Monday, December 27, 2010

Fuji FinePix XP10

I got this camera for Christmas. I did all sorts of review reading and research to decide where the price/performance sweet spot was for a water & shock-proof camera. I love love love my G11, but I'm afraid of hurting it when I take it sailing and climbing, and as a consequence... I don't. So I wanted a small competent little rugged camera. Everything seemed to indicate the Fuji XP10 was going to be it. Unfortunately after three days of testing I'm sorely disappointed and it's going back. Its low light performance is horrendous. In bright conditions its focus, sharpness and color reproduction are embarrassing. My Samsung Vibrant's 5MP camera takes better photos both inside in low light and outside in bright light. I'm depressed.

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Brun-uusto cheese
















Best baked cheese ever! Paired with Bogle Petite Sirah and maple syrup. To die for!

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Kraemer Sharp Cheddar

When we went to Wisconsin for Thanksgiving Dan and his mom went out and bought a bunch of cheeses that we subsequently shipped out to California -- we're not ones to risk the fate of our cheese in the hands of the TSA! We haven't tried them all yet, but so far the Kraemer Sharp Cheddar from Watertown, WI is definitely the best cheddar and possibly the best cheese I've ever had. I'm blown away.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Lucky Star 2008 Chardonnay

Not a fan of Chardonnay myself, but this one showed up at home recently. It's sweeter than the Central Coast Chardonnays I'm used to, and as a consequence a little less boring. I liked it chilled, and it cooked well, too. Wasn't blown away or anything, but it was good juice.

Cantina Zaccagnini 2007 Montepulciano d' Abruzzo

I'm not a huge fan of Italian wines, but Dan seems to prefer them. We've had our fair share of duds, but we've come to love this one, at about $16 from Lazy Acres. It's nicely dry and balanced, and goes well with anything Greek I care to throw at it.

Wente Vineyards Southern Hills 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon

I've had many lovely bottles of wine since my last wine review, and, since they're largely forgotten, they'll have to go unremarked. But I'm trying to get back on the horse, so here I am.
My wine-knowledgeable friend Jeff brought the Wente Vineyards Estate Grown Southern Hills Cab over for dinner the other night. We paired it with Greek bean soup (φασολάδα) and freshly baked bread. It was stellar!

Tour of Fancy Milk Chocolates


The population of Greece can be bisected cleanly down the middle. Based on what earth-shattering criterion? you ask. Based on whether they prefer Ion or Lacta milk chocolate! I am an Ion girl myself.

There is a fantastic purveyor of fancy foods just up the hill from us, called Lazy Acres, and we do almost all of our food shopping there. It carries probably a dozen brands of fancy chocolates, of which I am a huge fan, despite the incredible discipline I display when consuming it. While I realize that high cocoa dark chocolate is probably the standard by which to judge a chocolate maker, I happen to be a fan of milk chocolate myself. So I'm going to give myself a tour through the expensive milk chocolates that Lazy Acres carries and let you know what I think here!

A note about my taste in milk chocolate: I tend to prefer the very smooth, non-acidic, non-liquory type, so you'll see that bias reflected here. Also, I am less a chewer and more a melt-in-the-mouth'er.

Here we go!

Dagoba -- thumbs down, too much liquor, too little milkiness
Newmann's Own -- thumbs down, too much liquor, too little milkiness, and a funky fattiness
Endangered Species -- thumbs enthusiastically up

More coming...

Also, if anyone would like to sign me up for a chocolate of the month club, please do :)