food and beverage

While it doesn't happen every day, I occasionally am approached to review new food and food-related products in exchange for a sample. Right before the holidays I was approached by a representative from Emily's Chocolates asking if I would like to try and review their chocolates. Well, that was a no-brainer. However, holiday mail played havoc and I didn't get my package, so when they found out, a new box full of Emily's Chocolate was at my door in no time. I unpacked the box and set the containers on the table until I could get around to photos, tasting and posting. I honestly thought my chocolate samples would be safe since chocolate covered nuts and fruits are more my thing than that of other people in my household.

So imagine my surprise when I came downstairs to find that three of four of my Emily's packages had been raided!! In a house with three women, the idea that someone would hit the chocolate is not really surprising, but I was shocked to find that the real perpetrators were the male members of our household! Now that is an endorsement for chocolate.

My son Andrew was drawn to the milk-chocolate covered graham crackers, which came individually wrapped (like that would help your self-control!), while my husband headed for the dark chocolate covered cherry-hazelnut mix, very strange since he normally is not a big fan of chocolate-covered fruit. This alone was enough to make me take my own taste test, and I was so impressed! There was just enough chocolate to compliment the nuts and fruit inside. The chocolate had just the right amount of sweetness, and was wonderfully creamy. My favorite was the pecans that were covered in chocolate and dusted with cocoa- they were sophisticated chocolate perfection!

Needless to say, with so many fans, Emily's Chocolates did not hang around very long, and I have to admit, I have already hit the website to try the chocolate-covered blueberries... and the chocolate-covered fortune cookies... or maybe the cranberries bathed in chocolate... Anyway, check out Emily's for yourself, her chocolates can be your chocolates at their website, at amazon.com, and a variety of retail partners (if you can't wait for the mail). And don't forget, Valentine's Day is just around the corner.

About 15 years ago, when I started working at Jefferson Lab, I had a colleague who made me feel a bit inferior. He was a man, I was a woman (a serious minority at a nuclear physics lab), he had a Ph.D. in physics, I had a B.S degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, he had been at the lab for years and I was a new temp employee... you get the picture. This sounds like it could be the makings of a real disaster, but in fact, it was a relationship that benefitted us both. He decided to move out and up working at a bigger national lab... and me? I was introduced to sushi. You see, when our professional relationship was a bit tense we went out to lunch to have a talk, and he picked a nearby sushi bar. Though I had never had sushi (I know I lived a protected life), there was no way that I was going to be intimidated, and so, I ate my first sushi roll. It was the beginning of a love affair (with sushi, not the co-worker!)

Sushi is something that is best made by a master, someone who appreciates the need for super-fresh ingredients, and how to combine elements that result in the full experience, something that is pleasing to the eye and the palate. While I am not cosmopolitan, I have eaten sushi several places since that first experience, and my favorite is Soya, right here in Newport News. First of all, Soya has a family-type atmosphere, and they remember what you like, and who you are. In all fairness, I would consider my family regulars since both my daughter Bridget and I are sushi fiends, and sushi is always our idea of a great lunch, but it is so nice to go somewhere and be greeted by people who really appreciate your business. (When my daughter goes in to order takeout, they ask- "Lunch with Mommy or daddy?")

But I don't care how nice you are,it is the food and service that counts when you are spending money for food from a restaurant, and Soya has that down pat. Though they have a very complete menu, we almost always order from the sushi a la cart menu. While we each have our favorites (Husband- Hurricane, Me- Seattle roll, Bridget- Anything without eel, Molly-Phoenix),we have started to try some of the new special rolls that Soya. Our new favorite is their '08 Special, topped with spicy scallop flakes- it is a great combination of savory and spicy.

Soya has locations in Newport News and Hampton, and even in Virginia Beach. I have been to both the Hamptonand Newport News locations and have never failed to be impressed. As a fairly skilled cook, when I go out for a meal, I like it to be something that I couldn't make at home, and sushi certainly fills that bill. If you are not into sushi, Soya also offers hibachi and other Japanese favorites. But if you are in the Tidewater Virginia area, go to Soya, and you too will become part of their extended family!

Sorry I have not been posting, in fact, I didn't even realize how long it had been, but I have been totally caught up with preparations for and enjoying the holidays. Jefferson Lab shuts down for the time between Christmas and New Year's and so it is wonderful to not have to be anywhere unless you want to be. So what is new from Christmas?

Molly got a Wii fit for Christmas, so I am Wii-fitting doing yoga and trying to reduce my Wii-age from its current 44. I am really enjoying the yoga exercises and the strength-training is kicking my butt, but it is a lot easier to get in the fitness habit when it is actually fun!

We had a wonderful family Christmas with everyone but my daughter from Florida here (she is moving up here in a couple of weeks and so is saving her money for the move). There was a hole in our celebration, though we were on the phone constantly. Colleen loves Christmas, and so when she is around, she adds an almost child-like appreciation of all of our traditions and of each other. Katie and Gavin, Jr were able to make it, and both of their "significant others" shared Christmas with us as well, so we had lots of noise, food and fun over the holiday.

Anyone who works for Amazon might want to thank me personally for helping make this their best year ever! I did almost all of my Christmas shopping there and I consistently got outstanding prices and with Amazon Prime, two-day shipping for free- it is really the best way to shop for a busy working woman!

Being a foodie makes it so much easier for people to shop for you and I got a lot of things that will make cooking, eating and food blogging better and more fun. First of all, I got a new and smaller camera!! It is an Olympus FE-370 with 8 megapixels and 5x optical zoom. Even though my old Olympus digital takes great pictures and works fine, it is too large to pull out at a restaurant or shop and does not have the capacity to make videos. I am just learning how to use it, but my favorite feature is the culinary mode for taking food pictures!! Great for a person who is a better cook than photographer like me!! Mine is even that beautiful blue color (Bridget got a pink one!)

My daughter bought me a Gel pro mat to help minimize back and leg strain since we have ceramic tile in our kitchen. I consider this a luxury since they are expensive, but since many professional kitchens use it, and Katie got me the large one that covers the area from my sink to the stove. It feels like you are standing on a cloud and it looks great in my kitchen, almost like woven leather. It is nice to get something that you like but would never buy for yourself- a perfect gift! I also got tons of cooking related tools like a salad spinner (I know, can you believe I didn't have one?), bamboo salad "hands",three new cookbooks including Made in Spain by Jose Andres, a Finger Food cookbook that I have already cooked from (another post), and Turkish cookbook that has some great recipes. My sister in law Cindy, who is a frustrated chef and loves to cook, outfitted us with a paella pan and other goodies to support tapas night, including sangria and a sangria pitcher from La Tienda. She always gives the best gifts, and this year was no exception.

After a long day in the kitchen, when you need to relax, there is nothing like a hot bath and a little pampering. Bridget got me a Towel Spa that heats your towel while you are in the bath,which is a welcome luxury, and Molly got a pedicure set,and she has already given me a pedicure, which is really a luxury for me. So you can see that I have had a wonderful holiday and you know I will be sharing more with you, including some movies taken with the new Flip video recorder Katie got for her dad.

What great food items or special gifts did you receive this Christmas that you will not be regifting? And, to all of you who visit this blog, a very happy, and healthy new year, with lots of love and laughter, and friends and food to enjoy it with!!