Mussels Provencal

I adore shellfish. And one of my all time favorites are mussels. Believe it or not, mussels are one of the oldest species on earth. In fact, evidence of their existence dates back to the very beginning of time! Cultured mussels have been around for nearly 900 years, since the 12th century. A ship-wrecked sailor off the coast of France placed poles with netting in the water to catch fish. When he checked the nets, he noticed that mussels had attached themselves to the poles. And thus began the lucrative business of cultured mussels!

Fresh cultured mussels are not only tasty, they are one of the healthiest seafood choices around. High in Omega-3s, mussels contain high levels of daily requirements for zinc, iodine, vitamins B and C and Iron and are very low in fat and carbohydrates. An average serving of mussels is only about 90 calories - not that I am ever satisfied with just an average serving!

One of the easiest and most delicious ways to enjoy mussels is Mussels Provencal. From the Provence region in France known for its fresh ingredients and earthy cooking styles, this preparation combines white wine with sauteed onions, garlic, tomatoes and fresh herbs. And in less than 5 minutes, Chef Jean Pierre will teach you how to cook these delectable creatures into juicy plump perfection - and have you laughing through each and every step, since it is important to enjoy your food!



To thoroughly enjoy each and every last mussel, serve with fresh garlic toasts, a glass of your favorite reserved white wine and Bon appétit!

Austin's Food Trailer Scene

One of my favorite things about Austin was discovering that some of the best food was to be found in moving trailers! This popular phenomenon has literally exploded over the past year, thanks to the struggling economy. It's much cheaper to open a mobile food trailer than it is to invest in an entire restaurant, and if you are able to produce a few great dishes that people will come back for again and again, you've got it made. There were far too many trailers for me to try during my short stay, but I had a blast tracking down some of the most popular ones. Here are a few of my faves:

Torchy's Tacos

Torchy's easily gets the award for the best tacos and the best queso I've ever eaten. Unique flavor combinations such as the Mr. Pink (ahi tuna) taco, the Brushfire (beef brisket) and Green Chili pork made my taste buds dance with every bite. Tacos ranged from $3-$4 each and service was friendly and fast. Believe you me, if I'm ever in Austin again, Torchy's is the first place I'm heading!

Holy Cacao

Offering unusual items made from the sacred Cacao such as Cake Balls, Cake Shakes, S ‘mores and Frozen Hot Chocolate, Holy Cacao is what I would consider my heaven. Never having had a cake ball, I was intrigued - especially when I found out it was peanut butter covered with chocolate.The peanut butter literally melted in my mouth and I regretted not buying 10 instead of just one! Honestly, life doesn't get any better than this! It's a good thing I don't live in Austin permanently because I don't think I could resist eating at least 3 of those every day!

 

Gourdoughs

Gourdough's tagline really says it all. Big.Fat.Donuts. With names like Mother Clucker, Flying Pig and Baby Rattler, these sinfully delicious treats are not for the faint of heart. I opted for the Funky Monkey with chocolate frosting. OH YES, it was as good as everyone says, BUT BETTER. The doughnut itself was straight out of the fryer, hugh, and had that sweet homemade doughy taste. Then it was slathered with sweet chocolate frosting and topped with grilled bananas and brown sugar. I may have been on a brown sugar high, but I thought I had died and gone to heaven. Honestly, there cannot be a more decadent treat anywhere on this planet.

The vibrant colors of San Antonio, Texas!

With three hundred days of sunshine annually and an average temperature of 70 degrees, it's no wonder that more than 26 million people visit San Antonio each year. Beyond the Alamo and the popular River Walk, San Antonio offers something for everyone.

For me, it was the Historic Market Square (or El Mercado). The moment I entered this vibrant and colorful market, I felt as if I had stepped across the border into Mexico. Spanning three square blocks, this indoor and outdoor market consists of over 100 shops, food stalls and restaurants, including Mi Tierra Cafe and Bakery. Home to the best Mexican hot chocolate I've ever tasted, Mi Tierra first opened its doors in 1943 and has never closed – it is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Spicy Mexican food, authentic Mexican pastries and peppy mariachi music have been the mainstays here ever since.

Market Square is truly a treat for all the senses. Everywhere I turned there were friendly people, lively mariachi music, amazing smells and rich, gorgeous colors. It was the perfect mecca for experiencing a little local flavor, people-watching and shopping.

One of the best movies ever made!

Toy Story is one of my all time favorite movies and I'm so looking forward to the 3rd installment, in 3D, scheduled to release June 18, 2010. The trailer doesn't give too many hints to the storyline, but I did a little digging and was able to find out that after Disney/Pixar scrapped two other possible story ideas, the final story line will revolve around Woody, Buzz, and the rest of their toy-box friends being dumped in a day-care center after their owner, Andy, departs for college.

Although I'm sad we have to wait another whole year for its debut, I'll definitely be one of the first in line with my 3D glasses on!

Buzz: I've set my laser from stun to kill.
Woody: Oh, great. If anyone attacks we can blink em' to death.

Improving the world one person at a time!

Every time I travel to a place with people less fortunate than myself I always leave wishing I could do something more to help them and their community. About two years ago, I discovered that I can - through Kiva. Kiva is one of the most noble companies I know. Their mission is to connect people through one-to-one lending for the sake of alleviating poverty throughout the world. Instead of letting my money sit in a bank account earning 1% interest, I decided to invest in people around the world. So, how does it work?

Take Lucia, for example. Working with her family in Peru, they make a living selling red meats and wool from sheep and alpaca. It costs a lot to ship to the markets for sale so they applied for a loan to buy a car to speed up and increase business. Along with 26 other people from seven countries, I loaned Lucia $25 toward her car. She has since bought the car and repaid the loan. Now I can loan that $25 to someone else in need.

Over the past 2 years, I've loaned money to 21 people around the world in countries such as Ecuador, Kenya, Tanzania, Peru, Cambodia and more. Only two people have defaulted on the loans, seven have already repaid their loans and 11 are still in the process of repaying. Every day I remind myself how fortunate I am to have such a great life. And now, thanks to Kiva, I can also feel great about the fact that my money is helping to improve the live's of others around the world.

Dancing is good for the soul!

I love to dance and I love to laugh. I don't think this video needs any further explanation! Turn up the volume, get your dancing shoes ready and enjoy!

Moqueca

After enjoying one of the freshest and most delicious meals of my life at Muqueca Restaurant, I added moqueca (pronounced mo-ke-ka) to my list of life's most wonderful things. It made me so happy that I wanted to come home and learn a little more about it - and the pot it came in.

Moqueca is a traditional Brazilian seafood stew. Brazilians have been making it for 300 years. It basically consists of fish, onions, garlic, tomatoes, cilantro, chili pepper and additional ingredients. It is cooked slowly, with no water added. The pot it comes in is called a Capixaba Pot. These pots are made with black clay and mangrove tree sap. After being shaped and fired, sap is applied a few times. This blackens the clay and makes it water resistant. It must be seasoned with oil a couple of times before use. This typical dish is very important to the community because it supports a number of poor families who live off the craft of pot-making. Their grass roots association, called As Paneleiras (the pot making ladies), though not very powerful, is an important part of the city's life and culture.

This dish is just one more reason for me to want to visit the amazing country of Brazil - I will get there someday!