Food & Drink
Meryl's Treats
The Devil Wears Prada: Devil's Food Cake Looking for that perfect dessert while destroying the self-esteem of those around you?
The sweet smell of success
As a wise woman once said, "There are two kinds of people in the world: those who love chocolate, and communists." Yet it's doubtful that even the most die-hard, sickle-wielding, card-carrying Red would object to the socially responsible tastiness of John & Kira's Chocolates.
Wine of the week
What exactly is dessert wine? A genre encompassing ice wines, port and sherry, among others, the term also refers to wines that have been fortified by additional liquors, the most common being brandy.
Let's get naked
Naked. Not an adjective commonly expected in the name of a chocolate caf‚, but in this case, the venue it describes is anything but common. When Tom Block decided to move on from his 29-year-old sweets business in Princeton, NJ, he envisioned a peaceful retirement to Vermont running a small chocolate shop.
Drink of the week
Mint Julep - 2 parts sugar - 1 part spring water - palmful of tender, terminal mint leaves, bruised - 2 1/2 oz of the best Kentucky bourbon you can find - crushed ice to fill the the cup Known as the mojito of the Deep South, a tradition of Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby, and an emblem of southern comfort and hospitality, this drink is superlative.
Wine of the Week: Manischewitz blackberry wine
With the elegantly simple flavor and aroma of blackberry jam, Manischewitz blackberry wine belongs to a special - nay, elite - category of wines, because it tastes better through a straw.
Kamal's balls
Inside of Center City's Reading Terminal Market, it is easy to feel overwhelmed by the constant rush of shoppers and diners.
Maoz, my tongue!
It's difficult to articulate the juiciness and scrumptiousness that Maoz delivers to its customers. The originally Dutch chain has a single location in all the U.S, right in the middle of Philly.
Who's your mama?
Mama sure gets around town. And by Mama, I mean Haviv David, the owner of Mama's Vegetarian, a kosher falafel restaurant located on 20th street between Ludlow and Rainstead.
Wine of the Week
* 2 parts Southern Comfort * 1 part Amaretto (almond liqueur) * 1 part Sloe gin * Orange juice to taste Forget the Middle Eastern mammer-jammer, that falafel shit's bammer, exam crammer or office hours scammer, sit yourself down to an Alabama Slammer. Who should drink it: Cell Block D, Prisoner #3704 Who shouldn't drink it: Pinko yuppie Yankee carpetbaggers Where you should drink it: Monster truck rallies, Nascar races or other shows of completely platonic male bonding Where you shouldn't drink it: In the correctional facilities of our fine Dixie states.
Drink of the Week
Brita Filter Triple-Distilled Banker's Club Vodka Ingredients: Banker's Club Vodka Brita Filter You look like a man of refined tastes.
You are so not twenty-one
Let's face it. If you're under 21, it's hard to get a drink in this city. What with bars and liquor stores adhering to strict no-minor policies, you'd think it was against the law for a kid to rightfully unwind at the end of the day.
Pub crawl
Hidden between Sansom and Chestnut, it might take a little patience, or at least some help from Google Maps, to find your way to McGillin's.
A diamond in the very rough
Let's be real, it's pretty hard to get real Cuban food in this town. However, nestled in the heart of North Philadelphia, Tierra Colombiana dishes out authentic Cuban food like none other. Simply put, Tierra Colombiana is all about Latino comfort food.
Wine of the week
When one thinks about Germany, wine doesn't immediately come to mind. That's disappointing because this 2005 Riesling provides a lighter, more energetic option for those white wine enthusiasts on campus.
Habana nights
On a rainy Friday night, Halloween weekend, Caf‚ Habana is virtually empty. As the small Cuban place converts from restaurant to bar, the few customers there trickle out and smoke cigarettes under the awning, flirting with the Venezuelan bouncer.
Everybody must get stoned
Ten minutes after opening its doors on an overcast October morning, Ten Stone Tavern already has customers; seated at one of the bar's elegant tables, a pair of middle-aged men intently looks over the menu. Quarter to noon isn't when most pubs pull in their business, but a quick glance around Ten Stone, located at the corner of 21st and South, reveals a different sort of feel: warm orange and yellow walls complement the resonant wood d‚cor, framed photographs sit spaciously between potted plants hanging from sunken windows, and cushions line the bench that wraps around the wall. Sportscenter still plays on three high-def televisions by the bar, but the sound is off, and the music replacing it is quiet, soft, peaceful. A woman in blue jeans and a red shirt is the only server on-duty, and she tells us to sit wherever we like as she wipes down the bar. Soon she is bringing water over to our corner table and providing remarkably honest advice: thumbs up to the Tuscan chicken sandwich ($8.95) and quesadillas ($6.95), thumbs down to the portabella mushroom ($5.95) and the ham and cheese ($5.95). We ask if they have orange juice, and she nods.
Espresso Martini
1 oz cold espresso 1 1/2 oz Absolutr vodka 1 1/2 oz Kahl£ar coffee liqueur 1 oz white crŠme de cacao Filter black coffee to fill, to taste The martini, an art form of sorts and Bond's drink of choice, seems to be too quickly dismissed by the average college student.
Wine of the Week
Don't be confused by the term vintage - this wine didn't come out of your mother's closet. The vintage actually refers to the year and location from which the grapes are picked, carefully pressed and made into wine.
