Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs

So I've mastered how to prepare the perfect hard boiled egg. First you place your egg(s) in a pot and cover them with cold water. Bring the water to a nice rapid boil. Once this has happened, place a lid on the pot and turn off the burner. Let the egg(s) sit in the hot boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain and run them under cold water. They are then ready to peel and turn out just great!

Pringles Select

I am totally hooked on a new snack product. Being that I am a marketer's dream, if I see something new at the grocery store, I usually try it. My new favorite thing is Pringles Select (4 new varieties of chips). They have BBQ Sechezuan, Parmesan Garlic, Cinnamon Sweet Potato and Sundried Tomato Basil. Personally, I love the zesty zip of the BBQ Sechezuan ones. And apparently many others do to because every time I run out to get another bag, the shelves tend to be bare. If you haven't tried them, you should because they are way better than conventional potato chips. Not greasy. Just light, crisp yumminess.

Trattoria

As I was saying before, Italians take their food extremely seriously. I can't tell you how many conversations amongst our business groups revolved around food. I didn't have to speak the language to know that the crescendo of voices and smiling faces were peaking over the discussion of some scrumptious morsel. We were lucky enough to be taken to a local trattoria that offered no menu other than what the owner/chef felt was the freshest of combinations available that day - paired also with wines and cheeses that were chef-selected from various parts of the country. In Venice, the tiny cobbled streets are filled with beautiful pastry shops offering almond cakes, pistachio tortes and marzipan delicacies shaped in any fruit or vegetable that you can imagine. Looking into the windows, one can only drool at the copious amounts of baked, tempting treats. Of course, you also don't have too look to far to find a North American fast food joint either. But why would you want to eat that when you can be tasting dishes will dazzle your taste buds and imprint memories for a lifetime.

Southern Food

After much ado, we are now in Chattanooga, TN and it is beautifully hot here...99F and I love it. It's the first time I've felt warm in a long time. At the moment it is clouding over and I think a thunderstorm is on its way. For lunch we stopped at Famous Dave's BBQ where my hubby had ribs, I had a pulled pork sandwich and my son had catfish fingers. Hey, we're in the south so do as the locals do, right? I've got to tell you I was looking for a healthier, lighter alternative to a heavy sandwich so I thought salad would be the right choice. But I've never seen a salad with so much meat, cheese and Piknik french fry sticks! That was an interesting twist on the crunch element. All in all it was delicious (and so was the cornmeal muffin on the side). We also visited a local grocery story called Bi Lo and got some water and munchies for the room. After seeing all the tempting junk food, I think it could be a challenge to stay slim in this neck of the woods. Anyway, it is now time to veg-out in the hotel room and just relax after the long drive from back north.

New York City Food

My trip to NYC was hectic but enjoyable. I don't think my husband would say the same however. We've been to the city many times before, but this time he really felt that it was too crowded, noisy and chaotic. I think that was because we spent more time in the Times Square / midtown area as opposed to the upper East side as in previous trips. We had a really great dinner at a little place called Trattoria dell'Arte (across from Carnegie Hall). It was open air and just like a real little restaurant in Italy. But my favorite dinner was at Dock's - a must-eat-at seafood restaurant at 40th and 3rd. We've eaten here many times before and it always delivers excellent, fresh seafood. The fried calamari is crisp and delicious. The lobster is fresh, large and divine! My crab cakes were scrumptious, along with the best crispy sweet potato fries you've ever eaten. I love those!

There is no shortage of food in NYC. In fact there are great little European cafes almost everywhere now. The new food item was the "pressini" sandwich. Almost like a Panini, but made with flat bread instead. I have to tell you, they're delish! I had a black forest ham and Gruyere which made me want more. We also shared a cannoli which cost $4.50 for one! Food prices are high. When we had lunch at the famous Roxy deli in Times Square, a club sandwich was $25. We had the hot pastrami on rye, stacked high and sided with a dill pickle and slaw. Yum-o! Speaking of high prices, 2 cocktails at the hotel ran $32 + tax. There are so many strange taxes added on in NYC.