Nibbles of Tidbits, a Food Blog

The 2010 inaugural OC Foodie Fest officially happened at the Honda Center last Saturday and although I personally was unable to attend, Nibbles of Tidbits sent its favorite Guest Blogger, Bonnie and her trusty photographer, Andrea to enjoy and report about the event.  Somebody had to do it and wish it was me after hearing about it.  Bonnie writes the rest…

The food, the sun and the fun were all perfectly aligned at the Honda Center Saturday afternoon for the inaugural OC Foodie Fest, with over 8,500 people attending the sold out event and 49 gourmet food trucks. No doubt this will be the first of many more Orange County Foodie Fests to come.

Although there were officially declared favorites, the three of us unofficially agreed that the top banana — while bananas are served as an option on top of loukas, which are Greek donuts – should have gone to Louks Greek Gourmet To Go food truck. We think their lamb chops might be the best we have ever had. In fact, they were so good that we decided to take some home with us.

Apparently many others agreed, because while we ran back there at the end of our day, stood in line and paid for the perfectly seasoned and prepared chops, they ran out just one person shy of us.  To their credit, Louks refunded our money and served up an equally tasty Gyro sandwich as a substitute free of charge. Thanks for being so gracious, Louks!

Our next stop was the World Fare Bustaurant, a double-decker with room the top to eat and enjoy the people watching.  Our truffle infused macaroni and cheese balls were mouth watering. And we washed them down with a strawberry-basil-lemonade that was to-die-for. It had just the perfect amount of the basil flavor added to the tasty drink.

The last truck we ate from, Piaggio on Wheels, offered a truly a diverse cuisine. We could not resist trying the water served in a real coconut, empanadas and a bacon wrapped hot dog topped with both chipotle and chimichurri sauce. It was all delicious and truly gourmet food.

We would be remiss if we didn’t mention that all of the shopping provided by the Patchwork vendors was top notch and high quality. There was also an art show with live painting from eVocal, plus live local music and an area devoted just to kids. The O C Foodie Fest also gave back to the community, with a percentage of the proceeds going to three local charities, Child SHARE, St. Vincent’s Meals on Wheels and Pretend City.

The OC Foodie Fest was meant to bring exposure to the growing market in Orange County for food trucks, as well as to give the opportunity for LA trucks to branch out into a new area.  It succeeded on so many levels that we can’t wait for the next one!

THANKS to our Guest Blogger, Bonnie Flamm and event photographer, Andrea Stein for the excellent report and photos – I hope to attend next time.  Learn here where the trucks might be going next or follow them on Twitter.

When was the last time you had a picnic?  We mustn’t forget the simple enjoyment of a picnic.  It seems Americans don’t take enough pleasure in them.  While traveling through many parts of Europe, you’ll see people having picnics everywhere and often.  It’s a great thing.

We’re inspired to have more picnics and Cost Plus World Market, a favorite destination for unique and imported food items can make it happen on a moment’s notice.  It has everything one could need for a picnic.  We prepared for this one by getting ALL shown from Cost Plus, including the insulated picnic basket that transported the Salami, Cracked Pepper Smoked Salmon, Bruschetta, Roasted Artichoke Hearts, Pepper Jack Cheese, Assorted Crackers, Almonds, Pickles, Olives, Wine and Cookies.

This day it was too windy to show you it was too windy — Meaning, we couldn’t back up for a wide photo, since all hands were necessary to hold down the light stuff during the wind gusts.  It was (kinda) funny, until it blew over our Chardonnay, and it was a bit scary thinking the Smoked Salmon could possibly land on us, but ultimately it was a lot of fun.

We had this picnic in Temecula, near Pechanga Resort & Casino, where we took our Grandma to see her favorite singer, Engelbert Humperdinck.  Prior to the concert, we laughed eating the Orange Chocolate Rolled Wafers – They are sooooo darn good and fodder for immature jokes that transcend generations, Groucho Marx impersonations and more.

Today we’re heading to Temecula for a lovely picnic among other things and we have a guest blogger goin’ to the OC Foodie Fest to eat from the 50 Gourmet Food Trucks parked at the Honda Center today.  There’s a lot of good eats happening right now.  We’ll soon report about them here.  Until then, enjoy the beautiful Koi, eyes only — They want to be fed too.

Have you been to South Coast Winery & Tasting Room in Orange County?  It’s the sister restaurant to the Vinyard Rose restaurant in Temecula at South Coast Winery Resort & Spa. 

This was our first visit to South Coast Winery Restaurant & Tasting Room in Orange County.  We had a Happy Hour consultant meeting on their patio, a better location than our last meeting and more for Nibbles of Tidbits.  We didn’t get to explore the tasting room this time, but we’ll surely go back for that, especially since the pictured Happy Hour appetizers were impressive in quality and taste.  The service was good too.

The Sliders were juicy, the Parmesan French Fries and Wings were crispy, the Cheese & Fruit Platter couldn’t have been better, since all was fresh, chilled and large, and the Bruschetta flavors were perfect with the extra thin Toastettes.  All on the patio made for a nice meeting – Hope it’s here next time.

Looking out through the pink dots, I used to feel so uninspired… cause you make me feel like [wanting] a natural Yogurt – The semi-related song popped in my head and couldn’t resist, since I actually was somehow inspired by the pink dots, natural Yogurt and fresh toppings at Cherry on Top.  As you may or may not know, we’ve been sampling various Frozen Yogurt shops all around town and just tried Cherry on Top.

We’re fans of the tart flavors and really liked their Original Tart and Blueberry Pomegranate.  We were hoping to try the Lychee Tart (sometimes available), as we’re currently hooked on Lychee’s taste, but it wasn’t being offered at the Huntington Beach location this day.

Each Yogurt shop we’ve tried has almost been better than the previous and we especially like the self serve options.  All have offered truly fresh fruit, along with a wonderland of colorful toppings that look equally good.  Although the topping selection is great, most are wasted on me, since I still can’t get past the simple Granola, Blueberry, Mango and sliced Almond combination.  We’ll go to Cherry on Top again.

09/13/10 Update:  For convenience, Cherry on Top will be opening the first drive-thru store of its kind — A first for any leading Frozen Yogurt company.  It’ll open in Culver City in September.  Check their website for more information.

I just posted a Cupcake Report as the Orange County Food Examiner.  It’s a fairly comprehensive report regarding Cupcakes in the OC.  The Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes pictured above were made using a White Cake Mix base.  We added Lemon Zest and Vanilla Bean to the Batter and then frosted 1/2 with a real Strawberry Buttercream Frosting and the other 1/2 with a Lemon Glaze (Lemon Juice and Powdered Sugar) — They’re fresh tasting and perfect for Summer Cupcakes.  We’ll definitely make them again.

Above photos were taken during and after the OC Fair Cupcake Competition — Check out the Examiner links for more information about that competition and Cupcakes in general.

The Project Food Blog Competition starts in September and Contestant Profiles are going up.  We just posted ours that’s captured in the above screen shot.  During the (12) week competition, Contestants will be whittled down through participation in (10) challenges related to food blogging.  The ultimate prize for the last blogger standing is $10,000 and a “special feature” on Foodbuzz for one year.  Wish us luck!

Project Food Blog Contestants

Nibbles of Tidbits Contestant Profile

We recently wandered into Zinc Cafe & Market in Corona Del Mar a half hour before closing time and happily learned that their Market Salads are 1/2 price during that time, the last half hour before closing.  It was great timing for us, thus we went crazy and got eight of them, five are pictured here and all are always good.  They offer a shady outdoor patio too, but we enjoyed our Salads on the beach (away from the seagulls) and for lunch the next day.  What a deal – It’s the best time to go there.

We didn’t capture the official name of each Salad, since we ate them so fast — Many are seasonal anyway, so you’ll just have to see what’s available and check out their website to see what’s possible.  They offer a lot and will tell you more than we can.

The beach is walking distance from Zinc Cafe & Market in Corona Del Mar.  If I could own a home anywhere around here, it would be in Corona Del Mar, near many restaurants and the amazing beauty pictured below.

Daily Grill restaurants nationwide will donate all of its proceeds from Lemonade sales on Friday, August 20th (National Lemonade Day) to a special nonprofit that was formed by a 4-year-old girl whose short life continues to make an impact.  Daily Grill founder, President and CEO Bob Spivak hopes to double $5,000 typically generated in sales and donate 100% to Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer.  Daily Grill’s fresh-squeezed, hand-shaken Lemonade has been one of the restaurants’ signature items since 1988.

Alex’s story began in 2000 when the 4-year-old was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a form of cancer that often leaves its young victims unable to walk.  She defied the odds and managed to live an active, albeit short, life.  Her decision to hold a Lemonade stand to help doctors find new treatments and ultimately a cure for all childhood cancers, including her own, became her quest.  In just 4 short years, the “stand” raised more than $1 million.  Her parents, Jay and Liz Scott, have continued Alex’s legacy of hope after cancer ultimately took the youngster’s life at the age of 8 in 2004.  What started as the vision of one little girl has been embraced by a nation of volunteers.

HISTORY OF LEMONADE

Lemonade can trace its origins to the Egyptians when in 500 AD Lemon Juice was mixed with Sugar to make a beverage known as qatarmizat.

The first Lemonade “soft drink” debuted in Paris on August 20th, 1630.  The drink was made from Sparkling Water and Lemon Juice sweetened with Honey.

Frozen Lemonade made its debut in 1840 in Naples, Italy.

The earliest documented Lemonade stands were introduced by a young entrepreneur named Edward Bok who formed them in Brooklyn street cars from 1873 to 1876.  His background:

• He was 10 when he began selling Ice Water for a penny to passengers in horse drawn carts who stopped to allow their horses water.
• Other boys soon began copying Bok’s idea and stealing his business, so he made Lemonade instead and sold glasses for $.03 each.
• Bok went on to win a Pulitzer Prize for The Americanization of Edward Bok: The Autobiography of a Dutch Boy 50 years later

* Lemonade stands were first referenced in the media by the New York Times in 1879.

* 4-year-old Alex Scott started the nonprofit Alex’s Lemonade Stand in 2000 after learning she had cancer and she sought to find a cure.  She lived only 4 more years and in that short time raised more than $1 million for cancer research.  That organization today has since generated more than $25 million nationwide for children’s cancer research.

* August 20 is designated National Lemonade Day and Daily Grill restaurants nationwide will donate all proceeds from its Lemonade sales that day to Alex’s Lemonade Stand.

For more information, visit Daily Grill or Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation.  Established in 1988, Daily Grills specialize in serving classic American fare at accessible prices in an atmosphere reminiscent of a traditional, upscale New York City grill.  The popularity of the concept has resulted in 21 locations in eight states.

NOTE: The above is a re-published Press Release, not often seen on Nibbles of Tidbits.  It happens occasionally when we believe the information to be important and/or interesting.  We previously attended a fundraiser for Alex’s Lemonade Stand at 50 Forks Restaurant and that report is linked here.

What kind of Nut are you?  I’ve heard that question many of times, hahaha, and now I know.  It appears I’m a Pecan for those who have wondered all these years.  Fisher Nuts has developed a Personality Quiz to help you determine which Nut you’ve always been.  Take the quiz now – It’ll be such a relief to finally know.  The mystery is somewhat solved.

PECAN: You are generous and loyal.  Friends and family love to be around you because you consider their needs first.  You are a tenacious, committed team player who doesn’t require recognition.  You are happiest when you share the credit with everyone around you.

The Koi Fish at Sherman Library & Gardens can’t be eaten, but are delightful to see – Instead Cafe Jardin and Tea Garden Creperie is recommended for food.  Sherman Library & Gardens is a notable place for High Tea, to stroll around varied gardens, visit a Koi Pond, shop, or even get married.  In some instances a $3 donation is requested and it’s well worth it.

Working on a Logo for Project Food Blog – Nibbles of Tidbits, a SoCal Food Blog is an official contestant in the Project Food Blog Competition, which starts in September.  Contestants will be whittled down over (12) weeks through participation in (10) challenges related to food blogging.  The ultimate prize is $10,000 and a “special feature” on Foodbuzz for one year.  We’re gonna be opening up a can of… (probably something, oh, and that too).

It’s the last weekend of the Orange County Fair and today is the final day to munch out on the $1.00 Specials (Fridays, Noon – 4PM).  During that time, most food stands offer something interesting to eat for $1.00.  We had all that’s pictured below, including Deep Fried Bull’s Testicles (yeah, that’s right) and much more.  It’s a great time to try different things.

Note:  Hover your cursor over each photo to learn a little more, or stop by each booth and ask ‘em what they’re serving for $1.00.

Thanks for the Parfaits on the Bay!  It may have been my first.  I’d enjoyed a Trifle or two, but not yet a Parfait, which I believe is roughly similar minus the Cake, as explained by my personal headless Chef. He made these with layerings of Vanilla and Peach Yogurt, Blueberries, Blackberries, Raspberries, Strawberries, Granola and Whipped Cream.  We forgot to include the Banana, but it wasn’t necessary with all the fresh Berries that were included.

All ingredients were transported by backpack, while scouting out the best location to enjoy ‘em.  We ultimately decided on Parfaits on the Bay, a makeshift restaurant that’s open any time – Private outdoor seating for two.  It was a beautiful day and a great idea for anyone.

I stumbled upon the above video by the NYC Food Guy — He sold me on the preparation of his Serious Sliders.  It’s different, easy and produces delicious Sliders (aka Mini Cheeseburgers).

After watching the video, we were seriously compelled to make these Sliders immediately and so did, as shown in the step-by-step photos posted below (left – right working on downward).  Hover your cursor over each photo to learn more.  It’s a fun recipe to make.

Thanks for the Serious Sliders NYC Food Guy – We’ll make ‘em again.  They’re no joke!  FYI:  Lawrence, the NYC Food Guy says… “Sliders and Mini Cheeseburgers are totally different!  Sliders are actually Steamed Burgers, whereas Mini Cheeseburgers are just that, Mini Burgers.  They’re completely different animals.”  I think we may need to let a few restaurants know that.

Related Links:

Nibbles of Tidbits Sliders Smorgasbord

Sliders at Charlie Palmer at Bloomingdales