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After scrolling through my humble contribution to the food blogging world during the past year, over 100 posts, I can honestly say, "I've come a long way, baby!" My passion for food, cooking, entertaining, writing, travel, and photography continues to grow, and this past year has been quite a journey.  In no particular order, this post recaps some of the most memorable moments of our 2011, in food and life.

At the beginning of the year, I joined French Fridays with Dorie, and…

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Sweetie-Pie, Pie of Pies, Newfie-Pie, Noodle-Pie, Pieder-dog and Pie-Dog are just a few of the terms of endearment Dooley has acquired in his almost-13 years.…

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We're considered regulars at Coronado's Il Fornaio, stopping in at least once a week for a casual dinner at the bar, or meeting up with friends for happy hour. Recently, we've been delighted to be included on the guest list for the monthly Festa Regionale Tuesday Night Tasting. This month, from April 4-17, Il Fornaio invites you to celebrate the food and wine… Continue

Too much unwelcome drama in the hood doesn't make for a happy Daring Baker this month. But cooking does provide an escape, so I welcomed a little Saturday morning baking to unwind and get into my zone. I focused on how much we have to look forward to when we move to our new house in a few months. We're staying in Coronado, but it was time to make a change to something a bit larger, and much more private. Did I mention loads… Continue

The Navy sends John to a few conventions a year, to less-than-exciting places like Panama City. When he asked me to tag along with him for a quick jaunt to New Orleans, my mind wandered off to visions of the historic and colorful French Quarter, dining opportunities at a few of the well-known chefs' restaurants, and a welcome break from the legal world. It would be our first visit to the Big Easy.

Fast forward a few weeks...



Tired, cranky and hungry after a…

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Our Coronado Concert in the Park Culinary Challenges continued last Sunday evening with The Exotic Cuisine of Thailand. Thai cuisine places emphasis on lightly-prepared dishes with strong aromatic components, and is known for its balance of the five fundamental taste senses in each dish or the overall meal: hot (spicy), sour, sweet, salty, and (optional) bitter. A Thai family meal normally consists of rice, paired with several dishes designed to form a harmonious contrast of ingredients… Continue

We ventured off the island last week to try The Red Door Restaurant & Wine Bar, in Mission Hills. Described as an elegant but comfortable and casual neighborhood bistro featuring American comfort classics, it offered a cozy retreat from the rainy night. We sat at the Wine Bar, ordered a couple glasses of Malbec, and sampled two appetizers, "Broken" Shrimp Creole and Manila Clams & Chorizo. Both were… Continue

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