Kate Weiser Chocolate

As is a commonly known fact, I love chocolate. Some may say I have an addiction while others may empathize and find my taste for cocoa completely normal. Regardless, from time to time I like to treat myself and splurge on gorgeous bonbons from various chocolatiers that I discover. Recently I started following Kate Weiser Chocolate on Instagram (kateweiserchocolate) and decided I needed to try some her beautifully splattered creations!

Unfortunately shipping from Dallas to New Orleans this time of year has already proved fatal for delicate chocolate as you can see in the picture, some melting occurred. However, their taste was not effected by their exposure to the sun. 

On her website you can create your own collection--so cool! I made myself a 15 piece box that featured the following flavor profiles:

Toasted Coconut >< Hazelnut Latte >< Sweet Potato >< Strawberry Basil >< Buttery Popcorn >< Passion Fruit >< Orange Butterscotch >< Caramelized Pineapple >< Yuzu >< Lavender Apricot >< Truffle Honey >< Key Lime Pie >< Peanut Brittle >< Fresh Mint >< Ninja Turtle (caramel & pecans)

Everything was so good! I especially enjoyed the Orange Butterscotch and the Key Lime Pie. I will definitely be purchasing another box once the weather cools back down. If anyone makes it to Dallas they have a store front. I would love to visit and see more of their chocolate creations! 

EPIC Fail

I believe that I get my adventurous food-buying tastes from my Paw-paw who has always been a sucker for a strategically placed store display or the latest flavor release of snack foods. In his younger years he was always bringing home some new cookie or chip, and once even mistook dog treats for pop-able human food. Oops! 

While at Whole Foods a few months back I saw these "Epic" bars down the protein/power bar isle and thought they sounded interesting. The packaging was nice and modern, that the Austin based company got right. In a sea of peanut butter and soy based products, this carnivorous option stood out as unique. I snatched up a Turkey with Almond and Cranberries, Bison with Bacon and Cranberries, and Lamb with Mint and Currants. They have been lingering around in the pantry for some time, so I figured I would take them in to work with me and share my new found health snack. 

I sliced the bars up into sample size slivers to pass around. I'm pretty sure that with each bite everyone thought I was trying to poison and/or kill them with these cruel concoctions of nastiness. They were not tough like a jerky but had more of a meatloaf consistency. The lamb received the worst feedback with many people opting to spit it out lest their tongue being subjected to the flavor a second longer. Perhaps this is something that one needs to acquire a taste for, but as for me, I am not willing to try again!

Goofs

On our first visit to District Donut since Zack departed, Sara and I were sitting at the bar indulging in sliders and watching the crew drain and filter their frying oil, when we looked up and saw a semi-familiar face. I say "semi" because Kenneth has gotten a hair cut since the last time we hung out. It was nice to catch up a bit :)

We be goofy...

Strawberry Cream Cheese Cookies

Unlike your typical pinner, I do actually attempt to make some of the recipes I add to my "Yum" board on Pinterest! My latest test was a batch of Strawberry Cream Cheese Cookies. They were not too shabby if I do say so myself, though I would tweak things slightly should I whip them up again. A touch of salt and full-fat cream cheese would help amp up the flavor. You could easily swap out the strawberries for other fruits as well, perhaps blueberries? 

Find the recipe here.

Avocados: Not Bad

For reasons I cannot justify I have always steered clear of avocados and various dishes containing them. While the majority of the world seems obsessed with smooth green fruit, I have opted to avoid them based on some mythical principal of disgust. A few weeks back while partaking in a game night at Brie's house I spied thin cuts of sweet potatoes topped with a pile of green mush and a slice of tomato. In a moment of spontaneity I popped one in my mouth and holy moly... they were delicious! I know I like sweet potatoes and tomatoes, but I was pleasantly surprised at how buttery the avocado tasted. I later asked Brie for the recipe and made my own version of the paleo-friendly appetizer (not that I care if it is "paleo" or not, but Brie follows those guidelines).

baked sweet potato "chips" tossed with paprika and cumin | avocado cross sections

simple mashed up avocado with lime juice and salt to be paired with the other slices for a delicious and nutritious dinner!

I think I am going to give guacamole a try next! 

Peaky Blinders: Watch It

Evan and I have a crush on the same person. I cannot speak for him, but my infatuation begins with his dreamy dark eyelashes fanning over the iciest blue eyes I have ever seen. Those perfectly chilling peepers sit nestled beside exquisitely chiseled cheekbones leading to a jaw so square it would make the most masculine man blush with envy. Full, symmetrical lips, an unpronounced nose and agelessly smooth skin complete the face of a human I cannot peel my eyes from.

Cillian Murphy could easily be called "pretty" but I would choose to use the term "mesmerizing" to describe the 38-year-old Irish actor’s look. As is my nature, I have done my research, read up on his life and career, searched the Internet over for his image and I have come to the conclusion that I am most physically attracted to his character, Thomas Shelby. While he, as a person, is extremely interesting and worthy of praise for his talents, if I had not been talked into watching Peaky Blinders on Netflix I would not be spending an embarrassing amount of time scouring YouTube and Google for snippets on Mr. Murphy nor would I be writing this post. Most people would recognize Cillian from his roles in Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy where he plays the villain, Scarecrow, Inception, Red Eye, or 28 Days Later. Though I would bet that Peaky Blinders will be a major turning point in his acting career should he choose to leverage its popularity.

Now for my spiel on why you too should immediately add Peaky Blinders to your queue:

• Cillian Murphy's face- duh: or more broadly, the styling of the entire cast and setting. The haircuts of the time may appear curious to 21st century viewers but they were all the rave in the early 1920s: tight on the sides, long on top. The men often look greasy haired as I am sure personal hygiene standards were different back then than they are now. Hats are given a lot of attention for both genders. From fedoras to derby hats to flat caps for the gentlemen: from berets to large brimmed hats to cloches for the ladies. All of the costumes are given such care to detail. Men looking dapper and sharp while the women appeared glamorous and elaborate in their dresses and heels. I suppose the period between the two world wars is not one that I have seen featured in film much, so flapper dresses and pinstripe suits create a feel of class and standards in apparel that today’s society often lacks.

A delicate, feminine hat | A man's hat and the haircut of the time

Suits, pocket watches, peaked caps, bow ties

• Fascinating accents: I do not have an ear for inflections. I have to concentrate very hard to distinguish why someone sounds different from someone else. As a result I cannot mimic others easily. The majority of the cast is dispensing an accent unlike their native twang and pulling it off rather well I am told. Subtitles have been a necessity for me but I am trying to train my ears to keep up!

• Bad ass women: strong leading women in a period piece seems rare but it was the women who held businesses and families together while their men were sent off to war. Aunt Polly knows how to handle the Shelby boys as well as any other slick rick that comes along. The only Shelby sister, Ada, can hold her own amongst her pack of gangster brothers. Grace comes off as frail and innocent with her soft-spoken voice and fondness for singing a cappella to calm rowdy pub goers, but she knows how to wield that revolver tucked inside her sequined purse.

Aunt Polly, the matriarch of the Shelby clan | Grace, classy and dangerous

• A love story: what gangster drama would be complete without the presence of an unassuming pretty lady to soften the roughest and toughest man? The twist in PB is that the girl is not as innocent as she would seem and knows exactly what she is weaving herself into even if she doesn't realize how fast her heart is falling. Isn’t that every woman’s fantasy: To be able to penetrate the hard exterior of a bad boy? To be his weakness and at the same time his strength? To reveal his heart despite the front he puts on for the rest of the world?

• The soundtrack: I personally find it exciting when shows/films use music from different time periods than they are portraying. Think A Knights Tale or Inglorious Basterds. You’re viewing a set filled with the antiquity of early twentieth century but hearing a song produced within the last decade. Peaky Blinders features tunes from The White Stripes, Johnny Cash, Nick Cave, and Tom Waits to name a few.

All I can say is watch it. 
WATCH. IT.