Back at the Sewing Machine...

Wow, I've neglected this blog for the past few months! Eep! Well it's better late than never, I suppose.

Mi-Go Faster News!

In 2011 I am going to be adding some clothing lines to my current offerings. Here's a little teaser of what you can expect to see in my Spring/Summer Collection:

I have obtained some gorgeous sari fabrics in shades of bright pink, brilliant purples, and lush teals.Think bold, fun, easy fashion to really make your wardrobe pop! Breezy sun-dresses, comfortable skirts, charming knit tops, and fabulous vests in great vibrant colors will be the highlight of this collection. I'm also going to add some coordinating purses and bags for this as well.

EPCOT Center Food & Wine Festival Adventures - Part 3: Germany - Chile

15 Year Topiary

After having eaten all those delicious treats from Kiosks #16-27, we were obviously quite full. So we took a break from our epicurean escapades and enjoyed parts of Future World and the various attractions around World Showcase.

After our break, we did not continue our planned attack with base camps. We merely strolled about the showcase and ran into a line as it struck our fancy. We made the conscious decision to skip a few kiosks: #3 Brazil (too full), #12 Brewer's Collection (shouldn't mix beer and liquors), and #14 Italy (it was the standard fare you can get anywhere).

So here's what we did end up trying (items with an asterisk were tried on the previous visit I had with my mother):

          Germany - Spaetzel Gratin with Ham & Cheese, Nürnberger Sausage in

            a Pretzel Roll, Apfel Strudel featuring Werther's Original Karamell Sauce
          South Africa - Flavors of Africa (Salad, Bread, & Spreads), Seared Beef

            Tenderloin with Sweet Potato Purée and Mango Barbecue Sauce

          South Korea - Lettuce Wraps with Roast Pork and Kimchi Slaw

          Singapore - Shrimp Cake with Singapore Noodle Salad*, Coconut 

            Braised Beef Rendang with Jasmine Rice, Singapore Sling*

          China - Pork Pot Stickers*, Xinjiang Barbecue Chicken Stick, Green Tea

            Plum Wine Cooler*
          Poland - Kielbasa and Potato Pierogies with Caramelized Onions

            and Sour Cream, Golabki

          Mexico - Tamal de Pollo, Taco de Chilorio, Churro, Passion Fruit

            Frozen Margarita
          Argentina -Roasted Corn and Cheese Empanada, Grilled Beef Skewer

            with Chimichurri Sauce and Boniato Purée
          Puerto Rico - Medianoche Sandwich, Bacardi Frozen Limón Mojito*

          Desserts & Champagne - Strawberry Angel Verrine, Pear Streusel 

            Pudding Cake, Dark Chocolate Sensation

          Chile - Pastel de Choclo 


The foods in Germany have always been delicious and this year was certainly no exception. The spaetzel gratin was very light and tasty, much better than the heavier Spaetzle with Creamy Mushroom Ragout they've had in years past. The Nürnberger Sausage was very amply sized (insert inappropriate joke here) and delicious. The Apfel strudel was very yummy and the caramel sauce was a nice tie-in to the new retail shop that recently opened in the Germany Pavilion that features caramel candies.


The South Africa kiosk was slightly disappointing, as I heartily missed the Durban Chicken Skewers that had been featured in the past. The wild rice salad was an amazing treat on a hot autumn day and the bread was very fresh; I preferred the Harissa over the Coriander Sauce, which I felt was far too sweet.


At the South Korea kiosk, the Bo Ssam (Lettuce Wraps with Roast Pork, Kimchi Slaw, and Sesame Mayo) were simply divine! The flavors were very complex and it was so good that Colleen insisted on having her own portion to herself. In Singapore, there were an abundance of spicy flavors. The shrimp cakes were my mother's favorite but she found the noodle salad to be far too hot for her liking (although I thought it was fabulous). The coconut-braised beef rendang had delicious, slow-cooked flavors of cumin, coriander, nutmeg, and fennel which was well-suited to the fragrant jasmine rice. The Singapore Slings were heavy on the gin, which was wonderful as well.


In China the options were fairly standard, but good nonetheless. The Pork Potstickers are the same as the ones you can get at the Lotus Blossom Cafe in the China Pavilion. The Barbecue Chicken Stick was a carnivore's delight, which had an excellent marinade and tender texture. The Green Tea Plum Wine Cooler is very sweet, but refreshing when the weather is hot; it also was quite alcoholic, which can also be a plus.


Poland's Pierogis and Kielbasa are phenomenal; it is little wonder that it was the best seller at the 2009 Food & Wine Festival. While the pierogis are good, I found that the Golabki (pronounced go-womp-kee) clearly was the best of the kiosk. Golabki are cabbage rolls which are stuffed with a pork meatball and slow-cooked in a mixture of beef broth and tomato juice.

Ben really likes his churro

Mexico was a lot of fun this year. Ben had never tasted a churro in all of his 26 years until our visit to the festival. We took photos of his tasting (and Josh even took a video). As you can see from his picture, Ben certainly seemed to approve of the soft, warm churro. The Tamal de Pollo (chicken tamale) and Taco de Chilorio (Pork taco with queso blanco) were very flavorful as well. But the real winner of this kiosk was the Frozen Passion Fruit Margarita. It was an ample portion for the price ($7.25), had plenty of tequila, and was not too sweet.


Argentina has always been a good crowd pleaser, what with the melt-in-your-mouth Chimichurri Steak Skewers. The boniato purée served with the skewers was a bit bland, but swirling it with the basil and olive oil goodness of the chimichurri sauce made it passable. The Beef and Corn Empanada was huge for it's price of $2.75 and was simple delicious. The five of us split two of the empanadas, making us too full to even begin to attempt the Brazil kiosk. It was worth it.


Puerto Rico's Medianoche Sandwich was good, with the bread being the highlight. Linda seemed to enjoy it, and she is quite the fan of Medianoche Sandwiches. My mother and I really enjoyed the Frozen Mojito, but we found that it really lacked the lime flavor we prefer in our mojitos (we may be spoiled, as we often get the real deal at the Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City which is arguably one of the best mojitos in the world).


We didn't sample many of the desserts around the showcase this time, as we were focusing on the savory dishes. This was not a horrid thing, as the Desserts & Champagne kiosk was heavenly all by itself. Each dessert was singly priced at $1.50 for a 2-3 bite sized portion. The best of the three was definitely the Pear Streusel Pudding Cake. It was very like and had a creamy, vanilla softness. The Strawberry Angel Verrine was little more than a glorified strawberry shortcake and was unfortunately heavy on strawberry glaze and light on fresh berries. The Dark Chocolate Sensation Mini-Cupcakes were good, with the chocolate mousse frosting, but chocolate was better showcased in the Bailey Lava Cake in Ireland.


Lastly there was the Chile kiosk, where we could only manage to try one dish: the Pastel de Choclo. This beef and corn pie was a humble dish, but it had a richness which would befit any of the great comfort foods. I can see myself adding this dish to my cooking rotation in the winter month as it has a warmth and heaviness to it. This is a meal that would stick to your ribs, as my mother would say.

********RECIPE TIME********

There were many wonderful treats this time around, but it's best to close up the review of the 2010 EPCOT Center International Food & Wine Festival with a dessert. As such, here is a recipe for the amazingly awesome Pear Streusel Pudding Cake from the Desserts & Champagne kiosk.

Makes One 9-inch Cake

INGREDIENTS

Pear Cake

1/4 c cream cheese, softened     1/4 c sugar

2 T all-purpose flour                  1 egg

1/4 c heavy whipping cream       1.5 t melted butter

3/4 roll of sugar cookie dough     1 c prepared vanilla pudding

1 can pear halves, drained          1 c streusel topping

Streusel Topping

1 c flour                                   1/2 c sugar

1/2 stick butter, melted

For the pear cake - 

1. In a mixer, beat cream cheese, sugar, and flour until smooth. Do not whip. Add in the egg, heavy cream, and melted butter, mixing at a medium speed until a smooth consistency is achieved.
2. Lightly grease a 9 inch tart pan. Press the cookie dough from the bottom to about halfway up the sides of the pan. Evenly spread the vanilla pudding on top of the dough. Layer the cream cheese mixture on top of the pudding.
3. Thinly slice the drained pears and arrange in an even layer atop the cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle the streusel topping over the pears.
4. Bake until the cake feels firm to the touch and the streusel is golden, approximately 50 minutes. Refrigerate the cake for at least 6 hours (preferably overnight) before serving.

For the streusel topping - 

1. Combine the flour and sugar in a medium bowl. Add the butter and mix with a fork until the contents form large crumbs. Refrigerate until needed.

EPCOT Center Food & Wine Festival Adventures - Part 2: France - United States

Linda and Colleen Sample the Goodies

After finishing off the delicious offerings from Kiosks #27-23, we continued walking around the World Showcase in our counter-clockwise fashion. We used the outdoor seating area near the Tangerine Cafe in the Morocco Pavilion.

From this location we visited a lot of kiosks. Colleen took Kiosk #22 France, Ben took Kiosk #21 Spain, Josh took Kiosk #20 Belgium, we all went to Kiosk #19 Morocco, I took Kiosk #19 Australia, Linda took Kiosk #17 Japan, Josh took Kiosk #16 United States, and I took Kiosk #15 Hops and Barley.


Here's what we sampled from these kiosks (items with an asterisk were tried on the previous visit I had with my mother):

          France - Escargots Persillade en Brioche, Crème Brûlée au Chocolat au
            Lait*, Sparkling Pomegranate Kir*
          Spain - Serrano Ham, Chorizo, Manchego, Olives, and Tomato Bread
          Belgium - Steamed Mussels with Roasted Garlic Cream, Freshly Baked
            Waffles with Berry Compote and Whipped Cream
          Morocco - Beef Kefta in a Pita Pocket, Falafel Pita Pocket, Baklava*,
            Sangria, Amazigh Red Wine, Tangerine Mimosa, Iced Mint Tea
          Australia -  Seared Barramundi with Blistered Cherry Tomatoes, Arugula,
            and Lemon Oil, Grilled Lamb Chop with Roasted Potato Salad and Red
            Wine Reduction
          Japan - Wafu Ribettes, Tuna Sensation
          United States - Bison Chili with Wild Mushrooms, Cabernet, and Pepper
            Jack Cheese, Heirloom Tomatoes with Oregon Blue Cheese, Red  
            Onions, and Basil, Red Stag Lemonade by Jim Beam
          Hops & Barley - Boston-style Crab Cake with Cabbage Slaw and
            Remoulade, New England Lobster Roll, Pecan Bread Pudding

The escargots are something that I have to have every year, so it was awesome that Colleen bought two portions, so we were all able to have our own. They're delicious and buttery with the brioche so light and soft on the tongue. The crème brûlée was nice, but lacked a developed chocolate flavor, so in the end it was more creamy and somewhat bland. The Pomegranate Kir had a lovely color and was pleasantly dry and not overly sweet.

The tapas in Spain were excellent. The Serrano ham was deliciously salty and went very well with the manchego cheese which had a marvelous sharpness. The olives were good, but reminiscent of L'Estornell Manzanilla Olives. The tomato bread was good, but best dipped in the sauce from the mussels from Belgium.

The Steamed Mussels from Belgium were phenomenal! I would have to declare these to be my favorite dish from this round of tastings. What really made this shine was the Roasted Garlic Cream, it was so delicious that Linda was licking the exterior of the shells and we were using the tomato bread from Spain to sop up the sauce. This would be amazing atop some thin spaghetti, and I'm including the recipe at the bottom of this post. The waffle was also great, the exterior was crispy but the interior was light and fluffy. The berry compote was great, you could taste the red wine used in the fruit reduction. Colleen is enjoying a taste of the waffle in the above picture.

Baklava and Beef Kefta

The Moroccan kiosk tempted all of us with its alcoholic offerings. Colleen and Linda opted for the Sangria, Ben had the Amazigh red wine, and I had the tangerine mimosa. The sangria was very refreshing and the red wine was deliciously crisp. I rather enjoyed my mimosa (seen on the table in the picture with Colleen; she is having the sangria in the picture) as the tangerine was an interesting take on the traditional mimosa. The beef kefta was good, but paled in comparison to the falafel, which the majority of us preferred. Luckily the falafel can be found year-round in the Tangerine Cafe at the Morocco Pavilion; I suspect I will be having it again in the near future!The baklava was scrumptious, with pistachios instead of the usual walnuts.

In Australia we found the Barramundi to be a nice fish, but it did not have a distinct or memorable flavor (it was reminiscent of tilapia). It did have a nice presentation and the wilted arugula was quite nice. The lambchop, however, definitely did not disappoint; it had a great texture and was very tender. The roasted potato salad tasted under-done, which was a bit disappointing.

Japan, like Greece before it, has always been a disappointing kiosk, in my opinion. The majority of the offerings are simple sushi rolls that one can have at any sushi establishment around the country. The Tuna Sensation was a nice sashimi though, with some avocado. The Wafu ribettes were good, and Josh seemed rather fond of them. They had a nice, well-developed soy flavor and had been slow roasted to amazing tenderness.

Having tastings from the United States kiosk may seem silly, but what we had was delightful. The bison chili was well seasoned, albeit mild, and Colleen was most pleased with the pepper jack cheese. The heirloom tomatoes were a bit on the mealy side but paired well with the Oregon blue cheese, which is a milder blue cheese (an excellent "Gateway Blue" for those who aren't as fond of the sharper gorgonzolas or Maytag Blues). The Red Stag lemonade was very refreshing (and very alcoholic), which made for a pleasant beverage that we enjoyed while listening to the sounds of Hanson later in the evening.

Lastly, the Hops & Barley kiosk offered some choices that have been featured in previous years of the Food & Wine Festival. I will admit that I am not a fan of Boston-style crabcakes, as I find them too soft (I have been spoiled by my Marylander husband when it comes to crab) but I found the cabbage slaw accompaniment to be one of the better coleslaws I have had (it was not too creamy, I prefer vinegar based slaws). The lobster roll was delicious and we had a generous helping of lobster on our buttered, toasted roll. The lobster was not overly dressed, so the delicious sweetness of the lobster meat really shone. The Pecan Bread Pudding was heavenly, but made me long for the version highlighted when New Orleans had its own kiosk the year before last.

********RECIPE TIME********

This time around, the favorite dish was the Steamed Mussels with Roasted Garlic Cream Sauce from Belgium. I plan on making this and serving it over pasta with a spinach salad, and some crusty peasant bread to sop up the extra sauce.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

Roasted Garlic Purée

1 large head garlic                     1/2 T olive oil

Roasted Garlic Cream Sauce

1 T olive oil                               2 shallots, minced

1.5 c white wine                        1 T lemon juice

2 c heavy cream                        2 T roasted garlic purée

1/2 t coarse salt                         1/4 t ground black pepper

Mussels

4 lbs fresh mussels                    1 c dry white wine

1 c tomato purée                       2 t chopped fresh parsley

2 t chopped fresh dill                 2 t chopped fresh chives

For the roasted garlic purée - 

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove excess papery skin from garlic, keeping the head intact. Cut off the top 1/4 of the garlic head to expose the cloves within.
2. Place the head of garlic cut side up on a 10" square of aluminum foil. Drizzle with the olive oil. Wrap the head in the foil, sealing the edges.
3. Place the foil-wrapped garlic head in the oven and roast for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 20 minutes.
4. Squeeze garlic out of skins and into a small bowl. Mash the garlic until smooth, or process in a small food processor until a smooth consistency is achieved.

For the roasted garlic cream sauce - 

1. Heat the oil in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the wine and lemon juice. Cook, stirring occasionally, for another 5 minutes.
2. Add the cream, roasted garlic purée, salt, and pepper, whisking to combine. Simmer ( do NOT boil) for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

For the mussels - 

1. Scrub and debeard the mussels.
2. Place the mussels, wine, and water in a stockpot over high heat. Cover and bring to a boil.
3. Cook until the mussels open, which will be about 4 minutes. Remove and discard any mussels that do not open. Strain the cooking liquid from the mussels and discard the liquid.
4. Place the mussels in a large serving bowl. Pour roasted garlic cream sauce over the mussels. Garnish with parsley, dill, and chives. Serve immediately.

EPCOT Center Food & Wine Festival Adventures - Part 1: New Zealand - Ireland

We started off at 11 AM, opening time for the World Showcase. We decided to go counter-clockwise around the World Showcase, heading towards Canada first.

Off-Kilter Performing

Our first base of operations was at the Off-Kilter stage area between Canada and the United Kingdom. We decided to skip Kiosk #28 15 Beers for 15 Years as it didn't appeal to the group as a whole (Josh does not imbibe). Ben took Kiosk #27 New Zealand, Josh took Kiosk #26 Greece, I took Kiosk #25 Charcuterie & Cheese, Linda took Kiosk #24 Canada, and Colleen took Kiosk #23 Ireland.

Here's what we sampled from these kiosks (items with an asterisk were tried on the previous visit I had with my mother):

          Ireland - Lobster and Scallop Fisherman's Pie, Kerrygold® Cheese
            Selection*, Warm Chocolate Lava Cake with Bailey's Irish Cream
            Ganache, Guinneess draught, Bunratty Honey Meade Wine*
          Canada - Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup*, Chicken Chipotle Sausage
            with Sweet Corn Polenta, Inniskillim Pearl Vidal Icewine*
          Charcuterie & Cheese - Cheese Fondue with Croutons and Roasted
            Potatoes, Nueske's Charcuterie Plate (Applewood Smoked Beef, Duck,
            and Ham), Martini® Prosecco
          Greece - Chicken Souvlaki with Tzatziki, Spanakopita, Greek Salad with
            Pita Bread*
          New Zealand -  Seared Sea Scallop with Vegetable Slaw and Lemon Oil

Everything was delicious, but the Lobster and Scallop Fisherman's Pie was hailed as the best dish we tried all day. It was the epitome of comfort food; the mashed potato topping was light and smooth while the filling underneath allowed the flavors of the lobster and scallops to shine. The Kerrygold® Cheese Selection was not that impressive and I would not go out of my way to experience again (the cheeses were Kerrygold® cheeses that you can find at your local grocery store).  The Warm Chocolate Lava cake was phenomenal and the ganache was so heavenly that the plates were licked clean; I plan on making this cake for my birthday. Guinness is, well, Guinness (one of my favorite beers, but obviously not for everyone). Bunratty Honey Meade is a very sweet dessert wine; it is not overly alcoholic in flavor, but the sweetness can be cloying and small samplings are best.

The Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup never fails to please; the bacon adds a wonderful smokiness to the soup and on a chilly evening it is most welcome indeed (there is a reason why this soup is so well-known, it is a must-try at EPCOT Center). The Chicken Chipotle Sausage with Sweet Corn Polenta was very good as well. The sausage was not spicy in the slightest and was overshadowed by the fabulous polenta; I would gladly pay the $3.75 asking price to omit the sausage and triple the amount of polenta provided. The Inniskillin Pearl Vidal Icewine was rather overpriced ($5.75) for the exceptionally small portion. All icewines are exceptionally sweet and this one was no exception. It has a syrup-like texture and is thicker than the also sweet Bunratty Honey Meade at the Ireland kiosk.

The Cheese Fondue with Croutons and Roasted Potatoes was a real treat. The croutons were unremarkable, but the baby purple potatoes and fingerling potatoes were perfection; the fondue was very creamy and the serving was so large that we took it with us to use at our next "base camp". The Nueske's Charcuterie Plate was a nicely sized sampling for $3.75. The applewood smoked beef was amazing, it had an incredible flavor and richness; the duck and the ham were good, but paled in comparison to the beef. Martini® Prosecco is always a delight; the bubbles tickle the nose and it is neither too dry nor too sweet. An excellent toast to start the day.

Spanakopita and Greek Salad

Greece has always been somewhat of a disappointment to me in the years I have attended the festival. The Greek Salad is good, don't get me wrong, but it is rather unremarkable and a common dish. The Spanakopita is tasty, but rather dry (I am biased, admittedly, as my mother-in-law makes a heavenly spanakopita). The Chicken Souvlaki with Tzatziki was well seasoned and the tzatziki sauce was served in a perfect amount to help moisten the pita and complement the chicken.

The Seared Sea Scallop with Vegetable Slaw and Lemon Oil was very fresh. The scallop was amply sized to provide 4 respectable tastings and was not overpowered by any seasonings. What I was most impressed with, however, was the vegetable slaw. It was seasoned with fresh dill which really complemented the onions and melded so harmoniously with the lemon oil. Ben also bought a very lovely dry red wine, of which I unfortunately neglected to note the name.

********RECIPE TIME********

The best dish of these kiosks (and perhaps the entire day!) was the Lobster and Scallop Fisherman's Pie. Here's the official recipe in case you'd like to try to make this wonderful dish at home!

Serves 8

INGREDIENTS

Lobster Bisque

2 T butter                                  1 T cognac

2 T olive oil                               4 c fish stock

1.5 c chopped onion                  2 c heavy whipping cream

2 c chopped celery                    1/4 t cayenne pepper

1.5 c chopped fennel                 1 t crushed garlic

2 lobster shells, meat removed   1 t chervil

.5 c tomato purée                      1/2 t coarse salt

2 T flour                                    1/2 t freshly ground black pepper

Lobster and Scallop Fisherman's Pie

4 c mashed potatoes                  2 T brandy

2 T butter                                  1 lb bay scallops

1 T olive oil                               1 qt lobster bisque

1 c diced onion                         1 lb cooked lobster meat, chopped 

1 c diced celery                         1/2 t tarragon

1 c diced carrot                         1/8 t hot pepper sauce

3.5 T flour                                 2 c shredded cheddar cheese

For the lobster bisque - 

1. Place butter and olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the onion, celery, and fennel for 6-7 minutes until tender. Add the lobster shells and tomato purée and cook for another minute. Add the flour and stir until combined and cook for another 1-2 minutes. 
2. Add the cognac and stock and allow to simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Add the heavy whipping cream and boil for 15 minutes. Add the cayenne pepper, garlic, and chervil, stirring to combine.
4. Remove the lobster shells and blend the mixture until combined and smooth.
5. Pour the bisque through a fine strainer lined with cheesecloth to remove any pieces of shell.
6. Return the bisque to the saucepan and bring back to a boil for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then reduce heat to low.

For the Lobster and Scallop Fisherman's Pie - 

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Place butter and olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Sauté the onion, celery, and carrots for 6-7 minutes until tender. Add the flour and stir until combined, continuing to cook for another minute.
3. Add the brandy and stir for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the scallops and lobster bisque, stirring to combine. Cook until mixture comes to a boil. 
5. Remove from heat. Add the cooked lobster, tarragon, and hot pepper sauce. Stir. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Carefully pour the mixture into a 3 quart baking dish. Top with the mashed potatoes, spreading to all sides of the dish to cover. Sprinkle the top with the shredded cheese.
7. Bake for 25 minutes.

EPCOT Center Food & Wine Festival Adventures - An Introduction

The Official Food & Wine Cookbook!

I've been back to Orlando twice now to enjoy the delicious delights that the EPCOT Center International Food and Wine Festival has to offer! My first visit was good, but unfortunately brief, as we had to leave by 4:30 in order to get my mother back for a performance. On that trip I did purchase a cookbook with recipes for some of the Festival offerings; the cookbook is reasonably priced, at $14.95.

The second visit, on Monday 08 November, was so amazingly epic that it is hard to find adequate words to describe the adventure. I went to the festival this time with some of the most awesome people I know: Ben, Colleen, Linda and her husband Josh.

Linda, Josh, Myself, Colleen, and Ben

We started our day just as World Showcase opened at 11 AM. Our wacky antics are probably not all that interesting to most people, so I'll omit mentioning those fun little snippets of our day. I will, however, review the food and drink we sampled around the World Showcase.

Festival Map (Click here to see a larger version)

This year there were 28 kiosks set up around the World Showcase. The five of us managed to hit 23 of these kiosks (My mother and I visited a few on the previous trip that I will also review). So in all: we hit 24 out of 28 Kiosks.

In order to accomplish this feat of gastronomic proportions, it's important to have a "Plan of Attack". How we decided to go about tackling the huge array of choices was to select a few locations around the map as "Base Camps" where we would hunker down while sharing and sampling the various small plates. After we picked some locations, we would then all venture off individually to a different kiosk and return with our delicious booty. This meant that we could experience 5 kiosks with relative speed. We went about halfway around the Showcase before stopping to digest before attempting to complete the circuit.

Because we tried so many foods, I'm going to divide the kiosk food reviews into a few separate blog posts. I'll include a recipe for whichever item I felt was the most delicious at the end of each post as well.

Election Day!

It's November 2, so all you Americans should know what today is: Election Day! If you haven't done early voting, please, please, please make sure that you get out there and vote today. This is your chance to make your voice heard, so please do so.

To commemorate the occasion, I've put together a treasury of awesome items related to casting your ballot on Etsy. Please check it out (but after you've voted!).

VOTE!

Shameless Self-Promotion

As I mentioned in my first post, I have two online shops: one at Etsy and the other at ArtFire. Both shops have basically the same items on them at present.

My Etsy shop has been doing fairly well, but I'd like to fire up my ArtFire account as well, so here's a little gift to people who may be reading this blog:

From today until 05 November 2010, you can get 15% off your purchase in my Artfire Shop. Simply use the coupon code: BLOGREADER

Here's a link to my Artfire shop - MiGo Faster's ArtFire Shop

Here are just two pictures of the types of items you can buy in my shop:


Stephanie Purse in Red, Black, and Olive Paisley





Scorpio Zodiac Purse