Author: OMB Z&E

  • Honeymoon Travel

    Honeymoon Travel

    By: Roz Bokoff

    When planning your wedding, there are so many details to consider! There’s the guest list, the venue, the menu, the music, the dress!, the décor and photographer. Choosing professionals who work well with you and understand what you want from your wedding make it simpler and stress-free (as much as possible). Doing it yourself is not worth the hassle if you want to enjoy your day!

    Planning your Honeymoon

    The same is true when planning your honeymoon. Whether you want to leave as soon as the reception is over or you decide to wait a while, a professional travel advisor is your best bet to a stress-free honeymoon.

    Figuring you’ll just plan your honeymoon by yourself? Do you think it’s too expensive to use a travel advisor? Most travel professionals don’t charge a fee. They earn a commission, so your cost is the same OR LESS than what you’d pay on your own, since advisors often get access to special deals! And the service, advice and additional perks available through a travel advisor are benefits you’ll want to take advantage of.

    Where to Go? What to Do?

    While there are popular honeymoon destinations, the “best place to go” depends on what you like to do as a couple and (of course) what your budget allows. A travel professional will listen to you and help you narrow down the destinations and then work on planning a honeymoon you will never forget. (BTW – there’s such a thing as a honeymoon registry to encourage assistance in making your trip special!)

    A honeymoon is about celebrating your commitment and love, so you’ll want to incorporate romantic aspects to the trip. It’s fun to add special and unique experiences that you’ll always remember, too. Popular options include couple’s massages or other pampering, creative activities (art or cooking classes) and unique dining experiences.

    Around the World, Close to Home, or Somewhere in Between

    Some newlyweds opt for honeymoons far from home…taking advantage of their time alone in an exotic destination. For these trips, couples will need enough time to get to their destination and acclimate in order to really enjoy. The Maldives, the South Pacific, safaris in East and South Africa, and New Zealand are among the far-flung destinations that provide an unforgettable vacation. Consider an over-the-water bungalow in the South Pacific for an experience you’ll talk about forever.

    Bora Bora Loveboat Lagoon Cruise

    Others look for cultural experiences, visiting Europe or Asia, and checking off bucket lists. Exploring the world together is a great option for energetic couples who love to experience the world through history, art, music or food. Paris – as the motto goes – is for lovers, but Italy and Greece and Portugal and Spain and England and Israel and Egypt and Vietnam and Thailand and Japan and…all have a lot to offer, too! Shopping with a professional chef in the Tel Aviv market, then cooking your purchases for a perfect meal is fun and unforgettable!

    Israel Spice Market

    There are plenty of beach lovers who long for R&R and fun in the sun. The Caribbean and Mexico offer countless destinations that honeymooners can choose from, each with its own charm. All-inclusive resorts offer everything a guest could want…and some hotels offer amenities catering to honeymooners. Los Cabos (Mexico) is a super-popular and trending destination, the Caribbean is home to dozens of islands along with the east coast of Mexico, and the Florida Keys are another place to consider. Sunset Monalisa Restaurant in Cabo San Lucas provides an awesome experience with delicious food, live music, and a view that’s to die for…coupled with incredible service!

    Couscous and Tofu on the Sunset Monalisa

    Even those who have limited time and budgets can find fun ways to get away close to home…wherever that happens to be! New Englanders can escape to romantic inns and resorts throughout the region for a special honeymoon that doesn’t require an airplane. Finding a small vineyard or  hidden gems – restaurants, shops or nature trails – off the beaten track in quaint, small towns is a great way to create memories! You can even try Connecticut’s Sundae Drives for a delicious way to see the state.  

    Cruises are another choice to consider. Whether on ocean or river, large ship or small, close to home or in a far-off destination, cruises allow you to visit multiple places while unpacking only once – and there’s so much to do aboard and in ports that you’ll be as busy as you want to be.

    Celebrating Your Love – Together Alone

    Your wedding is the big event and your wedding planner and other professionals are going to make it as stress-free as possible.

    Your honeymoon should be stress-free, too. You won’t regret using a professional travel advisor. You’ll get tons of advice, get peace of mind about your journey, have someone to call for help if you need it, and get more for your money. Most important of all, you’ll create amazing memories of your honeymoon! 

  • Caramelized Onion Focaccia: Cookbook Review

    Caramelized Onion Focaccia: Cookbook Review

    Zoe’s Take:
    6/10

    Bread is fantastic, but this bread did not hit it out of the park for me. Using frozen bread dough did not work out really well for me, as the focaccia did not poof up like my focaccia have in the past. The topping is great though, as caramelized onions are amazing on bread.

    Eric’s Take:
    7/10

    I found this recipe delicious. You can sign me up for caramelized onions and cheese any day! Like Zoe, I took issue with the frozen dough. Making dough yourself is daunting, but not that difficult. My bread just didn’t rise enough. To make it worse, the cheese and onions weighed the dough down and caused the bread to sink after it finished baking. I was disappointed by the visuals and textures, but flavor was A+!

  • Quick and Easy Arancini: Cookbook Review

    Quick and Easy Arancini: Cookbook Review

    Zoe’s Take:
    7.5/10

    I can make risotto in my sleep so these were not so difficult to do for me. However, the size they wanted was a little big for me. I would have definitely preferred smaller ones. The taste however was fantastic. I wish I had added some sundried tomatoes with the peas, but I will next time.

    Eric’s Take:
    8/10

    I thought this recipe was fantastic. The overall flavor was delicious, the mushroom risotto and peas were earthy and fresh, with a wonderful creaminess. I had two issues with the recipe. First, the instructions say to use a box mix of risotto, preparing as instructed. However, brands vary and mine (I believe) was a bit too wet. The other issue was how heavy these were. These, in theory, should be an appetizer. However, after two I was full. Overall I can overlook those details, because it was a fun, tasty and easy recipe.

  • Tuscan Portobello Melt: Cookbook Review

    Tuscan Portobello Melt: Cookbook Review

    Zoe’s Take:
    8.5/10

    Oh, this is really good. If you like vegetables and you like grilled cheese, this sandwich is definitely for you. It has everything, melty cheese, roasted vegetables and lots and lots of butter. What’s not to like?

    Eric’s Take:
    9/10

    I knew this recipe was going to start off good when it called for roasting the veggies. Then, it had me toast the inside of the bread before building the sandwich….um..yes! The combination of herbs and mustard was a surprise, but it all worked really well. My only complaint is that the veggie mixture is very messy before the cheese gets a chance to melt. That caused a lot of spillage in the pan. The little bit of balsamic started to burn a bit and it added a bitter bite or two. Overall loved this recipe!

  • Greek Pasta Salad: Cheeselovers Cookbook Review

    Greek Pasta Salad: Cheeselovers Cookbook Review

    This month we are reviewing a cookbook where every single recipe includes CHEESE!

    Zoe’s Take:
    8/10

    The pasta salad is really good. I definitely recommend using tri-colored rotini because it really adds that something extra. I do wish there had been more seasonings, I pretty much found the dressing overly oily. But otherwise, this is a very tasty pasta salad.

    Eric’s Take:
    8/10

    This pasta salad was very good, filled with classic greek flavor. I’m a big fan of dill, but this recipe could have done without. I agree with Zoe that some other herbs may have brought this to life a bit more. My major complaint was that the proportions in the dressing seemed off. I too felt there was too much oil. I had extra pasta though, and added it in to balance out. This was definitely a solid start to a cookbook I have high hopes for!

  • Beef Tartare with Harissa: Final Cookbook Review

    Beef Tartare with Harissa: Final Cookbook Review

    Zoe’s Take
    8.5/10

    I really liked this recipe, it’s not perfect, but it’s still pretty great. The sirloin is incredibly tender, and when mixed with the harissa and the other ingredients, it’s absolutely lovely. When on a crostini, it’s even better. I added extra harissa and extra garlic to mine because that’s just how I roll.

    Eric’s Take
    9/10

    This recipe was darn near perfect. I don’t typically like tartare’s, and don’t recommend eating any meats raw. I went all out and used a filet for this recipe. It’s much more tender and has less fat marbled through. The only note I have on this recipe was that there needed to be some tweaks. I felt there was too many capers and not enough hairssa. Overall there was a great balance of sour, spice, and saltiness. A great end to this cookbook!

  • Ricotta, Pine Nut, and Honey Bread Pudding: Cookbook Review

    Ricotta, Pine Nut, and Honey Bread Pudding: Cookbook Review

    Zoe’s Take:
    6.5/10

    As far as I am concerned, bread pudding is a pretty good dessert when made correctly. I have a fantastic bread pudding recipe that’s basically a dark chocolate dream. For me, this one was just okay. None of the flavors really came forward for me, and the pine nuts were really just a weird addition. I was hoping that the ricotta would have made more of an impact in this recipe, but it didn’t. I guess if you’re a really big pine nut and ricotta fan, this might be for you, but it’s not for me.

    Eric’s Take:
    8/10

    I definitely enjoy a good bread pudding. The Challah I got from my local grocery store was a bit soft and I don’t believe it soaked up as much as it should have. The directions were also somewhat ambiguous. For the bread the instructions were 12 cups of cubed bread. That could vary greatly depending on how large the bread is cut. The pine nuts didn’t add in the crunch I was hoping they would. However, I love ricotta, pine nuts and honey. To Zoe’s point this was definitely for me…so maybe I’m a bit biased. The points were lost on ambiguous directions and taste. Not that this wasn’t really good, it just wasn’t stellar.

  • Red Velvet Gnocchi: Cookbook Review

    Red Velvet Gnocchi: Cookbook Review

    Zoe’s Take
    3/10

    I did NOT like these gnocchi at all. While the color was absolutely beautiful, they did not taste good at all. The texture was almost cake like, you could taste the semolina in the dough easily and they just didn’t have any flavor. I had to cover them in cheese in order to eat them. I definitely think that you should stick to regular gnocchi. Do NOT recommend.

    Eric’s Take
    3/10

    This recipe is the perfect example of something that is great in theory, but not in practice. I agreed with Zoe on every point. The taste was overwhelming beet flavored. The texture was very odd, and they desperately needed a sauce, like a beurre blanc or even a gremolata. This would balance out the flavor and lift the overly earthy gnocchi. I’m willing to give the benefit of the doubt that I might not have made them correctly. But both Zoe and I had very similar outcomes. This is at least a problem with the instructions. My dough was very dry, but not knowing what to base it off of, I had to assume correct. Overall, there were too many issues and questions for us to give this more than a 3.

  • Morning Orgasm Cocktail: Cookbook Review Balaboosta

    Morning Orgasm Cocktail: Cookbook Review Balaboosta

    Zoe’s Take:
    8/10

    This was a really good drink (and I don’t drink bubbly stuff). Obviously, I would never choose this as a drink, because bubbles hurt my nose. But the taste was very good. Pomegranate juice, sugar, rose water and champagne? Those are the ingredients for a very tasty drink. AND, if you can’t or don’t like alcohol, you could always substitute with seltzer or something to make a non-alcoholic version that would still taste amazing!

    Eric’s Take:
    7/10

    Reading the recipe for this drink I was really excited. It seemed like an expertly crafted beverage. The pomegranate juice is deliciously tart. The rose water adds a subtle floral taste that is unmistakable. It rounds out the pomegranate, and with the sugar cube, the sweetness completes the picture. The sugar also acts as a disruptor causing the champagne to continue to bubble. However, the campaign overpowered the drink and I found it lacking that wow-factor I was hoping for. I’m not sure if it would have tasted better with a different brand or not. The rose was also a bit too subtle. It was there, but hard to find. I think that I may play around with the amounts for this in the future, because it has potential to reach a 10! I also may replace the champagne with soda water, lemon juice and vodka. That combination would likely work just as well.

  • Absolutely Deep Dark Chocolate Fudge Cookies: Cookbook Review

    Absolutely Deep Dark Chocolate Fudge Cookies: Cookbook Review

    These cookies were made by Chef Marcel Desaulniers for The Trellis: Cafe, Restaurant & Grill.

    Zoe’s Take:
    8/10

    I love a good cookie. If it’s an all chocolate cookie, even better. So when we saw this recipe in The Great Chefs of America Cook Kosher, we had to try it. It’s a good cookie. It might even be a great cookie, but it’s not a 10/10, 5 star amazing cookie because it didn’t live up to the fudge bit. When a cookie describes itself as fudge, I expect melty chocolate chips and a richness. These cookies spread out quite a bit for me and were huge and got a little crunchy. Don’t get me wrong, I still like crunchy cookies, it was just not what I was expecting. Oh well.

    Eric’s Take:
    9/10

    These cookies are VERY good! Super chocolatey and decadent. I thought this recipe was relatively easy to follow. There were a lot of steps and they were blocked in large paragraphs. There were also a lot of timed steps with mixing. I really liked these cookies, but the lost point was with the directions. Because of the steps being a bit confusing it led to inconsistent results between Zoe and my cookies.

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