Sweet Sweet Dallas goes to Austin!

October 11, 2018 By Tam Warner Leave a Comment

by Alexandra Minton www.instagram.com/sweetsweetdallas

With the number of times I go to Austin each year, I like to include some amazing Austin spots here on Sweet Sweet Dallas! Austin is full of incredible spots to dine! I’ve had my eye on @junesallday for a bit and was thrilled to be able to get a table and at the perfect time too! 🙌🏻 (Check out the interior shot I’m currently swooning over!)

This place has a fantastic dessert menu and the Pear Financier happened to catch my eye immediately! It’s an almond cake with pears, drizzled with salted caramel with vanilla ice cream. It was absolutely delicious!! I highly recommend this one! You can taste the quality of these ingredients and the flavor combination is on point! Major bonus that the staff was friendly and service was wonderful!

Introducing a New Addition to the Blog, welcome Sweet Sweet Dallas!

September 10, 2018 By Tam Warner 3 Comments

Please welcome Sweet Sweet Dallas! My daughter, Alexandra Minton, is a professional photographer, and food is her passion! She started an Instagram account called @SweetSweetDallas and it has had wonderful growth in the short time she has been posting on it. Her instagram says, “I’m just a girl standing in front of a sweet treat-asking it to love her. 🍭 The scoop on delicious desserts in Dallas! Email me for food photography at [email protected]!” Prepare yourself, because mother and daughter are teaming up!

Alexandra will be posting all kinds of food goodies on Travels with Tam, so be sure and stay tuned for the yummies!

alexandra, alexandra minton, sweet sweet dallas — Alexandra Minton

The Gift of Monthly Travel Keeps on Giving! Give a Fun Gift this Year!

November 29, 2017 By Tam Warner 2 Comments

explore local box, travel monthly, unusual gifts, fun gifts, explore more — The adorable Portland box with wood coasters and soap holder, wonderful yogic tea, sea salt and more!

Monthly Travel would be a great gift, wouldn’t it? Even if you cannot physically get away, you can enjoy travel by purchasing Explore Local Box! I have written about this awesome local travel box! Instead of flowers, give a box of exploration to someone special for a birthday present, get well gift or just because. Choose a previously visited city that you would like to give and it will be delivered right to the recipient’s door with a custom card. Each month a new city will be added. Or give or get a monthly subscription!

explore local box, travel monthly, unusual gifts, fun gifts — Reclaimed Douglas Fir!

I have sampled Boston and Portland, and I’ve enjoyed them both. Here are the cities currently available, with details on the contents of the boxes. http://www.explorelocalbox.com/shop/all/

For the holidays this year, give the gift of travel!

You will also enjoy How you can Travel to a Different City Every Month!

explore, local, explore local box — I cannot wait to use my Boston spice!

Where to get the most Amazing Salad and Dessert in Cozumel!

July 12, 2017 By Tam Warner 8 Comments

cozumel, foodies, la cocay, cozumel foodies — We’ve been coming to La Cocay for years!

Want to know about the most amazing salad and dessert on Cozumel? One of my favorite restaurants on the planet is La Cocay on Calle 8 in Cozumel, Mexico. My family has been going to La Cocay for many years. We’ve celebrated birthdays and anniversaries there, and it is a place of many good memories for us. But let’s talk food. In my humble opinion, they have the most amazing salad and dessert on the island. Their entrees are fabulous as well, but I never have room for an entree! I always start with their tapas, have a delicious Napa Salad, and order a Chocolate Torte (souffle) the minute I sit down!

La Cocay is a warm, friendly restaurant set in a garden, though they do have indoor seating as well. The food is creative, and has a mediterranean flavor. The restaurant has even added pizza with much flair to their menu. So here is my favorite meal: I order the margarita (best on the island I think!), Goat Cheese Empanaditas with mango chutney (part of the tapas menu), and a Napa Salad, my favorite salad on earth, with mixed lettuce, apple, blue cheese and toasted pecans with a honey Dijon dressing, tied with red beets. I mean, presentation counts too!

cozumel, lacocay, foodies, cozumel foodies — My beautiful Napa Salad!!!!

The fish of the day, Mahi Mahi. La Cocay always has specials!

One of my husband’s favorites is bacon wrapped Filet Mignon with scalloped potatoes and veggies.

As a foodie, or a person who loves to eat, you must be ready to go to La Cocay! But now…the desserts!

If you are going to Cozumel and you love good food, head over to La Cocay. I guarantee you will have a fantastic evening. Please tell Kathy, the owner, and Danny, the manager, that Tam sent you!

Don’t forget my newly published book!

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Buccanos at Night is one of the Reasons to Consider Cozumel a Foodie Destination!

July 2, 2017 By Tam Warner 22 Comments

Food has become one of the best features of a Cozumel vacation! Beginning with Buccanos at Night, I am planning a series of articles on different restaurants on the island, showing you that Cozumel has grown into a first rate foodie vacation destination. 30 years ago you received a taco, and often a tummy virus to boot. Those days are long, long gone.

foodies, cozumel, buccanos — I love this piece of Mayan art.

Buccanos at Night has been a closely held secret for locals, but it is now a destination in itself. During the day it is a beach club, mostly for cruise ship passengers, but at night, Wednesday through Sunday, it becomes a first rate international restaurant. Buccanos at Night is not afraid to combine bold flavors and create culinary masterpieces from appetizers to desserts, making it a popular and trendy spot for foodies and locals alike.

My recent visit to Buccanos was a surprise, as they had opened an upstairs space instead of sharing the space of the beach club. I told Inez, the owner, that she has to decorate my home. Every piece of furniture or art in the restaurant is nothing short of fabulous. Every piece is a wonder. The ambiance is wonderful, candlelit with views over the ocean to the mainland, and boats passing by. But the true draw: the food.

We began with cocktails. I had their top shelf margarita, and my guests enjoyed the special cocktail of the evening with fresh coconut. We ordered bread, and it was so buttery it melted in your mouth. Garlic and a little Parmesan gave it an extra oomph. I enjoyed a Lobster Caesar Salad for my meal, while my guests enjoyed a Miso Buttered Lobster Tail and a Surf and Turf, Angus meets Lobster, Burger! If I was still eating meat, I would have loved to taste the burger! It looked amazing, and my cousin said it was beyond delicious.

Just writing this blog makes me hungry. I think I will call and make another reservation before I head home!

Love the art? So do I! The artist’s name is Carina, and you can find her at https://www.caribarbachanoart.com/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/cari.barbachano.

A Cooking Class with the World Cooking Project!

May 11, 2015 By Tam Warner 5 Comments

Guest Adventurer Suzanne Stavert of ADVENTURES WITH EMPTY NESTERS! Check it out!

A fun new cooking class!

Cooking for my family has been one of the greatest joys of my life. My skill level has improved over the last 30 years and the techniques I have learned from accomplished chefs have layered my basic skills with a depth of knowledge I could have never received from a book. These cooking classes have inspired me to try new dishes, expanded my culinary range and I have also determined that chefs, are my type of Rock Star!

I love the way they approach their craft with heart, skillfulness and creativity. A chef’s strong desire to make delicious food is coupled with the fact that the presentation of the dish is as important as the taste of the food!

Here is a brief video, filmed and edited by my son Nick, of my fantastic experience taking a class through The World Cooking Project! For those of you who are receiving this post by email, please click HERE to see the video.

Fortunately, someone who loves chefs and food as much as I do found Adventures of Empty Nesters and therefore she found me! Sara Dietrich is CEO of The World Cooking Project and she wrote me a lovely email explaining how on March 1st, she launched The World Cooking Project. The World Cooking Project was created from her love of food and world travel. It’s a really exciting idea that connects people from all over the world through online, interactive cooking instruction classes.

Since they are a startup, they wanted some help getting the word out! She read a few of my blog posts and thought that we would be a great match. I was so thrilled that Sara reached out to me! I immediately went to visit The World Cooking Project’s new website to check out all of the possibilities!

I couldn’t wait to email her back letting her know how excitied I was to take a class from a chef somewhere in the world! I reviewed the website and decided that I wanted to take a class from Chef Luis from Mexico. He was going to teach me how to make Enchilada Verdes and I couldn’t wait!

The whole process from start to finish was so E-A-S-Y and affordable! Once I decided which class to take, The World Cooking Project took over from there. They quickly responded with an email and we worked out an agreeable date that suited my calendar as well as Chef Luis’.They sent me a detailed list of ingredients as well as any pans or equipment I would need.

I have recently purchased a 1937 “fixer upper” home and my kitchen is far from fancy! My stove is from the 50’s and my kitchen tile from the 80’s is a groovy shade of green! Therefore no worries about where you cook, any type of kitchen will be perfect for taking the class.

I set up my computer to connect with Luis via Skype. It was really fun talking with him and getting to meet his children who were with him in his Mexican kitchen. We both were making enchiladas simultaneously in two different countries! I LOVED it! My son videotaped me taking the class and my husband kept the dog from barking. It was a family affair at my house as well.

Once Luis and I finished making the enchiladas, both of our families enjoyed tasting them together, still connected by Skype. I learned how to make a tomatillo sauce that was super easy, yet incredibly delicious. Chef Luis made sure that my presentation was perfect as well!

I think that Sara and her team at The World Cooking Project have created an interactive, educational and delicious experience! What a great way to learn about other cultures than through our mutual love of food. I can’t wait to take another class and I plan to give one as a gift to my Mom for Mother’s Day!

www.TheWorldCookingProject.com