* * * Photos by David Samayoa * * * Here are some photos from the chocolate buffet at Cantina Beach (Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne).  French pastry chef Patrick Lassaque and assistant pastry chef Bethany Haltibeitel took three days to prepare the spread. It was $22 per person for the dessert buffet.  I skipped the fancy meal for [...] » Read more..

Rosa Mexicano continues their year-long “Flavors of Mexico” special menu series. They are currently offering a special menu as part of their “chocolate adventure”. This menu is for the hardcore chocolate fan who wants to explore both the sweet and savory aspects of cacao. I’m excited to try the guisado de pato, a roasted [...] » Read more..

When I was a full-time teacher, two of my students would bring me chocolate chip cookies. The cookies were immensely satisfying but there was something intriguing about the texture. They were rich and moist, softer than the usual chewy chocolate chip cookie. Whenever I saw the twins approaching me with their sandwich bags, I was delighted [...] » Read more..

MIAMI   Taste of Asturias If the man in the photo above was in Asturias, Spain, the floor beneath him would be covered in sawdust. At traditional cider-pouring bars, the sawdust absorbs the spills from the escarciador (cider pourer) as he pours the sidra with a raised arm. This is to “break” or aerate the cider. Ernesto Llerandi [...] » Read more..