Monday, December 17, 2012

WE HAVE MOVED TO A BEAUTIFUL SITE!

www.TheYumYumFoodie.com

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

The Foodie has Moved!

I've moved to a much better looking site guys! www.TheYumYumFoodie.com There is a bunch of new content there.  Check it out!

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

How to make a Cuban Cafe con Leche or Latte


In honor of Hispanic Heritage month here is a fun video on how to make a Cuban "Cafe con Leche"
Enjoy!

Cafe con Leche

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Monday, September 3, 2012

BLD One of the best brunch spots in Los Angeles

Ricotta and Blueberry pancakes.
Pardon the punctuation...Undecided on where to go to brunch in LA? Let me make this easy for you. Your first and last stop should be BLD.  If you need to bring Fido a long don't worry, They are pet friendly too.  Smack dab in the heart of Los Angeles on Beverly Blvd is where you find this foodie institution.  Here's what I had.

  • French Press coffee: The coffee was low acid and just delicious. Would definitely have again.
  • Ricotta and Blueberry Pancakes: These guys were the stars of the show. The batter was light and fluffy with just the hint of ricotta cheese that brought out the flavor and sweetness of the blueberries. They come served with a cute little tin of Berkshire maple syrup which makes all the difference in the world. 
  • Spanish Frittata: The perfect bit f savory to go along with my pancakes. They come with house made chorizo, fingerling potatoes, roasted piquillo peppers, paprika, manchego cheese, and your choice of bread and potatoes. My wife and I went with brioche toast and roasted potatoes with chorizo mixed in.
Like the Terminator "I'll be back" to BLD in the near future. Great service, value, and of course amazing food.
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Thursday, August 9, 2012

Tazza D'Oro vs Sant' Eustachio The Roman Coffee War.

Tazza D'Oro
Sant' Eustachio
Pardon the punctuation... This entry marks the first of many to come from my recent trip to Europe. I have decided to write chronologically about my trip and that starts with Rome, Italy. For those of you who have never been to Italy, Italians are not just famous for their pasta. Coffee is an institution over there and the place you choose to have your espresso can create as heated an argument as you can have about politics.  My two favorite coffee shops in Rome are Tazza D'Oro and Sant' Eustachio. When in Rome you must try both of these spots and the best part is that they are about a two minute walk from each other. The bad part is that you'll end up wanting to go to both of them multiple times a day and be hopped up on caffeine for your entire trip. Lets start with Tazza D'Oro.  Right across the street from the Pantheon is this famed place that was established in 1946 and has been serving their famed "La Regina dei Caffe" blend almost as long.  The things to order here are the espresso and the "Granita di Cafe." It's worth paying
The Espresso Bar at Tazza D'Oro
for a flight to Rome just to experience these two. This place is always packed and make sure you pay at the cashier before you walk up to the espresso bar. Hand them your receipt at the bar and watch them work their magic. Like an Olympic synchronized swimming team, the baristas are dancing behind the counter and making multiple orders and they always seem to know where the other one is without running into him. Dark, rich, and aromatic is how I would best describe the espresso. It hits your tongue and envelopes you with flavor and is just pure satisfaction. The "Granita di Cafe" is made from a frozen block of that same espresso, shaved into a slush, and then topped with fresh whipped cream. It's the perfect thing to get you going on a hot afternoon.


Espresso at Tazza D'Oro
Now Sant' Eustachio. Since 1938 the image of a white stag with horns means one thing in Rome. That stag is the mosaic you see on the ground as you cross the threshold into this iconic coffee shop. Not only is the mosaic original but so is their coffee roaster which they have been using since 1948 and roasts the secret blend over a wood fire. Neat stuff. All this would mean jack shit if the coffee sucked but it does not. In fact it rocks. It rocks so much that they have a panel blocking the barista and machine on either side to keep you from seeing the secret way in which they make a coffee. The secret they are trying to keep is the way they manage to put a thick layer of sweet coffee foam on the top of every espresso beverage. It's pretty bad-ass. It's the Honey Badger of espresso foam. You must order the "Gran Caffe" on your visit which is basically a larger creamier version of an espresso.  An important
Gran Caffe at Sant' Eustachio
           thing to know before you go is that if you decide to use table service be prepared to pay an additional 1.5 euros per item that you order. Kind of a rip off if you ask me.  Just order from the counter you only pay the regular price for any item. Needless to say, I went to the counter. No use in paying double for a coffee just so you can sit.

Main entrance at Sant' Eustachio
Finally the moment of truth....which one is the best. I have to say that this is a complete draw. They are so different that it's hard to compare them in that sense. If you're in the mood for a darker of a roast Tazza D'Oro is the place for you.  If you fancy a sweeter espresso then make your way over to Sant' Eustachio. Either way they are so close to one another that you can just hop between the two and try them both. At the end of the day I say that Tazza D'Oro is more to my taste and I find the overall experience of being there a little batter than Sant' Eustachio. Every coffee lover should get their hands on some of both and take the "Pepsi Challenge" themselves.

 Blocked espresso machine at Sant' Eustachio
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Saturday, July 7, 2012

Dinner at Michael Voltaggio's "Ink" in Los Angeles

Pardon the Punctuation...For my two year anniversary I decided to attempt to make a last minute reservation to Ink restaurant on Melrose.  Michael Voltaggio of "Top Chef" fame, has brought Michelin star quality and service to Los Angeles without the usual Michelin star highbrow. After making a reservation online at OpenTable I called ahead to see if anything earlier had opened up. Diana the hostess answered the phone like a breathe of sunshine and let us know that we were going to have her favorite table for our dinner. Upon arriving, Diana treated us like family. This let us know we were in for a special night. Any special dinner calls for a special bottle of wine. A bottle of 2001 Heitz Cellars Martha's Vineyard Cabernet was at peak and perfect for the night.  Our waiter Ben continued bringing the great servicer after we were seated. He recommended we do three plates each since we did the À la carte choices for the menu. If you go, two plates a piece is plenty...we were stuffed after our six plates...no bueno. We ate a lot so I'm going to break this down in a list in the order we received the din din.


La Quercia Berkshire Ham

  1. La Quercia Bershire Ham with Manchego biscuit and Marcona almond butter: The biscuit was perfectly flaky with a slight hint of manchego in it. If the La Quercia Berkshire Ham was referred to in a rap song it would be called,"Off the chain." You must order this if you go. 
  2. Beef Tartare  with hearts of palm, sea bean chimichurri, horseradish, and rye: I still can't get over how the chef pulled all of the flavor out of the horseradish while getting rid of the heat. Exquisite is the only way to describe the rest of the ingredients. 
  3. Brussels Sprouts with pig ears, lardo, and apple: When the dish arrived it looked they brought me Medusa's head on a plate. It was like a scene from "Clash of the Titans." The sprouts were crunchy, bitter and perfectly seasoned. The lardo was a mouth watering compliment to the pig ears and just melted in your mouth.
  4. Grilled Octopus with house made ink shells, young fennel, and pimenton:  There are only two places on this side of the Atlantic that I have had perfectly grilled octopus and this one of them. I could have just ordered two orders of this and called it a night. Just the perfect tenderness in the texture and char flavor in the octopus. The octopus ink pasta shells were to die for and could be sold as a dish on their own. You must order this if you go.
  5. Brussels Sprouts
    Beef Tartare
  6. Pork Belly with charcoal oil, bbq flavor, and corn: As far as I'm concerned, pork belly is the new "black" and I'm never going to get tired of it. They could have served this without a knife You must order this if you go.
  7. Wagyu Beef with carrots, tendon, and horseradish tofu: Tender, flavorful, and crunchy is the best way to describe this dish. We were stuffed by the time we got it and I couldn't get myself to stop eating it. The tendon was fried and tasted like a classic pork rind. Overall a very good dish.
  8. Apple with caramel, walnut, and burnt wood ice cream: This was art on a plate. Never would I have thought that a craving for burnt wood ice cream would be in my future. They literally burn wood to a crisp and infuse it's flavor with the ice cream. If I was ever on "Death Row" this would be part of my final meal. They freeze the ice cream with liquid nitrogen and you have to crack open the ice cream shell to get to the apple. One of the top five desserts I've ever had. You must order this if you go.
"Ink" is a home run of a restaurant that will leave you smiling and begging for more. Chef was kind enough to sign the menu for me and complete the perfect anniversary dinner. I have a feeling this won't be the last time they see my face at their establishment.
Octopus with ink shells
Pork Belly

Wagyu Beef
Apple with burnt ice cream




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Monday, July 2, 2012

The Hollywood Cooking Class Groupon

Vegetable Spring Rolls
Pardon the Punctuation....My christmas gift from my brother and sister in law was a Groupon for The Hollywood Cooking Class.  Before I get to the good stuff I must get to the bad. Whoever is running the booking of this class might not be the sharpest tool in the shed. I called several times with no return phone call and when they did return one of my calls it was two weeks later. Not the best way to run a successful business. Once we finally booked a time they rescheduled my class not once but twice...ridiculous. Once we got to the class my impression changed completely. My wife and I were greeted by Vanessa who was great and served us some drinks while we waited for the rest of the class to arrive.  Of course several guests were thirty minutes late and since they live in a bubble where the world revolves around them, they didn't even acknowledge their tardiness and apologize to the eight other people that showed up on time. At least we were finally able to start. Aja was the chef teaching the class and she was great.  The dishes were simple yet elegant and Aja was great and answering any question we had. First we rolled our own chocolate truffles and had a few options to flavor them. This was a blast since I've always been intimidated to make my own truffles. It was so easy to do that I can't wait to make my own. I wish Aja would have done a demo on how to make the ganache so we can see that part of the process but it's understandable why it was pre-made for us since it takes a couple of hours to cool for rolling. Next we made a basic mixed green salad and were educated on how to make a true vinagrette. All of it was educational and delicious. The appetizer course was vegetable spring rolls which is something I had never made on my own and enjoyed the whole process from choosing which vegetables to put in rolls to mixing my dipping sauce. Our main course was a Swai fillet cooked over vegetables en Papillote style which basically means it was wrapped in parchment paper like an empanada and baked in the oven. This was something that I would have never taken the time to cook before but after trying it in the class it's going to be one of my "Go To" choices for making a healthy fish dish. Happily I can say that the "Hollywood Cooking Class" did not leave a bad taste in my mouth. Chef Aja was great and did a great job of making this fun, educational, and entertaining. I have to admit that we had a better time in the class than we expected to have. I'm looking forward to attending another version of the class in the future and I recommend it for couples and solo guests alike.
Swai En Papillote


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Thursday, June 28, 2012

Best Damn Latte in Los Angeles

Pardon the Punctuation.....Being the child of Cuban immigrants means I've been drinking lattes since I could wear a diaper. Urth Caffe in West Hollywood happens to have the best latte that I have ever had the pleasure of drinking. It's called the "Spanish Latte."The secret to their 'Spanish Latte" is a hint of sweetened condensed milk that they add to the drink somewhere in the process of preparing it. My guess is that the condensed milk is added to the regular milk before it is frothed so that a tiny hint of its taste is present with every sip. The only problem with this latte is that it is more addictive than crack and will slowly but surely empty your wallet. It's not cheap but worth every penny. Timing it out to once or twice a month has saved me. When you visit LA you have to hit up Urth Caffe for "Spanish Latte" and one of their home made desserts. It's the kind of stuff you'll wake in the morning dreaming about. For suggestions don't hesitate to ask me at TheYumYumFoodie@gmail.com

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Sunday, June 17, 2012

Sotto Mare San Fransisco




Pardon the Punctuation......per my friend I went to Sotto Mare in the north beach area of San Francisco for some fresh seafood. They sat me at the counter which was a real treat because it gave me a front row seat to the kitchen. The best view in the house. First thing on my plate had to be a half dozen fresh west coast oysters which came on a bed of crushed ice with delicious cocktail sauce and horseradish. Next I wanted to get as much seafood bang for my buck so I went with the seafood linguini which was loaded with shell fish for a only $19. Worth every penny.  Everything was so fresh I could swear they have a guy in the back clubbing live fish before they cook it for you. The only thing they are missing is a dessert menu. Apparently the owner is a diabetic and can't control himself so no sugar on the menu. This was actually a blessing in disguise since it gave me plenty of time to walk down my food on the way back to the hotel.  This place is a San Francisco must.
Linguini

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Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Super Duper Burger is Super Duper Awesome!

Pardon the Punctuation....If in San Francisco and you want to go into a food coma, mosey on over to Super Duper Burgers for a mouth watering comfort food indulgence. I had the Super Burger with cheddar, bacon and some garlic fries on the side. Of course the Straus creamery chocolate shake to wash them down. All I spent was $15 and this was a steal considering the quality of the products they serve. All of their beef is organic from Niman Ranch and cooked to perfection. Their burger is one of the top ten I've had in my life and is going to be a San Francisco must every time I'm in town.

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Sunday, June 10, 2012

Lunch at Bluestem Brasserie San Fransisco



Pardon the Punctuation.....upon checking into the hotel Palomar in the heart of San Francisco, my awesome concierge recommended Bluestem Brasserie and made a brunch reservation for me.  They sat me in the second floor patio which was perfect for taking in this amazing Sunday afternoon. Any place with a drink on the menu called "The Honey Badger" automatically gets a thumbs up from me. The chef sent over a complimentary plate of freshly baked scones and a house made charcuterie. Those this sounds disgusting, the blood and tongue sausage was my favorite thing on the charcuterie plate. The combination of sweet and salty on that plate made it the perfect starter for my main brunch dish the Porchetta sandwich. I'm always a sucker for  slow roasted pork shoulder on any menu.  This sandwich did not disappoint. The only bad thing about the meal was that I was so full I didn't have room for dessert. I will definitely be coming back here for more amazing food in my week long stay in San Fran. Bluestem Brasserie is TheYumYumFoodie approved.
P.S. They've got one of the best Bloody Mary's on the planet.

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Friday, June 1, 2012

Spring Mountain Vineyards a Napa must.


Pardon the Punctuation: Tucked away from the hustle and bustle of your more commercialized wineries sits a gem in the Spring Mountain district. Spring Mountain Vineyard takes the mom and pop feel to another level. Pulling into the driveway and seeing the 19th century Chateau, transports you to a scene from "The Great Gatsby." Owned by a Swiss gazillionaire, this winery cares about one thing...the quality and not the quantity. Patrick is the "Yoda" of this winery and he does an amazing job of making a guest feel right at home. I know that wine can be a little intimidating for a novice drinker but Patrick really knows how to bring the wine tasting experience to a place that can make anyone feel at home. I can't think of a better place in Napa to spend two hours of my time drinking wine. Elivette which is named after the winery owner's parents is the star of the winery. Silky elegance is the only way I can describe the taste. Once you take a sip and swirl it in your mouth, you would swear that Baryshnikov was doing "Swan Lake" on your palate. Spring Mountain Vineyard is the perfect example of ,"You get what you pay for" in life. Their wine is by no means cheap but it is worth every penny and at the end of the day they are just a small producer that takes wine making to a passionate level. When in Napa you must stop by. This is a reservation only kind of place but take the time to call one of the friendly people that work there and set up an appointment. They will ruin two buck chuck for the rest of your life and you will thank them for it.

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Wednesday, May 23, 2012

South by Southwest Cuban!

Pardon the punctuation: One of my Facebook fans told me to check out an amazing Cuban food truck while I was in Austin, Texas. Upon checking on google maps it was located just two blocks from my hotel.  My friends all know that I'm always on the hunt for good Cuban food and never did I think I would find it in the middle of Texas. Miguel's The Cubano is right on the corner of Trinity and 6th street was an unassuming little white trailer with pork that smelled so good that I was set adrift into the blissful memories of my childhood in Miami.  When I walked up to the window I was greeted by, "Alejandro" who runs the joint and is friendly as hell. That's just how we Cubans roll. After shooting the shit for a minute and discussing our Cubanness, he told me I have to try their Media Noche.  I had that aroma of pork on the brain and asked Alejandro if he could make me a traditional Cuban pork sandwich called a ,"Pan con Lechon" instead. He obliged and I was in heaven. Nothing cures homesickness like a taste or smell from home. The pork was juicy and full of flavor while the sweet roll was baked fresh and perfect.  This was washed down with a Materva and finished with some arroz con leche which is the Cuban version of rice pudding.  Miguel's the Cubano has TheYumYumFoodie's seal of approval. I only wish they were open on Sundays.  If you're in this neck of the woods give Miguel's a show and make sure you bring some friends. That way you can taste more of the awesome things on the menu.
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Friday, May 18, 2012

Austin Cafe Josie

Porcini Cannellini Bean Soup

 Pardon the punctuation: Night one in Austin and I hit up Cafe Josie.  This was my only night in town where I could have an Austin experience in 'Fine Dining." Started with the soup special which was a Porcini Cannellini Bean soup with a Blue Crab Caesar Crostini. This soup is officially yumyummed. I've never had a soup with such a smokey rich taste and that crostini was the perfect compliment. Two other must haves for starters are the Brussel Sprouts and the Crispy Gulf Oysters. Both were rockin.  Main course was the Beef Tenderloin with garlic grill butter, eclipse, manchego frites, and chipotle aioli. That piece of meat was riddled with the flavor of the mesquite grill. Cooked to the perfection of medium rare and so tender you could eat it with a butter knife. Yum Yum Yummed. For dessert my server recommended a Venezuelan Chocolate Truffle with praline pecan sauce and a chocolate ganache. It was like a brick of rich delicious chocolate. If you're not a fan of rich desserts avoid this like the plague. If you're like me and chocolate is like crack to you, then order this with a smile on your face knowing that you will be in chocolate bliss in just a few minutes. That truffle was so good that I dug into it before I remembered to take a picture of it. If you have an questions feel free to contact me
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Beef Tenderloin

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

How to Make a Cuban Latte or Cafe Con Leche

Pardon the punctuation...being the child of Cuban parents pretty much means that I've been smelling the sweet aroma of espresso since I was in the womb. Some of the fondest memories from my childhood can be conjured up from the slightest hint of Cafe La Llave. That being said, living away from my home town of Miami is sometimes hard on the soul. One thing that can bring me back home no matter how far away I am is a good old fashioned Cafe con leche or Cortadito.  Here's a little secret, evaporated milk is the key to having the authentic  cafe con leche that any Cuban grandmother would make. You don't need a fancy schmancy professional barista machine to make one at home. All you is:
  1. Stove Top Espresso Maker
  2. Evaporated Milk
  3. Cuban Coffee
  4. Sugar
  5. If you want to get fancy a basic Milk Frother
The next step is making your perfect Cuban Coffee. Hope you enjoyed that little video. Last but not least lets crack open that can of evaporated milk. Grab your basic saucepan and put it on the stove at low heat. Then pour how ever much evaporated milk you want into the saucepan and bring it to a simmer. Using your milk frother, froth the hell out if it and enjoy! If you have any questions feel free to email, tweet or facebook message me.

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Friday, May 11, 2012

Foodie detox day

Today is the first day back from New Orleans. National detox day for me. New content will be up this weekend!

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

A street car named "Stella!"

Pardon the punctuation: First off let me thank me dear foodie friend Cathleen for this wonderful suggestion. All day I had been thinking about what I was going to eat tonight. Kids have visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads while I had visions Fois Gras dancing in mine. "Stella!" is where I ended up eating tonight. The food was so amazing that when I die I don't want Saint Peter waiting for me at the pearly gates. I want Chef/Owner Scott Boswell  at the gates of foodie heaven waiting for me with one of his creations.  Here's what' currently in my belly:

  1. Chef Starter- Ahi Tuna with a Wasabi air
  2. Appetizer- Foie Gras "BLT" with Duck Pate, Try Truffle Mayonnaise, Spiced Pear Chutney, Brulee Pears and Bianchetto Spring Truffles
  3. Entree- Bone Marrow Crusted Prime Beef Tenderloin Sous-Vide with Hickory Smoked Fingerling Potatoes, Grilled Ramps, Seared Cherry Tomatoes and Porcini Bordelaise Sauce
  4. Fois Gras "BLT"
  5. Dessert- Bananas Foster French Toast with Tahitian Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, Spicy Candied Walnuts and Crisp Plantains
Beef Tenderloin
Before we move on I'd like to acknowledge my two servers Elizabeth and Rhett. My hats off to you both for helping me have such an amazing experience. Any good meal starts with an good wine. Two glasses of R. Lopez De Heredia 2000 Rioja was my weapon of choice. At $16 a glass this was a steal of a deal for a restaurant of this caliber. To start they brought me a lovely little bowl of Ahi Tuna with Wasabi air. It was YumYum,  nuff said. The Foie Gras "BLT" was my next item to tackle. What a wonderful interpretation on a classic American dish. The truffle mayonnaise is the flavor that lingered in my mouth and left me wanting more. The Sous-Vide beef tenderloin was the best I have ever had. For those of you intimidated by French terminology on a menu, don't be!!!!!!! This french technique will give you a piece of beef that will literally melt in your mouth. Bone marrow crust and hickory smoked fingerling potatoes were the perfect compliment for this tender piece of beef. Those hickory smoked potatoes are something I can't wait to try at home for a dinner party and attempt to take full credit for coming up with it on my own.    I found myself cutting the last pieces of steak smaller and smaller as I tried to make this dish last as long as possible on my plate. Unfortunately all good things must come to an end and in that end came my Bananas Foster French toast dessert. For those of you who follow my facebook page this item will be in my "Best thing I ever Ate" photo folder. If my wife would have been with me I would have ordered two of them and hoped that she didn't finish all of hers. This is one of the top five desserts I've had in my whole life. They should figure out a way to put this in a frozen shipping container and send them around the world. The US Military should drop crates of these things into war zones to distract the enemy and put them in a food coma. I've said enough....get a plane ticket to NOLA and have one yourself.

Bananas Foster French Toast

Per Elizabeth's recommendation tomorrow I'll be going to "Stella!" sister restaurant named "Stanley." I know I know the theater geek inside me smiles a the names of these New Orleans restaurant. Tennessee Williams would be proud.

Round 2 at the Butcher

I obviously can't get enough of a good thing. Today I made my second trip to Cochon Butcher and loved it just as much as the first. Lets get right to the point. What did I eat?
Pulled Pork
  1. Pulled Pork Sandwich
  2. House made Chocolate Chip Cookie
The pork was slow roasted and quite spicy. Not too spicy but spicy enough to surprise me after the first bite. On the side was probably the best potato salad ever to rest on my tongue. As far as the cookie was concerned, it was fine. Not the greatest thing ever but it was OK. The PB and J cookie will be on my plate next time I head on over. I can't emphasize enough how much I recommend this place for anyone close to the convention center in New Orleans.

Monday, May 7, 2012

When the HerbSaint come marching in and an Emeril night cap.




The Chicken Gumbo
Pork Belly
Per the recommendation of the hostess at Stella I made my way over to HERBSAINT restaurant just a few lovely blocks from the Loews hotel where I'm staying. Had a cocktail and waited for a bar seat to open. This place had an amazing vibe. A great mix of locals and foodies all gathering in a mecca of sorts on this quiet New Orleans street. I started with the chicken gumbo and it is by far the best gumbo I've ever had. Smokey and rich with just enough spice to make you smile it was perfect an one of the best dishes ever.  For the main course I ordered something that I always have to try when it's on a menu: Mr Pork Belly If I were ever a crackhead my crack would involve pork belly in some shape or form.  The belly came resting on a bed of a toasted lotus leaf on sticky rice. On top we had some tomatoes, cucumbers and a few chopped mint leaves.  The mint made all of the difference on this dish. It complimented the melt in your mouth pork in a ballet of flavors. Every bite would make my taste buds  explode with the fresh sea salt and then the hint of mint would bring me back to earth.


Like any true foodie I went to a different place for dessert: Emeril's New Orleans. Every food or cooking show on the planet has mentioned Emeril's banana cream pie and stressed the amazingness of it. They were not lying. Holy Sh******************t that was good. When I saw the waitress bringing the plate I could have sworn she brought a banana cream Flatiron Building . Nevertheless, I dug into the trenches and fought my way against this Leviathan. Twas a long fought bottle but @TheYumYumFoodie came out as the champion. That pie is a "Must Have" when you make your way to NOLA. Now time for bed and my food coma.
Banana Cream Pie



The Butcher had all my answers for lunch

Walking around New Orleans you run into so many amazing places to eat that it's sometimes hard to decide. What helps me is to look for a place that seems to have the most locals eating there. Today that place was Cochon Butcher . The food Gods blessed me today and had me walk down the right street to run into this amazing foodie haven. There are so many things on the menu that I want to try. This place will be on my lunch list at least two more times during my stay.  My knowledgable hipster cashier steered me in the direction of the Muffaletta . The amazing cold cut sandwich that originated in New Orleans via it's Sicilian Immigrants.  All of the meats on this beast are made in house and served with fresh chips and the yummiest pickles I've ever tried and I'm not a pickle fan. I could have eaten a whole jar of these sweet green suckers. That hipster cashier also mentioned that though he had worked at Cochon Butcher for a year, that the ,"Peanut butter and jelly cookies still amaze me to this day. They're just like awesome dude." Normally trusting the stoner types when it comes to food is not my thing, but I figured what the hell. A little PB and J in a cookie was worth trying. Thank you Mr. hipster, stoner, cashier guy. Your obvious multiple cases of the munchies led you to tell me about these amazing cookies. My friends, even if you don't go in for a sandwich just swing by and grab one of these spectacular guilty pleasure cookies.  This place is officially YumYummed.

When in doubt, "Cafe Du Monde" it out


It's six a.m. and you're wide awake in New Orleans. Where d you go? I made my way this morning to the famous NOLA staple Cafe Du Monde. It was well worth my ten minute walk to this twenty-four hour french coffee stand. Of course I went with the traditional Cafe Au Lait and Beignets . They are worth the trip over there not just for the delicious french yummies but also the people watching. If coffee and crazies is something you don't mind, then cruise on over to Cafe Du Monde and rock out this touristy gem.