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June 29, 2012
June 27, 2012
June 22, 2012
Travel Annoyances
Travel as often as I do and things that perhaps were once perplexing surprises grow into pet peeves.
This is perhaps partly due to the fact that the hotel industry seems to have adopted a global copycat approach to doing business. One hotel retires its gaudy polyester bedspreads and replaces them with white (thankfully) washable coverlets and it seems innovative for about two seconds because blink and suddenly every hotel on earth is doing the exact same thing. Not that I'm complaining, I never liked the synthetic circa-1970s bedding and I've seen enough of CSI to know better than to touch it. That change was a good one. But why have all the wall-mounted streamlined blow dryers now been replaced with bulky blow dryers with long cords, stored in cloth bags with long cords that are tucked into obscure nooks? Now each morning starts with a scavenger hunt for the damn thing followed by a Survivor-style knot-untying challenge all while my hair is dripping wet. Not fun.
Here are my top travel annoyances. I'm sure to encounter more; consider this a first draft.
1. Parents ignoring their children's unruly behaviors in public spaces and vendors tolerating it.
2. Hotels that charge a fee for Internet access. It should be free. Ironically, it is frequently free at cheap hotels, so why not more upscale ones?
3. Turndown service. Don't short-sheet my bed, hide the blankets and pretend it's fancy.
4. Hotel rooms in which the TV, radio and/or lights are already turned on upon my arrival. This is an unnecessary use of energy and also makes it appear the room may be occupied by some other guest.
5. An alarm clock buzzing in my hotel room at some odd and inconvenient hour for which I did not set it.
6. Air-conditioners set to freezing temperatures.
7. Blow dryers stored in a cloth bag with long cords that require time-consuming unentanglement...though that's better than not having a blow dryer available at all.
This is perhaps partly due to the fact that the hotel industry seems to have adopted a global copycat approach to doing business. One hotel retires its gaudy polyester bedspreads and replaces them with white (thankfully) washable coverlets and it seems innovative for about two seconds because blink and suddenly every hotel on earth is doing the exact same thing. Not that I'm complaining, I never liked the synthetic circa-1970s bedding and I've seen enough of CSI to know better than to touch it. That change was a good one. But why have all the wall-mounted streamlined blow dryers now been replaced with bulky blow dryers with long cords, stored in cloth bags with long cords that are tucked into obscure nooks? Now each morning starts with a scavenger hunt for the damn thing followed by a Survivor-style knot-untying challenge all while my hair is dripping wet. Not fun.
Here are my top travel annoyances. I'm sure to encounter more; consider this a first draft.
1. Parents ignoring their children's unruly behaviors in public spaces and vendors tolerating it.
2. Hotels that charge a fee for Internet access. It should be free. Ironically, it is frequently free at cheap hotels, so why not more upscale ones?
3. Turndown service. Don't short-sheet my bed, hide the blankets and pretend it's fancy.
4. Hotel rooms in which the TV, radio and/or lights are already turned on upon my arrival. This is an unnecessary use of energy and also makes it appear the room may be occupied by some other guest.
5. An alarm clock buzzing in my hotel room at some odd and inconvenient hour for which I did not set it.
6. Air-conditioners set to freezing temperatures.
7. Blow dryers stored in a cloth bag with long cords that require time-consuming unentanglement...though that's better than not having a blow dryer available at all.
June 20, 2012
Public House
Put down your fork and drive to Public House in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Because you have simply got to taste the fried chicken livers, grits and Tabasco butter.
This is one of the best dishes I've encountered in quite some time. What's more, the restaurant has a great vibe that's a satisfying mix of relaxed and swanky. The food and the environs represent the best of contemporary Southern dining.
If liver makes you squeamish, this dish will likely win you over. It's that good. The crispy coating transforms the liver into a crunchy treat. The hot sauce adds a zippy contrast and grits round out the flavors.
Bottom Line: Fantastic.
This is one of the best dishes I've encountered in quite some time. What's more, the restaurant has a great vibe that's a satisfying mix of relaxed and swanky. The food and the environs represent the best of contemporary Southern dining.
If liver makes you squeamish, this dish will likely win you over. It's that good. The crispy coating transforms the liver into a crunchy treat. The hot sauce adds a zippy contrast and grits round out the flavors.
Bottom Line: Fantastic.
June 19, 2012
Bomb Beer
Georgia is the second state in the U.S. where
it’s possible to buy Bomb Beer. After the brand’s successful debut in New York,
the company is eyeing national distribution in 2013.
The brew is a
traditional Bavarian-style lager and is known for its ever-evolving and
distinctive can design, created exclusively for the brand by noteworthy street
artists.
“After successfully launching in Manhattan ,
we were seeking to introduce Bomb Beer into another natural market,” said Patrick
Carney, Bomb Beer president in the press release. “Atlanta was the obvious
choice, boasting a thriving culture of young artists and innovators who are
gravitating towards ‘craftier’ beer options.”
Headquartered in downtown Manhattan , Bomb Beer
draws its inspiration from local street artists, extreme sport enthusiasts,
music fans and thrill seekers who live life to the fullest. Bomb Beer is
available for purchase by the six-pack in select retailers and can be found on
bar menus at exclusive restaurants and bars throughout New York and Georgia.
Bottom
Line: Thumbs up.
Bomb beer
is priced at approx. $6.50 per six-pack.
For more
information, visit www.bombbeer.com.
June 15, 2012
June 10, 2012
Pesto Shrimp Pizza
Pizza is a standard menu item at our condo, though I routinely change up the topping combinations based on whatever is in season, what's in the pantry and refrigerator, and what flavors I most crave at that time. But pesto shrimp pizza is a personal favorite, so it pops up often in the rotation.
1 pound Wild Georgia Shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 recipe pesto (below)
shredded or fresh mozzarella
1 pizza crust for 12- to 14-inch pizza
Make a pizza crust based on your favorite recipe. I use this and follow the recipe on the bag. If you don't want to make crust from scratch, just buy a ball of raw pizza dough from your favorite neighborhood pizza place--it's cheap (+/-$3), and you can usually get two smaller thin-crust pizzas out of whatever they sell as a "large" blob.
While the pizza dough is rising or resting, put your pizza stone on the bottom rack of your oven and start pre-heating the oven to at least 475 degrees (F).
Peel and devein shrimp.
Saute shrimp in a drizzle of olive oil until pink; set aside.
Once the dough has finished rising or resting, pat the pizza dough into shape and par-bake it approx. 6 minutes on a pizza stone in a very hot oven.
Remove the par-baked crust. Spread pesto across crust. Top with shrimp and shredded mozzarella or fresh mozzarella in desired quantity.
Return pizza to oven to finish baking, approx. 6 minutes or until crust is nicely browned and cheese begins to bubble.
Note: Instead of using mozzarella, you could use Parmesan cheese. With a vegetable peeler, cut curls off a wedge and onto pizza just after removing the pizza from the oven.
Serve and enjoy.
Fresh Pesto
4 cups (loosely packed) fresh basil leaves, washed and dried
2 Tablespoons fresh Georgia pecans (raw, not salted)
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
2 Tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Drop pecans and garlic through chute with food processor running and process until minced. Add basil, Parmesan and lemon juice and process until finely minced. With processor running, slowly pour oil through food chute; process until well-blended.
Note: Oven times may vary.
1 pound Wild Georgia Shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 recipe pesto (below)
shredded or fresh mozzarella
1 pizza crust for 12- to 14-inch pizza
Make a pizza crust based on your favorite recipe. I use this and follow the recipe on the bag. If you don't want to make crust from scratch, just buy a ball of raw pizza dough from your favorite neighborhood pizza place--it's cheap (+/-$3), and you can usually get two smaller thin-crust pizzas out of whatever they sell as a "large" blob.
While the pizza dough is rising or resting, put your pizza stone on the bottom rack of your oven and start pre-heating the oven to at least 475 degrees (F).
Peel and devein shrimp.
Saute shrimp in a drizzle of olive oil until pink; set aside.
Once the dough has finished rising or resting, pat the pizza dough into shape and par-bake it approx. 6 minutes on a pizza stone in a very hot oven.
Remove the par-baked crust. Spread pesto across crust. Top with shrimp and shredded mozzarella or fresh mozzarella in desired quantity.
Return pizza to oven to finish baking, approx. 6 minutes or until crust is nicely browned and cheese begins to bubble.
Note: Instead of using mozzarella, you could use Parmesan cheese. With a vegetable peeler, cut curls off a wedge and onto pizza just after removing the pizza from the oven.
Serve and enjoy.
Fresh Pesto
4 cups (loosely packed) fresh basil leaves, washed and dried
2 Tablespoons fresh Georgia pecans (raw, not salted)
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
2 Tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Drop pecans and garlic through chute with food processor running and process until minced. Add basil, Parmesan and lemon juice and process until finely minced. With processor running, slowly pour oil through food chute; process until well-blended.
Note: Oven times may vary.
Caramelized Vidalia Onion Pizza
Pizza is a standard menu item at our condo, though I routinely
change up the topping combinations based on whatever is in season, what's in the pantry and refrigerator, and what flavors I most crave at that time. But one day when I made dozens of different pizzas, Joe declared the Caramelized Vidalia Onion Pizza to be his favorite and so I've kept it on the regular rotation.
4-6 Vidalia onions (for a 12-inch pizza)
2 oz. goat cheese
fresh thyme leaves, washed and dried (approx. 1/2 teaspoon)
clove of garlic, peeled
homemade pizza crust
Make a pizza crust based on your favorite recipe. I use this and follow the recipe on the bag. If you don't want to make crust from scratch, just buy a ball of raw pizza dough from your favorite neighborhood pizza place--it's cheap (+/-$3), and you can usually get two smaller thin-crust pizzas out of whatever they sell as a "large" blob.
While the pizza dough is rising or resting, put your pizza stone on the bottom rack of your oven and start pre-heating the oven to at least 475 degrees (F). Then start working on the onions.
Peel and slice 4-6 Vidalia onions, more or less depending on the size of your pizza and the size of the onions. The onions will reduce by at least half while caramelizing, so don't worry that it looks like way too much. Use 4 if your onions are large and/or your pizza is small, use more as needed. Slice the onions into strands, not a dice--larger strands help keep the onions atop the pizza while eating.
Caramelize the onions. To do this, add a drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil to a pan and heat over medium heat. Add onions. Stir frequently until they brown. Add salt and pepper to taste. Note that this recipe is a bit flexible in that you can decide how much caramelization you want--anywhere from medium brown to dark brown will work, though the darker you go, the sweeter the results. Getting to dark brown without burning the onions takes 30-60 minutes, but the pizza dough takes an hour to rise so you don't need to rush anyway.
Once the onions are close to finished and the dough has risen appropriately, pat the pizza dough into shape and par-bake it approx. 6 minutes on a pizza stone in a very hot oven.
Remove the par-baked crust. Snap the clove of garlic in half and rub it around on the warm crust (alternately, use a wee bit of garlic-infused olive oil--but just a tiny amount because you don't want to get the crust too soggy). Smother crust with caramelized Vidalia onions, top with crumbled goat cheese and fresh thyme leaves.
Return pizza to oven to finish baking, approx. 6 minutes or until crust is nicely browned and cheese begins to melt.
Serve and enjoy.
Note: Oven times may vary.
4-6 Vidalia onions (for a 12-inch pizza)
2 oz. goat cheese
fresh thyme leaves, washed and dried (approx. 1/2 teaspoon)
clove of garlic, peeled
homemade pizza crust
Make a pizza crust based on your favorite recipe. I use this and follow the recipe on the bag. If you don't want to make crust from scratch, just buy a ball of raw pizza dough from your favorite neighborhood pizza place--it's cheap (+/-$3), and you can usually get two smaller thin-crust pizzas out of whatever they sell as a "large" blob.
While the pizza dough is rising or resting, put your pizza stone on the bottom rack of your oven and start pre-heating the oven to at least 475 degrees (F). Then start working on the onions.
Peel and slice 4-6 Vidalia onions, more or less depending on the size of your pizza and the size of the onions. The onions will reduce by at least half while caramelizing, so don't worry that it looks like way too much. Use 4 if your onions are large and/or your pizza is small, use more as needed. Slice the onions into strands, not a dice--larger strands help keep the onions atop the pizza while eating.
Caramelize the onions. To do this, add a drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil to a pan and heat over medium heat. Add onions. Stir frequently until they brown. Add salt and pepper to taste. Note that this recipe is a bit flexible in that you can decide how much caramelization you want--anywhere from medium brown to dark brown will work, though the darker you go, the sweeter the results. Getting to dark brown without burning the onions takes 30-60 minutes, but the pizza dough takes an hour to rise so you don't need to rush anyway.
Once the onions are close to finished and the dough has risen appropriately, pat the pizza dough into shape and par-bake it approx. 6 minutes on a pizza stone in a very hot oven.
Remove the par-baked crust. Snap the clove of garlic in half and rub it around on the warm crust (alternately, use a wee bit of garlic-infused olive oil--but just a tiny amount because you don't want to get the crust too soggy). Smother crust with caramelized Vidalia onions, top with crumbled goat cheese and fresh thyme leaves.
Return pizza to oven to finish baking, approx. 6 minutes or until crust is nicely browned and cheese begins to melt.
Serve and enjoy.
Note: Oven times may vary.
June 9, 2012
Georgia Pecan Pie
Georgia is the nation's No. 1 producer of pecans.
There is much talk among winemakers
and connoisseurs about how each wine reveals its terroir—that is, the place where it was
grown. Can the term be applied to other foods? “I think that you get an
aspect of that with pecans,” says Chef Kevin Gillespie of Woodfire Grill. “I just had some California pecans
other day and they just don’t have same sugar content as Georgia counterparts.
Georgia pecans are sweeter, perhaps a touch more tannic but with an underlying
sweetness that I really like.”
He's not alone. The Chinese have developed a taste for Georgia pecans, so now much of the crop is shipped overseas. The combination of drought-challenged production and increased global demand has caused pecan prices to climb. But you only need a cup of pecan halves to make one heck of a tasty pie. Here's my favorite recipe:
Georgia Pecan Pie
3 eggs
1 cup white corn syrup
1 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. salt
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup fresh Georgia pecan halves (raw, unsalted)
1 pastry pie crust -- use the recipe of your choice, I prefer the Betty Crocker standard below
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line pie plate with pastry crust. Beat 3 eggs slightly. Add 2/3 cup light brown sugar and other ingredients except pecan halves, mix thoroughly. Gently stir in 1 cup pecan halves. Pour into pastry-lined pie plate. Bake in 375°F oven for 40-50 minutes or until set and pastry is nicely browned. Cool before serving.
Betty Crocker's Standard Pastry (for one-crust pie)
8- or 9-inch
1/3 cup plus 1 Tablespoon shortening
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2-3 Tablespoons ice cold water
10-inch
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3-4 Tablespoons ice cold water
Cut shortening into flour and salt until the size of small peas. Sprinkle in water, 1 Tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork until flour is moist almost forms a pastry ball. Gather into a disk and roll into a circle on floured cloth, exceeding pie plate size by approx. 2 inches. Ease onto rolling pin and into pie plate; flute edges.
The Optimist and Oyster Bar at The Optimist
The Optimist and Oyster Bar at The Optimist is now open in West Midtown.
The focus here is on organic produce and sustainable seafood.
According to the press materials, the restaurant’s name "was suggested by owner Ford Fry’s father and refers to a small, single-handed sailing dinghy intended for use by children up to the age of 15. The understated quality of the name along with the forthright meaning of the word appeals to Fry, who also appreciates the reference to being an optimist about the 'day’s catch' and 'catching the next big fish.'"
On a recent visit, the oyster menu offered up East Coast ($2.50 each) and West Coast ($3 each) oysters on ice with fresh horseradish and mignonette. Dean opted to try one of each, which I dubbed as the bicoastal bivalve plating. He preferred the larger East Coast oyster though admitted the comparison was fun and wished he'd have ordered more of both. (As frequent readers know, I do not eat raw meats, including seafood.)
Florida Grouper with smoked Vidalia onion, horseradish broth ($26):
Sliced local tomatoes with Louie dressing ($6). I don't know the recipe for Louie dressing off the top of my head, but it bears a striking resemblance to McDonald's "special sauce" so I'm guessing it's a close relative of Thousand Island (e.g., minus the pickles):
Fish & Chips features ale battered haddock with malt vinegar aioli ($17):
Ice Box Cake ($6) changes daily. This version featured pecan cake with slices of fresh peaches tucked between layers:
Oyster Bar at The Optimist is adjacent to The Optimist and is a more casual “fish camp” style venue featuring a raw bar and an outdoor patio with a two-hole putt-putt golf course.
Bottom Line: The combination of the beachy vibe of the decor, the Westside location, the fact that it's recently open and owned by one of the city's favorite chefs, the fresh food menu and the creative cocktail menu ensure this place will be a hit especially among young professionals.
According to the press materials, the restaurant’s name "was suggested by owner Ford Fry’s father and refers to a small, single-handed sailing dinghy intended for use by children up to the age of 15. The understated quality of the name along with the forthright meaning of the word appeals to Fry, who also appreciates the reference to being an optimist about the 'day’s catch' and 'catching the next big fish.'"
On a recent visit, the oyster menu offered up East Coast ($2.50 each) and West Coast ($3 each) oysters on ice with fresh horseradish and mignonette. Dean opted to try one of each, which I dubbed as the bicoastal bivalve plating. He preferred the larger East Coast oyster though admitted the comparison was fun and wished he'd have ordered more of both. (As frequent readers know, I do not eat raw meats, including seafood.)
Oyster Bar at The Optimist is adjacent to The Optimist and is a more casual “fish camp” style venue featuring a raw bar and an outdoor patio with a two-hole putt-putt golf course.
Bottom Line: The combination of the beachy vibe of the decor, the Westside location, the fact that it's recently open and owned by one of the city's favorite chefs, the fresh food menu and the creative cocktail menu ensure this place will be a hit especially among young professionals.
Peasant Bistro - Revisited
There are several restaurants in downtown Atlanta that are popular with tourists because they serve Southern cuisine--though I highly recommend feasting on regional cuisine, at least two of the options should be shut down immediately. Southern cuisine can be divine, don't settle for yuck. If you are hosting an out-of-town or out-of-state visitor, or are one yourself, know that there are many great options for Southern fare including Peasant Bistro.
Peasant Bistro serves tasty food in an upscale contemporary Southern setting, plus it's convenient to top tourist attractions including the Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, and my personal favorite City Segway Tours Atlanta. So spend the day exploring the city, then before dinner shower up at your hotel--as long as you're taking my advice, book your stay at The Glenn Hotel--and then head to the restaurant. You won't need a car, getting there is a pleasant stroll through Centennial Olympic Park.
For starters, consider the crab cakes which are packed with meat:
And while there are as many versions of shrimp & grits throughout the South as there are chefs, this version is a scrumptious balance of spicy and sweet:
Bottom Line: Upscale Southern dining conveniently located to Atlanta's main tourist attractions.
Peasant Bistro serves tasty food in an upscale contemporary Southern setting, plus it's convenient to top tourist attractions including the Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, and my personal favorite City Segway Tours Atlanta. So spend the day exploring the city, then before dinner shower up at your hotel--as long as you're taking my advice, book your stay at The Glenn Hotel--and then head to the restaurant. You won't need a car, getting there is a pleasant stroll through Centennial Olympic Park.
For starters, consider the crab cakes which are packed with meat:
Bottom Line: Upscale Southern dining conveniently located to Atlanta's main tourist attractions.
Fuoco di Napoli
The namesake pizza at Fuoco di Napoli in Buckhead is hot, and I'm not just talking temperature. It's HOT with spicy salami and hot peppers that dominate the sweeter toppings of San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil and olive oil. Pick off the peppers and the pizza is still spicy hot since the oils from the peppers have soaked into the crust. It's delicious, but order extra water, beer or whatever it is that you like to quaff to quench thirst because you'll guzzle it down.
On a second visit we opted for the margherita. It was soothing by contrast.
The crusts here are foldable and crispy/chewy perfection.
Bottom Line: Delicious pizza served quick in a casual environment.
Whiskey Blue
The black raspberry martini at Whiskey Blue, atop the W Hotel Buckhead, is an inspired blend of black raspberry vodka, fresh lime juice and mint that's topped off with Champagne. The taste is both stylish and smooth—a tasty match to the bar’s elegant design and swanky atmosphere.
The strawberry mojito adds sweetness to the classic mix of white rum, simple syrup and fresh lime juice:
Whiskey Blue's seasonal watermelon concoction is a personal favorite. The glass is rimmed with white pepper, which when reading the menu might strike concern as an odd note. Trust me, it works.
Bottom Line: Cheers!
Serpas True Food
I hadn't been to Serpas True Food since the grand opening celebration a few years ago, so recently checked it out. I was impressed. Chef Scott Serpas is a friendly guy who clearly knows his way around the kitchen.
The Kitty Kiernan cocktail ($9) mixes Michael Collins Irish Whiskey with golden beet puree, punt e mes, orange bitters and fresh lemon. It's a truly fantastic drink:
The spring salad featured fresh strawberries, goat cheese and candied pecans and was delicious, but we both really loved the calamari ($10) which was cooked to perfection and flavored with just the right about of spicy heat:
For entrees Dean ordered a venison steak and I chose the mixed mushrooms. Both were topped with greens, which makes the photos a bit confusing but trust me it all tasted great:
We finished every bite of this rich chocolate dessert:
Bottom Line: Highly recommended.
The Kitty Kiernan cocktail ($9) mixes Michael Collins Irish Whiskey with golden beet puree, punt e mes, orange bitters and fresh lemon. It's a truly fantastic drink:
Bottom Line: Highly recommended.
Campagnolo
Campagnolo Restaurant + Bar is now open in the gayborhood of Midtown Atlanta. The stunning interior space would certainly meet Thom Filicia's approval. The space has a peaceful ambiance which sets the stage for a relaxed meal, and once you step inside you feel a contemporary Italian world away from the busy intersection nearby--which is quite an accomplishment. Outdoor seating is available, but why on a hot summer's eve you'd opt for a table near the road over the air conditioned environment indoors is beyond my understanding.
"Campagnolo" is Italian for Peasant, and this restaurant is the sister to Peasant Bistro. Once you know that, the name makes sense though it is a mouthful and our server admitted that it took him a month to perfect the pronunciation. I will not try. In our condo, we call this place the Italian Peasant and you're welcome to do the same.
The parking situation can be confusing. Just pull into the driveway near Zocalo and use the valet.
Once settled comfortably into our booth, we sipped the Campagnolo Martini ($10), a mix of gin, dry vermouth, St. Germaine, creme de violette and orange bitters, and a Negroni ($9), a mix of gin, Campari and sweet vermouth.
Cozzo (Mussels) with sweet vermouth, tomato, scallions and ciabatta bread ($12). The sauce was delicious. If you order this, I suggest you ask for the bread to be served unbuttered; get butter on the side if you must, but odds are you'll just want to sop up the sauce.
Caprese salad ($8) adds roasted garlic to the traditional tomato, mozzarella, basil and balsamic vinegar combination.
My personal favorite dish of the evening, Orecchiette ($10/$16) is mixed with house sausage, broccoli rabe, cherry tomatoes and Parmesan:
Bottom Line: The newest Peasant offers a pleasant environment in which to dine.
"Campagnolo" is Italian for Peasant, and this restaurant is the sister to Peasant Bistro. Once you know that, the name makes sense though it is a mouthful and our server admitted that it took him a month to perfect the pronunciation. I will not try. In our condo, we call this place the Italian Peasant and you're welcome to do the same.
The parking situation can be confusing. Just pull into the driveway near Zocalo and use the valet.
Once settled comfortably into our booth, we sipped the Campagnolo Martini ($10), a mix of gin, dry vermouth, St. Germaine, creme de violette and orange bitters, and a Negroni ($9), a mix of gin, Campari and sweet vermouth.
Bottom Line: The newest Peasant offers a pleasant environment in which to dine.
June 8, 2012
Honest Tea
These days when soda is vilified, what's a thirsty person to do when water just won't satisfy cravings for flavor?
Honest Tea may be the answer.
I was recently sent six samples of Honest Tea to taste test and genuinely liked them all. This is big news considering that I typically dislike iced tea, too often finding it either bitter (unsweetened) or packed with sugar or high fructose corn syrup (sweetened).
I tried Honey Green Tea, (Not Too) Sweet Tea, Orange Mango, Pomegranate Red Tea and Just Green Tea (x 2). All were just sweet enough to erase bitterness without stepping into the too-sweet zone. Finding a favorite flavor that's under 100 calories and caffeine-free is no problem in this product line-up. My personal favorite was Honey Green Tea, but I wouldn't pass up any of others if someone handed me a cold bottle.
The company has a sense of humor, evident when reading the labels. (Ever wonder what honey is? You can find a graphic description.) On the glass bottles, the best joke awaits under the cap, where you can find 6-Word Memoirs printed, such as "Wedding dress lasted longer than husband" and "Bloom where you are planted." (OK, so some 6-word memoir authors may confuse the definition of "memoir" with "fortune cookie." Whatever, you may laugh.)
The Honest Tea Philosophy (as described in further detail on the company's website):
Real Tea
At Honest Tea, we embrace the simplicity of tea – water and leaves...For generations, cultures around the world have enjoyed tea grown without chemical pesticides and fertilizers and we don’t see any reason to include them in our recipes today.
Real Taste
Our goal is to create a product in which the true taste of the leaves comes through. We don’t pulverize, process, or concentrate our tea leaves. Instead we brew the whole leaf, a way that Shen Nung would still recognize. We add a touch of organic cane sugar – just enough to accentuate the tea’s natural flavor.
Honest
We strive to live up to our name in the way we conduct our business. We do this whether we are working with growers and suppliers, answering consumer questions or trying to leave a lighter environmental footprint. In addition to being named one of The Better World Shopping Guide's "Ten Best Companies on the Planet based on their overall social and environmental record," Honest Tea was also listed as one of PlanetGreen.com's "Top 7 Green Corporations of 2010."
To learn more, visit honesttea.com.
Bottom Line: Thumbs up.
P.S. Please recycle your empty bottles. Thank you!
Honest Tea may be the answer.
I tried Honey Green Tea, (Not Too) Sweet Tea, Orange Mango, Pomegranate Red Tea and Just Green Tea (x 2). All were just sweet enough to erase bitterness without stepping into the too-sweet zone. Finding a favorite flavor that's under 100 calories and caffeine-free is no problem in this product line-up. My personal favorite was Honey Green Tea, but I wouldn't pass up any of others if someone handed me a cold bottle.
The company has a sense of humor, evident when reading the labels. (Ever wonder what honey is? You can find a graphic description.) On the glass bottles, the best joke awaits under the cap, where you can find 6-Word Memoirs printed, such as "Wedding dress lasted longer than husband" and "Bloom where you are planted." (OK, so some 6-word memoir authors may confuse the definition of "memoir" with "fortune cookie." Whatever, you may laugh.)
The Honest Tea Philosophy (as described in further detail on the company's website):
Real Tea
At Honest Tea, we embrace the simplicity of tea – water and leaves...For generations, cultures around the world have enjoyed tea grown without chemical pesticides and fertilizers and we don’t see any reason to include them in our recipes today.
Real Taste
Our goal is to create a product in which the true taste of the leaves comes through. We don’t pulverize, process, or concentrate our tea leaves. Instead we brew the whole leaf, a way that Shen Nung would still recognize. We add a touch of organic cane sugar – just enough to accentuate the tea’s natural flavor.
Honest
We strive to live up to our name in the way we conduct our business. We do this whether we are working with growers and suppliers, answering consumer questions or trying to leave a lighter environmental footprint. In addition to being named one of The Better World Shopping Guide's "Ten Best Companies on the Planet based on their overall social and environmental record," Honest Tea was also listed as one of PlanetGreen.com's "Top 7 Green Corporations of 2010."
To learn more, visit honesttea.com.
Bottom Line: Thumbs up.
P.S. Please recycle your empty bottles. Thank you!
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