For the best cheese you’ve ever had, check out Beehive Cheese!
Tweet And Eat At Rodizio Grill
Posted by on May 20, 2011 1 Comment
Anyone want to meet and eat and tweet…with meat?
Oh wait, can meat tweet? Maybe if it’s chicken.
What I meant to say is, come join in on the Rodizio Grill Tweetup! This Monday evening, May 23rd 2011, the Salt Lake City location of Rodizio Grill in Trolley Square will be hosting a #RodizioTweetup. From 7-9 pm, enjoy a specially priced 4 course meal with dessert for only $19.99 per person. Dinner, without dessert, is regularly priced at $24.99.
Rodizio Grill was my first experience with Brazilian churrascaria. I went on date date with a boyfriend, and it was my first time meeting his parents. I struggled with the inner turmoil of eating everything I wanted, and acting sensible and eating like a lady. At first the thought of giant slabs of meat being carried around with a big knife sounded a little strange, but one bite of Linguiça and I was a believer. The Abacaxi grilled pineapple was one of the most glorious things I had ever put in my mouth. Top it off with some Guarana Antartica, and you’ll have a meal you’ll never forget!
If you want to follow the event on Twitter, follow @rodiziogrill and the hashtag #RodizioTweetup. In order to get this special deal, let them know that Cuteculturechick/@cuteculturechic sent you! Offer is only valid this Monday night. Bring a date, bring your kids, and enjoy a night of good food and good company. Because really….do you want to pass up a dessert like this?
Rodizio Grill
600 South 700 East -Trolley Square 2nd Floor
Salt Lake City
Phone 801-220-0500
#PDReview – Battle of the Diet Cokes
Posted by on April 22, 2011 10 Comments
Over the last two years, I’ve become a total Coke junkie. I could lay blame on many different factors, but I recognize that I was hooked when I moved to Atlanta. I worked for a university that received a significant amount of funding from the Coca-Cola company, which allowed the vending machines on campus to be subsidized. When you’re thirsty, it’s hard to say no to a $.75 20oz bottle of Coke! And thus my almost-daily habit began.
Although my tastebuds have changed to prefer Coke Zero, Diet Coke is much more readily accessible. And from much trial and error, I have found that not all Diet Coke is created equal. The sweetness, bitterness, and level of carbonation can vary drastically, depending on whether it’s from a can, bottle, or from a fountain.
A #PDR is a Proper Drink Run. Whenever you check in for a refreshing beverage,add the #PDR hashtag. The type of drink can be anything from soda to juice to milk to beer, according to the official @properdrinkrun Twitter page:
I was asked by the mighty @paco_belle, keeper of the #PDR empire, to do today’s #PDReview. Even though @ThomAllen‘s review last week was for Diet Coke, I decided to go in a different direction. I decided to determine which fountain in the Salt Lake area provides the best tasting Diet Coke. I got fountain drinks from the following locations:
McDonalds – 7200 S and I-15 – 32oz for $1.08
Holiday Oil – 7200 S and 700 W – 32oz for $.86
Maverick – 7800 S and 700 W – 52oz refill for $1.38
Sonic – 12300 S and 300 E – 44oz for $1.50 (with Sonic VIP sticker)
Battle of the Diet Cokes
I also purchased a 20oz bottle of Diet Coke to use at the control for the taste test. Although there are Coca-Cola bottling plants all over the world, the bottled product tends to have a consistent taste. In comparison to the bottled Diet Coke, here are my findings:
McDonald’s – The most similar to the bottle. Sweet, well carbonated but did not sting my throat. Just a hint of bitterness.
Holiday Oil – The most bitter of the group. Hardly sweet at all. Very carbonated but tasted watered down.
Maverick – Kinda flat. Darkest color. Average bitterness. More expensive refill price than Holiday.
Sonic – Sweetest of the fountain drinks. Slightly carbonated. Not bitter at all. Best ice.
Out of the group, it was a toss-up between Sonic and McDonalds, which are the two places I typically grab a #PDR. I have the Sonic VIP sticker which gives you any drink, any day, at any time for $1.39 + tax. Because I like to have vanilla syrup in my Coke, I’ll choose Sonic over McDonalds if they’re right next to each other (like they are in Ft. Union and in Draper). And if you go to Sonic during Happy Hour (between 2pm-4pm), you can get all your drinks for half price.
But the tiebreaker for me is “leftover appeal.” I usually grab a big drink and sip it for several hours. After 3 hours, the McDonald’s Diet Coke tasted much better than the others. It actually tasted a little sweeter without the ice. So for today’s #PDReview, the winner is McDonald’s. Or as I like to call it, my “McDiet.”
What is your #PDR drink of choice?
Chocolate Banana Bread
Posted by on March 10, 2010 8 Comments
Nicole’s Chocolate Banana Bread Tutorial
Ingredients:
3 ripe bananas, mashed
2 T. Blue Agave Nectar
2 T. Pure Vanilla Extract
Several shakes of cinnamon and nutmeg
3 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 small packet of chocolate pudding mix
2 cups water
2 cups brown sugar
3 cups flour
1 t. baking soda
1. Mix bananas, agave nectar, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg in large bowl
2. Add in eggs and vegetable oil. Mix well, but do not overstir.
3. Stir in chocolate pudding mix and water.
4. Add brown sugar, flour and baking soda
5. Pour into greased glass baking dishes. Bake at 375 degrees until toothpick comes out clean (could be anywhere from 15-40 minutes, depending on the pans you cook with and altitude)
6. Lick the bowl at your own risk.
Variations I also make:
Butterscotch pudding with butterscotch chips
Vanilla pudding with white chocolate chips
Banana pudding with brown sugar cream cheese drizzle
Winner: $10 Restaurant.com Certificate
Posted by on March 9, 2010 1 Comment
Amanda, aka @akean81, of Food Exercises is the winner of the $10 Restaurant.com gift certificate code. She said:
“I would pick Phillips Seafood because I have never been there before and love seafood. I was looking at the menu and looks like they have some healthier options which is a huge plus for me.”
Congrats, and enjoy your dinner!
Trader Joe’s Bread Pudding
Posted by on December 3, 2009 3 Comments
Trader Joe’s Bread Pudding
1 loaf sliced White Bread
1 c TJ’s semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 c Coarsely chopped dried apricots (optional)
—OR coarsely chopped Uncrystallized Ginger OR dried cranberries OR cherries OR. . .
1 pint TJ’s heavy cream
½ c milk
½ c sugar
3 whole eggs plus 1 yolk
1 tsp vanilla
1 c TJ’s semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 c Coarsely chopped dried apricots (optional)
—OR coarsely chopped Uncrystallized Ginger OR dried cranberries OR cherries OR. . .
1 pint TJ’s heavy cream
½ c milk
½ c sugar
3 whole eggs plus 1 yolk
1 tsp vanilla
Preheat oven to 350º. Lightly butter an 8” sq pan.
Whisk together cream, milk, sugar, eggs & yolk and van lla. Set aside.
Trim crusts from 12 slices of bread, and cut slices diagonally into 4 triangles.
Place bread triangles haphazardly in pan with points sticking up; doesn’ t need to be neat.
Sprinkle with chocolate chips (and fruit) – work chips between the slices with your fingers.
Stir the cream mixture & pour over the bread;
use fingers or a fork to work the liquid down between the bread.
Bake for about 45 min. or until the bread pudding is dark golden brown and the center no longer jiggles but is not quite hard.
Allow to cool forabout 30 min. before “breaking through.”
-from traderjoes.com
HiChew Heaven
Posted by on November 25, 2009 2 Comments
One of my fellow food blogger friends tipped me off on an Asian Market in Hacienda Heights, CA called Nijiya Market. They have a wide variety of HiChew flavors that I’ve been looking for (and have gotten impatient waiting for J-List’s 6 week shipping delay) Reviews to follow on my other blog, Nicole Rates It.
What’s your favorite HiChew flavor? Mine is now cotton candy. HOARD IT IF YOU FIND IT. I also love mango, yogurt, and melon. Chewable bliss!
Do you love Fondue? I do!
Posted by on November 3, 2009 2 Comments
I love fondue, but I only indulge in it occasionally. I have a few friends that make a killer fondue spread, but my chances to partake are few and far between. My favorite fondue spot is The Melting Pot. I went there for the first time the day after Taylor and I got married, and our meal was more expensive than one of the hotels we stayed at on our honeymoon. We’ve gone back for the cheese or dessert courses a few times, but it’s way out of our budget to go for the $80/couple “Big Night Out.” 
Esther and I went to Cafe Zupa’s for dinner last week before the Mat Kearney Concert. I noticed that they had a Belgian chocolate fondue spread, and I couldn’t resist. It’s $9.99 for 2-3 people, you get the warm fondue, strawberries, bananas, brownies, and marshmallows to dip. We asked to have our fondue brought out as we were finishing our dinner.
The store manager brought out the platter, he told us that they use chocolate so fine that they have to pay $200 per brick. Only a few employees are trained to prepare the fondue to their precise specifications. I have to say…this may have been the best milk chocolate I’ve ever had. I made sure to go back and talk to him to let him know how lovely it was…and told him I’d definitely be back for it again.
Zupa’s has locations in Draper, American Fork, South Jordan, Provo and Cottonwood. They are what I’d consider “fast casual,” nicer than fast food, but not too pricey. They have a large variety of unique soups, salads, and sandwiches. And meals come with fresh baked baguette and a chocolate dipped strawberry. I highly recommend Zupa’s…both for the food and the fondue.
Boston Crab Melt panini, Thai coconut curry soup, baguette and choco-strawberry The In-N-Out Layover
Posted by on October 25, 2009 1 Comment
Next time you have a 2+ hour layover at LAX, and want some In-N-Out, this video will show you how to do it. Take the Sepulveda Parking Spot shuttle and you’ll be next door to the closest In-N-Out to LAX. From disembarking the plane, catching the shuttle, eating, security, and getting back to your gate…it’ll take you about 2 hours. Even though I can get In-N-Out all over Southern California, I so want to try this sometime!
London: En Route
Posted by on October 19, 2009 5 Comments
Since our trip to London has so many details and pictures I want to post, I figured that I would split if up into sections so it won’t take so long to post about the trip. Now for part one: Getting there!
I spent the evening before I left frantically packing. I went to the store to get some trip snacks and American candy to take to my friend Emma. I was going to bake some banana bread too, but ran out of time. I think I finally got to sleep around 11:30, and my alarms went off at 4:15. I double checked that I had my passport, ipod, chargers, and other necessary items and hit the road to the SLC airport by 4:40. I dropped my car off at Park and Jet (cheapest SLC parking spot, by the way. $5/day with a free car wash), rode the shuttle to the terminal, and checked in for the 7:00 am flight to Atlanta. The standby list was sketchy, but I got onto the flight at the last minute. I arrived in ATL and Taylor picked me up for lunch. We drove to my favorite Thai spot in Toco Hills called Top Spice. Then we stopped by Great Harvest Bread to use up a gift card on bread and kahuna bars. We got back to the airport around 2:30. He dropped me off at the terminal and went back to park in employee parking. I was to print out our boarding passes and meet him near the employee entrance.
Taylor forgot to write down our confirmation code when he booked the reservation, but I tried checking in at the kiosk anyway. No luck. Then I had a Delta Agent try to help, and she couldn’t get it to work either. I waited in a long line to talk to a ticket agent, who found our reservation easily. She swiped my passport, and then let me call Taylor for his passport number so I didn’t have to wait in line again. After security, we waited in the E concourse for the flight to board. We were thrilled when we were assigned seats in Business Elite!
It was so nice to have the swanky treatment for the flight. Our FA was wonderful and spoke to us by name. We had all the Dasani water and Coke Zero we wanted. We had a lovely four course dinner:
1. Veggies and hummus, curry soup, and green salad
2. Crab cakes (me), beef tenderloin and shrimp (Taylor), ciabatta rolls, risotto
3. Cheese and fruit platter
4. Hot fudge sundae
We watched “The Ugly Truth,” then tried to get some sleep. I slept about 90 minutes, but Taylor got even less. Breakfast was served about an hour before we landed, which was an english muffin sandwich with scrambled eggs, spinach, and havarti cheese with some fresh fruit. Before we landed, I stuck off to the lav to get my LAVIATOR shot. 
We landed at Gatwick around 6:30 am, made it through passport control and customs fairly quickly, and called Emma to let her know we’d arrived. While we waited for her to “collect” us, we enjoyed looking at all the cars you don’t see much in the states: Citroens, Fiats, Vauxhalls, Peugeots. Even the Toyotas, Hondas, Nissans, and Fords looked different than their US counterparts. Although we were feeling jet-lagged, we were excited to get out and explore.
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