Side of Green Eggs

During the day, lots of ideas probably float in your head.

Little nuggets of random information pop out of no where, typically about nothing in particular. I have the same problem, however as you may have noticed most of my ideas revolve around food, restaurants or eating.

I'm happy to announce today the launch of a whole new blog site: A Side of Green Eggs.

On this page I will be writing "micro blogs" which most likely won't be longer than 3-5 sentences. I will be updating it 1-3 times a day to keep it interesting. I view this blog as a "side" item to what we talk about here. We will cover completely different topics on Side of Green Eggs, however the format is the same: it's about communication, sharing of ideas and involvement from you, the readers. This site, Green Eggs will continue to be updated on a frequent basis.

I hope you will check out the site, bookmark it or subscribe to get daily updates by email. If you do subscribe you will only get one email per day with all of the posts in one email.

I'm looking forward to sharing tiny bite size stories and ideas. Think of it like a candy bowl, with fun size Snickers inside, or a mini Sharpie, or a Snack Wrap, or trial size deodorant, or pizza rolls, or cheese on a cheese tray or mini desserts.

Basically it's small, short and satisfying. Click HERE to check it out and subscribe by email!

Bang Bang Tacos

I have discovered that dining experiences usually go best when you find an appetizer that your wife/spouse/lover/significant other doesn't like.

This way you can order an appetizer and eat the entire thing yourself.

I decided to go with this strategy last night at Bonefish Grill. I enjoy Bonefish for hundreds of reasons, however the focus of my visit traditionally revolves around one thing: Bang Bang Shrimp.

My wife, fortunately for me, hates shrimp. Aah.....too bad. I guess I will have to eat the entire order of Bang Bang myself. Poor me.

Last night though, something unbelievable happened.

We got to our table, opened up the specials menu and I read the first menu item at the top: Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos.

"WHAT!?!" I shouted as I wiped the drool from my mouth.

Our delightful server came over and I demanded an order of the Bang Bang Tacos.

However, there was a bit of fear inside me.....why the heck would "fish" tacos be good? It seems a little awkward. If I'm going to get Tacos I envision meat, cheese, lettuce, salsa, sour cream etc. I want them to be spicy and full flavored.....not fishy.

We made casual chit chat while we waited.....none of which I recall as I was so focused on the Bang Bang Tacos.

The plate came out and my eyes began to water with tears of joy.

It came out on a long narrow, classy, flat white plate. To the left was homemade, hand-sliced potato chips perfectly seasoned.

To the right were two beautifully designed Bang Bang Tacos. Soft shells, lighted toasted, Bang Bang Shrimp, fresh lettuce, tomatoes and get this: homemade lime sour cream.

My wife, unfortunately, likes chips. However the two tacos were mine.

This is the way tacos were meant to be. They were filled with all of the pleasure and satisfaction that Bang Bang has to offer PLUS the lime sour cream and lettuce. Think of this more like a Bang Bang Wrap rather than a taco. I devoured both fairly quickly with no time for chit chat in between.

The addition of the sour cream and presentation in the wrap makes this dish even better. If you like the Bang Bang you need to go to Bonefish now and get the Tacos, they truly are amazing.

The chips, much like the tacos were equally remarkable. Light, airy and crisp they were perfectly delicious. It's a shame that Bonefish doesn't bag them and sell them in the grocery store.

As we finished munching on the chips (my wife ended up sharing the crumbs with me). We noticed something out of the corner of our eye.

There was an elderly couple kitty corner to our booth, much like the characters you might see while suffering through dinner at Red Lobster.

The woman, clearly an exhibitionist had her linen napkin carefully clipped with a traditional binder clip to her top.

A revolutionary idea, and also extremely entertaining. It was obvious this woman carried the black binder clip in her purse just in case she ever got caught in a situation where she need to put a bib on.

Hmm.....something to consider. Forget the Tide to Go Pen. What you need instead is a Binder Clip.

All in all it turned out to be a fairly satisfying night. Not only did I eat the best new food creation on earth, but I also had a chance to witness the most effective way to avoid stains on shirts.

The Solution

It's tough out there.

Prices are rising, the stock market is falling and no one seems to be buying much of anything - aside from gas.

Casual Dining Restaurants are probably feeling the pains of the economy more than anyone. Just in the past 8 weeks Bennigan's, Steak and Ale, and Shells Seafood have all shut their doors. They won't be the only ones to fall.

We need a solution.

Dr. Chris Muller (a restaurant and marketing veteran) and I have compiled the 10 Steps to Save Casual Dining into a short FREE eBook available for you to download by clicking HERE.

Who knows...if every restaurant company read it maybe we would have a reason to dine with them again. OH and they could start growing their business instead of just shutting down.

Just an idea.

Something Smells Fishy...

15 "shrimp" for $4.95? Something isn't right here.





















There are only two logical ways to explain this:

1. It's not really shrimp.
2. They're cooking used shrimp found in the dumpster behind Red Lobster.

Long John Silver's - don't you know that even in these tough times price isn't everything?

This photo was taken at my local Long John Silver's in Tampa....as you might imagine the parking lot was.....empty.

Short and Sweet

Gave a short talk at the University of Central Florida tonight.

Thought you may be interested in seeing what we talked about. Click here to get your copy of "Five Steps to Get Ahead."

It's short, sweet and reads best with a $1 Sundae from McDonald's as I discovered last night.

Indulgent Frappuccino

The sun was hot.

Sweat was slowly forming above my brow.

We had been walking....for hours through downtown St. Pete in the middle of the sweltering afternoon. Every where I turned it seemed everyone but me was holding an ice cold, refreshing, satisfying Starbucks Frappuccino.

It seemed like hundreds of happy people were walking along beside me, all completely content with their icy smooth Frappuccino.

As we went in shop after shop looking for something we didn't need. I was parched.

My mind told me not to do it.

I know better I thought, Starbucks is a rip off. How dare they think they can charge $5 for a coffee drink.....yet the sun kept beating down...just the idea of this unpredictable splurge seemed delightful.

Finally, I broke the silence. I couldn't take it anymore. My mind was a battlefield debating between spending $5 to get this luxurious coffee/shake treat or suffering through the rest of the afternoon.

I turn to my wife, "I think I want a Frappuccino."

Without batting an eye she said, "Ok."

Does that mean I have permission?

Without asking any other questions I scurry away to the nearest corner Starbucks and demand a tall White Mocha Frap.

The barista, places the Frappuccino with whipped cream popping out through the dome hole on the counter. I grab it, walk outside, look at my wife and take my fist step.

Damn, that is good. I mean really good.

It's satisfying, over priced, indulgent and....utterly amazing.

My wife and I ended up fighting over the Frap for the next 3.5 minutes before we finished it.

Say what you want about Starbucks but one thing is for sure: Their Frappuccinos are worth $5.

You're Fired

No, I don't intend to only blog on responses to readers comments forever. However, with the interesting topics we have been discussing, it's important to look at what Joanne is saying a little more closely...

Joanne said on "The Only Customer".....

"I understand both sides. I'm a frequent diner that got out of the service industry a long time ago. However, I also see my bf who is a manager for Starbucks. Some of those baristas work so hard only to be treated like scum by a lot of undeserving customers that try to "play" the system. I've seen them. They're picky which is fine if they actually ordered the right thing, but they usually don't. Then they get rude, sometimes yelling obscenities or derogatory comments. Not only do they expect their drink to be remade, but then they expect it for free. Starbucks caters to many, many rude customers, accommodatingg their every whim, yet sometimes it's still not enough to the customer that only wants a free drink. I can't help but wonder how much the bending over backwards to ensure a customer's happiness cuts into their food expenses and inevitably their profits, resulting in closed stores. The economy is bad, I know. Other coffee competitors are stepping up their game, but at what point does being accommodating hurt your business?"

Posted: September 19, 2008 11:54 AM

There is most definitely a difference between treating each customer like they are the ONLY customer and getting abused by customers because they think they are high and mighty.

Treating customers like they are the ONLY ones is defined by exceeding expectations from the second they walk through your door, providing them service that keeps them coming back, and training your employees to be friendly, attentive and aware of customers needs.

It doesn't mean tolerating customers who are outrageous, rude, obnoxious and abusive to you and your staff.

Starbucks employees probably have it the worst of all. Sure, the service isn't always great there and the reasoning is simple: the customers think they are better than the employees and some of the employees think they are better than the customers.

Customers come in with a high expectation because of the story that Starbucks has told all of us: "coming here makes you a better person." When that promise isn't fulfilled exactly how we imagine it - we're mad. The baristas suffer, the customer becomes delusional and both parties end up worse off than they started.

There are customers out there, as you all know, who like to make things up, lie, cheat and try to fool you into getting something for free - this is not "classy eating."

When this happens, customers need to be fired.

That's right: fired.

Why would a restaurant fire a customer?

Simple. You fire a customer when it has reached a point of no return. When there is nothing you can possibly do to make them happy and when it's hurting your business, other customers or employees by attempting to cater to their needs.

How do you fire them?

The same way Donald does. Well, kinda.

You thank them for coming in and kindly request they leave your establishment. Chances are they will be so shocked that they will shut up immediately and just leave.

Some customers aren't worth your time, money or energy. You need to focus on the ones that will come back, will tell their friends and will appreciate your efforts. Treat those guests as though they are the "only ones." The time you put in to them will more than pay for the ones you might have lost that will never be satisfied.

The tasks at hand to driving your business are still quite simple: make remarkable food, offer extraordinary service and have a clean, memorable atmosphere - then you win.

In closing, and for your entertainment I have included a classic clip from the movie Waiting. Here the servers most definitely "fire" the customer - just in the most unethical way possible. I highly recommend you don't do this if you work in a restaurant, but for entertainment purposes....it doesn't get any better than this.

The Only Customer

In this story from several months ago I express my anger with First Watch for giving us poor service....specifically not refilling our drinks. Below is a recent comment from a reader. Click the title to read the full post.

Susana said on "What Every Server Should Know"

you suck you moron! Do you think servers set the price of drinks? Do you think we have time to enable your sick delusions of overpaying for a tea or a soft drink? Regardless of what you might think or actually because of what you obviously dont know.... You aren't our only customer!!!! If you're that thirsty or cheap you putz kindly ask for the server to bring you two drinks instead of one! That way you fan guzzle to your hearts content and STILL let her get on with her job! Ignoramus!!!!!!!

Posted: September 18, 2008 1:18 AM

Susana -

I'm not too horribly offended by your written attack on my dining preferences and service expectations. I'm much more alarmed by something entirely different......you said I wasn't First Watch's only customer.

I hope that throughout the rest of this post I can get you to wrap your small brain around a simple idea: I AM YOUR ONLY CUSTOMER!

In a world of restaurants where I have hundreds.....no THOUSANDS of choices, shouldn't you be doing everything in your power to keep me a happy paying customer who returns again and again?

If you worked at the only restaurant in New York City, then you could tell me that I'm not your only customer. It's not the 1950s - now restaurants are a commodity and I have choices. I choose based on service, quality, convenience and overall atmosphere.

Restaurants that don't understand the concept that their customers own them will eventually falter. Those that follow the practice of. "I'm a restaurant, I'm better than you, You're lucky you have me." will eventually become extinct.

Remember Bennigan's? Remember Steak & Ale? Remember Shells? Remember Starbucks (before they were forced to close 600 stores)?

They all believed that the people who came in weren't their ONLY customer. It only takes a matter of time before people start to catch on, they notice something different, they don't feel as important as they used to and then suddenly it spreads. People stop coming.

I'm sure that Bennigan's, Steak & Ale or Shells WISHES I was their customer. Starbucks would LOVE for me to come back.

Restaurants win when they exceed expectations, offer remarkable service and deliver an experience that you can't find anywhere else.

In a world where Chick-Fil-A fills your drink up for you, Carrabba's gives away free dessert, Chipotle has naturally raised products and restaurants are popping up all over town....you only have one choice: Treat me like I am the ONLY customer.

Then I'll come back, I'll tell my friends, I'll spend more and you will have me for life.

It's not hard: give me refills, pay attention to my needs, and get my order right.

See Susana? It's simple.

Now who's the moron?

Kissed by the Italian Gods

A recent trip to Ft. Myers turned out to be much more romantic than I had ever expected.

We stumbled across Carrabba’s. Not just a normal Carrabba’s though – it was a palace. As we pulled into the parking lot it looked like a Carrabba’s I have never seen before….my first mission was to get a picture of the building so I could truly capture the beauty of this restaurant.

My wife, as expected, demanded that I stop taking photos of the outside of the restaurant because I looked like a “freak” and no one actually cared.

I ignored her pleas, and my photo-shoot continued. Hopefully you do enjoy the photo as it almost cost me my marriage.

As we walked inside, the manager greeted us at the door and my amazement continued. The bar area is completely separate from the rest of the restaurant with a marble bar top and a skylight above. The entire dining room is bright, vibrant and sophisticated.

We arrived at our table and noticed that they now have one panel menus which compliment the interior perfectly. For some reason something came over me and I decided to splurge: we ordered an appetizer. I was after the mozzarella sticks, but my wife insisted we get fried zucchini (she won, after all I had just made a fool of her in the parking lot).

Our server returned and I immediately requested more complimentary bread (I could live off of their bread and bread alone).

The fried zucchini came out and my mind was blown. It was like deep fried zucchini French fries with dipping sauce…….amazing….never have vegetables tasted sooo good. We cleaned the plate in a matter of minutes.

My splurge continued and I ordered off of their specials menu and got Seafood di Venezla. My wife got filet (laa dee daa… I guess I was still paying her back for the parking lot photos.)

Our food came out right on time and this was when the real experience began…..it was gorgeous. My plate looked like a colorful parade of food in front of me: crusted trout (soft, tender, delectable), beautifully designed crabbed stuffed shrimp, asparagus, and to seal the deal….cheese ravioli.

I couldn’t decide where to begin. So started with a bite of everything. It. Was. Perfect. Things turned awkward when I started paying more attention to my food than my family (however, this is not an unusual occurrence).

When I was finished, I looked to my wife and said, “Babe, this has been a romantic experience.” She responded with a sarcastic, “Oh really?”

I said, “No, not with you…..with the food.”

Just as I was about to be killed the chef walked over to our table with something delicate in his hands…..a toweringly beautiful dessert. I didn’t know what it was, and I didn’t care, it just looked really really good. He stopped at our table, set it down and said, “Our kitchen made an extra one of these desserts and since you are the only ones who finished their dinner tonight we would like to give it to you (are you calling me fat?!).”

In my head, heavenly music began playing, angels flown around me and I felt like I had just been kissed by the Italian Gods.

I did nothing to deserve it. I didn’t cause a scene. I didn’t make outrageous claims about the service or food. I was just the chosen one. The lucky guy – who did nothing to get a FREE dessert.

I graciously accepted it and told the chef I loved him.

Then, we began devouring this holy treat. It was the Sogna Di Cioccolata or "Chocolate Dream" and it is chocolate cake, homemade chocolate mousse, chocolate cake, homemade chocolate mousse, fresh whipped cream, homemade chocolate sauce and a large scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Truly glorious in every way.

As a whole, this had been one of the most satisfying dining experiences I have had in a long time – endless free bread, deep fried appetizer, phenomenal entrée, free dessert and amazing service.

Thank you Johnny and Damian, thank you – you’re both saints.

New eBook: Dazzling Desserts!

Warning: This new eBook may cause you to drool uncontrollably.

Last week I asked readers to send in their favorite desserts. I compiled them into a short and sweet eBook called Dazzling Desserts. It turned out to be a collection of the best desserts on earth!

It's tasty, sexy, tempting and worth sharing with a friend.

Click the cover below or HERE to download your free copy

Special thanks to all of the readers who sent in their favorite desserts.

Talk to Me!

Your feedback, ideas and comments as a reader are extremely important to me.

We are constantly re-inventing the Green Eggs blog and while I have many ideas of where to take it - I know that it's more important for you to decide where it goes - after all this site is for you.

I have developed a survey that I hope you will take a few minutes to fill out. It's only a handful of questions and you won't get graded on it.

I will listen to your responses carefully and your input will direct where Green Eggs goes in the future.

Click HERE to take the Green Eggs Survey.

Good Excuse for Ice Cream

Sometimes you get gift cards you don’t want. You think, “Why did they give this to me?” I will never use it.

It’s likely you would have preferred they just gave you the cold hard cash. These gift cards randomly appear at strange times, sometimes years after you get them.

Earlier this week, my wife and I had a similar experience.

There we were in the middle of the afternoon walking through the food court at the mall contemplating life and looking at the baby.

Then, out of the clear blue, something magically romantic happened.

My wife in her infinite wisdom turned to me and said, “I have had a Haggen Daz gift card in my purse for months. Let’s get ice cream now, otherwise we will never use it.”

At first I was a little flabbergasted by the fact that she was suggesting we get ice cream at 1pm in the afternoon. Then after a few split seconds of thoughtful consideration I graciously shook my head in agreement and said, “Ya we better do that.”

I stroll up the counter, glancing around anxiously. It had been YEARS since I last visited Haggen Daz. Minutes go by…no employee behind the counter at all. We still look in the case, read over the menu and a special deal catches my eye.

Buy a Dulce Split Dazzler and get a free bottle of water.

Of course the Dazzler is huge, a much bigger portion than I needed in the middle of the afternoon, however the complimentary bottle of water seemed like a good excuse to “splurge”.

After I make my decision the surfer dude employee finally appears and is ready to take our order.

The Dulce Split Dazzler is served in a drink cup and it I watched in horror and awe as the surfer dude built my creation. First ice cream, then fresh banana, hot caramel, another layer of ice cream, more fresh banana, hot caramel. This layering process continues until he reaches the summit of the cup and then it’s finished off with fresh whipped cream.

Whoa. That thing was huge.

I took my free bottle of water and we found a table in the food court in an unpopulated area. (We didn't want to appear like lard butts who needed an ice cream fix just after lunch.)

This ice cream creation was truly sensational. Maybe it's because it was in a cup, maybe it's because it had bananas, or maybe it's because it was made with tender love and care or possibly it was just because it was running out over the top of my cup all over my hands. Whatever it was - it tasted like an ice cream dream.

The combination of hot caramel sauce, bananas, and the ice cream created a dessert party in my mouth. Hot caramel does an interesting thing - it gets cold and turns into glue. In a matter of minutes my face was stuck to the cup because the stringy, sticky caramel was all over the place. I didn't give a care in the world though because it was so good.

We slowly finished and made our way back towards Haagen Daz and as we walked by I had the pleasure of over-hearing a conversation:

I call it, the "Good Excuse for Ice Cream" conversation.

There were two women at the counter. Here are their excuses for getting expensive Haagen Daz ice cream:

"Well, I need something to walk around with while shopping."

"A little dessert can't hurt."

I think my excuse was the best though: I have a gift card......err and I had to order the biggest thing because...because I got a free bottle of water.

Excuses or not....it was freakin good.

What dessert do you make an excuse for? Tell me what dessert dazzles you and I'll include it in a short eBook that is sure to change the world. Send me an email by clicking here or...............here. No excuses.

Go Bananas (Foster)

The host took us to our table at Bonefish Grill, and set down our dinner menus and a specials menu.

I glance briefly over the dinner menu, but I already know what I'm ordering: Bang Bang Shrimp and most likely the trout. The specials menu however caught my interest...as I work my way towards the very bottom something extraordinary comes popping out at me.

Bananas Foster.

Rarely when we go eat at a restaurant do we decide we're going to get dessert before we even place our order for dinner. It may cross our mind as we ponder the menu, but usually when it comes right down to it, we make excuses:

"Oooh I can't possibly have one more bite."

It's just too much."

"We don't need it."

"I don't want to pay for it."

I made my decision though and at the end of our meal, there wouldn't be any excuses. I was getting the Bananas Foster. The only thing standing in my way was........my wife.

Attempting to be smooth, I didn't verbally announce my intentions of consuming dessert without her permission until the very end of our meal. Then, at just the right moment I casually mention, "I think I'm going to try this Bananas Foster dessert."

Her response, "Oh really?"

"Ya," I say confidently, "I've never had it before."

Apparently this was a good enough reason as she gave me permission to order it.

Bananas Foster is a delicate dessert of excellence. It screams classiness and is wonderfully designed.

It begins with the core ingredient of bananas, however this isn't what makes the dish. It's the sauce that glorifies it: made from butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, dark rum, and banana liqueur.

The cooking method only adds to it's sexy appeal and utter satisfaction: the butter, sugar and bananas are cooked, and then the alcohol is added and ignited.

Bonefish does it up right. The portion is huge and instead of having the ice cream on top it's served on the side. This gives you room to really enjoy the bananas at your leisure and add ice cream in as you prefer.

As I first began eating an incredible sensation came over me. It's sweet, bold, cold and hot all at the same time. The dessert itself is difficult to describe - it's just really really really good.

The server, being generous brought out more than one spoon. I was sure to confiscate them all so I didn't have to share and I was scraping the plate clean in a matter of minutes. I have no idea what Bonefish does to make it so good but it truly is remarkable.

Next time your at Bonefish, decide on dessert and don't change your mind. The Bananas Foster is worth the bloated feeling you may experience afterward.

We want to hear about your favorite dessert on earth! Email me by clicking here or here and I will include your dessert in a short eBook to be published in the near future.

The Elite S'more

This is a S’more.

Quite possibly the most revolutionary dessert of all mankind.

The cavemen ate S’mores. The Knights of the Round Table ate S’mores. The cowboys ate S’mores. You eat S’mores.

They above any other dessert bring people together in harmony.

S’mores are so good I was in the break room last week and I found two co-workers making S’mores in the microwave. It took every ounce of will power inside me to resist joining in.

It’s ok though, because I had my chance to indulge in a far greater creation this past weekend.

Somehow through a great twist of fate, we again found ourselves at Cold Stone – one of my favorite ice cream places on earth.

We walk in and I notice two things immediately.

1. They are now serving Frozen yogurt that only has 25 calories per ounce. Sound familiar?

2. There are two new flavors: marshmallow and peanut butter.

Hmmm…….marshmallow ice cream. This sounds interesting. My fat kid mental wheels start turning. What is the best combination I can come up with to use marshmallow ice cream?

I ponder….take a few free samples and ponder some more.

I was cautious to only add one “mix in” as Cold Stone currently has a special running that is two Like It’s with one mix in for $5 - - a GREAT deal. Later this month on September 25, Cold Stone will be giving away FREE ice cream. You can get more info here.

After several minutes of pacing I determine that the best I can come up with is marshmallow with Reese’s. (I’m a simple guy).

However, I don’t make my order without first asking the expert opinion from the always friendly Cold Stone employee.

“Can I try this marshmallow flavor?” I ask (it’s always good to work with employees to fully engage them in your dilemma – it also guarantees that they will put passion into your item when they finally make it for you).

She gives me a generous sample.

“Hmmm…..what do YOU recommend I get with this? What’s the best?”

She clearly had faced the same issue that I had when they first got the flavor in the store – what goes best with marshmallow ice cream?

She pauses, then slowly responds.

“Well, we have this featured combination which is marshmallow ice cream, oreos and chocolate sauce. All the proceeds from this item go towards Make a Wish Foundation (then she lowers her voice)……but it’s really not that good……….we have found through careful experimentation that it’s best to mix it with graham cracker and hot chocolate sauce to make an Ice Cream S’more.”

Stop right there. Stop it. This is too good to be true – I wasn’t prepared to have an erotic Cold Stone experience.

I look both ways to make sure my wife wasn’t listening (she was outside waiting with the baby).

Then I say, “Is it good?” She looked me straight in the eyes, brushed her hair back behind her neck, licked her lips and said, “It’s….amazing.”

“Ok” I said, “Let’s do it.”

I paid and then stepped back to watch the magic happen.

Marshmallow ice cream was shoveled out of the container, placed on the cold stone and then a geneours portion of graham cracker crumbs were added. After it was all mixed up she ever so gently coated it in hot chocolate sauce, put a spoon in and said, “Enjoy.”

My eyes (now popping out of my head) looked up and down and realized that she had given me a size bigger than what I had paid for. Classy.

I go back to my wife, and we sit down at a table and for a few brief minutes I was thrown into complete oblivion.

This was how S’mores were meant to be. The ice cream tasted like a thick cold version of marshmallow fluff, mixed with finely crushed graham cracker and then topped with hot chocolate sauce - this was truly a S’more eaters dream.

You know the center of the S’more where it finally all comes together? The place where there is perfect unity between the three parts (chocolate, marshmallow and graham cracker) - - this is what the entire ice cream sundae tasted like. The middle, the best, the core. This was no regular S’more experience. This was an Elite S’more.

Every bite was perfect. Finally I found myself at the bottom of the cup (the worst place after eating ice cream) and I came back to consciousness.

I looked back at the counter and glanced at the Cold Stone employee.

"How was it", she asked?

I just said…"sss’more."

Do you have a favorite dessert? Send me an email and it will be posted on Green Eggs later this week. You can email me by clicking here or here or here and here.

Dazzled by Desserts

The past week I have been a very lucky man.

Through a series of fortunate events I found myself in the presence of some unbelievable desserts. enticing desserts, breath taking desserts and new creations I have never heard of before.

Desserts so good, so remarkable that I am dedicating the next week to tell you all about them.

I call it - Dazzled by Dessert week and I want you to be a part of it.

I know that I'm not the only guy out there who has stumbled across a life changing dessert - although every single thing I had this past week changed me in some way - either by making me fatter, getting me closer to a heart attack or satisfying a deep part of my soul. I also involved my daughter in a recent tasting that I will tell you about in a couple of days (see a sneak peak picture to the right).

Anyway - I know I'm not alone and that many of you have your favorite dessert from your favorite restaurant. I'm hoping over the next few days you will drop me a short email, tell me what dessert you got and where you had it. At the end of the week I'm going to post all of the desserts here on Green Eggs so that we can spread dessert goodness with the world.

You can email me by clicking here or here or here.

Here's to being dazzled by astonishing desserts!

The Oatmeal Experts

Oatmeal.

This is the best they can come up with?

Oatmeal?

Starbucks what are you doing?!

You used to be the innovators. You didn't need to sell food (well except those deliciously fattening sugary baked goods in the glass case). Then someone thought it would be a good idea to make "baked" sandwiches in your stores - suddenly the coffee smell was gone.

You took the sandwiches out.

Now your answer is Oatmeal.

I have two questions.

1. Why do you feel obligated to sell food in the first place?
2. Who are you scared of?

Just a few years ago, no one could touch you. Panera didn't scare you with their design, coffee offerings or menu items. Dunkin couldn't touch you.....sure they had bagels but it still wasn't the same as you. McDonalds? They didn't even used to sell coffee.

Now you seem scared.....your serving Oatmeal. Do you even know what Oatmeal is? It's little dry grains - to make it you add boiling water and stir.

Starbucks, why can't you go back to what you used to stand for? Great beverages, a remarkable experience and a comfortable "third place" to hang out at. What happened to the romance? What happened to the passion? Now you're the Oatmeal experts. You used to be the coffee experts.

What's next? An Eggo Waffle with my coffee?

I can see the ad now: Savor a cup of our rich Pike Place Roast with a freshly toasted Eggo Waffle.

I don't even know who you are anymore.

Moe's is a Glorified Mexican Subway

Rarely does anything good come in the mail.

The mailbox is usually filled with bills, coupons you don't need and requests from credit card companies to sign up for a card you have never heard of.

Every now and then though something good comes. A gift as if sent from the restaurant heavens. It's not just a coupon, it's an offer you will actually use, something you have been waiting for.

Last week I went out to our "box" inserted my key and peered inside, my hopes a little high as I longed for a surprise to come. There - towards the back I saw it, I pulled it out, and glanced over it quickly: Buy One Philly Cheese Steak Burrito from Moe's - get one free!

As you may recall, my last visit to Moe's was in March of 2007. I tried to go back again this past spring however pulled in the parking lot, thought about it and ended up turning around and going to Chipotle. Since my discovery of Chipotle, Moe's hasn't been that good.

They started as an outstanding concept that provided a great product with a reasonable price and exciting service. Then, other players came on to the field. Moe's wasn't that enticing anymore and after awhile I stopped going.

I ran quickly inside with a lifted heart to tell the wife that we FINALLY had a good reason to visit Moe's.

I walk through the door - hold out the coupon and say, "Babe. We're going to Moe's."

Without looking up, she responds, "No we're not. Why would we go there when we can go to Chipotle?"

"Because...because......I have a coupon. It's a buy one Philly cheese steak burrito, get one free."

She glances up slowly, "Why would a Philly cheese steak burrito be good?"

Knowing I had lost the battle, but would win the war, I set the coupon on the counter and waited for the right time to bring it up again.

A few days passed.....I tried again and with a little wit and some smooth husband talk - I won.

We walked suspiciously in to Moe's tonight and were greeted by the usual, "Welcome to Moe's!"

In the year and a half since I was last there, not a whole lot had changed. The meat was still in plastic containers, the queso still cost $4 and the chips and salsa are still included in the price of the meal.

I opted for the Philly cheese steak quesadilla's instead of the burrito because it seemed like a better tasting option. In my quesadilla I got: steak, chicken, cheese, green peppers, queso, pickled jalapenos and more cheese.

My wife got a Philly cheese......with no meat so basically it was rice, cheese, queso and lettuce.

As the Moe's employees were making up our goods I took the opportunity to strike up a conversation on their thoughts on Chipotle. My goal? Get them to admit that Chipotle is better than Moe's.

I began gently..."so - what do you guys think of Chipotle? Do you like hate them?" Without hesitation, the cashier promptly responds, "I love Chipotle, it's so fresh and good." The grill guy chimed in, "Chipotle is good......but they don't have our queso - it's like crack."

Also, just like crack it's extremely overpriced.

Then I ask the question, "but you think Chipotle is better than you guys right? It's ok to admit it." The cashier looks at me with truth in her eyes and glances at her coworker, is she allowed to openly admit while working? She responds...."it's different." Riiiiiight....."different".

We pay for our food: $9.50 for mine because I added chicken on top of the steak. Otherwise it would have been $7.48. WHOA that is an expensive quesadilla. Think about it - at Chipotle you can get a quesadilla with half chicken, half steak, a drink and chips and salsa for about the same price or less. Not to mention Chipotle's food is FRESH made in store on a daily basis.

Before we exit we make sure to take more free salsa than we would ever possibly need and come home to chow down.

I open mine up and it is huge. Let me clarify that Moe's version of "Philly Cheese Steak" is basically just putting all of the ingredients in a shell, there is no culinary expertise, chopping or grilling here. They just drop it all in and roll it up.

Upon opening the to-go container we notice immediately that it looks like fast food, a little greasy, not so fresh looking. Still I take my first bite and it is EXTREMELY good. The combination with the peppers, meat, cheese and queso is perfect. I consume the entire thing in a matter of a few minutes satisfied with my purchase except for the premium price tag.

My wife and I discuss as we munch on the chips why Moe's is still in business when there is a Chipotle down the street. It is the fast food version of Chipotle, sure they have more options but basically they are a glorified Mexican Subway.

Then, my wife presents me with a Challenge. She believes and I agree that I can get the exact same product at Chipotle for a cheaper price and have it be better quality. No there won't be queso, but there will be Chipotle's mouth watering white cheese combined with their salsa and seasoning on their meat.

I believe it can be done and I believe it will be better.

Look for the steps on how to get Chipotle to build your own Philly cheese steak quesadilla soon.

Loco for Fro Yo!

It has been happening when you weren't looking.

A war has begun.

You probably didn't even know about it.

We have been witnesses to wars before. We've stood along and watched Coke battle Pepsi, McDonald's fight Burger King and Walmart attempt to destroy Target.

This war, however is much more fierce, and more dramatic. There are more players. More options and only a few will survive.

It's a yogurt war.

10 years ago there was only one place to get frozen yogurt: TCBY. Technically speaking, it wasn't really ever frozen "yogurt" it was like healthy soft serve. TCBY popped up all over the country and took the country on a frozen yogurt craze. Then, they slowly stopped becoming so popular as we got more and more choices to satisfy our sweet tooth.

However, now frozen yogurt has been reinvented once again. It's possible you may have never heard of all of the options but, at this very moment there are 18 different frozen yogurt shops competing for your business. The frozen yogurt craze is being led by popular chains Pinkberry and Red Mango. Below are other shops that have popped up trying to get a piece of the frozen yogurt action:

Ice Berry, CaliYogurt, Kiwiberry, Blue Cherry Yogurt Bar, CéFiore, Berry Berry Yogurt, BerryLine, Yo Berry, Snowberry, Roseberry, Berri Good, Limelite, Pin Go Yogurt, Peach House, Dolci Mango and Cantaloop.

Most of these concepts are concentrated throughout the health conscious California area. Some are more popular than others, some have websites, and big marketing budgets and a lot of locations. Others, only have a handful of stores and can't even afford to brand their logo on the frozen yogurt cups.

They all have one thing in common: "healthy yogurt". It's organic, natural and delicious.

CaliYogurt is a local frozen yogurt shop here in Tampa, FL (Dale Mabry). They also have two other locations. One in Clearwater, FL (Cleveland St.) and the other in Orlando. Through a tip from a healthy, vegetarian friend my wife and I found out about this latest food craze and today got a chance to swing by and get a taste of this life altering yogurt (yo).

I have been skeptical of this "yo" ever since I first heard about it. Being the happy plump man that I am, I traditionally prefer ice cream, cupcakes or cookies as a "dessert item". Rumor had it that this frozen yogurt actually tasted like yogurt - plain good old fashion yogurt like you would buy from the grocery store.

As we entered the shop I was immediately impressed with the streamlined, modern, and stylish atmosphere of CaliYogurt. With mostly white walls and a touch of red, the layout is simple yet powerful.

The manager of the store explained how everything worked to me. They have three flavors - plain, green tea (eek!) and raspberry. The yogurt is a base price of around $3 and two toppings of fruit, candy or cookie cost $1.45. After some thoughtful deliberation and not without a free sample first - I went with the plain and added Oreo crumbles and white chocolate chips.

I was shocked that it really did taste like plain yogurt. A little sour, but smooth, creamy and sensational. The addition of the sweet cookies and chocolate chips on top completed the perfect combination.

Check this out - one ounce of this dreamy treat is only 25 calories. I know you're thinking what I thought - one ounce is 25 calories!!! An ounce of frozen yogurt is bigger than you might imagine. My small cup was 5 ounces - 125 calories and it was more than enough.

CaliYogurt didn't stop there. The entire shop is environmentally friendly. The floors - made from recycled glass. The wood used above the counter - it was recycled. They have an energy efficient restaurant and their cups are all recyclable as well.

My wife's dish was just as good (she opted for fruit instead of the more luxurious cookie and candy as I did). CaliYogurt also makes smoothies and changes one of their flavors on a weekly basis.

Bottom line is this, it's no ice dream or blizzard but, if you're in the mood for a healthy, refreshing dessert fro yo is the way to go.

It looks like yogurt is back, and it's here to stay.

This video blog is a little jumpy and random - we were excited about trying the fro yo.....Can't see the video? Click here.