There's nothing more cozy than cuddling up on the sofa with a book and a box of chocolates on a chilly Winter day. And it seems I'm not alone in my love of pairing chocolates with a good read. For Valentine's Day this year one of my favorite chocolatiers Richart has combined a big box of chocolates with a book of short stories, from an award-winning writer Simon Von Booy. Even better, there are twelve specific chocolates that pair with passages from the book! The gift is called Love begins in Winter ($75), after the name of the book.

I haven't experienced any of the lovely pairings yet, but I spoke with Benjamin Auzimour in charge of Richart in North America, and he shared one of his favorites:

"Here's an extract that I like, about happiness, to be read while tasting a Petit Richart filled with salted butter caramel coulis, which will enhance the warmth of the feelings created by the scene. We can sense Simon's precise, concise, although almost impressionist style"

"when it started to get dark, Hannah and I left the shop. Bicycles were being wheeled home in the snow. Old women left bricks of cake on one another's doorsteps. The butcher was dressed up like Santa Claus.
Children peered out into the night from upstairs windows. And for several kilometers Hannah and I waded through snowy fields, past old gates and fallen tress, laughing and calling out as our bodies disappeared from view.
The shadows remained.
Gifts from the fallen, not lessening our happiness but guiding it, deepening it, and filling us with the passion we would need to sustain our love in the coming days."

If you don't know Richart chocolates, I highly recommend you try them. Richart not only makes some of the creamiest confections thanks to their intense conching process, but also takes a very thoughtful approach to chocolate called QuintesSense:

1. Knowledge of what you're tasting - background, origins, geography...
2. Sensory analysis
3. "Emotional" analysis - memories, feelings...
4. Finding the overall flavor of this very moment
5. Sharing it with others

They use Venezuelan criollo cocoa beans and make delicate confections using a wide variety of flavors, some that might seem unusual like flowers and herbs but always achieve balance and pure perfection, as far as I'm concerned.

I've started off this year eating more soup. It's amazing what can go in soup. I mean, pretty much anything. And many classic comfort food dishes can be transformed into soup. Macaroni and cheese, baked potato, even eggplant parmesan.

I got the idea to make this soup when I was contacted by Whole Foods about a Parmigiano Reggiano promotion they were planning. I wanted to make something with the flavors of eggplant parmesan, but lighter and healthier. I used a few croutons and roasted the eggplant, instead of breading and frying it and skipped the mozzarella altogether. And you know what? It still pretty much has the flavor of eggplant parmesan! I thought I was being terribly original, but it turns out there are several eggplant parmesan soup recipes out there on the internets.

I topped my soup with a couple tablespoons of Pamigiano Reggiano. It's the cheese that really makes the soup into something special. It adds that distinctive flavor and texture. I'm sorry that you can't see in the photo that the soup has chunks of eggplant in it. You could puree it if you prefer a smoother soup. Also the croutons absorb a good bit of the soup and add even more body to it. Best of all, it's very healthy, so you can help yourself to a second bowl. I won't tell.

Eggplant Parmesan SoupMakes about 6 servings

Ingredients

1 large or 2 small eggplant cut in 1/2 lengthwise (about 2 lbs)
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped?
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes with basil
3 cups water
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
?Croutons
Fresh basil leaves, optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut eggplant in half, lengthwise and place cut side down on a lightly greased foil-lined broiler pan. Roast for about 45 minutes, or until eggplant is tender. Allow eggplant to cool. Meanwhile heat olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, saut� 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Scoop out the eggplant from the shells and chop roughly, discard the shells. To the dutch oven add the chopped eggplant along with the tomatoes, water and salt, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Top each serving with croutons and two tablespoons of Parmigiano Reggiano. Garnish with torn basil, if desired.

Enjoy!

I've been a fan of the restaurant Town in Kaimuki since I first dined there back in 2008. I always make a point of visiting whenever I'm in Honolulu.

Ed Kenney is the chef and owner, and a great voice for sustainability in the food system. He's very approachable, in fact you'll see him shopping at the farmers market most weekends. He also has his finger on the pulse of what's happening so on my last visit I got a sat down to chat with him about the local Oahu food scene and since I'm heading back tomorrow, I thought it's about time I shared this interview...

What do you think would surprise most people about the food scene here?
We have different kinds of visitors, the Cheesecake Factory here is the highest grossing location in the world. Then there are the Opentable people who look for places to eat before they even get here, but it's still a small group. People know the chains and the upper crust spots, but what makes it really amazing is the middle range and finding out about that takes a motivated foodie traveler. It's the middle range that's so diverse. And the diversity is blossoming.

What are your thoughts on the food truck trend? Any trucks you particularly like or patronize?
There have always been food trucks, it's beach thing, people get out of the ocean dry off and want to get something to eat. But the culinarily driven ones are new. It's a stepping stone, also it adds diversity, Zaratez, from LA tacos. Melt is run by Nobu alums, so fine dining is going more approachable. Soul Patrol, Sean's a good friend. The food is excellent. It's heavy stuff. Camille's on Wheels is run by a home cook, and it's got a really homey feel. Deep dish pies with flaky crust, fusion tacos. I haven't been to Eat the Street yet because I'm working that night.

So where should the visiting foodie dine?
The Pig and the Lady, Plancha, some of the pop up roving restaurants have young passionate, creative chefs.

Which chef or restaurant impresses you these days?
Mark Noguchi at He'eia Pier. (Note: More on Hee'eia Pier after my next visit)

How would you describe Town for people who haven't been?
We're very italian. The regional manager of Gucci comes to Town every time he visits and says "This is not Italian but it is the essence of Italian food" and that's because because we have an Italian sensibility.

What should visitors not miss when they come to Hawaii, in terms of ingredients?
We can grow everything here, I'd like to think native Hawaiians would grow arugula today. Our locally grown vegetables even non-native ones are great. Paia hand pounded taro. We use it in breads and in dough. We slice and pan fry it crispy on the outside and mochi like inside. We've had invasive seaweeds, so it's good to eat those! Cooking with seaweed is like adding the sea to a dish.

It's January and while Christmas cookie season is officially over, some of us still need a treat before Valentine's Day rolls around....


When I was offered samples of Almondina cookies I was happy to accept. I'm already a big fan of these crunchy cookie crisps with chewy bits of fruit. But I had no idea how many flavors there were. I have always bought the original version which has almonds and raisins. Like a very thin style of Italian biscotti, they are hard and crunchy but some have a chewy bit of fruit like raisins or cherries. They also come in a bran version that I think would be particularly good for breakfast. The spice versions of the cooke in cinnaroma, gingerspice and pumpkin spice are all great, so are the chocolate ones, and still only about 100 calories for 3.

Almondina cookies are perfect for those who are trying to eat healthier. They are so low in sugar, they actually make a very good cookie to add to a cheese plate. There is no butter or oil in the base recipe, so the only fat in the cookies comes from nuts, seeds or grains. I highly recommend them.

Win free cookies from Almondina! Contest now on their Facebook page.


Another treat this month has got to be King cake. It is associated with Epiphany and Christmas in Europe and is a Mardi Gras specialty in the Gulf states. Generally speaking, it's one of the most garish looking cakes I've ever seen.

Sadly many versions of it are not very good, but the version from Sucr� in New Orleans is worth seeking out and easily available by mail order. First of all it's quite pretty compared to the usual cakes splashed with gobs of white icing and plenty of gold, green and purple sparkles. It has a subdued sheen and iridescent shine. But best of all, it is not mushy and bland as some King cakes are, but is a delicate coffeecake with a restrained swirl of cinnamon and traces of cream cheese. Perfect with a cup of coffee or tea.

My thanks to both Almondina and Sucre Bakery for sending me samples.

In no particular order, here are my predictions with a tiny sprinkling of wishful thinking...

Yes, please!


More transparency and labeling in the food system
Have you been to a supermarket lately? All the seafood is now labeled so you know where it comes from and whether or not it is farmed and if color is added. That is amazing considering that not long ago seafood had barely any labeling at all, but it's just the beginning. I believe consumers will demand labels on produce and meat too. Food contamination and security issues are only a few of the issues driving this trend.




Foraging, hunting and wild food
Wild and foraged ingredients are showing up on more and more menus and there are classes and books to help you learn about this return to a more primal way of eating. The poster boy for this trend is Hank Shaw. The poster Girl? Georgia Pellegrini!

Local culture on the plate
Rene Redzepi the chef at NOMA, (the world's number one restaurant according to one survey) has inspired countless chefs and delighted diners. He uses local ingredients to create a unique cuisine that is a reflection of a singular time and place. This is where high end dining is going. Something that can only be found in one spot is the ultimate in exclusivity.

Honey
The world's first sweetener and a product from bees who we are dependent upon for pollination of fruits and vegetables from avocados to watermelon. Bees have already been in the news because of colony collapse but I think their honey will get some more attention soon too, now that the scandal of widespread bogus honey has been revealed. Honey is an unrefined sugar and a true expression of flora. Trying and learning about honey is as exciting and never ending as learning about wine or coffee.




Digital cookbooks
Epicurious is leading the way here with ecookbooks, offering a variety of best selling cookbooks you can now save to your "recipe box." Since we are already using our computers in the kitchen and to look for recipes, this makes a lot of sense. It makes finding, sharing and using recipes much easier.

Lamb, goat, rabbit and bison
I'm sorry to disappoint any vegan activists, but it's just not likely that Americans are going to give up eating meat. However I do believe they are going to think about sustainability and start making more informed choices. Goat is the most popular meat in the world, we already love goat cheese, the meat can't be far behind. Likewise lamb, rabbit and bison represent more sustainable and ecologically friendly choices than industrially raised pork, beef or chicken.








Chia
I'm seeing chia everywhere. It's a fascinating seed, considered a superfood by some, loaded with vitamins and minerals, omega-3 fatty acids, protein and fiber. It creates an amazing gel like texture but can also be used like a grain in baked goods. I hope chefs are as inspired to play with it as I am.

Chefs doing good
As we get more and more tired of the endless self promotion associated with celebrity chefs (not to mention some food bloggers) I think chef charities will gain in visibility as a way of chefs getting limelight, but for all the right reasons. Great examples include the Mario Batali Foundation, Jamie Oliver Foundation which includes Fifteen and the Ministry of Food, and Rachael Ray's Yum-o!

Handmade sodas
More and more restaurants are offering housemade soda as a non-alcoholic option. Sophisticated and not overly sweet, I expect we will see a lot more of them. Some good local ones try include Jesse Friedman's seasonal offerings from SodaCraft.

Deli
Perhaps the David Sax book Save the Deli led to a resurgence in interest in Jewish delicatessen food. While LA style Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen failed to knock my socks off, the excitement over their pop-ups indicates a real desire for it. I do believe good deli is on it's way. Perhaps it's the new charcuterie?

Lower alcohol wines
I think this year in Napa might be the turning point. It was a cooler than normal growing season and vintners found that lower brix in this year's vintage meant an opportunity to craft more elegant and lower alcohol wines. We will see how consumers react. But I hope they can learn to appreciate something beyond the big fruit bombs Napa has become known for producing.

Small plate breakfasts
Ok I admit it, this is wishful thinking. But a girl can dream can't she? After having the most spectacular brunch ever at Michael's Genuine in Miami, I just hope this idea catches on. Imagine instead of a big stack of pancakes, just one. Plus a single egg benedict, and a house made pop tart? Heaven.

The other Mediterranean
Perhaps I am just inspired by my trip to Morocco, but I can't help think that Moroccan, Egyptian, Tunisian, Algerian, Lebanese and Turkish food will be on the rise. They are part of the Mediterranean but often get overlooked in favor of French, Italian and Spanish cuisine. Think of them as the new frontier. At very least, recently released cookbooks by Mourad Lalou and Paula Wolfert will fuel the interest in Moroccan flavors.


No thanks, I've had enough


Bacon
When bacon made it's way into lip balm, I think it jumped the shark. It's not that bacon will ever go away, but I think we are ready for something else. Kale perhaps?

"Farm-to-table" "natural" and "artisanal"
They have all become virtually meaningless. When is food not farm to table? When it's factory to table? Natural has no legal meaning and once Round Table Pizza used the word artisan to boost sales, we knew it was over.

Celebrity chefs
Perhaps it all started with that iconic Gourmet magazine cover of chefs as rock stars. But enough is enough. The endless self-promotion has gotten tiresome. So have celebrity chef feuds.

Agave syrup
I never really understood the hype. This may be a marginally better type of sugar, but it's still sugar. It lacks the depth of molasses, sorghum or honey. There are some benefits, but they aren't enough to convince me to use it.

Mexican coke
Admit it, hipsters drink it because they think it's cool. Gimme a break. It's not cool. It's sugar water for chrissake. Hopefully this is the year they will stop paying $5 a bottle for it.

So what do you think the trends will be? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Yesterday I shared some new cookbooks that focus on a particular meat such as pork, brisket or goat, in today's installment I'm recommending four more books that are much more general.

One of the most anticipated cookbooks of the year was the Molly Stevens book All About Roasting The book is amazingly comprehensive covering mostly meat--beef, lamb, pork, chicken and poultry but also fish and shellfish, vegetables and fruits. Learn how to choose the best cuts of meat, the basic roasting methods and temperatures, how to carve and more. I love that her recipes also include convection as well as conventional oven temperatures!

Recipes you'll want to try include: Quick deviled rib bones, oven roasted porchetta, one-hour rosemary rib roast, roasted buffalo wings, crispy butterflied roast chicken

Another roast focused cookbook is sure a surefire winner for Francophiles. Rotis, roasts for every day of the week. This charming book follows a certain format, Monday is roast beef, Tuesday is roast veal, Wednesday is roast chicken and game, etc. Each chapter features French and Mediterranean style recipes that generally feel very classic, though some recipes like roast pork with Earl Grey tea feel decidedly modern. While a book about meat, the vegetable sides are equally delectable.

Recipes you'll want to try include: Roast chicken with anchovies and rosemary, roast pork belly with coriander, roast pork loin with endive and orange, lamb shanks with cannellini beans, 4 ideas for stuffing chicken (Boursin cheese? hello!)

Contrary to popular opinion, farm-to-table does not just refer to zucchini. Our own local butcher extraordinaire Ryan Farr has written Whole Beast Butchery which is a visual guide to "breaking down" beef, lamb and pork with recipes as well. If you've ever wanted to take a butchery course, this is the book for you! The tone and style of the book is much like Ryan is in person, friendly, helpful and approachable.

Recipes you'll want to try include: Beef tongue pastrami, pork belly and garbanzo soup, braised lamb shanks with curry (keep in mind, recipes are limited; this is a butchery book, not a cookbook)

If your budget is a little more quesadilla then crown roast, From the Ground Up by award-winning author James Villas is for you. The most versatile of all meat, ground meat, is featured in hundreds of recipes that use beef, chicken, pork, seafood and more. From the humble and economical meat come recipes from around the world ranging from home style sloppy joes to elegant beef tartare sandwiches. Interestingly some of the recipes use raw meat and some leftover cooked meat that is then shredded, chopped or ground.

Recipes you'll want to try include: Mexican duck quesadillas, Tex Mex sloppy joes, Greek minted meatballs, Spanish eggplant stuffed with lamb, Shanghai lion's head