Celebrating 7 Years of TASTE WITH THE EYES with Gelato Bars!

Celebrating 7 Years of TASTE WITH THE EYES with Gelato!

Celebrating 7 Years of TASTE WITH THE EYES

Dear Friends,

I have no recipe to share today. I simply want to take a moment to thank you for your kindness over the years. Your enthusiasm, encouragement, and interest are huge motivating factors. Nothing makes my day more than hearing from you – that you tried one of my recipes and loved it! And not only did you cook my dish, you took the time out of your busy day to let me know. How cool is that? You rock.

Seven years ago, I uploaded my first photo, one of a dinner at Charlie Trotter’s Kitchen Table in Chicago 2006. One that is especially sentimental now, with the sad news of the Chef’s passing last November. He was my hero.

Not knowing how to link a website, nor understanding that I should actually say something about the meal, I naively thought Taste With The Eyes would be a blog about food and restaurant photos. I’ve learned a lot since then. I never realized how this little project could lead to making friends all over the world, all the fun to be had, and all the skills I would acquire. It has been such a sweet experience. So, the theme for the anniversary is “blogging is sweet” and since desserts are few and far between here, as I am definitely a savory gal, I thought I would share a few shots of Chef Perry’s house made gelato bars taken at Terranea Resort’s Sea Beans restaurant.

It is my hope that Taste With The Eyes continues to inspire you just as reading your blogs and hearing your comments inspires me. I’m grateful for the people this blog has brought into my life. It has turned into quite a passion over the past seven years! As a direct result of blogging, I am now a food writer and photographer for a local paper, I photograph food for a world-class resort, and have my Korean recipes featured weekly in the Korea Herald Business. 감사합니다 K-Herald! And who knows what fabulous people I shall meet and what fabulous opportunities lie ahead? I hope our paths cross soon and often. It is an honor and pleasure to know each and every one of you.

Merci Beaucoup.

Your Friend,
Lori Lynn

Celebrating 7 Years of TASTE WITH THE EYES with Gelato Bars!
Vanilla Bean Gelato Bars

“The pleasures of the table, and of life, are infinite – toujours bon appétit!” -Julia Child

Celebrating 7 Years of TASTE WITH THE EYES with Gelato Bars!
Strawberry Gelato Bars

“ I want the amateur diner to enjoy the food as much as the connoisseur.” -Charlie Trotter

Celebrating 7 Years of TASTE WITH THE EYES with Gelato Bars!
Peanut Gelato Bars

With the utmost gratitude… -Lori Lynn

Joël Robuchon, Claude Monet & 5 Years of Taste With The Eyes

L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon
A Menu of Small Tasting Portions

Monet’s Table: The Cooking Journals of Claude Monet
(book giveaway at the end of this post, thru July 6)

“Cap Martin, Near Menton”
Claude Monet

cap martin, near menton floral arrangement

“Cap Martin, Near Menton”
Floral Arrangement

On our trip to Las Vegas we “encountered” two ultra-gifted Frenchmen, artists Joël Robuchon and Claude Monet – the Chef and the Painter. It wasn’t until after I returned home that I realized how the two are ultimately connected…

The oil-on-canvas landscape painting “Cap Martin, Near Menton” is from Monet’s more experimental works of the French Riviera in 1884. We were delighted by the ingenious flower arrangement on display at the Bellagio Conservatory which has been modeled after Claude Monet’s painting.

Continue reading “Joël Robuchon, Claude Monet & 5 Years of Taste With The Eyes”

Blog is 4! Caviar Cake! Cookbook Giveaway!

caviar cake

Four-Layer Caviar Cake

Taste With The Eyes is 4-years-old and we’re celebrating with cake! A unique cake apropos of a savory anniversary. Black Lumpfish Caviar from Iceland tops a molded sour cream/cream cheese/shallot layer over a molded avocado/parsley/lemon layer. The base is creamy egg salad/mayonnaise/green onion, all decorated with a pretty tomato rosette. We served pieces of Caviar Cake on sliced crusty baguette, with Champagne of course. This fabulous Caviar Cake is the creation of Lisa’s Bon Appetit Catering.

TASTE WITH THE EYES IS 4 YEARS OLD

516 posts published

93 drafts unpublished

8,026 comments published

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74,194 photographs archived

814 followers (576 + 73 + 41 + 124)

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1501 foodbuzz posts

54,208 foodbuzz total views

rose arrangement, rose bouquet, julia child rose

Caviar Cake Rose Arrangement

I designed the centerpiece with flowers from my garden to whimsically complement the cake. The orange Sunset Celebration Hybrid Tea Rose mirrors the tomato rosette. Yellow Julia Child Floribunda Roses represent the egg salad, while white Fabulous Floribundas represent the sour cream layer. Lemon Verbena and Calla Lily leaves symbolize the green avocado layer, all arranged in a “caviar black” vase.

caviar cake

Taste With The Eyes is a culinary adventure. It’s here where I love to cook and share dishes, exotic flavors, or presentations that I find interesting and hope you do too. It’s here where I share entertaining ideas, from our themed dinner parties to celebrating the holidays in style. We travel, dine, and photograph meals at some of the world’s finest restaurants and equally enjoy writing about the local hole-in-the-walls as well. Our own underground-style restaurant, The Sunken City Supper Club, debuted in 2009. It’s a fresh, local and secret place to seasonally mingle with friends and neighbors, and I always look forward to blogging about our Supper Club events. At Taste, I also share my passion for satisfying heart healthy dishes. Sure I still serve sumptuous foods to company, but I am equally enthusiastic about heart healthy cuisine.

I hope Taste With The Eyes continues to inspire you just as reading your blogs and hearing your comments inspires me. It continues to be an absolute pleasure to share culinary experiences with you. I am grateful for the opportunity to get to know you. I’m grateful for the knowledge, creativity, and joy this little hobby has brought into my life. It has turned into quite a passion over the past four years…

Giveaway – My Thank You Gift

I’d love to giveaway a Caviar Cake, but alas, it doesn’t travel that well. So I thought you might enjoy a cookbook as a token of my appreciation. It can be my all-time favorite, the one I gave away last anniversary, or the cookbook of your choice (up to $50 retail). And I will ship it anywhere in the world through amazon.com.

So, simply leave a comment on this post and you’ll be entered to win. The fortunate recipient will be chosen using random.org. The winner will be posted on Taste With The Eyes on June 23rd. Just for fun, if you are so inclined, share with us your favorite cookbook or the one on the top of your wish list.

pink champagne

Thank you for helping me celebrate.
Thank you for your support, friendship, and inspiration.

Toujours Toujours Toujours Bon Appétit,

Lori Lynn

UPDATE:

Congratulations to Peter of the fabulous Kalofagas blog from Toronto, Canada,
winner of the cookbook giveaway!

Thank you to everyone for your generous comments and continued support.
I cherish your friendship.

Blog is 3! Celebrating with King Trumpets and Shishito Peppers!

Grilled King Trumpet Mushrooms &  Shishito Peppers on Rosemary Skewers
Baby Spinach and Rosemary Roasted Golden Soybeans
Toasted Sesame Oil & Tomato Water

Pleurotus eryngii
King Trumpet Mushroom also known as King Oyster, Eryngii, Pleorote du Panicaut,
Argonane, Bouligoule, Champignon de Garrigue, Cardoncello, Cardarello

Taste With The Eyes is 3 years old!

Cooking, photographing, writing, then ultimately sharing my culinary adventures on Taste With The Eyes is a source of much joy for me. This little food blog is an ongoing learning experience, a terrific creative outlet, and a source of pride. It has opened doors and provided new opportunities. It is the means with which to connect with fellow foodies, and a wonderful way make new friends with various interests and passions from all around the globe. I am grateful to have the opportunity to share food and ideas and experiences with you.

Reading your blogs provides an awesome source of inspiration, a conduit of creativity, and a heartfelt connection through your personal stories. Your enthusiasm is infectious. I cook, dine, laugh, and cry with you.

Your kind, knowledgeable, clever, and sometimes funny comments are deeply appreciated. I learn so much from you, way beyond food and cooking. You amaze and inspire me.

I thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Continue reading “Blog is 3! Celebrating with King Trumpets and Shishito Peppers!”