Cupcake-palooza: All you can eat cupcakes for $10!

Late in life I have developed a passion for taste tests. I suspect this could be some nostalgia for a childhood in the 80s where roving Coke vs Pepsi taste test vans dominated the suburban mall experience. Or maybe its just that I like the subtle thrill of the uncertain. Lately in our house we've blind taste tested brands of pickles, cottage cheese (where Kroger brand was a surprising hands-down

Restaurant Week Sept 13-19th: Get three course meals for a steal!

It's baaaack! Book your babysiters, grab your date, your friend, your coworker...anyone! Restaurant week, one of my favorite innovations, is once again returning to Nashville's independent eating scene. Restaurant week in Nashville is organized through Nashville Originals a group of local dining establishments.

Restaurant week is a great time to try some of Nashville's best known dining spots. A

Bacon: 10 lessons learned about the fine art of hosting a bacon party

As some of my readers already know, when we lived in Chicago we would occasionally throw bacon parties. That's right. Social gatherings entirely devoted to that gluttony of all gluttonies: bacon. And because our friends were adventurous little foodies, we would always challenge friends to come up with the most delicious and creative dish they could. After a few parties, this started to take on

Will calorie counts change the way we dine? Economic sociology takes a peek at nutritional transparency

Among the many provisions in the loved and decried Health Care bill ("Obamacare to its detractors) passed by congress last year is one that requires restaurants with more than 20 stores to provide calorie information printed on their menus for all regular menu items. Although these regulations nominally took effect in March of 2010, the Food and Drug Administration is still working out guidelines

Tropical "Grillswith": Grilled donuts with the best caramel sauce you'll ever make

Yeah, that's right. I just did that to you. There you were minding your own business at your computer, you probably thought "what the heck is a grillswith?" and now you are drooling all over your keyboard like a drunken sailor. You might even be babbling a bit. It's okay. The grillswith does that to me too.

I just couldn't resist sharing this photo with you all. It is probably the best example

Individual Spinach Provolone Frittata -- Brunch yourself swanky!

This puffs up and has the look of a faux souffle with one tenth of the work. I love eggs but my husband doesn't eat them, so I've plenty motivation to experiment with single serving egg dishes that are low work for a fast and delicious morning breakfast. This Italian inspired version, studded with creamy provolone cheese and earthy spinach, is one of my very favorites. This is the perfect way to

Sights and Tastes of the Nashville Farmer's Market

The Nashville Farmer's Market is a stubborn beast to characterize. I first came to know it only from afar as three enticingly large buildings called the "farmer's market" and open 365 days a year. Somehow my brain convinced me that it was reasonable to think lush, local produce could cover three football fields and that farmers somehow found alternates to sell their produce all the time. This was