Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

Hah! I just had a slice of the Mondrian cake this weekend! It was quite tasty.

And I would vote for the Tomboy cake from Miette Patisserie as prettiest - funny that it turns out to be the same baker (I had no idea until I followed the link).

Yesterday I was picking through a bin of cherries at Berkeley Bowl, being bumped and prodded repeatedly by passing customers. As I was thinking how much I love/hate Berk Bowl another customer started up a convo with an employee about the new location. The employee was saying it is practically empty (of customers). Boy was I kicking myself!

The new one is even closer to my home!! Can't wait to visit. If it is better than the current Berk Bowl, it may actually be heaven.

Hallelujah!! I despise mayo and have resigned myself to rarely eating pre-made sandwiches as a result. Which can be hard if you are looking for lunch in a pinch! I have to avoid or scrape. And of course that completely leaves out all tuna/chicken salad sandwiches. So thank you for this recipe and anti-mayo validation.

For tuna salad, I use hummus. Mmm.

This may be the hardest question I've ever tried to answer... well, not really, but it does cause pain to think of one final chocolate experience!

Here goes: a many layered, tender, moist chocolate cake with copious amounts of rich chocolate frosting between each layer. With colorful decorations. Like what my mom made for my birthday as a kid, but bigger!

Or a few pounds of fresh Sees chocolates.

Or a really good Amano bar. Or Askinosie (white chocolate bar).

I, too, am curious about the difference between the fresh and dried/canned/frozen version of these. Are they listed because those more processed versions are more readily available to most people?

I'm also very curious about cinnamon. I have heard much about the benefits. But does that apply only to real cinnamon or also to cassia, which is what most of us purchase in the stores (and has high amounts of a potential toxin coumarin)? I love me some cassia, but should I be tracking down real cinnamon instead?

So that gives any vote for Tucson more weight! It being smaller and all.

Tonkotsu is my favorite ramen broth of all. I lived in Kyushu and Yokohama (both known for pork broth) and ate tonkotsu ramen regularly (and packed on the pounds!). I have missed a good bowl of tonkotsu ramen, living in California. Ippudo might be worth a trip to NY!

It is no surprise to me that a bowl of that, made by a master, would convert you.

Aside from all the candy and the easter baskets my mom used to put together, roast lamb! My mom would stick olives and garlic cloves into the roast, and getting a slice with one of those would be like winning a prize. Mmm.

This post really, really resonates with me. Opening a bakery is my fantasy job! And searching out amazing bakeries on the weekend is one of my passions (along with finding chocolate shops).

Although places like Tartine in San Francisco get all the hype, I have found nirvana at Crixa in Berkeley (Hungarian goods, among other things - not your typical, boring muffin and sconery). Plus the menu changes daily. And Bovine Bakery in the North Bay left me feeling rather like a cow. I wanted everything in the display case, and everything I got was fresh and delicious. They also keep you guessing with the selection. Variety is good. Darn. Now I have a major craving for pastries.

Most of what I would say has been mentioned above (I'm in agreement with thepictsie). But, I do object to being labeled as a "carnivore" by those who do not eat meat. It's so inaccurate. I find that term used quite often and it is intended to be insulting and judgmental. Humans are omnivores whether they choose to eat meat or not.

I guiltily admit that I tried their chocolates with trepidation. It seems I had a bias against organic chocolate. Boy was I happy to be converted. As you say, Theo truly has some of the best chocolates on the market. Not just bars, but filled chocolates, which are my weakness. And the curry coconut bar? Wow. Not for the faint of heart, but amazing!

What a pleasure to find you posting on one of my other favorite sites! I like the link you make to Devil Wears Prada/fashion. It really seems to be happening in a lot of industries these days (trickle down effect).