The Joys of January ( I stole that title from my daughter)

     I was going to title this blog entry BiGMoUtH Leftovers as it is a little bit of a photo-dump from a month of weekend eating/drinking/dinking around and because I've used that title before.  This morning I saw a little photo-dump my daughter had posted titled "January Joys".  I found it a fitting descriptor.  

     The weather here in Oregon this January has been pretty darn glorious by PNW standards and I have been taking full advantage by eating out, outside, as much as possible.  Not so great for my figure or my wallet but oh so good for my tummy and my spirits.  This month K and I visited the Gorge,  the lovely town of Astoria and some friends at a food cart pod down in Oregon City. 

 Now I have probably told you this before but it bears repeating: One of the most delicious places to visit in the Columbia Gorge has got to be Brigham Fish Market in Cascade Locks.  I cannot praise these people (two sisters), their market, their menu, all of it, can't praise it enough.   Of course I love my lunch with a view and the view from Brigham's picnic area makes it one of my true happy places. The food though.  Whether you get the Halibut, the Salmon or the Sturgeon (when available), the fish and chips are the way to go here but honestly, I haven't found a miss on this menu full of hits.  This time around we over-ordered a Halibut Po'Boy (pictured) and the Smoked Salmon Quesadilla which for some reason I have to order EVERY SINGLE TIME we go here.  Hence the over-ordering.  I know that I want to try everything on the menu but when you get a cheesy, smoky delicious 'dilla like the one here, it's hard to not order one every single time.  Afterwards you can go for a hike in the lovely Columbia River Gorge.  Any one of the gorgeous waterfall hikes will help burn the calories you consumed over-ordering. Or do like I do and take the hike beforehand so you get good and hungry because the portions here are generous and the food is fresh, rich and delicious.

     This past weekend K and I woke up and upon seeing the blue sky outside our window almost simultaneously announced we needed to head to the coast. Oh, but where?  So many delightful choices.  We decided upon  Astoria.  I love Astoria for so many reasons.  Just it's placement between mountain and river and sea is enchanting.  I am inexplicably drawn to the mix of industry and ocean, man vs. nature.  I don't know.  It is something I struggle to explain with words but feel in my heart every time we go there.  The last couple of times we visited I was disheartened by the number of vacant storefronts and I missed the bustle the pandemic ripped from the heart of this little town but she appears to be fairing better these days and I was all too happy to be there.  

Now some time ago (Leftovers, 2013) I had visited the Wet Dog Cafe.  I have since visited this taproom several times after it's changeover to The Astoria Brewing Company (although many still refer to it as the Wet Dog).  The food here is slightly better than standard Pub fare.  Nothing too fancy but it really hits all the right spots when you are walking around in the Pier 11 area.  I've had burgers here and tacos and Mac and Cheese (yes, please).  This time around K and I decided to split the Hazelnut/ Blue Cheese salad with crispy chicken and an order of the absolutely fabulous Golden Rye Ale Cheesy Beer Fondue with pita and apples. The salad was fresh and yummy but let me tell you about the chicken on top.  It was more like a Schnitzel than fried chicken strips and I approve.  Also, my favorite way to enjoy the fondue was to take a pita and place a slice of apple in it.  Fold it over like a little sandwich and then scooop it through the cheese.  This is one place where the amount of fondue meets the amount of dippers for the win.  And we ordered beer flights because I had forgotten which beer here was my favorite.  Isn't that why anyone orders a full flight?  I'm going to go into each of the beers and their very unique attributes in a later post dedicated to Astoria Brewing but for right now I will tell you my favorite was the Volksweissen Ale which is a 5.4abv wheat.  It had that perfect banana-y front that was smooth with a slight refreshing bite. I'm usually a girl for  the darker beers but my first true love was hefeweizens and this ale was Germanic deliciousness. 

     This pandemic has really made getting together with people I love challenging.  Besides the outrageous amount of head games I play with myself, sometimes finding a place where we can sit together, comfortably, safely, outside (preferably) can be a task.  Food cart pavilions seem to be our best bet with these circumstances.  There is also the bonus of a fairly good variety of food if you choose the right pod.  This past month we chose Corner 14.  This is a fun place.  I've never been here before, mostly because it is a trek but I would say now a trip worth taking.  There is a lively tap room with brews, wine and spirits, axe-throwing ( I have yet to try this but I tell you, I will) and 12 food carts surrounding a wide covered patio with a fire pit.  Now, the day we went, the firepit and the associated tables were coveted spots but we still found a nice table catching some elusive winter sun.  It was chilly enough that I was not interested in beer but ordered a Tuaca Hot Apple Pie.  I love Hot Apple Pies.  I would order them at the Gold Spike Saloon when I worked up in Denali, Alaska.  They are comforting, and tasty and warm, which is key.  So here I was huddled at a picnic table on a day that was easily only in the 30s but my heart was warm because I was with friends and I was enjoying a delightfully warm beverage. Still seeking comfort and of course some more deliciousness, K and I perused the cart menus before landing at Maw Maw's Cajun Kitchen.  I am a huge fan of all things Cajun and so this was an easy choice even with so much good stuff to choose from.  I had the Crawfish Etouffee and K had the Red Beans and Rice and both were out of this world.  So good, I'll probably drive down there and pick some up the week before Mardi Gras if K doesn't cook up some of his own.  And the hush puppies?  Ohmergoodness.  Couldn't keep them on the table (hungry friends).  Get at least the 6 pack because you'll want to be a hero and share.  It will be hard to head back down to this pod and not order at Maw Maw's but all of the carts had severely tempting menus and I am hoping to try them all.  It is my new quest.  

I'm Baaaack! Well, at least I thought I'd try...

 I stopped writing in this blog format close to 6 years ago.  I don't know why.  I guess it was faster, quicker, easier to just do what everyone else was doing and post my quick pic of food and drink and fun on the 'gram.  I stopped taking the time and energy to find the right words to describe my joy and just focused on the insta-joy.  I felt pangs of self-doubt and discouragement.  I compared my work to professionals and figured 'why bother?'.  I'm supposing it just wasn't fun anymore but that's not really true.  I loved writing.  I loved drinking. I loved eating.  I loved writing about what I was eating and drinking.  I didn't get paid for blogging.  I don't have aspirations of becoming America's darling food critic like I did back in my 20's.  That was when I would type out reviews and send them in to various local  news outlets hoping to catch the publisher's eye. The most I received from my Blogger writing days was the occasional extra pour or tickets to a beer fest and it was so worth it. Because I loved it.  And I think I'm going to try doing it some more.  Writing conventions, rules of grammar and Covid 19 be damned.  I just want to sit down and type out some praise and some prose and share with whoever is bored enough to take a few minutes and read about what makes me happy.  Which is what I think might make them happy.  Which is really what makes me happiest.  

Let's start with Breakfast.  I'm getting older and the hustle and bustle of the Brunchtime crowd in Portland has lost it's allure for me.  Plus...Covid...I'm not looking to jump into a super-spreader event but I do still like to go to restaurants that are still open (sadly, so many have closed these past couple of years).  In my heart I had planned a day of gluttony and food hopping.  In touch with reality, I chose to simply have breakfast at a locally famous diner and get there at the crack of dawn in an effort to avoid any crowds.  K and I perused menus and decided on Milo's City Cafe.  We had never been there and the thought of some delicious brunchy food and an outstanding build your own Bloody Mary sealed the deal.  

We arrived at  Milo's City Cafe moments after opening at 8:00ish which on the plus side pretty much gave us the place to ourselves and thwarted potential 'rona exposure but also thwarted some of our build your own Bloody plans.  As our very kind server gently explained, the kitchen wasn't quite ready for the day and so many of the options for the BYOBM were not available.  Regardless she poured us a fabulous drink and grabbed some bacon from the kitchen to zhuzh it up for us.  I ordered my drink with mild spice as I am wary/weary of not being able to finish a too spicy Bloody and this one came out perfect. She made me one with just enough spice to keep it real but not so much to cover the flavor of the vegis and vodka.  

The deliciousness of the Bloody Mary helped soften the blow when I ordered a Crab Benedict but found out that they were out of crab...ok...this is not a new unexpected occurrence.  It's not even one that is synonymous with Covid and our present supply chain issues.  Dungeness Crab is enormously popular and gets 86ed from server boards all the time, everywhere.  I can handle this...OK.  I'll have the Salmon Benedict and K will have the Chicken and Waffles.   

The Chicken and Waffles were good, maybe better than good. I'd even say delightful.  Topped with a crispy leek frizzle and served with whipped butter and a super yummy maple reduction (also known as syrup), the Belgian waffle was standard fare and the herb encrusted chicken fingers on top were  crispy, juicy, herby goodness.  I may have enjoyed them more than K did. 

I may have enjoyed his Chicken and Waffle more than I enjoyed my own choice of Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict.  *Heavy Sigh* Let me just start off by saying that nothing kills my EB vibe faster than a weak English Muffin.  The muffin for an Eggs Benedict should be toasted.  Crispy.  Not burnt, but at least crispy. The muffin is the base of a structure that holds all of that gooey, eggy, creamy deliciousness together. It should be crisp. I'm not sure my muffin saw the toaster.  That being said the top of my SSEB was all that and more.  Lemony, creamy hollandaise poured over a perfectly poached eggs cradled gently by some fairly decent alder smoked salmon.  It had all the right components in all the right places.  It was salty, it was sweet, it was creamy and rich.  It was all sitting on top of a cold, un-toasted english muffin.  

Now, I'm not going to write off  Milo's based on my english muffin experience.  I know that as I grow older I grow more particular about how certain things should or should not be and I have learned to leave space for providing grace in situations that may be less than ideal.  It may be a while before I get around to Milo's again because, well, Covid.  We just don't get out that much anymore and I like to spread the wealth, so to speak.  

But I'm still planning on getting out.  I'm still planning on eating and drinking and sharing my thoughts.  So there, even from behind a mask, this BiGMoUtH is getting back to it. 

Since Day One...Grixsen

In the bare bones beginning

Way back in February, President's Day Weekend to be exact, we celebrated Oregon Craft Beer by attending Zwickelmania.  We attend every year.  It isn't something we want to miss, even though it is growing in popularity and crowds year by year.  It is a genuinely good time mostly because each year we attempt to mix it up and find something new.  It is far too easy to re-visit our favorites year after year and sample their newest brews, I have only love for the brewers, pubs and tasting rooms that participate in this event.

This year was no different and we found a brand spanky new brewery.  When I say new, I mean newer than new.  It hadn't even opened yet.  We were excited by the prospect of new flavors and even more impressed with the fledgling brew staff. Then we had the beer.  All darks, all delicious. You know how I feel about a Stout.  And their Saison?  Incredible.

And so we waited.  A while.  Longer than we wanted to.  It could not have been easy for the owners, all still working their day jobs, to pull this all together.  But they did. Piece by piece.  Keg by keg.  Thank heaven for perseverance.

We have been back a few times since Grixsen opened in April.  The beer has always been delicious.  The bartender, be it an owner or an employee, always gracious.  It has been exciting to see the changes as the tap room and the brewery itself grows.  The decor is handsome.  Clean. Inviting. Fun. There is a pool table, darts, flat screens and Timbers' games.  The only thing missing was food.  There was always pretzels or popcorn on the bar, but I would be more inclined to hang out if there was more.  There was a food cart that saddled up along side them some evenings, but K and I always seemed to miss it.

The wait is almost over.  The lovely folks at Grixsen are developing a menu and it is something to get excited about.  German picnic food.  There really isn't a more proper food pairing for the Grixsen brand of brew.  These beers are deep with flavor and body.  The small sample of the trial menu holds up and more so.  It is luscious.  Savory sausages, pickled vegetables, and a spatzle that will have you switching over from Mac and Cheese with ease.

I especially enjoyed the cheesy spatzle, dolloped with apple butter and a fresh sprig of young dill. It was sweet. It was savory. It was spicy yet herbal. I paired it with the Kolsch because it's still warm outside and I felt this was the perfect version of Winter Fare to be enjoyed in late summer.

The sausages were tasty and hit the spot but I wonder why they are not from one of our top notch local sausage makers.

Before our food came out the chef brought out a sample dumpling she wanted us to try.  Golden beet and goat cheese.  I can only say, I pray this makes the cut for the final menu.  This dumpling was a tease of the deliciousness to come and it was heavenly.

I will be headed back soon to try out the rest of the menu.  Keep it up, Grixsen.  

Getting there!

                                                                                                     

Leftovers: Mid year edition 2016 or why do I procrastinate so much?

I last posted about my wonderful spring break adventures in March.  Now, my summer break is winding down and I've yet to post about 4 months worth of delicious.  I've done you a disservice. Disculpo.

You'll pardon if I resort to my old standby in the BiGMoUtH blog known as Leftovers.  Basically, I upload all of my pictures from my phone and camera, sort through and if I remember when and where and why I took a picture, it makes it to the page.  That is some major scrutiny so trust me when I tell you that this is some good stuff.  

Reaching back to the beginning of the year, I returned to the People's Pig and actually took a picture of my feast before I plowed in. The lighting isn't the best and neither is my patience when I am sitting in front of the Smoked Fried Chicken plate with Greens and Jo Jos (which I can no longer find on the menu).  This is the most uniquely flavored fried chicken I've ever tried, really.  The smokiness under the perfectly crisp fried batter is what takes it over the top.  The delightful People's Mules (Monopalowa Vodka, Lime, House Ginger Syrup, Soda Water) served authentically in copper cups only enhanced the warm fuzzy feelings this meal provided.  The greens are good, mine are better.  The jojos were delicious and one of the better side options so I hope they're not gone for good.  This chicken is one of those items that you want to order every time you visit the place.  It's hard to break away from something this good. 

Another place we visited earlier in the spring was Newport, Oregon's Ocean Bleu at Gino's.  Nothing new here, same old perfection on a plate.  I ordered the fresh from the ocean that morning rockfish and chips.  I can't even explain without crying.  I love this place and everything about it.  This time around I did dive into my food before I could take a picture and so I leave you with some pretty pictures from the comfy fun dining room and sweet hide-away patio. Someday, I'll actually have to write them a legit review. After all, this is a family who shops locally, supports their local industry, processes their fresh fish on site and even participates in some of the fishing themselves.  Talk about a serious farm to table movement.  

This next place is new to me and I get a bit giddy thinking about them.  They are Donut Byte Labs and they are a food cart  at SW 4th and Burnside.  These little baby donuts are just enough.  Just enough sweet, just enough savory, just enough soft doughyness, just enough delightful crisp.  I cannot quite grasp why people will stand in a humongous line at the pink box place two streets over when this little cart is pumping out these little flavor bombs.  They have passed my favorite three picks for best doughnut in Portland and have rolled themselves to the top for flavor alone. My favorite?  So hard!  OK, please try the Milk and Honey, it is heaven on earth.  Just so you know, I still have tremendous love for Joe's in Sandy, Pip's Original, and Annie's on Sandy Blvd.   

I'm not always out and about eating and drinking, I do plenty of that stuff at home too.  I mean with  someone like K whipping out baby Beef Wellingtons and Bacon and Eggs for days, I consider myself pretty spoiled.  

I enjoy the familiar as much as I love trying something new.  Sometimes, it's a little bit of both.  Headed back to the Portland Mercado, we discovered the newly opened Que' Bola!  Pretty much anything from the carts or vendors at the Mercado can be certified delicious but I was really excited to try the Cuban comfort food served up by Jose Perez and family.  It did not disappoint.  K went straight for the Cubano sandwich with a side of gooey crisp sweet fried plantains. My favorite.  I was looking for the savory sour of Cuban Picadillo.  Delicious green olives and golden raisins pack the sweet and sour punch required for this chopped meat dish.  With a side salad and white rice it is a sizable meal;  I could've shared but I didn't.  Served with a smile, I will definitely be returning to Que' Bola! to check out the other items on the menu at this delightful Mercado addition.   

 

Thank you for your patience while I cleaned out my phone and photos to bring you today's blog. It was stuffed with pictures from our family trip to Kauai.

Mahalo!

As my Spring Break comes to an end...

I continue to reflect on the delicious things I've done and anticipate more delightful things to come.  I started my morning feeling a little blue; Today is the last day of Spring Break.  But, today is also Easter and as promises are fulfilled and hope rises anew I'm going to leave this Spring Break, not lamenting the past but looking forward to each and everyday as I prepare for Summer!

Ok, that may seem a bit premature, but let's just roll with it for right now.  It will at least get me through to Monday morning.

You can't really rebuff my wanting this Spring Break to last even a little while longer.  It was really a fantastic one and my only true concern was trying to digest food and drink in time to enjoy more food and drink.  Right, it was a teeny bit glutinous but I have it under control now.  Oh what a start out the gate we had:

 Hood River, Oregon, Windsurfing capital of the world.  Oh don't give me that much credit, I am not the sole stand-up paddle boarder here, nor would you find me attempting to windsurf.  First off, there was no wind for our first 2 days out here.  Secondly, hahahahahahahaha no.

View from our Best Western balcony.

They are lovely to watch though and I admire their strength and skills to manipulate and ride the river this way.

While waiting to check into our hotel room we decided to check into a couple of local Breweries and try their fare.  We have been to Full Sail a number of times and so we avoided that particular brewery this time but focused on a couple we hadn't been to at all but heard wonderful things about.

The first was pFriem Family Brewers. Clean, modern, bright wood and steel; this place has a cool money feel to it that was relaxed but still a tiny bit intimidating.  I always feel a little bit like that when I hang around people who spend more on their hobby or sport than I do on my house payment each month but that is neither here nor there.  Let's talk beer.

I, of course, ordered a flight.  Took the waitress by suprise, I'm not sure why.  I know it was just past 11:00am but she would have served me a breakfast beer, right?  So why the look when I asked for 6 tiny beers?  K ordered his own 6 tiny beers as well and I knew we were hitting the ground running.

K ordered mainly IPAs and I ordered mainly everything else so we hit a good portion of the menu.  Two heavy hitters for me were the Belgian Strong Blonde 7.5% abv 30 ibu  and the Belgian Strong Dark 10.25% abv 38 ibu.  Both for very similar and very different reasons.  Both are very bold, very boozy, in your mouth magic but, the Blonde finishes fresh and bubbly.  Super balanced.  The Strong Dark doesn't stop.  Cherries, Chocolate, Figgy goodness.  Makes me wish it was Christmas time again. My favorite, though, was the Flanders Blonde 7.1% abv 19 ibu.  I'm not a huge fan of Blondes.  I've always leaned towards the darker side of the tap but this had me thinking of Sunday Brunches and sailboating and lounging in a hammock wearing all white.  This zesty, spritzy champagne pinot/oak barreled ale will be on my summer drinking list for sure. My apologies for not having tasted any IPAs this time around.  I'm cutting back. :)

To accompany our libations we ordered the Meat and Cheese plate and an order of Deviled Eggs. The flavor of the eggs was fresh and delicious but the filling was too soft and sloshed out of the egg cups when we tried to lift them too quickly.  I enjoy my Devil Egg filling with a little more body.  But they were tasty.  The cheese plate, don't let the $15 price tag dissuade you.  The meats, (amazing!) pates and cheese on this plate, paired with a delightful sampling of pickles, olives, hazelnuts and a dried cherry mostarda lend themselves nicely to the crusty artisanal bread.  Tasting these treats in a somewhat haphazzard way paired with the truly satisfying beers turns out to be the best way to begin your time in lovely Hood River.

 After pFriem we headed over to the Double Mountain Brewery.  This cozy place can be a bear to get into.  There are often lines and long waiting lists if you attempt to come here on a sunny breezy weekend in Spring, Summer, Fall...Two reasons: Delicious pizza and outrageous beer.  K and I split a Jersey Pie, capicola, mozzzarella, and peppers on a charredelicious crust.  We did, of course, order more taster trays for our beer selection.  I went with Witty Gnome 5.6% abv, 43 ibu (warm and refreshing wit), Black Irish 4.0% abv 50 ibu (creamy nitro stout), The Divine 9.0% abv 43 ibu (9th Anniversary Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout), Hail Yeah! (Cider) and the secret cask beer which turned out to be the Divine again so yeh.  So Much Goodness.  I couldn't finish the final taster.  Pity.  They were all truly amazing, my favorite being the Divine.  No, the Gnome. No, The Divine. No. MMmmmm. I'll need to return to finalize my answer.  

Theatre de la Mode, Maryhill Museum

We spent the next few days enjoying the Columbia River Gorge's eastern end, a place we really hadn't spent much time.  We visited the Maryhill Museum of Art (surreal and breathtaking) and the Stonehenge of the Gorge (also surreal and breathtaking)

We hiked a beautiful plateau and ran into a flock of wild turkey and saw some lovely mule deer running on an island in the Columbia.  All in all a really fabulous Oregon staycation.  After returning to Hood River after a day of museums and sightseeing we were a little too pooped out to hit the pub scene again so instead we popped up the hill to Lake Taco, a totally unassuming, relatively hidden taqueria.  I didn't take pictures of the food because I prepped it and stuffed it in my mouth too quickly.  I can promise you, it looked lovely.  It tasted even better.  Now I'm not sure how I'm going to explain driving the 2 hours out to Hood River every week just to get my street taco fix.

When we returned to Portland after some delightful touring of the Gorge and her rich history and beauty we decided to continue in our quest to do what we had not done before and go where we had not gone before.  So we ended up at Hale Pele on Broadway. This place is a kick. True Tiki Bar fashion, lighting is low but the mood is high as a kite.  You can take an entire vacation in a couple of hours just sitting at the bar here. The drinks are a wee bit expensive but so delicious and terribly pretty to look at.  The staff here is wonderful, attentive and friendly and will help you navigate the plethora of choices you have. I enjoyed this Coconaut after it took us a while to put out it's flame.  Still, worth the wait. One thing we did not have to wait long for was our food.  Although I had heard plenty about the drinks and the atmosphere at Hale Pale, I hadn't heard much about the food here.  No idea why not, really. The menu is limited but really spot on.  I enjoyed the Weebimbap and there was nothing Wee about it.  Only $5 during Happy Hour and this was a succulent, sweet, spicy, cool plate of excellence.  K ordered the Shoyu Chicken and proclaimed some

WeeBimBap, Shoyu Chicken, Hawaiian Bread

of the best he has had.  But the Hawaiian Bread, Oh dear Pele, the Hawaiian Bread.  I need more.

Portland Chocolatefest 2016: How sweet it is...

     I'm a big fan of Chocolatefest, big fan.  Ever since it began,  11 years ago, what?  11 years ago? Whoa.  I'm proud to say I was there back in the early years.  It started up at the World Forestry Center as a fundraiser and then it grew, almost too big for it's britches and had to move to the Oregon Convention Center where it opens again this weekend, Jan 22-24.  Tonight was opening night and catered to the 21+ crowd and so there were no young ones to worry about stepping on or tripping over as I ran to my next confectionery grab.  There was a lot of deliciousness to grab for.




Let's begin with what I enjoyed starting my evening with: Tito's Vodka Chocolatini. Smooth, warm, Tito's Vodka distilled small batch in Austin, Texas and poured up rich and delicious, chocolate milk style.  Yes and Please and Thank you, all at once.  A nice way to begin the evening.

I want to go on and on about some of my favorite vendors but I know I've written about them before and I don't want to be redundant.  But I must, at the very least, implore you to try their wares because thinking about them right now makes me happy and I want to share them with you.  Perhaps the Chocolatini is prompting me with an "I love you, man" kind of mood but seriously.  If you go to Chocolatefest this weekend or if you ever happen upon the chance to try out one or more of these vendors, please do yourself a solid and go for it.  Who at that show warrants this kind of love and affection?  Arrowhead Chocolate out of Joseph, Oregon comes to mind.  My favorite will always be the Ginger Cream Truffle, no wait, the Stein Whiskey Truffle, no no the Juniper Gin. Dang!  You get the point.
Sea and Sage Shrubs, a delicious drinking vinegar, and of course, Cupcake Jones, are all great folks to visit.



There is definitely a lot of sweet going on here but with all of the sugar, chocolate and alcohol that was flowing, K and I knew we needed something of more sustenance.  We headed to the Eat area (see food court) and were delighted to find some nice chocolate complimentary entrees.  We went with the Convention Center's catering table Pacificwild and their Cinnamon Dusted Pork Loin with Chocolate Stout Mole and seared polenta.  Oh!  Seriously.  This was Convention Center catering and it was delicious!  I know! I'm shouting!  I would go back to this restaurant if it were a restaurant I could go back to.

Now on to my new Chocolatefest discoveries.  I have found it!  and by it I mean the perfect toffee.  and by perfect, I mean Perrrrrrrrfeeeeeect.  Cowboy Toffee Company out of Oakdale, California.  How can I describe this toffee.  First off, Sam McGinnis, one of the delightful owners, noticed K and I were drinking some beer (Rogue Chocolate Stout) and asked us to please try her Ghost Town Toffee ( dark chocolate, almond dust, roasted ghost peppers, salt).  She knew it would be a perfect pairing and she knows her product.  I was frightened at first.  Mentioning Ghost Peppers in your ingredients intimidates me but this was some serious deliciousness.  The toffee itself has a texture that most toffees wish they could attain, light airy, just chewy enough without sticky tooth residue.  You won't loose your fillings to this but you will lose your heart.  The dark chocolate is a perfectly creamy compliment hugging the toffee.  Love at first bite.




Speaking of love, fera wyn's  motto "Forget Love, I'd rather fall in chocolate"  No truer words spoken when speaking of these delightful artisan style chocolates.  I'm a little sad they didn't have the Green Fairy with them but I thoroughly enjoyed the Limoncello. The tang and zip were perfectly balanced.  creamy but not too sweet. The Hawt Date was delightful. Not too hot with the lovely nutty chewy date finish.  I will be ordering more.




I'm also a huge fan of Lillie Belle Farms'  Most Awesome Chocolate Bar Ever.  It really is. And Goldfinch Caramels.  Creamy, delicious (love love love the Rosemary) Just great caramel.

(Amendment 1/23)  Found out this morning that Nothing But Bundt Cakes took the Best in Show.  Great Choice- they have amazing delicious baby bundts, my favorite was the Chocolate Turtle. Mmmmmm, soft and delicious.  Not too sweet but just enough chocolatey goodness.

Finally, and worth the wait, we have Thomas and Sons Distillery. When I say wait, I mean wait because there were lines at this place All Night Long.  but K and I finally just said forget about it and waited at the side for our turn to be served.  Like I said "worth the wait".  I have never had a liqueur distilled from tea and most likely neither have you because, as far as I know, these are the only people doing it. and I'm not talking about tea infused alcohol.  I'm talking about Tea and sugar distilled into liqueur.  It is surprisingly delicious and they have liquors that run the gamut from White Tea right through bitter black and onto my favorite, Smoke Tea. Smoke Tea is distilled smoke Lapsang black tea flavored with Vanilla Bean and blackberry honey.  It seriously is camping in a bottle.  I know they were using all of their liquors in mixed drinks but I don't think I would want to mix this one.  It would be a nice long sip by the campfire, or the couch or the kitchen table, wherever.  The new release from Thomas and Sons is the Bluebird Liquer.  I'm not quite sure what it is but it reminds me of maybe St. Germaine or other herb and spice based spirits.  Warm, yet fresh.  Sweet and spicy.  The perfect end to a delicious evening.