
I love eggs. Actually, I think I am fanatical about eggs. I am always on the quest for the perfectly cooked egg, so when Peter wanted to hit the Austin Farmers’ Market in its new, larger space, I was in.
At least half a dozen vendors were selling farm fresh \ free range eggs so we decided to test them out and do a direct comparison against the conventional factory farm grown eggs that we all have been eating for years.
How did the eggs compare? Click on through to find out the results!
Posted in Comparisons.
Tagged with comparison, conventional, conventionally farmed, eggs, farm fresh.
By Jon
– March 10, 2010

The Tastingbuds were honored to attend the grand opening luncheon of Maggiano’s Little Italy on Monday, March 1st at it’s new location in the upscale Domain. While it is new to Austin, many of you may already be acquainted with Maggiano’s – there are more than 40 locations throughout the US.
I grew up in Atlanta, home one of the older Maggiano’s… where everyone knows it as a nice, Italian inspired restaurant that is a safe go-to place to take a date or to celebrate a special occasion.
How does the Austin location stack up, and how do we think Maggiano’s will fare in the already crowded Austin Restaurant scene? Click on through to see what we thought and to see tons of mouthwatering photos
Posted in Events, Reviews.
Tagged with Austin, banquet, Italian, Maggianos, Texas.
By Peter Tsai
– March 8, 2010

Last September, Peter and I attended the Franklin BBQ preview party (see Backyard Eats post). The tasty bbq and fun, backyard atmosphere won us over immediately. Since they had their grand opening in December, we decided to return to see how things were going.
Click here to see the rest of the post
Posted in Field Trips, Food.
Tagged with Austin, bbq, brisket, Franklin BBQ, pulled pork, sandwich, sausage, Sweet Leaf Tea, TX.
By Kristina
– February 11, 2010

Hawaii is known for being a tropical paradise with amazing beaches and beautiful natural surroundings. However, a Hawaiian vacation is also known for holding tourists upside down by the ankles and shaking all the money their pockets. The main issue is that stores and restaurants in touristy areas charge sky high prices for necessities such as food – which is a bummer for foodies like us.
Everyone knows that once you leave the touristy areas you can get some reasonably priced grub, but most people don’t know how the locals manage to keep expenses in check. Here are 6 tasty, unique, and inexpensive local options we discovered in Hawaii that will help you have fun and save money at the same time.
Read about good Hawaiian food on a budget after the jump
Posted in Food, Travel.
Tagged with Food, foodie, frugal, Hawaii, Hawaiian, Hilo, inexpensive, local, malasadas, musubi, Oahu, Poke, save money.
By Peter Tsai
– January 8, 2010

Here’s a fun and delicious ingredient that you might not have encountered before, Okinawan Sweet Potatoes, AKA Hawaiian purple potatoes. They are known for their distinct purple color and unique earthy taste, and I think they are way better than a regular sweet potato.
I discovered this culinary delight on my recent trip to Hawaii and have been hooked ever since. Because it was so delicious in all of the forms I tried, I had to experiment with this ingredient once I got home and I decided to make something from it for Thanksgiving.
Click here to read more about Okinawan Sweet Potatoes
Posted in Recipes, Travel.
Tagged with Hawaii, Hawaiian Sweet Potato, Okinawan Sweet Potato, purple, Purple Potato, recipe.
By Peter Tsai
– December 8, 2009

Congrats to Seth Mazow for pulling off another victory in the Hands on an Eggplant Sandwich competition at local favorite, Home Slice Pizza. This year’s time on a sub was approx 31 hours – but the payoff was great… a year of free pizza. If you don’t know what the heck we are talking about, check out Seth’s website Year of the Pizza, or read the Tastingbuds interview with Seth here.
Click through to see more pictures from HOES 2009
Posted in Events.
Tagged with Austin, contest, eggplant sub, free pizza, HOES, Home Slice, pizza, Seth Mazow.
By Peter Tsai
– December 7, 2009

As the Tasting Bud who claims not to cook, I surprised everyone last Thanksgiving when I volunteered to bring a side dish to the feast. We were expecting more than 30 family members and friends, so I had to come up with something good. I thought about three of the essential food groups: carbs, cheese, and bacon. You really can’t go wrong with that combination, so I opted to make macaroni and cheese. I can, however, tell you a little about my process.
Click here to see the rest of the post
Posted in Food, Oops, Recipes, Uncategorized.
Tagged with Butternut Squash, Mac & Cheese, Macaroni and Cheese, Thanksgiving.
By Kristina
– December 4, 2009