good luck deluxe

Speaking of champagne…well, sparkling wine, to be more exact for my champagne purists…

I’ve had the very recent joy of imbibing a friendly, fruity-patooty sparkling wine called Sofia Blanc de Blancs that is produced by (you guessed it!) Sofia Coppola.

At first I was extremely hesitant to try this adult beverage, because it also comes in (gasp!) cans. Don’t believe me?

L’evidence…

Since I initially considered the concept to be lame, my knee-jerk reaction was to immediately decline the can’s invite.

However, this vino obviously had a thing for me, because it found me at a dinner party. I downed my chilled Sofia Blanc de Blancs with a light dinner, and savored a glass of it afterwards. Yes, you have my permission to crack open a can and pour it into a wine glass.

I’m now a fan forever.

WineGlobe.com describes this sparkling wine as follows:

Sofia Blanc de Blancs is a sophisticated sparkling wine, lower in alcohol, and perfect for every celebration. A unique blend of Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscat, it offers delicate aromatics, subtle flavors and light effervescence all packaged with striking, feminine flair. Enjoy Sofia Blanc de Blancs as an aperitif with tapenade-topped crostini or with a meal of spicy Asian food, bouillabaisse (seafood stew) or grilled tuna.

The 2005 Sofia Blanc de Blancs releases a seductive perfume of ripe apricot, tangerine and pear. Summer melon and zesty lemon highlight the bright palate that finishes with subtle honeysuckle. Vibrant and crisp.

This is a new casual staple for me. Very few inexpensive sparkling wines “do” it for me, but this one does.

I never thought I’d use such a cheesy phrase (ever!), but I heart it.

Absolutely heart it!

Mama’s back!

So here’s what’s up… Someone turned me on to Daskalidès Chocolatier, and I am
TURNED ON!

Favorites are as follows:

Diamants are a girl’s best friend. Get an eyeful of these gems — Diamant Noir,
a maraschino-flavored ganache:

And here we have the Diamant Special, for the girl who thinks plain ol’ Diamants
are beneath her. This puppy consists of milk praline with gingerbread flakes:

Not Crocodile Dundee, it’s Daskalidès’ Crocantino confection: Dark praline
with puffed rice. It’s the breakfast of champions!

Coeur Pamplemousse, ’cause you know you’ve got to pample your mousse.
Just kidding. I took French for a few weeks in junior high, so calm down.
In lay(wo)man’s terms, you’re looking at chocolate with a sweet ‘n tangy
grapefruit cream filling:

Jardin Amandes. I can’t think of anything funny to say for this one. There’s really nothing funny about almond and hazelnut praline covered with almond flakes. This is serious business right here:

Merveilleux. Yes, anything in the image of a cupcake is most certainly deserving of such a lofty moniker. Gianduja on a hazelnut paste is calling me for a date right now:

Daskalidès also serves up sugar-free varieties - but eh, why bother?

I mean, if you’re gonna plunk down the shiny shekels for some cacao, you might as well make it mean something. But that’s just me. (shrugs)

The grilled desserts in Chandra Smith’s cooking video look beyond lusciou-licious!
This lady has the delectability of voluptuous fruit down to an exact science.

On the menu:

Grilled Bananas Foster
Grilled Poundcake with Spiked Peaches and Plums
Tropical Fruit Salad with Yogurt Dip

Happy grilling!

Puerto Rican Mango Salad

Cuban Black Beans

Cuban Ropa Vieja (means “old clothes,” or shredded flank steak stew)

Mojitos

When making mojitos, please do yourself and your guests a favor and use GOOD Cuban rum; that means NO BACARDI. Get the good stuff, folks!

Caipirinhas

For a Brazilian mojito (a Caipirinha), use cachaça instead of Cuban rum and omit the mint, as you will see in this video:

Flan Dessert: How it’s Made in Spain

I assume most people know what flan is, but for the clueless, it’s sort of a Latin
crème brulée with a caramel sauce instead of crunchy burnt sugar.

This video illustrates how flan is made in Spain, which is not poured into individual ramekins, but is rather served as one large custard dessert to be sliced. Yum!

Enjoy your Latin food this fall. I sure will!

I must confess that I’ve been snacking on these non-stop…especially with my morning cup of java. I’m a live wire all day!

There’s really not much to report about these macadamias except to mention they’re highly addictive. Combining Hawaiian coffee with sugar, butter and macadamias is just asking for trouble. But it’s trouble that I’ll gladly subject myself to time and time again.

Let’s be clear: I have no intention of ever abstaining from these things.

And we thought honey roasted peanuts were something!

I love Monica Mingo’s super simple gumbo recipe. She really simplifies the process, which I appreciate.

Some folks prefer to brown their poultry and meat first, but if you’re going for easy, do it Monica’s way.

I always add a cup of good red wine and some grated fresh ginger root to my gumbo.

Emeril - eat your heart out!

This cooking video is similar to how I make my black-eyed peas. I always add a can of coconut milk to mine with some scallions and fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley, which makes them oh-so-good. Cook those babies in a crockpot for hours, and you’re about to savor a little slice of heaven!

If you were deprived of bean dishes as a child, it’s never too late to learn. Check out this video!

Oh, and please don’t bug me about the host of the show being anything but of Caribbean descent. I don’t care. That soup is bangin’. Just in time for fall!

What girl on God’s green earth doesn’t like chocolate truffles?

These booze-filled chocolates by Ghyslain are right up my belly…
I mean, alley.

Bourbon

Bittersweet ganache infused with small batch bourbon, dipped in milk chocolate and decorated with white chocolate drizzle.

Coconut Rum

White chocolate ganache with Caribbean rum, dipped in white chocolate and rolled in toasted coconut.

Pear William

Bittersweet ganache infused with Pear William brandy, dipped in milk chocolate.

Hazelnut Frangelico

Gianduja ganache infused with Frangelico, dipped in milk chocolate and rolled in toasted hazelnut.

Raspberry Chambord

White chocolate ganache laced with Chambord liqueur and raspberry brandy, dipped in white chocolate.

Passion Fruit Cointreau

Milk chocolate ganache infused with Cointreau and passion fruit puree, dipped in bittersweet chocolate and decorated with milk chocolate drizzle.

If truffles aren’t your thing, just say the word and I’ll relieve you of your duty to inhale them. It’s a tough job, but somebody’s gotta do it!

Hey readers, feast your eyes on the U.K.’s cooking duo Neneh Cherry and Andi Oliver preparing this awesome Sunday lunch!

So what’s on the menu?

Molasses-dipped roast lamb
Callaloo-inspired greens
Roasted lemon Jerusalem artichokes with sage
Halloumi and roasted vegetable stacks (I love Halloumi!)
Hibiscus and raspberry sorbet with a splash of pink champagne and vodka

The only thing they’re missing is me. Yummy!

Part I - “Sunday Lunch”

Part II

Part III

I used to wonder what happened to TV chef Jamie Oliver. But nevermind, ’cause I’ve got Andi Oliver!

As you can see, I really fancy the BBC show, Dish it Up, with Neneh Cherry
(yes, the entertainer) and Andi Oliver.

Anyone who makes sexy food is a friend of mine! Their cooking show is such
delicious fun. LOVE. IT.

I’m crazy about this episode’s late-night Asian tapas party menu:

Crispy duck salad with a plum and hoisin sauce
Mango, prawn and squid ceviche
Cardamom citrus jasmine rice
Hot wasabi avocado salad
Flash-fried greens
Sticky tofu
And of course, tasty margaritas

Part I - “Midnight Margaritas”

Part II

Part III

If you don’t have the BBC network, demand it from your cable provider.

I love these cooking chicas! Their show is a Good Luck Deluxe favorite.