Tag: #foodblogger

Crazy for Cone

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Summer in Chicago is fast approaching.  With that being said there is always something to do or some festival going on in the city.  It is also the time to indulge the outdoor seating at your favorite restaurant and find a way to cool off to beat the summer heat.  While there are many new places that are popping up one place you should definitely put on your to-do list is Cone.  Cone is located in the West Loop and the best part about Cone is that it is open year round and you can go there at any time.

Anyone that knows me knows that I love ice cream almost as much as I love the color pink.  So recently when me and a friend decided to go out for some ice cream, I checked to see if there were any ice cream parlors in the area.  Not to throw shade at Baskin Robbins or Cold Stone, but sometimes you just need a nice fancy ice cream parlor.  Imagine my surprise when I Googled and found Cone, located in Chicago’s West Loop area.

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Cone definitely did not disappoint.  A nice ice cream parlor with both inside and outside seating, Cone was definitely what the doctor ordered on that rainy Saturday evening.  Cone offers a variety of flavors, some traditional, they had butter pecan, and some not traditional, like the flavor Netflix and Chill.  No matter what your palate for ice cream calls for, Cone is definitely a treat.

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I cannot wait until the Chicago summer comes when I can sit out on their outdoor patio and enjoy the ice cream and a gently breeze.  On this trip I indulged in the Not Your Mama’s Brownie Batter and Butter Pecan in a sundae.  I had to take most of the sundae home and enjoy it the next day and it was just as good on a relaxing Sunday afternoon.

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Cone offers space that can be rented out to host parties as well as an ample outdoor section.  The next time you are in the mood for ice cream and you do not want just the basic 31 flavors or the mixins from Cold Stone I would recommend that you definitely put Cone on the top of your list.  Located at 1047 W. Madison in Chicago, Cone is my new go to for ice cream in Chicago.

Be Blessed!  Be Fabulous!

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Private Dinner with Canadian Lentils

The first night at BlogHerFood16, some of us went to a special dinner hosted by Canadian Lentils.  The dinner was hosted at a wonderful location in Austin named, Vuka, a wonderful indoor and outdoor space with music and outdoor games for adults (please click the link and check out the pictures, the space is amazing).  The weather was great for outdoor dining and since the dinner was being made on a food truck the outside atmosphere was perfect.

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We were greeted with an open bar and an antipasto station.  The antipasto station and the open bar was a great welcome to the first day of a conference.  It was important to pace myself because there was more food to come.  In addition to the antipasto station there were appetizers and then we were ready to order our final entree’s.  The premise of the dinner was to find different ways to experiment and cook with Lentils.  Canadian Lentils always pulls out all of the stops when they host us and this time was no exception.

We were able to go to the truck and select what we wanted from the menu.  My choice was the lentil salad with avocado, tomatoes, onions, sweet potatoes and dressing, along with the salmon taco, and the Frito pie.  I have never had Frito pie so I was very excited to taste this particular dish.  The chef incorporated lentils into each of the dishes served as well as the dessert which was a sweet potato brownie with lentils.  The food was really good I just felt like the lentils could have been transformed a little more, they just felt like an additional ingredient.  But the food itself was tasty and satisfying.

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Another great thing about Canadian Lentils, is that after the feed you all of this amazing and tasty food, and serve you drinks to your hearts content, they also provide you with great parting gifts to compliment your kitchen and to inspire you to cook more at home and to cook more with Lentils.  From the cooking utensils, to the cook book and recipe cards Canadian Lentils definitely brings out the cook in you.

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While I have not had many experiences with Lentils prior to attending the BlogHerFood conference, I do have friends that cook and eat lentils often and I am learning.  One of the best things about Canadian Lentils as a company is that they get you excited about cooking lentils and experimenting with flavors.  During the conference Canadian Lentils had pre measured lentils in mason jars and a spice station with recipes and a chef on hand to assist you in making the best choices for your lentil creation.  I spent time putting together my Indian inspired and Creole inspired lentil recipes that I am waiting to cook.  (Video will be forthcoming).  I am looking forward to making and enjoying my lentil creations.  What are your favorite lentil creations?

 

 

Stay Blessed……..Stay Fabulous!

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