Palapa Azul Popsicles
I went to the BIG San Francisco food show last week and discovered this gem. Believe it or not, it is very difficult to find products that don't have any artificial flavors or preservatives. Well this awesome Popsicle doesn't have either. They come in great flavors like mango, grapefruit, banana-chocolate, cucumber-chili, papaya, and mango-chili. I am sure that I am forgetting some of the flavors. You can always look at their web site to get more of an idea: palapaazul.com. Everyone that I was with was reeling at the flavor of these popsicles. They are so simple, but incredibly refreshing. The bad news is that the company just started and they don't have distribution yet. I did show them to the grocery buyer at Whole Foods, who was equally thrilled with them. By the hot summer months, they should be available at Whole Foods. Good luck in getting your mouth around one of them soon.
POM Pomgranate Beverage
One of my co-workers told me about this drink. She was raving about how tasty it is and that regardless of the steep price tag, I've got to try it. So I did. She was right. POM is a pomegranate flavored drink made with all juice. I saw 5 different flavors: Just Pomegranate, Pom/Mango, Pom/Blueberry, Pom/cherry, and Pom/Tangerine. The packaging is also out of this world. It comes in a glass jar that appears to be a snowman with no head. Upon further inspection, I realized that the top orb is a pomegranate. Purty. Cool fonts and nice logo are painted on for just the right touch.
Catlin's Hair Cuts
My friend Catlin gives awesome haircuts. She is a certified beautician and has been for years, but doesn't want to deal with working in the crazy salons of San Francisco. Here's what I like about her and the her haircuts1) She is super smart and interesting to talk to 2) She cuts hair in her kitchen and she make me a cup of tea to sip while she is snipping my hair. 3) Her haircuts are great, even when they grow out.
She's been cutting my hair for the last year, and hell, it's never looked better. If you want to get a f-ing rad "do", email her. Ohh yeah, she's worth tons of money, but she doesn't charge it. Ask her for todays rate.
Haircut PLeaSSeeE catlinconlin@hotmail.com
Cook's Illustrated Magazine
The best cooking magazine around. Here's what it doesn't have: advertisements!! It's packed with product reviews, cooking tips, scientific food facts, and recipes that have undergone the severest of tests in the "test kitchen." Everything that I have made out of this magazine has been....well, perfect. If you want to try a recipe, just click and put on your apron.
Oooohhhh I have to know more: cooksillustrated.com
Almond Breeze
Tasty, rich almond milk for the lactose intolerant, or folks who just plain love sweet, thick beverages. It comes in vanilla, chocolate, and original. I drink it straight from the box!! It is so good, I tried to make some imitation Fudgesicles out of it, but it didn't freeze right. Oh well, it was a good idea. Surprisingly enough, it's made by Blue Diamond, a company I don't think of as doing dairy-alternative products. Pick up a box next to the soy milk, to have with breakfast tomorrow. You'll only be out two bucks if you don't like it. I've seen it at Whole Foods Market, Rainbow, and Trader Joes...but I'm sure you can get it elsewhere too.
"O" Meyer Lemon Olive Oil & "O" Balsamic Vinegar
I adore olive oil. I once took a class all about olive oil. We sat around and gorged ourselves on oils from around the world until we felt quite sick. Out of all of the oils I tasted, "O" won. It blew my socks off, then knitted me new ones. They have a great basic olive oil that's perfect in every kitchen, but their claim to fame is their line of fruit olive oils: Meyer Lemon, Ruby Grapefruit, Blood Orange, and Tahitian Lime. Recently I tried their balsamic vinegar, and this likewise sent me reaching for my purse. They ain't cheap, but a little goes a long way. They are a small local company that produces an exquisite product. If you want to know some more history about them or educate yourself on the making of olive oil, check out their site,
ooliveoil.com.If you want to look for it, watch for the tall skinny bottle with awesome graphics. They win the Melanie Award for kick-ass packaging. Get it at Rainbow and Whole Foods.
Mitchell's Ice Cream
Hands down, the best god-damn ice cream I've ever had. Every year I hold my breath in anticipation that someone will buy me an ice cream cake for my birthday. They have a ton of flavors ranging from Mexican Chocolate to Filipino specialties like Buko (baby coconut), Ube (purple yam), Langka (jackfruit), and Macapuno (sweet coconut)!!! Of course they have all the classics to, so don't worry. My current favorite is Chocolate Carmel Crackle in a waffle cone. It's a bellyaching delight that could send you right to sleep. A great combo of rich chocolate, rivers of Carmel, and surprise nuggets of rice crispy style chocolate crunchies. They are always very busy, so be ready to grab a number by the door and wait.... but I promise the wait is worth it. Ice cream cakes, Chocolate covered bananas, cones, and cookies also available. If it's late night and you want a sundae, don't worry. They are open 11- 11 every day!! Warning, they are cash only so bring a wad of the green stuff. Mitchell's Ice Cream 688 San Jose Ave., SF (415) 648-2300.