Orange County Restaurant Week – February 28 to March 6

Newport Beach Restaurant Week – January 22 to January 28

Los Angeles Restaurant Week(s) – January 24 to January 29; January 31 to February 5

San Diego Restaurant Week – January 17 to January 22

Take advantage of special lunch &  dinner menus and pricing during each event. The San Diego event has a contest this year to win a year’s worth of free dining (eat out every weekend). Los Angeles is offering a chance to win several $100 gift cards good at participating restaurants up there.

This is a free event and will be held at 5:00pm at the Sur La Table in SCP. Bob will also be signing copies of Knives Cooks Love – written by Sarah Jay and Sur La Table. Copies of the book will be on sale prior to the book signing.

Earlier in the day, Bob will be hosting a hands-on Master Knife Skills class at the Newport Beach Sur La Table. Reserve your spot for a rare, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn knife skills from the foremost kitchen knife-maker. Bob Kramer is the only former chef in the United States to have been certified as a Master Bladesmith by the American Bladesmith Society. He belongs to an elite society of master culinary knifemakers and is the only one who specializes in kitchen cutlery. Cooks Illustrated once wrote “The Kramer knife outperformed every knife we’ve ever rated.” Put simply — Mr. Kramer is king of the kitchen knife. The class is hands-on and costs $100.00.

Connoisseurs wait years for one of Bob Kramer’s originals, but Sur La Table has partnered with him to create an exquisite line of artisan knives only available at Sur La Table. Don’t miss your chance to join the master himself as he shares his methods of using cutlery through demonstrating cuts, sharpening techniques and explaining why the new Shun Bob Kramer line will make kitchen prep a joy.

Kids under 12 can take home one free pumpkin while supplies last after enjoying a day full of spooky (but not scary!) activities.

Along with pumpkin picking and decorating as well as master pumpkin carving demonstrations, the Pumpkin Harvest includes a petting zoo and Halloween-themed activities in the Spooky Hangar. At 3 p.m., kids can participate in a costume parade as they go trick-or-treating inside the Park with treats provided by local restaurants and organizations. The festival includes carnival games, live music, and even an old-fashioned cake walk.

Event Schedule (train rides, games and crafts available all day)
1:00 pm: Swingshift Band
1:30 pm: Harvest Walk
2:00 pm: Swingshift Band
2:30 pm: Harvest Walk
3:00 pm: Costume Parade and Swingshift Band
4:00 pm: Harvest Walk
5:00 pm: Event Concludes

The event takes place largely in the farm area of the Great Park, behind Hangar 244. It’s a fitting location for the event, which is part festival and part food drive – fun with a purpose. Guests are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to the event for donation to the Orange County Food Bank and Second Harvest Food Bank. Both organizations will be on hand to accept the items.

“The Great Park Pumpkin Harvest is a fun family event that helps celebrate the fall season and helps fight hunger,” said Larry Agran, Chair, Orange County Great Park Board Corporation.

There will be plenty of food vendors with carnival-style refreshments for sale and tricks and treats and fun for everyone! Admission is free, and parking is just $8. For updated information about Great Park events, go to www.ocgp.org or call (949) 724-7420.

This past year I met some wonderful people along the way and have found a thoughtful, committed group of foodies out there in the blogging community. Food is one of the many things translate across the board. I’ve met some Top Chefs this year and hope to meet the future Top Chefs both on TV and in the restaurant world. There is still so many places to eat and so many new ingredients I have yet to try. The passion for cooking will never die and I get excited every time I get the opportunity to talk to friends and strangers about food.

Over the next few weeks and months, I will try to make sure that I try to make an effort to blog at least 3x a week when things are busy. I also realize that I need to do way more cooking. There is so much that I cook at home that I never blog about. Usually a few days have gone past and haven’t had a chance to oput it up online. I even have photos of dishes I have made and they just never made it to the blog.

The Fall and Winter are my favorite times of the year and I definitely will be doing alot of cooking in the next 3 months – so look forward to alot more cooking and as my personal economy permits I will seek out more out of the way places to eat and bring them to light.

Thank you to everyone who have been following me on Twitter (@DisguisedFoodie) and on Facebook (Foodie N. Disguise). I appreciate all your comments and hope you will be with me in my 2nd year!!

Starting today, the makers of Hungry Jack and Food Network chef Adam Gertler encourage consumers to think outside the box with their pantry staples in the first-ever Hungry Jack Use Up the Box Recipe and Essay Contest.

Nearly eight in ten Americans (77%) throw away pantry items they fail to use up, according to a recent survey conducted by Kelton Research on behalf of The J.M. Smucker Company. With forty-seven percent of respondents reporting that they generally make the same meals on a weekly basis, and one in three (31%) never use a food product outside of its intended use, it is time to put the contents of your pantry to work.

Between September 23 and November 9, 2009, home cooks across the country are invited to craft and submit an original recipe using Hungry Jack Mashed Potatoes, Pancake Mix or Syrup as ingredients and write an essay describing how the recipe was created and inspired by pantry items at www.useupthebox.com or via regular mail. An online vote will help determine one Grand Prize Winner in each of the three categories – Hungry Jack Mashed Potatoes, Pancake Mix and Syrup – and winners will each receive a year’s worth of groceries.

It’s not surprising that six in ten (60%) Americans look for either ease or cost savings when preparing meals, and it is simple and budget friendly to look in the pantry for inspiration. Chef Adam Gertler, star of Will Work For Food on The Food Network, looks to his pantry for creative recipe thought starters just waiting to be mixed, blended or whipped into a new, delicious meal. Adam created five mouth-watering dishes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert, each using pantry staples like Hungry Jack Mashed Potatoes, Pancake Mix, and Syrup. Adam’s recipes as well as his helpful pantry-maximizing tips can be found at www.useupthebox.com.

“Hungry Jack products are high quality, taste great and are versatile, offering countless ways to use up the box by creating sweet or savory dishes and stretching meal dollars,” said Chef Gertler. “Have fun challenging yourself to come up with unique recipes using Hungry Jack products and whatever else you have kicking around the pantry. I’ll bet you surprise yourself!”

On www.useupthebox.com visitors can discover 20 new, inspiring meal possibilities made with Hungry Jack Mashed Potatoes, Pancake Mix, and Syrup. Families count on Hungry Jack brand for great-tasting potatoes and fluffy pancakes with syrup, and you can also use the products as ingredients in delicious dishes such as Chef Adam Gertler’s:

1. Breakfast Sausage Pizza – Hungry Jack Pancake Mix makes a crispy crust for this egg- and sausage-topped pizza.
2. Turkey Burger Sliders – these popular mini burgers feature delectable biscuits made with Hungry Jack Pancake Mix and homemade barbecue sauce featuring Hungry Jack Syrup
3. Chocolate-Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting – these chocolate treats are perfect for breakfast or a snack and are made with Hungry Jack Pancake Mix
4. Potato Parmesan Gnocchi with Brown Butter & Sage Sauce – homemade, fresh pasta in a flash? It’s possible with Hungry Jack Mashed Potatoes!
5. Two Cheese Potato Gratin – these individual gratins, made with Hungry Jack Potatoes and a blend of Swiss and parmesan cheeses, make a sophisticated side dish.

“Putting meals on the table that the entire family will love doesn’t have to cost a lot of money – or even require an extra trip to the grocery store,” said Maribeth Badertscher, Director, Corporate Communications, The J.M. Smucker Company. “By getting creative with pantry staples like Hungry Jack potatoes, pancake mix and syrup, the possibilities are endless.”

The Hungry Jack Use Up the Box Recipe and Essay Contest begins on September 23, 2009 and ends November 9, 2009 and is open to US residents over 18 years of age. Void where prohibited. For complete details and Official Rules, as well as creative recipes and tips from Chef Adam Gertler and Hungry Jack visit www.useupthebox.com.

The first 100 people in line on Monday will receive a free meal card as well as a drawing for a free meal card for a year. The funds for the drawing are for the Saddleback Valley Educational Foundation.

After an official ribbon-cutting ceremony, there will be music and fire dancers to bring a little bit of the Islands to the Gateway Center off Alicia Parkway and Jeronimo.

Rumbi Island Grill has quickly become the industry leader in tropical fast-casual dining. Established in 2000 near downtown Salt Lake City, there are now 23 in operation in Utah, Colorado and Arizona. Rumbi creates the ultimate mealtime getaway by blending authentic fare and warm ambiance with quick, convenient service. The menu includes gourmet rice bowls, crisp, fresh salads, soups, sandwiches and platters. Favorites include the Voodoo Chicken Salad, Hawaiian Teriyaki Rice Bowl, juicy Jerk Chicken Sandwich, Aloha Mango Chicken Salad and main entrees like the Luau Pork Plate and tender Volcano-Blackened Mahi-Mahi.

Rumbi Island Grill was created by food entrepreneur Dave Duffin, who was also the founder of Zuka Juice, a quick-service juice bar serving fresh fruit smoothies and healthy snacks. Rumbi is a privately held company headquartered in Sandy, Utah.

Rumbi Island Grill
24000 Alicia Parkway #23
Mission Viejo, CA 92691
949-206-1002

www.rumbi.com

More than 100 restaurants across Orange County’s are ready to dish up amazing food at fantastic prices.

From all corners of the county this foodie celebration provides OC locals the opportunity to indulge in a selection of specially priced prix fixe menus from over 100 of Orange County’s best Restaurants. These menus showcase some of the region’s most talented chefs who have personalized each menu to reflect their culinary style. The prix fixe menus are priced at $10, $15 and $20 per person for lunch, and $20, $30 or $40 per person for dinner.

Restaurants participating are:

# 118 Degrees – Costa Mesa
# 21 Oceanfront – Newport Beach
# 230 Forest Avenue – Laguna Beach
# 25 Degrees – Huntington Beach
# 50 Forks – Santa Ana
# 6ix Park Grill – Irvine
# 7 Seas Fish House – Garden Grove
# Ambrosia – Santa Ana
# Anaheim White House – Anaheim
# Andrei’s Conscious Cuisine – Irvine
# Antonello Ristorante – Santa Ana
# Bayside – Newport Beach
# Bistango – Irvine
# Bistro West – Tustin
# Bluewater Grill – Tustin / Newport Beach
# Brasserie Pascal – Newport Beach
# Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. – Anaheim
# Canyon Lodge Restaurant – Laguna Beach
# Catal – Anaheim
# Cedar Creek – Brea
# Cedar Creek – Laguna Niguel
# Cedar Creek – San Juan Capistrano
# Chaparosa – Laguna Niguel / Tustin
# Chart House – Dana Point / Newport Beach
# Commonwealth Lounge & Grill – Fullerton
# Daily Grill – Irvine / Newport Beach
# Duke’s – Huntington Beach
# El Callejon – Laguna Beach
# First Cabin at The Balboa Bay Club & Resort, The – Newport Beach
# Flight Bistro – Huntington Beach
# French 75 – Laguna Beach
# Geisha House – Santa Ana
# Hush – Laguna Beach
# JT Schmid’s Restaurant and Brewery – Anaheim / Tustin
# Kimera – Irvine
# King’s Fish House – Huntington Beach / Laguna Hills / Orange
# K’ya Restaurant and Bar – Anaheim
# K’ya Bistro Bar – Laguna Beach
# Leatherby’s Café Rouge – Costa Mesa
# Lucca Cafe – Irvine
# Luggatti’s Italian Grill – Huntington Beach
# Lulu’s Crêperie Café – Laguna Hills
# Lumberyard – Laguna Beach
# Marmalade Cafe – Tustin
# McCormick & Schmick’s Grille – Anaheim
# McCormick & Schmick’s – Irvine
# McCormick & Schmick’s – Santa Ana
# Mozambique – Laguna Beach
# Mr. Stox – Anaheim
# Naples Ristorante – Anaheim
# Nello Cucina – Costa Mesa
# Nirvana Grille – Laguna Beach
# Nirvana Grille – Mission Viejo
# Old Vine Cafe – Costa Mesa
# O’Neill’s at Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club – Mission Viejo
# Opah – Aliso Viejo / Irvine
# Orange Hill Restaurant – Orange
# Orange County Mining Co. – Orange
# Palm Terrace Restaurant – Newport Beach
# Pinot Provence – Costa Mesa
# Pizzeria Ortica – Costa Mesa
# Port Restaurant and Bar – Corona Del Mar
# Prego Ristorante – Irvine
# Primecut Cafe – Orange
# Quattro Caffe – Costa Mesa
# Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen – Anaheim
# RA Sushi Bar Restaurant – Huntington Beach / Tustin
# Restaurant 162′ – Dana Point
# Ritz Restaurant and Garden, The – Newport Beach
# Royal Hawaiian – Laguna Beach
# Royal Khyber – Santa Ana
# Rusty Pelican – Newport Beach
# Ruth’s Chris Steak House – Anaheim
# Ruth’s Chris Steak House – Irvine
# Sage – Newport Beach
# Sage on the Coast – Newport Beach
# Salt Creek Grille – Dana Point
# Sam and Harry’s – Newport Beach
# Savannah at the Beach – Huntington Beach
# Savannah Chop House – Laguna Niguel
# Scott’s Seafood – Costa Mesa
# Signature Kitchen – Costa Mesa
# Sorrento Grille – Laguna Beach
# Spark Woodfire Grill – Huntington Beach
# SteerCrazy International BBQ – Capistrano Beach
# Stonehill Tavern – St. Regis Resort – Monarch Beach
# Summit House – Fullerton
# Sundried Tomato – Laguna Beach / San Juan Capistrano / San Clemente
# Tabu Grill – Laguna Beach
# Tangata – Santa Ana
# TAPS Fish House and Brewery – Brea
# Terra Nova – Costa Mesa
# The Californian – Huntington Beach
# The Clubhouse – Costa Mesa
# The Crow Bar and Kitchen – Corona Del Mar
# The Melting Pot – Brea / Irvine / San Clemente
# The Winery Restaurant & Wine Bar – Tustin
# Tommy Bahama’s Island Grille – Newport Beach
# Tortilla Jo’s – Anaheim
# Tradition by Pascal – Newport Beach
# Watermarc – Laguna Beach
# Wildfish Seafood Grille – Newport Beach
# Wolfgang Puck Bistro – Costa Mesa
# Xanh Bistro – Fountain Valley
# Zimzala – Huntington Beach
# Zov’s Bistro – Tustin
# Zov’s Cafe & Bar – Irvine
# Zov’s Cafe & Bar – Newport Coast

The only thing to make for dinner during Restaurant Week is reservations! This is the time for food lovers to try new places, get groups of friend and dine out and just really enjoy a week of fabulous dining. Start planning your week of dining out.

Visit www.ocrestarantweek.com to see menus and make reservations!

The collected ramen packages will be donated to a local food bank. In addition, for each ramen package collected they will also donate $1.00 to the food bank.

So come in and try their Japenese Chile Beef Ramen and help support your local food bank.

For a location new year, visit www.peiwei.com

So what is Rumbi’s you ask? It’s a little Hawaiian, with some Caribbean, Bali and Jamaican mixed in. It’s casual dining at fast food pricing. Their menu offers Salads, Entrees, Rice Bowls as well as Burgers and Sandwiches.

I met with the Scott McDonnell, general manager and he is excited to open. He showed me a menu and they have an interesting mix of food, a little bit of everything for everyone. They are scheduled to open their doors on September 21 with a soft opening a few days before.  I look forward to trying such dishes as Luau Pork Plate, slow roasted pulled Kalua pork or the Voodoo Chicken Salad, jerk chicken breast, tomatoes, feta and greens in a sesame ginger vinaigrette. There is also the Bahama Mama’s Tortilla Soup and the Rumbi Fries, a mix of sweet and regular potato french fries.

The new space is much brighter than when Mustard’s was there. My friend Tim and I ate at Mustard’s before they closed and was noticing how dark the store was. It’s a nice space with tall ceilings and rafters.  They have adorned the space with some lighter pints and island decor. I told Tim, back then, that the space would make for a great casual cooking school. Oh well, there goes that idea!

Rumbi Island Grill
24000 Alicia Parkway #23
Mission Viejo, CA 92691
949-206-1002

The story you told last night with your beginnings in your dad’s BBQ Pit House, to the first time you had your first molé to the opening of your first restaurant was so inspiring! I often try to single out one moment in my life where I decided that I was more than just an “eater”.

Top Chef Masters was an interesting franchise from Bravo TV. I look forward to next season.

Here we go everyone!!! Welcome to Season 6 of Top Chef and this season we are in LAS VEGAS!!!

So the chefs come in one at a time and introduce themselves and one theme that comes through….TATTOOS! We have 17 chefs from all over the US. Three of them are from Atlanta, two Jennifers from Philadelphia, three from DC/MD, one from New York (kinda cute and gay), three from San Francisco, two from Seattle, one from Connecticut, one from Florida and one from Los Angeles!! Out of all the restaurants, I have eaten at Michael Isabella’s restaurant, Zaytinya, where he is the Executive Chef there under José Andrés.

• - Ash Fulk, 29 – New York City
• - Ashley Merriman, 32 –  Seattle, Wash.
• - Bryan Voltaggio, 33 – Urbana, Md.
• - Eli Kirshtein, 25 – Atlanta, Ga.
• - Eve Aronoff, 40 – Ann Arbor, Mich.
• - Hector Santiago, 41 – Atlanta, Ga.
• - Jennifer Carroll, 33 – Philadelphia, Pa.
• - Jennifer Zavala, 31 – Philadelphia, Pa.
• - Jesse Sandlin, 30 – Baltimore, Md.
• - Kevin Gillespie, 26 – Atlanta, Ga.
• - Laurine Wickett, 38 –  San Francisco, Calif.
• - Mattin Noblia, 29 – San Francisco, Calif.
• - Michael Isabella, 34 – Washington, D.C.
• - Michael Voltaggio, 30 – Los Angeles, Calif.
• - Preeti Mistry, 33 – San Francisco, Calif.
• - Robin Leventhal, 43 –  Seattle, Wash.
• - Ron Duprat, 40 – Hollywood, Fla

So the teams break down into four groups of four. But that makes 16, there are 17…

So instead of drawing knives, they are pulling colored poker chips out of a bag, each color determines what team you are one: blue, red, green and black. Hold on, there is a gold chip! They are all drawing chips and Robin draws the gold chip. So what does that mean? As the owner of the gold chip, she is exempt from the Quickfire Challenge AND she is immune in the Elimination round. WHAT!?!? Crazy!

So the Quickfire round is the Mise En Place relay race. Each member must prep one of the following ingredients:

Shuck 15Clams

Peel 30 prawns

Clean 5 lobsters

Prep 2 Prime Rib Chops

So the race starts and they all start shucking their clams. Poor Preeti on the Red Team, she has never shucked clams. She has never opened a clam. Meanwhile the other three teams are moving fast! Meanwhile the green team has cut herself and the black team finished the clams first. Meanwhile, Preeti is still working on her clams. Black and blue have finished the prawns. Mattin is working on the lobsters on the blue time. Preeti is still on clams. Black time is struggling on the lobsters and the blue team moves to the chops. Meanwhile the green time is still on prawns and who knows where the red team is at. It’s neck to neck between the blue and black team and the BLUE team wins!!

But we’re not down yet! To determine the winner of the blue team, each member has to make a dish with the ingredient they prepped. The winner of the quickfire challenge wins a $15,000 chip from the M Resort and Casino (where Top Chef Las Vegas is hosted…) They offered Robin that she could turn in her chip and could compete for the $15K. She chooses the keep immunity. They have 30 minutes to prep and cook.

Jennifer C: Clam Ceviche with a Citron Vinegar

Mattin: Lobster with Bay Leaves and Star Anise

Jesse: Shrimp and Grits with Polenta

Bryan: Crusted Rib Eye with Caramelized Celery

So how did it turn out? Tom had two favorites, Jesse’s Shrimp and Jennifer’s Clam Ceviche. The favorite? Jennifer C! Congrats!

So now it’s the Elimination Round. Las Vegas is known as Sin City and Top Chef wants to know the dark side of each of our chefs. They will compete individually in their groups and one winner and one loser from each team will go to Judges Table. Helping out to judge this SINFUL round is world reknown chef, Wolfgang Puck! Robin had to choose which team she wanted to cook with and she chose the BLUE team. Each person will get $150 and 30 minutes to shop at Whole Foods. They will be cooking at Wolfgang Pucks Vegas restaurant, CUT, in the Palazzo Resort Hotel and Casino.

RED: Kevin, Michael V. Eve and Preeti

BLUE: Jennifer C, Bryan, Robin, Jesse and Mattin

GREEN: Laurine, Ron , Ash, Jen Z.

BLACK: Mike I, Ashley, Hector and Eli

After a hectic time at Whole Foods (presumably the one on Las Vegas Blvd) they head to the Palazzo and enter CUT’s kitchen. They have 2 hours to prepare their dishes and each team will present together. Joining us at Judges Table is Gail Simmons from Food and Wine Magazine, Tom Collichio and Padma Lakshmi. Of course our guest judge Wolfgang Puck is at the table as well. Toby Young will be making appearances this season.

First team up is the BLACK team.

Micahel Isabella – Foul Mouth and Hot Temper – Olive Oil Poached Halibut with Eggplant Purée

Eli Kirshtein – Arrogance, Drinking and Bitterness – “Buttered” Scotch with Scallops, Cashews & Beer Powder

Ashley – Red Wine and Bourbon – Chicken Liver Ravioli with Red WIne Demi-Glace

Hector – Cigar Smoking – Smoked Rib Eye with Carrot Purée & Ceviche of Celery

BLUE TEAM

Bryan – Bourbon and Cigar – NY Strip Steak with Parsnip Purée & Bourbon Reduction Caramel

Mattin – Stubborness – Buffalo Rib Eye with Madiera Sauce, Zucchini & Mashed Potatoes

Jennifer C – Alcohol – Poached halibut with Whisky, Bourbon, Scotch and Black Peppercorn Sauce

Jesse – Whiskey and Excess – Braised Chicekn with a Whiskey Reduction, Yukon Potatoes & Fried Egg

Robin – Bad Jew, She Likes Pork – Pork Tenderloin Stuffed with Chorizo and Bread Pudding

GREEN TEAM

Ash – Procrastination – Poached Halibut with Ratatouille & Parsley Coulis

Jen Z – Hot Tempered – Chile Relleno Stuffed with Seitan & Tomatillo Salsa

Ron – Spending 27 Days at Sea? – Jerk Bass with Collard Greens & Haitian Hash

Laurine – Bacon, Donuts, Chocolate and Beer – Bacon Donuts with Chocolate and Beer Sauces

Last but not least, the RED Team

Michael V – Plastic Surgery (Not his personal vice) – Rack of Lamb with Coconut Sauce & Gnocchi

Preeti – Maker’s Mark Manhattan – Pork Tenderloin with Bourbon Sweet Potato Purée

Eve – To be more Simpler – Shrimp & Scallops in a Curry Cream Sauce

Kevin – Procrastination – Arctic Char with Turnip Salsa Verde

So after much deliberations at the Tasting Table, the judges head back to the Judge’s Table. So who made it to the “winning circle”?

Well turns out Kevin, Jennifer C, Ron and Michael Isabella were the best chefs in their groups. So who was the winner? Wolfgang loved, loved, loved Kevin’s Arctic Char. Yea Kevin!

Unfortunately, we now have the bottom four in front of the Judge’s table. Hector, Jen, Jesse and Eve are called to the front. My guess, it is between Jen and Eve. Eve’s dish was blah and Jen’s chicken was too dry. Hector definitely didn’t score any points with that deep fried rib eye. Then we have Jesse’s Chile Relleno. Oh gosh.

So who is going home? The judges are sending Jen to the kitchen to pack her knives and to go. No more Seitan! :)

So overall I think we could have a good season. There are some good chef’s in the bunch. I’m keeping my eye on Kevin, Michael V, Michael I and Bryan. Those are the four to look out for so far.

So where is Team Rainbow this season? So Ash is the only person who has come “out” and told us that he had a boyfriend back home in this episode. So I think Kevin, Preeti and Ashley need to step up to the place and join Team Rainbow this season. There was a part of me that thought Michael Isabella might be, but he really has some kind of problem with women in the kitchen. He has made several comments tonight that kinda bothered me. I chnaged my mind about him after three minutes of watching him rant. The Voltaggio brothers are HOT – with Michael’s hard streak and Bryan’s conservativeness the two of them as one would be hot! :)

So tune in next week for Top Chef’s first battle of the sexes!

Special guests Jamie Lauren and Richard Sweeney from Bravo Television’s Top Chef, as well as incredible food from Los Angeles area restaurants will be on hand. They are also hosting a silent auction as well as hosted cocktails. Special Emcee for the event with be Paul McCollough who was a contestant on Food Network’s The Next Food Network Star.

DJ Joe Gathreaux, Bailey featuring Boom Kitty and Dangerous Muse are scheduled entertainment for the event.

Our judges for this Top Chef challenge are actors Robert Gant, Elizabeth Keener and Wilson Cruz along with Event Chair, Edison Briones.

The event is to celebrate GLAAD’s work and accomplishments. For more information on this event, visit http://www.glaad.org/hancockpark

You can purchase tickets for this event at: http://www.glaad.org

GLAAD does some of the most important work in the entertainment and media industries in regards to representation of the GLBTQ community in the media whether it be on TV, Radio, Film or the Internet.

GLAAD is dedicated to promoting and ensuring fair, accurate and inclusive representation of people and events in the media as a means of eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation.

As you recall from the finale, her “pilot” was called Kitchen Survival. Well, her new show is called $10 Dinners and premieres at 12:30pm. Her promise in each episode? Feed four people with infinite possibilities for only $10. She knows from experience all the tricks and tips to creating family friendly meals on a budget.

Here is a picture of Melissa in her new kitchen set at the Food Network!

Photo credit: The Food Network

Congratulations to Melissa D’Arabian - she is the Food Network’s Newest Star! A housewife and mother of four girls back in Keller, TX. She is the ultimate home cook with great ideas for home cooked meals and tips for every home cook.

After weeks of challenges, we were down to Jeffrey Saad who is from Los Angeles and Melissa. Melissa’s experience as a home cook and mother is the magic that she brings to the Food Network. People can identify with Melissa and she doesn’t get lost in all the culinary terms. Melissa kind of reminds me of  and I think she will bring a welcome fresh face to the Food Network family.

Melissa gets started on her new show tomorrow! No rest for Melissa. In one week, we will see the first episode of Melissa’s new show.

Melissa did  a “pilot” show at the finale and it was called Kitchen Survival – will that hold thru? Stay tuned!

Try the food… Taste the Wine… Attend a Celebrity Chef Show!

In addition to all the great food vendors there will be numerous food competitions taking place, mini cooking classes and therre will be a visit from FOod Network’s Guy Fieri! Guy hosts such shows as Drive-Ins, Diners and Dives, Guy’s Big Bite will be here to dazzle you with his eccentric style! He will also be hosting an autograph session.

So don’t miss a beat! Come down to the Anaheim Hilton and taste the food and wine! Ticket’s available on their website at www.celebrityfoodshow.com

General admission and VIP tickets available.

I arrived at the taste celebration with an empty stomach and a desire to try something new. I’ve lived in the Fairfax area for nearly 5 years and have tried many of the shops at the Farmers Market.

While visiting the Farmers Market you can tour the entire world on your stomach – Japanese, Italian, French, Korean, Brazilian, Greece as well as the more divergent foods from our own country.

But, instead of trying to visit the world, I wanted to try re-creating the three meals of the day. Since this was a tasting menu, I figured 3 small meals might make 1 regular sized one. Right? Well, that’s my reasoning and I’m sticking to it!

Breakfast: Starting the Day off Right!

The yellow and green balloons in front of a shop indicated they were on the tasting menu. I started at the French Crepe Company which had so many people you almost couldn’t see the balloons. I had a savory Ham & Cheese crepe. It was light and tasty and a great way to start the morning…at 6 pm.

I followed the balloons to Farm Fresh Produce and had a selection of raspberries, grapes, strawberries and melons. It was perfect for the hot day—juicy, fresh and so flavorful compared to the local supermarket.

At e’ple I found my ‘something new’–Banana Spinach Juice. I know what you’re thinking, and I thought that too, and even more so once I saw it; a sort of light green, globby sludge in a cup. But the banana and the spinach balanced each other out perfectly and it was actually refreshing. There had to have been some kind of other base juice to make it as liquid as it was, but I couldn’t place it.

Lunch: It’s a little nuts

Breakfast complete and something new tried, it was off to find lunch. It was found at Bryan’s Pit Barbecue in the form of Brisket Sandwich and a side of potatoes. Nothing earth shattering, but a serviceable little sandwich made even better by the brisket smell wafting from the pits behind the counter.

A little afternoon snack was then in order. I came across long time merchant Phyllis Magee serving up an assortment of almonds, cashews and macadamias that hit the spot. Not too salty and very fresh! I plan on going back to buy peanut butter made on the spot. Phyllis’s family has been at the Farmer’s Market since 1934 and Magee’s Kitchen and Magee’s House of Nuts are the only shops dating back to the opening of the Market . Phyllis, a former employee, married into the family and has been running the operations since the early 80’s.

Dinner: Where’s that banana spinach juice?

Some food, though great for dinner, just seemed wildly inappropriate for July in Los Angeles, and I’m not sure why the shops chose them. For example, Du-Pars, at the Market since 1938 and recently renovated, was serving up Chicken Pot Pies. In July. In LA. On an 86 degree day.

For dinner I was fancying something a bit lighter, maybe a little surf & turf. I grabbed a Tuna Tartare from the Marmalade Café (not technically IN the Market, but on the same property) It had a spicy citrus sauce and followed it with Jerked Pork from Maronda’s Meats and a small Beef Short Rib with Korean Slaw from La Korea, which was good but being the third spicy dish in a row, just made me crave that banana spinach juice.

Dessert:

Finally it was desert time. Monsieur Marcel, at the Market for 15 years, was serving up Cheesecake Lollipops topped with a raspberry and 75 written in chocolate on the side. Dare I be cheeky and say it was as tasty as the chef? Why not, this is France! The land of lovers! The land of forbidden romance! And…. Apparently the land of really cheesy accordion playing that made me feel I was stuck in Ratatouille.

So, I strolled down the Market with my cheesecake on a stick leaving the Epcot Center-like France behind to travel to the 1950’s and catch The Do-Wop All Stars wrapping up in front of Bennet’s Ice Cream. By the time they were done I had made it to the front of the line. I sampled an assortment of ice creams, all homemade, chocolate overkill, coffee and cookie dough. They were mercifully small because they were extremely rich.

I took my ice cream and moved to another musical era, the 1930’s. The Hot Club Quartet with Janet Kelin (Gypsy Swing and Early Jazz) was cutting a rug at the Market Plaza beneath the clock tower. Everyone was having a great time. Couples that looked as if they probably were teenagers when the market opened were dancing along with the professionals.

And it wouldn’t be an outing in LA without a star sighting. Fran Kranz, Topher on Fox’s Dollhouse walked by sporting a decidedly shaggier look than his TV persona.

And so, as the sun set, I ended my culinary tour, where I began, at the French Crepe Company with a Nutella Crepe, reading the LA Original Farmers Market Cookbook and a smile of my face. Here’s to 75 more years!

For more information on the LA Farmer’s Market, visit: http://www.farmersmarketla.com.

Aaron T. Harvey is a freelance designer, foodie, new contributor to FoodieInDisguise and founder of GeekFilter.net.

More than 100 restaurants across Orange County’s vast dining landscape are confirmed to participate in Orange County’s most anticipated culinary event. The second event of its kind this year, Orange County Restaurant Week participants will offer special three-course menus that will showcase some of the region’s most talented chefs who will personalize each menu to reflect their culinary style and highlight locally grown, seasonal ingredients.

The prix-fixe menus will be priced at $10, $15 and $20 per person for lunch, and $20, $30 or $40 per person for dinner, exclusive of beverages, tax and gratuity. In addition, for the week-long event, the Orange County Performing Arts Center will be offering food aficionados a 15% discount on select performances of the hit musical  “Legally Blonde.”

“The inaugural Orange County Restaurant Week held earlier this year exceeded all expectations.  It reinforced Orange County as a premier dining destination and allowed our many community members an opportunity to enjoy special prix-fixe menus from a wide variety of participating restaurants,” commented Pamela Waitt, president of the Orange County Restaurant Association, which produces Orange County Restaurant Week, the county’s largest culinary event. “Our partnership with the Orange County Performing Arts Center adds an element that allows diners to discover spectacular restaurant offerings and a critically acclaimed Broadway blockbuster at a discounted price.”

Modeled after similar events in Southern California, such as San Diego Restaurant Week and dineLA, Orange County Restaurant Week is a countywide event designed to promote the region’s diverse offerings. The official Orange County Restaurant Week website, www.OrangeCountyRestaurantWeek.com, lists participating restaurants offering prix-fixe lunch menus for $10, $15 and $20, and dinners for $20, $30 or $40, exclusive of beverages, tax and gratuity. Reservations may be made online at www.OrangeCountyRestaurantWeek.com or by calling participating restaurants directly. For added convenience, the Orange County Restaurant Week restaurant website is searchable by cuisine, location and price point.

“Orange County’s restaurant scene is evolving and increasing in sophistication,” continued Waitt. “One can enjoy world-class food, cozy comfortable bistros, beachfront dining and many other culinary treasures.  I hope Orange County Restaurant Week patrons will take full advantage of the opportunity to explore Orange County’s diverse offerings and get to know the dynamic dining scene in the county.”

For the most up-to-date list of participating restaurants be sure to check the Orange County Restaurant Week official website (www.OrangeCountyRestaurantWeek.com).

The Orange County Restaurant Association produces Orange County Restaurant Week biannually, with an annual Happy Hour Week and a Kid’s Restaurant Week (to launch in 2010).  The September 2009 Orange County Restaurant Week is presented by Orange Coast Magazine, Cox Media and KJazz 88.1 FM.  Other event sponsors include Moxxe PR, OC Life Magazine, 944 Magazine, OpenTable, Yelp, OCStandard, Greer’s OC, Chef Jamie Gwen, Orange County Performing Arts Center, Bacardi and Grey Goose.

For general information, or to learn about participation or sponsorship opportunities during Orange County Restaurant Week, please visit www.OrangeCountyRestaurantWeek.com. To learn about or join the Orange County Restaurant Association, visit www.OCRestaurantAssociation.org.

“We wanted to throw a huge party and thank every one of our guests for choosing Round Table for the last fifty years,” explains Round Table Pizza President Rob McCourt. “What better way to do that than to give them more of what they love — great pizza with the highest quality ingredients and dough that’s rolled fresh every morning.”

Fifty cent pizzas are available at participating Round Table Pizza restaurant locations. The special anniversary offer may not be available for delivery or on certain days of the week in your area. Call your local Round Table Pizza for details.

Owners Janel Mitchell and John Frank couldn’t be more excited! The idea and concept has been growing for over a year and finally a space that fit their criteria finally opened up. Thai Spice was the former tenant in that space and unfortunately wasn’t doing well in The Orchard Shopping Center at El Toro and Rockfield. Janel, an artist, clothing designer and now cupcake master is excited to open the doors at 7am tomorrow. I asked them if they were nervous and Janel just had a big smile on her face and said she was more excited than nervous.

The place is very well designed with custom woodwork, soaring display glass and customer fixtures to display their goods. John Frank owns a construction company that specializes in the food services and has designed and built quite a few restaurants here in Southern California. The ceilings are tall so it feels very spacious. Everything down to the light fixtures and wallpaper were picked out by Janel and John. They had these light fixtures that when explained to me, I agreed, looks like creme brulee. Everything in the place is branded tastefully with their 5 petal flower design.

Frostings will be featuring 8 permanent cupcakes with other selections that will change based on what day of the week it is. I was told that the “birthday cake” is a cupcake I need to be in for. In addition to their cupcakes they will also have a selection of “breakfast” cupcakes and also feature a signature line of cookies, 8 in all. So what better accompaniment to a cupcake than some coffee or tea. Frostings also features a full beverage bar with fresh roasted coffee, espressos, lattes and loose teas – sodas and juices are also on hand. I was lucky enough to taste some of the coffee and honestly, was one of the smoothest cups of coffee I have had.

I was very lucky to walk away with a sample of the Red Velvet cupcake as well as the Simply Vanilla cupcake. When I got back to my office, a few cupcake aficionados and myself tested Janel’s cupcake recipes. First off the Simply Vanilla. The cake was very moist and the frosting didn’t overpower the cake. The icing was not too sweet (the way I like it), but distinctive. A bite yielded the flavor of the cake which surprised me. I could actually taste the cake part. Most places inundate you with sweet frosting and that’s pretty much what you get. There is a good balance of frosting to cake and that goes a long way for me. The Red Velvet (my favorite of any cupcake place) took the prize. The cake was firm but not dense and the ratio of cream cheese icing to the cake was just right. Great job on the cupcakes. My coworkers agree. At $3.25 a piece they are competitively priced to the “other” cupcake places.

Everything is made from scratch and with high quality ingredients. Even the cupcake “bling”, the 5 petal flower, is made by hand. They were also very careful to make sure they had a great coffee and tea supplier as well. They will have beverage specialists to make sure you have the best brewed coffee and that your tea steeps perfectly. So stop by tomorrow and have a sample for yourself – have a cup of coffee or tea and sit at one of the many outdoor seating options. While you’re there you can also pickup a t-shirt or accessories designed by Janel herself. Not only does she have t-shirts, but workout pants, aprons, bags and even jewelry. In addition there are mugs, travel mugs and various tea infusers. She even has bling on one of the travel mugs! Janel and John had the right combination of business saavy and they know what customer they are looking and catering to. With a great location, lots of foot traffic and the fact they are adjacent to the freeway gives them the ingredients for success. Congrats John and Janel! See you tomorrow for my breakfast cupcake!

Frostings Cupcakes
23624 El Toro Road, Suite D
Lake Forest, CA 92630
949-458-1337
www.frostingscupcakes.com

Some of their contributors include:

David Lebovitz - davidlebovitz.com

Matt Armendariz – MattBites.com

Jaden Hair – SteamyKitchen.com

Todd Porter and Diane Cu – WhiteOnRiceCouple.com

Shauna Ahern – glutenfreegirl.com

It doesn’t stop there. There are many more contributors with more being recruited!

The site is vibrant and keeps your attention. The site has already been well monitized with sponsors like Martha Stewart and and they make use of browser space and integrate Adobe Flash technologies well. GoodBite.com is already filled with lots of content so even though they are new on the scene, they have content to keep you busy for days.

Check out GoodBite.com and try something new!

Orange County will be EXTENDING their first ever Restaurant Week until Saturday, March 7. Over 25 restaurants from the first week will be offering Prix Fixe menus for $20, $30 or $40 for this extra week.

This is a great opportunity to eat at that restaurant you couldn’t get to last week.

Check out www.ocrestaurantweek.com for a full listing of restaurants and menus. It is even searchable by menu, price point, city and cuisine!

Restaurants participating in the extended week are:

118 Degrees – Lunch Only
230 Forest Ave
Antonello Ristorante – Lunch Only
Bistro West
Bluewater Grill – Tustin
Chaparosa Grill – Laguna Niguel & Tustin
Citrus Fesh Grille
First Cabin at the Balboa Bay Club
Hush
il Farro
Leatherby’s
Lucca
Kimera
Mozambique
O’Neill’s Bar & Grill – Dinner Only
Opah – Both Locations
Pinot Provence
Pizzeria Ortica
Rockin Baja
Royal Khyber
Ruth’s Chris Steak House – Irvine | Anaheim
Savannah at the Beach
Savannah Chop House
Sorrento Grille
Tangata
The Clubhouse
The Loft at Montage Laguna Beach
The Melting Pot – Irvine | Brea | San Clemente

Orange County will be hosting their first ever Restaurant Week! Starting this Sunday, February 22, over 80 restaurants throughout Orange County will be offering Prix Fixe menus for $20, $30 or $40. Restaurant Week goes thru Saturday, February 28.

This is a great opportunity to eat at that restaurant you have always wanted to try. Many of the restaurants are offering these Prix Fixe menus offering a substantial discount over their regularly priced items.

I will be participating by going to a restaurant everyday this week if I can. You can read my “Restaurant Hopping Adventure” here on the blog next week. 

Check out www.ocrestaurantweek.com for a full listing of restaurants and menus. It is even searchable by menu, price point, city and cuisine!

A sampling of the restaurants participating are:

118 Degrees
50 Forks
Balboa Bay Club
Bistro West
Chart House
Hush
Kimera
Lucca Cafe
Mozambique
Port
Royal Khyber
Savannah and Savannah’s Chop House
Scott’s Seafood
South Coast Winery
Tabu
The Crow Bar & Kitchen
The Loft at Montage
Zov’s

Starbucks: One Free Tall Coffee on Nov. 4, all you have to say is that you voted

Krispy Kreme: Free star-shaped doughnut to voters

Pizza Hut: Order a pizza online and get a 20% discount – for new users only

Ben & Jerry’s: One free scoop of ice cream from 5pm to 8pm, for anyone on Nov 4

Daily Grill: Free appetizer to voters.

It is interesting to note that in California, there is an obscure law on the books that prohibit “gifts” to the electorates. violation of the law is 16 months to 3 years in jail.

The Food Network has been airing a new reality TV show these last few weeks. There are no contestants that get voted out of the kitchen or have to cook a gourmet meal in 10 minutes. There are no on-camera tests or judges to test your culinary knowledge.

The Chef Jeff Project is a reality show that is different from all the others. Here, Chef Jeff Henderson, a former convicted felon learns to cook in prison and overcomes adversity and makes it in the real world. His successful catering company, Posh Urban Cuisine, located here in Los Angeles is the backdrop for the new series. With some sponsorship from the Art Institutes, Chef Jeff has brought on board six individuals from the “hood” and giving them a chance to make something of themselves. The show  enters on 6 kids from the hood who have been in trouble with the law, have been in jail or have been dealing with drugs. Chef Jeff wants to give the same chance that was given to him. 

In this ground breaking show, Chef Jeff challenges them to real-world catering experience and throws them in the weeds. There are personality differences between them all and Jeff has to deal with that. All these kids come from hardship.

It has been a very compelling show. I have been watching the last three weeks and glued to my set. These kids are being given the opportunity to earn a scholarship to the Arts Institutes for a Culinary education. These kids have talent ad some of them don’t. But it doesn’t matter, Chef jeff is trying to show them that they can each shine. He is showing them responsibility and how to make it out there outside of the “hood”

Tune in on Sunday evenings at 10pm – you’ll be drawn in too.

For example, here in California there is a Proposition on the ballot in regards to animal cruelty in regards to farm animals. Proposition 2 is a modest measure that stops cruel and inhumane treatment of animals, ending the practice of cramming farm animals into cages so small the animals can’t even turn around, lie down or extend their limbs. Better farming practices yields better crops and food. Even if you don’t live in California, whatever decision happens in our State will surely have ripples throughout the rest of the country. 

For more information on Proposition 2 visit: Yes on Prop 2

Other states may have food taxes on the ballot. Examine what the tax money is being used for and if a food tax makes sense in your area.