I’ll be having a few of these this weekend! What’s your favorite margarita or summertime beverage?

P.S. Only two more weekends to enjoy some of these refreshing margaritas and Blues and BBQ at the Hyatt Regency Resort in Huntington Beach!!

Breakfast Cake

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After judging the professional competition at  Cupcake Camp OC,  along with Elise, the Cupcake Activist and Tiffini from Yummy Cupcakes. I thought I might never desire another cupcake. But I was wrong… today I indulged in an adorable owl cupcake made of  delicious, dense chocolate cake with creamy, chocolate buttercream frosting that my daughter and her BFF made yesterday.

I wanted to congratulate the winners of Cupcake Camp OC in both the amateur and professional competitions. As well as, Crystal, who won the cupcake eating contest by polishing off 23 cupcakes in less than 2 minutes. And let’s not forget the reason for this event: with nearly 1000 people in attendance, 90 registered bakers, 5201 cupcakes, the organizers of this event raised $9,100 to help aid El Pozo, an organization that works to raise awareness and funds to stop human trafficking.

Judging is no cake walk –  it’s difficult having so many tastes and selecting a winner by considering taste, texture, and presentation. Fortunately, each competition had three categories:  Most Unique – Exotic Flavor/Ingredient, Most Orange County Inspired, and Most Childhood Inspired. The judges for the amateur competition had 52 cupcakes to taste! We had only 37.  I would have to agree with the Cupcake Activist that many of the amateur cupcakes were decorated better than some of the professional entries. We didn’t sample any of them because we had to save our taste buds and tummies for our judging.

AMATEUR COMPETITION

Most unique/exotic flavor or ingredient:

Sue Ann Molina — Ube (Purple Yam) and Macapuno (coconut) Cupcakes

Most OC
 inspired:

Stacie Chan, Hannah Wollmann, and Sadia Naqvi — In-N-Out burger Cupcakes

Most Childhood inspired:

Elaine Heisinger — Peanut Butter and Jelly cupcakes

In n' Out Burger cupcake

PROFESSIONAL COMPETITION

Most unique/exotic flavor or ingredient:

Sugar|Tart Desserterie — Chicken & Waffles Cupcakes

Most OC 
inspired:

Meringue Bake Shop — Orange Crush Cupcakes

Most Childhood inspired:

My Delight Cupcakery – Chocolate Sundae Smile Cupcakes

Banana Blossom Salad at Xanh Bistro

Banana blossom, Vietnamese mint, sesame seeds, peanuts, shrimp and grilled pork served with lime and cilantro dressing.
Come back for the full post about Xanh Bistro and Chef Haley’s demo on how to make spring rolls tomorrow

Sol Cocina’s LOBSTER & SHRIMP TACOS (each with a different salsa: one with mango habanero, one with pico de gallo and one with tomatillo (or pick your fave).

Gran Centenario Rosangel Hibiscus-infused Tequila with Lemonade

It’s hot here, what can I say. Oh, and the lemonade is organic

Polenta stuzzichini at Antonello's Ristorante

Antonello’s is debuting a new menu featuring lighter, organic dishes emphasizing high flavor profiles and extraordinary quality ingredients – come back tomorrow for a peek at the new offerings.

Wagyu Tri-Tip Carpaccio @Haven Gastropub

Delicate is not often the word used to describe beef, but exceptions are the rule at Haven Gastropub in Old Towne Orange.  Wagyu tri-tip shimmering with truffle oil, topped with a swath of tender microgreens and finished with caperberries and a dash of sea salt. Prepared especially for the Les Dames Escoffier dinner by Chef Greg Daniels. More details forthcoming.

Cabernet Crusted Escolar

Fresh South African Escolar crusted in a cabernet powder atop a cabernet cream sauce with chilled lobster salad, popcorn shots, and duck-fat roasted fingerling potatoes.  Created by Chef Greg Daniels for Les Dames Escoffier dinner last week at Haven Gastropub.

Feast your eyes on the complete meal later this week.

This week my obsession with Chile Rellenos has been raised to new heights. I wrote about Haven Gastropub’s gourmet version topped with Tillamook’s pepperjack cheese, had a simple but deliciously authentic Mexican chile relleno with homemade tortillas at La Parrilla after wine tasting in Temecula, and now I’m daydreaming about what I declared to be my most memorable meal of 2009: Mesa Grill’s blue corn tortilla coated chile relleno topped with micro greens – es el paraiso!

Now, I’m on a mission to make them myself! Anyone out there have a Chile Relleno recipe that you love?