There are so many benefits to living in California but one of best is the insane amount of wine and vineyards it has. I just learned from Wikipedia that California produces 90% of America's wine and if California was its own country it would be the world's 4th largest producer of wine. I also learned over the weekend that apparently there are several of the state's great vineyards just within a short drive from LA.
I was invited to a bachelorette party this past weekend in Santa Ynez, an area in the central California coast, north of Santa Barbra. The film Sideways was actually set (and shot on location) in the Santa Ynez Valley and I have to say it was really beautiful. We visited Bridlewood Estate Winery which was so beautiful, had dinner at the Los Olvios Cafe in Los Olivos which was delicious and drank a slightly excessive amount of fantastic Santa Ynez wine.
2. Chocolate with Carmel and Sea Salt
I've recently discovered that chocolate with carmel and sea salt just may be the most delicious combination ever. I was shopping at Trader Joe's market and looking for something to satisfy my ever hungry sweet tooth. I asked the check out clerk which of the TJ's chocolate bar she liked the best and without hesitation she reached behind her and grabbed this...
The Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Bar with Caramel and Black Sea Salt!
The package describes the bar as:
Exotic Hawaiian Black Sea Salt hails from the Pacific seawater that surrounds
the Hawaiian islands. This stunning black salt is evaporated in above ground
pools that form naturally from lava flows. Together, its smoky aroma and intense
caramel complement this sophisticated dark chocolate experience.
It honestly lives up to its over the top description. This chocolate bar is amazing and so addictive. I cannot go to the store now and not buy one.
My obsession with with this chocolate/caramel/salt combination goes well beyond the chocolate bar so for the bachelorette party this weekend I decided to bake a desert to share. I used this recipe for Chocolate Chip Salted Caramel Cookie Bars that was recommended by a friend. You basically make a blondie recipe and then melt caramel candies and layer the gooey melted carmel in the middle with a sprinkle of sea salt over the top. They are amazing.
Here is a picture from the Two Peas in a Pod site where the recipe is from.
Another great find at Trader Joe's are these Salt Water Taffy candies. They come in really delicious flavors and look very pretty set out in a glass bowl on our coffee table. They also remind me of summertime in New England so its like having a little bit of home here in Cali.
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