OC MART MIX VENDORS UNITE! | INTRODUCING 'THE WAFFLEGATO'

The OC Mart MIX in Costa Mesa has quickly become one of the hottest foodie spots in Orange County. With specialty culinary shops & restaurants that cover the gamut of everything a gastronome could hope for, the MIX is a foodie wonderland.

I must admit that deep-down I am a hard-core Sci-Fi nerd. (I grew up with two brothers, what can I say?!) So, I can't help but equate a lil' something from Marvel Comics with what's happening at The OC Mart MIX these days.... Because, when Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye & Black Widow team-up to save the planet, it's called 'The Avengers.' So, when The Iron Press, Savory Spice Stop, Portola Coffee Lab, The Cheese Shop and N'ice Cream combine forces to create the ultimate dessert, you get 'The Wafflegato.' The result of an Avengers-style collaboration of OC Mart MIX vendors in which each superhero brings a specialized strength to the team - making the final result stronger than the sum of its individual parts. What you get is a seriously kick-a** gourmet foodie dish that you want to stick your face in.

Because, when Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye & Black Widow team-up to save the planet, it's called 'The Avengers.' So when The Iron Press, Savory Spice Stop, Portola Coffee Lab, The Cheese Shop and N'ice Cream combine forces to create the ultimate dessert, you get 'The Wafflegato.'

The Wafflegato (a play on the term 'Affogato' - an Italian dish in which espresso is poured over vanilla gelato or ice cream) was served at a specialty station in the MIX as part of the SoCo Collection's Friday Night Foodies Art Walk this past Friday, June 8th from 5-8pm. The station was manned by Portola Coffee Lab's Store Manager & Director of Marketing, Jeff Clinard - and after just one hour of service, N'ice Cream had to make another batch of the in-demand Dauphinoise cheese Gelato. Needless to say, it was a hit.

THE WAFFLEGATO: Hand-Made Dauphinoise Cheese Gelato topped with Portola Coffee Lab 'Show No Mercy' Espresso & Alderwood-Smoked Salt with an Iron Press Waffle. Umm..... YESSS.

This will likely be just the first of many culinary collaborations that these vendors create for Friday Night Foodies. Stay tuned to Portola Coffee Lab's Facebook & Twitter feed for news - and come out each week to The MIX for Friday Night Foodies from 5-8pm! Art Walk takes place every second Friday of the month - the next one will be July 13th - mark your calendars and hope to see you all there!

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Friday Night Foodies takes place EVERY Friday from 5-8pm at The OC Mart Mix. Art Walk is every second Friday.

A WEDGE OF CHEESE HEAVEN | THE CHEESE SHOP AT THE MIX - COSTA MESA

1,139.  The number of photos I shot of some of the most beautiful cheeses I've ever seen, smelled & tasted in my life at on of OC's hottest new culinary boutiques, The Cheese Shop at the MIX.  (Launched by San Clemente cult-favorite, The Cellar.)

6:30am.  The photo shoot call-time.

30 types of cheese.

32 cheese-related products.

1 photographer in food photography heaven.

The Cheese Shop at The MIX in Costa Mesa, CA -- With Mascot, Clementine the Cow

Few jobs I've been hired to shoot in my career as a food photographer have been this fun for me. Those who know me know that I am a self-proclaimed cheese-aholic. So, the 3 hours I spent photographing this vast array of cheeses from around the globe for The Cheese Shop's soon-to-launch web site were pure pleasure for me - I felt like a grown-up kid in a grown-up candy shop.

My goal was to shoot these cheeses and showcase their simple, elegant beauty - their sexiness - their sensuality. I wanted to capture the uniqueness of each cheese and let the photos speak for themselves - no narration needed - natural light, minimal props. Pure, photographic, titillate-your-gustatory-senses "Cheese Porn."

Go ahead - indulge yourself. And then stop by The Cheese Shop at The OC Mart MIX in the SoCo Collection (3313 Hyland Avenue in Costa Mesa) to fulfill your wildest cheese fantasies.... ooh la la... and, bon appetit! 

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THE CELLAR | RESTAURANT, WINE BAR & CHEESE SHOP - SAN CLEMENTE

I love good food. And good wine. And good cheese. So, I really loved the recent opportunity I had to shoot the latest menu for the ingenious Chef Erika Tucker at The Cellar Restaurant, Wine Bar & Cheese Shop in San Clemente, California. 

The Cellar San Clemente: Recycled wine bottles are used through out the space adding unique detail.

Chef Erika recently joined The Cellar team and has brought with her some truly inspired ideas that she's incorporating into the revamped Cellar menu at the moment. Erika is my kinda' girl - she has a wide breadth of experience - most recently working in the kitchen of The Peninsula Hotel in Chicago (one of my favorite hotels in the world - I still daydream about the cozy bed and the traditional afternoon tea there). AND, she rides a motorcycle. A fellow female biker with an appreciation for great food. Need I say more?

Her cuisine is beautiful. Simple, straightforward, fresh ingredients. Phenomenal presentation. Elegant and fun all at once. I love everything about it - it truly speaks for itself. Here's a small taste-through-photos of what Chef Erika is working on in The Cellar kitchen these days:

Ok, now my stomach is growling.

In addition to the amazing food, The Cellar also offers an awe-inspiring cheese counter and fully-stocked wine shop.  Whether you are a novice or a veteran cheese connoisseur, the staff at The Cellar will make you feel welcome in their lil' slice of Cheese Heaven.

In fact, North OC'ers can get their slice of Cheese Heaven these days too - in Costa Mesa at The Cellar's newest addition - The Cheese Shop at The Mix in the SoCo Collection. Stay tuned... More on The Cheese Shop coming soon!

Meantime, be sure to pay The Cellar a visit next time you're in San Clemente. Even if you aren't local, still make the trip. Trust me - it's worth it. With their nightly live music, fantastic 'wine down hour', mind-blowing cheese selection and one-of-a-kind menu, what's not to love?! Cheers!

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