“Twilight” Actors Made in Chocolate


Blockbuster video stores will have the “Twilight” and “New Moon” movie cast in chocolate for fans to buy… and eat.

Per andpop.com,

Necco sub-brand SkyBar is releasing these “New Moon” bars as well as special boxes of “Twilight” Sweethearts. But of course, they had to add a vampire twist to the flavours which include “Secret Strawberry,” “Passion Fruit” and “Tempting Apple.


If we’re lucky, we might be able to get samples for the 2009 Los Angeles Luxury Chocolate Salon in October. (bar photo from E! online)

TasteTV Events include:

This blog from the contributors, producers and correspondents at TasteTV at TasteTV.com. technorati tags:, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

SEXY DISHES Recipe Demo and Tasting

A fun cooking demo and tasting featuring chefs and mixologists featured in the recent TasteTV foodie book, “SEXY DISHES: A Guide to Who’s Hot in the Kitchen (Bay Area Edition)”

Meet these sexy chefs, who will demonstrate their sexy recipes and provide sample tastings of their sexy dishes at the Williams-Sonoma flagship store’s demonstration kitchen in lovely Union Square, San Francisco.

Featured at this TasteTV event:

* Cindy Chen, Owner and Chef, Shanghai 1930
* Taylor Boudreaux, Executive Chef, California Cafe
* Iris Eisenlohr, Wine Director, Piacere Restaurant
* Miriam Russell-Wadleigh, Executive Chef, Piacere Restaurant

Bring your copy of SEXY DISHES to be signed in person, or just come and meet and eat!

Saturday, July 11, 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM Where: Williams-Sonoma 340 Post St San Francisco, CA 94108

TasteTV Events include:

This blog from the contributors, producers and correspondents at TasteTV at TasteTV.com. technorati tags:, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Upcoming Chocolate Salons and Chocolate Salon Awards


TasteTV has just released the design for the TasteTV Chocolate Salon Awards (see right), which are presented at every Chocolate Salon to the best of the best, as judged by our panel of chocolate experts.

Las Vegas is the newest city to host a TasteTV Chocolate Salon (see dates below). The event takes place at the Venetian and Palazzo Resorts.

Upcoming TasteTV Luxury Chocolate Salons:

This blog from the contributors, producers and correspondents at TasteTV at TasteTV.com. technorati tags:, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The living-room TV, not Cannes, may be independent film’s best friend

Great article in the Los Angeles Times about VOD, or Video on Demand for indie films. Another example of multi-platform broadcasting:

For years, filmmakers flocked to the Cannes Film Festival to sell their independently financed movies, confident they’d soon see their work exhibited in movie theaters. Like so many show business dreams, those visions have been vanishing quickly as numerous distributors of film-festival fare closed their doors after losing money or corporate support. But there’s a potential savior on the horizon called video on demand — and it may be hiding somewhere inside your cable television box.

Just as the videocassette and the DVD brought untold billions into studio coffers, video-on-demand distribution may deliver some much-needed economic relief to independent cinema, those often highbrow dramas and low-budget genre films made outside the studio system that have been struggling to turn a profit. It’s likely that of the hundreds of movies headed to this year’s Cannes festival (which opens Wednesday), only a handful will attract an American theatrical distributor, but scores may land video-on-demand deals.

“I think it is inevitable that it will succeed,” said John Sloss, a lawyer and leading sales agent for independent film who this July will launch his own video-on-demand cable service, called Cinetic Film Buff. “Imagine the coolest, most imaginative film-literate person programming your Netflix queue. That’s what this channel can be.”

Unlike some Internet-based movie services, such as Amazon on Demand and YouTube Screening Room, video-on-demand movies arrive on your television set, not your computer. Cable subscribers with VOD channels can pick from several dozen independent films; with just a few clicks on the remote, the video-on-demand movie starts in seconds, rather than a more limited number of films that begin at prescribed times, as is the case with pay-per-view titles.

Chocolate-Powered Race Car


What a waste of chocolate! On the other hand, it is Green (or rather, “brown”)

FOX News reports Chocolate-Powered 150 MPH Race Car Revealed

A team of British engineers have designed a car that not only runs on a fuel derived from the tasty treat, but is largely constructed from parts derived from vegetables.

The steering wheel of the open-cockpit car is constructed from carrot fibers, the foam in the seats from soybeans, and the rear view mirrors and body panels produced from the starch of potatoes. Even the brakes are based on cashew nut shells.

TasteTV Events include:

This blog from the contributors, producers and correspondents at TasteTV at TasteTV.com. technorati tags:, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

TasteTV and TasteTV.com Chocolate News Updates

SEXY DISHES WEEK – Current Lineup of Restaurant Specials


 SEXY DISHES WEEK in the Bay Area is from May 4th-8th, and restaurants & bars in the book will be featuring food and drink Specials as well as launch events. Fans can also have copies of their books signed by these local culinary celebrities. A list of the customer specials for SEXY DISHES WEEK will be updated regularly here on Tasteable.com

Current SEXY DISHES Specials include:

  • Sam’s Chowder House (Half Moon Bay): Half off either of the two dishes featured in the book – The Rock Shrimp-Bay Scallop Ceviche, or the Ahi Tuna Poke (see video on NBC) for customers that bring the book or buy a book from Sam’s Gift Shop (Chef Lewis Rossman will sign it when you come in)..

  • 83 Proof (SF): Half price for the 2 cocktails featured in the book from 8pm til Close – The Cactus Flower, and the Burnt Fig Sazerac (see video on NBC)

  • Piacere Restaurant (San Carlos): Half price for the cocktails featured in the book – The Cucumber Spring Fizz. Book Launch party with cocktails also on May 4th at Piacere.

  • California Cafe (Los Gatos): A 3-course “Bay Area Sexy Dishes” dinner for $21

  • The Beach Chalet and Park Chalet (SF): Half price Beignets at the Beach Chalet and Half Price Cupcakes in the Park Chalet (both recipes are in the book SEXY DISHES). Bring in your copy of Sexy dishes (or buy one) and get a free order.

  • The Market Street Grill (SF): Half Off the Branzini fish dish featured in the book for customers that bring in a copy of the book or buys one from the restaurant (Chef Adam will also sign it if he is in when you come)

  • Shanghai 1930 (SF): $29.95, Prix Fixe

    • Appetizers: Nanking Spring Rolls
    Soup: Neptune Hot & Sour Soup
    Main Course (Please choose one item):
    – Szechwan Chili Prawns with Sautéed Leeks
    – Chicken “Lily” with Black Bean Sauce
    – Crispy Chewy Szechwan Beef
    – Fish Pillows with black and silver tree ears

    The above entrees include the following
    Pea Shoots sautéed in Rice wine
    Vegetable Stirred Rice

    Dessert: Crème Brule

  • Shoggi Chocolate (SF): SEXY DISHES Chocolate Package has a value of $ 13.25 and is offered to anyone with a copy of Sexy Dishes for only $ 6.50 (1/2 price)

    SEXY DISHES Chocolate Package: A Combination of our drinking chocolate (regular size, value $ 3.75), four of our best selling pieces of chocolate and pastries (around $ 7), as well as one of our popular macaroons (value $ 2.50). The customer can choose his favorite pieces from a selection of over 80 different chocolates and pastries, as well as 7 different flavors of macaroons, or just follow our recommendation. This is a great way to get a taste of SCHOGGI.

  • More Sexy Dishes Customers Specials to come soon!

Featured chefs, mixologists and chocolatiers in the new Bay Area Edition of SEXY DISHES include Sky Wegman (83 Proof), Adam Jones (Market Street Grill), Jamie Lauren (Absinthe), Lewis Rossman (Sam’s Chowder House), Steve Adler (Sacred Chocolate), Jill Ann Cosentino (Dolce Vita Catering), Alex Molitz (Supperclub), Lara Graham Truppelli (Beach Chalet), Amy Heater (Park Chalet), Taylor Boudreaux (California Cafe), Stephanie Marcon (Coco-luxe Confections), Iris Eisenlohr (Piacere Restaurant), Justine Miner (RNM Restaurant), Cynthia Wong-Chen (Shanghai 1930), Mindy Fong (Jade Chocolates), Tony Diiorio (Poggio Trattoria), Devon Boisen (Spenger’s Fresh Fish Grotto), Dominik Schieweck (Schoggi Chocolate), Ben Paula (Sauce Restaurant), David Lawrence (1300 on Fillmore), Rachel Bassignani (Spruce), Alex Marsh (Levende East), David Borges (Cafe Claude), Dominique Crenn (Luce), and Eric Joppie (Mayacama).

TasteTV Events include:

This blog from the contributors, producers and correspondents at TasteTV at TasteTV.com. technorati tags:, , , , , , , , , , , , ,