Back to Basics: A Must Read

From the NYT Dining & Wine section today "A No-Frills Kitchen Still Cooks" was one of the most resourceful and down-to-earth articles I've read in quite some time. An absolute must-read for any of us who can be, at times, daunted by the flood of specialty cookware that high-end companies push as the secret to gourmet food. The whole article was absolutely spot-on, and a must read—a gentle reminder to every earnest, intrepid cook to keep the following close to heart: "Lavish tools and state-of-the art equipment does not necessarily a good meal make."

I will NOT be purchasing an electric vacuum marinator anytime soon.

Bits & Bites: Retail Therapy + Sprinkles

I cannot believe how fast Sprinkles jumped on the retail bandwagon! New at Williams-Sonoma! And you even get the B.H. bakery "visual signature" cupcake decoration...I'm not sure how I feel about that yet. I cannot wait to test this out and compare against the real deal from the bakery. And if it lives up to standard, I will be very happy to know where to get a sprinkles fix given my upcoming departure from L.A. :(

Great Design

I love this:

Italian Murano Glass bowl

and I LOVE these:

Stonewear platters

Now where, oh where, can I get them??? I will find out, and modify this post...

Too Good to Eat: Le Pink Apothecary

Once upon a time there was a delightful little apothecary in Echo Park, Los Angeles, known by locals as Le Pink. However, the ever-crowded store was filled to the brim with the unbelievable scents emanating from hard-to-find, high-quality beauty product on its shelves. Something had to be done. Le Pink found a larger space to accommodate it's aromatic treasures, and has moved to a new location—in Silver Lake, on Sunset Blvd., near Sunset Junction. Their scintillating array of unique offerings(including vintage candy!)—all of which smell delectable enough to eat—will leave you wanting seconds and thirds...Enter with caution. The top three scents of my last visit:
1. Strawberry Milkshake Bar (body soap)
2. Japanese Plum toothpaste (a fluoride alternative)
3. Vanilla-Almond hand lotion

A Twist on Tastings: Sticky Flights

Forget swishing around and observing the color on some vintage varietal...After reading this AMAZING article on honey, I'd like to host a honey-tasting soirée. Wouldn't it be grand (and sweet-tooth satisfying) to offer up delicious, half-sized honey sticks, each with it's own unique blend of floral and herbal aromas? And according to this information-packed little piece, honey pairs well with an array of cheeses. Le perfect! Of course, to really get the buzz going about honey, refreshments would have be a nice, dry bubbly...Sweet!