FOOD + BEVERAGE, PRODUCTS, REVIEWS, SHOP, SPONSORED

Sponsored | Simply Chocolate is Simply Delicious

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This post is sponsored by simply chocolate.

Simply Chocolate is the perfect resource for chocolate lovers. They offer quality gifts from iconic chocolatiers, as well as innovative artisans.

Simply Chocolate has recently launched the Simply Chocolate Premier Collection & Colossal Truffles, featuring delicious flavor pairings by an artisan chocolatier. These were gifted for me to try.

It’s been raining a lot lately, so I thought it would be perfect to cozy up with some hot milk tea & these chocolates.

Simply Chocolate Premier Collection [28 piece] & Simply Chocolate Colossal Truffles [12 piece]

I was gifted the 28 piece from the Premier Collection & the 12 piece Colossal Truffles. They also come in 14 pieces & 6 pieces, respectively.

6 Flavors: Milk Chocolate, Black & White, Milk Caramel, Dark Chocolate, Milk Chocolate Raspberry, Peanut Butter Sea Salt
These truffles are definitely COLOSSAL.
I cut them in half so you could see the cross sections.
8 Flavors: Ultra Dark Chocolate, Caramel Coconut, Strawberry Rhubarb, Sea Salt Peanut Butter, Caramel Rose, Mocha Cream, Hazelnut Heart, Orange Cream
Look at the detail on the Strawberry Rhubarb!

Aside from these new additions, Simply Chocolate continually provides new & exclusive products. They have introduced chocolates from four new brands: Ethel M, Jacques Torres, Knipschildt & Kohler. There are more than 30 brands on their site as well as hundreds of products to choose from!

As for pricing, the overall product price points range anywhere from $20- $300, so there are chocolates available for any budget; they make perfect gifts for the chocolate connoisseur. The Simply Chocolate branded collection price points range from $20- $100.

The Colossal Truffles [$29.99 – $49.99] & Premier Collection [$34.99 – $59.99]

Visit SimplyChocolate.com to find the latest in chocolate offerings, & also find information about top chocolate shops + featured chocolatiers.

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FOOD + BEVERAGE, PRODUCTS, RECIPES, REVIEWS, SPONSORED

Sponsored | Foster Farms Bold Bites

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This post is sponsored by Foster Farms.

Foster Farms has released Bold Bites in five unique flavors. These are the ideal snack for people on-the-go! As for me, they are the perfect snacks for my low-carb days.

Now available at: Wal-Mart, Target, Kroger, Safeway, Save Mart, Lucky’s, Albertsons, Vons

What I like about Foster Farms is that their chicken is responsibly raised by local farmers. They are committed to raising their poultry at a higher standard; they want to live up to their philosophy of good food feeds good times.

There are five bold flavors to choose from! And they all have completely different flavor profiles which makes it hard to choose just one bag. Which flavor would you try??

Cajun Style, Chile Verde, Caribbean Jerk Style, Korean BBQ Style, Parmesan Garlic
Made a quick snack with crackers, cheese, & Bold Bites Parmesan Garlic flavor.

For my low-carb days, I substitute the cracker for fresh cucumber slices. I used the Bold Bites with Chile Verde Seasoning because I thought it would pair nicely with some guacamole.

Bold Bites are made with whole chicken breasts which makes them a healthy snack option.
They do not include artificial colors, flavors, nitrates, or nitrites.
Bold Bites makes taking a snack break so easy.

If you are on-the-go, these Bold Bites make a great high-protein snack. When I feel like munching on something on my low-carb days, these are perfect. The Bold Bites that I tried are moist, juicy & packed with flavor. My favorite flavor is the Garlic Parmesan!

The other day, I introduced my friend to these Bold Bites because she was interested in my low-carb days & I turned her onto these as the perfect snack option; her favorite is the Korean BBQ.

#BeBoldAnywhere & try these Bold Bites now! They are currently sold in California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Texas, Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico, Idaho, Montana, & Hawaii.

Visit Foster Farms to find a retailer near you.

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BAY AREA EATS, FOOD + BEVERAGE, PRODUCTS, REVIEWS

SF | Bayonne Ham induction Ceremony + Launch event

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This post is sponsored by: Bayonne Ham

Bayonne Ham is now in the US!

What is Bayonne ham?

There is ham & there is Bayonne Ham. It is unique because of these 3 reasons:

  • Bayonne Ham earned the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status in 1998, a label that guarantees the quality & geographic origin of a product. This dry cured ham is so inherently special & inimitable that it must come from Southwest France to be called Bayonne Ham.
  • Four ingredients are essential to the production of Bayonne Ham: pigs, salt, air & patience. To qualify for production, the pigs must be born + bred in Southwest France & fed natural products.
  • With a moderate saltiness & creamy finish, Jambon de Bayonne is unique + stands out among the rest.

I was lucky enough celebrate their launch with an induction ceremony at Bask, a restaurant in San Francisco.

01/13/19 The event took place @ Bask in SF.
They handed out berets and handkerchiefs for the event.
The French Bayonne Ham team during the induction ceremony.
The inductees! {Roland Barthélémy, Cathy Strange, Kelly Cosgrove, Ray Bair, Ron Schinbeckler, Angela Rihacek, Tyson Danilson, Benat Ibarra, Stephanie Ciano}
Look at this beautiful ham! And the accordionist in the back makes things even more festive.
Cutting that Bayonne Ham for everyone to taste. This ham was amazing!
And of course, we had food paired with Bayonne Ham.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BtACDAnntDu/
Hamming it up!

Thank you for a lovely time, Bayonne Ham!

Now that you know more about this mouth-watering ham, run to your nearest grocery store & ask for Maison Agour, Delpeyrat, Mayte, Salaisons de l’Adour or Pierre Oteiza, some of the most beloved brands that are available in the United States.

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FOOD + BEVERAGE, RESTAURANTS, REVIEWS, TRAVEL, VISIT VEGAS

LV | the factory kitchen opens in las vegas

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the factory kitchen is now open in las vegas! i was lucky enough to attend their opening party on 1/16/19.

their first location is in los angeles, & it is named after the street address of that location.

the front of the restaurant has red neon sign of the restaurant name
the factory kitchen in las vegas is located in restaurant row at the venetian

cute little area to sit & chat
they are ready for service!
restaurateur Matteo Ferdinandi, chef Angelo Auriana during the pasta demo. they mentioned that the idea of the factory kitchen was first discussed in the bay area!
media dinner menu. they use fresh, seasonal & locally-sourced ingredients.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bswj3RbH6Cw/

i loved the handkerchief pasta aka mandilli di seta. it was cooked perfectly & the pesto was well-balanced.

the prosciutto wasn’t too salty & went well with the creaminess of the cheese.

the porchetta was crispy, fatty & well seasoned.

i recommend their cannolis! i am usually not a fan of them but these had great texture & it had a savory component to them which balanced out the sweetness from the cream.

The Factory Kitchen

3355 S Las Vegas Blvd
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(In The Venetian)

+++

The Factory Kitchen

1300 Factory Place #101
Los Angeles, Ca 90013

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PRODUCTS, RECIPES, REVIEWS, SPONSORED

recipe | summer strawberry watermelon smoothie bowl that Outshines all others

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this post is sponsored by Outshine

When I think summertime, I think of watermelon and strawberry ice pops. Both sound so refreshing! Ice cream month just came to an end but you can still enjoy watermelon & strawberries all summer long with this quick & easy strawberry watermelon smoothie bowl recipe. This is a great way to keep cool while enjoying a healthy snack.

 

Outshine Strawberry Fruit Bars are made with real fruit.

 

Here are some of the toppings I will be adding to my smoothie bowl. I like berries & chia seeds so I will add them as my toppings.

 

I chilled some of the fruit toppings because I need this to be extra cold & refreshing on a hot summer day. I also added mint to add an extra bit of freshness.

 

I think using the watermelon as a bowl is a creative & fun way to present smoothie bowls for guests. And not to mention, it saves you from doing a dish or two. Enjoy this easy recipe on a hot summer day because #TheresAnIceCreamForThat!

 

serving: 2 bowls

ingredients

1 mini watermelon

2 Outshine Strawberry Fruit Bars

juice from 1/2 of a lime

garnish

watermelon balls

handful strawberries, whole or sliced

handful blueberries, whole or sliced

handful raspberries, whole or sliced

tablespoon chia seeds

sprig of mint

slices of lime

* drizzle of honey [optional] for added sweetness

*any toppings that you would like

materials

melon baller

blender

directions

1. Cut watermelon in half & scoop out the inside. Use the melon baller to scoop out round balls for some pieces and set those aside for garnish. Save the empty halves, for they will serve as bowls for your smoothie.

2. Freeze the watermelon scoops for one hour or until frozen.

3. Place the frozen cut-up watermelon pieces, lime juice, and Outshine Strawberry Fruit Bars into the blender & blend until it becomes thick & smooth in consistency.

3.  Put the contents into the hollowed-out watermelon halves.

4. Garnish with toppings of choice & enjoy!

 

Let me know what toppings you would add & how you liked my recipe!

*Outshine comes in a variety of flavors and right now you can stock up and save.

Save $2 when you buy 3 or more Outshine or other Nestlé ice cream products. Find the offer here:
http://lynk.to/HEEJINLEE

 

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BAY AREA EATS, FOOD + BEVERAGE, PRODUCTS, REVIEWS, SERVICES, SF EATS, SUBSCRIPTIONS, TRAVEL, VISIT SF

SF | Dinerlist app launch

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Compensation for this post was provided by Dinerlist. Opinions expressed here are my own.

dinerlist has just launched in the san francisco bay area. to celebrate, at the bottom of this post, there will be a link for a chance to win an iphone x!

it is an app that helps people find new restaurants, bars, and cafes in their immediate area without having to look through millions of photos and reviews; it also shows any deals/promos that the establishment might be having.

dinerlist might entice you to try that one restaurant you always pass by but never thought to go into. or  it may even get you to try a new menu item at a place you’ve already been to, which was the case for me.

i was looking through dinerlist and came across mr. t cafe. i go there occasionally to get their twister potato fries or egg puffs. i saw on dinerlist that they had a 10% off drinks promotion so i decided to go and try their drinks this time.

 

i thought, why not try their drinks at 10% off?

 

i got two drinks [instead of one] because one was 10% off. here shown are the milk tea with seas salt & strawberry milk tea.

download the app & try it for yourself and see what items you would try through their promotions.

itunes
google play

** when you download the app + link to facebook account, you will be entered to win an iphone x! **

a Rafflecopter giveaway

winner will be announced 1/15!

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