Hope you all are in festive spirits! What are your plans for tomorrow's fiesta? I will be sipping one of these fancy margaritas from my Camille Styles round-up, and my guacamole intake will be much higher than average. I'm very much looking forward to an excuse to eat and drink some of my favorite things with the girls. How are you celebrating?!
WHAT I WORE :: Gardenia Dress from BHLDN
WHAT JESSI WORE :: Shined Lace Shift from BHLDN
photo for camille styles bhldn shoot
I've been to the French-inspired grocery and café multiple times now, but Epicerie has not been featured enough for its rich pastries that I believe beat any bakery around. Luckily, I got to give each dessert a shot, and I am back with ratings that some might call predictable, but I call outstanding.
The chilled lemon tart is the perfect treat for a sunny summer afternoon. I am typically not the biggest lemon fan, but this mild citrus is more of an undertone than an overpowering ingredient. The buttery crust is light and flaky, and the consistency is delightfully smooth in every bite.
You won't find a classic New Orleans beignet anywhere else in Austin (Thank you, Chef!). Fully loaded with powdered sugar, which brings back memories of beignet fights in the French Quarter, these hot and crispy doughnuts are simply divine. Since they're made to order, the beignets melt the sugar into a sticky, gooey topping that'll leave you licking your fingers with no shame! I recommend ordering a hot coffee with these bad boys.
Ask anyone: This is my FAVORITE salted chocolate chip cookie in the city. Right here. They're chunky, buttery and soft on the inside, crumbly on the outside, and not too chocolate-y. I could eat a whole box....I'm not kidding you.
These delicate strawberry and lemon macarons take me back to fantastical summer nights in Paris. In the strawberry macaron, you can taste the berries. No artificial flavors here, people.
Come by Épicerie to pick up a couple of pastries for Mother's Day -- a few macarons or buttery shortbread sticks will win her heart. Or, you can always come by on Mother's Day for their fabulous brunch. All desserts will be available, including some extras from the restaurant's newest pastry chef. It's time to celebrate your sweet tooth!!
So, you're hosting a dinner party. What should you serve? What should you sip? What should you wear? And most importantly, how should you style your table? Meet my newest food & styling series, "At the Table," where San Diego stylist/blogger Conni Jespersen and I hand over our hostess tips to inspire your next gathering. We think you'll love it. I mean, who doesn't love entertaining?!
The elegant, charming Conni and I met through Twitter (imagine that) after I discovered her blog Art in the Find during my March trip to San Diego. I yearned the opportunity to chat and collaborate over a cup of coffee, so we did just that...cross-country on Google Hangout. We sipped our caffeine, shared our stories and quickly conceptualized a blog series. Conni, the stylist, will develop the look/table around a concept, and I, the foodie, will develop a thematic menu that reflects the scene. This co-blogging conversation will combine the best of both entertaining worlds into one go-to resource!
Our first concept for "At the Table" is A Tartine Affair. A French-inspired bistro gathering combines rustic tableware with a family-style array of ingredients for make-your-own open-faced sandwiches, fancily known as tartines. Today, I'm sharing a menu that screams springtime socializing, and Conni is sharing her table styling expertise. Head over to Art in the Find to plan your decor for A Tartine Affair...
INGREDIENTS (Add or delete as much as your guests prefer) ::
French baguettes Tomato Radish Avocado Strawberry Arugula Rosemary Basil Mozzarella Feta Red pepper flakes Maldon salt & cracked black pepper Fig preserves Olive oil Balsamic reduction
1. Slice baguettes on the diagonal and drizzle with olive oil. Toast until golden.
2. Cut and dice ingredients for easy grabbing by guests. Tip: Cut basil into ribbons and leave rosemary sprigs whole when displaying them at the table. Minced herbs result in a mess when handled by others.
3. Assemble the tartines! Give guests the freedom to mix and match as they choose. I prefer strawberry with feta, avocado with red pepper flakes, and tomato with mozzarella and basil.
I love that rather busying the table with centerpieces, Conni allows my menu to take center stage with a runner of colorful ingredients against natural wood. Are YOU in need of any inspiration for your future dinner table? Share your requests in the comments for me and Conni. And, in the meantime, be sure to follow Art in the Find on Twitter and Instagram -- the place where this collaboration all began.
A round of applause will not suffice for this year's celebration of today's (and tomorrow's) food, wine and spirits talent. The execution of this year's Austin Food & Wine Festival has left a permanent mark on the city, just as Chef Tim Love's autograph has left a mark on my forearm with pride.
I always value my everyday visits to Austin restaurants, both old and new; but Austin Food & Wine Festival reminded me of the combined skill and talent that is, more often than not, taken for granted around here. The consistency behind these chefs' performances and personalities is noteworthy. Josh Watkins of The Carillon and Allison Jenkins of La V prepared to-die-for short ribs and black bass tartare side-by-side in lighthearted contentment. Paul Qui's pork tongue knocked it out of Butler park. Fork & Vine's fried alligator with homemade Sriracha pulled me back for thirds. The Bonneville's messy lamb pastrami reminded me of my favorite NYC deli. And don't even get me started on Frank's gator sausage beer fondue with slow dough pretzel.
The steep ticket price was well worth it. I believe I sipped and snacked on far more than the money I paid. Austin understands quality, and this roundup did not disappoint. I finally took home a Confituras keepsake of strawberry balsamic preserves, and I think I tried too much wine to differentiate...although the Duchman Family Texas Sangiovese and Flowers Chardonnay were memorable.
Texas, you done good.
If you have not yet noticed, Cinco de Mayo is (somehow) already around the corner; so a toast is in order. A tequila toast, that is.
Springtime happy hours are suddenly abounding more often than coffee dates, giving me the opportunity to sip on outstanding cocktails across the city. Salty Sow's lemon & sugar rimmed champagne cocktail inspired my garnish, and my recent discovery of Partida tequila led to the cocktail's essential ingredient. Plus, tonight's margarita run, during which forty of my closest girlfriends will hop from place to place for Austin's best margaritas, has arrived at the perfect time. Grab your Partida tequila and stir up a Cinco de Mayo celebration!
1 ounce Partida tequila 1 ounce lemon juice 1 ounce simple syrup Club soda Zest of one lemon 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1. On a small plate, lightly mix zest and sugar. Use the lemon to rim an 8 ounce glass with juice, and then place the glass upside down onto the plate of sugary lemon zest.
2. Fill the glass with 4-5 ice cubes. Pour tequila, lemon juice and simple syrup into glass and stir. Top with club soda and a thin slice of lemon.
Have you ever had a chocolate addict moment? Ever needed an excuse to take a bite of dark chocolate, perhaps during a busy afternoon at work or for a longing midnight snack?
Well, I am now giving you permission to indulge. Ghirardelli epitomizes the ultimate luxury, especially its Intense Dark bar (with 72% cacao!) that I recently tried. The dark richness provides a satisfying indulgence -- and pairing it with a glass of La Crema pinot noir and tart raspberries accentuates the Ghirardelli flavor even more.
Besides chocolate, my other standard indulgence is treating myself to a glass of cabernet. I then figured, Why not put the two together?! The luxurious La Crema brand matches the premier Ghirardelli standard.
I added the raspberries to offset chocolate's sweetness with a subtle tartness. The juicy raspberries add a fresh pop of color and tang -- plus, berries are in season and ultimately have become my kitchen staples.
On that seasonal note, I am thrilled to be attending Austin's FOOD & WINE Festival for the first time this upcoming weekend with an infamous grand tasting of hundreds of restauranteurs, chefs and products, including Ghirardelli. The wine will be pouring (maybe La Crema?), Ghirardelli will be served, and sunny 90-degree weather will collectively create a perfect atmosphere!
What would you pair with your Ghirardelli Intense Dark chocolate? Please share in the comments, or upload your own pairing on Instagram using the hashtag #IntenseDark, like I have shared on my Instagram!
This post is in partnership with Ghirardelli. Thank you for being supportive of my sponsors!