“Your words are my food, your breath my wine. You are everything to me.”
–Sarah Bernhardt

Shalini Latour is French Canadian and has lived in Cincinnati since 1998. Her love of chocolate was nurtured while living in Brussels as a teenager. She been a pastry chef and chocolate artisan for over 15 years, and she has worked in New York State and at the Bonbonnerie in Cincinnati. In 2004, she published her own book, ”The Icing on the Cake”. Shalini now creates unique truffles, molded and hand dipped chocolates with classic and modern flavor combinations like Chai Spice, Lime Thyme, or Dark Chocolate Sage. Shalini uses fairtrade chocolate, local ingredients, and earth friendly packaging,

For information on where to buy, visit Shalini’s website

To find out about Shalini’s chocolate dinner at Nectar, visit their website

I hope you’ll stop by and see me today  between 1-3 at the 37th annual Home and Remodeling Showcase at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center.

The current economy has us wanting  “right-sized” homes that cost less to build and maintain. In a recent Better Homes & Gardens survey of potential new-home buyers, 32% said they expected their new home to be smaller than the one they already occupy. For many, quality, functionality and energy-efficiency have become more important than size. Drees Homes  is right on target with what consumers want with their  new Simplistyle designs. These new designs offer open floor plan, with flexible living spaces that will appeal to people who want to live more affordable and simpler lifestyles. The new designs are Energy Star-rated  and range in size from 1,200 to 1,800 sq. ft. and modestly priced from $130,000.  Simplistyle home designs are available at select Drees’ communities in Cincinnati, OH and northern Kentucky. To learn more, visit www.dreeshomes.com/style.

Nothing says romance like a romantic dinner for two. Here’s how to set the stage for romance this Valentines Day: Start with the two of you, a little candlelight and soft music , some wine and a beautiful meal. Consider placing your table for two somewhere that you don’t normally dine, like in front of the fireplace- or in the bedroom.

Since there’s nothing romantic about you being frantic in the kitchen, make sure your menu is filled with indulgent ingredients, but keep it easy to prepare. Classic Beef Wellington is a great choice for Valentines Day. It starts with a meltingly tender Certified Angus Beef Brand beef tenderloin. Sear the beef quickly in a hot pan and then top it with a mixture of mushrooms and shallots . Wrap the whole thing in puff pastry and bake until golden brown. Here’s where the romance comes in- You can assemble the dish early in the day and pop it in the oven while you and your valentine enjoy a little champagne and flirtation. Serve oven roasted asparagus alongside and chocolate fondue for dessert. This is shaping up to be one happy Valentine’s Day. You can find more beef recipes, and tips at Certified Angus Beef. com

Who doesn’t love wings? Over 90 million Buffalo wings are served and eaten during the Super Bowl alone. Chef Kevin Roberts has appeared on the Food Network, The Today Show and CBS The Early Show and he’s sharing his tips and tricks for the ultimate Big Game Party. Kevin is an expert when it comes to tailgating. Last year, he cooked his famous chili LIVE from the Super Bowl with Al Roker and he owns 3 sports bars where he’s famous for his wings. This year, Kevin will be in Miami for the Super Bowl’s premier food & wine event called “Taste of the NFL” where he’ll be dishing out the “Official Buffalo Wings of Taste of the NFL” For  Kevin’s tailgating ideas and recipes, visit www.franksredhot.com

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and we’re all thinking about hearts- in fact February is American Heart Month and you need to protect your yours from cardiovascular disease. Keep your heart in the pink by eating foods rich in phytochemicals which have been shown to lower the risk of heart disease. Where can you find them? In spinach, leafy greens, berries, walnuts, and green tea. Sounds like lunch! Dole Baby Spinach tossed with fresh berries, toasted walnuts and maybe a little goat cheese is the ideal way to keep your ticker tickled and watch your weight, too. Wash down that healthy lunch with a cup or two of green tea and you can feel downright smug. You can find a different salad inspiration on every package of Dole Salad which makes American Heart Health month something to celebrate. Find more salad inspiration and healthy living tips at Dole.com

Cream Cheese Brownie Pie

Mexican Chocolate Ganache Brownies

Double Chocolate Diamonds

Chocolate Lovers Pie

With Valentines Day just around the corner we’re all thinking about chocolate. The word chocolate comes from the Aztec work meaning “bitter water” and the bitter  drink the ancient Aztecs made from crushed cocoa beans and spices wouldn’t fly with chocolate lovers today. But even the ancients new a good thing and chocolate comes from a cocoa bean whose name means “food of the gods”. Based on our love for chocolate, I believe chocolate really was heaven sent.

There are so many kinds of chocolate available, but for baking the most common types are   [Read more →]

Pam Walling created the most adorable Cheesecake-filled Strawberries in her tea class at EQ on Friday. Read the recipe to discover how really easy they are to make, but they sure don’t look it, do they?

Chocolate Dipped Cheesecake Filled Strawberries
about 24 peices

2 quarts fresh strawberries
½ pound chocolate, semi-sweet, milk, or white
½ of a cheesecake

Dip strawberries by their stems 2/3 of the way in the chocolate [Read more →]

Thanks for all your emails! I fell down on the job (can I blame the weather?)  Here are the recipes I  did on Fox 19 and Q102 yesterday. Better late than never!

Cranberry Kiss
Makes 4 cocktails

1 cup cranberry juice cocktail
1/2 cup vodka
1/4 cup amaretto (I used Cointreau in the cocktail yesterday, but it’s equally delicious with Amaretto)
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice [Read more →]

Valentine’s day is around the corner and that means you need a recipe for romance. The first ingredient? Music! Musician Chris Comer knows his love songs. While his taste in food may be dubious, his taste in music is impeccable. To check out Chris Comer’s Valentine play list, click here

To listen to him live (while sipping Champagne and nibbling hors d oeuvres by candle light at the Krohn Conservatory) click here.