although it was pretty good, I still prefer the seafood cocktails we get at another restaurant in Tijuana.

For drinks, I had wine, my mom a pina colada, Matthew a Coca-Cola Light and my sister had a lemonade. The bill came out to $85, which is a lot for T.J. So, if you're going for a special dinner, then I would recommend this place, otherwise save your money. However I do recommend the LA Cetto winery because I find it fascinating and for $2 bucks you can taste some really great wines.

L.A. Cetto Winery/Bottling plant is located at Av. Cañón Johnson No. 2108 Tijuana, 22130 Mexico; Phone: 00 52 6 685-30-31.

Restaurant Palma Azul is located at Blvd. Salinas #11154 Col. Aviación, Tijuana, Mexico.

My So-Called Lunch

Dear Lunch,

I have a love-hate relationship with you. Sometimes you are so good and appetizing but most of the time you let me down. Like today, for example. What were you thinking? I picked you up at Ralph's because you looked so good there on the deli section. Your curvy noodles seemed to be floating in the clear container; the cilantro-scallion-julienned carrot combination enticed me, but it was the peanut dressing that did it for me. I just couldn't pass you up. And at $3.99 I thought you were a good deal.

All night long I looked forward to eating you the next day. I couldn't wait to get to work and devour you at exactly noon. Then the next day came but I was extremely busy at work that noon came and went. Then 1PM came, and I was still busy...then 2pm rolled around. It wasn't until 3pm in the afternoon that I was finally going to enjoy you.

My salivary glands were, well, salivating. I took you out of our mini-refrigerator and I opened the clear container you came in. I got my super-cold diet 7UP and I was ready to consume you. I opened you up and you smelled so good. My mouth couldn't wait to slurp up one of your dreamy noodles. I placed the peanut dressing all over you and covered every single strand with the creamy goodness and then, I tasted you.

Ay! Caramba...woe is me.

I thought I was eating cardboard noodles with peanut butter. I could barely taste the scallions or carrots. The only flavor I could identify was the cilantro. I tried so hard to find something good in you, but there was nothing. Nothing.

Why does this always happen to me. I'm an equal opportunity lunch eater, yet most of my lunches end up being disappointments???

I guess, for now, I'll have to stick to the usual salads they sell at our cafeteria. But mark my words, people, I will find the perfect lunch one of these days!

Off Topic: The Princess Diaries

Hello, my name is Princess Diaz and I'm a short haired Chihuahua. I live in Southern California and I own over 20 bones. I am 11 years old and I'm still feisty as ever. My surrogate mommy (the cooking diva herself, Armida) has been extremely busy at work and hasn't been able to try any new recipes to post on her blog, so she asked me to write on her food blog for today.

When it comes to food, I am NOT a finicky eater. I eat everything from chicken to beef, guacamole to ice cream, and even onions, sunny-side-up eggs and spaghetti. By the way, doggies love pasta, especially spaghetti. So the entire spaghetti and meatball dinner scene in the movie Lady and the Tramp is all true! I think that movie was based on a true story.

But, of course, we dogs can't eat human food all the time because sometimes it hurts our tummies. Now, I know there are a lot of dog foods and dog treats out there but there are only two that I really like. My favorite treat of all time is Purina's Beggin' Bacon Strips. Actually, this is what I eat all the time. Since I'm so small, I only need two strips and that satisfies me for the day. I also really like doggie treats from Trader Joe's. Of course, if I had my way, I would eat chicken every day. One thing you must keep in mind when feeding dogs is that a 28 to 30% protein to 12% fat ratio is optimal. That's why I stay in shape, although in the winter time I do tend to put on a pound or two.

But, just like people, dogs are very different in their tastes. What I like doesn't mean other dogs will like. However what we do have in common is that dogs need to stay in shape, too. My favorite exercise is to run outside in the front yard and roll all over it. I also run to the mailbox and get the mail on a daily basis. Because I'm so small, I don't need to do much because I can burn calories faster, but larger breeds of dogs do need to work at it. For example, Max, a cousin I haven't met (he is a large breed dog), emailed me that he likes to go to the Balboa Dog Park and to the Ocean Beach Park. Fortunately for us dogs in San Diego, there are a lot of places we are welcomed, including restaurants and parks and even pet-friendly hotels.

Well, it's time for me to say goodbye. I hope you liked my blog. Please leave comments and maybe next time I will try to make a doggie treat recipe and post it here. So let me leave you with my Halloween picture (I am dressed as Princess Leah from Star Wars) and some words of wisdom:

"Don't overfeed your pet but do over pet it!"

~Princess Diaz

Coming Soon: Dia de los Muertos

Stay tuned for some fun sugar skulls I'll be making this weekend and homemade bread we'll be offering to our beloved departed ones.

What is Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)? Día de los Muertos is an important Mexican holiday for families to remember their dead loved ones and to be reminded of the continuity of life. Día de los Muertos is rich in symbolism and traditions evolving since the time of the Aztecs. It is not a somber or morbid occasion, it is a celebration of their departed loved ones’ souls returning for a brief visit. Celebrated during the first two days of November, Día de los Muertos festivities include visiting gravesites of close relatives, decorating gravesites with flowers, enjoying a picnic, and interacting with other family and community members who gather at the cemetery. Families remember the departed by telling stories about them. Ofrendas (blessed altars) erected at the cemetery or at home are decorated with flowers (primarily marigolds) and are adorned with religious amulets, and offerings of food and drink. Also decorating the altars are photos of the deceased as well as candles, gifts, and other items they were fond of during their lifetimes. It is believed that the returning souls enjoy the treats left for them at the ofrendas. Find out more fun facts here at AZCentral.com.

Wine & Kittens!

I typed wine +kitten under Google.com/images and got the following weird pic.

An Open Letter to the Mean Kitty

Dear Mean Kitty: I heard that you "inadvertently" fed your dog a stick a butter, wrapper and all. What's up with that? Is your doggie, Max, really that bad? I know you didn't leave the butter out on purpose, but do you think you subconsciously left it out because Max ate your door? And your towels? And socks, bras, his first pillow, all his toys...and because he sniffs everyone's butts all the time--especially Nathalie's? I know you know this but there are training aids out there like the PetSafe Big Dog trainer. Sure it's a big, bulky collar that sends electronic shock waves down your dogs spine that may or may not affect his brain, but would you rather have another "Butter Incident?" I don't think so. Miss Kitty, I fear that if things don't get any better you and your husband will have to buy Max a PetCell. And you know the first pet he's going to call is going to be Mr. Tuna! "MEOWWW" NEXT WEEK: An Open Letter to the Wild Chipmunk

I think Princess is a Lesbian...

The hottest kiss on the net!