The following are the 10 (+1) Best Things I Ate in 2009.  2009 for us was so full of excellent eating that I couldn’t pare it down below 11 top experiences, so hence the +1.  As a disclaimer, I only use dishes gotten in a restaurant or prepared by a professional chef, as to remove any personal bias from my palate. I’m pretty sure that Kerry’s Pork Chops and her Pulled Pork would have made this list fair and square, but it’s probably best I keep it to strictly restaurants / professional chefs.  Also, I have tried to not let the influence of alcohol persuade me that something was better than it actually was, otherwise you would probably see the Sliders from Alain Ducasse’s Mix from Lion King’s Opening Night Party, the Fried Ravioli from The Bootlegger Bistro or especially the Linguica, Goat Cheese, Olives and Caramelized Onion Pizza from Sierra Gold.  And one final note, I have not been paid or in any other way compensated by any of the following establishments, although I am always in an accepting mood!  Without further interruption…..behold….

10.) Pollo Sarandeado Estila “Tia Esther” from Lindo Michoacán

Don’t go to Lindo Michoacán expecting a Rick Bayless-esque Fine Mexican Dining experience.  Lindo Michoacán is more of a Mama-Making-the-Tortillas restaurant, and that’s why I love it. Just good, down home Mexican food.  As most gringos such as myself will just call the Pollo Sarandeado here the “Chicken Tia Esther,” in my opinion, it is the best thing on the menu. Both rich and flavorful, this pounded thin chicken breast in a mayonnaisey spicy dried chile sauce will make you sing with the live Mariachi band that goes from table to table.  Also one of my favorites that comes with this and every entree at Lindo Michoacán is the simple and incredibly satisfying Fideo Soup, which if given the opportunity, I would eat a few gallons of at each sitting.

9.) Lobster Fra Diavolo from Stratta

While the Fra Diavolo sauce was ok, and the pasta itself kind of “meh,” the exquisitely perfect lobster was more than enough to give this dish the needed boost to make it to this list.  Located at Wynn Las Vegas, Stratta is Chef Alessandro Stratta’s more casual restaurant offering, with Alex being his James Beard Award winning, Mobil 5-Star rated, Michelin 2-Star earning war horse, also located at the Wynn.  A perfect lobster that was perfectly prepared, it was almost a shame it was amongst such uninspired pasta.  It could have also been that such a magnificent ingredient made everything else around it pale in comparison, but in any event, it was still good enough to make this list in a year of some excellent eats.

8.) Lunch Buffet at Namaste Indian Cuisine

Just like in the 10 Worst List, price is also in consideration when putting this list together. With that said, I can’t imagine spending a better $8.95 than the Lunch Buffet at Namaste.  Located in one of the more skeezy parts of town at the Commercial Center on Sahara, right next door to Lotus of Siam, holds one of the best kept secrets in the entire town.  The service is bad as you’ll probably have to wait about 3 years to get your check, but no matter at the buffet.  Featuring some of the greatest hits from Northern India such as Butter Chicken, Chicken or Lamb Curry, Chicken Tikka Masala and a delicious Green Tandoori Chicken, the food is outstanding and almost unbelievable at the $8.95 price.  I have to give special thanks to local food guru John Curtas at http://www.eatinglv.com for hipping me to this gem. Also, you can follow John on Twitter at @eatinglasvegas. Namaste is on Twitter too at @NamasteLasVegas, but they never use it.

7.) Beef Wellington from Chef’s Palate

I am a self-admitted puff pastry slut.  I’ve been known to do ethically questionable things to get me some puff pastry. Wrap it around some beautifully executed beef tenderloin and I will commit heinous acts to get at it.  Luckily, all I have to do is fork over a modest chunk of my paycheck at Chef’s Palate to get some.  Chef Rex George brings his experiences cooking in the Napa Valley and Lake Las Vegas to an establishment of his own on Eastern on the way to Anthem.  Flavorful and tender, this Beef Wellington is of the best I’ve had. The cocktails are also quite good at Chef’s Palate, featuring homemade syrups, liqueurs and sour mixes.  Try a sweet and fruity Snozzberry, you won’t regret it.

6.) Curry Beef Bites from Fado Irish Pub

The grand injustice of the Curry Beef Bites from Fado is that they are not on the regular menu, just on the Happy Hour menu.  The best way that I can describe the Curry Beef Bites is that it is a perfect bite of food. Everything you want in flavor and texture is contained in each of these little bites.  The savory spice of the braised curried beef versus the sweet crunch of the red onion confit brought all together with the smooth richness of the potato boxty and drizzle of sour cream, it is truly the perfect bite.

5.) Scallop Vindaloo prepared by Chef Kuldeep Singh

A little while ago, our local Whole Foods Market hosted the 1st Annual Whole Foods Market Quickfire Challenge featuring local culinary masters. Competing in this event was Chef René Lenger of Switch at Encore, Chef Jet Tila of Wazuzu at Encore, Chef Jean-Paul Labadie of Marche Bacchus (eventual winner), Chef Bianca Freeny of Whole Foods Markets and Chef Kuldeep Singh of Origin India.  Each chef was given a protein to use at random, with the idea being they needed to prepare something with that protein that would pair well with one of the new Quickfire Wines that Top Chef is promoting.  Given an absolutely stunning collection of scallops by Whole Foods, Chef Singh prepared a masterful Vindaloo that had just the perfect amount of spice and boldness to let you know it was a Vindaloo, yet not too much to overpower the extraordinarily fine scallop.  After the chefs gave their offerings to the judges, the extras were handed out to the hungry onlookers, and Kerry and I were lucky enough to have a taste. You can follow Las Vegas area Whole Foods Markets at @WFMLasVegas.

4.) Walnut Shrimp from First Food and Bar

First Food and Bar has quickly become one of my favorite late night noshes in Las Vegas.  First Food and Bar combines a twisted bar food concept with a tapas concept by presenting small plates of well-prepared, good-ingredient bar food standards with a twist. A menu that features items, like Philly Cheesesteak Dumplings, Chicken Parmesan Stuffed Garlic Knots, and Pastrami Reuben Tacos , Chef Sammy DeMarco presents great flavors through great ideas.  The Walnut Shrimp stand out among my “Must Have Every Time I Go” list.  The Walnut Shrimp; shrimp with walnuts in a sweet honey based sauce with a touch of mayo, are incredibly addictive. You can follow First Food and Bar on Twitter at @FirstFoodandBar.

3.) “Piggyback” Burger from Society Café Encore

The Society Café Encore at the Encore resort headed by Chef Kim Canteenwalla was named by Esquire Magazine as one of 2009’s Best New Restaurants, and for good reason. It’s tasty.  The Mac & Cheese Bites with Truffle Dipping Sauce are a must have appetizer, but there is a relatively new addition to their menu in the “Piggyback” Burger that is a game changer.  The “Piggyback” is a triumph in all that is Burgerdom. A deliciously seasoned ground beef of good quality, Andouille sausage, caramelized onion, 1000 Island dressing and a tasty BBQ sauce, this burger makes you think the only way to ever have a burger again is to put a piece of Andouille on it.  You can follow the Society Café Encore on Twitter at @societycafe.

2.) Double Cut Kurobuta Pork Chop from Switch

This was the best piece of pig I have ever eaten in my life. Sadly, this was a special and is not on the main menu, but Chef René Lenger out did himself with this PERFECTLY prepared piece of piggy.  Kurobuta is often regarded as the Kobe of pigs, and this fine example proved exactly that. But as we know, it’s not just premium ingredients that make for a memorable meal, they have to be cooked well too.  So often I’ve had a double cut pork chop that was either too rare in the middle or like pork jerky on the outside, but this was exquisite from inside to out.  With the perfect evenness, it leads me to believe the chop was at least partially cooked sous vide.  Combine the wonderful chop with a jawdroppingly good demi glace, this was one of the more memorable meals I’ve ever had.

Tied – 1.) Freshwater Jumbo Prawns with Grilled Artichoke Hearts and New Potatoes from Table 34

Table 34 is one of my favorite places to eat in town, and it doesn’t even need a multi-million dollar Las Vegas Strip location with a celebrity chef’s name plastered on the door to be so.  Chef Wes Kendrick of Table 34 has mastered the two most important aspects to cooking; buy high quality, seasonal groceries and prepare those groceries well.  Chef Kendrick has mastered showcasing his food in a simple sophistication that allows us to truly experience the essence of each ingredient.  While I’m a fan of his work, such as his extraordinary Duck Confit Quesadilla with Spicy Blackberry Syrah Coulis that makes your heart sing and a Lime Tart with Lemon Curd that is of the best I’ve ever had, there was one plate of food this year that was leaps and bounds beyond everything; Freshwater Jumbo Prawns with Grilled Artichoke Hearts and New Potatoes.  This dish embodied everything that Table 34 and Chef Kendrick is all about, taking advantage of superior available ingredients and preparing them flawlessly.  The flavor of the prawns were perfectly highlighted with the exact amount of lemon and salt they needed and the masterful preparation provided such a tender, practically silky texture rarely found in prawns of this size.  The charred artichoke hearts and seasonal new potatoes provided an excellent compliment, although could stand alone in their own light all the same.  It was one of those meals that I’ll come back to in not just reflecting on 2009, but for many years to come.

Tied – 1.)  Everything from Julian Serrano

Ok, so we didn’t eat “everything” at Chef Julian Serrano’s brand spanking new, self-titled tapas restaurant at the also brand spanking new Aria resort, but we damn sure came close.  After a 3 hour orgy of gluttony and 12 dishes later, I can safely say that there are no weak spots in Chef Serrano’s offering of the very best of Spain.  The Michelin 2-starred, multi-award winning renowned chef ascended to culinary legend with his restaurant Picasso at the Bellagio.  Chef Serrano offers both traditional and some non-traditional Spanish tapas and paella at his new restaurant.  Here at Julian Serrano you can have a simple chorizo dish right next to a molecular gastronomic reconstruction of a raspberry.  The Red Sangria has a depth of flavor I haven’t found before with the unique (to me at least) use of bay leaf and cinnamon.

I want to say there were highlights within the 12 plates we had, but they were all extraordinary in their own right. The Coca Chorizo hit all of my happy places with chorizo, puff pastry, caramelized onion and piquillo peppers. The Huevos Estrallados introduced me to the breakfast I want to eat everyday for the rest of my life with egg, fried potatoes and chorizo. The Beef and Cheese, which is a baby tenderloin, brie cheese with this sweet walnut sauce on toast made my eyes roll back in my head.  What might have been the biggest surprise were the Traditional Spanish Chicken Croquetas which in my opinion were far from traditional.  Kerry best described them as “deep fried chicken soup.”  Think about the most flavorful chicken soup you’ve ever had, condense it and then deep fry it in a way were you get a crispy outside and a silky inside and there you have it.  Extraordinarily delicious.  Also, with prices hovering around the not too wallet busting $10 per plate, I’m confident that we’ll be frequenting Julian Serrano quite a bit in 2010 and the many years that follow.

Not sure what she’s selling but I love the hat.

Would love to find a cereal bar that has its nutrition, taste and cookie-like texture down. I browsed the shelves at WFM to see if they could raise up the cereal bar to breakfast status? The rating goes 1 to 10 (10 being the best).

365 Brand Mixed Berry Cereal Bars
Verdict: 7

Appearance: From the wrapper, looks just like a generic Nutri-Grain bar. The top of the bar has a dusting of whole grains and you can see the oats running throughout the bar.

Texture: When you bite into the bar you can feel the texture of the oats and the moist fruit filling. Loved the soft crust, similar texture to a soft-baked cookie.

Flavor: True to the mixed berry flavor, the filling tastes like a puree of different berries. The bars also come in apple and blueberry.
Cost: $ 2.49 for a box of 8 bars
Health: Good in the organic department, made with organic fruit and oats. Comes with some of the vitamins that dry cereals have, such as b12, b2, and folic acid. Minus a few points for the sugar (18g per bar) and for being short on fiber and protein, which are essential to a healthy breakfast. The calories are reasonable (140 calories), as is the amount of fat (2 grams).
Resolution Stats: 20 new food stuffs tried, 85 more to go
Final Recommendation: If you are looking for a quick afternoon snack at your desk, these bars are perfect. But if you are looking for a filling breakfast or are in need of an energy boost, you are better off going for a bowl of Wheaties with milk and fruit.

Dan Winters
Nick Paumgarten of The New Yorker profiles John Mackey, CEO and co-founder of the high-end supermarket behemoth Whole Foods Market, based in the Lone Star capital, and attempts to answer the question the Austin power-grocer asks Lady Liberty of her evolving market basket, “Do I make you organic, Lady?”:

A year ago, Mackey came across a book called “The Engine 2 Diet,” by an Austin, Texas, firefighter and former professional triathlete named Rip Esselstyn. Basically, you eat plants: you are a rabbit with a skillet. Mackey had been a vegetarian for more than thirty years, and a vegan for five, but the Engine 2 book, among others, helped get him to give up vegetable oils, sugar, and pretty much anything processed. He lost fifteen pounds. This thinking about his body dovetailed with a recession that left many shoppers reluctant or unable to spend much money on the fancy or well-sourced food that had been the stores’ mainstay. Mackey, in a stroke of corporate transubstantiation, declared that Whole Foods would go on a diet, too. It would focus on stripped-down healthy eating. Fewer organic potato chips, more actual potatoes. He told the Wall Street Journal in August, “We sell a bunch of junk.”

The repudiation was rash, since Whole Foods would still be selling junk, of a kind. Mackey, an unrepentant foot-in-mouther, as often a fount of exasperation as of inspiration, tried to explain that his comment had been misunderstood. Mackey has been bewildered by the way some things that he has said or done have brought trouble on him and Whole Foods. Public opinion can be capricious and—when you’re a grocer, a retail brand, and a publicly traded company—hard to ignore or override.

Two years ago, Mackey passed through one of the roughest stretches of his life. The Bush Administration, in an uncharacteristic spasm of antitrust vigilance, was fighting Whole Foods’ purchase of a competitor, Wild Oats, contending that the merged company would unfairly corner what the Federal Trade Commission called the “premium natural and organic supermarket” sector. Meanwhile, the Securities and Exchange Commission was investigating Mackey: for nearly eight years, he had been secretly logging onto an Internet message board devoted to Whole Foods stock under the sock puppet, or pseudonym, “rahodeb” (an anagram of Deborah, his wife’s name), praising his own company, disparaging Wild Oats, and throwing in a flattering remark about his hair (“I think he looks cute!”). Mackey, for years a media and stock-market sweetheart, was suddenly recast as a monopolist, a fruitcake, and a sneak. The share price fell, and, even though the government eventually let the deal stand (with a few concessions from Whole Foods) and gave the sock puppetry a pass, many wondered how Mackey managed to hold on to his job.

During this period, Mackey sought succor in spiritual practice. He engaged a friend, a follower of the Czech transpersonal psychologist Stanislav Grof, to guide him through a therapeutic session of holotropic breathing. “I had this very powerful session, very powerful. It lasted about two hours,” Mackey said in an inspirational CD set he released last year called “Passion and Purpose: The Power of Conscious Capitalism.” “I was having a dialogue with what I would define as my deeper self, or my higher self.” He had a pair of epiphanies, one having to do with severed relationships that needed healing. The other was that “if I wanted to continue to do Whole Foods, there couldn’t be any part of my life that was secretive or hidden or that I’d be embarrassed [about] if people found out about it. I had to let go of all of that,” he said. “I’m this public figure now.”

He couldn’t “embarrass the company,” he told me. “I have to grow up”—he is fifty-six. “I can’t have affairs with women. One of the things that happened was you have more money and you have more opportunities for such things. And those are sort of off-limits. You can’t do that. Think of Mark Sanford, in South Carolina.”

His vows of discretion apparently allow for a great deal of latitude. He talks openly about his fixations and eccentricities—most of them, anyway. (“I am not going to talk about my sex life,” he told me, without my having asked him to.)…

The Axiom Of Realistic Expectations

Individuals Demonstrate Valid Behavior

By Having Realistic Expectations

For Themselves, Their Lives, And Others

I was talking to a friend about capitalism the other day, and her opinion is one that more and more Americans share: The only thing capitalism does well is produce greed, selfishness, materialism, and ultimately violence. It puts the good of one over the good of many, destroys cultures and the environment, and is incarnated by the likes of Bernie Madoff and Kenneth Lay.

I wrung my hands under the table as I tried to keep my head from exploding.

I wanted to remind her of all of the violence inflicted by communism: the estimated 73 million (and counting) killed in the People’s Republic of China, the 59 million taken by the Soviet Union (“Communist Body Count“). I wanted to tell her that resources (water, food, land, gas, health care) are limited, and if you divide them by “need,” someone (i.e. a government official or committee) who doesn’t know you or your situation will be in charge of determining what you “need.” I wanted to impress upon her the value of incentive. I wanted to make her understand that free markets are essential to producing free people.

However, I also wanted her to enjoy her evening, so I kept my mouth shut. But for those of you out there who are interested in debating this topic, here are some of my thoughts on capitalism:

First off, it is incorrect to hold up criminals, such as Bernie Madoff and Kenneth Lay, as examples of capitalism gone awry. Greed is a part of human nature, and thus there will always be a few bad apples who manipulate others (or the system) in order to take what does not belong to them. In America, we have laws prohibiting and punishing this type of behavior because it is not in keeping with our values or our underlying economic system. These criminals are not capitalists, and severely regulating or completely abolishing the private sector will not stop them because bad people always find a means to their ends and whether you live in a capitalist, socialist, or communist society, there have been/are/will be corrupt government officials. The trick is never to give governing bodies too much power so that when corruption occurs, the majority of power still remains in the hands of the people.

Capitalism is not about stealing, swindling, or screwing the little guy. On the contrary, capitalism is about the creation and exchange of value: It is about the individual improving his or her own situation by producing something of worth that improves the lives of others. True capitalism increases the good of the whole by creating incentive for the individual to increase his or her own good. Notice the keyword “incentive.” Without incentive, specifically the incentive of physical and intellectual property rights, people are less willing to work. Capitalism is not about selfishness; it is about inspiring creativity, production, and innovation.

Unfortunately, when capitalist countries such as ours become extremely wealthy, there is the tendency to forget about creating value and focus only on consumption. Consumerism leads to materialism, fiscal irresponsibility, and in my opinion, a sense of entitlement. If we do not refocus ourselves, take responsibility for our financial well-being, and instill a work ethic in our children, our economy and our country will not be as strong as it could be.

Another problem that can occur in capitalist systems is businesses valuing short-term gains (this quarter’s profits) over long-term benefits (employee retention, sustainability). This makes absolutely no sense because if you mistreat your employees or completely destroy your surrounding environment, you decrease the likelihood of your business’s long-term success. The founders of FLOW, John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market, and Michael Strong, perfectly capture these ideas in their “multiple stakeholder relationship (MSR) business model,” the “organizational foundation” of the economic ideal they call “Conscious Capitalism.” (“C3: Catalyzing Conscious Capitalism“)

Sir Winston Churchill claimed, “It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried.” (Another of my Churchill favorites: “The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter.”) Personally, I believe that capitalism is the worst form of economic system except all the others that have been tried. Yes, it has its flaws (it involves people), but it produces more good and freedom than anything else, both past and present.

Ellie Sherise
Co-Creator of Magna Sententia
Co-Author of Magna Sententia: The Logical Cure for Our Society

With so many different kinds of freshly made raviolis in the market, why spend hours making the dough and the filling from scratch? I’d rather spend my time eating the pasta. And there are so many varieties– everything from pumpkin to three cheese raviolis. One of the things I like about ravioli with butternut squash filling is that it’s simple, sweet, nutritious, and flavorful enough that it doesn’t need sauce. See the verdict for this variety of stuffed pasta from WFM. The rating goes 1 to 10 (10 being the best).

365 Everyday Value Organic Butternut Squash Ravioli
Verdict: 8

Appearance: simple square pockets stuffed with a light yellow butternut squash filling
Texture: soft, creamy filling, actually quite similar to ricotta cheese
Flavor: Delicious, with its hint of sweetness from the butternut squash filling, and flavorful enough that it doesn’t need sauce. Available in other varieties, such as three cheese.
Cost: $3.39 for an 8-ounce package (about 20 raviolis)
Health: Uses all organic ingredients. Better source of fiber and nutrients than most pastas since it uses whole wheat flour and a vegetable filling. Virtually fat-free with only .5 grams of fat for 1/2 of the 8- ounce package.
Recommendation: Top simply with grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan and extra virgin olive oil. The sweetness of the squash plays off the savory, nutty cheese nicely. You really don’t want a heavy sauce to interfere with the delicate filling.

Resolution Stats: 19 new food stuffs tried, 86 more to go
Final Verdict: Easy to prepare and makes you feel like you’re cooking. Delicious way to to enjoy the health benefits and sweet taste of butternut squash. Finally, an excellent choice if you don’t like cheese, but you love pasta.

High & Mighty Home for the Holidays, Smuttynose Farmhouse Ale, and Great Divide Oak Aged Yeti, and all the Rogue XS series beers including Old Crustacean.

Home for the Holidays is a malty, unfiltered brown ale, made with loads of roasted malts, fermented with a Trappist Ale yeast, and very subtly oak-aged.

Farmhouse Ale is a Saison, an esoteric style native to the French/Belgian border region. Characterized by a golden to light amber color, light to medium body, and noticeable fruity/spicy esters, this beer, known also as a “country ale” was traditionally brewed in primitive conditions in farmhouse breweries for consumption throughout the warm weather by seasonal farm workers.

Oak Aged Yeti is a Russian Imperial stout aged in oak barrels. This is another very highly sought after imperial stout.

Old Crustacean is an unfiltered and unfined barleywine. Intense, robust, malty and dark.

The J.P. Taravella High School band performed in front of Whole Foods Market on December 20. The band members performed a wide variety of Christmas carols. This band was recognized as the best high school marching band at the Coral Springs Holiday Parade.

Think muffins are a healthy way to start your morning? Think again. Muffins are just dense pieces of cake with cute tops. So I decided to cook up a better muffin recipe using some very creative ingredients, including baby food and soda. I know it sounds strange, but trust me these muffins are so tasty and healthy they’re worth digging out your muffin tin.

I came up with the idea when I found out that celebrity chef Tyler Florence will be speaking at a free event on Tuesday, December 22nd, at the UWS Whole Foods Market about his new line of organic baby food called Sprout.

Unlike a lot of store-bought baby foods that are highly processed, Tyler’s recipe is simply mashed up organic fruits and vegetables.

So, I thought if it’s so healthy, why not use it in baking.

And I didn’t stop there. A friend told me that you can actually replace all of the wet ingredients in cake/muffin mix with soda. So, I decided to use all-natural, organic Steaz soda as a replacement for the oil and eggs. I noticed that the soda makes the muffins incredibly moist!

Believe me, once you taste these muffins, baby food and soda won’t even cross your mind. See the recipe below and let me know what you think after you whip up a batch….

Butternut Squash Oatmeal Muffins Recipe

INGREDIENTS:
(Note: If you don’t want to cheat with the baby food, feel free to pick up a butternut squash, roast it in the oven, and process in a food processor until smooth)

1 Package Carrot Cake Mix (note: I used Simply Organic Carrot Cake Mix, but any mix will do)
2 packages of Sprout Organic Baby Food Roasted Butternut Squash ($1.39 at WFM)
1/2 cup zero calorie Steaz Orange Soda
1 cup dried oats
2 teaspoons cinnamon, optional
1 teaspoon powdered sugar, optional

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Put paper liners in the muffin tin cups.
3. Empty the carrot cake mix into a mixing bowl.
4. Add the oats, baby food and soda and stir just until the mixture is evenly moist.
5. Spoon the batter into lined muffin cups.
6. Bake for 25 – 35 minutes (may take longer). Use the toothpick test: bake until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
7. Cool, loosen edges, and sprinkle with cinnamon and powdered sugar (optional).

We decided to take it easy for our first day. We got up and headed to Stella Blue’s. Stella Blue’s is a great breakfast restaurant, that we frequent every time we come here. The boys absolutely love it, and really so does John. After breakfast, we went over to Safeway and picked up some groceries, and then back to the condo to unpack it all.

The boys and Alexe were anxious to get down to the beach so that’s where they went, while John and I organized the condo a little bit, and did some work. Then we headed to Kahului (the town where the airport is, about 15 minutes from our condo) because we had heard that there was a Whole Foods Market now open there. It turns out Google was wrong, and it doesn’t open until March 2010. What a bummer!! We were looking so forward to shopping there. But we did find another place with a juice bar and some healthy snacks, so not all was lost.

But the greatest find was Hawaiian Moons Natural Foods in Kihei, only minutes from our condo. They have great organic produce, and an organic salad bar and hot bar. Great takeaway foods. I think we’ll be in there for a salad almost every day!

When John and I got back to the condo, the boys had returned and were ready to do a little shopping. We took them down to the Shops at Wailea and they all got some great stuff.

Aren’t Matt and Alexe cute! They even have matching outfits on!

We ended up at Peggy Sue’s for dinner, and it was good as always. Well the boys think it is fantastic, and John and I think it is so-so. I had a veggie burger with fries, and John had a regular burger with fries. The boys had burgers and hotdogs and milkshakes so they were happy!

After dinner, the boys hit the pool and John and I watched some tv, and then we all went to bed. We all seem to go to sleep a lot earlier in Maui, which is good because then we get up earlier and have more time during the day!

Whole foods official blog has this post: ”Is Organic from China Possible”.  Here is my post on their blog.  You can view their blog here
 http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/2008/06/is-organic-from-china-possible/comment-page-1/#comment-34923
and post your own comments.

Personally, I still do not feel secure with any products from China (or other countries) let alone food. I have read about the “audits” that are done. For example, a manufacturer can purchase a $1000. audit or an $8000. audit and still pass but the more expensive audit will be more comprehensive.

There is documentation from cases that after passing numerous audits there was tainted food that had to be recalled from those manufacturers. At least in the USA (although there have been cases of tainted food), you know that regulations are stricter than overseas. What chemicals are allowed and handling standards are watched more closely here.

Speaking of organics, another problem is that since the “organic movement” is becoming more acceptable and more people are buying into the fact that organics are better for you, many more companies are jumping onto the bandwagon to make money in this area and are lowering the organic standards.

One example of this is Horizon. I have read that they are using cows that were not raised organically and using them in their milk production. There are some companies out there that are strictly sticking to the “organic principals” and I will continue to buy their products.

I spend hundreds of dollars a month at Whole Foods to buy food for my family that is nutritious and safe. I read the labels carefully and keep up to date on the ingredients terminology as the term for msg and other additives have changed to try to hide them in foods. I also read the frozen packages as I have seen frozen vegetables from China in your stores (although I was told they are about 1% of your inventory).

The most disturbing thing for me is when I think I am buying a product from USA and I find out that yes, it was manufactured in the USA but with ingredients from China or other countries. For example, Solgar Vitamins makes vitamins in the USA but with most of the ingredients from China and other countries. I called them and asked where they get their ingredients and they said “China and other countries”. There is an 800 number right on the bottle. They are one of the most recommended vitamin companies. Now, I won’t buy them but I appreciate their honesty.

 When this is the case, then it should be labeled manufactured in the USA with outsourced ingredients because technically, these products are not manufactured in the USA just assembled here if the ingredients are foreign.

So, with all of this you really can’t trust any of it. If it is labeled USA it can be full of ingredients from China. How can we know? There needs to be stricter labeling policies which the food manufacturers are fighting and lobbying in Washington to stop.

The more informed consumers are will allow them to choose what they want to consume and not think they are getting one thing when they are really eating something else. Then, when Americans stop buying this foregin food and it starts rotting on the shelves, maybe then manufacturers and stores with stop stocking it.

Until then, those who are uninformed and just buy for the pretty packaging, because they liked the commercial or because they don’t know where the food is really from, will just have to cross their fingers and hope that their next meal won’t be tainted with chemicals, filth or any other foregin object.

Many New Yorkers would consider my kitchen a decent size, but even so there’s only so much room for the nonessentials– such as a waffle iron. So, if I have a craving for waffles, I either walk west to my favorite diner or (dare I say) reach for the frozen variety. Excited by the word “mini”, I decided on the 365 Everyday Value Organic Blueberry Mini Waffles. The waffles toasted up golden brown and  filled my kitchen with a wonderful smell of blueberries. I’ll buy them again, though I might write the company and suggest that they add more blueberries. In the meantime, see the verdict. The rating goes 1 to 10 (10 being the best).

365 Brand Mini Blueberry Waffles
Verdict: 5

Appearance: Like the name says, these waffles are mini. But just because the waffles are small doesn’t mean the blueberries should be the size of dots.
Texture: The waffles have a texture similar to other frozen waffles — crispy on the outside, soft in the middle.
Flavor: The waffles are light and have a hint of sweetness. You’ll taste a subtle blueberry flavor, but there’s not enough of a real blueberry taste.
Cost: $2.69 for a 9-ounce box of waffles (that’s 24 mini waffles)
Health: The list of ingredients is confusing. The label includes organic enriched wheat flour and organic whole wheat flour as two separate ingredients. If the waffles were truly whole grain both ingredients would contain the word “whole”. They’re also a little high in salt. Each 8-mini waffle serving has a fairly good profile– 160 calories, 5g of fat, and 5g of sugar. And the mention of organic is encouraging.
Recommendation: The waffles make an excellent base for any sweet topping. I recommend fresh fruit and maple syrup.

Take full advantage of their mini size, and serve as breakfast tapas or bite size waffle sandwiches.
Resolution Stats: 19 new food stuffs tried, 86 more to go
Final Verdict: You’re better off making your own waffles if you have the kitchen space and the time. But these waffles are not a bad choice– if you barely have enough time for cold cereal, and you’re looking for something toasty.

This Friday, December 11, is the first day of Hanukkah, the Jewish holiday that commemorates religious freedom when the Maccabees defeated the Syrian army, and the miracle of a night’s worth of oil used to keep the temple lights burning for eight. In remembrance of the oil in the candles, the tradition is to feast on fried foods. My childhood favorites are latkes, fried, potato pancakes (pictured above) and sufganiyot, jelly filled doughnuts.

Not surprisingly, all over NYC’s UWS, you can find these delicious fried potato pancakes. Tonight for dinner, I enjoyed a sweet potato latke and applesauce (pictured above). For Creative Delites, it’s hard to offer up a recipe for fried potatoes to an audience of health-conscious eaters, so we are going to try something new with a little more nutrition, without sacrificing the important tradition. Stay tuned tomorrow for my healthy recipe for Baked Sweet Potato Zucchini Latkehs and several photos of the process. In the meantime, if you have a latke craving, check out my suggestions below.

Suggestions:

Where to Find Latkes on the Upper West Side:

1. Telepan (72 West 69th Street)
December 12th thru 19th Hanukkah
“We will also be serving our famous (according to my daughter) latkes during the 8 days of Hanukkah. They will be available as a side for $10, or with smoked salmon for $16,” according to Telepan’s Web Site.
2. Zabar’s (2245 Broadway at 80th Street)
Grandma Bertha’s Latkahs.
3. Whole Foods (808 Columbus Ave. at 97th Street)
Sulfite-free Potato Pancake Mix. The prepared foods department is also serving up potato pancakes, sweet potato pancakes, and vegetable pancakes.
4. Artie’s Deli (2290 Broadway (at 83rd)
Potato Pancakes (2 per Order)
5. Lansky’s, (235 Columbus Avenue)
Potato Latkes with sour cream or apple sauce

Where to Find Healthy Latke Recipes

1. Slashfood, Recipe for Oven Baked Latkehs
2. Cooking Light, Recipe for Mashed Potato Latkes with Zucchini and Dill
3. eHow, How to Make Healthy Hanukkah Latkes

I was searching for a box of clementines at WFM, when I saw these interesting looking Satsuma Tangerines from California. If even possible, the fruit is juicier and sweeter than clementines. I ate several today. What can I say, the fruit looks pretty and it’s easy to peel. See my verdict while I go get another one. The rating goes 1 to 10 (10 being the best).

Satsuma Tangerines
Verdict: 10

Appearance: The fruit has a bright orange peel, comes with the stems and shiny green leaves, attached. I love that the orange segments are bite-size, seedless, and have very little pith.

Texture: The peel is loose and easy to separate. The segments are juicy!
Flavor: Sweet, slightly tart
Cost: $1.99 per pound at WFM
Health: Great source of Vitamin C and Vitamin A, and only around 40 calories

Recommendation: If you are looking for refreshing afternoon snack, I recommend that you eat them right out of the fridge. The fruit would also be a great addition to an autumn salad or right in the vinaigrette. There are a whole bunch of other varieties that are in season now, check out everything citrus on the Whole Story.
Resolution Stats: 18 new food stuffs tried, 87 more to go
Final Verdict: Perfect afternoon snack– healthy, sweet, refreshing, even pretty

Granola is a sweet treat. Sure, it has wholesome rolled oats and nuts, but it also has lots of sugar. So I decided to save my large cereal mug for a new kind of granola that’s lower in sugar than other brands. It’s called Bear Naked Fit Vanilla Almond Crunch Granola. As it turns out, even with just 4 grams of sugar, the cereal is still like having dessert for breakfast. After reading the nutrition info and ingredients, I still couldn’t figure out why the name says “fit”, but I did notice that Bear Naked partners with Terracycle– a program that really recycles and is doing good for the environment. Now, I feel kind of guilty about my taste-testing verdict….Oh, well, I’ll for sure recycle the bag. The rating goes 1 to 10 (10 being the best)

Bear Naked Fit Vanilla Almond Crunch Granola
Verdict: 4

Appearance: Cool eco-friendly, “sustainable” packaging; Inside the bag, there are plenty of whole almond-oat clusters, and lots of broken oat bits.
Texture: The granola lives up to its name– I enjoyed munching on the super crunchy oats. Completely different texture than the soft-baked oats in the regular Bear Naked flavors.
Flavor: Tastes like a dessert topping. Strong (maybe even too strong) vanilla flavor. There is also Triple Berry Crunch Fit Granola flavor (haven’t tried yet).
Cost: A whopping $6.39 for a 12-ounce bag. If the cereal is so “naked” there should be fewer $ signs
Health: Apparently, low-sugar doesn’t mean low-calorie– In fact, a serving size, just one-quarter cup, weighs in at 120 calories. Ingredient short-list: Oats, almonds, flax seeds, etc….I thought it weird that vanilla is not listed under ingredients, yet the name of the granola is “Vanilla Almond Crunch”– the bag just says “natural flavors”.

Recommendation: If you really like healthy breakfasts, I recommend sprinkling it over yogurt and fresh fruit. If it’s a cold morning, try toasting the granola for a bit, finish with a dollop of vanilla yogurt and a drizzle of honey.
Resolution Stats: 17 new food stuffs tried, 88 more to go
Final Verdict: It’s way past breakfast, and I still can’t figure out why this granola is called “fit”, but I guess they sold me. Tasty but high-calorie. Bad for your waistline but good for the environment. Let me know if you can figure out why it’s called “Bear Naked Fit”?

Winter Warmer Stone Brewery Beer Dinner
Friday, December 11th, 6:30pm-9pm – $45

Join Store Executive Chef Charley Sacher and Stone Brewery Brew Master for a five course meal with a special and seasonal beer pairing you won’t forget! Space is limited so contact Whole Foods to RSVP.

Beer Dinner Menu:

Passed Hors d’oeuvres: Double Bastard Beer battered fish and chips served with tomato malt jam and Smoked porter bratwurst, caramelized peppers & onions

Course 1: Orange coriander crusted scallops and sweet potato masa sope Lemon Guajillo honey served with Stone Brewing Company Ruination

Course 2: Arrogant Bastard marinated rotisserie pork loin, parsnip- celery root puree and rhubarb-apple chutney, roasted garlic Demi-glaze and poppy seed Spaetzle served with Stone Brewing Company Arrogant Bastard

Course 3: Dry aged beef brisket, burned end baked beans, Carolina style slaw and mesquite cola barbeque sauce served with Stone Brewing Company Smoked Porter

Course 4: Red Bibb, arugula, lentil sprouts with goat cheese medallion and three tomato vinaigrette dressing served with Stone Brewing Company Double Bastard

Course 5: Poached ginger pear, pale Ale Crème Anglaise served with Stone Brewing Company Pale Ale

I love beets, but I would never attempt cooking them at my apartment. David and I made a beet and goat cheese salad at last year’s Thanksgiving, and while the dish was a huge hit, my mom had a sink full of purple water. Way too messy and difficult. And the canned variety tastes like mush.  The Creative Delites solution– hit up WFM for a bright beet salad from the prepared foods department. See my verdict. The rating goes 1 to 10 (10 being the best).

Beet Vinaigrette Salad
Verdict: 4

Appearance: Vibrant red-purplish color. Since the chives in the salad looked dyed from the beet juice, I decided to add some fresh chopped chives for a colorful garnish
Texture: Tender in the middle, not mushy, but too soft on the outside
Flavor: The beets have an earthy, natural sweet flavor.  The vinaigrette, however, lacks seasoning. Note: the salad tastes best served at room temperature.
Cost: $ 3.84 for 1/2 lb (enough salad for 1 or 2 people)
Health: This beet salad is an excellent way to boost the nutrition in your dinner. Beets are rich in iron, fiber, and folic acid. And they are also low in calories. The ingredients in the salad are simply– beets, apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, canola oil, sea salt, black pepper, red onion, and chives.
Recommendation: The salad needs a little something, something. I topped it with a bit more sea salt, ground black pepper, and fresh chopped chives. I didn’t have any cheese on hand, but the salad would be great served with goat cheese or ricotta salata.
Resolution Stats: 16 new food stuffs tried, 89 more to go
Final Verdict: I recommend the “idea” of a prepared beet salad from a quality market like Whole Foods, but this particular salad is done too simply. Again, the salad would benefit from additional seasoning or a richer dressing.

After an intense two weeks of dish review frenzy, Dishola achieved its initial goal of 1000 dishes… and then some! A well received flurry of taste bud approved dishes enabled Dishola and Whole Foods to donate 1002 meals to Meals on Wheels. The Austin community as well as surrounding communities proved to have Austin’s homebound at the type of their priority list.

Dishes such as Lamb Sliders from Trio, Little Stinkers from Black Sheep Lodge, Spinach Scallop Salad from Whole Foods Market, Black and Tan cupcakes from Sugar Mama’s Bakeshop, and Prosciutto and Goat Cheese Pizza from Tony C’s Coal Fired Pizza are just a few of the most recent 1000 reviews posted on Dishola. Because of this user driven community, 1000+ more people will be fed, thanks to ordinary foodies like YOU.

That’s me. And I REALLY like the Whole Foods Market blog and website. Great ideas, recipes, etc. The latest post talks about all the trash we create during the holidays and ways to cut down on some of it. Giving reusable gift bags like the one shown is a terrific idea. Put the gift in the bag, then the bag can be used again to carry “whatever”. Brilliant.

Rice cakes have a bad reputation. It’s perceived as a diet food, low in calories, with little to add nutritionally–  just the kind of snack that Creative Delites tries to avoid. But it’s not reason enough to ban the snack from the Creative Delites test kitchen. I decided to look beyond the cardboard surface and try Lundberg Rice Cakes. I discovered that these cakes come in a variety of creative flavors, such as Sweet Green Tea with Lemon, and Mochi Sweet. The snack provides a satisfying crunch and actually taste good. But are they worth a place in your pantry when it comes to nutrition? The CD rating goes 1 to 10 (10 being the best).

Lundberg Honeynut Rice Cakes
Verdict: 8

Appearance: The amber color and speckles of brown rice make the cakes look less processed than the conventional brands.

Texture: Crunchier than most rice cakes; less air, more dense than conventional; they also crumble more easily so handle your cake with care
Flavor: In addition to the honey nut flavor, which has just the right amount of sweetness, there are toasted sesame, buttery caramel, brown rice, lightly salted, tamari with seawead, mochi sweet, cinnamon toast, cinnamon apple, popcorn, and sweet green tea with lemon cakes.
Cost: One 9.5 ounce bag costs $ 2.79 at WFM
Health: It’s first ingredient is Eco-Farmed Whole Grain Brown Rice. The other ingredients are evaporated cane juice syrup, natural honey flavor, sea salt– that’s it.    These rice cakes are gluten free, organic, and vegan. Unlike some of the conventional brands, which have as few as 35 calories per cake, note that these cakes have 80 calories per cake!  But they are also twice as filling. While the cakes are low in fat and sugar, they lose a few points for their nutritional content– they don’t offer much in the way of vitamins or minerals.

How to eat them: Try topping the cakes with peanut butter and sliced banana, reduced-fat cream cheese and strawberry jam, or ricotta cheese, a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Resolution Stats: 15 new food stuffs tried, 90 more to go
Final Verdict: I know it’s not easy giving rice cakes a second chance, but this brand makes the snack worth revisiting. I don’t, however, recommend this snack to grab and go– the cakes crumble easily. Nutritionally, this snack is not so great on its own, definitely benefits from some fresh fruit and peanut butter.

Joe, my father-in-law, runs a cattle ranch. When he was younger he ran a dairy, yup, a small family farm and I remember bringing a bucket of milk to a twin baby calf that was abandoned by his mama (they usually have one, and if there are two, they generally neglect one).

Both sons have left the ranch to pursue other ambitions, but they are aware of what goes on, giving a shot to de-worm a calf or castrating a bull. I am not a party to it except ordering it at the butcher’s counter or in a plastic package at the supermarket. So, yes, I am a party to it because I prepare it, cook it and eat it.

We currently live in a very wealthy, eco-friendly place. They build an eight bedroom house but think because they used bamboo and cork, it’s “green.” The ultimate hypocrisy (and my favorite Christmas gift in decades) occurred at our local Whole Foods market when I asked for a capon. The butchers didn’t know what one was. I posted this on the blog and got over 60 hits on capons! The head butcher wouldn’t come out to talk to me but just said he couldn’t order one for me because it wouldn’t meet Whole Foods standards. I just thought it was because he couldn’t find one that was organically raised.

After the response to this original post, I emailed the local store/regional manager and in their responses they sent me the entire chain, which is hilarious, especially as most of their meat is steer, that is castrated bull. But they object to capons for humanitarian reasons. First they said, if you can order what the customer wants, do it or if you can’t, don’t bother. Then they must have found out I’ve had 50 hits on capon this week so they told the local store to get in touch with me asap.

They did and said they don’t carry capon because of humanitarian reasons. But they sell chicken, and steer. Ironically yours, Dee