A Long Time Coming...

I've been considering moving TPF to a new hosting site for quite a while, and now I'm finally ready to share my new blogging home with all of you.

Please update your bookmarks and subscriptions, because I've moved!

Click here to visit my new site. Thanks for following me in my foodie adventures - I hope you'll take the time to visit and comment in my new location.

Two Fun Things to Read

I came across two great reads today - an article on Gourmet magazine's website, and my friend Jenn's new food blog!

The Gourmet article is all about dispelling myths regarding foods traditionally viewed by Americans as taboo during pregnancy. It's well-written by a foodie who did some research, so please don't accuse me of trying to play doctor. I just think she makes some good points for those of us who have been or someday may be accused of caring "more about her hedonistic ways than the life of her unborn child."

Much more exciting than a magazine article is Jenn's new food blog!!! That's her beautiful Loaded Baked Potato Soup in the photo above. Please check it out - penned by the Dangerous Brownie herself. Jenn has some great budget-friendly ideas, weekly meal plans, and she even tallies her grocery spending for your voyeuristic consumer enjoyment. Her blog is the perfect combination of Southern belle and cutting sarcasm with a little bit of adorable dorkiness. Definitely bookmark this one!

Yesterday was my mom's birthday, and tonight was the birthday dinner, so I'll be posting soon with the recipe and a couple photos. Happy Birthday Mommy!

Underground Supper Clubs & Some Gossip

I'll start with the gossip. It's been brought to my attention that my comment about "changes in my personal life" may have been misleading. These are good changes, people! I got a new job and have been extremely busy with that. Training has taken me 600 miles away from my husband, so we are adjusting to the change. I'm sorry I haven't been blogging as much, but it's tough when you don't have your own kitchen to cook in or your husband's camera to pawn! I just wanted to clear that up.

One more housekeeping note: with this post, I will have 35 posts in the year 2009. This means that in the month of March, I've already surpassed all of my posting from 2008. So, thanks for reading my blog and giving me reasons to continue posting my food adventures!

As for the underground supper clubs, I read a great article on CNN about this new trend, and I find it fascinating. Basically, well-known chefs host supper parties at their home or another location. The events are secretive - diners sign up on a website, like Entre - so elusive, you need a password to view the website. A better site to look at to get a feel for the concept is Guerilla Cuisine, located in Charleston. Once diners have signed up, they receive an email that tells them where to go and when, sometimes with a menu. When they show up for dinner, they are served a meal, sometimes by a mystery chef they never see.

What's so cool about this is that the food is gourmet - local, seasonal ingredients are prepared with creative interpretations and beautifully plated. Typical menus are prix fixe, and one meal is served, as would be the case at a dinner party in someone's home. This is not a restaurant experience, more of a "foodie" experience.

If you've ever been part of one of these supper clubs, I'd love to hear from you. I'd also be extremely interested in finding a supper club in Ohio or Connecticut. Do some digging to see if a supper club may be available in your area. It sounds like a fantastic way to meet new people, experience amazing cuisine, and step out of your dining out comfort zone.

(The photo above is courtesy of CNN's website)

Adopt a US Soldier

Even though this post is only somewhat food-related, it's probably the most important one I've ever written. I recently found out about a website called Adopt a US Soldier - they connect soldiers in need with civilians willing to support them.

I signed up right away. The registration process was simple, and I got the name and contact information for "my" soldier right away. I emailed him immediately, thinking it might be some time before I heard back (if I heard anything at all), and was so pleasantly surprised to get an email from him the next morning.

I've started putting together a Valentine's themed package for my soldier...I'm really looking forward to mailing it out this weekend! I don't want to give away anything I'm putting in it, because I'm also sending one to a friend of mine serving abroad (and she might see this post), so I'll post an update once I've sent it.

I would really encourage you to check out the website here. You can easily make a huge difference to a soldier who may not have the support of family or friends at home. Emails, letters, and even the occasional package mean the world to our servicemen and women. Please consider signing up.

Happy Inauguration Day, Mr. President!

If you're curious about the food that was served at the inaugural luncheon yesterday, you can find the menu pretty much anywhere on the internet. But how cool is it that you can also download the recipes? Check them out here. And call me if you make that Seafood Stew, it sounds amazing!

Red Gold

If you're still looking for last minute gifts for those hard to shop for people on your list, may I suggest Red Gold? This powerful film can be appreciated by anyone who loves and respects Mother Earth. An amazing documentary on the Bristol Bay area of Alaska and the proposed Pebble Mine project that threatens to destroy the way of life of thousands of Alaskan natives, you will never regret the money you put toward this cause.

Click here and buy a movie that will touch the hearts of all your favorite people at this most festive time of year.

Bristol Bay Info

You may have heard about Pebble Mine in Bristol Bay, Alaska. It's a proposed project that would tap into a supposed $300 billion reserve of ore that is buried near the delta that feeds Bristol Bay. I've posted links in the past, but wanted to give some more information as we get closer to the presidential election.

Sarah Palin on Bristol Bay

Pebble Pedalers - An amazing group of people about to embark on a truly incredible journey

Red Gold - A film that can make a difference

Take the time to do the research on Pebble Mine and what it would mean to our ecosystem, the Alaskan way of life, and the salmon population.

Gratuitous Puppy Photo

Thought I'd post a few shots of our sweet pup, Finn. Enjoy!






And one old puppy photo of Finn and I, just for good measure:

Tipping the Scales

It's amazing that 63.5% of adults here in Ohio are considered overweight or obese, and in my home state of Connecticut, that number isn't much better, 'weighing in' at 57.2%. There's an interesting tool from the Center for Disease Control that will tell you where your state stands. Read the whole article here.

Eco-Chic

I adore Delight.com. They have the best products, and the great part is, everything is environmentally friendly and really cute! I bought my Envirosax on their site. These reusable grocery bags come in a bunch of different patterns, are super roomy, and more than strong enough to hold two plastic grocery bags worth of groceries. Best of all, they roll up and fit into a tiny pouch that fits in your purse or glove compartment. I have even brought them with me clothes shopping to hold my purchases. The pattern shown here is "Delightfully Hip" - I have "Delightfully Pretty". The website has a whole section of items for "The Cook" - check them out!