Licorice

For the past two weeks I've been obsessed with a new candy.

I walked into Target looking for a Bubble Yum 4-pack which my buddy Jack introduced to me. The best part of the gum is that one of the flavors is cotton candy which is hellishly sweet. The second best part of the gum is that it sold for $1. Seriously, what can you get for a dollar that gives you that much happiness? However, the gum appears to be discontinued in that format... probably because they can go back to selling each individual pack for 79 cents... hence the real value of the gum. Jack and I can't find it at any Target--he's searching in Orange County and I have no luck up here in Northern California.

So I'm staring at the candy and nothing appeals to me, although I really shouldn't be eating any. And I see this odd package of soft strawberry licorice that has a special ad remarking that "Look. New item sold here at Target." I fell for it. I was tired of the Twizzlers and other regular licorice that doesn't taste like the red ropes of my youth. For some reason, most of the chewy licorice in the past couple of years tasted too cardboardy and lacked the nostalgia-inducing power my taste buds normally associate with the confection.

I open the bag before I leave the parking lot to sample this new morsel and I suddenly feel nirvana... Ok, it's not that great... but I do find it addictive. I finished the bag the whole way home. I was glad because I thought it might be a bad decision to spend $3 on a 7 oz. bag when I could have had the 20 0z bag of the regular licorice for only 2.29. Suffice it to say, I've bought 8 bags of this stuff in two weeks. My family is now loving it and my friends in 138 at the ballpark. I hope I grow tired of it soon... but then...

...in preparation of this blog entry, I decided to look up the website that's on the bag www.dlea.com.au and the site just teased me further... there's a mango and green apple flavor... but Target does not seem to be carrying those. And in a true case of falling victim to product loyalty... I spent $30 on Amazon.com just before typing this entry to get a month's supply of licorice. I should be disgusted with myself... but I suspect that this might just be the most pleasureable part of my summer... now i'm feeling all depressed... damn! well, i'll drown my sorrow with some licorice that tastes like its part- swedish fish, gummi bear, and licorice...

for those of you who are more eagle-eyed, you'll notice the picture of me was taken during the ninth inning as i put the rally cap on vs. the dodgers... didn't work... again... that's why i needed to take solace in licorice... again...

Les Amis

I had the pleasure of another fine dining experience with friends Jack, Anne, and Kathleen. It had been too long since I have had the opportunity to spend an evening telling stories and catching up with these dear people. Jack and Anne were in town to procure a wedding cake for their upcoming blessed event this September.

On this particular occasion we found ourselves at Les Amis. One of the first pictures you will see on the website is a corner table and that is where we sat. The service was kind and informative. Dinner began with some raw salmon topped with sturgeon caviar. If you know me, you are wondering if I actually ate this little starting morsel. I was pleasantly surprised by the smooth texture of the salmon and the salty pop of the caviar blending into the flesh, although I think the sashimi I had in Hawaii at the sports bar was much better. I selected a simple appetizer of a cauliflower soup also topped with the same caviar. I have a tendency to really like the soups I try at fine dining restaurants (and I miss the white truffle soup at bar tartine). The main entree was a N.Y. Strip steak. The portion size was excellent, yet it wasn't that tender which was disappointing (it made me really long for the American Kobe "Bavette" Steak at Bix). Dessert was average. However, the time was well spent and we accomplished our goal of hanging out and spending quality time together. I would still recommend the restaurant... I think my meal was only average because I was eating meat on Good Friday.... I needed to be punished.