Gastronomy Blog by Cathy Chaplin

20 May 2010

Eat My Blog: Summer 2010 Edition

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After the success of the first ever Eat My Blog charity bake sale last December, there was no question that we’d do it again. To make this upcoming event even bigger and better than before, we’ve recruited 70+ bakers who will be cranking out over 2,000 baked goods. Expect to see carrot cake cookie sandwiches, bacon chocolate chip cookies, homemade salted caramels, Momofuku’s Crack Pie, and chocolate Guinness cupcakes with bacon cream cheese frosting at the event. All proceeds will be donated to the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank.

The Eat My Blog tables will also be lined with special donations from local chefs and restaurants including Evan Kleiman, Chef Ludo Lefebvre, Chicks with Knives, Debbie Lee, Drago Centro, Starry Kitchen, Bakelab, Cube, Fraiche, Hollywood Corner, Choppe Choppe, Valerie Confections, Plaisir, Scoops Ice Cream, iHerb.com, and Tender Greens.

In addition, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf will be featuring a selection of hot beverages to help wash down all of those scrumptious sweet treats! All items will be priced between $1 and $4. I hope to see you there!

Click below to see a complete list of participating bloggers…

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Restaurant Review

18 May 2010

Taverna El Glop – Barcelona

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After a glorious day spent exploring Antoni Gaudí‘s Park Güell [Check out the complete set of photos on Flickr], The Astronomer and I headed to Taverna El Glop for a classic Catalan dinner. We had initially planned to dine at its sister restaurant Nou Glop, but showed up too late for the manager’s liking and were turned away. The Spanish may like to dine late, but the window to indulge is oftentimes quite narrow. This may bode well for locals, but for for two kids lazing the evenings away on holiday, not so much.

While Nou Glop was winding down for the night, Taverna El Glop was very lively when we arrived at half past ten. After placing our beverage order, a bowl of complimentary olives was set before us. By the way, glop means to “swallow” or “gulp.” We did a lot of both this evening.

Between The Astronomer and me, we polished off a humongous pitcher of Cava sangria (10.75€) with our dinner. Considering how seldom we drink day to day, this was quite a feat! I absolutely adored the sparkly and refreshing sangria. Truth be told, I don’t think I went a single day in Spain without sipping on some local bubbly. Ah, the good life.

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Giveaway

14 May 2010

GIVEAWAY: Paella Starter Kit from Valencia

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Giveaway

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Sharing my Spanish culinary experiences through words and images is mostly adequate, but I thought it would be even better to give one lucky gas•tron•o•my reader the tools to whip up some authentic paella in his or her own home. The Paella Starter Kit includes a sturdy pan, threads of locally-grown saffron, and a kilogram of locally-grown rice. All items were procured at Valencia’s Central Market. Not everyone can be whisked away to Spain for a holiday, but with the right materials, the flavors of Spain can come to you!

To qualify for the Paella Starter Kit giveaway, please leave a comment with your name and email address in the appropriate fields, and your answer to the following question: What’s the tastiest city in the world and why. I will read through each entry and choose the one that most suits my fancy. [Extra points for bold declarations and creativity.] The contest is open to domestic and international residents. Only one entry per person, please. All entries must be received by Wednesday, May 19, 2010 at midnight PST. Good luck!