BURGER THROWDOWN!!!!

So tonight started out as just a regular Thursday. We got home, went for a walk and started discussing what to have for dinner. After realizing we didn't have many options, we decided on burgers (always a good choice!). As "Man" (and yes, he actually requested that this is what I call him in my blog posts) started cooking, a debate was brewing between us regarding the best way to form a burger. After a little back and forth, a full on BURGER THROWDOWN ensued. Within seconds we were in the throws of heated duel for the better burger. After 10 INTENSE minutes, we each emerged from our kitchen areas sweaty, out of breath and pumped up to win the championship. Now we just need some judges.

So, here it is! Tonight you are voting in a contest for the better burger. Please vote based on appearance, creativity and perceived taste. Whoever wins will make their burger for everyone who voted!

BURGER A: Bacon, egg and cheese burger. This luscious mound of beef takes everything you love about your morning breakfast sandwich and burgerfies it. 4 strips of crispy bacon, 1 fried egg, melted cheddar cheese and BURGER. MMMM...

BURGER B: Babyback burger ball. Do you like ribs? How 'bout burgers? How about RIBS ON A BURGER? This beef-o-nator starts with a burger and is topped with slowcooked babyback ribs and melted cheddar cheese.

CAST YOUR VOTES NOW!!!

 Which is the better burger?

• 
  Bacon, egg and cheese burger
• 
  Babyback burger ball

view results
Free vote poll

SF Sweets - Fiona's Sweet Shoppe

No surprise, one of my favorite things to do is travel and experience new places. So many of my friends and acquaintances also share this passion and I love hearing about the experiences of others while planning my next adventure. Nowadays, many of us consider ourselves culinary travelers that is, traveling in search of exciting food experiences. I consider myself a member of this group I am always on the search for an amazing new sweet experience! When it comes to sweets, I don't discriminate...candy, chocolate, pastry, cakes, hot, cold, stick-to-your teeth or hard as a rock, if it satisfies my sweet tooth, I'm tickled!

On a recent journey to San Francisco I was, once again, in search of a new candy experience and was lucky enough to stumble across one just around the corner from my hotel. It was a quintessential British sweet shoppe and there I sampled some of the most delicious hard candies I've tried yet. I'm a sucker for toffee and trust me, I sucked on some good ones at Fiona's Sweet Shoppe! ;)

Check out their site, order some toffees and suck away! And if you're ever in San Fran, stop by this teeny little sweet spot for a nibble on your way Chinatown for some dim sum! Mmmmmmm.

DC Sweets - Locolat

I live in the Washington, DC area and have for a few years now. I have to say, I'm so happy with how the culinary situation here continues to evolve. I'm even happier that some wonderful sweet shops seem to be popping up in force lately and while I'd like to keep them all to myself, I shall submit. But, only in hopes that I might move DC into full-fledged sweet frenzy!

Today I stopped in at Locolat in Adam's Morgan. I've been reading about it for a while and was glad to finally sample some of their sweets. I took it slow, having just polished off a chicken and waffle linner (you know, lunch-dinner) at Art and Soul. I only tasted the following: 1 pistachio macaron (the french kind), 1 milk chocolate caramel, 1 dark chocolate caramel, and 1 fleur de sel caramel. Each was delicious but the fleur de sel caramel was special. Her chocolate shell broke with just the right dentile force letting the smooth caramel ooze out, without dripping of course. And just when I started wondering if I'd taste the salt....BANG! There it was. That perfect balance of sweet and savory that reminded me so much the amazing chocolates in the sweetest of cities. Paris, bien sûr! After today, I'll be dreaming of them until my next trip there this October. Luckily I have Locolat to hold me over!

Click here for Locolat!