Zins of Sin
It was Thursday November 29, 2012, and Paul Anthony and I were very excited about the evening’s plans. We had signed up for Michael David "Zins of Sin" 6-Course Dinner at Proprietor's Reserve. In fact, we were so looking forward to eating and drinking at one of our favorite San Diego places that we arrived a whole half hour early to the event! That was a very slow half hour as we waited with anticipatory breath and salivatory glands for an evening we predicted would be full of delightful decadence. Erin and Michael did not disappoint. Erin impressed our refined palates with dishes she had prepared with perfect precision and a brilliant mind for impeccable wine pairing. We even got to purchase these beautiful wines at a great price. (Being a member of Proprietors Reserve Wine Club has some huge…
December 2, 2012
San Diego Beer and Wine Tours Gives Back to the Community!
`Tis the season for giving. While we think that nothing is better than the gift of a winery train tour, chauffeured tour, or a beer tasting tour through beautiful San Diego, we also like to give back. In fact, it's one of the things we're most proud of! Did you know that a portion of all of our money made goes to San Diego's underprivileged children and teens, and another portion goes to people struggling with health or financial challenges? So every time you buy a tour, you're not just having a great time, you're also helping out people who need it. If you prefer to donate directly, here are some of our favorite charities: Summit4StemCell, tour guide Marti's organization of choice, is part of the Parkinson's Association of San Diego and supports non-embryonic stem cell research in…
December 1, 2012
Cuddle up by the fire and bring out the soup (and an IPA!)
It’s a great day to make soup. Here’s a tasty recipe that’s easy and full of delicious minerals! Yellow Lentil Soup Boil lentils in 3x the water. Turn off stove and let sit 2 hrs. Drain and rinse. Make broth by simmering veggies of choice with water, kombu (dried seaweed), dried mushrooms, garlic, onions, bayleaf, dried herbs such as thyme. Cook the lentils with the broth. Add sweet potato chunks last half hour of cooking. When done add salt, pepper and little curry powder and WeOlive olive oil. Cook for another 10 mins. Serve with warm crusty rye bread and butter and an IPA (my current fav is Lagunitas Hop Stoopid). Join us on a beer and food walking tour and taste some great local IPAs. -Shira Bliss, Lentil Lover
March 18, 2012
A Soy Stroganoff Did You Say?
One of my favorite dishes growing up was my grandmother’s beef stroganoff. Recently, someone offered me the challenge of re-creating this wholesome comfort dish… WITHOUT using dairy. Considering the main ingredients in a beef stroganoff include CREAM of mushroom soup and sour CREAM, it was quite the challenge. After some careful thought, I developed my…
March 4, 2012
A Wonderful Vegan Life
This past week, I have been practicing my vegan dishes. It’s fun to find new and healthier ways to prepare some of your favorite meals. Ever try making a chocolate cake … using an avocado? I did! In order to prepare a vegan chocolate cake, you eliminate all ingredients that stem from animals. A healthy…
February 7, 2012
Little Green Crock-Pot
While out at Dave and Buster’s for a holiday party, I discovered that the tickets you earn playing silly games could actually amount to taking home some decent prizes. I’ve been wanting a crock-pot for some time and I was delighted to discover that with 2,500 tickets, I could earn a little, green crock-pot. So,…
January 19, 2012
Bikes and Beer
In San Diego, Saturdays are always so nice and sunny. So, it’s hard to resist just grabbing the bikes and seeing where the road takes us! Last weekend, we discovered the Silver Strand bike path. It’s a beautiful, flat trail with the ocean on one side and San Diego Bay on the other. We left…
January 14, 2012
A Beautiful Beer Tour
At 3pm on a Friday in La Jolla Village, what better way to spend your time than with your family and friends enjoying local craft beer and delicious food. Cheers to La Jolla and the fantastic food and beer it has to offer! Two sisters, Pam and Cindy along with their husbands, Steve and Larry…
January 10, 2012
Dinner with a View
With such a warm night, I decided to enjoy a delicious and healthy meal on the rooftop deck of my apartment building in Banker’s Hill. Tonight’s menu: Teriyaki stir-fry, sticky rice and dumplings. A quick stop at Ralph’s and I was loaded up with London Broil strips and vibrant colored bell peppers. Back home I…
January 5, 2012
Biking and Kebabs
The weather in San Diego this past Saturday was gorgeous! After spending the last three winters in NYC, its lovely to spend a warm, sunny day out biking on New Year’s Eve. This New Year’s Eve I combined two of my favorite things: cycling and Mediterranean food! While out on the bikes, we stumbled upon…
January 3, 2012