Welcome to the Taste & Savor Blog
Iron Chef Risotto
Happy Birthday Toni! I taught a fun cooking class last night at Cooks Warehouse here in Atlanta. Paul threw a 5oth party for his wife Toni. We had an iron chef competion. Even the "non cooks" did a great job - take a look at the evening's results.
Organic or Natural, What Does it All Mean?
I receive lots of questions about eating "Organic" when I teach cooking classes. I thought I would give you a quick run down of some of the things you may want to think about when choosing groceries. First of all some quick definitions:Organic: In the United States,...
Brining
I had lunch with a friend the other day, who told me she had just discovered brining. Brining is a cooking method that uses aromatic spices and salt to flavor meat and encourage moisture retention. In other words, the science of salt allows the turkey, (even the white...
Rosemary Gift Tree
If you are a subscriber to my weekly news short: The Friday Four, you received my Favorite Wines Gift List this week in your email. But here's another foodie gift idea perfect for this time of year. It's from a chic florist here in Atlanta - but you could recreate it...
Tips for Enjoying the Holiday Season
Because I LOVE to eat and drink, I always try to read lots of healthy tips and tricks this time of the year. Here's a link to a list that I found particularly helpful - so I am passing it on to you all. Scroll down the page til you find the blog for Wednesday Dec 3....
Planned Over Turkey
Planned-overs is what we called our left-overs when I was growing up. And what better word to describe Thanksgiving Dinner? We are still eating turkey sandwiches in our house, but when the bird resembles a carcass here is what I am planning:Southwestern Turkey Black...
Birthday Blog
Each year before my birthday, I spend hours looking through cookbooks and cruising the net. No "bought" cakes for me, I enjoy trying to decide what decadent indulgence I am going to make almost as much as eating it. So this year I decided to go retro and back to the...
Food Styling for Your Holiday Parties
Who doesn't like talking about making food delicious AND beautiful? Last night at the Cooks Warehouse, we created yummy hors d'oeuvres and used beautiful platters, fresh fruit and veggies for presentation. The food was truly "Picture Perfect" Congrats to all five...
Regional Produce in the Fall
Mike and I headed North last weekend with our friends Peter and Rebecca. On the way we stopped at the Tomato House. What fun! Lots of regional foods, and rooms full of hot sauces, chili jams and relishes. As a big fan of local produce, I was thrilled to talk to some...
Fall Day in Newnan
"Didn't know you picked, Jimmy" the women beside me said to a guitar player. "Oh yes ma'am, yes ma'am I sure do!" was his reply. And then the group started playing. We stood in the square of Newnan for over an hour listening to a rag tag group of excellent musicians...
Healthy Holidays at Piedmont Cancer Wellness Center
Don't you love the LAUGH sign on the wall? We all need to be reminded of that more often... I am passing on a couple of pictures from a super class this week at the Piedmont Cancer Wellness Center. The group was just wonderful - asking LOTS of good questions,...
New Orleans in Douglasville
Wowza. I don't think I have ever BEEN to Douglasville before. But I learned that I should have - and you should too, if you want wonderful Cajun and Creole food cooked by a family from New Orleans. We hopped on the bike the other day and headed west from Atlanta in...
A Trip to Malaysia
Do you enjoy Malaysian food? If you're a fan of Thai food - Malay food will make you happy, too! My friend Carrie and I headed up the highway 75 corridor to Penang. Malaysian food is similar to Thai, and combines elements from Indian and Chinese cuisines. Coconut...
Pumpkinfest
We set off on a motorcycle ride to North Georgia last weekend. I am so enjoying the new motorcycle, I had forgotten how much fun it was to ride. It was typically beautiful fall weather here - clear, crisp and in the high seventies. We stopped by Pumpkinfest, and I...
Caffeine and Octane
We took a drive up to East Cobb this morning for a real buzz! Here's a gathering of car enthusiasts who meet once a month, (first Sunday), to show off their beauties. And what a bunch they are - from old jalopies to state of the art Ferraris, they all sparkle and...
Chocolate Macaroons
What's a little indulgence without chocolate? And if you are looking for the ultimate, check out the Chocolate Macaroon at Nordstroms. The size of a baseball, and perfect for sharing, you can't go wrong with creamy coconut and luscious, dark chocolate. For a special...
Beautiful Blue Tasting
A few months ago, I taught a Dessert Wine Class with a Cheese Tasting. It was so much fun, and everyone was very interested in how to put together a cheese plate and conduct a tasting. So, I thought I would share this tasting sheet from one of my sister's parties....
Everyday with Marcus and Lisa
I've been sending out information about my appearances on Everyday with Marcus and Lisa, but thought I would include a couple of pictures so you can see the beautiful set. From the producers to the directors to the friendly and helpful talent coordinator to the...
Kitchen Tools
After reading my blog on the julienne grater, a friend sent me her favorites! Tina is a talented food stylist in Kansas City, you may have seen her work in the Hallmark magazine recently. Here is her first pick - I think you will you enjoy reading what helps her in...
What’s Your Favorite Kitchen Tool?
I just finished reading an article in one of my favorite cooking magazines about essential kitchen tools. It was filled with chinois, mandolins and other items used often in the professional kitchen. But, when fixing a fast and fresh dinner at home, I don't often...