Foodie tourism

In between classes and work, I've had the chance to do a little bit of foodie vacationing and soul restoring :) There is nothing that makes me happier than taking some time off from my busy life and having a new food "experience." I'm always trying to get better at baking and food photography, so I love the chance to experiment.

I couldn't pass up the opportunity to celebrate San Diego Beer Week with a chocolate and beer tasting at Stone Brewery in Escondido. Renowned beer expert and the brewery's beverage manager"Dr." Bill Sysak created a five-course tasting menu with three truffles and two beers per course. Needless to say, it was an exercise in decadence - and self-restraint! I was definitely there for the chocolate, and to sip some beers and learn more about the different types of brews.



Three local chocolatiers  - Eclipse Chocolat, Chuao Chocolatier and Guanni Chocolates - provided the exceptional sweets. There was everything from pumpkin spice with muscovado sugar to cognac to pink peppercorns, and while I didn't love all of them, it was amazing to see the little works of art that these chocolatiers were creating in each truffle.

The town of Julian, about 30 minutes northeast of San Diego, is a historic gold mining town known for its amazing apple pie. Of course, we had to check it out for ourselves - and were not disappointed! Julian Pie Company is the place to be, and we picked out two warm slices with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. 

The pie company was very casual and luckily made up in taste what it lacked in decor. We stood in line and ordered our pies from the counter, picked it up at a window on a paper plate on a plastic tray, and ate on stools at the countertop along the window. I would have liked to sit at a table, but I was soon distracted by the holy grail of San Diego pies.

The Original Apple was a flawless blend of crisp, buttery and flaky crust
with warm, gooey, spicy apple filling. 

The Apple Mountain Berry was a combination of raspberry, strawberries,
boysenberries and apples topped with a streusel cinnamon sugar crumble. 

Heaven? I think so...