Frozen Hot Chocolate: Who Does it Better?

Every summer, Dunkin' Donuts adds a new frozen drink to their ever-extensive drink menu for customers to enjoy. There's been a SoBe Energy Coolatta; a Tropicana orange juice Coolatta; and a Captain America Tri-Color Coolatta featuring the new cherry flavor, combined with vanilla bean and blue raspberry to create a flavor fusion fit for an Avenger. This summer was also the debut of their "Piping Cold" frozen hot chocolate, which has become a huge hit. With over 700 fans on Facebook, this former wintertime-only drink is now being enjoyed in the summertime swelter. What a delight this is!

Dunkin' Donuts Frozen Hot Chocolate complete with a Captain America jelly donut. Perfect summertime duo.

However, unbeknownst to the masses, Dunkin' is NOT the first restaurant to take hot chocolate, freeze it, and call it Frozen Hot Chocolate. Serendipity 3, a hole-in-the-wall eatery on the Upper East Side of Manhattan did it first, and even has a few extra Rs in the name to give a good burr vibe. While Serendipity 3 is no threat to Dunkin' Donuts and it's massive flock of Coolatta chugging, donut devouring fans, this question still arises: can a chain restaurant with thousands of stores nationwide make a better Frozen Hot Chocolate than a boutique coffeehouse on the Upper East Side, or is Serendipity 3, the originator of this frigid treat, the be all and end all of the Frrrozen Hot Chocolate? 

Serendipity 3's Frrrozen Hot Chocolate in all it's huge glory.

More often than not, we shop with our eyes first, so here's the presentation category. Serendipity 3 serves their Frrrozen Hot Chocolate in a giant goblet on a saucer and tops it with fresh whipped cream and chocolate shavings. While all Dunkin' Donuts doesn't really stand a chance in this category with it's plastic cups, orange straws and canned whipped cream,  I'll give them a few sympathy points for their Captain America cup they're using this summer to promote the movie. 

The first sensation we have with food we just purchased with our eyes is the smell. Since you can't really smell these drinks given the containers they come in and the whipped cream doubling as a masking agent, we'll bypass the category and skip to the palate sensations: taste and consistency. Serendipity 3's Frrrozen Hot Chocolate is richer and creamier, their fresh whipped cream is also creamier and thicker, and the chocolate shavings add a melty feel the drink. 

On the other hand, there's an iciness about the drink that makes it hard to suck through a straw when it is first served. And when eaten like a sundae with a spoon, it has a crunchiness to it that isn't all too appealing to the senses. Dunkin' Donuts wins the consistency battle with it's drink-ability and sipping ease, but with it's canned whipped cream, and chocolate syrup settled at the bottom causing a diluted flavor, loses the overall taste war.

At the end of the day, a Serendipity 3 Frrozen Hot Chocolate with it's richer chocolate flavor, fresh whipped cream, and larger size surpasses a Dunkin' Donuts Frozen Hot Chocolate, despite Dunkin' having a better consistency. When your flavor is lacking, consistency isn't going to save it.

It's nice of Dunkin' Donuts to bring Frozen Hot Chocolate to the American masses, but it doesn't quite do the Serendipity 3 original Frrrozen Hot Chocolate the justice it deserves. Remember folks, an original is always better than a copy. 

Keep Smilin' :)

Diner Delight in Midtown Manhattan

New York City is famous for a lot of things, Restaurant Row being just one of them. Tourists and locals alike flock there daily to experience a mass variety of cuisines in a way that only New York can offer them. But I'm not here to talk about Restaurant Row, it's award-winning restaurants, or it's delicious cuisine. I'm here to talk about a diner a few blocks south of Restaurant Row- the Market Diner. Finding this diner was happenstance- my boyfriend and I happened to be hungry while walking around Midtown and the prices on menu displayed outside happened to not scare us broke college students off.

The Market Diner on 11th Avenue.

The diner's outdoor dining area- not open after sunset.














I've never been to a restaurant that didn't have a menu of some sort. I've also never been to a restaurant who's menu featured a "Thank You" letter to it's patrons; at least, until now. This letter was the entire length and half the width of the menu; and was so long it wouldn't all fit in one picture and still be legible.

Market Diner's massive menu.

The Thank You letter on the back of the menu.

There's something about a place that serves breakfast around the clock that makes me really happy. That being said, breakfast for dinner it was for me: French toast topped with- and I believe stuffed with- cinnamon-tossed apples and raisins drizzled with warm maple syrup. Delicious! As for the portions, 2 huge slices of French toast take up an entire dinner plate. And this is just the tip of the iceberg that is Market Diner's breakfast anytime options. There's eggs 1,000 ways- or so it feels- breakfast wraps, pancakes, waffles with fruit, yogurt or ice cream, toasted bagels with cream cheese, and lox for the traditionalists, and sides galore from bacon to corned beef hash. Whatever you like for breakfast, they have it here. And it will one of the best breakfasts you ever have, no matter what time you have it.

French toast with cinnamon-soaked apples and raisins and warm maple syrup.













Like most diners, Market Diner has burgers; unlike most other diners, Market Diner grilled the buns that surround the burgers. I recommend the Cowboy Burger; it has a little bit of everything from the menu; a burger grilled to your liking, topped with cheese, bacon, onion rings, and ranch dressing- lettuce and tomato optional.

The Cowboy Burger and all it's fixings.















The dessert portion of the menu makes your mouth water from the moment you walk in the door- there's a display case full of cheesecakes, pies and other desserts right behind the front counter. All of the desserts look amazing, but what's probably the best on the menu isn't featured in the case.

The display case featuring many of Market Diner's desserts.














The Hot Brownie Sundae is one of the best desserts I've ever had; a warm brownie topped with mounds of vanilla ice cream and a walnut-based sauce that would be great on any dessert, followed by globs of whipped cream and a nice drizzle of hot fudge. This dessert is best shared because of it's behemoth size, but can be conquered solo if there's no meal proceeding it.

The Hot Brownie Sundae. Amazing!















Next time Restaurant Row strikes your fancy, take a detour and check out the Market Diner. The food is excellent, the portions are totally worth the already reasonable price, and the staff is super friendly and not over-attentive. And, like everything else in New York City, it leaves you wanting to come back for more. So until next time..

Keep Smilin' :)

Steaker Bater: The Ultimate Cheesesteak Debate

Philadelphia is famous for it's cheesesteaks. And there are two cheesteak meccas in constant competition with each other for who has the best cheesesteak- and they're right across the street from each other. Geno's Steaks and Pat's King of Steaks in south Philly commence in daily battle for who has the best cheesesteak. I've been to both of these food palaces, and here's a review of them, and  a New Yorker's opinion on who makes the best Philly cheesesteak.

We'll start off by comparing the two places. They both have outdoor seating only on picnic-style benches protected by a ceiling that protects diners from the rain; they both have rules for ordering- the type of cheese you want either wit or wit-out onions; they both have separate ordering windows- one window for steaks, and another for sides and drinks;and they both have lines that stretch around the block. Now comes the hard part: choosing which steak to try.

Geno's Steaks is a glowing, neon-lit attention grabber that draws people in instantly. Photos of celebrities who have visited Geno's line the interior of the ordering station from top to bottom- even the tables have pictures on them. Everyone from porn stars to musicians to actors, even Oprah has visited Geno's to sample their famous mouth-watering cheesesteak.

Nothing says "welcome" like neon lights.

Just a handful of the celebrities who have visited Geno's

All of the tables at Geno's look like this, all with different pictures.













Pat's King of Steaks has a less flashy approach to welcoming guests- just a simple blue sign featuring a crown and a Pepsi logo. The photos of celebrities who have visited Pat's are old and faded black and whites whch gives diners of Pat's a view into yester-year.

 Simplicity is the theme at Pat's.

Some old time photos and the rules for ordering.















Both of these wonderful places have great cheesesteaks. But one tops the other by just a slight edge. Here's why:

Geno's and Pat's both use high quality Italian rolls for the steaks. Pat's is far more generous with the cheese than Geno's does, which gives them a slight edge. What takes away from that edge is the overall greasiness of the sandwich. Pat's steak is also a little more chewy than steak on a sandwich should be. The overall winner of the Ultimate Steak Debate is Geno's, with a cheesesteak sandwich that overall top's Pat's cheesesteak sandwich.

I hope you all get the chance to go to Philly and try both of these cheesesteaks for yourselves. They're both worth a taste and totally worth the wait in the long lines. Until next time..

Keep Smilin' :)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

This is a modification I made of a recipe I saw on Man v. Food that I tried and absolutely love. The show version starts with a basic pie crust, peanut butter filling, vanilla custard filling, more peanut butter filling, topped with whipped cream and even more peanut butter filling used as a topping. While that sounds amazing- I haven't been to the restaurant that has the pie- it's also labor intensive, and requires an oven; and who wants to turn on an oven in the summer heat? My version of the pie has a few less layers, and requires no oven and less labor.

Ingredients:

One pre-made graham cracker crust- I used the Keebler brand chocolate crust
One box of  Jell-O chocolate pudding- I used instant instead of the Cook and Serve.
1 cup each chunky peanut butter- I use Skippy- and confectioner's sugar- I use Domino.
Whipped cream- I make mine from scratch but Reddi Whip is a good substitute.

Procedure:

Mix together peanut butter and powdered sugar with a hand mixer and set aside.
Mix pudding following directions on the box. Let set to thicken.
Using half the peanut butter mixture, fill the bottom of the crust.
Pour the pudding on top of the peanut butter.
Put the remaining the peanut butter on top of the chocolate.
Top with whipped cream.

I don't put another layer of peanut butter on top of the whipped cream because then the peanut butter flavor is overwhelming, but if you really like peanut butter, you can add more on top of the whipped cream for garnish.

I hope you all enjoy this recipe; I know I sure did. I'll make every attempt to add more summer-friendly recipes in the coming weeks for you to enjoy. Until next time..

Keep Smilin' :)

Cajun Classics at Prejean's Restaurant

This past January, I had the pleasure of going to Louisiana, where I met some of the nicest people and had some of the most amazing food I've ever had. My first Cajun cuisine experience was at Prejean's Restaurant in Lafayette. This place hits you with Cajun vibes as soon as you walk in the door- the host stand has an alligator on it! Whether it's a real alligator or a sculpture, I'm unaware; I didn't get a chance to ask. The walls of the dining area are painted to look like a swamp, and the local bands playing live music really puts you in the mood for some Cajun eats.

Appetizers here are to die for. From fried green tomatoes to oysters Rockefeller, you're guaranteed a taste of authentic southern deliciousness. For those of you with adventurous taste buds, I recommend the Tout Que’ Chos, or Little Bit of Everything. Complete with fried frog legs, crawfish tails, mushrooms, shrimp, alligator- yes, I said alligator- and crawfish Boudin balls, this dish gives you a little bit of what Cajun food is all about- that is, if they can catch it, they will fry it and eat it.

Sidebar: alligator isn't nearly as bad as it sounds. It's got the consistency of chicken and has a mild fishy taste. Try it. What's the worst that can happen?

Entrées at Prejean's continue the Cajun seafood flavor with everything from Yellow Fin Tuna Rockefeller to Blackened Catfish Etouffee to your basic Shrimp Fettuccine. When selecting a side dish for your seafood feast, try the fried mac n' cheese. A slight flavor clash sure, but how could one resist fried mac n' cheese? There's also hush puppies, potato salad, sweet potato fries, and side salads for those who think mixing mac n' cheese with seafood is a huge no-no.

The dessert list only has a few options, and since they only make a limited amount of desserts per day, the one you may have your heart set on might be sold out. So here's a few suggestions for you, in the hopes that one of them is available.

My personal favorite dessert is the Banana Nut Bread with Praline sauce. The soft bread soaks up the flavor of the sauce, and the flavor combination is to die for. This dish also comes with a side of vanilla ice cream. The White Chocolate Bread Pudding is also quite mouth-watering. There are also a variety of cheesecakes, including Bananas Foster and Turtle. Whichever dessert you choose, your sweet tooth-or teeth- won't be disappointed.

Sidebar 2: For the best selection of desserts, as well as the catch of the day entrée option, come early. The restaurant closes at 9 p.m. during the week and 10 p.m. on the weekends.

Next time you're in the Low Country, pass through Lafayette and stop at Prejean's for an authentic Cajun meal. This eatery has it all- amazing food, stellar service, a charming and authentic ambiance, all to the tune of local bands playing live for your listening pleasure all at a price that won't break the bank. Until next time..

Keep Smilin' :)

Frosting Do's and Do Not's

So here's the other end of this blog spectrum: cupcakes. I make my own cakes and cupcakes and run a business via Facebook: facebook.com/CupcakesBySuzie I love this job. I get to do what I love, and get paid for it all while making people happy in the process. And every day is a learning experience. I've made plenty of mistakes while cooking and baking- we all have. The key is learning from my mistakes. And now I'm here to help keep you from making some of my mistakes. And this blog's topic for mistakes is frosting.

Never try to frost a hot, or even warm cake. The frosting will melt or separate and won't taste very good anymore. If you're in a rush to get a cake done, put it in the fridge to cool it faster. Make sure the cake is cooled completely, then frost the cake.

When making buttercream from scratch, don't use shortening or margarine. Always use butter. Even if your recipe calls for shortening, substitute butter for the shortening. It'll taste better, it'll be healthier, and there won't the shortening greasiness in your frosting.

When making whipped cream- either on it's own or part of a whipped cream frosting- always use sugerfine sugar. There won't be any graininess that granulated sugar would leave, and the whipped cream wouldn't be overly think the way powdered sugar would make it.

If you're going to use frosting from a can, always stir it well before putting it on a cake. This incorporates air and makes the frosting fluffy. It also reduces the from-the-can texture most store-bought frostings have.

When using fondant as a cover-all frosting for a cake, make sure you apply a layer of either store-bought of home made buttercream first. If you don't, the fondant won't stick to the cake. And the even layer of frosting removes any unevenness of the cake, making the fondant layer nice and even.

I hope these tips will help your next cake come out awesome. If any of your have any other tips you'd like to share with me, feel free to. I'm all for free advice and a mistake not made. Until next time..

Keep Smilin' :)

How My Love Affair with Food Began

I don't usually do reviews on chain restaurants, since they can vary greatly in both service and quality depending on the location and the management, but I feel Friendly's deserves an honorable mention. Their service has been stellar at every location I've been to, and their food quality the same. That, and how could I not mention the restaurant that helped cure my heartache after being denied a trip to France?

We'll start with appetizers. The Munchie Mania offers a little bit of everything- and you can pick what's in it. There are 7 available options, including mini mozzarella sticks, loaded waffle fires with melted cheese, bacon and sour cream, cheeseburger sliders, and either chicken or cheese Quesadillas. Shared among friends or enjoyed alone as a sampler-platter lunch, this wonderful mixture is sure to delight.

Supermelt should be a substitute for entrée at Friendly's. Grilled sourdough bread loaded with cheese and a great selection of stuffings, including honey barbecue chicken, tuna salad, turkey club- sliced turkey, bacon, tomato, and Thousand Island dressing- or the fixings of a Ruben- corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Thousand Island dressing. These warm, melty, cheesey sandwiches are sure to satisfy just about any taste bud. Served with hot, crisp golden fries. Waffle fries or a side salad may be substituted for an additional cost.

For those who substitute the word "burger" for "sandwich", Friendly's has just what you're looking for too. Their Big Beef Burgers are loaded with just about everything you can imagine, from the standard bacon, lettuce, tomato and cheese combo on the Ultimate Bacon Cheeseburger to crispy onion rings,or Fronions, BBQ sauce, lettuce, tomato and mayo on the Western BBQ burger. Served with golden fries- waffle fries or salad are also available for substitutions- these burgers are sure to satisfy burger lovers everywhere.

Now for the best- and my personal favorite- part of the meal: dessert. You can't go to Friendly's and not have dessert- ice cream does make the meal here after all. A Friendly's Fribble is a great place to start. Thick soft serve ice cream, blended to perfection in classic flavors chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, or coffee.

For those of you who won't be satisfied with liquid dessert, there's the Jim Dandy. A whopping heap of 5 scoops of your choice of ice cream, topped off with either pineapple or strawberry topping, marshmallow sauce, chocolate sauce, walnuts, a fresh split banana, whipped cream, sprinkles and a cherry. This awesome twist on the banana split is king at Friendly's, and is most definitely worth a taste.

There is also the Friend-z; a blended mixture of sweet soft serve ice cream and your choice of Reese's, M&M's, Butterfinger, Oreos, Heath bars, Kit Kat, Chips Ahoy!, birthday cake, strawberry shortcake, or strawberry banana. This take-with-you dessert is great for people who are full and want to take their ice cream home to enjoy later, or for on-the-go people with full agendas.

For those creative culinarians, there's the Create Your Own option. Your choice of over 15 different ice cream flavors and over 20 toppings yield a possible 300 combinations. Take your taste buds on an ice cream adventure and Create Your Own masterpiece today.

I hope you Friendly's lovers, and hopefully soon to be lovers, enjoyed this blog. Take someone you love to Friendly's and enjoy some of the best ice cream around. Until next time..

Keep Smilin' :)

Introduction

Hello wonderful world of bloggers and blog readers. I'm Suzette- or Suzie, whichever- and I'm here to blog about my experiences as a baker and cupcake decorator, as well as write reviews for restaurants I've been to.

A little about me: I'm a double major in Culinary Arts and Tourism and Hospitality Management. My first two loves were traveling and food. When I was 3, my wonderful mother asked me where I wanted to go for my birthday. I told her I wanted to go to France. She told me I couldn't go to France and I had to pick somewhere else, like Friendly's. (For those of you who haven't heard of it, Friendly's is a chain restaurant with quite possibly some of the best ice cream and desserts in the country.) I settled for Friendly's, still semi-heart broken about not being able to go to France, and happily enjoyed my favorite dessert- a Cone-Head Sundae- Ice cream in a dish decorated with M&M's decorated to look like a face, topped off with a sugar cone as a make-shift hat. Thus the traveling culinarian was born. I still haven't been to France, 21 years later, but I still enjoy Friendly's ice cream.

A little more about me: I have 2 wonderful cats, 2 adorable little sisters who mean the absolute world to me, and a food-lover boyfriend who will try anything I bake or cook and tell me honestly whether or not it sucks. I play a lot of video games on my Xbox 360, watch pretty much anything on Food Network and Travel Channel- with Bizarre Foods, Man v. Food and anything with Paula Deen and her sons in it being my absolute favorites. I'm allergic to pineapple and coconut, so don't expect very many reviews for foods with these items in them- I make exceptions when I have Benadryl on hand.

I hope the coming reviews of restaurants and my blogs about my baking and decorating experiences are both enjoyable and informative.

Keep Smilin' :)