The Tastes of Fall

If you had asked me a couple of years ago what my favorite season is, I would've said summer without any hesitation.  But now I think fall is starting to grow on me, and dare I say it, replace summer for #1 in my book.

Growing up and living in Southern California means that our "seasons" are not of the traditional sense, but we do see the temperatures drop and the leaves change color (well not the palm trees).

Another great thing about fall is fall food - fall means the return of seasonal beverages and treats, harvest vegetables, warm soups and stews, and of course, pumpkin.  Lots and lots of pumpkin.

Here are just some of my foodie fall favorites:

1. Spiced Apple Cider

I never liked apple juice as a kid, but there's something about spiced apple cider on a cool day that warms you right up.  Starbucks Caramel Apple Cider is a great fall treat, but I also like making my own and adding in my own spices to my liking.

2. Butternut Squash Ravioli

Butternut Squash ravioli is popping up more and more on restaurant menus, but I especially love this treat in the fall.  When it's done right, it's not too sweet and not overloaded with ingredients.  My current favorite is the Butternut Squash Ravioli at Pomodoro's in Irvine, which has butternut squash, sage, brown butter, and a small crumble of amaretti crackers.  You can choose if you want a large or smaller portion which is also nice.  I like to share this dish with a friend or otherwise I find myself being tempted to lick the plate clean.

Pomodoro's Butternut Squash Ravioli mid-feast

3. Pumpkin Butter

I first met Trader Joe's Pumpkin Butter last fall and it's been a love affair ever since.  There's not much more to say except that Trader Joe's ran out of their Pumpkin Butter last season, so I suggest you go there.  Now.


4. Boudin's Soup in a Bread Bowl

I love soup.  I'll eat it throughout the year, but I especially like soup in the fall.  And in a bread bowl.  Boudin Bakery is really the only place I've seen that does it right.  The insides are carved out of a sourdough boule, filled with piping hot soup.  Plus, they give you the little top bit from the boule so you can dip it in your soup while enjoying.  It's a true carbolicious comfort food treat.  Clam Chowder or Chili in a bread bowl is highly recommended.

5. Pumpkin.  All things pumpkin.

Pumpkin bread, pumpkin oatmeal, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin soup.  If it's got pumpkin in it, chances are it's going in my belly.  Officially obsessed.

Pumpkin Muffins?  Yes Please!

A Conundrum of the Frozen Variety

Growing up, I was always a big fan of frozen sweet treats - frozen yogurt to be specific.  I have happy memories as a child going to Penguin's Yogurt in Los Angeles and getting a small cup of vanilla topped with M&M candies.  Those were the days.  Then when my family moved to Orange County, Golden Spoon's peanut butter chocolate frozen yogurt became my new flavor du jour.

For me, I always liked the soft swirl texture of frozen yogurt over ice cream.  I liked that it felt lighter and less dense, and of course I loved adding some sort of sprinkles as a topping.  Until now.

You see, my love affair with yogurt swiftly ended once I discovered I had corn allergies and I sadly realized that my beloved Golden Spoon made their frozen yogurt with high fructose corn syrup (this fact still pains me to this day, especially in the summertime).  Gone were the days of going to the yogurt shop and getting some simple soft serve.

Then the "yogurt craze" hit.  Pinkberry led the pack, claiming to be made with "natural" ingredients and was far "healthier" than other yogurt shops.  Other similar spin off shops soon followed.

I decided to jump on the bandwagon and try one of the healthy yogurt shops.  After all they claimed to be free of artificial ingredients right?  $3.00 and a stomachache later, I realized it couldn't be farther from the truth.  After some extensive googling, I found out that not only were the ingredients not "natural", but they were also things that I couldn't even pronounce!  I felt like the kid in the ice cream commercials who tries to read all the ingredients on the back of the container.  So much for the fresh, organic, yogurt I was hoping for.

What these yogurt shops don't realize is that yogurt without all the added sugars and preservatives actually tastes quite good!  There's no need for the corn syrup, artificial ingredients and fake sweeteners.  Why isn't there just natural frozen yogurt out there that not only tastes good but is good for you too?  I'm a big supporter of enjoying food in its purest form and then adding on extras if need be.  If plain yogurt is too tart or not sweet enough, add on some fruit or chocolate chips to sweeten it up a bit.  This way, everyone can control the sugar content of their yogurt to their own liking.

Until an all-natural yogurt shop opens, I'll have to settle for other alternatives such as coconut milk ice cream and sorbet until I can enjoy soft serve frozen yogurt again.  Hey, a girl can dream right?

Eating My Way Through Las Vegas

This past week I went on a business trip to Las Vegas.  While there was certainly more work than play during the trip, I did get to enjoy some pretty fabulous meals along the way.  Unfortunately I do not have any pictures of these said meals (mainly because we were entertaining our client and I didn't want to be the weird girl taking pics of their food) except for a Corona my coworker consumed on our Southwest flight back to Orange County.  Epic blogger fail.

My breakfasts and lunches were pretty standard fare - oatmeal, eggs, salad, sandwiches, etc., but the dinners were definitely something to write home about.

So you'll just have to use your imagination, or visit these locations yourself for a truly foodgasmic experience.

Samba Brazilian Steakhouse at the Mirage

Four Words - All.  You. Can. Eat.  We dined here before catching the Cirque du Soleil Show LOVE at the Mirage (which was beyond amazing), and it was a truly a (meaty) feast.  The restaurant was your typical Churrascaria, which means various meats were presented to you on skewers to enjoy with a wide variety of sides.

The fun part about this restaurant is that they give you a little block that has a red cube and a green cube.  When you are ready for them to come around with the different kinds of meats, you have the green cube facing up.  When you've had enough and cannot stomach another bite you know it's time for the red cube.

Some of the meats that were offered included bacon-wrapped turkey, filet mignon, teryiaki steak, and grilled chicken.  In addition to the meat we were presented with a variety of sides including empanadas, black beans, rice, grilled vegetables, and fried plantains.  I think plantains are quickly becoming a new favorite of mine.  I must figure out how to cook them well at home.

Rare 120 at The Hard Rock Hotel

We only dined on appetizers at this location, but all of them were fantastic.  Lobster quesadillas with goat cheese, ahi tartare with lotus chips, Greek salad, and Kobe beef skewers.  They were small bites but also very satisfying.  The rest of the dinner menu looked enticing as well.

Botero at Encore

This dinner was pretty spectacular.  Not to mention that 10 of us managed to polish off 3 bottles of some of the best red wine I've had in a long time.  It was a Malbec wine which I don't normally drink, but may start drinking after this.

We started with a bunch of delicious appetizers - Caprese Salad, Ricotta Ravioli, Oysters, Ahi Tuna, and Truffle Mac 'n Cheese.  I don't know what it is with me and Truffle Mac 'n Cheese but this combo cannot be beat.  The flavors are rich and decadent, but also not too heavy.  If I could marry Truffle Mac 'n Cheese I would.  For real.

Botero is actually a steakhouse, but after my meat extravaganza at the Mirage a couple of nights prior, I was looking for something lighter.  I finally settled on a soup duo - French Onion with Portabello Mushroom and Acorn Squash with Duck Confit.  Both were excellent although the Acorn Squash was almost a little too rich.  Many of my dining companions enjoyed steak, lobster, halibut, and pasta which all looked enticing.

Sushi Roku at Caesars Palace

I've been to Sushi Roku in Los Angeles, so I knew I was in for a good meal when we decided to go to the Caesars Palace location.  The ambiance of this location definitely trumps the LA one since you get a stunning view of the Las Vegas strip as you dine.  But the food is just as good as in California ;)

Some highlights include: Ahi Tuna on Crispy Rice (I got my fill of Ahi Tuna in Vegas), Soft Shell Crab Rolls, Fresh Scallops, Albacore, Seaweed Salad, and Vegetable Tempura.  We had initially discussed having dessert after sushi, but the sushi left us feeling stuffed (in a good way).

And before we knew it, it was time to pack our bags and hop our flight back home.  But not without a Corona in can.

And I'm spent.