With the exception of all their tea tree products, this is my absolute favourite thing at Trader Joe's. As you already know, I love any kind of chicken that gets curried. But this one? Best I've ever had. Every time I buy some, I have such lofty ideas about what I'm gonna do with it. Am I gonna put it in an open-faced sandwich? Maybe a regular sandwich? PERHAPS A WRAP OF SORTS? And these ideas never come to fruition. What does end up happening? I get a fork and go to town. Usually within an hour of having it sit, lonely, in my refrigerator. It's so fucking tasty.
Yonanas - A Review
Yonanas is an ice cream treat maker. I recently got one (thanks Gary & Amanda!) and there are a few things you should know about it.
How do you use it? You freeze up some fruit (minus the peels, if there are peels) and make sure that it's in your freezer in some kind of ziplock/tupperware-like container. Once it's frozen (a few hours), you can use it in the machine and make ice cream. And there's nothing added, it's pure frozen fruit. So if dairy is ever a problem for you, then you need this machine immediately.
Things You Should Know
- Do not try this with old, disgusting frozen fruit that has been sitting in your freezer for at least a year. I tried this genius idea and it spewed out little pieces of blueberry garbage. And since this was my maiden voyage of using this machine, I was deeply hurt that it didn't turn out like what was in the infomercial. I was in the wrong here, not the machine. DO NOT USE OLD FROZEN FRUIT.
- This stuff really does have the consistency of ice cream. It's weird. I tried some peeled cantaloupe next and... wow. If I'm ever adult enough to throw dinner parties or even to make a meal for my parents, this dessert is definitely being made. So classy! Cantaloupe ice cream? Get out of here. I'll be admissible for country clubs if word gets out.
- While the cantaloupe one was good, the bananas one? Out of this world. Just amazing. If you are ever at my house, demand that I make you some of the banana.
- Also, that photo up top? Whatever is in that bowl looks gross and is NOT the way that the fruit comes out. It's way more ice cream-y looking.
There are some great recipes here, which I'll try eventually once I've calmed down from the banana. It's usually around $55 and completely worth it. You can get one on Amazon, but you might be able to find a cheaper one in a Wal-Mart or Target possibly.
“I wish you had brought your Yonanas over. That stuff is amazing.”
“Wow.”
Tournesol
I have a new favourite dish and that dish is bœuf bourguignon. If you know how to make this... maybe let me know. I just ate it for the first time at Tournesol in Long Island City in Queens (thanks to the lovely Angela for suggesting we go) and it was transcendent. I promise you. This place is extremely French, lovely and better than any place you frequent so GO RIGHT NOW. And you know how I knew this place would be good? Two reasons.
- The free bread at the beginning of the meal was fresh as hell.
- They gave you BUTTER instead of olive oil with the bread. I can't stand it when olive oil is the only thing accompanying a bread basket. Hate this so much. I don't care how Parisian that is, give me some damn butter. And they do here.
I can't wait to go again. This dish is phenomenal.
(Sidenote: Don't forget about the Movie Wardrobe Sale happening tomorrow (Saturday) in Toronto!)
Kashi's Honey Sunshine
I love Kashi. Eating it makes me feel like I might be doing something right with my day. The Island Vanilla one is especially good. This new flavour, however, is god awful. Does not taste like honey nor sunshine. Trust me. Stay away.
Grimaldi's
Everyone has really specific opinions about good pizza in New York. I do have my own favourite place, but that's mostly because any place that has thick-cut pepperoni will always win my heart. Anyway, I finally went to Zagat's number one rated pizzeria over the weekend.
Why does Grimaldi's suck? Lots of reasons.
- The pizza itself? Fucking average at best.
- The wait time is long (and that would be fine if the pizza had the ability to blow your face off, but is does not). And the line is outdoors (which would be hell in the winter).
- The servers don't give any kind of fucks.
- No liquor license. (In this day and age? Nope. Fuck off.)
Please do not waste your time and go here. Don't do it. I've heard way better things about Juliana's pizza (which is right next door, and is run by the original people behind Grimaldi's), so I'll make sure to try the pizza over there next time. Zagat's can eat it.
I still maintain that the best pizza in New York is at Patsy's (as well as Angelo's, different restaurants, owned by the same people, with the same menu). So if you're really looking for something good, then just go to either of those places. They don't look like much from the outside, but I've never taken someone there who's been disappointed.
Murray's Cheese Bar in NYC
This place is nuts. Just nuts.
Look at this mayhem!
THIS is what they let you do to your burger. THIS! What the hell? And I didn't even LEARN that little fact until just now - otherwise I, for sure, would've ordered it had I have known in advance. Cheese selections for the burger include Rarebit Cheddar Sauce, Three Cheese Fondue, Double Creme Brie, Fontina and Creamy Blue Cheese. Doing this to a burger is almost... sordid - and I love it.
Buffalo Cheese Curds = Wisconsin Cheddar curds, Black River Blue Cheese dressing & celery
These are the babies we continuously kept ordering. Three separate times. They're outrageously good. We also ordered the Queso Fundido ("Mexico's answer to fondue: 3 melty goat cheeses with Chorizo, tomato, jalapeno & torilla chips"), which was much too small, but equally glorious. And finally I ordered some burrata, which was a little too salty for my liking - but also, I'm extremely biased because the best burrata I've had in North America is at The Smith, so few places compare.
Burrata aside, this place is fantastic. Just look at the menu. I swear the next time I go I'll be able to get past just ordering a million starters.
Blue Cheese Lollipops
Sometimes I do things so that you don't have to. Let that be known here.
I’m quite sure there isn’t a cheese on this planet that I wouldn’t try. And among the top cheeses that I frequent – blue cheese ranks high. An opportunity presented itself recently where I was offered to sample this blue cheese lollipop.
Does that sound gross? I didn’t think it did. And honestly, only the first and last licks were the most atrocious ones. The inbetween licks however? Actually not completely terrible. They really turned into and tasted like a normal piece of candy for the moments when you weren’t thinking that you were basically sucking on a piece of cheese.(Sidenote: have you ever sucked on a fantastic piece of cheese? Try it. You might be really into it.)
The biggest problem with this treat is the after-breath. I tried to convince my dear friend Jenn to taste one (if only to smell her breath afterward), but she insisted on passing. All she had to say was that I smelled horrid after tasting the ‘pop. And that was only after maybe five licks. I shudder to think what I would’ve smelled like if I’d devoured the whole thing. All in all, are these more gross than appetizing? For sure. Are they fun, though? Bigtime. (They would absolutely kill at a party.) And I'm sure there are some rubes out there who are gonna fake-love the hell out of these just because they're campy. Or possibly some real maniacs who actually enjoy them. Either way, good on you!
After the first taste
After holding the final lick inside for much too long
I also tried their Absinthe flavoured lollipop and was disappointed, since it only tasted like black licorice. I understand that Absinthe does have that flavour, but was saddened at it not having any sort of alcoholic element. If you’re gonna have an Absinthe-flavoured ANYthing, then there needs to be alcohol involved. (Can you even get liquor into a candied treat? I think you can. Though my only example would be rum balls and rum balls are just filth.)
They’re available online at Lollyphile and they cost $10 for four of them.
Food Rules - A Review
“Eating doesn’t have to be so complicated. In this age of ever-more elaborate diets and conflicting health advice, Food Rules brings welcome simplicity to our daily decisions about food. Written with clarity, concision, and wit that has become bestselling author Michael Pollan’s trademark, this indispensable handbook lays out a set of straightforward, memorable rules for eating wisely, one per page, accompanied by a concise explanation. It’s an easy-to-use guide that draws from a variety of traditions, suggesting how different cultures through the ages have arrived at the same enduring wisdom about food. Whether at the supermarket or an all-you-can-eat buffet, this is the perfect guide for anyone who ever wondered, “What should I eat?””
Why should you give this tiny little book a read? Two reasons.
- It'll take you thirty minutes (max) to read it cover to cover.
- It contains a ton of stuff that you should already know - and if you don't, well, you should learn it. And if you knew this stuff already? You're only spending a mere half hour reminding yourself of things that should be reinforced once in awhile.
While a lot of stuff in it is great - a lot of it is pretty much common sense. It doesn't get too technical and it's extremely simple and sound advice for food habits. Since it's such a small book, I only had two favourite parts:
"The healthiest food in the supermarket - the fresh produce - doesn't boast about its healthfulness, because the growers don't have the budget or the packaging. Don't take the silence of the yams as a sign they have nothing valuable to say."
"Drink the spinach water. The water in which vegetables are cooked in is rich in vitamins and other healthful plant chemicals. Save it for soup or add it to sauces."
Obviously, I checked it out at the library because I'm thrifty - but you can also buy it here.
Everything Is Perfect When You're A Liar By Kelly Oxford - A Review
If you're under the impression that I recommend a lot of things to you, you'd be correct. If, however, you think that I recommend everything I read/watch/see to you, THAT'S where you'd be incorrect. For the record, I see lots of average, semi-okay things in my daily life that I choose not to share with you because, well, it isn't up to par. Just wanted to put that out there. You're never being duped by me, group.
Onto more important things... this book! The book's great! I've been looking forward to reading it for awhile now and finally did. Here are my highlights:
- "I shook my head. "Girl, the rapist would go haywire with all that diarrhea and totally just kill you." I was totally saying "girl" like I was Tyra Banks when she's talking black to make it obvious she's having fun. (Tyra only talks white when she wants you to know she's serious.)"
- I don't know if I was just deliriously tired when I read the chapter "The Backup Plan" where she's describing working in a palliative care center, but the last two pages of that chapter made me sob, it was so sad and well written.
- "I'm never catty. Cattiness is a girl-on-girl crime, I'm not biased; I have as much contempt for men as I do for women."
- "The first time I thought about how beautiful Osama Bin Laden's eyes were was in the middle of the night, and the next morning I woke up with the worst UTI of my life."
- In the chapter when she meets David Copperfield, I learned that he has heat sensors on his audience because he checks to see which illusions they respond to - which is the coolest in the world, I thought.
- "I look like a need a dollar sign in my name."
There really are lots of other great parts and stories, so you should definitely give it a read. I first heard about her like everybody else did - on Twitter. She also has a great blog. Excited to see what she does next.
You can buy the book here or get it at your local library if you're cheap. (Cheap people are people, too.)
(Also, it took a great deal of restraint to not go on excessively about how gorgeous this woman is and that fact combined with the fact that she seems like a really sincere and fun person? Ugh. Very envious and glad that she's getting so much success.)
Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead - A Review
You need to watch this documentary. It's about this man who decides to do a 60 day juice cleanse, but then it becomes about a lot more - involving other people as well. Is that description vague? I hope it is. Just vague enough so you might be intrigued into seeing it.
Honestly, it's just a crazy good film and ridiculously... heartfelt. Maybe that seems like the wrong word choice, but I'm sticking with it. There's this one man Phil in it that is just... I love him. You really have to see this. The whole thing can be viewed on YouTube here.
Why did I enjoy it so much? Man, I wish it were one thing that I could place and tell you. But it was a lot of things. The fact that it started out as being about one idea with one specific man, and then turned into so much more? That's probably it. And everyone apart of it seemed so genuine and, as lame as it is to say, inspiring. Absolutely no reason not to see this one, guys.