Feature of the Week: April 26-May 2

A Taste of Heaven would not exist if it were not for the audience, so I want to show my appreciation by dedicating Thursdays to the fans. If you eat or make a dish of your own and its camera ready, then you can email me your photos. I will review and post them on Thursday.  It’s important to remember presentation, style, and taste. I look forward to seeing your Taste of Heaven.

FYI: Email Pictures

Description: This taste of heaven is called the Shrimp and Avocado salad. It’s romaine lettuce with grilled shrimp, pico de gallo, black beans, fresh jalapeños, avocado, feta cheese, and balsamic dressing. I have never had a salad with fresh jalapeños, so this feature intrigues me. I love the southwestern toppings and the choice of balsamic dressing. People normally order salads with common toppings, but I think the Shrimp and Avocado salad is adventurous. When I went to Taco Mac I ordered the Chopped Cobb Salad, but next time I’m ordering this Feature of the Week.

FYI: Taco Mac

Try Me

It’s been a long week, and you’re dying for a break. Well, I have the perfect solution. I’m introducing Whine Down Wednesdays. Every Wednesday I will offer a drink to the viewers. You don’t have to wait until the weekend arrives to enjoy a great drink. Take a break and have a sip of A Taste of Heaven.  

Many people are not big fans of beer. They think its gross and not worth trying; however, in order for you to appreciate beer, you have to experiment with different kinds. This taste of heaven is a Heineken Lager beer. Heineken has been brewing since 1873, and it’s popular to many people around the world. The cold, crisp taste is perfect for hot sunny days or parties with friends. I recommend throwing a couple in the cooler, so they can get chilly and ready for sipping. Flip the top and enjoy! :D

FYI: Heineken

FOOD TIP: Beer keeps ringworms away.

You Only Live Once

It’s very rare that I have room for dessert, but it was a special occasion, so I ordered a chocolate chip brownie sundae. It’s a warm brownie, with chocolate chips, a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream, hot fudge drizzles, and whipped cream. The taste was rich and perfect for my sweet tooth. I shared this dessert with someone, but it’s a perfect portion for one person. If you’re going to eat dessert, then get the works and don’t have any regrets. Enjoy each bite like it’s your last because you only live once. Eat Up!

FYI: Ray's New York Pizza

FOOD TIP: Dark chocolate is good for your skin.

Beer Belly

I have a few words to describe this beer belly chicken: juicy, falling of the bone, teriyaki, and dripping beer. We devoured this whole chicken. No one wanted to wait for me to carve the meat off the bone. If you look closely, someone stole a piece off of the drumstick. My friend slowly grilled the teriyaki chicken for a friendly gathering we had on Saturday. Everyone patiently waited for the whole chicken to come off the grill. I thinly sliced the chicken for quick grabs. Then we used smoked house barbecue sauce for our dipping. Talk about silence in the room, all you heard was, “Hmm this is good.” I learned something new: Stick an opened/half filled beer can in a whole chicken, so the steamy beer will make the meat tender and juicy. This technique sounds weird, but please trust me on this one. You will thank me later.

FYI: Further Details...

FOOD TIP: Slow cooking meats makes them tender and juicy.

Spontaneous

I was feeling hungry, and I wanted to make a dish that included fresh seafood. I ventured off to the market, but I did not know if I wanted to buy scallops, lobster, shrimp, mussels, or crab. The fresh seafood section had some great selections on ice, so I chose lobster. I grabbed a bundle of asparagus, and then a great idea came to me. I could make lobster and asparagus fettuccine for dinner. I made a Vodka sauce that was creamy and smooth. Then I combined everything together and complemented the pasta with garlic bread. The dish was very spontaneous, but it came out perfectly. The flavors were phenomenal, and the lobster was the icing on the cake.

FYI: Further Details...

FOOD TIP: Make your own garlic bread with a fresh loaf, butter, and diced garlic.

Feature of the Week: April 19-25

A Taste of Heaven would not exist if it were not for the audience, so I want to show my appreciation by dedicating Thursdays to the fans. If you eat or make a dish of your own and its camera ready, then you can email me your photos. I will review and post them on Thursday.  It’s important to remember presentation, style, and taste. I look forward to seeing your Taste of Heaven.

FYI: Email Pictures

Description: This taste of heaven is grilled red snapper with sautéed peppers, onions, and a fresh salad. Who doesn’t love sautéed peppers and onions? It’s one of my favorites. I admire this dish because of the red snapper. The fish is presented to the customer as a whole with the bones, which is a plus in my book. In my opinion, this is the best way to eat fish. The taste is fresh and straight from the waters. I also like how the red snapper is the main component in this dish; it’s not being overshadowed by the salad or sautéed veggies. This was a great choice, and I would love to try it. 

Dreaming Sunrise

It’s been a long week, and you’re dying for a break. Well, I have the perfect solution. I’m introducing Whine Down Wednesdays. Every Wednesday I will offer a drink to the viewers. You don’t have to wait until the weekend arrives to enjoy a great drink. Take a break and have a sip of A Taste of Heaven.  

This taste of heaven is called the Tequila Sunrise. The popular cocktail earned its name from its sunrise appearance. It’s a mixture of orange juice, grenadine syrup, and tequila. I had one for the first time, and it was super strong. California Dreaming does not play games when it comes to their daily $1.95 well drinks. If you want to try a Tequila Sunrise, then ask for one the next time you visit a bar. Bottoms Up!

FYI: California Dreaming

FOOD TIP: Oranges help maintain great skin and vision.

Tasty Fingers

I always opposed getting chicken strips from a restaurant because it’s so common. However, these tasty fingers changed my mind. This taste of heaven is battered and fried chicken tenderloins with homemade strip sauce. Originally, I had visited California Dreaming for their daily $1.95 well drinks. I wanted something to snack on, so I order the strips as an appetizer. When those bad boys came out, they were fresh, hot, and delicious. Their homemade strip sauce added sweetness to the tenders and gave the dish a wild side. I did not want to share them, but I let my friends have a taste. I promise I’m not always selfish.

FYI: California Dreaming

FOOD TIP: Don't turn your nose up, until you try it.

Picture Perfect

I need to pat myself on the back for this taste of heaven. I snapped one picture of this dish, and it came out picture perfect. The colors, texture, and the placement of the entrée items are my favorites in this dish. Plated is grilled sirloin, steamed broccoli, loaded mashed potatoes, and Texas toast. The load mashed potatoes have fresh bacon bits, chives, and swirls of cheese drizzled on top. Then the sirloin is medium well, which means it’s cooked until a hint of pink is in the middle, and it’s complimented with A1 sauce. The broccoli is steamed perfectly; it’s not too soft, but contains a healthy crunch. On the side, I had a $5 frozen strawberry margarita to complete the late night meal. I had no complains or issues with anything. My Chili’s experience was on point.

FYI: Chili's

FOOD TIP: The head of broccoli is called a floret.         

First Timers

Sometimes I want sushi for lunch, so I like to keep it simple by ordering California rolls. This roll consists of avocado, crab meat, cucumber, seaweed, rice, and sesame seeds. On the side is wasabi and fresh ginger, and the brown colored sauce is called eel sauce. I love eel sauce; I can’t eat sushi without it. California rolls are very common for first timers in the sushi department. It’s a roll that does not contain raw fish and it takes common foods and blends them together nicely. If you have not tried sushi before, then I recommend taking the light route before going on an adventure with raw fish. I hope you decide to try something new. Enjoy!

FYI: Haru

FOOD TIP: Wasabi helps prevent tooth decay.

Pride

I have to admit, I did not want to use this colorful plate at first. I wanted a white dish for presentation, so I could create a fresh appeal. After snapping a few shots, the pictures didn’t look as bad. Plated is lightly fried tilapia with maple collard greens, and cheesy scallop potatoes. I must have been in a good mood when I made this dish. It was a Tuesday after classes and I had a craving for some southern food. I pulled out the big guns for this taste of heaven. Everything blended together nicely, but the only thing I was missing was cornbread. I would have had a five star dish, if had the sweet cornbread to compliment the collard greens. However, I’m not complaining because the dish was finger lickin’ good. I had NO leftovers.


FYI: Further Details...

FOOD TIP: Don't be afraid to try new things in the kitchen.

Feature of the Week: April 12-18

A Taste of Heaven would not exist if it were not for the audience, so I want to show my appreciation by dedicating Thursdays to the fans. If you eat or make a dish of your own and its camera ready, then you can email me your photos. I will review and post them on Thursday.  It’s important to remember presentation, style, and taste. I look forward to seeing your Taste of Heaven.

FYI: Email Pictures

Description: This taste of heaven is seafood fried rice with calamari, shrimp, mussels, red peppers, scallions, and egg. The first word that comes to my mind when I look at this picture is, feisty. The colors make me think of  warm weather and fall leaves. I would definitely order this dish, if I ventured off to Puerto Rico. The cool part about this dish is the fried fortune cookie sitting on top of the brown rice; it brings creativity to the dish. I wonder if there was a good fortune inside.

Pants N' Ties

The Mediterranean atmosphere immediately draws you in once you enter the restaurant. Burning candles, artistic paintings, and dimmed lighting are a few of the many surprises this restaurant has to offer. Plated is parmesan chicken with garlic mashed potatoes and fresh green beans. The tender chicken breast is seared and encrusted with Japanese breadcrumbs called panko. Then it’s layered on bed of smooth mashed potatoes and complimented with green beans. Lemon caper burre blanc and capers are drizzled on the parmesan chicken for extra flavor and presentation. The dish itself is light and it’s worth every bite. I loved the atmosphere, but I was little underdressed for the occasion. People were formally dressed, and I was wearing jeans and high heels. The moral of the story is make sure you check the dress code to see if you have to wear pants n’ ties.

FYI: Capers Restaurant & Bar

FOOD TIP: Capers are native to the Mediterranean.

Famous B&E

I call this taste of heaven the Famous B&E. It’s a breakfast sandwich with bacon and egg on toasted whole wheat bread. The spread is compacted into layers and cut in half for presentation. I can make the Famous B&E in less than 15 minutes.  My friends and family love when I wake up in the morning to make this hardy sandwich. The best part is the sweetness from the maple flavored bacon. I can’t get enough of morning bacon and eggs. Making breakfast is a great way to learn how to cook. If you can make the Famous B&E, then you’re off to a great start.

FYI: Further Details...

FOOD TIP: Toast bread to avoid soggy bread.

Feature of the Week April 5-11

A Taste of Heaven would not exist if it were not for the audience, so I want to show my appreciation by dedicating Thursdays to the fans. If you eat or make a dish of your own and its camera ready, then you can email me your photos. I will review and post them on Thursday.  It’s important to remember presentation, style, and taste. I look forward to seeing your Taste of Heaven.

FYI: Email Pictures

Description: This taste of heaven is baby octopus cooked in lime and tiger’s milk. The beautiful spread is topped with red onion and garnished with an orange slice. The Feature of the Week definitely stepped out the box for this dish. I think it’s an adventurous choice that looks fun to try. A Taste of Heaven has taught me how to be open and spontaneous with food. I would love to try this dish to broaden my horizons. Its presentation screams EAT ME and the colors definitely pop in this dish.

Jack on the Rocks

It’s been a long week, and you’re dying for a break. Well, I have the perfect solution. I’m introducing Whine Down Wednesdays. Every Wednesday I will offer a drink to the viewers. You don’t have to wait until the weekend arrives to enjoy a great drink. Take a break and have a sip of A Taste of Heaven.  

They say if you have a Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey straight on the rocks, then you won’t have a hangover the next morning. If you add coke and other mixtures to Jack Daniels, you’re adding impurities to the popular whiskey. I ventured off to Lynchburg, Tennessee to see how the famous Jack Daniel’s Whiskey is made. The distillery tour takes you on a journey of how Jack Daniels, himself, started and created the whiskey we know today. Our tour guide, Scarlet, was very comedic and informative about the history of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey. The tour was very interesting and hazardous, so I snapped as many pictures as I could before Scarlet banned the use of electronics. After the tour was complete, I was eager to have a shot of whiskey; however, it was Sunday in Lynchburg, Tennessee, so when I thought I was going to get lifted, I was given a cup of cold lemonade. I felt like I was getting Punk’d. 

FYI: Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey Distillery

FUN FACT: Jack Daniel forgot the combination to his safe, so he kicked it and broke his toe. He got an infection and died from blood poisoning. 

 

 

Fuddruckers

This sandwich is called Bacon & Swiss. It’s a grilled chicken sandwich with lettuce, tomato, pickle, bacon, Swiss cheese, honey mustard, and mayonnaise. The best part about this restaurant is that you can pick your own topping. They are freshly cut and presented to their customers on the rocks. Personally, I have grown to love chicken sandwiches more than hamburgers. They are both delicious; however, the grill chicken sandwich is refreshing and light. I feel full and satisfied after eating the Bacon & Swiss from Fuddruckers. It’s a favorite of mine, and I know that you will love it as well.

FYI: Fuddruckers

FOOD TIP:  Mayonnaise contains Vitamin E. 

Tennessee Love

Plated with elegance is Tennessee catfish, apple- fennel slaw, and a Mississippi comeback sauce. The catfish is deep fried until a southern crunch is created, and it’s mounted on a bed of apple-fennel slaw. The sweet slaw consists of thinly sliced green apples, fennel, and carrots. Then the Mississippi comeback sauce is orange in color and drizzled down the middle of this masterpiece. The sauce is smooth, tangy, and absolutely delicious. This taste of heaven is considered an appetizer, but it’s a perfect way to kick off a southern meal. I’m a strong lover of catfish, so I would definitely order this dish again. 

FYI: South City Kitchen

FOOD TIP: An apple a day, keeps the doctor away.