Beautiful "Paris Red" Fair Trade roses with the most seductive black, velvety tips. LOVE!

These beauties have been making my apartment smell heavenly (dare I say even a little Parisian???) and now I just can’t wait for Valentine’s Day! Of course, I’ll be traveling for work, and will most likely be dining with clients and colleagues, who are great – but still….I’m celebrating early (and late when I get back) to make up for my absence. To find what my fave pick is for Valentine’s Chocolate and win some awesome swag for post-Valentine’s Day chocolate withdrawals, click through and read the rest!

Just when you’ve started recovering from the holiday spending spree (that includes your wallet AND your belly – which if you’re like me, now actually does vaguely resemble a bowl full of jelly…sad face), Valentine’s Day is knocking. In the spirit of enjoying something decadent without (a) burning another hole in your pocket(book), (b) adding another unnecessary 5lbs, or (c) leaving half the dessert on your plate at the overpriced restaurant you had to make reservations for 9:45pm at because everyone and their mom is also there for Valentine’s Day – Whole Foods sent me some goodies to try and share! YAY!

My wonderful Valentine and I stopping off for a warm cup of joe on a cold, wintery night.

What’s more is each of the chocolatey treats will boost your karma (because they’re responsibly soured, grown and traded) and give you that warm fuzzy feeling you’re really looking for on this heart warming holiday.  After all the tantalizing descriptions and pictures, check out how you can enter to win a HUGE bag of these goodies for yourself (or re-gift to your sweetheart for Valentine’s Day, we won’t tell!)

Whole Foods Market™ Organic Tanzanian Schoolhouse Project Milk and Dark Chocolate Bars – These Whole Trade, single origin chocolate bars are made entirely from cocoa purchased directly from farmers in the Kyela, Mbeya district of Tanzania and are Fair Trade. Your Valentine will love these milk and dark chocolate treats even more because a portion of the proceeds from ever bar supports education programs for school children in the district.

365 Everyday Value™ Organic Dark Chocolate Bar with Almonds – This Whole Trade bar is sure to deliver rich cacao flavor and texture with just a hint of bitterness (the good kind). The intense flavor of cacao is balanced effortlessly with a wonderful organic vanilla extract from Madagascar and organic cane sugar from Brazil, both ethically sourced as well.

Medley of Whole Trade Drinking Chocolates from Allegro Coffee Company^® – Your sweetie can drink up with a clear conscious, because these Whole Trade products help to put more money into the pockets of producers and ensure sound environmental practices. ***The Dominican White Chocolate is my number 1 pick for this Valentine’s Day, because I’m obsessed with white chocolate. ENJOY!

 Whole Trade™ Roses –These beautiful blooms come in all shades to fit any relationship — from romantic red to friendly yellow. And, by purchasing Whole Trade roses, you’re helping to ensure more money to the producers, better wages for workers and sustainable farming practices in Colombia and Ecuador, where the roses are grown.

Theo Chocolate Bars in three classic flavors – Orange Dark Chocolate, Cherry and Almond Dark Chocolate and Chile Spice. Fair Trade, organic cocoa; local mint, cherries and almonds; recyclable (and beautiful!) packaging are just a few of the choices Theo’s has made to make the world better for producers, the planet and chocolate lovers everywhere.

Divine Chocolate Milk Chocolate Hearts and Bars – Divine’s cocoa beans are carefully fermented and dried by the farmers who co-own the company. When consumers purchase Divine Chocolate products for their loved ones, they’re supporting farmers in Ghana by ensuring that they receive a Fair Trade price for their cocoa beans.

WANT SOME?!?!?!?! DUH, of course you do! It’s melty, warm, chocolatey and there’s enough to share with all your Valentines!  Here’s how to enter for a big old bag of goodies:

1. Between 2.10.12 (that’s today!) and 2.17.12 check out any of the fantastic chocolatiers above by visiting their site, and find (at least) one product you wish you had unlimited supply of (if you can narrow it down).

2. Come back and leave me a comment below this post, telling me what you want, and leave a link!

3. Wait for me to draw the lucky choco-freak’s name who will be the lucky winner! (Drawing will take place on or around 2.20.12)

That’s it!!!! Good luck and Happy Valentine’s Day! -Siiri

Honey Lavender mini baked cake doughnuts with a cream cheese brown sugar glaze and dried lavender

Double Chocolate mini cake doughnuts, baked, with chocolate glaze and crushed pistachios

Ginger nutmeg mini cake doughnuts with orange glaze and coconut sprinkles

All the kids, ready for a field trip to the office to treat my coworkers!

I got the inside track on the following two face-stuffingly good items, and if you’re like me (cheap and unable to resist a chance to stuff your face) then you’ll want to be on point, so pay attention!

Both live tomorrow right here: http://www.giltcity.com/seattle, and you can indulge in The Chocolate Box and 106 Pine & Teacake Bake Shop

For the treat deets, click through to the rest of the post and more mouth watering pics!

First……..

The Chocolate Box and 106 Pine

58% Off Wine and Chocolate Pairing for Two with Urban Wine Tour for $90 (Original Price $216.5)

Includes for two:

•  Two flights of wine
•  Six pieces of chocolate to share and pair
•  Two glasses of wine after tasting
•  Two tickets to the “Urban Wine Tour”
•  Signature salted caramel bites
•  Bottle of wine to take home

And Second…….

Teacake Bake Shop

40% Off Fresh Mini Treats Deluxe Sampler for $24 (Original Price $40)

Includes:

• Eight strawberry jam thumbprints
• Eight Mexican wedding cookies
• Eight star sugar cookies
• Eight coconut macaroons
• Eight lemon coconut cookie sandwiches
• Six chocolate cookie sandwiches

Shipping is not included, not for pick up.

+++++++++++++++

Do you need an excuse? How about Labor Day?! How about back to school? How about you’re hungry? I could keep going, seriously…..

Did that get your attention? I hope so, because this weekend you can drive to Maltby, just 30-40 minutes North of Seattle and insert your face into a truckload of free ice cream, hot dogs and more with the Snoqualmie Ice Creamery.

Snoqualmie Ice Cream Announces First Annual Ice Cream-O-Rama
June 25th, 11:00am – 4:00pm
FREE ICE CREAM – LIVE MUSIC – ICE CREAMERY TOURS

Here’s the skinny (which I won’t be after I eat all the ice cream), they are NOT paying me to say this, in fact, I’m getting nothing whatsoever. I have loved this company for the past 5 years, after I first discovered their honey lavender (now French Lavender) in a little stand behind a cheese counter and next to a Chinese tchotke stand in the Pike Place market. It. CHANGED. MY. LIFE. True story.

Get this, they’re also adding a sustainable farm.  That’s right, they started with ice cream, and now they’ll have a FARM. I love these people. Proof you can do multiple things really well, right?

Here’s a sketch of the upcoming farm.  Here’s a bit more info on that if you’re interested, or you can scroll down to find out who is going to be entertianing you while you lick a million licks of ice cream:

The addition of the onsite sustainable farm is just one more step toward the company’s goal of being as sustainable as possible while crafting the most perfect ice cream imaginable.  When the Bettinger’s built their new Ice Creamery in 2005 they set out to be as environmentally responsible as possible. The custom build factory was the first certified sustainable building in Snohomish County and incorporates green designs including the solar panels that help run the plant and the demonstration bioswale built to collect rain water runoff. As a result of these efforts, Snoqualmie Ice Cream uses up to 50% less energy and generates zero rain water runoff while producing some of the best ice cream possible.

WHO’S COMING WITH ME?!?!?!?!?!  I’ll be there sometime between 2-4pm, so if you’re coming too, you can tweet me or use: #SnoQuoIceCream in your tweets!

You can also find Snoqualmie Ice Cream in a handful of grocery stores. Here in Seattle I’ve found it in QFC and can barely keep my hands off it! (and I am not even a sweets person!)

For more information visit www.snoqualmieicecream.com

Get the scoop on Snoqualmie Ice Cream news and events on Facebook and Twitter.

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MALTBY, WA—June 17, 2011— Snoqualmie Ice Cream, the Pacific Northwest’s top ice cream producer, is set to kick off ice cream month (July) a little early with its first annual ICE-CREAM-O-RAMA at the company’s Ice Creamery and Café in Maltby, WA on Saturday, June 25th.  The free event will feature live music, free ice cream and hot dogs, tours of the company’s Ice Creamery, and the unveiling of the company’s new 1.5 acre sustainable farm where they will soon produce many of their key ingredients right on site – the farm will produce everything from fresh honey and eggs to lavender and blackberries for the company’s 700+ flavors of ice cream, gelato, custard and sorbet.

The event will run from 11:00am – 4:00pm and will kick-off with a short dedication for the sustainable farm which will be followed by a full day of fun including live musical performances throughout the day by some of Pike Place Market’s top performers and a special performance at 2:00 p.m. by the Presidents of the United States’ Chris Ballew as Casper Babypants. 

Snoqualmie Ice Cream, based in Maltby, is owned by Barry and Shahnaz Bettinger who have made all-natural hand-crafted ice cream, gelato, custards and sorbets for the past 14 years.  In addition to selling nearly 700,000 pints annually at major grocery stores throughout Washington, Oregon, California and Texas, the company also operates an on-site Café where visitors can try some of the company’s 700 custom flavors as well as homemade soups and sandwiches.  Additionally, the company supplies the ice cream base for many of the region’s most popular ice cream shops as well as custom ice cream flavors to many top restaurants, resorts and food service providers throughout the Northwest.

In addition to unveiling the new onsite farm, Snoqualmie Ice Cream has a lot to celebrate at the 2011 Ice Cream-O-Rama. With sales growing steadily, the company recently expanded sales into Texas and launched a fresh new package design and web site:  www.snoqualmieicecream.com. However, even with some new changes the one thing that has remained constant year after year and keeps customers coming back is the passion that Snoqualmie Ice Cream puts into each and every pint.

I’m going with a big fat NO.

But, I do feel guilty, so….I was getting ready for my trip to Greece, and then I was IN Greece, soooo, yeah. Sorry about that, it’s happened more than once, including when I went to Indonesia – but I digress.

To make it up to you, I took tons of pictures of the food in Greece, not all great, but all the food was great, so I’ll share those stories over the weeks to come!

For today though, a Food Frame Friday, here’s what I had for dinner last night. Tots. Who doesn’t love them?  I could have left them in longer, but I cooked them on the same sheet as my fish in a very inventive and efficient way that I think I’ll make a little video about. And I didn’t take pictures of that because I was too hungry.

Uh, the tots are healthy cuz they're sitting next to zuchs?? Yes. I'm going with that.

I know, I know, really crap pic from the cell phone.  At least I took a picture, okay?  Here’s what I did:

• Went to the store, got a movie (that I forgot to watch because I had a Senior moment when I got home and forgot I had rented it from the red box), a bottle of Cab Sauv, 1 zucchini, 1 package of Dover Sole fillets for $3.29, 1 jar of tartar sauce and 1 bag of tots.
• Got home, preheated the oven while I put my jammies and Greek slippers on (pictures to come, tres cute), let the wine breathe.
• Prepped a cookie sheet with tin foil, divided into two sections (video of that next week), brushed with a bit of veg oil so fish didn’t stick.
• laid out the 5 small fillets, dusted with a herb mix for ranch dip (sounds trashy, but easy and good, don’t knock it!)
• Threw tots on other half of sheet. Baked at 425F for 12 minutes.
• Washed and cut zucchini into 1″ thick slices. sautéed in pan with minimal olive oil, salt and pepper, turning once (old trick from my dad). Drained on paper towel.
• Add tartar sauce, ketchup and wine!

It was fabulous, although I was so hungry I wolfed it down (much to my dad’s dismay, I know, but I was really hungry okay!?)

Total time in kitchen: 15 minutes

Total tastiness factor: 10 out of 10, because the fish was healthy and there were tots involved.

***GIVEAWAY NEXT WEEK!!!!!! Come back to find out what for!

French Summer Black Truffles from Marky's

If you like salt, and by “like” I mean you (like me) have a salt lick next to your bed, and dream about your cupboard being stocked full of a rainbow presentation of worldly salts, then this place is for you. 

Of course this place would be in Miami.  But thanks to the wonderous series of tubes formerly known as the Interwebulars, you and I can buy the best the world has to offer in 000 caviar and $200/lb truffles that some pig snorted up on the French countryside. Thanks pigs. We owe you one.

So let’s cut to the chase, here’s some succulent food porn from Marky’s to whet your appetite.

Got $360 laying around? Splurge on some Kaluga Caviar. (picture via Marky's. click to go through)

Caviar isn’t usually my first option when it comes to food indulgences, but that’s because I’m too poor to even entertain the idea.  I usually go for something greezy and cheap, like that guy I dated during college….*shudder*

They also have 10, yes 10, different classifications of Foie. That includes their own brand, which is  – big surprise – sold out.

Block of Goose Foie Gras for $125? Sure! I'll bring the wine, thanks Marky!

And this is just the tip of the iceburg.  Here’s a list of all the other departments they have online:

Deli Meats & Pate
· Basturma · Bresaola · Chorizo
· Duck Breast · Prosciutto Ham
· Salami · Sausages · Serrano
· Canadian · Italian · Spanish 
 
  Butter & Creme Fraiche 
· British · French · Normandy
· Devon · Echire · Isigny
· Salted · Unsalted · Goat
· Creme Fraiche · Fromage Frais 
 
  Cheese
· Danish · Dutch · English
· French · German · Italian
· Norwegian · Spanish · Swiss
· Blue · Brie · Fondue · Smoked
· Buffalo · Cow · Goat · Sheep
 
  Olive Oil and Gourmet Oils
· Almond · Argan · Avocado
· Grapeseed · Hazelnut · Olive
· Pinenut · Pistachio · Pumpkin
· Safflower · Truffle · Walnut
· French · Italian · Spanish 
 
  Vinegars
· Aged Balsamic · Apple Cider
· Banyuls · Champagne · Fig
· Red & White Wine · Sherry
· French · Italian · Modena
 
  Belgian Leonidas Chocolates
· Dark · White · Ganache · Milk
· Candy · Marzipan · Pralines
· Solid · Truffles · w/Liquor
 
  Gourmet Tea Forte
· Black · Green · Herbal · Oolong
· Loose Tea · Samplers · White
· Tea Gifts & Accesories
 
  Kosher Deli
· Butter · Caviar · Cheese
· Mustard · Smoked Salmon
 
  Accoutrements de la Table
· Knives · Servers · Spoons
· Mother of Pearl Plates

 
  Disposable Tableware
· Cups · Cutlery · Mini Dishes
· Plates · Skewers · Trays 
 
  Molecular Gastronomy

Oh, and of course top that off with specific sections of the site for their Russian, Spanish and French goods. OY!

I’m gonna level with you – even coming up with a post and finding time to get it written up right now is challenging. My brain is already thinking about the stockings I’ll be sewing by hand this weekend. What? That is totally something I don’t have time for? Yes, you’re correct.  And I should buy them? I know, I even looked. At three stores.  Couldn’t find any that didn’t suck big time.

So, for some gifts this year, I’m giving the best gift I can: something edible and homemade. Who doesn’t love a real treat, right? and you know I do my best to make sure it’s got the easiest recipe (if I’m FORCED to use one!  huff!).

I have started looking for easy fudge recipes. I’ve never made fudge for holiday presents, but there’s always a time to start!

So far, I have the following two recipes I’m willing to try. Yes, there is Velveeta in one of them. Weird? yeah. Am I still going to try it? Duh. 819 people can’t be wrong.  (that’s how many folks have downloaded it)

Bear with me as we embark on a small, risky adventure through sampling fudge recipes. I’m hoping to make one version this weekend, if I do, I’ll video tape it and post here next week!

Credit: Earla Taylor

OPTION 1:  Best Ever Cheese Fudge   

Ingredients:
2 cups butter
1 pound processed cheese food, cubed
4 (16 ounce) packages confectioners’
sugar 1 cup cocoa
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons chopped peanuts

Directions:
1. Melt together butter and cheese.
2. Mix in confectioner’s sugar and cocoa into the butter mixture. Stir in vanilla and nuts. Spread on two big cookie sheets. Cool. Cut. Store in refrigerator

OPTION 2: Million Dollar Fudge    

Ingredients:
•1-2/3 cups light cream
•4-1/2 cups sugar
•1/2 cup butter (NOT margarine), cut into pieces
•2 (12 ounce) packages semisweet chocolate chips
•1 (11 ounce) package milk chocolate chips
•2 teaspoons vanilla
•2 cups chopped walnuts, if desired

Directions:
Grease a 9×13″ pan with butter and set aside.
In a large, heavy saucepan, combine cream, and sugar.
Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring CONSTANTLY!!
When it comes to a boil, lower the heat to medium low and continue to cook and stir as the mixture boils.
Boil for 5 minutes.
Then remove pan from heat and immediately stir in the butter and all of the chocolate.
Stir constantly until the chocolate melts into the cream mixture and the fudge becomes satiny.
Stir in the vanilla and nuts, if using.
Immediately spoon and spread into the prepared pan.
Let stand at room temperature until cool.
Cut into squares. Makes about 4 pounds of fudge.

Do you have a fudge recipe? One that you swear by, or maybe one that’s stood the test of time, been handed down through generations in your family? OR- do you buy it somewhere every year?

Turns out I was totally wrong, here’s the recipe for Better Homes and Gardens Vanilla and Chocolate Santa’s Sandwiches.  They made a raspberry filling….

However, I would change this up. Without even reading the recipe, I knew what I would do to make this easier, as well as my own!

I think I’ll share it with you all as a pre-Christmas present (ooooo!!!! Did I just come up with a new way to scam an additional gift out of each parent and Paul?! I think so!).

I would either make sugar cookie batter, or in a pinch, but the tube at the store.  Then, just cut and bake like usual, or if you’re feeling spunky, cut them into the discs, lay them on wax paper, sprinkle with a few red sprinkles, push the sprinkles in, then bake to get a confetti look on the cookies.

When you’re done, take a handful of peppermints (the kind you get after dinner at a restaurant or in bulk at the store) and smash them to bits in a double bag situation with a rolling pin.  mix that into a can of frosting (vanilla cream cheese, duh) and let sit overnight – NOT in the fridge, that would make it impossible to spread. 

The next day, make sandwich cookies like above. They’ll be a bit more colorful, homemade and ready to bundle in little tins for your neighbors or co-workers. You could even have a spouse, roommate or significant other help with these, they’re so easy! Just make extras as a thank you to your helpers!