My sister Jennifer and I started taking a culinary tour during spring break a couple years ago. This year, one of our stops was San Diego, California. Not only was the weather fantastic but the food was great! We stayed in the Little Italy area, which is the largest in the United States. We found small restaurants and markets within walking distance of our hotel and had small bites at a few of them including Mimmo’s and Café Zucchero. Watching tortillas rolled and made by hand in Old Town San Diego to the Gas Lamp district made for a great culinary tour. One person we met told us if we were adventurous in trying new foods, we had to stop at Juniper and Ivy. It was awesome!!

Juniper and Ivy is owned by Chef Richard Blais, Top Chef All Stars winner and let me tell you, the food was creative, fresh, full of flavor and something we will never forget! Jenny likes trying new things (BQ Octopus with Kimchee and Eel Sauce) and one of the many items that caught my attention was the Carne Cruda Asada topped with quail eggs. AWESOME!!!! I didn’t want to share but being a good brother, I let Jenny have a small piece and she was speechless! Did I mention the “melt in your mouth” Deviled Egg with Egg White Meringue, Yolk Mousse and Bacon? Or the Lamb Carpaccio with Olive Ice Cream?? I won’t even mention the desserts….Fantastic…it was all fantastic!!! Can’t wait to go again!! Jenny and I also had the pleasure of meeting Chef Richard which she thought was very cool!!

It was a great way to end our tour!! Thanks Jen….wonder where we will go exploring next year??

After a wonderful Thanksgiving meal, what do you do with all the leftovers? To keep your Thanksgiving leftovers fresher longer, you’ve first got to ensure that they’re being kept in a safe storage environment. Most Thanksgiving leftovers will stay fresh and tasty for at least a few days in the refrigerator.

•     Refrigerate leftover Thanksgiving turkey, stuffing, gravy and other cooked side dishes within two hours of serving. It’s okay to place warm, never hot, food in the refrigerator. •     Carve leftover turkey meat off the bones before refrigerating. Place the leftover turkey and stuffing in separate containers. Save the bones to make an awesome turkey soup. •     Divide leftover turkey and other cooked dishes into smaller portions and refrigerate or freeze in covered shallow containers for quicker cooling.