Food Patrol

I have tried a lot of pizza in my time. I even make my own homemade pizza which is yum. Anthony’s is some of the best I have ever had! Craving is the word to describe this pizza. You will have dreams about this pizza…..

I was lucky to meet this powerhouse in my studio in Soho in the mid 90's. I have been to her restaurants and love her southern food cuisine. I have a piece of her Home Collection in my kitchen that I use all the time. So, I would say I am a big fan of her empire and talent. B's husband, Dan Gasby is very involved in B's empire and has an amazing resume. They work together on shows, magazines and newsletters, radio, Home Collection and Restaurants, just to name a few of their projects.

I have ordered fish and chips through the years all across the country. It is a favorite for me and, I know for a lot of you! It is always a good idea to ask the particular restaurant what fish they are using. The best is sole, flounder, grouper or cod. You do not want the batter too thick, its perfect when there is a flakiness to the batter and not too greasy. The chips are the best when they are fresh cut fries. Many times you also will get a small dish of coleslaw. Last and not least is the tartar sauce, I have had yummy tartar sauce and not so yummy tartar sauce. It should be good so you can dip!

Everyone should visit The Berkshires at least one time in their life. I have visited over 50 times and also had the luxury of living there. The historic downtown of Lenox is a beautiful start to experience the richness of the Berkshires. Tanglewood is very close by and that is a perfect place to enjoy the musical magic here.

Four great places to shop for great food in California, Massachusetts, New York and Florida.

Bourbon Steak is one of South Florida’s favorite and best steakhouses. Michael Mina, celebrity chef, uses his signature methods to make everything you eat, unforgettable. 

After leaving Montreal it was already past lunch time and we began to look for a place to stop and have a bite to eat. We left Quebec and barely had entered Ontario when we decided to take exit 814 off of Ontario 401 (the continuation of Quebec 20) which was the exit for Lancaster, Ontario.

I have some German in my heritage so I love to visit authentic German restaurants wherever I may be. This is really fun to find this family history right in the town of Akeley.

This fabulous chef-owner Daniel has several award winning restaurants. This is one I have been lucky enough to dine at quite a few times. It is set right in the center of Palm Beach, steps away from the ocean and the famous shopping street Worth Ave.The Brazilian Court Hotel is the perfect place to stay in Palm Beach and then you can enjoy this 5 star restaurant each and every day!

Originally from Argentina, the Cea family came to Miami in 1985. They opened this fabulous restaurant in 1993. You feel the moment you walk through the doors, you are in Italy. The father, Arturo and the mother, Carla are always cooking. The three sons Fabian, Gerardo and Marcela are taking care of the rest of the business.

Marco, the owner and Brazilian, brings that charming old world hospitality to this Tuscan style restaurant. You will find him here most of the time and his very large family, including his attractive wife Éclair. His staff is so friendly and attentive to each table. This is a very busy and popular restaurant with 125 seats and offers over 250 vintage wines. There is a full bar too that is now available. In fact Cafe Vico has won the top Best restaurants in South Florida. Even on this busy night, our entire table felt so relaxed, as if we were having dinner in Marcos home. 

Cancun is such a popular place to go on vacation. A lot of boomers spend time there time and time again. Here are two restaurants that serve really good authentic Mexican food.

Chef Mavro was born in Marseilles, the capital of Provence. The moment he arrived over 20 years ago in Hawaii, he knew this was home for him. It was that feeling, the experience he felt immediately. As I researched about this chef, my favorite photo of him is the fruit tree one. It says a lot about him.

On our arrival at camp on Sunday, June 2, it was a warm to hot summer day. Our room was on the second floor of Marlboro North and fortunately we brought a fan to help cool things down. Of course a front moved through and the rest of the week was cool, but for a couple of Southerners cool water and iced drinks were imperative.

Chez L Epicier is nestled in the quaint part le Vieux Montreal which makes it extra special.

This small, classy restaurant is placed right in the center of St. Helena, right in the middle of the wine country. This charming town is so much fun to stroll through all of the shops, galleries and restaurants. Cook is owned by Jude Wilmoth and Michael Wilmoth (brothers).

I love to report to you places that are special, in an unusual way! I like to use the word a little mysterious to describe this market. I love the boutique feeling of this small 500 square foot space. Everything is the bestest and the freshest ( Blondee wording). They sell out early so make sure you can go early. Their staff always makes you feel so much at home here too!

A snapshot of three cooking schools: Peru Le Cordon Bleu in Lima, Peru; the New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier, Vermont; and Swinton Park in the United Kingdom.

On our way to Beaumont, Texas we stopped at the Louisiana Welcome Center for the usual rest break. While there, I thought to ask the attendant about Cajun restaurants close to I-10 where we could stop for lunch. She gave me a number of brochures and finally came to one on Crawfish Town. She said that she had eaten there herself and that it was very good. This turned out to be very fortuitous advice because my brief comment on Crawfish Town would be simply OMG!

Wow, I love this chef, Jose Garces! He wants all of us to celebrate culture and cuisine from Mexico, he is the Master of Latin cuisine, has been seen as The Iron Chef America on Food Network and guess who was his influence leading to all of this success?  Yes, just like me, his grandmother!

Seven dream locations to enjoy a fabulous Thanksgiving dinner in San Francisco,CA; Stockbridge, MA; Paris,France; Chicago,IL; Washington,DC; Dana Point,CA; and New Orleans, LA.

One and Only Ocean Club is a luxury place to stay in the Bahamas. It is a grand colonial looking place and has a golf course, spa, tennis and water sports. This is the perfect place to come and just eat, play and completely relax. You might never want to even leave the property. It is very special and has so many luxury activities to offer.

I truly love this town. It is close to San Francisco, 11 minutes from the Golden Gate Bridge and reminds me of a lot of the magical New England towns. It is very picturesque and is surrounded by canyons and hillsides of Mount Tamalpais. The weather here is nice most of the year and is just a few minutes from Tiburon and the ferry. The Mill Valley Inn is a great place to stay....415.389.6608.  The first place I always need to visit is Mill Valley Market. There is parking right next to it and that is where I begin my day. They have everything true chefs and foodies would LOVE in this market. I usually can spend a good hour in here and always come back to walk out to the car with purchases.

This is a celebrity studded place to visit. It is also an island favorite.  It is a destination island to so many people all over the world. The world respected Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten's restaurant is a sand bar On the Rocks. Fresh seafood is brought in daily and you will have dishes full of creole flavors, exotic and light. The dishes are dazzling and the views are exquisite. You can even see the coral reefs. Be sure to also come down for a pre or post cocktail or maybe both!