Welcome to the Taste & Savor Blog
Tenderloin For Iron Chef!
Woo Hoo! Fun Iron Chef class last night at the Cooks Warehouse. 4 Corporate Teams battling it out over the Secret Ingredient: Tenderloin. Lots of fun and lots of wine capped off a fierce and creative competition for bragging rights. Loved the "secret" team #5's entry....
Holy Guacamole, or Avocados Should Be a Kitchen Staple
I think that avocados are just about the most wonderful food in the world. Good for breakfast, (Avocado Omelet, Anyone?), Lunch (See Picture) and Dinner (Avocado Half, Red Wine Vinegar and Good Olive Oil, Yum!). I have even enjoyed avocados for dessert - just Google:...
Flowers and Friends
Here's a picture I wanted to share. I grew up with gardenias - they have always been one of my favorite flowers. (I even had a brief "fling" with Shalimar perfume, redolent of gardenias - but that's another story...) So, I was thrilled last night when friends Rebecca...
Rutledge Georgia
We've been on the bike again, touring through the backroads of Georgia. Rutledge was our destination - east of Atlanta, near the more lauded city of Madison. There were two places that drew us to the tiny town, Rutledge Hardware and Yesterday's Cafe. The wonderful old...
Pink Heals Salsa – WOW!
Couldn't resist sharing a couple of pictures from the Pink Heals Salsa Party last week at the Piedmont Cancer Wellness Center. Executive Director and Founder Lisa Vingerling hosted the kickoff for Pink Heals to celebrate with young women who are cancer survivors....
Kimchi as Far as The Eye Can See
Off on the motorcycle this weekend, and couldn't resist sharing these pictures with you. Stopped in Riverdale to visit one of my favorite international markets - the Super H Mart. It has all of my requirements for a great shopping experience: diverse food choices,...
Signature Spice Skewers
I've had received several emails lately that have asked me just what I put on the delicious chicken skewers served at the John Fox Poetry Reception, StoryCorp Reception and SuperFoods Luncheon at the Piedmont Cancer Wellness Center. The secret is Signature Spice from...
Fishing for Seafood on Atlanta’s Southside
Fayetteville Georgia may not be the first place that pops into your mind when thinking of seafood - but the City Cafe and Bakery located on the main drag into town is worth the drive. My intrepid tasters and I met there this past week for dinner and some catching up....
Ice Cream Prescription
This is a prescription to good not to share. I had a tooth out today, (OH! don't get me started about how expensive my mouth is!), and came home with the best prescription ever. Don't you wish you could share my prescription? It was fun to open and it and discover...
Now, That’s a BOTTLE of Wine!
Wow! What a way to make a splash at a party. This bottle was brought to the Meals on Wheels “Friendraiser” I had the pleasure of participating in a couple of weeks ago. I had fun pairing my Roasted Ancho Potato Salad with Ted’s Montana Grill’s Bison Sliders. Which, by...
Folks that Care for Kids are Good Cooks, too!
Saturday night found me teaching an Iron Chef Class to a group from the Childrens Hospital of Macon. Driving up from south of Atlanta, they were ready for a culinary challenge. Dividing up into 3 teams, they worked together to produce beautiful risotto dishes that...
New South Pimento Cheese
This weekend is a fun one - The Metropolitan Cooking and Entertaining Show has arrived in Atlanta! I am thrilled to be presenting at the tasting and entertaining workshops, where I am making 3 quick appetizers inspired by 50 Delicious Daytrips Outside Atlanta. (I'll...
Huevos Rancheros Before and After
The mayor of Denver welcomed us to the IACP conference last week. A former brew pub owner, he urged us to try Denver's Mexican food before leaving. At the airport early Saturday morning I spied a Mexican food stand, and not wanting to miss the experience, ordered my...
Hot Dogs, Denver and a Great Sign
I don't know about you - but hot dogs are not the first thing I think about when Denver crosses my mind. I'm out here for the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) conference - a gathering of passionate and interesting foodies who meet once a year...
Lunch for Legislative Spouses
Wanted to share a couple of pictures from the GA Dept of Agriculture lunch for Legislative Spouses. We celebrated beautiful Georgia Produce by cooking from our friend Hans Rueffert's new book, Eat Like There is No Tommorrow. We served his Blue and Blue salad to an...
St. Regis Rocks!
Just in case you haven't heard the buzz in town - we are getting a beautiful new St. Regis Hotel in Buckhead. I had the pleasure of working with the opening team on Friday night, for Iron Chef Battle: Sage. Kicked off by General Manager Simon Rusconi and led by an...
Celebration Cake
I will be the first to admit that this cake is one of those items I just hate to put in my calorie log. But its worth it - and sometimes you just have to celebrate! In my book that means Dark Chocolate Cake with Dark Chocolate Frosting. This is one of my favorite...
Eat Like There’s No Tomorrow
Isn't that a great book title? Hans Rueffert, a Georgia Chef and all around wonderful guy has published his first cookbook. If you are a foodie, you may remember him as a contestant on the show "The Next Food Network Star", but he is much more than just another pretty...
Everyday with Marcus and Lisa
Another fun appearance on Everyday With Marcus and Lisa. Kathy came along to assist me - and boy was it nice to have help. Marcus and I made 3 appetizers in less than 10 minutes - and had lots of laughs... Here are the quick, easy and delicious! recipes for those of...
Dragon Boat Atlanta
I had the pleasure of attending the 2009 kickoff meeting of Dragon Boat Atlanta on Sunday afternoon. It's a group of breast cancer survivors and supporters who want to increase the awareness of breast cancer, share the belief that there is quality of life after breast...