TaylorEason.com: Foodies unite » News

Chocolate is love in an edible form: Nine of Tampa Bay’s best chocolate shops

Mary D. Scourtes — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:18:04 +0000

Unabashedly rich and irresistible, few foods bring on such giddy cravings as chocolate. Love is sweet, but it’s much sweeter with chocolate. Its phenylethylamine is the same chemical that our brains produce when we fall in love. Quality chocolate stirs the same emotions and is positively addictive this close to Valentine’s Day in Tampa Bay. Charge up your appetite, and your wallet, with some luscious choices from candy land.

Life in California: Holiday Edition

Taylor Eason — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:38:26 +0000

This is the next installment of my Life in California series, chronicling my transition to the California lifestyle after moving to northern California from Tampa, Florida. Since we went back east in early November, Scott and I decided to stay in California for the holidays. It was only the second time (and likely, the last) I've been away from some sort of family during this emotion-packed, must-be-jolly season. I'll admit it was freeing to avoid the nightmare of travel but melancholy settled in as I missed friends and family. But, of course, new friends, experiences (and wine) cushioned the season.

Food fit for a circus clown: Behind the scenes in Ringling Bros. kitchen

Mary D. Scourtes — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 18:23:59 +0000

Ladies and gentlemen, children of all ages, I met chef Michael Vaughn who feeds about 200 hungry entertainers who live in some of the 61 train cars parked just outside of town. Chef Michael says he likes the adventure. “It’s definitely the greatest show on earth. We are the world’s largest city without a zip code,’’ he adds. The 16-year saw-dust veteran may have learned to cook in the south but his cuisine spans several continents. His international mix of patrons come from seven continents, including Uzbekistan, Uruguay, Russia, Mongolia and Paraguay. Michael invites the animal trainers, trapeze artists and others to bring him recipes and teach him about their special dishes that personify their home country.

Contest: Dave’s Gourmet Sauce Recipe Challenge

Taylor Eason — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 18:38:06 +0000

An interesting press release came across my inbox and thought it might spur some creativity amongst my readers. If you decide to participate, let me know... I'd love to track your progress. - Taylor The Release (paraphrased in parts): "Dave Hirschkop graduated from Boston University back in the 1980s and opened a mom-and-pop restaurant called Burrito Madness. It was there he began experimenting with hot sauces and later moved into pasta sauces. He started Dave’s Gourmet 18 years ago, and has products in major retailers including Safeway, Williams-Sonoma, Whole Foods and Costco.

Any day is good at Tampa’s Sunday’s (Fine Dining)

Mary D. Scourtes — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 18:45:51 +0000

You never know who will be in your eatery in Ybor City. Sunday’s Fine Dining owner is still clucking about the rooster that took up residence in his office for a few days. His management style wasn’t so bad but his keyboard skills were all hunt and peck. Dave Sunday, armed with a skill set culled from the army, the Long Island fishing community and a degree from culinary school in New York (NYIT), has gotten notice here. Once a chef in South Hampton, N.Y. during summers, he chose to winter here and cook at the Straz Center for the Arts. Even that wasn’t his idea of paradise.

Pop up KitchenBar4 emerges in Tampa’s Knife and Co. spot

Taylor Eason — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 17:59:26 +0000

Laura Reiley at the St. Pete Times revealed that Jeannie Pierola's fourth pop up restaurant concept will be making its appearance at the newly opened Knife & Co. spot on Kennedy (formerly Al Gusto Mexican). TaylorEason.com food writer Mary Scourtes reported on on Knife's woes in this post but who knew they'd close down for the month of December. But to make way for the empress of Tampa Bay food, it's all for a good food cause.

Online holiday and Christmas shopping: Five great wine and food gifts

Taylor Eason — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:03:37 +0000

Each year, it can be a struggle to find just the right gift... the right mixture between snarky and original yet useful. Frankly, if someone is into wine or food, gift selections are a bit less challenging and cheaper than an electronics nerd or car enthusiast but if you're going on ten years with a foodie, the gadgets might have run out. Or have they? I wrote about 25 pretty cool, unique items last Christmas that you might want to check out, but here are five food and wine items new to the market.

It’s great to celebrate your birthday with these Tampa Bay deals

Mary D. Scourtes — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:04:23 +0000

The appeal of TV serials like Cheers, Friends and Always Sunny in Philadelphia, is having a tight group of buddies who are willing to exalt in your victories, commiserate in your setbacks, and, of course give you a rousting birthday celebration every year. Lacking a favorite watering hole and posse of pals, where can you go to pick up a little cheer on your birthday? A few restaurateurs value your big day and offer you an entrée (you may need to register ahead). With the economy faltering, even a free dreamy dessert, works as a treat. Just remember to BYOL (bring your own license).

Life in California, Part 8: Lambs, Greens and Grape News Network

Taylor Eason — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:30:54 +0000

Part 8 in Taylor Eason's blog series about transitioning to life in California from Tampa, Florida. In this episode: Buying a whole grass-fed lamb, attending parties at J and Jordan Wineries, judging collard greens at Vision Cellars.

Restaurant review: Knife and Co. in Tampa still needs a little sharpening

Mary D. Scourtes — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 17:07:04 +0000

A wisecracking critic could have a field day mocking a restaurant during the first week during a dreadful economy. A writer with a chip on her shoulder could make mincemeat of a new enterprise that acknowledges her reservation but still doesn’t have a table available. Still, there is hope for Knife & Co. One of its defining features is the chef’s commitment to prepare almost everything in-house, from hot biscuits and grape jam to curing their bacon.

Wine news, Prohibition documentary and California grape harvest 2011

Taylor Eason — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 23:08:19 +0000

An update about what's going on in the business of wine, HR 1161 and consumer wine choices, California grape harvest 2011, Ken Burn's Prohibition documentary and how to get a job in the wine business.

Tampa food scene news: Food truck frenzy, Epcot Food Festival, restaurant openings

Taylor Eason — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 16:28:40 +0000

Although I don't live there anymore, my heart still belongs to Tampa. And I follow the resto news pretty obsessively. A few tidbits you might have missed like the food truck frenzy, food swaps and restaurant openings and closures.

Grape News Network: J Vineyards and Winery celebrates 25 years

Taylor Eason — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 16:58:01 +0000

Introducing Grape News Network, interviews and fun stuff from around California's wine country. Scott (www.smilingtigervideo.com and @videosonoma on Twitter) and I had a few minutes to chat with Judy Jordan, president of J Vineyards and Winery, and new winemaker Melissa Stackhouse at the J Vineyards' 25th anniversary party. Hear what they had to say about the winery's past and future. Yes, our lives are glamorous and fabulous. Don't be hatin' on us.

Wine video: Downfall of a cult (Napa) winery and Robert Parker

Taylor Eason — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 04:40:39 +0000

Hilarious video, especially if you: 1) Have a dash of wine geek in you; 2) appreciate European wines; 3) think Robert Parker just might be the downfall of American wine. Warning: quite satirical and about 4 minutes long.

Tampa food truck roundup: The diverse food keeps on truckin’

Mary D. Scourtes — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 16:26:15 +0000

The Good Humor men probably started the trend, but fast food addicts and kitchen sleuths are now finding diverse dishes from phenomenally popular food trucks. With a sour economy, more and more people look for sweetly affordable, convenient grub at a nearby lunch wagon, dinner cantina, or taco truck. The traveling meals-on-wheels are on college campuses, office complexes, weekend street markets and neighborhoods near you. It’s one of the hottest trends in the restaurant business, especially out West. But they've arrived in Tampa Bay.

How to be a good house guest in wine country — and get invited back

Taylor Eason — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 19:08:34 +0000

OK... so quite a few visitors have crossed the second bedroom threshold of our Sonoma County home in the past few months (read my series of Life in California posts). We've had such a mixed bag of house guests (the good, bad and the ugly) that it seemed necessary to publish the definitive guide to how to crash at a friend's house in wine country (or anywhere, for that matter). Yes, you'd think that full-grown adults would know how to handle themselves and be polite when visiting a friend's but everyone has a different approach to the crash. And just when you think you know and like someone, a week later, eviction fantasies begin... and you never want to see them again. Not now, not neva. A simple set of seven rules on how to be a good house guest.

Restaurant review: Tourist-happy Sculley’s in St. Petersburg

Mary D. Scourtes — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 19:41:45 +0000

We dined inside in one of Sculley's ramshackle, nautical themed, but noisy dining rooms. Our sweet waitress was friendly enough but didn’t know her stuff. When I asked if the mashed potatoes were the real deal, she said they didn’t tell her such information. OMG. As our dinners ranged from OK to downright dreary, Sculley’s seems content to simply coast on a collective tourist base.

Contest: Win a trip to San Francisco from Freixenet

Taylor Eason — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 20:40:51 +0000

Freixenet's Tickle Your Romance Sweepstakes isn't just a fill in the blank sweepstakes form... it's a little more fun than that. Mad Lib style with their "Love Story Generator", you create your own narrative by answering multiple-choice questions in about 3 minutes. You can then can email the results (which can be fairly sexy, mind you) to someone you love or just want to make giggle. To see the story, you don't have to enter the contest, which is cool.

Tampa restaurant review: Renzo’s raises the steaks

Mary D. Scourtes — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 16:16:12 +0000

Renzo Menzerotolo is from Venezuela, his dad is from Uruguay, and he lived in Argentina. He has bestowed his Latin accent on the Westshore business district with Renzo’s Gourmet Argentine Steakhouse. And he thinks everyone likes Argentinean beef. “We sell a ton of meats for the Spanish population, a ton of wine and lots of pastries,’’ says Renzo, who opened his eatery two years ago. It’s unpretentious, with an almost bare-bones cafeteria (by day), restaurant (at night), and a bakery, meat market and new a Vinotecca that holds 500 bottles of wine.

Keeping wine fresh after opening – Wine Shield versus Vacu Vin

Taylor Eason — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 16:00:27 +0000

There are limited options of storing a half-drunk bottle of wine at the end of an evening (well, some people)...whose freshness might not make it 'til the next day. I've been using the Vacu Vin pump, a kitchen staple for many a wine lover, for countless years. It's a gadget with a rubber stopper and pump that sucks the damaging oxygen from a half-full wine bottle. You can buy it on Amazon.com for about $12. But a new product called Wine Shield wants a sliver of that wine-saving love.