What Recession? Let's Go For $1,000 Sushi

Going out for sushi always runs slightly on the expensive side, but Koi restaurant in New York is taking it to the extreme with their latest menu addition, the High Roller sushi roll that sells for $1000. So what does a thousand dollars look like in the form of sushi? Well, it starts with marinated and poached fois gras (disgusting to me already) that is covered with excessive amounts of "Langoustine" (lobster for us non-foodies). Then the roll is brushed with saffron/vanilla bean butter and encrusted with caviar. Finally, when the roll is served the Chef comes tableside to shave white Alba truffles and drizzle them with 100 year balsamic.

Does this sound appealing to anyone? Usually with these excessively expensive food/drink items, you "get" something. Like the $20,000 martini "comes" with a diamond or there is gold at the end of the rainbow. SOMETHING. Seriously, who would get this?

http://nymag.com/daily/food/2008/04/damn_the_recession_and_order_a.html

Karma... Now It's A Wine

I'm always looking for a fun new drink, so I was purusing the wine sites and came upon this. Karma, is a cool looking new "sparkling" wine from California (aka - wanna be champagne). Apparently, the bottle is a single-serve, specifically designed to be consumed directly from the bottle- so no straws and no flutes necessary. I see this as a great dinner party drink... relatively inexpensive ($7.50 a bottle) and chic looking.

http://www.winerz.com/KARMA.html

It's Girl Scout Cookie Time!

How many times have you walked by Publix (or your local grocer) and been badgered by those pesky...I mean "cute" little Girl Scouts begging you to buy some cookies. I, inevitably, give in - usually thin mints. But how do the thin mints match up - in terms of calories and fat - to the other cookies? Here is a small breakdown and how many cookies you can expect per person...

Cafe Cookies (five per serving) contain little saturated fat.
Trefolis have 150 calories per serving (five cookies).
Little Brownies (four per serving) are sugar-free.
Thin Mints (four per serving) have the same amount of sugar and fat as two-cookie serving of Samoas.
Do-Si-Dos (two per serving) are low in saturated fat.
Tagalongs (two per serving) are high in fat, but it's mostly the good, unsaturated kind.
All Abouts (two per serving) are also low in saturated fat.
Thanks-A-Lot (two per serving) have the same number of calories as twice as many Thin Mints.
Lemonades (two per serving) have four grams of saturated fat.
Samoas (two per serving) have high amounts of fat and sugar.

http://www.thatsfit.com/2007/11/26/10-girl-scout-cookies-from-healthiest-to-least-healthy/

When Can We Go to Wine Country?

With North America's harvest season around the corner, it's time to start planning your wine country getaway. Oenophiles will love the deals we've found to bucolic vineyards at home and abroad! These include a boutique Napa inn, a romantic lodge in Washington's Woodinville region, a deluxe château in France's Médoc wine country; an ultra-stylish lodge in Argentina's Mendoza province; and an award-winning property in South Africa's Winelands. Now you can savor the fruits of the vine around the world from just $229 per night!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20280761/

New Salad Obsession!!

I haven't been to Boston Market in ages, but I went today and picked up their "Market Chopped Salad". Please see below the chopped ingredients... for all of you non-cheese eaters, the Blue Cheese is in a container to the side and you can get it all tossed on request!

LETTUCE (chopped finely), TOMATOES, BROCCOLI, YELLOW SQUASH, CARROTS, ZUCCHINI SQUASH, RED ONION, BLUE CHEESE SUNFLOWER SEEDS, SWEETENED DRIED CRANBERRIES.

BUT... the included dressing is really, really fatty. So, I did McDonald's drive thru and got a Low Fat Balsamic vinegarette to add on...

Calories (with dressing and cheese): 250

Fat Grams: 9 (mainly from the Cheese)

You can add Turkey (85 Calories), Rotisserie Chicken (144 calories) or 3 oz. Sirloin (85 calories). I am seriously obsessed. The veggies were all diced up!

http://www.bostonmarket.com/restaurant?page=mealsUnder550

They have a whole new menu of "meals" under 550 calories... not bad!

Too Cute

Giant cupcake pan for baking. Amazing.

http://www.surlatable.com/product/547901.do