The Vegan Tea and Fruit Set is HERE

Isn't that a grand set of truffles? All vegan. Finally, the vegans can have their own tea set. This tea set is composed of 9 vegan tea truffles. We have three (3) black, three (3) oolong and three (3) green tea tuffles, handmade, hand decorated and delicious. Just go to Life by Chocolate and enjoy.

Saratoga, Chocolate and Maestro's, what a treat

Kim and I went to Saratoga the other day to travel around and see the city. Tomorrow we were supposed to go to NYC but the wind advisory says it will be WINDY. We will have to go after Christmas. Sigh.

We went to a chocolatier in Saratoga Springs, fun. The whole place smelled like chocolate. We didn't get a chance to stop in either at Lake Champlain or at Saratoga Sweets. Another day, perhaps. This place was a candy shop with tons of inexpensively made chocolates. Morgan, one of my assistants, who likes the sweet stuff, loved the white chocolate, marshmallow and coconut blob I bought her.

We ate dinner at Maestro and had a great window seat. The magic was only slightly tarnish by someone on the phone complaining about computer deliveries continuously. Indeed, I could have done without that. However, Maestro was the only place in town that had a menu that attracted us. And you have got to love this window seat.

Kim ignored the yammering and had a better time. I guess we were so early that the manager had to do her business in the restaurant. It's a small place.

The first course I had was a crab cake. Very nice. Too much mayo for my taste. I like Max's better at the Brasserie but this one was very good. I loved the crunch. Nice texture and contrast. I could have done without the extra blob of sauce but did love the spinach underneath it.

Kim had the arugula salad. She loved it. You can't go wrong with arugula for Kim.

For a main course, Kim had the gnocchi. Looking over my shoulder just now, Kim remarked that it looks better than it tasted. Whereas I liked the veal ragout that it was served with, a little salty, the gnocchi itself was heavy, like lead. Shame. Don't get the gnocchi. The rest of what we had was good though.

I had the duck. The duck meatballs were good but not Perilla good. Still, though, if you like meatballs and you like duck, eat these.

Kim also liked the butter studded with what looks like Red Kai Hawaiian Sea Salt. Kim also liked the bread. I thought it was pretty good, too. They served flatbread as well. And at the end, we were too stuffed for dessert but they served very well made bark. Nicely done.

Maestro's

Any place with a heated water dish for dog's gets not only a thumbs up but also a return visit.

Kim, Hudson and Bree: Winter Wonderland

What better title for these pictures. Here are some pictures of my lovely wife, Kim and our silly dogs.



It's snowing outside.



The dogs have been itching to go out in the snow. We've been so busy with chocolate, guests and office work that we have not been taking the dogs out.

Bree is taking a break and where does she does put on the brakes but behind Kim while she is knitting.

But with snow this beautiful, powdery, ski worthy snow, everyone wanted to go outside. So, Kim and I took them out to play.

Where's Hudson? Oh, that's right, Bree is trouncing him.



We all love to play catch.

We had to bring them in early because they were getting cold.