San Francisco – Page 2 – Will Bake for Shoes

Food

20th Annual Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival

Posted on October 28, 2015by Brandy Saldana

It is National Chocolate Day, and what chocolate could be better than Ghirardelli? Last month I attended the 20th Annual Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival in San Francisco with Armando and even though I shared a few photos of the event on Instagram, I felt it deserved its own blog post. I was really excited about attending the festival this year because I was invited to attend as Media for the event! Armando and I arrived about an hour before the festival started to see how a chocolatier makes a chocolate ghost, to learn about the story behind Ghirardelli and their partnership with Project Open Hand. Proceeds of the ticket sales for the festival go to Project Open Hand, a non-profit that delivers nutritious meals to seniors and those that are ill.

Along with the chocolate demonstration, we were introduced to some new products and were able to take them home with us! The day was off to a great start with the chocolate we received, and before heading down to taste all the chocolate treats, I stopped by Les Mechantes in Ghirardelli Square to pick up a San Fran Cisco hoodie since it was a lot chiller than I anticipated after experiencing a hot week in the Bay Area. The hooded sweater is lined with fleece and figure flattering, so I definitely recommend picking one up for yourself! After that short shopping trip, Armando and I were ready to taste all of the chocolate.

We went through a lot of the stands early on in the day since I had plans on participating and winning the ice cream eating contest. I was selected to participate, but unfortunately I did not win. I made a lot more progress last time, even though I went in with a better strategy. It was fun, but next time I am more likely to watch or spend more time in the Wine Tasting area because I forgot just how much ice cream you have to eat along with the bananas (yuck!) Armando did record the contest, but I have not had a chance to look at it since I have been trying to forget the loss. Maybe I’ll watch next time the festival rolls around to remind myself not to compete!

Armando and I had a blast at this year’s festival, and it was great seeing a lot of different booths. I missed the tent that the wine pavilion had last year, and it felt like there were less vendors in the wine area but it also felt less crowded. We spent the whole day there, so there was plenty to do. For a recap of last year’s festival, you can check out that post here. The raspberry chocolate tarts were my favorites, but so were the mini cupcakes. Of course, picking up the Sea Salt Brownie Ghirardelli Squares were not bad either.
In case this post has you craving chocolate, you can enjoy 20% off your order at Ghirardelli with code CHOCO20. Enjoy!
Brandy| BLOGLOVIN | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM |TUMBLR | TWITTER |

Cat Cora at Macy’s Union Square

Posted on September 26, 2015by Brandy Saldana

I love to bake and have only recently started to enjoy cooking. I am excited to share a fun culinary event that will be taking place at Macy’s in San Francisco, Union Square next Saturday, October 3rd, 2015 at 1 PM. Chef Cat Cora, and co-host Liam Mayclem, will be presenting a special Q&A session about Cat’s memoir on Southern life, Greek heritage, and the meals that have shaped her memories. Chef Cat Cora is is the first female Iron Chef and co-host for Around the World in 80 Plates.
As an added bonus to guests attending this event, any purchase of $35 or more in the Home department will receive a $10 Macy’s gift card and a copy of Cooking As Fast As I Can (which Chef Cora will sign directly after the event!) I know I’ve been looking into finally buying a blender, and this sounds like the perfect time to do that and to discover some of Chef Cat Cora’s favorite recipes.
This event is free in the Lower Level Cellar Kitchen, but don’t forget to RSVP at: https://macyscatcoramemoirs.eventbrite.com. Hope to see you there!

Food

Blade and Bow Southern Dinner

Posted on August 11, 2015by Brandy Saldana

In my June Instagram recap, I briefly mentioned I was invited for a whiskey tasting by Blade and Blow at the Dirty Habit restaurant in SF. The whiskey was paired with an amazing Southern inspired dinner and I was lucky to be able to enjoy it with my foodie bud Chanda.

But before we get into the details of the dinner, let me tell you a little bit about Blade and Bow Whiskey. Blade and Bow’s name comes from the two parts of a skeleton key – the blade shaft and the ornate bow. The logo is a tribute to the five keys that once hung on the door of the Stitzel-Weller Distillery, but they also represent the five steps of crafting bourbon—grains, yeast, fermentation, distillation and aging. The keys now adorn each bottle of Blade and Bow and 5 are also available to collect.

We had the rare opportunity to taste 22 year old, and 102% proof, whiskey during the dinner and it was delightful! The trick to enjoying whiskey is tasting really good ones, but also breathing out through your mouth since the strong smell of alcohol can affect your sense of smell. I really enjoyed this taste and it was pretty smooth.

My favorite dish was from dinner was the Pork Shoulder with the peach preserve and my favorite side dish was the Creamed Corn. Of course I was busy enjoying them to take photos of them, but luckily Chanda did in her post. The red pepper jam that came with the biscuits was really something else! There were a lot of amazing flavors, and the wedge salad was tasty and looked amazing on the platter it was served.

Of course, my favorite part meal is dessert, and the Dirty Habit did not disappoint. we were treated to Lemon Meringue Tarts and Fruit Beignets accompanied by Whiskey Flavored Ice Cream. I loved the beignets! We paired it with more whiskey, and the ice cream was a really nice compliment to the whiskey.

Blade and Bow Whiskey is enjoyable on its own, makes a great addition to an ice cream, and of course makes a great cocktail. Stay tuned for my next post as I’ll be sharing some cocktail recipes I picked up using Blade and Bow Whiskey!

Food
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- Restaurant

Truvee Wine Tasting and Sangria Recipe

Posted on June 14, 2015by Brandy Saldana

Right before I headed out to Hawaii, I was invited by the McBride’s Sister’s Truvée wine company for a food & wine tasting at Sen’s Restaurant in San Francisco. Sen’s is one of my favorite restaurants in SF, particularly because of its happy hours and gorgeous view of the Bay Bridge. So of course, I RSVP’d and made my way over for a delicious lunch to learn more about this wine.

I had never heard of Truvée Wines before, but I found that its story is pretty unforgettable. Two sisters, Robin and Andrea McBride, grew up without knowing about each other until after their father’s death. Both were born in LA, but Robin, the eldest, grew up in Monterey and Andrea was raised in her mother’s native country of New Zealand. Both developed an early appreciation for wine because of where they grew up and became business partners soon after being reunited again. Truvée means “to find” in French, and I admired the relationship these sisters had, especially as partners in a business venture, and was excited to see what their wines tasted like.

We sampled the Chardonnay first and paired it with two starters: a Mediterranean Spread and a Spiced Chicken Meatball. This wine was very refreshing, and tasted unlike other Chardonnays I’ve tried. It featured hints of citrus, pear, honeysuckle, green apple and pineapple and had a clean, crisp finish. We also paired this Chardonnay with our salad, which featured paige mandarins, avocado, grapefruit, and a lemon vinaigrette.

For my entree, I ordered the Paella and that was paired with the Truvée Red Blend. The Red Blend featured notes of blueberry, blackberry, caramel, cocoa and red cherry, creating a smooth and decadent flavor. This was my first time trying Paella, but it was something I had always been interested in trying. I loved it and it was an excellent pairing for this wine.

And of course, this lunch would not be complete without dessert! It was a very tough decision, but I picked the Almond Basque Cake, a sponge cake with blackberry compote, almond croquant and chantilly. The alternative was a Meyer Lemon Tart, strawberries on a toasted oat streusel with a strawberry sorbet, which looked equally delicious!
Between the two wines, it was hard to choose a favorite. I was glad I had the opportunity to sample the two wines and was surprised with how affordable at 15.99 a bottle considering their luxurious taste. When I initially arrived to the restaurant, I was greeted with a Sangria made with the Truvée Chardonnay and I am happy to share the recipe of it that will be perfect for your summer get-togethers!

Truvée San Francisco Sangria (Serves 12)
Mix:

1 750 ml bottle of Truvée Chardonnay6 oz. bottle Ketel One Citroen6 oz. elderflower liqueur6 oz. Stellina di Notte Prosecco

Garnish:RaspberriesPeaches

Beauty

The Glam Squad

Posted on November 24, 2014by Brandy Saldana

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Glam-N-Go. All opinions and views expressed are my own.

The holidays are coming up and as this time roles around I find myself finding very little time to make appointments for a haircut, let alone steal a moment for a mani/pedi.
I thought I wouldn’t get a chance to get to any of that done, but a few weeks ago I was invited to try a beauty pop-up event called “Glam-N-Go” hosted at Jazz’z Salon on Fillmore street in San Francisco. I signed up excited to try this new salon concept and receive a blowout, express mani-pedis, and /or make-up application and having at least two of these services done to me simultaneously getting me in-and-out of the salon in under 45 minutes or less.

I arrived after lunch on a Sunday and was greeted by Sequoia, the entrepreneur and face of the “Glam Squad” concept. She was very sweet and let me know a little bit more of the salon concept and revealed plans to expand pop-ups to a location near the Marina in SF as well as in Walnut Creek in the East Bay. She was inspired by Drybar and wanted to solve her own problem of having to go to multiple places for salon services.

For a girl-on-the-go, this is the perfect solution to getting all my beauty needs met in a short time. I signed up for the Double-Package to try out a blowout and eyebrow shaping. I was offered a mimosa after I had my hair washed and I was seated in my chair. I had never had a blowout before and I thought it was a very fun experience. I did not know what to expect when my hair was finished, but the result was very soft hair with some fun curls.

I requested the eyebrow shaping as part of my Double Package, and realized right away it couldn’t be done during the blowout. While I was waiting for my hair to curl, the eyebrow waxing and shaping began. I received very friendly service, but looking back I might have requested a mani-pedi since it could have been simultaneously with the blowout. I know I arrived at 1 and left well past 2, so I didn’t step out in 45 minutes. Overall it was a fun experience and I would like to try it again before a big event like a wedding or party in order to have my hair and make-up done in one place. $20 for each service is not too bad of a price and I would definitely recommend trying it for the experience of having your own personal team of assistants prepping you.

There are currently only 2 more days available to sign-up and take advantage of the “Glam-N-Go” pop-up events next month before the holidays. You can sign up through Eventbrite here and as a bonus you can enter the promo code WBFS10 for 10% off your Double Package services. (Sweet deal right?)
Let me know if you sign-up and I hope you are able to get glammed up for the holidays! Until next time,
Brandy| BLOGLOVIN | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM |TUMBLR | TWITTER |

Cocktails

Brunch for Dinner with ZICO Part 2 – Zico Cocktail Recipes

Posted on October 21, 2014by Brandy Saldana

As part of the Brunch for Dinner with Zico, our Brunch featured some delicious cocktails featuring the new Zico Chilled Juices. The Orange Chilled Juice is perfect paired with champagne for a spin on the classic mimosa, but try out these other delicious, and simple, recipes perfect for any upcoming party!

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ZICO Sunset in Paradiseby Naked Kitchen October-21-2014Ingredients1 Oz. Gin1 Oz. Sake Nigori2 Oz. ZICO Chilled Pineapple Mango Juice Blend1 Dash of Angostura bitters1 1/2 Oz. Lime Cordial (Recipe Follows)4 Limes, zested and juiced (keep zest and juice seperate)1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar1/2 Cup Boiling WaterInstructionsCombine all ingredients in a shaker, shake with ice, strain and serve in a chilled cocktail glass.
Combine zest and sugar in a mortar and pestle, and grind until sugar resembles wet sand. Add water to dissolve sugar. Strain, chill, and add reserved juice. DetailsPrep time: 8 mins Cook time: Total time: 8 mins Yield: 1 Serving

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ZICO Spicy Orangeby Naked Kitchen October-21-2014Ingredients1 Oz. Vodka1 Oz. Champagne2 Oz. ZICO Chilled Orange Juice Blend1 Dash of Free Bros Old Fashioned Bitters1/4 Oz. Ginger Syrup (recipe follows)3 T. Grated Ginger1/2 Cup Sugar1/2 Cup WaterInstructionsCombine vodka, syrup, coconut water, and bitters in a shaker. Shake with ice, strain into chilled cocktail glass. Top with champagne.Ginger Syrup:
Bring mixture to a boil to dissolve sugar, strain, chill. Makes about 1 cup.DetailsPrep time: 8 mins Cook time: Total time: 8 mins Yield: 1 Serving
Let me know if you try either of these out. My favorite of the two was the Spicy Orange, but I am impressed with how versatile these juices are to work in both a cocktail drink and in a jam! I am thinking of incorporating one in a cupcake recipe, but we’ll see how far I get with that idea. Thanks to +ZICO for hosting this sweet event at the Naked Kitchen in SF!
Hope you are having a great week. Until next time,