{ The Borough Market in London }

Whenever I go into a city, I feel pressured to eat—and drink—just about everything in sight. In a brief two-block stroll, I can usually find time to eat a pastry, sample a gelato, snack on an over-priced French macaron or chocolate, down a cup of fancy coffee, and possibly even grab a cocktail of some sort. It’s down right impressive, albeit slightly sickening to my friends that are forced to dip into every corner shop café with me!

Why does the city send me into this preposterous food frenzy, you ask?

Because I am from the suburbs!! The suburbs of Philadelphia, no less: a place where good food requires some serious gas mileage and planning. You can’t find an authentic Italian restaurant, a crab shack, a sake lounge, and an artisanal chocolatier all within the same one-mile radius! If you want Indian, you drive to Iselin, NJ. If you want Italian, you drive to South Philly. If you want French, you’re shit outta luck. My point is, that you’re driving if you want to get good ethnic foods. So when I see Cambodian sandwiches, ramen, French pastries, and kebabs all within the same street, I get beside myself and feel the urge to try it all simply because it is there!

My most recent trip to London kept me eating around the clock because of the seemingly endless number of cafes and pubs, each one more adorable than the next. I plan to give a full review each meal, but I want to start off with my absolute favorite food experience in London, which doesn’t take place in a restaurant at all, but rather an open-air food market called the Borough Market.

My idea of heaven is an endless Borough Market where every vendor has free samples and they don’t judge you for taking more than one, instead they encourage it! The food is free, and it has no caloric value, and you never feel full so you can just keep on eating, and eating, and eating. #FatGirlProblems

The Best Prepared Meal Item: Thai Green Curry Paella with Chicken & Seafood over Rice. I did my research on the market before going (aka Googled the shit out it to see what other bloggers were saying!) in so that I could make an informed decision on what to eat once I got there. I read that the Paella place was one of the best, and I can confirm that it was better than some seafood dishes I had in Spain. It was creamy and flavorful and the rice was tender without being mushy. A food experience that was borderline otherworldly.

The Best Cheese: The Borough Cheese Company’s 15 mo. aged Comte

It was the first cheese we sampled going into the market, and we continued to go back for more samples until we found ourselves just pounding down his entire platter one sample after another. Then it got awkward and we decided we were obligated to make a purchase, which was noshed down that same evening. I ate it like a slice of watermelon, right down to the rind, holding the wedge between my two hands.

The Best Exotic Item for Purchase: Tartufaia Truffles’ White Truffle Honey

Need I say more? Truffle + Honey = guaranteed foodgasm

I might just have to fly back for more once I eat it all, and for only 5 pound a jar, it is the best bargain in London!!!

The Best Eat at Home Purchase: West Country Preserves

I bought the Spicy Gooseberry with Cumin Seeds, which is more savory than sweet. It pairs well with chicken and meat, but also toast if your taste buds are like mine! I also bought one of the Ginger Curds, which is a sweetened yet naturally spicy spread that pairs lovely with toast and desserts. My friends got the pure Ginger Preserves, which were intensely flavorful but also amazing. The man knows how to sell too—he loves encouraging samples! I think I tried all 32 varieties before selecting my final two for purchase.

 

Other Items I purchased and loved:

 Fresh Buffalo Mozzarella – So creamy and tender. I coupled these bad boys with some sliced tomatoes and avocado wedges when I got back home and they were lovely.

Date and Walnut Bread from The Flour Station– I was on a date kick after my trip to Harrods (where I bought the best dates of my life!), and so I decided to get loaf of this bread. It turned out to be my breakfast pregame and late night snack for the remaining days of my trip. A fabulous purchase!

Roasted Porchetta Sandwich with Applesauce and Rockett on Ciabatta – this was not my favorite, as I found the meat a bit too fatty and difficult to swallow. That being said, I did love the deep rosemary flavor to the meat and the pairing of the sweet applesauce, which is something I will replicate at home in the future.

Mulled Wine – It was my first English mulled wine experience, so I will have a special place for it in my heart, but I went on to have much better from street vendors at the Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park. And priced at 4 pound a cup, it was difficult to catch a buzz!

Chocolates and Fudge from Burnt Sugar– I loved the chocolate covered honeycombs made with rich dark chocolate, but learned that fudge is not really my thing. It might be the only food that I can say isn’t one of my weaknesses.

Green Cafe ***

Assortment of Macarons at Cafe Green

212.677.0666

377 1st Ave (between 23rd and 22nd)

New York, Ny 10010

CHECK OUT THE MENU!

When you graduate high school, you move out of your house, and leave for college to start life on your own. Yes, I am aware that this is a politically incorrect over-generalization, but please do not take offense if you didn’t follow this path, because I’ve learned first hand that the chief value in going to college is that it’s the only way to learn it really doesn’t mean jack shit. Look at me for example, I went to a well-respected private university (go Canes!), and sure it was the best for years of my life, but that doesn’t change the fact that I am currently unemployed, with no income, in debt, living at home. Dropout Kelly on the other hand, has just been promoted to a management position at McDonalds, which provides a steady income, and she doesn’t have $160,000 of student loans to pay back. She also has a much healthier liver and knows what the heck a W2 form is. Now you’re going to make the argument that I will eventually get a better job than Kelly that provides me with a higher pay because I have a formal education. And it’s true that economists report that college education adds many thousands of dollars to a person’s lifetime income. But don’t we then spend this extra income sending our kids to college?! It is a vicious cycle really. And don’t even get me started on the girls who just go to college looking for a MRS degree…J-date is only about $30 a month and college is about $10,000. Do the math and save yourself the money.

Anyways, enough of this ridiculous tangent on education. The point is that I went to college and established my own way of living and doing things, and now I am forced to live back at home where I can no longer comfortably live in my particular manner. I cannot just roll out of bed and cook my breakfast in my underwear…shirt and pants are required. I cannot drink my orange juice straight out of the container…I need to use a small “juice” glass. I cannot leave the house without reporting where I am going and then giving an estimation of when I will be returning (and I need to call if I am later than my estimation). I cannot buy groceries and put them in the fridge with the confidence that they will be there later. In college, everyone has their own shelf in the fridge and you eat only what is on your shelf (unless you come home drunk and eat half your roommate’s box of Special K…but you admit it with shame the next morning and buy them a new box). At home, family is family, and what’s mine is yours is the name of the game. That means that the lifespan of a package of Oreos is about 36 hours.

It’s been one week and I needed some space of my own, so I headed out to New York City to meet up with a girlfriend from college that was visiting. As soon as I stepped out of Penn Station, I was overtaken by the aroma of delicious street food and from then on my mind was strictly on getting something to eat. In a hurry to meet my friend, I decided to stop at Green Café for some coffee and cookies. I got a delicious Cappuccino and the absolute best Macarons that I have ever had the pleasure of tasting.

There was an assortment of about 20 different flavors to choose from, all of which were displayed in a glass bakery case. I tried the Wedding Almond flavor and Casis (which is infused with currant flavoring). Personally, I preferred the sweet almond flavor over the tartness of the casis, but the textures on both were incredible. Ohh, and if you didn’t realize by now, the cookie I am referring to is a macaron, not to be confused with a coconut, chocolate-laced macaroon. I love those too, but a macaron is a cream-filled cookie sandwich, made from egg whites, almond powder, and a pinch of sugar. They usually come in very bright colors, that vary according to flavor. Some of the other varieties that I didn’t get to sample include; pistachio, caramel, crème brulee, espresso, raspberry, mango, vanilla, nutella, passion fruit, and lavender.

Assorted Macarons

Café Green has a small little seating area, and serves up healthy items for both breakfast and lunch such as omelets, paninis, and wraps. I would definitely go back for a macaron the next time that I am back in the city! I would have brought some home, but you can only imagine how quickly these things would be eaten given that Oreo’s usually only last a day and a half.

George’s in Sunset ****

Angus Center Cut Beef Filet “Au Poivre” with Truffle Mashed Potatoes and French Green Beans

305.284.9989

1549 Sunset Dr

Miami, Fl 33143

CHECK OUT THE MENU!

I recently wrote a rave review on George’s restaurant located in the Grove, making specific mention that his location in Sunset did not have the same quality of service. However, I feel that I need to revise this criticism after most my recent experience there for my graduation dinner. The place was obviously packed for graduation weekend (although it is packed almost every night of the week), and I was struggling to find the hostess amidst the large crowd waiting outside—as they don’t take reservations for parties less than 8 persons…a.k.a get there early! Suddenly, a rather stout bald man approaches me and assures me (in a charming French accent) that he will personally see to it that my family is seated within 15 minutes. Pleased to meet you, George!

We headed to the bar, grabbed a round of cocktails, and sure enough he had us a table outside before we finished the drinks. This kind of attentive personal service is seriously lacking in Miami, so to be taken care of and treated in this way is infrequent and enjoyable. We were then each brought a complimentary glass of champagne before receiving our menus. Again, a nice personal touch that scores major brownie points with customers. Who doesn’t love getting free stuff? Especially, free alcohol!!

To start, I ordered the Steamed Mussels with shallots and garlic in white wine sauce. This is the must try menu item. They come in a large le crusset pot, piping hot, with a decadent side of Truffle French Fries. I would estimate that about 50% of the tables you see will have an order of these mussels on them, because everyone loves them. The mussels themselves are large and plump and the sauce is just outrageously good and flavorful.

Mussels with Shallots and Garlic in a White Wine Sauce with Truffle Fries

Next, I got an order of the French Onion Soup, which is prepared in the traditional way and served in a crock with baked gruyere and provolone cheeses atop sliced French baguette. Although it is tasty, onion soup is onion soup in my opinion, and I would recommend trying some of the more unique menu items.

French Onion Soup with Melted Gruyere and Provolone Cheeses

For my “celebration entrée,” I thought that a nice steak was the most appropriate! I ordered the Angus Center Cut Beef Filet “Au Poivre” with Truffle Mashed Potatoes and French Green Beans (photographed at top). The steak was incredibly lean and buttery…each bite just melted in my mouth. And the sauce, although rich, was delicious. The cognac added a nice sweetness to the dish complimenting the pungent peppercorn crust on the steak. I was a little disappointed with the mashed potatoes however, which lacked in truffle flavor. I would get the potatoes au gratin instead next time.

For dessert, we ordered the Raspberry Custard Tart with homemade Raspberry Sorbet. I really enjoyed the dessert, although my family thought the sorbet was a little too tart and sour. Guess it is a sheer matter of preference.

Raspberry Custard Tart with homemade Raspberry Sorbet

Overall, I believe that George’s in the Grove is a more appropriate place for a dinner date and family dinner because it is a lot less noisey. But I take back my former harsh criticisms on Georges in Sunset, and recommend it as a great place for celebration dinners and drinks. The bar scene is much larger at the Sunset location, and on Wednesday nights you can watch the local Miami divorcee scene get smashed and mingle. Ohhh, and Wednesday night is ladies night, which means free champagne for women all night long!!

The First Binge

Exactly how I felt after each and every meal today…..

It’s been a full week of protein, protein, and more protein. Eggs on top of chicken, on top of spinach, on top of steak and beef. Not one carb. Not one cheat. But today is the glorious day. That’s right ladies and gentleman, today is binge day!

It’s currently 9 am in the morning, and I am already about 2,000 calories deep. And yes, I did sleep, meaning that all this damage has been done within just a few short hours (I am now back in bed blogging with a hangover in a food coma…I’m a dedicated writer, I know). Anyways, I got the binge started around 4 am after a night out in South Beach. I was heavily intoxicated, but not too drunk to remember that I could now eat PASTA (one of my favorite late night grubs!!). So I put a pot of water on the stove and anxiously waited as I cooked out an entire box of De Cecco linguini. Of course, this felt like it was taking forever, so I munched down a Nature Valley Granola bar in the meantime (190 calories…start counting). Once my pasta was perfectly al dente, I drained it, tossed it in red sauce, and topped it with crushed hot pepper flakes. I ate my bowl and then proceeded to eat the bowls of others that had passed out during the cooking process. I would estimate that I ate about 2 cups of pasta total, which is 400 calories plus about 100 calories for the delicious tomato sauce. I’m at 700 calories now and it’s time for a nap! I push my bowl a few inches to the left and put my head down, passing out for a couple hours before driving home.

Spaghetti with Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

At 8 am, on the drive home, I get the sudden craving for pastries and not just any pastries….French pastries. So I keep on driving past the apartment building (with Sasha barely awake in the passenger seat), heading in the direction of Le Royal Bakery. I love this bakery dearly, but always find such a limited selection because I get there too late in the day. By the time I get there, all the croissants have been picked over and my favorite desserts are usually sold out. But it is only 8 am and I realize that I will have my choice of whatever I want, because the early bird gets the best croissant! So Sasha and I stumble in (we are both still in our clothes from the night before and she is barefoot), and I am literally taken back and aghast at the assortment of delicious pastries before my eyes. I can feel my blood sugar rising from the very smell of this place. My eyes scan over the case and then bingo…I’ve found it—The Almond Croissant. I order it, but then see that there is also an Almond Brioche located just below it. I should probably find out which one this bakery makes better (for blog purposes…wink, wink), so I order the brioche too! And as I am paying, I also see one of my favorite little Raspberry Custard Tarts. Can’t leave her behind, I’ll take one of those too. Sasha orders a Ham and Brie Sandwich on Baquette with Dijon Mustard, and while we wait for them to make her sandwich, I polish off the Croissant and Brioche. I don’t think I even stopped for air. I can officially say that although both pastries were delicious, the almond croissant was a million times more incredible. It was buttery and sweet and flakey and the almond paste was so pronounced. It was divine…really one of the most incredible food experiences that I have had in a while (certainly in this past week!). I polished off the raspberry custard tart on the drive home, and now I’m in bed holding my stomach and sweating out the food cramps. Too much sugar…too early…too fast. I feel like I’m going to die (although I don’t think even this feeling will turn me against eating that croissant in the near future….yes, it’s that good!). I am now going to try to sleep off this horrific pain (which is going to be tricky due to all that sugar consumption), but I have to be up in two hours for a event in South Beach where there will be buffet-style lunch. Ughhhhh…..the thought is miserable.

Almond Brioche Dusted with Powdered Sugar

Almond Croissant Dusted with Powdered Sugar

Raspberry Tarte with Pastry Cream Filling

I’m finally back in bed, and I am so thankful that the binge day is over. I never thought I would look forward to eating my plain protein diet, but I don’t want anything cheesy, sweet, or breaded for a while. I made it to the luncheon on South Beach at the Raleigh Hotel, and forced down a lunch consisting of; Ceasar Salad, Roasted Beet Salad with Walnuts and Goat Cheese, Fresh Mozzarella Sandwich with Tomato and Basil on French Baguette, and Chicken Chipotle Sandwich with Pepperoni, Pepper Jack Cheese, Sweet Peppers, and Chipotle Aioli on Baguette. The food was alright, nothing really special (compared to my breakfast at least!) The ceasar salad dressing was bland and the sandwiches were just so-so. I felt like the food was really under seasoned, so I wouldn’t recommend eating at the Raleigh’s Royal Restaurant. I checked out the menu and the prices were reasonable, but under seasoned food isn’t good at any price, in my opinion.

My eclectic plate of food at The Raleigh Hotel

Shortly after eating, my cramps came back and I was holding onto my belly again. I walked it off, shopping at Victoria’s Secret, but had a hard time feeling sexy with such an un-sexy appetite. I crawled back into bed as soon as I got home, and slept for another 4 hours. I don’t know what happened during those 4 hours, but when I woke up, I had a ferocious appetite. I am not kidding you. The next meal on the binge day list was….drumroll, please….CHIPOTLE! Ohh yes, I wanted a large burrito to my face. So my friend, Sam, and I rolled out of bed, threw on some slippers, and headed out to Chipotle in our pajamas…diary of a fat girl. I ordered a Burrito with rice, black beans, carnitas, fajita veggies, tomato salsa, tomatillo salsa, sour cream, and cheese. I destroyed this whopping 900-calorie burrito in about 5 minutes, but found that I had a difficult time eating the cheese and sour cream. I think that my body might be getting adjusted to a diet without dairy and so the cheese and cream was overload. Whatever the case, I had to take eat around it. I also ate half a bag of chips and salsa before heading out the door.

Chipotle Burrito with Barbacoa, Rice, Black Beans, Fajita Veggies, Salsa, Sour Cream, and Cheese

I then decided that a trip to the gym was necessary. I ran about 3 miles and did abs and arm work for about 30 minutes. I then crawled back in to bed, where I am writing to you now. Sadly, as if I didn’t eat enough, I am polishing off a box of Godiva chocolate truffles while I type. I would estimate that I easily ate anywhere between 4,000 and 5,000 today and I feel like shit. I can’t wait to just eat simple meat and spinach tomorrow.