February 14, 2012

Aurea at The Stanford Court (San Francisco, CA) – Chef Albrecht will be preparing a three course prix fixe menu for $70, with wine pairings for $105; an a la carte menu will be available as well.  Artist Michael LeClerc, who recorded a five song album released this past year with Platinum/Gold Producer Jim Wirt (Incubus, Fiona Apple, Live, Hoobastank) will be playing during service.

Baker & Banker (San Francisco, CA) – SOLD OUT! Baker & Banker will be offering a  five course prix fixe menu for $85 per person featuring delectable delights along the way. Still in search of the perfect Valentine’s Day treat? Our bakery is prepped and ready for the occasion with the most picturesque romantic sweets.

Calafia Cafe (Palo Alto, CA) – It will be business as usual at Calafia Cafe, so bring your friends and family to celebrate Valentine’s Day by  indulging in your favorite dishes at Calafia!

Carneros Bistro & Wine Bar at The Lodge at Sonoma (Sonoma, CA) - Chef de Cuisine Andrew Wilson is pulling out all the stops this Valentine’s Day with a five course prix fixe menu to amuse each guest with a sense of whimsy and delight, each course can be paired with a glass of wine expertly selected by Sommelier Christopher Sawyer. Check out all of the details here. It will be an evening you won’t want to miss.

E&O Trading Company (San Francisco, CA) – Join E&O Trading Company for a spicy evening for two! The following specials are being offered  in addition to their regular menu:

Fresh Dungeness Crab Spring Rolls
Dragon’s Head Meatballs
Crispy Shanghai Style Noodle Cake
Begars Chicken with Chilies, Sesame, Cilantro- (Foil Wrapped Chicken Roasted in Wood Fired Oven)
Crispy Fried Fish Fillet

For the perfect libation to top off your evening, E&O Trading Company has created a unique treat, Rumbucha My Heart with 10 Cane Rum, Canton Ginger Liqueur, Honey Syrup, Lemon and Kombucha ‘Synergy’ Passionberry Bliss

Fifth Floor (San Francisco, CA) – Fifth Floor will be serving a delectable Valentine’s Menu from Tuesday, February 7, through Saturday, February 18.The restaurant will be offering a special seven course tasting menu available for $95. On Valentine’s Day, enjoy two additional courses with their nine course tasting menu, priced at $130.

FIVE at the Hotel Shattuck Plaza (Berkeley, CA) – For the perfect Valentine’s Day join FIVE, February 10 -14 for a  four course prix fixe meal for $55 per person; four course meal with libation pairings for $85 per person. Click here for all the enticing details! For those looking to celebrate Valentine’s Day with a delicious libation, FIVE will be serving artisanal cocktails in the bar and lounge February 10 -19;  $10 per cocktail.

FIVE and Hotel Shattuck Plaza have created the “How Do I Love Thee – Let Me Count Five Ways” which package offers guests the chance to entice, tempt, fulfill and indulge their partner with the complete experience of a night at Hotel Shattuck Plaza and FIVE. The package includes:

• One-night stay for two in one of Hotel Shattuck Plaza’s Suite
• Candle-light dinner for two at FIVE
• Choice of two FIVE Valentine’s Day themed Cocktails
• One dozen red roses
• Guaranteed late checkout at 3 p.m.

The $499 Valentine’s Day “How Do I Love Thee – Let Me Count Five Ways” package is available from February 10 -16. To reserve this package or learn more about the Hotel Shattuck Plaza, visit www.hotelshattuckplaza.com.

Grand Cafe (San Francisco, CA) – Join Grand Cafe for a romantic evening with a special menu prepared by Chef Alicia Jenish and paired flights by Master Sommelier Emily Wines. With an iconic dining room and impeccable service, plan on an evening you will never forget!

Baked Oysters | spinach, bacon and pastis sabayon $16
Seared Foie Gras | blood orange, brioche, black pepper gastrique $18
Duck Sausage Stuffed Quail | polenta, bitter orange, fried leeks $28
Dungeness Crab Stuffed Poached Sole | mirepoix, cream, salsify $32
Champagne Float | champagne ice cream, champagne sorbet, chocolate truffle $8
Chocolate and cherry napoleon $8

Jasper’s Corner Tap & Kitchen (San Francisco, CA) – $99 Out the Door! Jasper’s has you and your date covered! The restaurant will be creating a fantasticly playful atmosphere, a delicious meal and cocktails to sweeten the deal! For just $99 including tax and tip. The guest will receive two glasses of house sparkling wine, a starter, a shared entrée, and a shared dessert.

Choose one Each…
Beet Salad | pickled red beets, watercress, endive, shaved goat cheese
Dungeness Crab | cake seared on the plancha, cara cara navels, hearts of palm
Dozen Oysters | Pt. Reyes oysters, Champagne-yuzu mignonette

Choose one to Share…
Whole Roasted Jidori Chicken | local air chilled chicken, roasted root vegetables, fingerling potatoes
Lobster Pot Pie | butter poached lobster, melted leeks, peas & carrots, pastry crust

For the Table…
Baked Mousse | Baked bittersweet chocolate mousse, caramelized white chocolate ice cream, raspberries, pink sat

*Price includes tax and gratuity

La Boulange (Various San Francisco Bay Area Locations) – Give a bag of sweets to your sweet for Valentine’s Day! La Boulange is offering  a bag of treats with three sweets for $14, from heart shaped cookies dipped in dark chocolate, to a chocolate fondant, to a trio of macarons de Paris all attached with a special note card for your special someone!

Lafitte (San Francisco, CA) – For Valentine’s Day 2012, Chef Russell Jackson will be serving a decadent five course prix fixe menu for $89. With stunning water views, the restaurant is the perfect place to enjoy a romantic dinner.

Bloody Valentine’s Day
Prix Fixe |  89.00

1st
Oeufs Truffled (Truffled Eggs)
Coeur Rasé de Canard Tartare (Duck Heart Tartare)

2nd
Strausberg Pie (Foie Gras in Brioche)
Terrine Végétale (Seasonal Vegetable Terrine)

3rd
Pintade Rotie, Cardons a l’Anchois (Roast Fowl with Cardoons)
Daube a la Provencale (Provencal Braised Beef)
Legume en Vol au Vont (Seasonal Vegetables in Pastry)

4th
Fromage Platter

5th
Chocolate Dessert

Luella (San Francisco, CA) – Chef Ben de Vries will be preparing a four course prix fixe dinner for $55 with wine pairings for an additional $25. The warm and inviting atmosphere of this neighborhood gem is the perfect place for a romantic evening. The guests will have a choice of an appetizer, a pasta, a main dish and a dessert, read on to select your dish of choice now!

Appetizers

Oysters on the half shell with red wine mignonette
Snapper crudo with micro cress and American sturgeon caviar
Winter Chard Soup with ditali rigati pasta
Lamp chop with house made mustard sauce, arugula purée and tomato brunoise
Baileyana ‘Firepeak’ Chardonnay, Edna Valley, California, 2008

Pasta
Fresh crab ravioli with lobster sauce and chives
Black truffle fettuccini with chopped black truffles
Gnocchi with roasted butternut squash, wild mushrooms, hazelnuts and sage brown butter
Braised beef cheek cannelloni with pecorino béchamel and gremolata
Torres Coronas Tempranillo, Catalonia, Spain, 2007

Main
Coq au vin over crispy potato nest
Seared filet mignon with bone marrow butter, roasted hedgehog mushrooms, confit shallots and aged balsamic
Poached salmon with potato croutons, arugula and lemon aioli
Roasted polenta cakes with wild mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, parmesan, arugula and champagne vinaigrette
Reignac Bordeaux Superieur, France, 2004

Dessert
Warm chocolate pudding with mascarpone cream
Strawberry and crème fraîche tart with blackberry sauce
Orange and sweet ricotta fritters with wild honey
Buttermilk and poppyseed cake with Meyer lemon crème anglaise
Bisol Jeio Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Brut, Italy, NV

Level III at the JW Marriott Union Square (San Francisco, CA) – Chef Ben Mattman will be preparing a three course prix fixe dinner menu for $69.  Guests will have a choice of an appetizer (heirloom beet salad, kushi oysters, or thai spiced Dungeness crab bisque), a main course (pan seared halibut with butter poached lobster, pepper seared filet mignon, roasted natural chicken breast or butternut squash tortolloni) and to top it all off the guest will have the option of chocolate fondue or a California cheese selection for dessert.

New Delhi (San Francisco, CA) – New Delhi will be offering an aphrodisiac cocktail to celebrate the holiday, Kesar Badam Ka Doodh.  This drink is a sweetened milk drink with honey, saffron, almond, made from a combination of spices like cardamom, nutmeg, poppy seeds (posta) and peppers.  All of the ingredients fall into one of the four categories of aphrodisiac categories; activator, sustainer rejuvenator and hedonic enhancer.

Pican (Oakland, CA ) – Pican will be offering a romantic $75 rib-eye steak dinner for two. It is the perfect way to show your love over a deliciously prepared piece of meat!

Postrio (San Francisco, CA) – Chef Michael Reining will be serving a special delectable dinner menu on Valentine’s Day available from February 10 to February 18. View all of the delicious details below!

Appetizer
Halibut Crudo | arugula, smoked almonds, avocado, dried apricot vinaigrette  $17

Entrees
Pesto Rubbed New York Steak | asparagus, mint dressing, rosti potatoes, veal demi  $20
Salmon Coulibiac | rice with dill and saffron, spinach, mushrooms, saffron cream sauce  $19

Dessert
Chocolate Banana Almond Cake | whipped mascarpone cream, chocolate sauce, berries  $8

In addition to the special menu, the restaurant will be partnering with the Prescott Hotel for their “Heart’s on Fire Package”.  The package, starting at $279 will include deluxe accommodations for two in a deluxe suite, elegant candlelight or fireside four course dinner for two prepared by Chef Michael, a bottle of champagne on ice and a fresh bouquet of flowers.

Schooners Coastal Kitchen & Bar (Monterey, CA) – Suspended over the waters of Monterey Bay, Schooners Coastal Kitchen & Bar is in the ideal location for celebrating the Central Coast and the spectacular oceanfront region. Guests can enjoy the beautiful new restaurant residing in the Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa, for a delicious Valentine’s Day dinner running from February 10-14^th.  The four course prix fixe menu features delicious local seafood and wine pairings, $130 per couple / $170 per couple with wine (tax and gratuity not included).

The Restaurant at Wente Vineyards (Livermore, CA) – Newly appointed Executive Chef Matt Greco will serve a decadent Valentine’s Menu in the heart of the beautiful Livermore vineyards.  The four course prix fixe menu will be priced at $95 per person. For the full menu and all the delicious details, click here.

February Events & Delights

Aurea at the Stanford Court Hotel | RLife LIVE (San Francisco, CA) – During the month of February, the Renaissance Stanford Court Hotel will host a series of free performances as a part of Rlife LIVE.  The series presents a revolving league of up-and-coming talent, showcasing their fresh, new sound every Thursday. The Renaissance Stanford Court Hotel will be offering handcrafted cocktails and local, seasonal bites during all performances.

Lafitte | EggTastic Brunch (San Francisco, CA) - Lafitte and Petaluma Farms hatch EggTastic Saturdays an all egg brunch menu with egg cocktails and eggs, eggs and more egg’s to take home! Every Saturday in February  from 10AM – 2PM.

Jasper’s Corner Tap & Kitchen | Sunday Beer Supper (San Francisco, CA) – From February 10^th through 19^th, the city will be abuzz as it celebrates SF Beer Week! Come celebrate with a beer-pairing throw-down at Jasper’s Corner Tap & Kitchen! We are inciting a little “friendly” competition between two local brewers (Anchor Steam and Anderson Valley) and having them go head to head in a three course Sunday Beer Supper prepared by Executive Chef Adam Carpenter this Sunday, February 12^th.

For $55, you will get a pint upon arrival with some small bites, three courses paired with six different beer tastes, three from Anchor Brewing and three from Anderson Valley Brewing. To finish the meal, there will be a special dessert paired with a mini beer cocktail. Come learn how to pair beer with food from the brew-masters themselves and help us decide which beers pair better with our food. (BONUS- Anchor Brewing will be offering their exclusive SF Beer Week Brew!) Buy your tickets here!

La Boulange Bakery | La Boulange Fridays (Various San Francisco Bay Area Locations) – In the spirit of the true French bakery, where friends and neighbors go to connect and mingle, La Boulange is proud to announce  La Boulange Friday on January 24 and we are proud to be cooking to benefit Village Enterprise! Enjoy an evening with hosts Pascal Rigo, Owner and Baker, and Alain Bourgade, Chef de Cuisine, with a welcoming aperitif and three course family style meal prepared from our ovens. At the end of each evening we ask guest to donate what they wish.

E&O Trading Co. | Bone Marrow Drive (San Francisco, CA) – On Saturday, February 25th E&O Trading Company will be hosting the AADP’s bone marrow donor registration drive! Please stop by and show your support for this amazing cause. For more information contact: info@aadp.com

Grand Cafe |  First Annual Mussel Battle (San Francisco, CA) – Get ready for first annual MUSSEL BATTLE on February 29 from 5:30-7:30PM with emcee Liam Mayclem from Eye on the Bay! Come see San Francisco’s greatest chefs “flex their mussels” and compete for the ultimate shellfish crown. For a mere $15, your ticket includes tastes from the chefs, supplementary bites from Chef Alicia Jenish and a glass of wine, beer or champagne. Additional beverages will be available for purchase. An elite panel of judges and you, our guest, will decide the winner. You will not want to miss this!

Happy Holidays All!

Tonight is the AF&Co. holiday staff party at Harry Denton’s Starlight Room and this year the theme is SPARKLE.  As I write this, the office is ablaze with sequins, sparkles and glitter as the team preps for the festivities.  I haven’t seen this much sparkle since Gay Pride 1987 in New York City when I danced the night away at Studio 54.

What I am most excited about is that for the first time in many, many years – Hanukkah coincides with Christmas and we will all be celebrating together for one magical week.  Usually, Hanukkah comes and goes in early December and by the time Christmas arrives, we Jews have pretty much moved into our post-holiday slumps.  Not this year my friends – as trees are trimmed, menorahs will be lit and the “Dreidel Song” may get as much radio play as “White Christmas.”

To be completely honest, I have always secretly enjoyed a good Christmas Eve gathering – and this year I’m actually hosting one.  (My Grandma Esther would be horrified.)  Each year, a group of pals and I hit the streets of San Francisco to deliver dinners to the homeless. It’s a pretty moving experience and following this ritual, we will all convene at my place for a delicious potluck.  It’s sure to become a wonderful tradition and isn’t that what the holidays are all about?

So on behalf of everyone at AF&Co. and of course my little family (Daisy and Tulip), we wish you a season filled with new traditions and a new year filled with success.  Thanks to our incredible clients for your belief in us!  Read on for holiday tips, recipes, memories and how to celebrate the season in style.

Merry, Merry —

Andrew and Team AF&Co.

For the full edition and all huge dose of Holiday cheer click here.

On the first day of the New Year, Aurea will kick off with a celebratory a-la-carte brunch featuring a “Make Your Own Bloody Mary” station, freshly-popped popcorn and feel-good comfort food dishes like their renowned Lemon Soufflé Pancake and Spicy Salmon Hash.  To book, click here.  

Carneros Bistro & Wine Bar (Sonoma, CA) | NYE Dinner will be offered in Carneros during normal business hours.  5:30-10:00 PM.  They will be offering a 5 course prix fixe menu for $95.00 per person.  They will also be offering a limited dinner menu a la carte.  This menu will be a shortened version of our current dinner menu.  Reservations are highly recommended.

They will have a live band playing in the Gallery from 9:00 PM-1:00 AM to bring in the new year.  Rhonda Bennin (pronounced Beneen) will be playing in a quartet.  Her style of music is a blend of Jazz, Blues and Rock.  It should be a fun and lively show. 

eVe (Berkeley, CA) | For $80 a person, eVe will be featuring a five course prix fixe menu for the evening.  The menu available will be:

• Champagne
• Amuse – Octopus, Uni, Coconut, Lemongrass, Kaffir Lime
• First Course - Egg Yolk Ravioli, Celery Root, Black Truffle, Goat Ricotta
• Second Course – Monkfish, Squid Ink, Leeks, Meyer Lemon
• Main Course – Duck, Salsify, Honey, Turnips, Sunchokes
• Dessert – Chocolate, Olive Oil, Green Olives, Tamarind

E&O Trading Co. (San Francisco, CA) The restaurant will be open as usual but will be adding a few delicious a la carte menu items including:

• Wood fired oysters with thai spiced butter
• Spicy curry cellophane noodles with Dungeness crab
• Braised hot and sour pork belly
• Warm chocolate cake with gooey salted caramel center, black and white ice cream

FIVE (Berkeley, CA)| FIVE is serving a deluxe five course menu, along with a complimentary champagne toast in the historic Hotel Shattuck Plaza to ring in 2012. Choose your dish for each course’s offering. See the abbreviated $65 menu below and the full version with descriptions here .

• 1st Course – Marin Myagi Oysters or Roasted Beetroot
• 2nd Course – Pork Belly Confit or Dayboat Scallop
• 3rd Course – “Naked” Ravioli or Creamy Lobster Risotto
• 4th Course – Whole Wheat Papardelle or Grilled New York Steak or Halibut
• 5th Course – Brown Butter Financier | Meyer Lemon Trifle

Grand Cafe  (San Francisco, CA) | Want to dress to impress? Blow your date away? Eat like a King? Your wish is Grand Cafe’s command- Come celebrate with the Grand Cafe on NYE! ONLY $65 dollars! Tasting Menu with wine pairings, $99. With their divine first and second course choices, you can’t go wrong selecting your last indulgence of 2011! Their exceptional champagne “float” will really make you jump into the New Year on the right foot.

Harry Denton’s Starlight Room (San Francisco, CA) | Dress to impress, get your party shoes on and head over to Harry Denton’s Starlight Room as we kick off the New Year in style! If you have yet to experience a New Year’s on the 21st floor, make those reservations fast, because the best seats in the house are filling up! For only $200, join us for the Grand Buffet Menu served from 8pm to 9:45pm, then stay the whole night, or for just $100 join us for dancing with tunes from Fred Ross at 10pm. Either way, you’re going to have an unforgettable evening!

Jasper’s Corner Tap & Kitchen  (San Francisco, CA) | New Year’s Eve doesn’t have to translate to “breaking the bank” each year. Come on over to Jasper’s Corner Tap& Kitchen and we’ll hook you up with $5 Velvet 75’s and $5 Champagne Cocktails! For those of you with the late-night munchies…specials from the kitchen will be available to satisfy your midnight palate until 1 am. Join us for a causal neighborhood evening. No cover, no minimums, no five-course meals, just delicious food, mind-blowing cocktails and lively company to ring in 2012. Although the rumor is you will have to wear a party hat!

Lafitte (San Francisco, CA) | Russell Jackson is offering a decadent five-course menu priced at $99 per person for New Year’s Eve (please see attached).  He will also be open for cocktails and nibbles from 3-8pm, serving a happy hour for guests looking to pre-drink and snack before going out on the town.  The night will include an Absinthe and Champagne flight for guests to enjoy.

On New Year’s Day, Russell will be serving a hangover a la cart menu as well as a Bloody Mary Bar.  The menu includes the perfect hangover food such as:

Hangover Menu – New Year’s Day

• Menudo
• Bacon Stew
• Duck Stew
• Beef Stew
• Pot au Feu
• Grande Aioli/ Seafood Platter- Grand Aioli: Crab, Shrimp, Mussels, Clams, Oysters, Potatoes, Root Vegetables, Poached Eggs
• Kobe Butter Burger on Brioche Roll
• with Foie Gras, Duck Egg and Bacon Chile..
• Elvis Lives
• Parsnip-Celery Root Quiche

Level III (San Francisco, CA) | Chef Ben Mattman will be preparing a three course prix fixe menu for $55 and $75 with wine pairings.  The guest has the option for an appetizer of Ahi Tuna Poke or Endive and Fuji Apple Salad or Thai Spiced Dungeness Crab Bisque. For the main course, guests are offered either a Roast Local Lamb Rack, Grilled Filet Minon, Pan Seared King Salmon, or Butternut Squash Ravioli.  For the final course guests may choose from a dessert sampler or California Artisan Cheese selection.

Postrio (San Francisco, CA) | Postrio is hosting a night like no other in San Francisco – an all-inclusive dinner AND party that will keep you celebrating until the ball drops at midnight – for only $99 a person! In addition to a luxurious five course dinner, enjoy a live DJ, champagne  toasts, SVEDKA cocktails and special surprises all evening. Here’s the menu:

Salad (choice of)

Prosciutto & Apple | arugula, balsamic glaze, smoked almonds

Smoked Salmon | potato cake, pickled onion, cucumber, capers, crème fraîche

First Course

Mushroom Soup | sunchokes, hazelnuts, chervil

Entrée (choice of)

Salmon | maitake mushroom, bacon vin, spinach puree, corn

NY Strip Loin | squash, pimenton potato, trumpet mushroom, chimichurri

Lamb Sirloin | panisse, eggplant, asparagus, rye jus

Ratatouille Tart | squash, tomato, goat cheese, spinach, onion, basil

Dessert | Chocolate Grand Marnier Cake

Perbacco (San Francisco, CA) | Enjoy the traditional Perbacco menu as it  is open for business as usual.

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup raisins
• ½ tsp cardamom
• 10 whole cloves
• 4 pieces whole cinnamon
• 2 cups vodka

Combine sugar, raisins, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and vodka in a pot and put on low heat – do not boil.  Slowly stir the burgundy and port into the mix, then add the almonds. Serve hot.

• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 1/2 sweet onion, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can chopped tomatoes
• 1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound cooked and peeled shrimp
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat; cook the onion in the hot oil until translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and allow it to cool slightly, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, cumin, turmeric, paprika, and chili powder to the onion and stir over low heat. Pour the tomatoes and coconut milk into the skillet; season with salt. Cook the mixture at a simmer, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Stir the shrimp, fresh cilantro, and dried cilantro into the sauce mixture; cook another 1 minute before serving.

 1 cup butter, softened

¾ cup sugar

¾ cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 ½ cup all purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup rolled oats

¾ cup white chocolate chips

¼ cup crushed candy canes

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until well combined. Add the egg and vanilla and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and crushed candy canes. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Once combined, stir in oatmeal and white chocolate chips.

Scoop cookies onto baking sheet, placing a few inches apart. Bake in preheated oven 10-12 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes before moving to a wire rack to finish cooling.  Enjoy!

• 14 tablespoons (1 stick, plus 6 tablespoons) butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Dash salt
• 1 (6-ounce) bag semisweet chocolate chips or thin chocolate bars

Directions

Generously butter a cookie sheet.

Put butter, sugar, and water in a heavy pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Bring to a bubbling boil, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, about 10 minutes. Remove spoon from pan, and cook to a very brittle stage (300 degrees to 310 degrees F on a candy thermometer). Or, make a cold water test: candy will separate into hard, brittle threads when dropped in cold water. Remove from heat and add nuts to mixture. Add vanilla and salt. Pour onto prepared cookie sheet and spread to 1/4-inch thickness. Cool slightly, top with chocolate chips or chocolate bars, and spread as it melts. Cool completely and break into pieces.

1 oz. Kettle One Vodka

6 oz. Homemade Hot Chocolate

1 oz. Godiva Chocolate Liqueur

Handful of Peppermint and Chocolate Shavings as a garnish

In a shaker with ice, add vodka and Godiva liqueur. Shake and strain into a martini glass. Top it off with homemade hot chocolate and peppermint/chocolate shavings.

Butterscotch Bread Pudding

1 day-old loaf bread

4 cups milk

2 cups brown sugar

½ cup butter

3 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prep a 9X13 inch baking dish with butter. In a large bowl, combine bread, milk, sugar, eggs (beaten), vanilla and butterscotch chips and then pour into prepared pan. Bake for one hour until nearly set (should have a ‘wiggle’). Can be served warm or cold (I prefer warm and to top it off with vanilla bean ice cream).

Howdy Mates –

By the time you get this I will deep in the land down under for my annual journey abroad!  We are really excited about so many things this season.  For me, I love all things fall – the colors (I’ve been told I look best in autumnal hues, and that golds, siennas and rusts bring out my eyes –what do you think?), the flavors and TV of course (have you caught American Horror Story yet –it’s awesome).  As a young lad, I recall being obsessed with scarves at this time of the year –and of course my Mom indulged me by actually knitting me a gorgeous chocolate brown number that didn’t leave my neck until late June.  As a young fashionista – I learned the sacrifices one must make to be a trendsetter.

And that brings us to today and the launch of 2012 Trend Report!   Read on for all of our  Passion Collection predictions.  We are also really excited to share the perfect Fall party menu direct from the kitchen of AF&Co. If that weren’t enough –you get to meet three of our great new team members.  I know you’re thinking how the heck can there be so much excitement in one newsletter  – read on and find out.

Happy November!

P.S. We love you Amy & Madison – We wish you the best of luck with your future endeavors!

P.P.S Dancing With The Stars Prediction –Go Ricki, Go Ricki!

For the full edition and all of the full trends report click here.