4 Kasım 2012 Pazar

Halloween Bloody Eyeball Chocolate Truffles ~ The Freakling Brothers Haunted Houses, Las Vegas!

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Horrific macabre Bloody Eyeball Chocolate Truffles and the creepy scary Freakling Brothers haunted houses!  A tasteful combination for Halloween!

     Plain chocolate candy eyeballs are easy to make.  This recipe goes a step farther.  Tempered crisp white chocolate coats a classic dark chocolate brandy ganache truffle!  White chocolate was tinted to create the black, blue and red colors of the detailed highlights of the bloody eyeballs.
     There is nothing tricky about this recipe, but a good accurate digital candy thermometer or a digital probe thermometer is required for tempering or reheating the tempered white chocolate.  Temperatures for tempering white chocolate fall into a narrow range.  There are several techniques for tempering chocolate and I chose a very easy to understand method for this recipe.
     When chocolate is melted to a specific temperature, then stirred as it cools to a specific temperature, the molecules of chocolate adhere to each other as a solid form, when completely cooled.  This is called tempering chocolate.  When cooled, tempered chocolate will snap crisply like candy and it will not be soft!
     Chocolate ganache can be flavored and it can have a variety of textures, depending on the cream proportion and the amount of time that the ganache is worked.  For truffles, a firm stiff ganache that is minimally worked is required.  Ganache for truffles is very easy to make!
     I used plastic chocolate candy bloody eyeball molds to form the chocolate truffles.  Bloody eyeball chocolate candy molds can be ordered on the internet and Amazon is a reputable source.  The assembly of the bloody eyeballs must be done in stages, so this recipe does take some time to make.  Painting the red tinted bloodshot eyeball streaks on the raised highlights can be done by dipping the tip of a chopstick in the warm tempered red chocolate and dragging the chopstick over the raised highlights.
     My own eyesight is not very good for fine detail work at times, but my bloody eyeball chocolate truffles turned out pretty good.  By the way, I used a hot knife to cut the one truffle open for display.  Do not make the mistake of thinking that the chocolate was soft.  The heated knife blade melted the chocolate truffle as it was sliced open.
     If you are an enterprising individual, custom gourmet macabre truffles like these can be sold at a commanding price!

     The Freakling Brothers haunted houses are a famous prime attraction during the month leading up to Halloween in Las Vegas.  The Freakling Brothers haunted houses are an experience in horror that will surely provide nightmarish memories for a lifetime!
     The Freakling Brothers celebrated their twentieth anniversary in the Las Vegas haunted house horror business this year!  The Mollner family are the founders of the Freakling Brothers.  The Mollner Family started their haunted house business in their own home by public demand.  Their Halloween home displays drew crowds of spectators that waited in line, just to be scared to death!  The Mollner family soon went into the Halloween haunted house business and they became a Las Vegas success story.
     The Freakling Brothers Trilogy Of Terror haunted houses that I visited are located at a site in the north end of Las Vegas.  The Trilogy Of Terror is located in the parking lot of the AMC Theatre Rainbow Promenade 10 at 2321 North Rainbow Boulevard near the intersection of Smoke Ranch.
     The three haunted houses of the Trilogy Of Terror are The Gates Of Hell, Circus Of Horrors and Castle Vampyre!  These are not the typical predictable haunted houses with a chainsaw ending.  The Freakling Brothers haunted houses cause freaked out scared patrons to run out the door while screaming for someone to save their lives!  Even the operators of other Las Vegas haunted houses have the deepest respect for the ingeniously mad terror that the Freakling Brothers provide for their humble guests!
     I highly recommend the Freakling Brothers Trilogy Of Terror for visitors of Las Vegas and local residents!  The Trilogy Of Terror is a Halloween horror that must be experienced!  Here is a link to the Freakling Brothers web site for more details:  http://www.freaklingbros.com/

     Tempering White Chocolate:
     An accurate digital candy thermometer or probe thermometer is necessary.  The exact temperatures are critical for white chocolate tempering!  Do not allow the melted chocolate to come in contact with any liquid or water!  Water is the enemy of tempering chocolate.
     It is easier to temper a large amount of chocolate than it is to temper a small amount of chocolate.  Any excess tempered chocolate can be melted and reused at a later date.  One pound of white chocolate is tempered in this recipe.
     I do use Fahrenheit temperature for all my recipes!  
     Set up a small pot and a small mixing bowl to be used as a double boiler.
     Fill the pot half way full with water.
     Bring the water to a boil over high heat.
     Reduce the temperature to very low heat and allow the water temperature to stabilize at the lower temperature.
     Place 11 ounces of chopped high quality bar or block white chocolate in the small mixing bowl.
     Set the mixing bowl on top of the pot of hot water.
     Clip a candy thermometer in place.
     Stir the white chocolate as it melts with a small rubber spatula.  Stir gently and steadily!
     Bring the melted white chocolate to 110 degrees, then immediately remove the mixing bowl from the heat.
     Add 5 ounces of finely chopped white chocolate, while gently stirring.
     Stir till the chocolate reaches 84 degrees.
     Reheat the white chocolate for about 5 to 10 seconds in the double boiler, till it reaches exactly 87 degrees.  Do not allow the temperature to exceed 89 degrees!
     The white chocolate is now tempered and ready for use
     The white chocolate may have to be reheated to 87 degrees a few times during the bloodshot eyeball assembly.
 
     Bloody Eyeballs:
     This recipe makes 4 bloody eyeballs!
     Place 1 small spoonful of tempered white chocolate into a small stainless steel ramekin.
     Add 2 drops of black food color, while stirring.
     Allow the chocolate to cool, till it becomes a putty consistency.
     Roll 4 tiny split pea size balls of black colored white chocolate.
     Press each ball in place where the pupils are in the bloody eyeball candy molds.
     Place the sheet of candy mold in a freezer for a few minutes, so the chocolate becomes solid.
     Mix 1 tablespoon of tempered white chocolate with 2 drops of blue food color in a stainless steel small ramekin.
     Remove the candy mold from the freezer.
     Spread the blue tinted white chocolate over the black pupil chocolate, so the blue chocolate fills the iris section of the candy mold.
     Use tissue paper to wipe off any excess if necessary.
     Place the candy mold in the freezer, till the chocolate becomes solid.
     Remove the candy mold from the freezer.
     Spread a thin layer of tempered white chocolate in each bloody eyeball mold.
     Freeze the candy mold till the chocolate becomes solid.
     Make the dark chocolate truffle filling in the mean time!

     Dark Chocolate Truffle Recipe:
     This recipe makes a few extra truffles!  Just roll the extra truffle portions into ball shapes and dredge them in cocoa powder to create classic chocolate truffles.
     The chocolate ganache for truffles is rich and thick.  The ganache should be cooled to less than 78 degrees, before it is rolled or shaped.
     You will have to judge how much chocolate truffle filling will be needed for each white chocolate eyeball shell.  If you want to completely seal the dark chocolate truffle with white chocolate like I did, then only fill the shell, so a 1/8" empty space is left at the top.  Then tempered white chocolate can be spread over the dark truffle filling to seal the shell.
     As an easy alternative, the dark truffle filling can completely fill the white chocolate shell and no white chocolate seal will be needed.
     Place 1/2 cup of cream in a sauce pot.
     Place the sauce pot over medium heat.
     Allow the cream to scald.
     Remove the pot from the heat.
     Add 1 ounce of brandy.
     Add 10 ounces of finely chopped couverture bittersweet chocolate.
     Allow the mixture to stand undisturbed for 30 seconds.
     Stir to melt the chocolate and create the ganache.
     Cool the mixture to 90 degrees, then add 1 1/2 ounces of soft unsalted butter, while stirring.
     Stir till the truffle ganache is thoroughly mixed.
     Allow the mixture to cool to 78 degrees, so it becomes thick enough to be shaped.
   
     Dark Chocolate Truffle Filling:
     Place the chilled candy mold with the white chocolate bloody eyeball shells on a countertop.
     Simply press a small amount of the truffle ganache into each chilled white chocolate eyeball shell.  
     Leave space at the top, if you want to seal the truffle filling in the shell with white chocolate.  Fill the shells all the way up, if you prefer unsealed white chocolate bloody eyeballs.
     Return the candy mold to the refrigerator and chill till the truffle filling becomes solid.
     Note:  Any excess truffle ganache can be rolled into small ball shapes, then refrigerated till they become solid.
     The truffles can then be dredged and dusted with cocoa powder.
     
     Sealing the Bloody Eyeballs:
     If you chose to seal the truffle filling, then follow this step!
     Spread tempered white chocolate over the truffle filling to seal the bloody eyeballs.
     Freeze the candy mold till the chocolate becomes solid.
   
     Bloody Vein Detail Steps:
     Scrape off or cut off any excess chocolate flash that may surround each eyeball in the candy mold.
     Invert the candy mold onto a plate and pop the chocolate candies out of each mold.
     Trim any flash off of the eyeballs.
     Freeze the eyeballs, till they become cold.
     Mix 2 drops of red food color with 1 tablespoon of tempered white chocolate in a stainless steel small ramekin.
     Place the plate of chilled bloody eyeballs on a countertop.
     Dip the tip of a chopstick in the red chocolate.
     Drag the red chocolate dipped chop stick tip over the raised veins on each eyeball, to paint the veins.
     Use a knife to scrape off any goof ups!
     Freeze the bloody eyeballs one last time to set the chocolate.
     Present the bloody eyeballs however you wish too!  I will be using a few Bloody Eyeball Chocolate Truffles to decorate Halloween cupcakes this week.

     Happy Halloween!  Mwahahaha!  ...  Shawna

Harrah's Wizard of Oz Slots

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My wife and daughter just returned from Harrah%26#39;s where they played the two Wizard of Oz machines by the cashier. They said the darn things would not stop paying off. They made over $250.00 apiece. They told me to be sure to post this......even though I detest slot machines. ha, ha

Harrah's Wizard of Oz Slots

I was going to post this......funny.....went to edgewater today......slow there.....bank of 3 wiz of oz next to sports book....have always wanted to play but was too crowded too try.....put 20 in lost 10 fast...lady next to me only one playing besides me...she dumps 50.00 playing max spins real fast.I took the 10 and tried her machine. sixty cents a pull....all of a sudden a fairy godmother comes down in a ball and i get a free spin right after i had just spun....something about an extra bonus spin....all the spaces were wild except for 1 and i got back 257.00. I almost passed out.///// went to quick hit and won 57.00 and then won 50.00 on hot shot......what a day!

Harrah's Wizard of Oz Slots

To celebrate went to albertos and had a really good mexican meal.


have to try the oz machines when we get back to AZ this winter. Congradulations on your good luck!! I would have almost passed out too. Where is Albertos? My husband and I liked Casa Seranos in Mohave. Our opionion is that even though it was a bit of a drive it was our favorite compared to Bullhead and Havesue%26#39;s Seranos. Didn%26#39;t try the one at Riverside though. You would think that beings they are a chain the food would be the same. But our experience wasn%26#39;t that way. Mohave%26#39;s had better presentation and portions. Overall taste was better ,to us anyway. And the wait staff is friendlier. We love their Fajita Salad (Chicken or Steak) and the cost was reasonable for lunch (around 5.75). Oft times my husband and I would share it beings it is so big. They also keep the warm chips flowing and serve them with two kinds of salsas and a hot chorizo bean and cheese dip for free with meal...great deal!!


We just got back now from casa at riverside....my daughter graduates tonight from laughlin high and this is where she likes to eat.....same everything as the other ones. They like the loaded mexican pot skins. I ate the combo of soft taco, cheese enchillada and chile releno....it was good but albertos is better. This costs 9.50 here and 10.25 at albertos. Albertos is in the laughlin shopping town center on needles highway . Take james woodbury to end and turn left and you are on needles highway.....pass the park, library, post office and you will see the shopping center. This is big town ....we have aldelpes supermarket, 2 mexican restraurants which are albertos and casa torta(something like that lol...foods pretty good also)and a lousy pizza place called mommas. I eat the lunch buffet there cause its only 5.00. Not too bad for that price but not worth ordering otherwise.


i don%26#39;t know why i can%26#39;t get the time adjusted right on here. Its only 355 as i write this.


Polkadad, Congradulations to your daughter on her graduation day.!! Will try the riverside Casa Seranos. Also, thank you for the heads up and directions to Albertos. Will try that as well. We spent 4 months this last winter and with your help (and Grif and Calsuede) we had an easy time deciding where to eat and gamble in town. We look forward to coming back this next winter and discover more of Laughlin and the surrounding area.


Ok well, I got back from Laughlin yesterday and had a great time.I did hit every casino there except for the Tropicana, which was only because it was on the other side of the street and I didn%26#39;t know it was there until we left in the bus yesterday. I told the bus that I guess I would hav eto go back because I missed one. LOL I did try the Wizard of Oz at one of the casino%26#39;s but I lost on it. I did see it at other casino%26#39;s, but never was able to get on it. Oh well trust me, I lost a whole lot of money without playing the Wizard of Oz ! :(


Did you take a bus from vegas here for like 5 hours?


sorry .....your other post said you stayed at harrahs....

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  • May's Cafe (May's Chinese Restaurant)- Arcadia, CA

    To contact us Click HERE
    May's Cafe- Arcadia, CA: Exterior
    (Now that I've eaten a generous serving of AP Tots (the reason for my month's absence), I'm back to writing on a weekly basis!)

    For years, I have wondered what was this "May's Chinese Restaurant" entry on my GPS; how could there be a restaurant in Arcadia that I did not still know about? It was only recently that I found out it was May's Cafe, an establishment that has been in Arcadia for years. With some special circumstances that began this year, May's Cafe suddenly became a restaurant with a prime location-- one ideal for me to try out their Taiwanese selections from a walking distance.

    May's Cafe- Arcadia, CA: Counter
    Inside, the restaurant is tiny-- there are less than 20 tables, and mirrors are used in an effort to enlarge the space. Still, the less than perfect surroundings, coupled with some KOST 103.5 radio and view of the street, add for a unusually relaxing way to end an otherwise busy week. The constant use of Mandarin may present a barrier for some, but eventually orders get through, and food is served.




    May's Cafe- Arcadia, CA: Chinese Sausage Fried rice
    On my first visit, not knowing what to really order and not really knowing how to say the Mandarin names of some items, I kept to observing the food served to other patrons and what I knew in words, and ordered the Chinese Sausage Fried Rice (6.00 USD). In comparison to some of the ginormous plates of food presented to some of the patrons, this serving of fried rice was comparatively tiny. The fat granules of rice, fragrant sausage, crisp lettuce, and wispy strands of egg were enjoyable, if a bit greasy and salty.  MSG was also added, and so I noted that for future visits I would ask them to exclude that ingredient.

    May's Cafe- Arcadia, CA: Fried Pork Chop on Rice
    Now armed with the experience of eating at May's Cafe for once, I went into May's Cafe the second time ordering what most people ordered while at the cafe: Fried Pork Chop on Rice (6.00 USD). For the same price as the Fried rice, I got a large, balanced meal of protein, carbohydrates, and veggies. Along with the centerpiece of fried pork chop, there was a bed of steamed white rice, doused with a scoop of soy, and to the side was a generous serving of broccoli with bonito accents, scrambled egg, stewed tofu, and preserved turnip. The pork chop was crisp, light, and most importantly tender; and in such generous servings, I left this time quite full.

    May's Cafe- Arcadia, CA: Beef Stew Noodles Soup
    On my third visit, I tried out another of May's Cafe's greatest hits: Beef Stew Noodles Soup (6.00 USD). In comparison to my usual favorite, this version offered a bold, intense broth, high quality pieces of stewed beef, and some additions--napa cabbage and homemade preserved vegetables. I didn't care so much that the broth was quite greasy on top, and that the noodles did not offer much other than a toothsome chew, but with subsequent visits the broth has been less greasy-- the manager probably noticed how I was skimming the broth's surface several times before I started enjoying the bowl of soup. My companions feel this bowl of noodle soup is just as good, if not as better, than our favorite; then again, both are quite different in terms of the broth, and your opinion will differ depending on whether you like bolder flavor items (in which May's Cafe certainly wins) or lighter flavored items (House of Mandarin Noodle is the clear winner hear).

    May's Cafe- Arcadia, CA: Beef Stew on Rice
    Having tried the Beef Stew Noodles Soup, I was now determined to try out the Beef Stew on Rice (6.00 USD). What came to the plate was essentially the same dish, other than noodles were subbed with a bed of steamed rice, and the broth became a cornstarch thickened sauce with some additional seasoning. Although I certainly enjoyed the meaty pieces of stewed beef, I felt that there was too little rice to suit with the generous serving of sauce, and the plastic spoon was sharp enough to make a slight cut on the mouth. So, a suggestion: if you don't care for eating on plastic soup spoons, bring your own utensils!

    May's Cafe- Arcadia, CA: Fried Chicken Leg on Rice
    Another visit, I tried the Fried Chicken Leg on Rice (6.00 USD). The restaurant was certainly busier, having school been released at the same time I went to the cafe, and my plate seemed to have the inconsistency of lacking the spoonful of preserved vegetables. The chicken leg, like the pork chop, was light, juicy, crispy, and simply seasoned-- no special final dusting of five spice or chili powder to be found here. The cabbage was decent, but I definitely preferred the broccoli more.

    May's Cafe- Arcadia, CA: Simmered Pork Noodles Soup
    Having tried the "Da Lu Mian" at Mandarin Noodle Deli, I decided to try out May's Cafe version. Like the other items I've described so far, this item, the Simmered Pork Noodles Soup is also 6.00 USD. I enjoyed the wide variety of ingredients found in the noodle soup-- bamboo shoots, wood ear fungus, carrots, celery, and napa cabbage-- and unlike some of the other items I've had at May's Cafe, this item came out almost immediately after I ordered it. Seasoned with sesame oil, the broth was slightly out of the ordinary, but still pleasant.

    May's Cafe- Arcadia, CA: Intestines & Oysters with Tiny Noodles Soup
    Wanting to try some more traditional Taiwanese items, I ordered the Intestines & Oysters with Tiny Noodles Soup. This one was a pungent dish-- mixed inside the bold broth was minced garlic, and placed atop was a dash of black vinegar. The noodles, slightly clumped, needed a slight mix before enjoying; on the other hand, the intestines were tasty, with little foul flavor, and the small pieces of oyster were savored. In this occasion, I felt again that there could be more strands of noodles, as there was plenty of broth to go around.

    May's Cafe- Arcadia, CA: Beef Stew Noodles Soup
    On a rainy day, the Beef Stew Noodles Soup sounded like a good idea, and so I certainly enjoyed this bowl. And look! Little grease on the surface of the soup! Unfortunately, the stuff that I brought to the restaurant got wet in the rain after a ten minute walk-- always keep your items in a waterproof housing!

    May's Cafe- Arcadia, CA: Curry Beef on Rice
    On a better day, a companion and I visited May's Cafe yet again. My companion ordered the Curry Beef on Rice (6.00 USD) but did not care much for it, as there was very little curry powder actually added to the sauce. Instead, it tasted more like a brown sauce instead of a curry sauce. We did, however, like that a wide variety of vegetables was added to the curry.

    May's Cafe- Arcadia, CA: Combination on Rice
    I tried out the Combination on Rice (squid, chicken, beef and vegetables- 6.00USD). In addition to what the menu describes, there were some pieces of fishball, fishcake, and octopus (that tasted weird) to the mix. Other than one awkward ingredient in the combination, the rest of the dish was tasty.

    May's Cafe- Arcadia, CA: Eggs and Oyster's Patti
    May's Cafe- Arcadia, CA: Eggs & Oyster's Patti Interior
    We also ordered the Eggs & Oyster's Patti (5.50 USD), essentially a Taiwanese oyster omelet.This version was quite special in that the starch, oysters, and vegetables were fully encapsulated in a thin layer of egg, while the oysters were still barely cooked and the veggies crisp. It was an intriguing version of the oyster omelet, and had the accompanying sauce been warmed up (it was somewhat cold) I would have liked it even better.

    May's Cafe- Arcadia, CA: Pork Chop Noodles SoupMay's Cafe- Arcadia, CA: Pork Chop for Pork Chop Noodles soup
    On another visit (there's been too many!), my companion ordered the Beef Stew Noodles Soup, and so I ordered the Pork Chop Noodles Soup, hoping that I would get a lighter soup overall. I was correct-- I got a bowl of noodles and light broth, with the crispy pork chop put aside on a separate dish. Any blandness to this dish was counteracted with accompanying bites of the pork chop, and some scoops of broth from the Beef Stew Noodles Soup-- a little of that broth went a long way in increasing the flavor of this dish!

    May's Cafe- Arcadia, CA: Fried Spong Gourd
    And as a vegetable side, we ordered the Fried Sponge Gourd (7.50 USD); you would probably recognize this better if it was called "chinese okra." Although the gourd was not actually in season when we tried the dish, the gourd was still sweet and pleasantly prepared.

    May's Cafe- Arcadia, CA: Fried Chewy Rice Cake
    And on my most recent visit, I had the Fried Chewy Rice Cake (6.00 USD), having saw someone else order it and get a generous portion. My portion was not as generous, but I liked how the plate had plenty of vegetables and meat to go along with the rice cake.

    Overall, an enjoyable, small restaurant in the Arcadia area. If you're looking for a non-chain restaurant that offers Taiwanese food, May's Cafe is a reliable, small restaurant with very reasonable prices.


    May's Cafe (facebook link)
    31 E. Duarte Road
    Arcadia, CA 91006
    Tel: (626) 574-8348

    May's Chinese Restaurant on Urbanspoon

    Starbucks' Refreshers Beverages: Cool Lime and Very Berry Hibiscus

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    Starbucks Refreshers: Cool Lime and Very Berry Hibiscus (Tall Size)
    On July 13, from 12-3 PM, Starbucks gave away Tall sizes of its recently launched beverage, Starbucks Refreshers. The new product comes in Cool Lime and Very Berry Hibiscus flavors, and regularly costs 2.95 USD for a Tall Size.

    Starbucks describes the Cool Lime flavor as "a lively blend of lime, citrus and hints of mint and cucumber, shaken with real lime slices," and the Very Berry Hibiscus flavor as "a thirst quenching combination of tangy blackberry and hints of hibiscus." Notably, these drinks feature Starbucks' green coffee extract, which is taken from green (not roasted) arabica coffee beans and offers the "natural energy" of coffee but without the coffee flavor. 
    Starbucks Refreshers: Cool Lime and Very Berry Hibiscus (Tall Size)
    Unlike some free offers, each of these Refreshers were made by order. There was no special advertising at the store to signal a "free" Refresher; you just asked for it and the cost was deducted. Some customers shouted aloud to their co-workers about the deal as well.

    I tried the Very Berry Hibiscus flavor (the Cool Lime Refresher in the pictures was a friend's) and  it had berry fruit flavor as well as some depth from the hibiscus. In terms of sweetness, the Refresher seemed as sweet as a flavored water, with a sweetness that reminded me more of artificial sweetener (I can not confirm what sweetener, if any, is used in the drink). The blackberries, on the other hand, were somewhat squashed due to the shaking action in creating the drink, and so did not look or taste like the fresh blackberries shown in Starbucks' product photo.

    Both flavors combine tried-and-true combinations. If you need a light refreshment after a heavy meal or from work, these are a flavored option to consider. As for me? I'll stick with chia seeds and water.(no, I did not time that post to coincide with this one!)

    Starbucks Coffee (@ The Shops at The Alhambra)
    1131 S Fremont Ave
    Alhambra,CA91803
    (626) 457-5234
    Starbucks on Urbanspoon

    Trader Joe's Lemon Heart Cookies

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    Trader Joe's Lemon Heart Cookies: Front Packaging
    Another visit around Trader Joe's led to another cookie discovery: Lemon Heart Cookies.
    Trader Joe's Lemon Heart Cookies: Nutritional Infromation, Ingredients, and Description
    The packing is interesting--clean and fancy--but the ingredients were also interesting. Almond meal? The enriched wheat flour could be swapped for a better ingredient, but considering the nature and pricing of the product, it's decent.
    Trader Joe's Lemon Heart Cookies: Close-Up
    Trader Joe's Lemon Heart Cookies were pleasant, and the description ("Delicately textured cookies with a hint of almond flavor and lemon icing") fit completely. The cookies could have been slightly moister (these were pretty dry), but were pleasantly sweet and lemony. By that, I mean that the cookies were not artificially lemony, but rather had a natural lemon flavor. The almond meal added additional texture, which I liked. I'd buy these again!

    13 Ekim 2012 Cumartesi

    Trader Joe's Lemon Heart Cookies

    To contact us Click HERE
    Trader Joe's Lemon Heart Cookies: Front Packaging
    Another visit around Trader Joe's led to another cookie discovery: Lemon Heart Cookies.
    Trader Joe's Lemon Heart Cookies: Nutritional Infromation, Ingredients, and Description
    The packing is interesting--clean and fancy--but the ingredients were also interesting. Almond meal? The enriched wheat flour could be swapped for a better ingredient, but considering the nature and pricing of the product, it's decent.
    Trader Joe's Lemon Heart Cookies: Close-Up
    Trader Joe's Lemon Heart Cookies were pleasant, and the description ("Delicately textured cookies with a hint of almond flavor and lemon icing") fit completely. The cookies could have been slightly moister (these were pretty dry), but were pleasantly sweet and lemony. By that, I mean that the cookies were not artificially lemony, but rather had a natural lemon flavor. The almond meal added additional texture, which I liked. I'd buy these again!

    Pookie's Thai

    To contact us Click HERE
               A small place amidst offices, by a pond with ducks swimming in the sun, kitchen busy to keep up with its loyal customers, and Mrs.Pookie flashing a smile at all her guests taking orders and serving the most delicious thai food in Westlake Village. That’s the Pookie’s Thai. The place was started 7 years ago and today its our favorite here in LA. The first thing you notice here is the way its hidden amongst offices at The Water Court. Next, the welcoming nature of the place makes you return every week!
    Pond at Water court in front of the restaurant
                    Our favorite appetizer is ‘Kra Thong Thong’. Wonton cups filled with chicken, peas and carrots served with a hot n sweet sauce. It’s a great way to start your journey into the enticing flavors of Thailand.
    Kra Thong Thong
    Another popular appetizer is the Wow! Westlake Roll. It looks like salad wrapped in rolls. Tofu, cucumber, basil, cilantro, carrots wrapped in rice sheets and served with a special sauce. It’s a lovely combination that is so refreshing to the palate. The flavor of the basil simply pops out amongst the veggies dipped in the sauce.
    WOW! Westlake Rolls

                    To accompany your meal try thai iced tea. A pink drink with a hint of tea.
    Thai Iced Tea

                    On weekdays you can have lunch specials with duck, beef, chicken, everything. But otherwise, here are a few that we relish. Spicy monsoon noodles are my choice for a nice hot and sweet delight. Made of flat noodles, basil, bell peppers, mushroom and beef, chicken or pork it was a splash of flavor for us in this monsoon weather.
    Spicy Monsoon Noodles
                Hi, Yo! Silver is a milder choice made of fried silver noodles, shrimp, chicken, sprouts, tomato and egg.
    Hi, Yo! Silver
                    Now for the fun part. You must be knowing about the famous red and green curries of thai cuisine. Well here, its definitely the best. They are served with white or brown rice, and you cannot stop eating it. We got a special treat when we ordered the green curry last time. Its called jade curry here, and as you might know the curry is made of coconut milk. But what if it is served to you in a coconut itself with fresh coconut floating in the gravy!! Yumm.. I have had nothing so exotic and yummy!
    Ruby Curry(red curry)

    Jade Curry(green curry)
                    Now coming to the rice, my choice is Prapan’s rice. The rice is full of spice, meat, bell peppers, onions and loads of flavor. Try it with one of the curries, it is heavenly!!
    Prapan's Rice
                    So the next time you go to this place, don’t be scared of trying anything, I guarantee everything is going to be superb!! Enjoy yourself!!
    Ducks in the pond

    Useful Links:http://www.pookiethai.com/home.html