American Lamb Jam Extravaganza (Fans of Lamb)

In case you missed this foodie shindig, enjoy this video with photos of every dish, including the winners. Five awards were given out: Best Lamb Leg, Shoulder, Loin, Shank, and People's Choice (the last by popular vote). The winners were:

• Oola: Shank
• Plate Shop: Loin
• 1300 on Fillmore: Leg and People's Choice
• Bar Bambino: Shoulder

Food Jewelry and Food Decor

First cupcakes, then macarons (aka macaroons), and now whoopie pies and cake pops. America has fallen head over heels for adorable mini desserts. Apparently, the Japanese have taken the obsession a step further.

Recently in Tokyo I spotted a ton of food jewelry and accessories. Necklaces, rings, cell phone charms, and even Pez dispensers. Here are some expensive blinged-out pistachio macarons made by Q-pot, which I found in the jewelry section of the Takashimaya Times Square department store in Shinjuku. (If Takashimaya NY hadn't closed, you might have been able to find them there.) Ok, I admit, kawaii!! 可愛い

The Q-pot website is absolutely adorable. It turns out that they go far beyond patisserie jewelry. For example, they do fried eggs, cheese, and as fashionistas must already know - Summer 2010 is the season for mini burgers with googley eyes. They're like the Mickey and Minnie Mouse of hamburgers... the king and queen of the slider kingdom...the Hamburglars of today (McDonald's, take notice). 

Clearly Q-pot is not new on the scene. They've done collaborations with Fauchon, Richart, Blythe, Haagan-Dazs, and even iPod. The designer behind it all is Tadaaki Wakamatsu - a 32 year-old former fashion model. He was inspired to create designs that made people happy, and it certainly is an easy way to get people to smile.

Now for the coup de grâce: I found a little shop in Tokyo (Omotesando) that had a blinged-out pez dispenser with dollhouse-size touches from Disney's Beauty and the Beast. It wasn't for sale and I don't know who made it. Oops, correction, this is a Pinky dispenser, not a pez dispenser. You can easily buy Pinky in Japanese grocery shops in the SF Bay Area.

 

If you're in the San Francisco Bay Area and want some food decor for yourself, this weekend of July 17/18, 2010, New People (across from JapanTown) is having a sale on its patisserie and ice cream candles. This shop is SF Weekly's "Best New Shopping Experience” of 2010.

Madeira Wine Tasting in Madeira, Part 1: Itinerary and Map

Why else would one visit Madeira but for madeira tasting? And yet, neither Madeira's tourism bureau nor most of its restaurants and hotels anticipate serious wine tourism. It's near impossible to find a vintage madeira at a restaurant or bar, we failed to find an itinerary or guide on tasting, and even our hotel didn't suggest tasting as a must-do.

It turns out that there are several reasons for this void. First of all, most tourists and locals are interested in the non-vintage madeiras that are found almost everywhere liquor is served. These are much less expensive and can be quite enjoyable. Some restaurants even serve a cheap madeira as a complimentary apéritif. Secondly, the locals ("Madeirenses") drink madeira as we drink champagne — only on special occasions — so it's not all that surprising that expensive vintage madeiras are not omnipresent. Third, a few of the madeira houses are only open to the trade and by appointment.

So we cobbled together our own itinerary and tasted madeiras from all seven producers on the island. We tasted madeiras as old as 1863, learned about the madeira industry, met several wonderful people, and discovered interesting parts of the island. However, the astounding natural beauty of the island provided at least as much joy as the madeiras we tasted. I was clearly wrong in thinking that tasting madeiras was the only reason to visit this stunning island.

The Seven Families of Madeira Wine (grouped by location):

• D'Oliveiras (107 Rua Dos Ferreiros, Funchal): No Appointment Necessary
• Artur de Barros e Sousa (109 Rua Dos Ferreiros, Funchal): No Appointment Necessary
• Blandy's / Madeira Wine Company (28 Avenida Arriaga, Funchal): No Appointment Necessary for Vintage Tasting (not free); Appointment Required for the Tour
• H.M. Borges (83 Rua 31 de Janeiro, Funchal-across the street from the wine museum): No Appointment Necessary
• Henriques & Henriques (10 Avenida da Autonomia, Camara de Lobos): Appointment Required
• Madeira Barbeito (Parque Empresarial de Camara de Lobos, Camara de Lobos): Appointment Required
• VJH aka Justino's Madeira Wines (Parque Industrial da Cancela, Caniço): Appointment Required (No tourists accepted)

Please note that Google Maps does not even have road names for most of the towns in Madeira. I've done my best to display exact locations from memory.


View Madeira Wine Tasting in Madeira in a larger map


Other Useful Sources:

• Please see our posts on specific madeira houses with our tasting notes
• Get the basics from IVBAM (government body regulating madeira)
• Niklas Jörgensen's "Madeira: A Five-Week Stay" (which H&H's rep told us is one of the most comprehensive articles she has ever seen)
• Dr. Reutter's Madeira Wine Guide
• Wine authority Jancis Robinson's tasting notes from The Great Island Tasting

Food & Football in Tenerife, Spain : FIFA World Cup / Mondiale / Mundial

Sometimes it's not about the meal but about the whole experience. Recently on the Spanish island of Tenerife, one of the Canary Islands, we were looking for a place to watch the Spain v. Germany World Cup game. We found ourselves in Santa Cruz de Tenerife just before game-time and had no idea where to go.

Here and there we saw people waving flags, wearing goofy patriotic hats, and sporting red and yellow face paint. We followed them, hoping they'd converge and lead us to a nice bar to watch the game.

We asked a small group holding Spanish flags where they were headed and they kindly led us to an open-air plaza with a huge screen. On the way to the plaza, they introduced us to their favorite Spanish Omelet Sandwich in town at a crowded shop called La Garriga.

We ended up making new friends while watching the game. The crowd went wild for a local boy playing on the Spanish team. Festivities went on for hours after the win. And we'll never forget our first Spanish Omelet Sandwich.

Table for One, Please

Danny Choo, son of shoe mogul Jimmy Choo, likes to eat in the company of his anime figurines. Some without panties (correct, sans pantsu).  Here are some photos direct from Danny's blog from his meals in Tokyo. How do you make eating alone fun?

The Modern Picnic

I always think of a picnic as a big production with a checkerboard blanket, picnic basket, plates and glasses, and special homemade treats. It turns out that it can be easy, cheap, and a great way to relax with your friends. No need for bougie, just grab a buddy and a sandwich and enjoy the nice weather.

At Dolores Park, it turns out that Safeway is the number one source of goodies because it's easy and inexpensive and nearby. Homemade food was also popular as well as Ike's Place. Also making a showing: Truly Mediterranean, Tartine Bakery, BiRite Market & Creamery, Jay's Cheesesteak, and Foods Co. Although the food carts weren't around that day, except for the ice cream carts of course, check Twitter in advance to see if the food carts will be in your area. Using Yelp, you can see which other restaurants are near Dolores Park.

It's a crime not to enjoy warm picnicking weather in San Francisco so go make the most of it! The Modern Urban Picnic doesn't require much effort.

Supporting Your Cause with Cupcakes

Many people wouldn't think twice about where the proceeds are going if they are facing down a delicious-looking cupcake, cookie, pie, or coffee cake. And there were definitely tasty ones at the San Francisco branch of the Worldwide Vegan Bakesale last weekend.

The Worldwide Vegan Bakesale took place in cities all over the world. By May 3rd, over 120 sales were held and the event was extended an additional week in over a dozen cities. Last year, San Francisco's sale raised $4200 for the Food Empowerment Project and SaveABunny! Worldwide, the sales last year raised over $25,000.

This year, San Francisco's sale benefited WildCare (treating sick/injured wild animals) and Virunga National Park (protecting gorillas in the Congo). Regardless, I found the strawberry shortcake cupcake delightful (does anyone know who made those?). Treats were available Bike Basket Pies, Black Orchid Bakery, Brassica Supperclub, Scarlette Poppy (Team of Heather and Mike Jimenez), Sugar Beat Sweets, Violet Sweet Shoppe, and other purveyors.