Every woman, every man join the Caravan of Love, sorry we mean Caravan of 50 Gourmet Food Trucks and entertainment soon to be at the Honda Center. We’ve linked to the retro song and video because we appreciate the song and found the video flashback entertaining, especially the singer’s oddly sexy outfit. 🙂 Back to the event, learn all about it here and at OC Foodie Fest 2010.
This painting (if you will) is being crafted from Artichoke Leaves, Peppers, Dried Chilis and other edibles at the OC Fair. Each day it looks more and more like the real thing. 🙂 I traveled to the Louvre once and saw the actual Mona Lisa in person, if I can say that — We couldn’t get this close due to its encasement, the rope around it and the thickness of the crowd. Learn more about the artist of this creation here. This masterpiece won’t last as long.
Q: Are those Man Hands on the Mona Lisa?
We didn’t get the details on this mini-table set for Tea (sorry), but it’s a winner in the Floral Arts Competition at the Orange County Fair. We think it’s absolutely adorable. Good day!
It’s not too late to sign-up for a few of the Orange County Fair Culinary Arts Competitions — The specifics and more Fair information can be found here. Today the ‘Art of the Tart & Pie Competition‘ went down with Pies galore, and tomorrow the ‘Chili, Wings & Salsa Challenge‘ happens with an expected 50 entries.
These live judged culinary competitions happen each weekend during the Fair and start at 1PM on the Promenade Stage — It’s fun to enter and watch.
And it’s tough to choose a winner, but the Judges take it seriously. Today there were winners in (4) categories, One-Crust, Two-Crust, Sugar-Free and Savory (or something like that). We captured one of the winners in the Sugar-Free category and luckily got to try her entry pictured below. She picked its juicy Blackberries by hand, what a treat for us.
Note: We appreciate the improvements made to the Culinary Arts Program this year. From the displays, to the stage and general organization, all went up a notch, not that we had any complaints before — It all looks terrific.
The Deep Fried Butter at the Orange County Fair is kinda like the giant horse you pay $5.75 to see, but viewing the horse is more satisfying. It’s at the Heart Attack Cafe, the Butter, not the horse (yet) — Who knows, maybe next year. We weren’t gonna bother with the Deep Fried Butter, but someone in the group had to have it. They found another sucka, haha.
The deal is this… It’s basically a Churro that’s injected with Butter in the center, then plugged at both ends and frozen. It’s then re-fried to order and one big yuck! Why would anyone want a Butter-stuffed, frozen then refried Churro? They serve them sweet with Cinnamon, Sugar and Whipped Cream, or savory with Garlic Salt, Parmesan and Marinara Sauce. Either way it’s ridiculous, but surprisingly the Chips underneath were okay with the Marinara.
Note: The Marinara Sauce was so unexpectedly yummy that we asked the brand. We learned it’s San Benito and will be looking for it in stores. It appears something good came out of the Heart Attack Cafe afterall — Check out other crazy OC Fair food options here.
More funny at my expense — The Orange County Fair Competition Results are now in. My entry is the only one above without a Ribbon. Oh well, can’t win ’em all. And today I shot more video than photos, but most times when I thought I pressed record, I stopped the video (and vice versa), thus lamely captured our walking and talking most of the day, instead of the interesting, yummy stuff, haha. Duh! In defense, it was difficult to see the ‘REC’ light in the bright sunshine and I unfortunately got it backwards along the way. It won’t happen again. Gotta laugh though, which is easy since we’ll be going back soon.
Happily others we know did well in the OC Fair Competitions. Hover over the above photos to learn more about each — And get to the Fair to see the results of all competitions. Congratulations to ALL winners!
The above dish truly represents ‘The Bad‘ and ‘The Funny‘ about this blog. The Tangerine Dream Bars (wannabe) was going to be an entry in the Culinary Arts Competition at the Orange County Fair, but it didn’t happen. I was gonna cover the top with Powdered Sugar, but unfortunately there’s no masking the soupy, unset middle. 🙁 I’m not exactly sure what went wrong here, since it turned out good last time. Wouldn’t you know it — Two hours before submission time I discovered it looked like this. Oh well, good thing my other entry was delicious and successfully submitted. The Orange County Fair starts this Friday, July 16th. The results will be posted opening day.
Our only entry in the Culinary Arts Competition (1st Show) is the Chocolate Layered Surprise. It’s formed with alternating layers of Milk Chocolate, Waffle Cone, Dried Cherries and Pecans, then cut in squares and drizzled with White Chocolate. We’ll be submitting (2) additional entries in August for the 2nd Show.
The Orange County Fair starts Friday, July 16, 2010. Little Chef Alexis (aka Chef Lexi) has entered her Food Eraser Collection into the Youth Competition, Junior Collections. Nibbles of Tidbits hopes Chef Lexi gets a Blue Ribbon! It’s too late to enter the competition now, but you can see the results at the OC Fair — See you there.
Have you been to Tanaka Farms yet? If you haven’t, you’re missing out. It’s in Irvine and is also known as Orange County’s Largest U-Pick Farm. During certain tours you get to pick your own Strawberries, Watermelon and much more. We recently went on the Strawberry Tour, which was more fun than we imagined.
At the end of the Strawberry Tour, you get to pick and take home your own large basket of Strawberries, which happens after you eat as many as you can stuff down. We all said they were the best Strawberries we had in our lives. Not sure why, but they’re amazingly sweet. The tour lasts about an hour.
While on the tractor ride that’s included with the Strawberry Tour, you get to try a few of the seasonal vegetables along the way. After sampling all, you feel like you’ve just had a healthy meal. We joked that we should bring Salt, Pepper and Ranch Dressing next time — And we seriously might.
In addition to the endless Strawberries, we ate Radishes, Carrots, Sugar Snap Peas, Green Beans, Iceberg and Red Leaf Lettuce directly from the field. What a treat! And when you’re done eating, you just toss the remains (aka Carrot and Radish tops, Strawberry leaves, etc.) over your shoulder off the tractor.
Weekend Strawberry Tours are running now through June 27th (weather permitting) and the Watermelon Tours begin in early July. Tanaka Farms also offers Cookout Tours, whereas you get to pick, wash and cook your own meal directly from and at the farm. The view from the cookout area is beautiful.
We still keep talking about how much fun this was and that we now look forward to enjoying Tanaka Farms all year long. They have a fresh produce stand that’s open daily.
Family run Tanaka Farms is organized, friendly, fun, clean and pesticide free. They do a lot of creative planting to put forth the best produce possible. We’re impressed with ALL.
We’re fine tuning recipes to enter into the Orange County Fair Culinary Arts Competition this year. Entries are due by May 26, 2010. You can ENTER HERE. Other than the photos, we’re not tellin’ more about what we’re working on. And no, they’re not Lemon Bars above. It is a competition afterall.
To read about past Culinary Arts Competitions and more, click HERE.
Nibbles of Tidbits was recently invited by the California Avocado Commission to attend a gourmet, interactive lunch and cooking demonstration with chef partners Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger of the Too Hot Tamales. Since I was unable to attend, but didn’t want to miss it, Nibbles of T sent its resident Guest Blogger, Bonnie of Bonnie Joy Designs. She always provides an interesting angle to a story and was excited to receive a personally signed copy of Cooking With Too Hot Tamales (below).
Ahhhh – Those Avocados were Awesome!
Avocado advocates Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger (a.k.a. The Too Hot Tamales) along with the California Avocado Commission hosted a rousing, festive Food Blogger-only event ahead of Cinco de Mayo at their downtown L.A. restaurant, Ciudad, last Saturday. The afternoon began with a surprise. Actually, it was the “interactive” portion of the show, which turned out to be a “Top Chef” style competition featuring the Food Bloggers themselves as the chefs along with California Avocados, and a very long table full of potential accoutrements.
The Food Bloggers were given only seconds to pair up (I assume none of the Bloggers had ever met one another before, which made what came next even more amazing), then they were given just 3 minutes to flesh out (pardon the pun) their best recipe for guacamole. Then they got a mere 5 minutes (yes, there was a timer!) to execute their dish and 2 more minutes to give it a definitive name. I can report that the Food Bloggers took this competition very seriously, even if it was all in fun.
And I don’t think I need to tell you who the judges were… But what I can tell you is that even they were impressed at how well all 10 recipes turned out. Bravo! (Sorry Susan, that’s actually not a plug for the network you are on as one of the final “Top Chef Masters” on May 5th…or… maybe it is). I think I got to sample all ten dishes, and they really were all tasty and creative, so everyone was a winner.
The next hour featured the Too Hot Tamales doing what they do best – whipping up a four course meal with each one featuring avocados as the core ingredient. If you want to see poetry in motion, then you need to experience Susan and her long-time business partner Mary Sue as they whirled and twirled their way through a menu that included a Crispy Avocado Taco, an incredible salad with fried (yes, fried) capers, Chicken and Avocado Chilaquiles and for dessert, Avocado and Mango Slices with a Creamy Yogurt Dressing. They even managed to blend an Avocado and Orange “Liquado” to drink. Needless to say, each dish was a masterpiece.
Ciudad Executive Chef Jeremy Tummel and Jan DeLyser from the California Avocado Commission also joined in the fun that happened at this invitation only event. If you came away from this afternoon hungry, then you did not attend the same event that I did. The attention to detail was impeccable – from the beginning Margarita to the personalized cookbooks at the end – and was well appreciated by the interior designer in me.
I now have a fresh appreciation for a fruit that is locally grown and nutritionally packed. So be sure to add Avocados to your daily diet, and not just on special occasions or on Cinco de Mayo!
Thanks Bonnie. I love Avocados too and my parents eat ’em almost daily. It looks like I missed a pretty cool event, but I’m happy to have the exciting report and photos.
Note: Bonnie bought a new camera for this event — As I write this, it’s in the process of being returned. We like what was captured, but weren’t happy with the graininess of the photos. What’s posted here is the best of the worst. Click on the Blogger links above to view better photos.
The 40th Anniversary of Earth Day is this Thursday, April 22, 2010. We thought we’d pick up trash while walking along the Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve. Fortunately there isn’t too much, but why not pick it up on the way?! Bring a bag. And since this is a Food Blog, why not bring a picnic and sneak in some wine 😉 .
My adorable Chef Nieces, Lexi on the left and Bailee on the right, have prepared a fair amount of treats for Nibbles of Tidbits — We’ve posted all in Kids in the Kitchen. They recently attended a church camp, Forest Home where they learned how to make homemade Pasta Noodles, Parmesan Chicken and Dessert Crepes. I still haven’t made Pasta Noodles from scratch and now must ask my Chef Nieces to teach me. What kind of Foodie do I think I am? 🙂
As Orange County Food Examiner, I just posted a collection of links to most (if not all) the Farmers’ Markets happening in Orange County. It’s a terrific resource — You can learn where they all are here.
You can now enter one or more of the competitions happening at the Orange County Fair this year. The 2010 OC Fair doesn’t start until July, but competition sign-up has begun. Last year we luckily won several ribbons in the Culinary Arts Competition and this year we hope to do the same. And I’ve talked my Mom into entering the Table Setting Competition — She’s always set fun and beautiful tables over the years, including the one above. Online entry forms are due by May 26, 2010. Good luck!
We’re already liking this Cookbook and haven’t made a recipe yet. We’ll be heading to one of our local Framers’ Markets soon — It’s in Corona Del Mar at PCH/Marguerite and will be reported about on Examiner.com.
We look forward to sampling several recipes from this Southern Living Cookbook and will report about all here. We’ve got to see what looks best at the local Farmers’ Market and take it from there. Until then, we think these Lime Ice Cubes (above) are worth mentioning. They’re so simple to make and memorable at a party, brunch, BBQ or just for fun. Kids like ’em too.
* Nibbles of Tidbits is happy to be trying this Cookbook — Check back for future reports.
It’s still St. Patrick’s Day at Santa Anita Race Track, which was a good thing for us today. We saved a lot of money on Beer and Hot Dogs and went home with a little more money than we came with — That’s a good thing! It was a beautiful, thirst quenching day.
The big money was won on a 55/1 (odds) to Place — Too bad we didn’t go all the way with the Win. Nevertheless, we had a magnificent time at Santa Anita. It’s an entertaining way to spend the day. The horses are only running live at Santa Anita Race Track until April 18, 2010.
Other media was broadcasting from the track and another race was getting ready to start, as we headed for six Beers for the price of one. FYI: There’s FREE Admission and more $1 specials every Friday.
Since this sounds like a fun contest with a great prize, and its proceeds benefit a much needed organization (all good criteria), we’ve reprinted the details here on Nibbles of Tidbits.
MAKI MADNESS SUSHI SHOWDOWN
Attention Surf City: It’s Time to Put Your Sushi Where Your Mouth Is — March 21, 2010!
WHAT: On Sunday, March 21, RA Sushi Bar Restaurant is partnering with CASA of Orange County and OC Weekly to host its inaugural Maki Madness Sushi Eating Contest to coincide with the NCAA March Madness. Whether you’re a professional food eater or just like a little competition, you’ll definitely enjoy this sushi throw-down. One participant will be named Surf City’s 2010 Maki Madness Champion – winning sushi for a year, which is equivalent to 12 $50 RA gift certificates. Think you’ve got what it takes?
All interested gamers must register in advance online at www.ocweekly.com/RAsushi – space is limited to 40 participants. All of the proceeds from the $10 cash only registration fee and raffle (no purchase necessary), will benefit CASA of Orange County.
RA will feature its signature Tootsy Maki and offer guests a selection of themed drink specials. In addition to the sushi showdown, spectators and cheerleaders will enjoy full coverage of the NCAA March Madness tournament and may take part in mini basketball competitions.
WHEN: Sunday, March 21, 2010, 4:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
WHERE: RA Sushi Bar Restaurant
The Strand in Huntington Beach
155 5th Street (at PCH)
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
Phone: (714) 536-6390
* The Hamachi in the photo is from a Sushi experience of another time.
Orange County Restaurant Week starts this Sunday, February 28th and runs through March 6th, 2010. This link will provide ALL the details — Prices, participating restaurants, lunch and dinner menus and more. It’s the best time to dine out in Orange County.
* Photo is from a previous meal at Orange Hill Restaurant, a participant in this upcoming OC Restaurant Week.
Update 03/07/10: This event has been extended an additional week.
Next month is March Mania at Chick-Fil-A. What that means is… Visit a participating Southern California Chick-Fil-A on any Friday in March, keep your original receipt, then return with your receipt to receive the exact order FREE any day within the month. For example, buy the pictured Nuggets and Sandwich on Friday, March 5th, then return any day after that in March for the same. Pay nothing extra — Just save your receipt!
Why would you grab lunch elsewhere on a Friday in March? One meal becomes two, thus four Friday meals become eight during March Mania. It’s a super deal.
* I’ve been a long-time fan of Chick-Fil-A’s Chicken Sandwich with extra Pickles, Nuggets with all Sauces, Chicken Biscuit Sandwich and Cole Slaw. They run a remarkable corporation, provide superior service and are closed every Sunday. God bless Chick-Fil-A.
If you’re looking for somewhere fun to go on New Year’s Eve, I just published a compilation of events happening in Orange County. As the Orange County Food Examiner on Examiner.com, I’ve provided several links to help you determine where to eat, drink, dance, laugh, sing and kiss on New Year’s Eve. And if you plan on drinking, please have a designated driver or take a taxi — It’ll help us all start 2010 off on the right foot. Happy New Year!
It’s reported that Coca-Cola’s new aluminum bottle design keeps Coke 15% colder (longer) than a standard shaped can — I’m certainly a fan of that. Nibbles of Tidbits previously ran a contest and the prize was a case (24) of them. And since that time, I’ve learned they’re quite the hot commodity. You’ll never see them in a boring grocery store — They’re way too cool!
We attended a Coca-Cola Tasting Event at Hotel Erwin in Venice Beach, steps away from the sand. It was on their High Rooftop Lounge, that’s broken down into stylish pod groupings overlooking the ocean and city. We missed the sunset, but the city lights were beautiful too.
At this tasting event, 3 cocktails were made with Coca-Cola Classic®, Coke Zero™ and Diet Coke®, each mixed with a different liquor and served in its respective aluminum bottle. As common in parts of Europe, drinks are made and served in the same can or bottle. The bartender at this par-tay mixed the drinks over ice, then funneled them back into the bottles before serving ’em with a straw. They were strong, but good — We liked the Lemon Chilled the best.
The appetizers were good too — There’s a fabulous Chef at the Hotel Erwin. My favorite was the Mini Corn Dog on a Stick. The batter was light and corny-crunchy, and they were served with a Coca-Cola Ketchup Sauce. All went together well.
It was fun to meet other bloggers, like Peachhead, Coastal California, The Girl Blogger and their guests. My Interior Designer guest requested a tour of a couple suites, which added to our overall cool experience — Down to the fun robes in the rooms.
One takes the elevator all the way up, then walks a scenic platform to the High Rooftop Lounge. This evening we enjoyed appetizers and Coca-Cola’s hottest coldest drinks. The bottle design is nostalgic and the drinks were served extra cold — Hope you stumble upon them at a hip place soon.
As a FOODIE, I’m constantly looking for a good food festival, a chili cook-off, a BBQ competition, a taste of a city, a cooking contest or any fun event that’s food related. It seems like there’s always something going on somewhere. To assist with finding more in the future, I’ve compiled a list of some of the best resources I’ve found — They’re linked below. I know there’s a lot more happening out there, so please share your favorite food event source in a comment.
Food Network All American Festivals
Food Reference – Upcoming Food Events
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