Party in the Kitchen

There’s a party in my kitchen. So bitchin’ So bitchin’.

Sing to the tune of Yo Gabba Gabba. (And yes, I do watch Yo Gabba Gabba with my friends’ kids.)

Well, it wasn’t OUR actual kitchen, but the experience can definitely be duplicated easily with the recipes and ingredients from Fresh & Easy.

Annette and I were once again invited to a F&E cooking demonstration and party at Epicurean in Anaheim. We were greeted by these blushing beauties:



…and F&E staffers Stephanie and Allison too. ;-D

Oh, this Cava has a very special place in our hearts ever since the first Twitter Tasting. We love seeing it at F&E event!

This party was to celebrate the launch of two new stores in Laguna Hills and Lake Forest. Joining us was a full house of folks. Us bloggers were surprised to meet many non-bloggers there like our new friend Chantal who was a good sport when Annette and I, joined a little later by Catalina, ran around taking pictures and tweeting.


(Sorry for blocking your face, Chef Cyndi!)

I decided to be the photographer for the day. So it was agreed that everyone would partake in the making of the shrimp ceviche, the apricot chicken tenders, and the make-your-own pizza—all with ingredients from Fresh & Easy, of course—while I take photos that I would gladly share and that I would serve the dishes up to them.

Chef Cyndi’s recipe for the shrimp ceviche is totally money. Combine F&E cooked shrimps, F&E sun dried tomatoes, fresh lime and orange juices, red onion, jalapeno, avocado, cucumber, cilantro, and extra virgin olive oil and a little salt and pepper, then chill. Serve with chips. Done!



However, Team Awesome might have been a bit overzealous in our mixing as our avocado was quite mashed. We unexpectedly create a delicious creamy effect and surprised everyone, even the chef herself.



Pizza was what slowed down Team Awesome. We were ahead of everyone. Not sure what went wrong there but ours came out of the oven later than everyone else’s and therefore our apricot chicken were also late coming out. Whoops.



The pizza came out great—that sauce was absolutely delicious. We were a little sad about the chicken we put so much work into making. First you make the sauce with F&E Apricot Preserves, F&E Sweet Hot Mustard and F&E Whole Grain Dijon. Save a bit of that for dipping sauce. Now you dunk F&E chicken tenders into the sauce, then roll those in bread crumbs.

One thing we didn't think to do was to season the tenders and a little bit in the bread crumbs too before we started dunking. While the chicken was moist and has some good flavors going for them, they were bland. So much work, Chantal didn't even wait to wash her hands before celebrating.



All of this was paired with either a Chardonnay (I don't remember what was served now) or the Napa Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon. I gotta say the Cab’s chugability is totally drinkable and paired well with the ceviche.

Richard the Wine Expert was on hand for us to ask questions and harass about putting on a wine maker type dinner event. (ETA: We are going to a wine event tomorrow, after all!)

Oh and there were desserts too. Glorious Banana Cream Pie! Delicious tiramisu! And the new dark chocolate raspberry sorbet bonbons!



/squees. /dies.

And of course, the gregarious, vivacious, beauty-licious staff handed us each a goody bag we can talk about. Being prolific, our little table went through the bags and did some swapping of stuff so no one went home with stuff they didn’t want. LOL

There’s a lot to be reviewed here, y’all. These bad boys were filled to the brim!



Thanks again for a good time and for introducing us to your new products like the Gourmet line of grab-and-go—you can’t beat fancy eats in 3 minutes, I tell ya—and simmer sauces. I’m already impressed by the Burgundy Simmer Sauce, I can hardly wait to try the Tikka Masala when my clear braces come off in 2 weeks!

Here's the entire album. Enjoy!

6 Girls. 3 Wines.

F&E was at it again with twitter tasting. And of course, I said yes.

Last time, we had 4 girls to attack 3 bottles of wine. Those who caught wind of the last gathering wanted in this time around. So, here we were on a Wednesday night with 6 girls to split 3 bottles of wines sent to me from F&E.

The lovely wine-drenched evening was held at Ana's (@anaperiodista) place.

Sister Annette (@dananner) and I (@oakmonster) carpooled, picked up yummy barbecued stuff from Beachwood Barbecue in Seal Beach, and headed to Ana's. We arrived at 6:30 and set up for the shindig.

7 p.m. rolled around, it was just the three of us still. So we got started anyway. Vickie (@torie007) arrived next, followed by Vanessa (@vbesack) and Tina (@sendchocolate)

Ana let me commandeered her boyfriend's laptop. Unfortunately, it was on mobile modem and the connection wasn't all that great. Annette and I took turn tweeting through TasteLive and my account. At some point, Annette managed to get me thrown into TasteLive jail-- "You've tweeted too many times. Please wait."

Also, how many girls do you need to open a bottle of wine with a corkscrew? Two. Me for knowing roughly how it works and Annette for Amazonian strength. Well, we wouldn't need the strength if we knew what we were doing! Hahaha! Let it be noted that next time we go to Ana for wine tasting, we need to bring her a modern wine opener as a hostess gift. Or make sure her boyfriend was home.

We had so much fun with the wine and the talking that at some point we almost forgot we were doing a tasting! But then again, our group is no Jim Cahill of Fresh & Easy Wine Reviews! No connoisseurs over here, just 5 moms and a married woman who had had a long day and looking forward to some wine, conversation, and manic tweeting. ;-)

Here you go with our nonsensical review! (As always, we'll add commentary from Sister Annette herself later.)

Napa Family Vineyards Chardonnay 2008
Sister Annette's Chug-ability rating: "I need a refill!" - Heavenly

First wine for everyone after a long day may have something to do with why we enjoyed this wine quite a bit as a starter. Sister Annette mentioned that it would go well with a salad and promptly asked for another pour. I'm not a white wine drinker but I found myself enjoying a cold and crisp but full body in that warm evening. The other ladies agreed with this assessment. It also went swimmingly with the wild mushroom stew and blue cheese grits I was having for day-after-orthodontist dinner. Retails at under $12, this is a great buy.

Re del Castello Chianti Classico 2007
Oakley's Chug-ability rating: "If I have nothing else to drink, this will do." - Earthbound

We were all taken aback at first taste. Everyone thought it was sour/tart to start. After a few minutes to breath, it bloomed a bit and it was drinkable again. The peppery loveliness mingled with the smoky barbecued meats. Vanessa, a fellow red lover, didn't think much of this wine either, but since it's opened, we'd drink it. This one retails under $10.

The Vine Yard Late Harvest Riesling 2008
Ana's Chug-ability rating: "I don't even like wine and I LOVE this!" - Nirvana

*DINGDINGDINGDING* We have a winner! The riesling went over extremely well especially as a "dessert" for the evening. Sweet and fruity without being all syrupy about it. To quote Annette's tweet, Ana's expression said it all. Our "I don't like wine" hostess' face lit up "like Mikey in Life commercial." The wine also went well with Tina's brie and lingonberry jam.

What makes it taste even better is that $1 for every bottle sold is donated to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Oh, and it retails under $8. WIN!

At the end of the evening, we were all eager to polish off both of the whites. I did try to go back to the Chianti but my palates were shot by the point. Feh...

You can read the Twitter thread for the evening here and see what everyone else thought of these wines. Because, you know, when you mix 6 girls with plenty of wine, we can't really be trusted. ;-)

"Eat Well" Party

Well, it wasn't supposed to be a raging party. But the wine was flowing and somebody broke a vase at the end, so I guess the blogger preview of F&E new, healthy "EatWell" line was indeed a certified party. :)

This is also the first time all three of the Temple's priestesses were together in the same room! So, I'm starting this post and Sister Annette and Sister Amy will chime in as we go along.

'N: Indeed it was. All that was missing were the Cava and Malbec, but they may have taken the party to a whole ‘nother level. As it was, the wines that were offered were delicious, especially the bubbly. F&E really knows how to choose tasty, affordable wines. They certainly give Trader Joe’s a run for the money in that department.



We were there with many Los Angeles bloggers and tweeps to sample the new line of grab-and-go "nutritionally balanced meal options" which will be in store April 7.

'N: The launch will consist of 17 new items with a second phase coming soon after. The Priestesses all hope that dessert will be part of the second phase.

Many of the offerings are chicken and fish based meals with a good selection of vegetarian meals thrown in that this meat-eater would not lift her nose at.



Yep. Healthy, tasty meals that's FRESH! No frozen or artificial here, kids.

'N: But you *can* freeze the meals. Very important for those of us who grab prepared meals for office lunches. The packaging includes information on re-heating from frozen. They’ve thought of everything!

EatWell products have nutritional postings right in the front of how many calories, how much fat and saturated fat, and sodium per serving are in them. AND one serving here is exactly what it means--that container you're holding is one serving and therefore the nutritional value applies to all that you're about to eat.

The cool part? Each of these EatWell meals contains 25% or less of your daily caloric intake (based on a 2,000 calorie diet). So if you eat 4 of these in one day, you'll be right at the target. Pretty neat concept.

But what wins everyone over is the fact that one of these packages count as one serving. There is no calculating of how many serving is in a box and how many calories do they add up to. Throw out your calculator there, peeps.



So the team had the foods out for us to try. Not all 17 of the products, but the safe choices.

Farmer's Market Salad with Lemon Hummus dressing

O: I didn't try this one.

'N: Me neither, I opted for the Spicy Tuna.



Veggie wrap with red pepper hummus

O: I didn't try this one either. With my braces, I'm not about to bite into crunch veggies. But I adore the red pepper hummus so this can't possibly fail me.

'N: This is one of purely vegetarian offerings that I would eat on a regular basis. “Crisp cucumbers, bell peppers, carrots, and spring mix lettuce with red pepper hummus wrapped in a sun-dried tomato tortilla” – Quite tasty and filling. And for $2.99 you can get some of those pesky fruit and vegetable servings out of the way and enjoy it.



Spicy Tuna "Sushi Box" (aka Chirashi)

O: The heat is going to be too much for those who don't eat spicy at all. But those who already love spicy tuna sushi, the heat is perfect here. Just enough to kick you in the mouth but not so much you weep. With the brown rice and edamame, it's a complete meal. This would be the one I'd pick for lunch all the time. The Sisters agreed.

'N: and went back for seconds!



Turkey chili

O: Annette and I agreed this lacks some cumin and could use more chili powder. I mean, we're not looking for spicy heat, but spices as flavors.

What about some cheese or sour cream? Annette actually asked for some but there weren't any on hand. Chef Katie also pointed out, that the extra fixings would put the serving over 25% requirement. They did want us to taste the meals the way they actually will be sold. So...remember to pick up some cheese and sour cream on your own there, people.

'N:And as one mom blogger pointed out, you can always add heat, but you can’t take it away. This chili is a good base. You can have it bland for the kids and kick it up a notch at home if you like your chili to taste like it has some chili in it :)



Arroz Con Pollo

O: Again, need more cumin and spices. The texture is great, just need some more flavors.



Bruschetta Chicken

O: Something is missing and it ain't the salt. Again, we think it needs a bit more herbage in the sauce.



Teriyaki salmon, brown rice, and veggies

O: The salmon was cooked perfectly and the sauce is just right. Another go-to lunch item right here.



We had great food and great conversation with other bloggers and tweeps. A briefing from John Burry and the team, as he called in the Tupperware speech in the middle of dinner, and a casual Q&A with the bloggers.

Chef Katie revealed she likes the Mojito Shrimps, not served today but will be in the stores. On that note we also found that the shrimps came from sustainable farms in Asia that meet F&E/Tesco's standards. (Thailand shrimps! Yes, I am supporting my Motherland!)

ETA: A fellow blogger Amy also discussed the question she posed about the source of F&E seafood.

I'd ask about some EatWell dessert. I mean, you can have healthy stuff that'd fit in the 25% requirment, right? Fruit crumbles? Angel Food Cake? There's gotta be SOMETHING! They said they'd think about it.

Then we were off touring the HQ. We got to sneak a peek at products in development and packaging design, as well as the staff's Halloween party snapshots and, for you geeks like me, the tardis in CEO Tim Mason's office.



John also mentions that they're developing the EatWell for kids. Goodness, I think, is what they'll be called. Kids-friendly healthy, wholesome food with hidden veggies here and there i.e. carrots and spinach blended into the spaghetti sauce. The mom bloggers are excited about that one. Some of us with picky eating adults in the household also rejoiced. ;-)

We all went home with a gift bag each: the canvas 6-bottle-of-wine bag with a bottle of their new Tempranillo Spanish red, a recycled paper note pad, a $25 gift card, and a $5-off-$20-purchase coupon.

Oh, how we have missed you so, $5-off$20 coupons!

Over all, it was a great event for us to try out the new products. Once again, proven that they do listen to their customers here.

Here's the slide show:



Now, more coverage of the event:

• NewlyWife
  
• SueBob's Snackish
  
• Catalina's Greenery in Mommyhood

Four Girls. Three Wines.

When I got words about the Fresh & Easy Twitter Tasting of their wines on Tuesday, a party was instantly planned. Having volunteered to participate in this, F&E sent me all the three wines for the occasion.

I (@oakmonster) rounded up Sister Annette (@dananner), and my friends Ana (@anaperiodista) and non-tweeting Amanda for dinner, wine, and girl talk.

Well, Ana doesn't drink wine but she took a sip of each for a taste anyway. That's the spirit! :)

And boy, did we all had a day from hell before we got to the wine.

Note here that the Twitter tasting was supposed to start at 7 p.m. PST. We didn't chime in until 7:45. And here's why.

Amanda was taking the usual commuter bus we usually take together except that the bus got in a fender bender up in Downtown LA. So she was late but still first to arrive. Ana has a 2-year-old son who was sick and wanted no one but his mommy. She came in after Amanda. I wasn't home to receive either one of them as I was on my way to pick up Sister Annette from the Blue Line station. Annette hauled in from Burbank on the Red then Blue Line just to find herself stuck on the train one station away from final destination due to police activity.

So by 7:45 when Annette and I got back, we got back online and on with #fandewine hashtag and hell bent on catching up to everyone. They were almost done with their Malbec by this point.

However, we were being complete and total clowns about this whole thing.

Everyone was talking wine: "smooth and oaky," "lemon on the nose," "acidity balanced with bright zesty fruit."

The reviews from our corner? "Yeah, I'll chug that." And we continued to tweet off topic as the evening progressed and more wine was poured.

Hey, when you put 4 girls who all had a bad day with 3 bottles of wine, you can't expect any professionalism out of that!

Now, on to the wines.

Montcadi Cava Rose – under $6
"Let's finish this sucker off." - Heavenly

I have been on a bit of a bubbly kick since Thanksgiving. So I was excited to try the Cava.

It didn't disappoint. A little fruity, but not too much. I can see myself coming home to this every night of the week. This was the obvious choice as it was the only bottle that got polished off that night.

We thoroughly enjoy this with the F&E Gourmet Swiss Truffles , which by the way is made with CRACK I tell you--Nirvana. Especially the milk chocolate ones. Oh my god. Sooo soo good!


Boro Hills Sauvignon Blanc – under $11
"Where are the bubbles?" - Earthbound

It was not love at first whiff for this screw top. It has this funky little smell at first pour which dissipated by the time you swirl it around a bit. For a second there, Amanda and I almost didn't try the wine based on that whiff alone. It turned out to be the tail end of that passion fruit/grape fruit note so prominent in the wine.

Amanda said this would be the wine she can imagine drinking by the poolside on a hot summer day. However, we agreed that we kept expecting to taste some bubbles. All the flavors that would benefit from the bubbles are there. It tasted like a sparkling wine that had gone flat.


Matuco Malbec 2007 - under $10
"We'll totally chug this." - Heavenly

Annette was the one to initiate the chug-ability rating for the evening with the Malbec. Full body, tasty treat that went quite well with the barbecued baby back ribs from Maderas Steak & Ribs and went gangbuster with their mac and cheese. Although we also agreed with folks in twitter that steak and chimichurri should be the best match.

Amanda did like this one best of the bunch and took the half of it home.


So, the Twitter tasting was a lot of fun. I couldn't have done it on my own. 3 bottles to taste with just little old me would take 3 weeks to polish off.

Thank GOD for girl friends. :)