Back to Christmas Time - Starbucks

April 1, 2012
Starbucks, Philadelphia PA
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Peppermint Brownie Cake Pop
Skinny Cinnamon Dolce Latte
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I was so excited two days ago to find that the second Starbucks on campus was carrying the Peppermint Brownie Cake Pop. I first tried that stick of deliciousness before Christmas break and it was love at first taste. I was never a fan of peppermint candy cane but I have to say, the blend of candy cane, sugar, white chocolate, and decadent chocolate brownie is very scrumptious. I made sure to eat this and take a photo this week because since it is Christmas-y and a seasonal offering, Starbucks might discontinue it anytime.

The second trying this dessert did not disappoint. The shell was sweet with that nice peppermint twist. The white chocolate is somewhat hidden behind the peppermint flavour, not overwhelming at all. I almost wish there is more of a white chocolate creaminess to the flavour. The shell was not hard either so it did not break into pieces too easily, making it easy to eat. The inside was just perfect. The brownie was moist, not overly sweet, and very soft and chewy. The texture is just right, and so is the sweetness level. In no way is this overly sweet. I would say it is one of the less overwhelming Starbucks desserts. Although it is small, I could have eaten a bigger one, or even a second cake pop, no problem.

Having worked (well, volunteered) at Starbucks over a year ago, I know that the handcrafted beverages' quality really depends on the barista. Each drink can be drastically different. It all depends on the amount of syrup and more importantly, the way the milk is steamed. My first ever cup of Skinny Cinnamon Dolce Latte was good, but then I got a very un-sweet cup the second time. That stopped me from getting it again. Today, however, I was feeling up to giving it another shot. I am glad I did.

I asked for no foam so the whole cup had more milk and creamy richness to it. The amount of syrup in this particular cup was just right. The nice and light sweet flavour was great and a perfect blend with the milk. The cinnamon on top added a nice hint of spice. This cup of coffee has definitely reawakened my taste buds, making me want to go back for more espresso beverages. I will make sure I do that sometime next week. Steamed milk, when done right, is always a nice drink.

Oreo's 100th Anniversary! - McDonald's

March 6, 2012
McDonald's, Richmond BC
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Cookies 'N Cream Pie
Baked Apple Pie
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Since January, Canadian McDonald's restaurants have been offering the new Cookies 'N Cream Pie made with Oreos in celebration of Oreo's 100th anniversary. Mom waited for me to return home for spring break to try it. We loved the old S'mores Pie and we hoped this would be just as good. I mean, chocolate pies are the best - what's not to love?

I always think it is ridiculous that the price in Canada is $1.19 for one pie or $1.39 for two. Twenty cents for that extra dessert is always very tempting so we always get two. As we walked in though, I realized there was only one red pie box left. We were kind of disappointed but we wanted to try it so badly. Instead, we got one of each flavour. (These photos were taken later when Mom ate it with Dad at home so credits go to her. I was clearly too excited to eat the first time that I forgot about photos.)

The Cookies 'N Cream Pie tasted great to me. Mom is not the biggest fan of vanilla flavours. I loved the semi-sweet black crust though. It tastes as good as it looks. The filling was not overly sweet either. It was more smooth and had a lovely texture, taking away from the focus on taste. I appreciated it for not being too sweet though, definitely not as overwhelming as Oreos. The centre was almost sticky which is just the way I prefer it. However, I do agree with Mom that the S'mores one was better just because the chocolate and marshmallow filling with whole wheat crust had a richer taste to the pie.

Their Baked Apple Pie has always been one of my favourite casual snacks. The mix of cinnamon and apple is just about perfect, as it should since this has been around for as long as I can remember. The flaky pie crust is not necessarily my favourite but apples and cinnamon will always do the trick for me. I love the warm, moist, and chewy apple slices with the perfect amount of spice and sweetness. Who cares if it is junk food? It tastes better than a lot of store sold apple pies and more convenient, too!

I really like it when McDonald's introduce new flavours for their desserts and new, interesting products. I am always especially excited for new flavours of their pies. It would be great if they can bring back their S'mores pies, but I have a feeling that won't happen. In the meantime, let's hope the Cookies 'N Cream will be around long enough so I can have another one when I go home.

Mon Premier Macaron - Saint Germain Bakery

March 4, 2012
Saint Germain Bakery, Richmond BC
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Coffee French Macaroon
Hazelnut French Macaroon
Pistachio French Macaroon
Chocolate French Macaroon
Strawberry French Macaroon
Lemon French Macaroon
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This post only came out today because it is Macaron Day! Too bad I am not home and thus cannot go get some free macarons around town.

When I first saw pictures of French macaroons, or macarons I guess, it was on Facebook and I had no idea what they were. However, what I did know was that I wanted to try some of those incredibly colourful and delicious-looking sandwich things. I am always attracted to rainbow colours so it is not surprising I have a soft spot for at least the visual appeal of these little confection goodies.

I asked Mom (once I found out what they were called) whether she knew about them and whether she had ever tried one. To the first question, she answered yes, which made me wonder why she never told me about them, being a food fanatic herself. To the second however, she said no. That is probably why I have never heard of macaroons before.

Before returning home for spring break, I found out online that Saint Germain Bakery in Aberdeen Centre sold macaroons. Mom said she saw them before, except they were mini ones. That suits me just fine though! So I made it my business to go there and get macaroons - my first ever. They were cheaper by the dozen and since I had no flavour preferences, having never tried any before, we got a dozen with two of each flavour.

My favourites so far are coffee, chocolate, and pistachio. They had full flavours. The different creams on the inside were also great with a rich and dense flavour. The strawberry, lemon, and hazelnut were okay. I did not quite like the strawberry jam as it is nothing new. I could not figure out exactly what the lemon filling was but lemon to me should be light and refreshing. This was just a bit too heavy for me. The hazelnut did not have a very distinct flavour. It is hazelnut after all. It was good but nothing special.

Though these are the only macaroons I have ever tasted, I know from my online searches that they should have a hard shell with a soft, moist centre. I do not know whether it is because these were not freshly made everyday but the inside was definitely not moist, not even the coffee one which was never put in the refrigerator. I do hope to go to some other bakeries around town this summer and try out other macaroons. Mom did not particularly like the texture but perhaps she will like the ones with moist centres.

SAT Snack - Double Chocolate Cookie

March 9, 2012
Subway, Richmond BC
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Double Chocolate Cookie
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Upon returning from a morning run a few days ago, I picked out our newspaper lying on the welcome mat. Inside, I found a coupon for a free cookie from Subway. I figured, why not. I used to like Subway cookies. They were almost a staple once upon a time when I took SAT lessons back in grade 11. There was a Subway right below us so the students frequent it without question. I thought, well, it must be better than dining hall cookies.

I was right about the dining hall part, but although freshly baked as it was still warm (or heated I guess) and smelled wonderful, my Double Chocolate Cookie was very hard on the outside. The only good part is the dead centre where it was slightly softer. The taste is sweet but good. The white chocolate chips tasted like peanut butter chips. Maybe they changed up their recipe but I like these new peanut butter chips. Peanut butter and chocolate will always be one of my favourite combinations. The cookie though, a definite disappointment. At least it was free because it certainly is not worth whatever they charge for it.

On the Road and in the Air - Rocky Road Cake Pop

December 18, 2011

Starbucks, Chicago IL

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Rocky Road Cake Pop

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While waiting for my connection at O'Hare International, I was not interested in the food court at Concourse C. Starbucks though? That I was definitely up for. A hot Skinny Peppermint Mocha and Rocky Road Cake Pop was just about perfect. I love their holiday specials. I also have a soft spot for cake pops and I've tried their Tiramisu, Birthday, and Peppermint Brownie but have never tasted the Rocky Road one. Turns out it was just as delicious, even though I'm not a huge fan of nuts with chocolate. It was still delicious! A nice little snack. Now onto their Raspberry Truffle. And good thing I tried the Rocky Road before they stopped making them!

Red & Black in Vegas - Chocolate Raspberry Cake Pop

June 21, 2011

Starbucks, Las Vegas NV

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Chocolate Raspberry Cake Pop

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This was at the Starbucks in Luxor, by the 4A/B elevators near the front desk and lobby. We passed this one while walking from Mandalay Bay to Excalibur and I saw this delicious looking cake pop except it wasn't the regular kind. I can't remember the official name, but I've never seen it elsewhere, so it was a special treat for at least Vegas. It was delicious, needless to say. The cream inside and the chocolate was they best part. Mom enjoyed the raspberry though!

From the DP Dinner Plate - The Inn at Penn

January 21, 2012

The Inn at Penn, Philadelphia PA

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Classic Caesar Salad

Parmesan and Herb Crusted Boneless Chicken

Chocolate Dome

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First time attending the DP Banquet, I was totally underdressed so I had to rush back and change. At least I had a thick enough dress, and paired with leggings and boots, I was not cold and shivery on that snowy evening.

The catered meal was average. The Classic Caesar Salad was less than ideal. I did not even get any croutons on my plate. It was just a couple of tossed leaves staring up at me. No cheese, no nothing. After the somewhat bland rolls, it was not surprising.

The entree was Parmesan and Herb Crusted Boneless Chicken. I was still in my 'plain chicken breast for protein' phase so I was glad it was a large lean chicken breast. The crust was almost tasteless, the herb and cheese extremely bland. So, I got rid of that, only eating the chicken breast and sauteed spinach. The potatoes were bland too so I didn't really touch it.

The dessert was definitely the best part of the meal, though far from ideal. The chocolate cane on top was good, the white and milk chocolate mix. The chocolate mousse was alright and the raspberry truffle centre was quite good. The biscuit on the bottom though was again a bit bland. At least this was visually appealing.

Overall though, I guess catered meals just don't compare with single entrees at restaurants. But to get a free ticket to the event, and finally learn what the DP is all about, it was a good evening.

Last Night in Vegas - The Cheesecake Factory

December 30, 2011

The Cheesecake Factory, Las Vegas NV

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Luau Salad

Garlic Noodles with Shrimp

Skinnylicious Fresh Vegetable Salad

Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cheesecake

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Last night in Vegas, every restaurant was preparing for New Year's Eve dinner the next day. Apparently, people were not eating out since they knew the next day's dinner would be formal and huge. Thus, the line for The Cheesecake Factory was only 10 min. We debated all day long where to eat dinner, but the ratings for Rainforest Cafe were not good, and Wolfgang Puck was too pricey for similar dishes. So Cheesecake Factory again it was. And this time was even better.

Not to mention the whole wheat bread we specifically asked for - no sourdough needed! - Mom's Luau Salad was amazing. I urged her to try it since it had mango salsa and crisp wonton wrappers. None of us knew how delicious those two wrappers are! Crispy, huge, sweet and sour, on beds of lettuce, mango, carrots, and what have you. Besides the probably high-calorie dressing, I swear this is the best salad ever. Very refreshing but not too light that you don't feel full after. Very tasty. Very good. We all loved it!

I got my Fresh Vegetable Salad again. The same thing, very refreshing.

Dad decided on Garlic Noodles with Shrimp. This dish was actually quite disappointing. Dad wanted spaghetti, so we went with this. I knew from dining hall experience though that garlic noodles are not very flavourful. And I was right. It was very light. Mom ended up giving Dad some salad dressing since she had too much flavour on hers. There were only four shrimp, which is also very disappointing - it costs extra and they only give you four medium-sized ones. The asparagus, mushrooms, and peas were also not plentiful, unlike the usual Cheesecake Factory servings.

For dessert - have to have dessert! - we decided on Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cheesecake. We wanted something with layers of cheesecake and cake. It was this or Pineapple Upside-Down Cheesecake. I wanted pineapple but Mom and Dad both wanted chocolate so chocolate it was. Very delicious though. Dark chocolate makes it not too sweet, and the raspberry is always nice. The ganache on top is also dark chocolate so not sweet. It is quite hard - I assume that's how it should be? - but it was good. So was the fudge/cake parts. Loved it. Overall, a very good final dinner in Vegas. We will surely be going back the next time we are in Vegas!

The Sweet Ol' Times - White Chocolate Cheesecake

February 14, 2010

Cactus Club Cafe, Richmond BC

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White Chocolate Cheesecake

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This was such a long time ago. I think it was our first time going to a formal western restaurant as a family, and what better occasion than Valentine’s Day! If I recall correctly, Mom had salmon and Dad had rob's hunter chicken. I had prawn + scallop spaghettini I believe. All the dishes were delicious. The chicken breast is always missing some flavor - it's hard to get the meat to just simmer with flavor. I get it. Unfortunately, no photos exist for those.

I was only concerned about dessert back then and this white chocolate cheesecake was the best I have ever had – sweet but not too sweet, and creamy. The berry compote provided a nice sour complement and the white chocolate taste was amazing. One of the best cheesecakes ever (and cheesecake is already the best dessert one could ask for)!