Juan J's Desserts

Juan J's is a LA based producer of pre-packaged Mexican style creamy desserts.  They make three styles of flan, along with rice pudding, a few different gelatins (some with fruit), and a custard dessert (jericalla - a fascinating sounding cross between flan and creme brûlée).

I discovered Juan J's in the refrigerated section at my local corner market, Bayside Market, next to the pre-made Jello and nasty Kozy Shack puddings.  I didn't really have high hopes, since it was a packaged product, but I sure do love my puddings, so I gave it a try.  I'm so glad I did!  Bayside Market only carries the rice pudding and flan, and since I don't tend to like flan I didn't try that, but I'm now on a quest to find other places that sell Juan J's products, particularly the jericalla.  Even if it is a cross with flan, my love of creme brûlée makes me very interested.  If you spot this around San Francisco, let me know!

Arroz con leche.

The rice pudding didn't really look like much.  Just pre-packaged rice pudding.  How good could it be?

The answer: it was astonishingly good.  The top was covered in cinnamon, a really flavorful strong cinnamon.  The pudding itself was creamy.  It wasn't too thick, it wasn't too thin, just enough liquid to make it a pudding, not at all runny.  It was sweetened, but not too sweet.  I think there was some vanilla as well.  The rice was well cooked, not too mushy, not too al dente.

I was ready to have to doctor it up, adding some fruit compote, or other spices, or nuts, or something to it, like I have with so many other rice puddings I've tried.  Since I had so many ideas on how I'd "fix it", assuming it would be bad, I had a few lined up to try (including a fresh berry compote), and I did try some that way, but quickly regretted it.  It really was just perfect as it was.  I should have left it alone.

I tend to order rice pudding whenever I see it on menus at restaurants, since I can really love it, but usually I am disappointed.  This didn't suffer from any of the common ailments, like by the incredibly watery version from Lahore Karahi or the goopy, flavorless one from Camino.  It was even better than the decent baked one from Tuba, or the elegant one at Cyrus.  Yes, this pre-packaged one was better than any restaurant version I recall having.

I thought the serving size looked too big, but quickly realized it wasn't going to be a problem.  I devoured it.  It was great as a dessert, paired with a coffee to which I added cinnamon.  I intended to save half for breakfast the next morning (don't judge! Totally acceptable breakfast food!), and serve it warm, but alas, I had no restraint and never got to it.  Whoops.  Next time :)

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Deli @ Bayside Market

Bayside Market is a corner store and deli, located just a few blocks from my house.  It is part of the RJ's Market Chain, which also includes RJ's Market in Levi Plaza and Rincon Market (a few blocks in the other direction from my house).

The locations are all a bit different, but are corner stores tailored to the SF neighborhoods in which they are embedded.  For example, they carry an impressive line up of higher end chocolates, the cream cheese selection is small but of course includes a non-dairy option, and their liquor selection is quite large given the overall store size.  They also all have delis with assorted pre-made salads, they make sandwiches to order, and have huge salad bars.

I needed some easy cold dishes for take-out, and I've kinda been craving deli salads, so I checked out the deli and the salad bar offerings.  Over a few visits, I've tried many of their salads.  All seemed to be fresh and made with quality ingredients, but some of the flavors didn't work for me.  But others were great.  It seemed very hit or miss.  I wish they were the sort of place that let you sample before buying, since they varied widely!

Thai inspired pasta salad. $8.49/lb.

I was told this was a Thai pasta salad. It seemed to have egg noodles, mushrooms, pea tendrils, roasted red peppers, and almond slivers in a peanut based sauce.  I guess the peanut sauce is what made it Thai?  The noodles were decently cooked, a bit mushy, but not bad. The mushrooms were wild mushrooms, not just button mushrooms, and they added a good heartiness.  Roasted red peppers added good flavor, far better than regular raw red pepper.  The almonds gave a good crunch.  I just love pea tendrils, so I was thrilled to see them instead of more classic spinach for the greens.  I was very surprised to see them using an expensive ingredient like that in the pasta salad, as it was wilted and lost in the dressing.  I wish it was allowed to shine more!

Speaking of the dressing.  I didn't really like it.  Sorta peanut flavored, but not really.  Creamy, but ... I dunno.  Something didn't come together for me with this.

I really appreciated the mix of ingredients in here, the use of wild mushrooms, roasted peppers, and pea tendrils, but sadly, I didn't like the salad.  My least favorite, and I didn't even finish it.  Priced fairly high per pound at $8.49, which I guess makes sense given the pea shoots?  I was a little surprised though, as it was higher priced than most of the salads, including the seafood options.

Shrimp salad. $7.59/lb.

This came out of the salad bar.  The shrimp were small size, but nicely cooked, not rubbery, not fishy.  The seasoning on them was really impressive, strong salt and pepper flavor.  The entire thing was fresh and light, with tomatoes, red onion, chives.

I liked this one, my second favorite, and I'd get it again if I was nearby and needed something simple.  $7.59/lb was a tiny bit high, but not bad for seafood.

Vegan Brocoli Salad. $8.49/lb.

This looked like the broccoli crunch salad from Whole Foods, which I always absolutely love.  In fact, the ingredients are almost identical: brocoli, red onion, cashews, and bacon, in a creamy dressing.  Except, in this case, the bacon is vegan.  And I think the dressing must be too.

The brocoli was nicely cooked, still crunchy.  Like the Whole Foods version, I liked the red onion and cashews with it.  But ... the vegan bacon?  So strange tasting.  I have nothing against fake meat proteins, but I didn't like this.  The dressing also wasn't as creamy as the Whole Foods one.  Basically, it just made me want the Whole Foods one!  Second to last favorite, I wouldn't get again.

Priced the same as the first salad, at $8.49/lb, which again seemed a bit high, but it did have the specialty vegan ingredients.

Calamari Salad. $16.99/lb.

This calamari salad, featured both bodies and rings, along with celery, and peppers.  Light and refreshing.

The calamari bodies were nicely cooked, not rubbery, but a bit fishy.  But the rings were very chewy.  I didn't like this, and I wouldn't get it again.

The price per pound on this was a whopping $16.99, making this small container $9.  Definitely not worth it.

San Francisco Potato Salad. $4.49.

Next, a classic potato salad.  I love potato salad. No egg.

Very creamy dressing, lots and lots of mayo.  The potatoes were in really nice size chunks and were well cooked, not too mushy, not too crisp.  But, I didn't really like something in the seasoning.  I'm not sure what it was, but this wasn't a winner for me, and I wouldn't get it again.

Priced at only $4.49/lb, which seemed totally reasonable.

Jane's Honey Mustard Pasta Salad. $6.49/lb.

I was told by the guy at the deli that this was his absolute favorite of their salads.

Penne pasta, sundried tomatoes, black olives, in a creamy dressing, again mayo based.  I didn't really taste a strong honey mustard flavor, but there was a slight sweetness, which I liked.  I again appreciated the sundried tomatoes.  But, like the potato salad, it was over dressed.  The tubes were full of dressing, so you'd often bite into one and a mouth full of mayo would squirt out.  I like mayo dressings, but blech.  Once I squeezed out some of the dressing, it was my third favorite of the salads, but I'm not sure I'd get it again.

Coleslaw. $4.49/lb.

I also really love coleslaw.  Classic coleslaw.  Really crisp cabbage, in assorted size chunks.  I was impressed by how fresh and crispy it was.  Creamy mayo based dressing.  Very, very dressed, but I liked it.  Not remarkable, but solid.  My favorite of the salads, and I'd get it again if I was in the mood for some slaw.

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Tavern Dining at Home Hill Inn

As you may have noticed, I really like Home Hill Inn.  It is by far the best restaurant I've been to in NH, and rivals those in San Francisco.  During my recent visit to see my family, I was determined to fit in as many meals there as possible, to experience the full variety of what they have to offer, since I'd only dined in the regular dining room before.  So I went for a formal tasting menu with a group in the private room early on in my visit.  I went for brunch a few days later.  But I also wanted to check out their tavern (really, just a bar area, but they call it a tavern).

The tavern features a large bar with seating, along with a few tables for 2-4 people.  They don't take reservations for the tavern, you just drop in, and it is a more casual environment.  You can order off the full dinner menu, but they also have a section of "Tavern Fare".  And on Tuesday nights, they have live music.

My last night in town was a Tuesday, and I was still really sad that I never got to have their fish & chips at brunch a few days earlier, so I somehow managed to convince my mom to go back to Home Hill for the third time, in less than a week.  My dad agreed to join us, but it was clear he wasn't remotely interested, as he is most certainly NOT a foodie, and even the tavern fare was a bit exotic for him.  But ... I have been wanting that fish & chips since I first read Home Hill's menu back in December, and tried to get my sister to go with me to the tavern back then, but she wasn't interested.  And it was on the menu the night we did the tasting menu, but alas, not on ours (I know, I know, fish & chips isn't really tasting menu appropriate, but I've been wanting it so badly!).  And it is normally on the brunch menu, but as I mentioned before, the morning we went, it was replaced with fried lobster.  So I was determined to finally get my haddock before I left!

When we arrived, I was a bit surprised that their was no live music.  I asked our server when the music was suppose to start, and she said they had cancelled.  Darn!  It would have made for a fun atmosphere, but no worry, we were there for the food anyway.

I almost cried when I saw the menu.  It seems that Tuesday nights are completely scaled back.  Their website actually says they aren't even open on Tuesday nights, so perhaps they are just experimenting with a smaller offering?  The starters section of the menu and the flatbreads were about the same as when we were there the other night, but both the entrees and tavern fare options were greatly reduced.  For tavern fare, there was only a burger, lobster roll, or bratwurst.  NO FISH & CHIPS.  So I was pretty disappointed, but I also knew that the other night they had some great sounding main entrees, like scallops.  So I moved my eyes down to that part of the menu.  It was shockingly short.  And ... no scallops.  No other seafood at all, other than the halibut dish that I had already.  I was pretty devastated.

The lack of live music and menu disappointment turned out to be just the start of a string of disappointments throughout the evening.  Everything about the food was almost the polar opposite of what we had experienced on all of our previous visits.  I've raved in the past about the amazing execution of everything - the fish, the vegetables, the sauces, everything was just so well done before.  Everything was expertly seasoned.  None of that was true this night.

The only shining star goes to our server, who was really friendly and nice, even when I was asking annoying questions, like "Are you sure you don't have any fish and chips?  Or scallops?"  She did tell me that seafood delivery day is Wednesday, so that is why there wasn't any other seafood.  She even noticed that we looked a bit cold, and quickly offered to cover up the AC vents (with menus - genius).

Had this been my first visit to Home Hill, I would never return.  If someone asked me to go back, I'd suggest other places.  My previous visits have been such highlights however, that I do still firmly intend to return next time I am in town.  I'd even still try the tavern, as I don't think it was being seated in there that was the issue.  I'll just be very sure not to ever go on a Tuesday.  It pains me greatly to write this review, and is perhaps the most tormented I've ever been reviewing somewhere.

House-made Potato Chips.

After we placed our order, we were brought the customary basket of house-made Home Hill goodness.  At brunch, the basket is filled with seasonal muffins.  At dinner in the main dining room, it is filled with fresh bread.  Apparently, in the pub (or perhaps on Tuesday nights in general?), it is filled with chips.

They were served warm, clearly fresh and made in-house, but very oily, and not really seasoned.  I didn't like them at all, but my parents devoured them.  My father, who never has anything to say about any food he tries, even commented on how they were better than the ones my mom normally purchases.  I guess if you like plain chips, these were good?  I dunno, I just don't ever eat plain chips, I prefer them flavored, or at least with a dip to dunk in.

Cherry Pig: Cherry Heering Infused Whistle Pig Rye Bourbon, Muddled Cherries, Urban Moonshine Maple Bitters.  $14. 

Since I wasn't all that enthralled with the wines on my previous visit, I decided to try a cocktail.  Their cocktail menu was impressive, really creative sounding drinks, all blended with local ingredients (like the bellini I had at brunch!).

I was first drawn towards the sweet, fruity creations, but decided they wouldn't pair well with my meal, and I was sitting in a tavern, so a rye drink just somehow appealed.  Like the rest of the drinks, it was made with local ingredients: the maple bitters and even the rye itself from Vermont producers.

While I wasn't looking for a sweet drink, I was shocked by how NOT sweet this was.  I expected the cherries and maple to impart some sweetness, but this really was an intense rye drink, and very bitter.  The first few sips I didn't like very much, and I just pulled out my cherries and enjoyed them.  As the ice cubes melted a bit, and I re-adjusted my expectations, it really grew on me.  By the end, I was sad to have finished it.

It was creative, good, and I enjoyed it, but I probably wouldn't order it again.  The price seemed high, normal San Francisco prices even, which I didn't expect given how reasonable all their other prices are (food, wines, etc).

Red Sangria: Pinot Noir, Orange, Grapefruit, Pineapple.  $12.

My mother also decided on a cocktail.  I apparently was a very bad influence on her, as she commented that she drank more during my week-long visit than the previous six months combined.  Whoops.

Her sangria was fruity and sweet, about what you'd expect.  A large size, justifying its $12 price.

My dad called us lushes and drank water :)

Roasted Heirloom Beets and Tender Greens Salad: Basil Vinaigrette, Easter Egg radish, Sheep's milk cheese.  $9.

As we were deciding what to order, we heard a guest at a nearby table ask, "Excuse me, is this the beet salad?"  The server responded, "Yes, that is your heirloom beet salad".  The diner than asked, "Well, then, isn't it supposed to ... contain beets?"  I chuckled inside as the server whisked it away.  I assumed there was just a mistake with their salad.

My mom loves beets.  She has been ordering beet dishes everywhere we've gone, so I wasn't surprised that she ordered this as a starter.  Given the description, she expected beets to be prominent.  They weren't.  There were just a few tiny pieces of beet in the entire thing, along with a few shaved radish slices.

It looked good to me though, mostly composed of the greens, which I expected to be fresh, crispy, and delicious, like the greens from our brunch dishes.  So while she was disappointed, I was about to dig in, when she made it pretty clear that the salad was not a winner, and not even worth trying.

She said the greens were all gritty, like they hadn't been washed.  They were dressed with a vinaigrette that she said was really just heavy oil.  And, she said the entire thing needed salt.  I often pick on her for saying that things are TOO salty, saying she just doesn't have a "chef's palette", so it was striking that she thought it was under-seasoned.

There was also a slice of cheese, just listed on the menu as "Sheep's milk cheese", we have no idea what kind it was, which is odd, given that they seem to pride themselves on listing all of their producers.

My mom did not bother finishing this dish.

Cheese Boa rd: Jasper Hill Bayley Hazen Blue, Spring Brook Farm Tarentaise, Crostini, Blueberries, Champagne Grapes, Honeycomb.  $8 ($4 each).

My dad, as I've mentioned, is a bit of a non-adventurous eater.  All of the starters were too exotic for him, save the cheese board.  On the menu, it listed "choice of local cheese", $4 each.  He ordered the cheese board, and the server asked what cheese he'd like.  He asked what they had ... and she realized we had no cheese menu.  In fact, they didn't have a cheese menu anywhere.  She left to go print one out somewhere.  It took quite a while for her to return, and my mom had already received her salad by the time he was able to order his cheeses.

My father also doesn't really know cheeses.  He had no idea how to pick.  I asked what he liked, and eventually garnered that he does like blue cheese and swiss cheese, so I selected the single blue cheese, and one that was listed as "alpine-style" for him.

We had the blue, Jasper Hill Bayley Hazen, at our tasting menu a few nights earlier.  It was about the same as that night.  The other selection was from Spring Brook Farm, in Reading, VT, also a cow's milk cheese.  It was nutty and firm, a decent cheese.

For his sides, he received the same crostini, grapes, and honeycomb that we had, but he also was given blueberries.  He doesn't talk much about food, so I don't really have a sense of how much he enjoyed this, but it was his first time trying honeycomb (which I made him try with the blue, since I loved it so much when I had it).  He didn't like it.

Local BLT Flatbread: Applewood bacon, garden greens, heirloom tomatoes, aioli. $15.

For his main, my father stuck with a mashup of two things he knows: pizza and BLTs.  Again, I don't have a sense of how much he liked it, as he wouldn't really say.

I did try a few bites, and was impressed with how crispy the crust was, but overall, it was lacking much punch.  The aioli had no flavor, so it was really just a crispy crust with a few chunks of tomato, the same greens that my mom had from her salad, and bacon, on top.  The tomatoes were fresh and quite good, but they weren't enough to really make this pop.

I liked the presentation on the bread board.

Lobster Roll: shallot, garlic, celery, Meyer lemon aioli, fries.  $19.

As I've mentioned, my mother loves lobster.  We had it a number of times during my visit, as she was thrilled to have someone else around to eat seafood with her, as my dad eats none.  She has been talking about lobster rolls all week, so this was a no brainer for her.

The lobster roll itself was fairly unremarkable, again, no real seasoning.  There seemed to be too much bread for the roll, and it kinda fell aspart the moment she picked it up.  She isn't carb-adverse or anything, but left behind huge chunks of bread.  She said it masked all other flavors.  We weren't sure where the meyer lemon aioli was, perhaps that was the light dressing on the lobster?  It wasn't overdressed at least, but we were expecting aioli to dunk the fries in.

Speaking of the fries, they were mostly cold when they arrived.  Not just not warm, but stone cold. Well, most of them, a few were actually warm.  Very inconsistent.  Like the chips, really oily.

They weren't listed on the menu, but it also came with slaw and pickles.  The slaw had strong seasoning, unlike everything else we encountered that night, and it was crispy and fresh, but something wasn't right.  The assorted pickles were good, not very vinegary.

Overall, my mother did not like this.  She ate the lobster out of the bread, but didn't find it to be that good.  She left a huge portion of the roll untouched.  She only ate a few fries, only a bite of slaw.  She was quite disappointed all around.

Veal Masala: Gnocchi, Masala wine, cultivated mushrooms, pecorino.  $24.

Speaking of disappointment ... I was there because I wanted seafood.  As I mentioned, the main reason we were there is because they did not have the fish & chips when I went for brunch, but I knew the fish & chips were normally on their tavern menu.  I was there for one thing only: fish & chips!  And the only seafood option was the halibut that I'd already had.  Perhaps I should have just gone for the halibut again, but given that it seemed like the fish wasn't fresh, I branched out.

I asked our server about the veal.  It had been years since I'd had veal, but I know that veal can be quite delicious, and I do love mushrooms and gnocchi.  She raved about the dish, saying how tender it was.  So, I went for it.

I started with a bite of the veal. It was incredibly chewy, way, way overcooked.  Tender is not a word I'd ever use to describe it.  I was sad, but moved on to the gnocchi.  It was unremarkable, not the kind I like that is seared on the outside and creamy on the inside, all just the same, mushy consistency.  Mediocre gnocchi can be saved by a great sauce, but the sauce on this was actually the worst part of the dish.  It was really just a huge pool of oil, with tons of soggy mushrooms in it.

I was really upset with it, but kept trying a few bites.  I moved on to eating my mom's cold fries, or my dad's banal flatbread, as I just didn't want anything to do with mine.  I thought that perhaps I was just being a snob, or that it was just because I really wanted seafood that I disliked it so much, but my mom asked for some, since she didn't like her dish.  I gave her a plate full, and she immediately remarked on how bad it was, saying that it was overdone, and just a pile of grease.  She took one bite and pushed it away.  This was before I gave my evaluation, so I knew it wasn't just me.

At $24, this was one of their most pricy dishes, and it was certainly not worth the price.  Way overcooked, insanely oily, just no redeeming qualities, at all.

Cherry Cheesecake. $8.

I was seriously sad after the entrees.  It wasn't just that Home Hill wasn't living up to our previous experiences, it was really just not good.  My mom proposed going out to ice cream to make up for it, but it was kinda cold out, so I decided against it.  When our server mentioned that they had cheesecake, I perked up a bit.  The cheesecake preparation was  a cherry cheesecake, slightly different from the raspberry cheesecake from the tasting menu that I'd really liked a few nights before.  So, we got it.

It wasn't the same, at all.

First, look at how thick the crust was.  I think the ratio of crust to filling was about 60:40.  So much crust!  The crust was good, buttery, crumbly, but there was way too much of it.  This version did not have the thin chocolate layer between the crust and filling.  The filling was creamy, but didn't have much flavor.  It really didn't seem the same as the previous one, at all.  But overall, these components were all fine, just not as great as I expected given our prior cheesecake.

But the worst part was the topping.  The previous one we had came with a delicious raspberry coulis.  This was covered in what honestly seemed like canned cherries.  Thick, sweet, not remotely fresh.

Not pictured is the decaf coffee I ordered alongside my dessert.  Like all of the coffee I ordered at Home Hill, it was quite good, individual french press style.  Highlight of the meal for sure, and the only part of our dinner that was consistent with our previous experiences.

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Dole Fruit Crisps

I eat a lot of fruit, but it is generally fresh.  I'm spoiled living in Northern California, with a serious abundance of amazing fruit.  Sometimes I'll eat dried fruit, but canned?  No way.  Probably the only one of Dole's packaged products I'd ever even had before is the canned pineapple (which, as a child, I actually thought was the only way pineapple came - lols!).  But the fruit crisp line sounded great, in name anyway, as crisps are one of my favorite desserts.  If they were even halfway decent, I was sold, since nothing gets easier than opening up a package!

So yes, Dole Fruit Crisps are a totally random, totally generic grocery store item and ...  I really do like them!  I struggled deciding how to label these amazing cups of goodness.  One could argue that they make for a good breakfast (I certainly justified it to myself!).  Dole's marketing mostly positions them as a snack item.  Anyone who looks at the sugar content probably considers them dessert.  Regardless of what time of day you want to eat them, you should do just that: eat them!

Besides the sugar content, some of which obviously comes from the fruit (but there is added sugar), they are fairly healthy.  I won't tell you they are a health food item obviously, but they are fairly low fat, low calorie, and satisfying.  If you were having one for dessert, it would be a very guilt free item!

The fruit crisps come in several flavors: apple cinnamon, apple pear, and peach.  Each are standard Dole fruit packed in a fruit syrup, with a separate container of crumbled oat and brown sugar topping.  They are individually packaged, with two separate compartments, like those crazy yogurts with mix-ins, the crumble topping on top.

The packaging emphasizes how versatile they are, and I actually agree.  You can eat them at room temperature, making them a good snack/dessert to pack on a trip (imagine how jealous your seatmates will be on your next flight when you bust out apple crisp next to them!) or in a child's lunchbox.  You can stick them in the fridge and eat them chilled.  Or the containers are even microwave safe, so you can heat them up.  Who doesn't love warm fruit crisp?

You may wonder why I even encountered these in the first place.  I read about them a while ago, tons of rave reviews.  Perhaps my all time favorite dessert is warm fruit crisp served with ice cream.  Of course, I regularly eat warm fruit crisp, made with fresh, in season, local produce.  Why would I ever buy these?  Let's just call it a moment of weakness at the grocery store.  I went for the apple cinnamon, so it was chunks of apples, in a syrup, with cinnamon spicing.  To be honest, I had very low expectations, even though the internet was full of raving reviews.  I laughed at the fact that I was even purchasing packaged fruit.  I have no idea when I last ate something like this.

I wanted to evaluate them simply at first, and tried one right out of the fridge.  First I tried a bite of just the fruit.  It wasn't soggy.  It wasn't too crisp.  Hmm.  Clearly not fresh apples, but, not bad.  The syrup wasn't standard fruit syrup that canned fruit is packed in, instead, it was thicker, more like what belongs in a crisp.  It was sweet for sure, but nicely spiced with cinnamon.  Hmm.  Not bad.  I probably wouldn't want to just eat a cup of the fruit, as it was pretty sweet, but it was far better than expected.

Then I opened my crisp topping.  This is where I can be a serious snob.  When I get crisps at restaurants and the topping isn't actually crispy, or is just oats and not well spiced, I get so grumpy.  You may also recall that I've been on a quest to find granola I really enjoy, and I've been striking out over and over.  So, I really didn't think this would be much to write home about, and is clearly something I have opinions on.

I was wrong.  The topping was fantastic.  It was crunchy.  It was slightly sweetened, with a fantastic brown sugar flavor, not just sweet.  I could sprinkle on as much as I wanted.  And even better, there was plenty of it.  I had leftovers each time, and used it for other things later - topping for my own fruit crisp, stirred into yogurt, sprinkled over ice cream.  If I could buy just that topping, I would.

My first enjoyment of one of these was at breakfast, as I just couldn't wait.  Besides the sugar, it really isn't that bad as a breakfast item: fruit, whole grain oats, seems ok to me!  Add a dollop of yogurt and it turns into a complete breakfast.  I had half of one cold, while waiting for the other half to warm up (in the toaster oven, not in the microwave as they suggest ... because, seriously who uses microwaves?)  I actually preferred it cold, which surprised me, as I'm always a fan of warm crisp.  Perhaps as a breakfast item it made more sense cold?  Either way, a dollop of yogurt on top was nice to cut the sweetness, and convince my brain I was having breakfast, not dessert.

But of course, I really wanted to try it warm, with ice cream, as a dessert.

So, a few days later, I warmed up another one.  Sprinkled on the topping, and baked it that way.  It smelt great.  I took my first bite, and again, didn't like it much when it was warm.  It is like the sweetness just gets concentrated or something.  But the moment I added a scoop of vanilla ice cream, it was great!  Warm, sweet, decently spiced fruit.  Crunchy, equally well spiced topping.  Cold, creamy vanilla ice cream.  Quite tasty and satisfying.  Honestly, better than many crisps I've had at fancy restaurants.  This is clearly the winning way to enjoy it.

I found an individual serving too small.  It was gone in only a few bites!  I wanted more, more, more.  Yes, I licked the lid and scraped out every last drop.  I guess this is partially how they keep the nutrition stats fairly reasonable, and I do think they are mostly intended for children.  I did like that they provided plenty of the delicious oat topping though, no skimping there.

Will I go buy more of these?  Probably not, as I have access to plenty of fruit crisps regularly.  But if I didn't, they honestly weren't bad.

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Private Event Dining @ Wayfare Tavern

The news just broke that one of my favorite chefs, Joey Elenterio, has joined the kitchen at Tyler Florence's Wayfare Tavern.  I'm beyond excited.  My absolute top meal of 2012 was at Chez TJ, when he was the chef there.  Since he left Chez TJ, I've been anxiously awaiting the news to find out where he would wind up.  I was hoping it would be in San Francisco.  And it is!  I can't wait to see what he does with the menu and concept there.

But before he started, I attended a special event at Wayfare Tavern.  It had been a couple years since I last visited.  I only had vague memories of my previous visit.  I remembered the warm popovers in place of standard bread service.  I remembered that everyone loves their fried chicken.  I remembered that I thought the burger was just too fatty, with too much cheese, too greasy.  But I also remembered that the dessert was insanely good.

But back to this visit, for a special event. It was held in one of their private rooms, the Bartlett Room, a really nice space.  Rich mahogany panelling, hardwood floors, a private bar, attached private bathrooms.  Overlooking a wine cellar.  Really a great venue, particularly suited for a business lunch, as it has flat screen TVs with audio/visual hookups for presentations.

On our tables was a printed menu with a starter, 3 entrees, a side, and a dessert listed, so I thought we'd all select which entree we wanted.  I was confused when no one came to take our orders, and food just started showing up.  The entire meal was all done family style, with insane portions.  Each person really did receive a full starter, 3 entrees, a side, and a dessert.  It was a bit crazy.

The service was ok, but the way the food was brought out was really strange.  Some tables were served long before others, the side came out way ahead of the entrees, and we had a really long lag before the last entree.  Since I actually only wanted that one (I didn't want the fried chicken or the burger), it was really awkward, as I had no idea when it would be arriving, and it of course arrived last, after a really long lag.  They seem to do lots of group events like this, but the service was really not polished.

Lemonade.

Since this was a business lunch event, we were offered only soft drinks, iced tea, and lemonade rather than alcohol.  Since I'm not really a soda person, and I didn't want the caffeine, I went for lemonade.

This was not good lemonade, it was very, very sweet, and not tart.  It tasted like it came from a mix.  I did not like it at all.

Fresh Popover.

One of Wayfare's signature items is their fresh popovers, delivered at the start of a meal instead of basic bread.  Served with butter and salt on the side.

These were good popovers.  I was impressed that they were delivered so fresh and steaming hot, even to a large group of our size.  They were light and fluffy, slightly eggy.

The butter on the side was hard, but since the popovers were still so hot, it melted easily into them.

Good, but, I felt like something was missing.  Since it was served with only butter, I wanted some herbs or ... something.  Or maybe I just want popovers for breakfast with jam instead.

Di Stefano Burrata, Summer Harvest Caponata, Grilled Sourdough, Extra Virgin Olive Oil. 

Since this was a large event, everything was served family-style.

Under the massive amount of burrata was grilled sourdough crostini.  It was very crunchy, and made the dish very hard to eat with knife and fork.  It seemed more like finger food, except that there was so much topping that it made it hard to eat that way too.

The burrata, as I hoped, was creamy and delicious.  Man, I love burrata.  I was amused at my tablemates, most of whom didn't know what burrata was, had never heard of it, and eventually concluded that it was mozzarella.  I tried to explain that no, it wasn't just mozzarella, but they didn't believe me.  They are missing out!

On top of the burrata was a "summer harvest caponata", made up of eggplant, pine nuts, olives, capers. It was very flavorful, but I didn't think it went all that well with the burrata.

Overall, this dish was ok, but really all that I liked was the burrata itself.  It also seemed like it was missing something, and in this case, I really think it needed some olive oil, which was listed on the menu, but wasn't present in the dish (besides on the crostini).   I probably wouldn't order this again.

Grilled Asparagus.

For a side dish, we had a platter of grilled asparagus.  The amount of asparagus for our table size seemed pretty off.  Most of us got only 1-2 spears.  I was trying to not be greedy, even though I really wanted more.  The last person to receive the platter actually didn't get any.

It was ok grilled asparagus, nothing spectacular, topped with bread crumbs.  On the regular lunch menu for $8.  I wouldn't get it again.

WayFare burger “Le Grand”: Grilled Onions, Smoked Bacon, Garlic Aioli, Brie Cheese, Brioche.

The first entree was a huge platter of their famous fried chicken, with enough for every person to have about 2 pieces.  Since I knew how much other food was coming, and I don't really like chicken, I skipped it.  But my tablemates seemed to think it lived up to the hype. It looked fresh and crispy.

The next entree was a platter of burgers.  This was really weird to have family style.  Each burger was cut in half, so each person got half a burger.

The burger is another one of their signature dishes, and what I ordered when I visited Wayfare Tavern for dinner before, after reading about how amazing it was supposed to be.  It has all the right petigree: a high end blend of beef, Mt. Tam cheese, Panorama bun, Nueske's Bacon.  I remembered that I didn't really like it before, and wasn't going to have one this time.  But, the final entree was no where in sight, and after skipping the fried chicken, I was hungry, and felt weird not eating anything when everyone around me was.

The whole thing was again just way too greasy for me, which is what you expect with high fat percentage (75!) beef, along with brioche, cheese, and bacon.  It also was served cold.  Downside of group dining for sure, and it seems like such a strange choice to put on a family-style menu.

The brie was nicely melted, but kinda congealed since it wasn't hot, and it was a really, really thin layer.  I thought this thing was known for oozing with the delicious cheese?  I'm pretty sure it was Mt. Tam, which I tend to adore.

The bacon was unremarkable, not as crispy as I'd like.  The grilled red onion was a giant hunk.  Sadly, it was my favorite part of the burger.  It was already slathered in aioli, that didn't seem very garlicky.

The beef itself is a mix of short rib, brisket, prime rib, and filet.  It should have been very flavorful, but it wasn't.  Perhaps I was just too distracted by it being cooked way more than I'd ever order (it was pretty much medium-well).  A shame for quality meat!

I would not get this again, which is exactly what I thought when I got it the other time I visited the restaurant.  Normally $19.

Seared Ahi Tuna: Carrot puree, roasted carrots, crispy ginger, soy caramel.

Finally, after everyone else had already consumed 2 pieces of fried chicken, a half a huge burger, burrata, and popovers, the final entree arrived.  It was the one I had wanted all along.

Seared ahi, served over a carrot puree, with roasted carrots, a soy caramel drizzle, and crispy ginger.  Another strange one to have family style, as many people didn't get all of the components.  There certainly weren't enough of everything to go around, and when serving off a big platter, it was hard to get some of everything.

The ahi was ok, nicely barely seared, but it wasn't very flavorful and was kinda stringy and chewy.  The soy caramel drizzle was tasty and went well with it, and with the carrots.

The roasted carrots were nicely cooked, and I liked how they included coins of large carrots, and full baby carrots.  The carrot puree was creamy and flavorful, but seemed really, really strange to pair with tuna.  Trio of carrot preparations was fun, but ... carrots and ahi?

The best part was a roasted baby carrot with soy caramel, but I wouldn't order this again.

A normal lunch portion is $28.

Mini Chocolate Cupcake.

And to finish, we received a platter of mini chocolate cupcakes, with 1-2 per person.  We all loved these.

Fairly moist chocolate cake, creamy, sweet frosting, fun little chocolate pearls.  Best dish of the meal.

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Brunch at Home Hill Inn

Home Hill Inn, truly, a hidden gem of a restaurant, located in rural New Hampshire, near my hometown.  Since discovering it on my last holiday visit, I now have an additional reason to visit my family! (just joking, Hi MOM!)

On my recent visit this summer, I was determined to make up for lost time, and experience all that Home Hill Inn had to offer.  I started with a visit for a six-course formal tasting menu, in the private room, with my mother and a group of her friends.  It was wonderful, as expected, and I quickly made a reservation for my next adventure: brunch!  Have I mentioned that I love brunch food?

I didn't actually know much about their brunch, as there are only a handful reviews of the restaurant on Yelp, and all are about dinner.  I had heard that unlike many restaurants, the executive chef actually works brunch service, which sounded encouraging.  And I did see many reviews of the Inn itself (the restaurant is actually part of a bed and breakfast) mention the fantastic breakfast, but unfortunately, that is offered only to Inn guests.  Brunch is offered to the public only on Sunday mornings.  I was in town for only one Sunday, and I had my priorities.  We were going to brunch at Home Hill!

I invited my mother and father to join me, along with my father's sister who was also visiting from out of town, and my grandmother, their mother.  Since I've reviewed the regular dining room before several times, I'll skip those details, and focus only on our particular dining experience this time around.

The brunch menu isn't huge, but contains a little something for everyone, including many different types of egg dishes (omelets, scrambles, benedicts, baked eggs, etc), along with more classic options like waffles, and lunch style dishes like lobster rolls and burgers.

As on my first visit, I found the atmosphere incredibly charming, comfortable, and just a really great place for a special, but not too formal, brunch.  It was light-filled, open, and bright.  Equally charming was the much older couple seated across the room, clearly regulars, on a first name basis with all the staff, who dinned with their newspapers and crosswords out.  They were so adorable.

Our service was much better at brunch than at our dinner a few nights earlier.  There were a few mis-steps (forgetting my grandmother's maple syrup and my home fries), but otherwise, it was friendly, comfortable, and informative.  Our server seemed genuinely happy to answer all my questions and tell me details about all of the dishes and their product sourcing (as I mentioned last time, they are uber local about their sourcing).

It turns out, like dinner, Home Hill serves a very good brunch (although the amazing brunch from Baker and Banker is still the most memorable brunch I've ever had!).  I highly recommend it if you are looking for a brunch spot near Lebanon, NH, and you can be sure that I will be making it a point to return again.  I wish it was offered on days other than Sunday however, as I am often not there on a Sunday, or have other plans that day since it is often the only day that high school and college friends who are still in the area are free.  I somewhat joking told my mom that next time I might just need to stay at Home Hill rather than her house, in order to have their morning breakfast.  She uh, was not amused.

Raspberry Bellini.

I wasn't planning to order an alcoholic drink at brunch, but when the server asked if we'd like any drinks to start, my mom asked about mimosas.  I was amused, as my mom isn't exactly known for being a drinker.  She did go for a mimosa, which she seemed to enjoy.  I decided to follow suit, and picked a bellini.  I had the choice of peach or raspberry, but couldn't make up my mind, and just had the server pick for me.

She selected raspberry.  It was made with Raspberry Liqueur from Flag Hill, a New Hampshire Winery and Distillery.  I told you they source everything locally, even the liqueurs!

It was sweet, sparkly, fruity, pretty nice.  I don't drink a lot of bellinis, so I don't have much to compare it to, but it was a fun celebratory way to start the meal.

Bloody Mary.

My aunt went for the bloody mary.  Never my drink of choice, so I didn't try a sip, but she enjoyed it, and said it was flavorful, but not too spicy.  They won points for the serious stalk of celery :)

My father and grandmother didn't follow us in our morning drinking, but each had a fresh fruit juice, and enjoyed them.

Decaf French Press.

I also ordered a coffee, which is what I was intending to drink all along, decaf of course.  I remembered that on my first visit I was impressed with their decaf coffee at dinner, and was looking forward to some good coffee, which is so rare for decaf.

It was served in a small french press, with a stick of rock candy, and a small pitcher of cream.  I'm a little confused as to why it was in a french press however, as it didn't actually have any grounds in it.  Even more puzzling was the fact that I was instructed to give it another few minutes.  But there weren't any grounds.  Hmmm.

The server also specified as she sat it down that it was decaf, which is always a touch I greatly appreciate.  I always fear that someone will confuse things and bring me regular, and that extra clarification relieves me.

The coffee was again great.  Light, but with a fair amount of flavor, bitter, complex.  It didn't have any decaf funk to it.  Amusingly, it turned out to be Green Mountain Coffee's House Blend.  Nothing fancy, but it was fresh, it was well prepared, and I'd order it again in a heartbeat.  In fact, I did order a second one later that morning.

House Made Wild Berry Muffins.

After we ordered, we were brought a basket of muffins.  I wasn't expecting this, but it seems that they always bring a basket of muffins, instead of a bread basket, at brunch.  They weren't mini muffins, rather, full size, and one for each of us.  A large muffin can be pretty filling for me, and if I knew we'd be getting these, I probably would have opted to split an entree with someone.  Or maybe skipped the scone I had earlier fort breakfast that morning.

As I mentioned in my last review, they run an extensive bread program, with all breads made in-house, including the muffins. It sounds like they also make muffins for the inn guests at breakfast daily, with flavors changing all the time, as you'd expect, based on what is in season.  I'm still so impressed that a restaurant this size does all their own breads!

For us, the muffins were described as wild berry, which seemed to be blueberry.  They were good, not remarkable, but clearly fresh, served warm, and had an interesting citrus note to them.

The most memorable part of the muffin basket wasn't the muffins itself however.  It was the butter served with them!  Like all dairy served at Home Hill, it came from MacNamara Dairy, right down the street.  It was incredible butter.  Obviously, butter is always a great ingredient, but I honestly didn't know butter could be so delicious.  I love sauces and condiments in general, but butter isn't something I normally would rave about on its own, particularly just plain butter.  But this was seriously good butter.  If it was socially acceptable to do so, I probably would have tried some plain, just to really taste it!

Side dish: Fruit Salad.

All breakfast dishes were served with our choice of home fries, fruit salad, or mixed greens salad.  My mom is the only one who went the healthy route, opting for the fruit, while the rest of us all went for home fries.

Her bowl of fruit was brought out well in advance of the entrees.  It contained mostly just cantaloupe, from the Edgewater Farm down the street.  Super ripe, incredibly fresh.  Since I have a melon allergy, I didn't try any of it.  She enjoyed it, but wished there was more variety in her fruit salad.  There were only a few blueberries, and perhaps some honeydew, but essentially, it was a bowl of cantaloupe.

Eggs Benedict, House Cured Salmon, House Made English Muffins.  $15.

Home Hill is known for their Eggs Benedict.  They offer several varieties, and they change regularly.  Our choices that day for toppings were butter poached lobster, house cured salmon, heirloom tomatoes, or bacon.  Since we had so much lobster in the previous few days, my mom went for the salmon.

I of course needed to try a bite of it, as it was the dish I almost ordered myself.  It would have been my first pick if the english muffins were not sourdough, but, I'm a horrible San Franciscan who just doesn't like sourdough, so I decided against ordering it myself.

This was pretty textbook Benedict, which I don't mean in a bad way.  The eggs were perfectly poached.  Just the right amount of hollandaise, not swimming in it, but plenty available to soak up with the english muffins, which were, of course, house made.  The english muffins were perfectly toasted.  They were fresh and fluffy, and not too sourdough-y.  I could have easily ordered this dish and been happy.

It was garnished with scattering of sprouts, insanely fresh, tender, and far more flavorful than I knew sprouts could be.  I'm guessing they were picked just minutes before.  And as you can see, well seasoned with fresh pepper already on top.

As with all my meals at Home Hill, I was shocked by the price.  $15, which included the fruit salad, and the starter muffins.  My mother really enjoyed this, and would order again.  She continued to talk about it for days later.

Beet and Egg White Omelet: Shallot, Goat Cheese, Broccoli.  House Made English Muffins, Home Fries.  $14.

My aunt is vegetarian, and I think she was surprised by her plentiful choices.  She lives in Southern California now, but is not accustomed to rural NH actually offering her options!  There was the heirloom tomato topped benedict, a wild mushroom scramble, and several other dishes that I'm sure could have had the meat left off.  But she went for the healthiest option on the entire menu: a beet and egg white omelet.  More power to her, in resisting all the decadent options!

Like all the egg dishes, it was served with house made english muffins, and her choice of sides.  To go with the english muffins, our table had individual jars of jam, orange or raspberry.  They were the only thing during our entire visit that wasn't house made or local.  A bit surprising, as it seems like carrying local jams or jellies, or making them in house, would be right in line with their entire concept.

She liked her dish, and said she'd like to try re-creating it at home herself.  Her only criticism was the lack of seasoning.  I was a bit surprised, as all other dishes I've ever had there were notable in how well seasoned they were.  It also came garnished with the sprouts, which she remarked on how tasty they were.

Our table did not have any salt and pepper on it, so she had to ask for some.  We were brought in a cute wooden two sided serving dish, with large coarse salt and pepper.  None of the rest of of required additional seasoning.  Interestingly, the table next to us also asked for salt and pepper, and they were given standard shakers.

Prosciutto and Mozzarella Baked Eggs: Herbs, Tomato, Zucchini.  House Made English Muffins, Home Fries. $17.

My dad went for the baked eggs.  Again, served with house made english muffins, and his choice of sides.  Like the rest of us, he went for the home fries.

I didn't try any of this, but it looked really good, served in its own little cast iron skillet.  If my dad was more of the sharing type, I certainly would have taken a sample.

 [ Not Pictured ]

Strawberry Waffle: Edgewater Strawberries, MacNamara Whipped Cream, Mac's Maple Syrup.  $13.

My grandmother is the only one who selected a sweet option: the waffles!

I eat waffles several times a week at work, otherwise, I would have been very tempted by this dish.  I wish I'd taken a photo, as it also looked great.  Topped with plenty of strawberries, again from the farm down the street, and fresh whipped cream from the dairy down the street (the ones who made that amazing butter).

My grandmother doesn't have the largest appetite these days, and I usually only see her nibble slowly on a few bites.  Let's just say, this waffle didn't stand a chance against her.  It was devoured.  Every little last drop of strawberry juice was even scooped up.  I kinda think if we weren't in a nice restaurant, she may have licked the plate :)

Seriously though, she loved this.  I noticed partway through her eating it that she didn't have any syrup.  I realized it because I wanted to try some of the syrup on my homefries, and because we'd had a whole conversation about the maple syrup, wondering if "Mac's Maple Syrup" came from MacNamara Dairy or not (yes, it does).  When I asked the server about this, she apologized and quickly brought out a small pitcher of syrup for her.  My grandmother loved her dish even more once she had syrup.  I tried some on my homefries, and I must say, that was good syrup, clearly the real stuff.

Smoked Salmon Popover: Mustard Crème Fraîche, Greens, Capers.  Eggs Over Medium.  $18.

When I first decided to go to Home Hill for brunch, it was because I really wanted to try their fish and chips, normally part of their brunch menu.  I've been seriously craving fish and chips for literally months now, as we just don't have any good versions in San Francisco (primarily because we don't have Atlantic cod, haddock, scrod, hake, or any other really good fish to use).  My heart sank when we arrived and it was not available.  In its place was "fried lobster", which sounded totally fascinating, basically, lobster prepared fish and chips style, but I really didn't want more lobster!

So, I decided on the smoked salmon popover.  I wasn't quite sure what to expect.  I've had popovers before, but they were always more like dinner roll to slather with butter, or a breakfast bread, to slater with jam, not a main dish.  The server said it was fantastic, and composed of many of the same elements as the benedict, but a more unique option.  So I went for it.

The popover was unlike anything I've had before.  It was not what you picture as a classic popover, normally light and fluffy, hollow interior, crispy exterior.  It was more eggy, but not like a quiche filling, which is good, because I don't like quiche.  It was moist, light yet also dense, almost like a soufflé.  I think it might have been a bit cheesy, or maybe it was just that creamy.  Anyway, I didn't know what to make of it really, but it was quite delicious.  I was intrigued with every bite, and loved it.

Served alongside was an incredibly generous portion of smoked salmon.  As you can guess at this point, the salmon was of course smoked in-house.  It was the same as the smoked salmon served with my mom's benedict, but I had a lot more on my plate.

The menu said it came with a mustard crème fraîche, but it seemed to be drizzled with the same hollandaise that my mother had on her benedict.  It was creamy, although a bit thick. The flavor was good, bursting with lemon.  Also garnished with the amazing sprouts.

The pop-over came with two eggs, cooked any way.  I selected over-medium, and was blown away.  Yes, they were just two eggs over-medium.  Nothing I couldn't get at any old diner.  And I get eggs over-medium cooked to order at work a couple times a week.  But these might have been the best eggs over-medium that I've ever had.  I'm sure the freshness of the eggs was one element of their success, but also, they were just cooked perfectly.  The whites were set but not rubbery, the yolks just a tiny bit runny.  Precisely how I want them.  And, like everything else I have encountered at Home Hill, seasoned to perfection.  See the large pepper flakes?  There is a reason no salt and pepper are normally required on the tables here!

For my side, I selected the homefries, but as you can see, I didn't get any!  When I asked the server about it, she quickly returned with a side plate full.  She apologized, and said she'd accidentally taken it from the pass before it was completed.  The homefries were fine, salty, nice, but just little cubed potatoes.  Much better once I dunked them in hollandaise, or even better, my grandmother's maple syrup!

Overall this was a great dish, the popover and the eggs really quite memorable.  I'd certainly get it again.

Chocolate Pot De Crème, Whipped Cream, Chocolate Chip Cookie.

I honestly don't know how we managed to order dessert at this point.  We'd all each consumed a full muffin, huge entrees, large side dishes ... but the allure of dessert was just too much.  We all remarked on how satisfied and completely stuffed we were.  I think at some level we all felt like we were so stuffed at this point that it just didn't matter.  For dessert, there were only a few options: the blueberry crumble or chocolate pot de crème that my mom and I had just a few nights before , a housemade ice cream, and a seasonal pie.  The moment the server mentioned the pot de crème, my mom's mind was made up.  She loved it the first time, and wanted more!  And since I didn't have before because I was avoiding the caffeine in the evening, I eagerly welcomed the chance to try the dessert that everyone else previously enjoyed.

Unlike the last meal, when were weren't offered any beverages with dessert, we were offered coffee and tea.  My aunt went for a mint tea, served in a cute little cast iron pot.  The tea selection was all local, of course.  My dad had a regular french press, and I had another decaf.  We all enjoyed our warm beverages alongside our desserts.

The pot de crème really was quite good, and I liked the presentation in the tiny cup.  I love pudding-style desserts, and actually eat a lot of chocolate pudding/mousse/pot de crème at work, as our pastry department makes some killer versions.  This was was creamy, with a next consistency, just firm enough to have a little give, not runny at all.  The texture was incredibly smooth, no grit.  Good chocolate flavor, but I would have preferred it even darker!  It was quite rich, and the whipped cream on top paired perfectly and cut the richness well.

It was served with a chocolate chip cookie, cuz, you know, you need some crunch with your pot de crème!  Our previous dessert platter had a cocoa nib cookie, which I didn't get to try.  My mom didn't like the cookie, and found it too hard for her liking.  It was certainly more crisp than I generally like, but it was a thick style, and it worked.  It was really, really buttery, which I liked, but otherwise, unremarkable.

Overall, a good chocolate pot de crème, but I eat so much of this sort of thing that it takes a lot to wow me in this department.  I'd get it again if I was in the mood for it.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie, Whipped Cream, Vanilla Ice Cream.

Home Hill is known for their pies, always seasonal and changing, and since we'd tried the other desserts already, we also got several slices of the day's option: strawberry rhubarb.  When I visited last winter, we had the apple pie, and I really liked it then.

Like last time, it was served with both vanilla ice cream AND whipped cream.  I just absolutely love that.  Why pick when you can have both?  The presentation was improved this time, with the ice cream in a separate little cup, rather than melting all over the plate.

Like last time, the pie was a double crust, but it wasn't as buttery nor flaky as I remembered.  It was good crust, but not all that remarkable this time around.  Sadly, it wasn't served warm.  I love warm pie and cold ice cream, so this was really a disappointment, particularly as it truly was served hot last time.

That said, the filling was quite good, a mix of sweet strawberry and tart rhubarb.  My dad and aunt both ordered a slice, and even though everyone was full, they got finished pretty quickly (with my assistance, of course).

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Buca di Beppo Redux

Consolidated into one master review of the brownie sundae.

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