Sweet Leaf Tea

I received an email a while back from my new friend Monica, at Sweet Leaf Teas about sending me some samples for their Citrus and Lemon Iced Teas. While I am not a huge iced tea fan, I did live a majority of my life in the South and understand what constitutes a good iced tea :) Upon receiving her email I immediately went to their website to do a little background research on the brand...

Wow! Being in the digital industry, websites are a huge deal for me and I was really impressed with theirs. Playful, yet clear navigation, led me throughout all the sections of the site and I learned all about their tea flavors and history. Yes, I'm a complete dork. I'll summarize the history very quickly: in 1998 Clayton decided that he wanted to make a tea like his Granny's (hence the bottle design) and by 2002 they had sold 10,000 at Austin City Limits (ironically this year at Lollapalooza was my first taste of Sweet Leaf). 

Anywayssss, my teas arrived and I was excited to dive in. I let the 100% organic citrus tea cool off in the fridge and then took my first sip. What I immediately notice was how incredibly refreshing it was AND there was zero aftertaste. A while back I tried the Lipton citrus teas and all I could think about was that horrific aftertaste like something died in the bottle. Ugh. Anyways, my point is this citrus tea had none of that. It was crisp, cool and refreshing! The Lemon tea was equally as refreshing, however if I had my pick I would definitely choose the citrus. 

If you see Sweet Leaf definitely give it a try, they have a ton of different flavors, less calories and more flavor  than soda. Best part is that they only use natural ingredients (none of this aspartame junk). If your aren't sure your store has Sweet Leaf use this handy dandy drink finder.  

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Gapers Block

Well dear followers as you may have noticed I have dropped off blogging for a bit. Recently, I have started blogging for a Chicago food blog - Drive Thru. Drive Thru is the dedicated food section of the larger Gapers Block site, a  phenomenal resource for all of Chicagoland.  I am completely thrilled and honored to be apart of their team! It's a lot of work trying to balance both (which I am learning as I go), but I am so lucky to have this opportunity. So bare with me as I embark on this journey and check out Drive Thru! There's great stories, pictures, recipes everything you would want to know about Chicago and food :)

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The Southern

To start last week off right, my cousin, co-worker and I headed over to Wicker Park to check out the unveiling of The Southern's new fall cocktails and free appetizers.

Being that it was a lovely fall night, I knew that several drinks were in order. Upon first glance at the menu I became very nervous. Here's a fun fact: I don't drink whiskey/bourbon. Haven't since 2005 and for good reason. The dark demon makes me mean and, oh, very drunk. Needless to say I try to avoid at all costs. However, there was something about this night that made me want to throw caution to the wind and say hi to my nemesis.

I figured if I am going to do this, I might as well start off with the most intimidating of all the whiskey drinks: The Souther Apple Pie. Sure the name is cute, but it's an oxymoron. This house infused apple pie bourbon is served neat in a snifter glass. Generally when a cocktail is presented, I drink it rather quickly. This would not be wise with the Southern Apple Pie. Definitely meant to be sipped on and enjoyed leisurely, the SAP was sweet and very fragrant. I am shocked to say this, but I really liked it! Despite the fact that I ordered it first, this is definitely an after-dinner drink. One that I will be  having again...

Beef Skewers

While I was sipping on my bourbon, the manager Evan, was passing by with a tray of appetizers. The first pass consisted of a beef skewer with a djion aioli. The meat was cooked perfectly and you can't go wrong with a slightly spicy mustard and combining it will a fatty mayo. You just can't. We only got one skewer and this was lucky as I definitely could have eaten them all.

Sassy Sasparilla

Next, we ordered the Sasparilla. Described as a "spicy root beer" this drink did not disappoint in the sass department. While I personally wouldn't describe the galliano, kahlua, cola, soda water, lime and rhubarb bitter drink as "spicy," it definitely had a lot of kick and flavor, begging me to question: where's the alcohol? Drinks like this are deliciously dangerous. Kind of like a classier long island ice tea, but much, much better.

And like clockwork, the second round of appetizers passed us by at the same time. Chef Cary Taylor apparently has some strong feelings about chicken wings and doesn't like their lack of meat. So he took the idea of a chicken wing and apply it to a drumstick. A drumstrick-wing if I may. I grabbed the largest drumstick they had and went to town. While I can appreciate dark meat, I am more of a white meat gal and found the drumstick slightly overwhelming. After one I swear I was kind of full (which is shocking). The flavor was great, but for someone like me who likes to nibble on a lot of different things it was just a tad too much. With all that being said: this is the perfect appetizers for the gents. Fact: guys love wings. Fact: guys will love these "wings."

Texas Mocha

By now we've been drinking and eating for a little over two hours and it's time to move on to another cocktail. To round out the evening we went with the Mississippi Milk and the Texas Mocha, both slightly more decadent drinks. The Mississippi Milk is a combination of house infused pecan vodka and oh-so-delicious cream. The pecan flavor came through along with the unmistakable slight burn of vodka. Again, this is a drink meant to be sipped. The cream was a lovely balance to the sharp vodka taste and the pecan flavor reminded me of my Texas days (the Pecan is the state tree!). Additionally, we also tried the Texas Mocha, a concoction of coffee, tequila, kahila mocha, grand marnier, and whipped cream. Tequila is another one of those liquors that has done me wrong in the past that I am not sure I can get over, but the combination of tequila with the  coffee and whipped cream was just delightful. I would happily end or start my day with this drink :)

Being southern and going to The Southern was a wonderful experience. The staff is incredibly patient and helpful. What I appreciated the most was the time and energy put into each drink and entrée. There is so much thought behind each drink and dish that you can taste the love put into it.

If you are over in Wicker Park definitely take the time to stop by and grab a drink and little bit to eat. Southern or not, everyone can appreciate good food.

The Southern
1840 West North Ave
Chicago, IL 60622

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Tallulah's

It's 9 o'clock on a Saturday and I am with my Dad, uncle, and two couples of family friends nestled in a quaint wine shop sipping on Spanish wine while we wait for our table to open up next door at a bustling bistro. My family knows me, and they know me well. If there is one thing I like to do when I go to visit them it's eat and drink. While I have nothing against the friendly chain restaurant (and really, I don't), I do enjoy trying out new places and seeing where the locals dine. Having lived in New York and now Chicago, oh, and writing a food blog, a lot people think I'm a food snob. I'm not going to deny it - I am just a little bit. However, I am never rude about trying new places, especially when someone else is picking up the tab (thanks Dad!). So when my uncle suggested Tallulah's Wine Bar and Bistro in Birmingham, Michigan, I won't lie I was a little apprehensive. 

Ah, yes, sipping on wine. After waiting 30 minutes in Tallulah too, the wine store next door, we were seated at a long table tucked behind the door, with a perfect view of the whole restaurant. The whole restaurant being the other 20 tables there. This was not a large place. Exclusivity. I love it. 

Starving we ordered the fresh cheese plate, caesar salad and several other items immediately. While we wait, I had a chance to really dissect the menu. I was so please when I read that Tallulah supports its local Michigan farmers in every opportunity it can. From the vegetables to the meats, cheese etc. The rating just keeps on rising in my book. 

The cheese plate arrives and it's madness. Bread is flying, cheese is spread. The cheese was so creamy and light it kept reminding me of a alloute cheese. I kept tearing and spread. Tear, spread. I then moved on was able to taste a little of the caesar salad. The fresh parmesan and white anchovies were a knock out. So salty and delicious. 


For our entrees, my dad and I ended up splitting the whole trout with crispy pancetta, watercress, fennel and grapefruit. What I love most about ordering fresh trout is being able to enjoy the whole fish, especially the cheeks. Cheeks are one of those things that you constantly hear people talk about as being one of the best parts of the fish and now I understand why. They're so fatty and succulent. Trout as a whole is a rather light fish, but the cheeks have the consistently of something like salmon. Being several glasses of wine deep - this is what I remember. 


After two hours of dining, the restaurant clears and we all sit back and sigh, looking at the devastation we've left on the table. Every plate was clean and everyone was happy. 


Thanks to my Dad and Uncle Steve for a great night! If you are in the Birmingham, Michigan area Tallulah is definitely a place worth stopping by!


Tallulah's 
155 South Bates Street
Birmingham, MI 48009   

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Naked Nuggets

Not too long ago I was approached by someone who represents Naked Nuggets, an all white meat grilled chicken nugget. Completely intrigued by the name and the idea, I wanted to find out more about their product. Naked Nuggets is the brainchild of New York Chefs, Eric and Bruce Bromberg of Blue Ribbon (a restaurant that changed my perception on food after tasting a sweet bread for the first time). As a father to three children, Eric realized that the "nuggets" of yore just weren't cutting in terms of nutrition and, um, they're disgusting...what part of a chicken does a nugget come from? Oh right, there is no "nugget" meat, its everything left over on a chicken, breaded, then fried. If you really want to be grossed out - check out this clip from Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution where he makes chicken nuggets and the kids STILL EAT IT. Totally gross.

Anyways, after reviewing their website and reading more about their story I was sold. However, there still was the whole matter of how it tastes...I asked my friend Gabrielle to send me some samples so I could make an educated comment on this product. I have to admit - I was excited. These are really the kind of brands that I like to get behind. Honest people trying to make a change to better their children's lives.

A few days later my nuggets arrive. I opened the packet and examined the first nugget. I was impressed to see the real grill marks on the nugget. I mean it looks like it actually hit a grill. On the back, the directions say you can either heat in the microwave or sautee in a pan. I decided to do both.

I microwaved a couple of nuggets for about a minute or so. I pulled them out of the microwave and dove right in. I can still remember taking that first bite and thinking this is really moist, I'm shocked! Seasoned with white pepper, garlic powder, basil, marjoram salt and pepper the nuggets could stand on their own. They don't need to added sugar from ketchup or bbq sauce. I, however, am hot sauce freak and tossed them with that and it was out of this world. The skillet nuggets were great as well. Took a little longer, and didn't really impact the flavor. Whenever I am in a rush I just microwave them.

With only 110 calories and 2 grams of fat for SEVEN nuggets, you can get a meal full of 20 grams of protein. And the best part: this really isn't just for kids. I live alone, I have no children, and I find myself tossing the Naked Nuggets in with stir frys and pasta for a little added protein. It's quick, it's easy and I swear - they really are good!

My friends at Naked Nuggets want to extend an offer to all of you dear Foodies, for a bag of Naked Nuggets. The person who best comments on how you would incorporate into your food routine will win!

I know this sounds like they put me up to writing this, but I swear everything written here is a reflection of my own opinion. I truly admire these chefs for not waiting for someone else to figure out a way for children to eat healthy (and ok, me too).

Check out their Twitter and Facebook pages or go to their website for more information

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