Luna's review of POPChips

PopChips

These popped chips are very interesting. They have a texture unlike anything I have every encountered before. I have seen them in the store many times, so it was a fun experience to try them at the Fancy Food Show.

The chips are made with natural ingredients and currently come in five flavors: Original, Salt & Pepper, Sea Salt & Vinegar, Parmesan and Barbeque.

The Barbeque was hands down my favorite, as having given up flavored chips for the most part due to the additives, I was so happy to have such a tasty and healthy chip! We have really come to love the black pepper and sea salt as snack, too!

It is certainly an interesting concept, no baking, no frying….just popping. Try them for yourself and see!

www.popchips.com

Luna's Pick of the week: Pinky Vodka

I have to admit that Pinky Vodka was a bit of a challenge for me. The flavors were not quite what I was used to. I tried it over a scoop of fresh Peach sorbet, which was delicious.



I couldn't think of a what to combine it with, so I decided to call in the big guns. The flavor is unusual, wth roses, violets and other botanicals. I went to the Ruby Room where Sascha came up with a lovely cocktail that I think compliments the vodka nicely!

Ruby Fizz

In a rocks glass over ice:

1 pt Pinky Vodka
1 pt grapefruit
simple syrup to taste
splash lime
splash grenadine
splash soda water

This is a refreshing drink with just the right amount of fizz. A votre sante!

SF Chefs Food & Wine event review

I volunteered on Friday for the SF Chefs Food and Wine event, and what an event it was!

I started my morning by guiding people to a room where we would all get to hear about GeorgeAnne Brennan and Martin Yan's culinary journeys.

I have not yet read 'A Pig in Provence', though I now fully intend to.

It was amazing to be in the same room as Chef Yan, whose cooking show I watched every weekend, with my dad, when I was a kid.



Afterwards I got to hit the big tent, where I tried food from Lake Chalet's chef, Jared. Lake Chalet is opening in Oakland this next week, and I am really excited to taste more of the food! If this losbster deviled egg is any indication of Jared's talents, I am ready!



I loved, loved, loved Parke Ulrich of Waterbar's sweet corn soup with pickled shrimp, which had flavors that really expanded my palate's capacity.

Bi Rite Creamery was serving up Strawberry IC, but I really gotta try the Salted Caramel....

Roland Passot of La Folie was serving up (fantastic) corn mousse with bacon marinated scallops.



Mark Dommen of One Market was having fun with his crabcakes on a spoon.

Erik Hopfinger of Circa, had awesome fish tacos, Chef Eric, please forgive that lousy description, which doesn't do your dish justice!

It was a wonderful and amazing day, and there was so much more that happened, which is why there is more to come!

The Wine Whore

Take one man who loves wine, one blog who will work for it and what do you get? The Wine Whore!

Randy is fun and very nice to put up with me!

This is the first of many conversations I hope to have with him and he has plenty to say on wine, stemware, bubbly, and wine pairings.

Take a listen, check out his site and a votre sante!

Luna's Kitchen Magic plays @ 4 pm EST and 7 pm PST Saturdays & Sundays

Wine Review: TN Verasol

$8 dark berry, light to medium body, short finish, light purple. Ruby color, hints of lavender.

Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant


www.vinosandgourmet.com