Category Archives: New Products

Truffle Fudge Bites

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How glam are these? (Photo courtesy of Joe Notaro).

You better have a big sweet tooth — and arms of steel — when you pick up John Kelly Chocolates.

The Hollywood, Calif. chocolatier makes divine gourmet truffle fudge bars that are so dense and heavy that you need to work out before eating them just to be able to lift them. For those with a more dainty appetite and wimpier biceps, John Kelly has just introduced Truffle Fudge Bites.

Yes, these are a mere 2-ounces, compared to the standard 8-ounce bars. They are designed to serve one. But seriously, they can easily serve two. Trust me on this.

Four come in a box for $14. And two varieties are available. Find them at Neiman Marcus, Bristol Farms markets, and online.

I’ll use my patented scale of 1 to 10 lip-smackers, with 1 being the “Bleh, save your money” far end of the spectrum; 5 being the “I’m not sure I’d buy it, but if it was just there, I might nibble some” middle-of-the-road response; and 10 being the “My gawd, I could die now and never be happier, because this is the best thing I’ve ever put in my mouth” supreme ranking.

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Sweet Breams Are Made of This…

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Something fishy is going on...

Who am I to disagree

Travel the world and seven seas

Everybody’s looking for something…

as cute and precious as these.

With apologies to the Eurythmics, I just couldn’t get that song out of my head when I visited this unusual Japanese bakery in San Mateo, Sweet Breams. It specializes in taiyaki — tiny, filled waffles shaped like fish that are made to order.

When I taught a class recently at nearby Draeger’s, Cooking School Editor Cynthia Liu told me I had to stop by Sweet Breams. Good thing I listened.

Owner Tara Wong, who lived in Tokyo for a spell, got hooked on these adorable snacks as a child when she’d visit May’s Coffee Shop in San Francisco’s Japantown, where they also are made.

Traditional taiyaki are about 5-inches long. Wong thought there would be an even greater appetite for smaller ones. Hers are about 2 inches long, and made with waffle irons imported from Japan. There are four waffle irons. Each is named after one of the Beatles. And yes, she laughs, “Paul” is the most consistent one.

Azuki- and Nutella-filled fish.

She opened her shop about six months ago, and word is already spreading about it. Folks have come from as far as Sacramento to get their fix of the dainty, crispy, warm treats made from a smooth batter of both all-purpose and cake flours.

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Viva La Gourmet Foods

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Foodies who used to line up for hours when the fab Made in France/Village Imports would occasionally open its gourmet warehouse to the public, will rejoice at the news:

The former owners have opened a retail store, the Gourmet Corner, 873 N. San Mateo Drive in San Mateo (three blocks south of the Burlingame train station), which is open daily, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

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Introducing the Food Gal Hat for Fashionistas with Stupendous Taste

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Is this too cute or what?

Just in time for your holiday gift-giving comes the new rockin’ Food Gal military cap with signature embroidered logo. It’s the perfect accessory for all your food-loving pals, as well as for yourself. Natch!

Choose mocha, olive or black.

Don’t forget, there’s also a wide range of other Food Gal items, including aprons, tote bags, and girly T’s.

Guys aren’t left out, either. Find manly Meat Boy aprons and T’s, named for my carnivore husband.

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Exceptional Chocolates in Berkeley

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Bright, bold, and beautiful chocolates from Chocolatier Blue.

Artisan chocolatier Christopher Blue has elevated the art of chocolate making to a whole new level at Chocolatier Blue in central Berkeley, which opened earlier this summer.

Blue, who has worked with the likes of Chef Charlie Trotter of Chicago, is the only chocolatier in the United States to use Amedei chocolate from Tuscany that’s made from 100 percent Venezuelan sun-dried cacao beans. He also uses Five Star organic butter, which has the highest fat content of any butter in the world.

His chocolates are organic. What’s more, the fillings are made using such techniques as grilling, roasting, and sous vide. The packaging is all biodegradable, and much of it made from recyclable materials.

Christopher Blue (Photo courtesy of Jessica Steeve)

I’ll use my patented scale of 1 to 10 lip-smackers, with 1 being the “Bleh, save your money” far end of the spectrum; 5 being the “I’m not sure I’d buy it, but if it was just there, I might nibble some” middle-of-the-road response; and 10 being the “My gawd, I could die now and never be happier, because this is the best thing I’ve ever put in my mouth” supreme ranking.

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