Latest Posts

  • Straight from the Pantry: Astonishing SAUCE beauty for the Hair

    (Gerry Furth-Sides) SAUCE HAIRCARE products first and foremost work.  We tried three of them and were “wowed”  as much by the sheen, supplement, clean-feeling and longer lasting results, as by their natural plant-based ingredient influence Even better, the products, plus recipes and fragrances, are inspired by the ...

  • Make an International “Wow” Cheese Board Garden

    (Gerry Furth-Sides) Right in time for Super Bowl Sunday and Valentine’s Day, Melissa’s hosted Shelia Doloukani in their test kitchen for a cheese board building class.  A lush display works for any holiday or gift occasion right through the year and can be themed with favorite or seasonal foods for such holidays as Moth...

  • Celebrate International Bagel Day January 15 with a Shmear

    (Gerry Furth-Sides)  Celebrate bagel Day with any classic bagel variety that North American cities lay claim to with the fierceness of regional pizza crust.  These theories are often backed with intriguing urban lore, such as Montreal bagels having “tougher crusts” than the New York style because Montreal residents...

  • Melissa’s “Insider” Produce Trend Preview for 2020

    (Gerry Furth-Sides) “Pee wee potatoes and giant jackfruit in small portion packages run the range of what to look for in 2020.  Several the trends focus on ethnic produce going more and more mainstream, and more convenient ways to eat them or to extend the season. The giant jackfruit is a surprise to anyone eating [&helli...

  • Breaking Bread Indian Style in 2020

    (Gerry Furth-Sides) Indian foods are becoming so popular many of them have gone mainstream this year.  Indian breads are one of the best examples of the reason why because even the most reluctant bread eater will love them. Here are the most popular with their history and the reason why. One of the most irresistible […]...

  • Next Generation Marius Taix and Marius Taix Jr. of Les Freres Taix French Restaurant

    (Gerry Furth-Sides) Second generation Michael Taix is credited with transforming the landmark continental era restaurant back to Le Frere Taix’s original French roots, and has been successful at attracting a wide-range of customers from long-time customers and business executives from 11:30 a.m. into happy hour at 5 p.m., to f...

  • New “Wild & Crazy” Vegan Trend Becomes Healthy 2020 Signature

    (Gerry Furth-Sides) I continue to be bombarded with article request for Impossible Burger stories.  We did this already twice: first and last at Umami Burger.  The taste was ok although we did not understand the need for this when there are so many fantastic veggie options.  And then we learned recently the sodium in fake me...

  • The Joy of the New (Expanded) Joy of Cooking Book

    (Gerry Furth-Sides) From the newest generation of the JOY family, for a new generation of cooks, comes a brand-new edition of America’s most enduring and trusted cookbook, the Joy of Cooking.   is a true celebration of foundational recipes that have stood the test of time, and an introduction to over 600 new recipes chose...

  • Centuries Old Clement French Caribbean Créole Shrubb the New Garden Guy

    Clement’s Caribbean Créole Shrubb is a superb blend of the finest white and aged Agricole Rhums,  interlaced with macerated Créole spices and sun-bleached bitter orange peels.  Its sunny aromas and flavors are themselves reminiscent of Martinique. A staple of Caribbean culture, Créole Shrubb is the “secret ingredien...

  • Restaurant of the Future? – It’s Here in Pasadena Now

    (Gerry Furth-Sides) It’s shocking to think that 60% delivery is not uncommon in todays most successful restaurants (we just wrote about the Mandarette going through this)  in the rapidly changing restaurant world.  On the one hand, less personal contact is already here with delivery options, and now the newest common tre...