Hey, it's Molly from AZ HQs. I'm finally getting around to posting this five days after returning from the NYC Wine + Food Festival-- what can I say? The entire experience was equal parts fun and exhausting, and I am finally coming out of my too-much-food-and-too-little-sleep haze.

If you're anything like me, and I'm just going to assume you are, you like your blog ratio of words to photos to be about 20:1. Since I have so many wonderful photos from the weekend, that's about what you're getting.

We kicked off the weekend at the Big Gay Ice Cream Shop. Just because it's Friday morning doesn't mean you can't eat dessert. Doug Quint & Bryan Petroff, the evil geniuses behind BGIC, gave us a shop tour, gossiped with us about celebrity chefs (they have a lot of dirt!), and let me fulfill my life long dream of making a soft serve ice cream cone. As you can see from the above pic, my form could use some work.     

 

That night, we hit up Burger Bash, hosted by Whoopi Goldberg this year. Dirt Alert: I heard she requested all of her burgers "well done." Ha. AZ judged the contest, along with David Burke, Adam Richman & Anne Burrell. I was impressed with Anne's overall program. She was cutting a rug, singing along with the music, making time to talk to every fan who approached her. Bravo. 

AZ in his La Frieda Meats hat.  

Marc Forgione's burger was my favorite. He did the Hangover Burger: dry aged burger, everything bun and spicy bacon. I think the bun is the most overlooked aspect of any burger, and it's the key to taking a good one to a great one.  

Post-Burger Bash, it poured rain. Luckily, our knights in shining Big Gay Ice Cream Truck came to the rescue. We hid out in the truck (with AZ in the driver's seat) until our ride came. 

Me, Doug, & Rishia (AZ's wife) packed like sardines in the BGICT. 

Fun Fact about Food People: We eat a lot. After Burger Bash, we had dinner at Osteria Morini. Yes, we were still hungry after Burger Bash. This was one of 9 pasta dishes that arrived at our table. It was insane.

 

We kicked off Saturday at a panel discussion, hosted by the lovely Dana Cowin of Food + Wine. AZ, Marcus Samuelsson and Mario Batali shared their ultimate restaurant experiences while the rest of us looked on and pretended not to be completely jealous of where they've been and what they've eaten. 

I want to rummage through Marcus Samuelsson's closet. Best dressed man in the food biz... and maybe any biz, for that matter. 

Next, it was off to Harlem for Fun & Fit in the City (hosted by Target). AZ did a cooking demo geared toward kids/families. He made a salmon dish, which is one of my least favorite food items, but it was somehow delicious. He even got this kid, a self-proclaimed fish loather, to try the stuff. Consider him a seafood convert.  

Mingling in Harlem.  

Salmon + 3 yr old = Cutest picture of the weekend.  

 

Our final event of the weekend was Carts in the Parc, hosted by Andrew. Nearly 20 food trucks from around the city, plus a cameo from James Beard Award-winning mega Chef Michael White (above, along with two gigantic pork shoulders). I'm biased, but this was my favorite party of the weekend. Instead of every vendor making one kind of food (eg only burgers at Burger Bash, only meatballs at Meatball Madness... you get the picture), they get to make what they're good at. From biryani and french fries to Korean tacos and ice cream sandwiches, it was a little bit of everything.  

Here's AZ with the trophy-- fit to put on any truck's dashboard. 

AZ's agent Josh & I in our Andrew Zimmern Hollyhoodz. Get yours here. 

Lee Schrager, the mind behind NYCWFF & SOBE, enjoying fries from the Souvlaki Truck. 

Look at those puppies. I dare you to tell me you don't want to eat that.

Sugary goodness from Sweet Street.  

Mexicue pork tacos. 

Though I didn't get a chance to try everything, the squash soup from Rouge Tomate was my favorite of the day (AZ's, too). Talk about changing your perception of street food! Topped with candied pumpkin seeds and apples, this wasn't the greasy, messy sort of street food we've all come to love and expect. It was perfect for a chilly fall day. 

The Biryani Cart, with its outstanding roti, took home the first-ever Carts in the Parc People's Choice Award.  

Finally, another great moment from the fest: Andrew leaving Carts with his wife, Rishia. Shortly after this, we all collapsed in exhaustion-- eating, talking, and standing all afternoon will do that to a person. Then, we went out to dinner. Naturally.

Summertime is all about catching rays, grilling and working up a thirst. Here are our top seven summer drinks (including one of Andrew's favorite recipes) to get the party started.

Cascal's Fermented Natural Soda

As much as we love grape soda, there are those moments that call for something a bit more "grown up." Cascal makes sodas that bridge the gap between fine wines and Mr. Pibb. It’s made with real fruit juices, no added sugar and no preservatives. It’s also non-alcoholic, so feel free to sip on it at the kids’ soccer games. The Fine Dry with Notes of Apple and Anise flavor is to die for-- nowhere in even in the ballpark of sickly sweet. It's this summer's go-to bev in our office. 

Blenheim Ginger Ale

Why does the zing of ginger and carbonation hit the spot ona hot summer day? We're not sure, but folks in perpetually warm climates seem toagree. Though many great ginger beers come from Jamaica and Bermuda, I'm inlove with Blenheim’s version, straight out of South Carolina. A swig of theirOld #3 Hot has been likened to a “firecracker exploding in your throat.” What can we say? In this case, a little pain is good. Not sure if you like your sodapop blazing hot? Belnheim bottles a #5 Not As Hot version of the original. 

AriZona Iced Tea’s Arnold Palmer

A friend introduced Molly to this gem on a recent road tripto lovely Bismarck, ND (don’t ask). We couldn’t believe how great this drink is—not too sugary, and the ‘lite” version offers only 150 calories for a 24-ouncetall boy of refreshment. Added bonus: It’s available at most convenience storesfor a mere 99 cents. Seriously, get a can before you drive up to the lake thisweekend and you’ll be hooked. Be sure to shake the can really well beforeopening. It’s not carbonated, so it won’t explode (and won’t go flat if you drink some now and save some in the fridge for later).

PS At quick glance, could Arnie’s photo on the can pass for George W.’s doppelganger? Just sayin’.

Southsider

Here’s Andrew’s favorite summertime drink to concoct at home. The mint and lime combo add an element of tart and sweet refreshment. If you like booze, add a few ounces of your favorite amber rum, small batch burbon or luxe vodka.

¾ cups fresh mint leaves
4T Fresh squeezed lime juice
½ cup frozen Minute Maid Lime-Aide concentrate
4 cups ice
3T sugar (some people like it sweeter)
½ cup warm water

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Puree to a granita consistency and serve.

Michelada

Everyone’s all fired up about the michelada lately, and we don’t blame them. It’s a nice upgrade from a regular old beer, and accompanied by a dash of hot sauce and lime juice, its tasty as heck. We got our mitts on the El Toro recipe from Barrio Tequila Bar in the Twin Cities. Served over ice with a salted rim, you won’t be able to drink a barley pop any other way this summer. And yes, in this specific case, beer and ice do play well together.

This recipe makes a pretty large batch. Either halve it, or keep some in your fridge to dress up your brewskis any time you like.

El Toro Mix
4 oz Sauza Gold tequila
1 oz Valentina extra hot sauce
2 teaspoons of kosher salt
4 oz orange juice concentrate
16 oz lime sweet and sour
4 oz fresh lime juice

To make the cocktails
Rim the pint glass with salt
Fill half way with ice
Add 1 oz of the mix
Fill glass with about 5 oz of Dos Equis Especial
Drink 

Margarita

Since you’re already salting your glasses, let’s talk margs. There’s nothing more foul than a syrupy, faux-lime blended margarita (sorry guys, I’m an “on the rocks” kind of gal). A friend shared this killer recipe with us and it’s so simple, it’s almost a joke. Patron Silver works well here, but if you don’t want to dole out that kind of dinero, any clear tequila willwork.

1 can frozen Lime-aide from concentrate
12 oz. Patron (use the Lime-aide can to measure)
1 bottle Mexican beer (Corona or Dos Equis works perfectly)
1 can lemon-lime soda (try 7-up or Sprite)
Lime slices to garnish
Serve over ice.

CrispinHard Apple Cider

Polish off a pint of most ciders and it’s gut rot city. So when we sampled Crispin Hard Apple Cider, we was psyched: light, refreshing, and not overly-sweet. What’s more, Crispin makes a lightversion that still offers great flavor, but packs a mere 110 calories perbottle and 3.2 percent ABV—that makes for a perfect day drinking beverage in mybook. Did we also mention both are naturally fermented and gluten free? Lucky for us, the stuff is made in the Twin Cities, but if you’re from outside Minnesota, check out the Crispin site for more info.

Food and rock n' roll have become a pop culture PB & J-- two completely different items obviously made for each other. Celebrity chefs are apparently the new rock stars (Batali, Puck, Colicchio); rock stars are delving into the food scene (did you see the Foo Fighters/the Bravery on Top Chef?). Well, guess what? Your favorite music and food got married at Lollapalooza 2010. 

I bought my $90 one-day Friday pass long ago. The line-up included some of my favorite bands of the moment: Big Pink, Devo, the New Pornographers, Dirty Projectors, Black Keys, Hot Chip and Lady Gaga. Yes, I opted for Gaga over the Strokes. Tough choice; I was pleased with my decision to go with the spectacle (see Gaga's Poker Face performance here... tame compared to everything else she did). 

But had I not liked the bands, I'd have been satisfied by the food alone. Lolla's Chow Town offered a culinary mixed tape I'd gladly blast in my car. Round of applause for Chef Graham Elliot Bowles, the festival's first Culinary Director, who brought in the city's best chefs and restaurants, both newbies and quintessential standards.

I am but a wee woman and can only eat so much in one sitting. So considering that, here were my faves:

Everything from Graham Elliot was delicious. The watermelon gazpacho was spicy and refreshing, I'm fairly certain the truffle/parm popcorn was laced with crack, and even with over a year's worth of hype, the lobster corndog was not oversold!

For food lovers, the sheer number of renowned restaurants makes it near to impossible to figure out where to eat. We've weeded through the best of the best so you don't have to. Without further ado, here are our top Sin City restaurant picks.

The Strip: Bartolotta

This elegant restaurant, located in the Wynn, offers something extra-special: the next best thing to dining in an Italian fishing village. James Beard Award-winning chef Paul Bartolotta hails from a big, Italian, Milwaukee-based family, and wanted his restaurants to pay homage to his roots. His goal? To transport guests to Italy--no small feat, given the fact you’re in the middle of the desert. However, this chef does just that, sourcing his fish from the motherland, daily.

If you can, opt for an outdoor, lagoon-side cabana. Even if it’s a little chilly, each table comes equipped with a heater (hot enough to cook your pesca crudo). Be sure to check out the cart teeming with the day’s fresh catch: clams, Sicilian amberjack, Mediterranean turbot, cuttlefish—a smattering of fish that were swimming in the Mediterranean just hours ago.

 

I don't like Vegas. I've been five times. Only once did I have that "what happens here stays here" experience, due mostly to the fact that I was there with five incredibly attractive ladies (me being the oldest and most out of shape of the bunch).  Nearly everything was free and we ended up hanging out with a D-list soap star in the very cheesy/contemporary 80s-themed penthouse at the Riviera. Oops, that's probably the sort of thing that is supposed to stay there.

Anyhow, for one reason or another, I keep finding myself in Sin City, or as I like to think of it, an adult, Disney-themed desert mirage. I don't know what drives me the most crazy-- the freesia-perfume-meets-smoky-pool-hall scent that permeates through the high-end casinos, shelling out $5 for a cup of black coffee, or tourists who actually believe going to Paris: The Hotel is purrty much the same as visiting Paris: The City in France.

It's been a busy few weeks for everyone at Food Works. Andrew's got a new show and book, I've been setting up three big events Bizarre Truth/Foods/World related events (and headed to Chicago for a friend's wedding), and Dusti worked on a props gig for Cat Cora's appearance on The View (show airs Wednesday). After lots of crazy days, I wanted to pass along some delicious and entertaining highlights from the past week.

Want to know about Andrew's trip to Cuba, his new book, The Bizarre Truth, or what living with the Bushmen of the Kalahari is like? Ask the man himself!  After next week's Bizarre World: Belize episode (Tuesday, September 8, at 10 E/P) be sure to join Andrew Zimmern for a live chat at 11 E/P.

Head to www.travelchannel.com/TV_Shows/Bizarre_World after the show to participate.

Get ready for the series premiere of Andrew Zimmern's Bizarre World. Catch it Tuesday, September 1st, at 10 E/P. For more information visit: http://www.travelchannel.com/TV_Shows/Bizarre_World

It's not everyday that you get to see your boss in full drag. I am loving these photos from LIPS in Ft. Lauderdale where Andrew was filming a segment for his upcoming Bizarre World: Florida episode. I love that pageant hair, and the makeup is just sublime.  Check out the photos on www.miami-gay-blog.com. What do you think of AZ's new look?