We’re not talking about cookbooks, though those have certainly been in fashion lately. Instead, we’ve noticed quite a crop of “foodie mysteries” popping up on Amazon.com. In addition to Austin writer Robin Allen’s debut “culinary cop” book If You Can’t Stand the Heat, there are plenty more to whet your whistle — or butter your biscuits.

A random selection of pun-tastic titles:

• Diane Mott Davidson’s Goldy Schulz culinary mysteries include Catering to Nobody and Tough Cookie
• Connie Shelton’s Sweet Masterpiece claims to contain “a little romance, a little magic and a lot of chocolate”
• The award for Best Cover surely has to go to Nancy Fairbanks for Death A L’orange (though Holy Guacamole!‘s awesome chihuahua is a close second)
• Ellen Hart’s Dial M for Meatloaf is a title a true mystery aficionado can really sink her teeth into (rimshot)
• Jerrilyn Farmer’s Mumbo Gumbo, despite being labelled a “catering mystery,” is definitely making me hungry, and The Flaming Luau of Death is either the best name for a cocktail that you set on fire or totally the way I want to die (if it can’t be peacefully in bed)

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Separating the facts from fiction in the kitchen is Christopher Kimball’s The Kitchen Detective, solving culinary mysteries with 125 “foolproof” recipes. Written by the founder of America’s Test Kitchen and editor of Cook’s Illustrated, Kimball brings a variety of fun food facts and recipe engineering skills together to help home chefs whip up perfect dishes every time.

And, if you dig New Orleans and rowdy tales from the chefs that keep Bourbon Street buzzing, be sure to check out Poppy Z. Brite’s “Liquorverse,” starting with her novel Liquor and following up with Prime, D*U*C*K and Soul Kitchen.

Have you read any culinary mysteries?

Valentine’s Day celebrations just ain’t complete without a little chocolatey goodness.

Granted, the good stuff can get pricey, and although your goal is to impress your lady friend, you want to maintain some semblance of normality. I mean, a chocolate-covered boyfriend is pretty hot, but like The Simpsons‘ Apu, who wants a nut in their eye or nougat in their ears? (Not to mention the overly-high expectations you’ll then have set for every major holiday; who needs the pressure?!)

Chocolate Volcano Cups (image via H-E-B)

If whipping up a batch of Chocolate Volcano Cups from the recipe in February’s My H-E-B Life Magazine doesn’t sound like your idea of a good time, here are our lazy-man’s suggestions on what to give the chocoholic in your life this V-Day.

GODIVA

Any man, woman or child not already familiar with Godiva chocolates is clearly living in a sub-par world of chocolate. Named after the infamous lady who allegedly rode through the streets of town stark-bloody-nekkid, their chocolates are smooth, silky, and completely decadent.

Unfortunately, their prices are pretty reflective of that. BUT! You can satisfy your lover’s sweet-tooth with a small sampler, letting her subtly know that while you love her enough to send the very best, you also have issues with overpaying for treats. It’s a nice mixture of indulgence and attention to budgetary issues.

For the cheapest bite of luxury, check out the Godiva Chocolatier Gold Party Favor (4 pieces) for $7.50 at Amazon.com. Also recommended:

• Signature Chocolate Truffle Assortment (4 pieces) at $9
• Cherry Cordials at $10
• Gems Sweetheart Message Truffles at $18

LINDT

Definitely the least expensive (but one of the most satisfying!) of all our delicious chocolatey options, Lindt actually sells single servings of their tasty chocolate truffles for 37-cents a piece at Amazon. Seriously, I’m not sure how much lower you can go. But if you really want to go hog-wild (get it?), give her an entire bag of these babies and watch her eyes burn with passion for your sweet, sensitive bum. (P.S. A 5-ounce bag of mixed truffles is only $4.99).

GHIRARDELLI

For the displaced Californians amongst us, Ghirardelli chocolates are king. With single-serving packets of their cocoa available for $1 and individual milk-chocolate squares with caramel for $1.29 at Amazon, they’re an affordable gift for all of Austin’s west-coast transplants. Surprise them with a bag of Ghirardelli’s trademark squares for only $3.49.

HOT CHOCOLATE OF THE GODS

Finally, we can’t recommend this product enough, despite its distinctly un-shoestring price. If you’re going for the gusto this V-Day, check out Petrossian’s Hot Chocolate-on-a-Stick. It’s $18 for 6 sticks of Belgian chocolate, which you swirl into hot milk or cream to create the world’s best mug of hot chocolate, EVER. It’s honestly an orgasm in a cup, and VERY highly recommended. (Even Oprah digs these, as they note on their site they were featured as one of her Top Gifts of 2009.)

Got a favorite chocolate brand or treat you like to give (or receive!) on Valentine’s Day? Let us know in the comments section, or tweet us @shoestringATX with deets!

Whoa. Hold it right there. I haven’t even covered Whole Foods yet, have I? Okay, let’s step back a bit. First, Whole Foods is known pretty much nationwide as an upscale grocery store, with all kinds of vegetarian and vegan-friendly fare, plus everything for anyone with special dietary needs, whether it’s gluten-free, low-carb, sugar-free, or just straight-up organic you’re looking for. It’s both the yuppie and the hippie’s wet-dream, which seems contradictory, but no! So, while you’re bound to find a lot of righteous, left-leaning types shopping there, many of whom embrace the Birkenstock sandal (with or without socks), you’re also bound to find a lot of farm-fresh produce, a vast collection of locally-made goods, and lots of preservative-free options. Whole Foods is very groovy, but also very pricey, leading some to jokingly call it Whole Paycheck.

Whole Foods was an Austin original, back in the day, specializing in organic and natural products. It’s now pretty much taken over the entire U.S. and part of the U.K., so if you’ve never heard of this place, you’re clearly living off the grid and grow your own fruit and veggies, slaughter your own meat, and have no need of their paltry contributions to living well. (And I envy you mightily!)

In response to Whole Foods’ runaway success, Central Market was born, providing a direct competitor to the Whole Foods crown. These guys are based in Texas as well, and focus on locally-made items, as well as bringing food for the foodie, plus in-store cooking classes for the culinarily inclined (check out their upcoming Summer in Málaga course on Spanish cooking with Alex Duran, Executive Chef & Co-Owner of Málaga Tapas & Bar on Aug. 11).

They also have some pretty kick-ass chefs whipping up delicious homemade meals for those on the go. So today I wanted to single out their Dinner For 2 options, which are posted on the website and can be downloaded as a PDF on a monthly basis. Dinners For 2 usually costs around $15 or less (the ones we saw in store on Saturday were $12.50, I believe), which is pretty phenomenal for the quality of food you’re getting. It’s like eating in a restaurant, but in the comfort of your own home.

Here’s a sample menu from the week of August 2 through 8:

• Monday: Chicken Poblano Enchiladas, Spanish Rice, Borracho Beans, CM Flour Tortillas
• Tuesday: Buttermilk Pecan Chicken, Whipped Sweet Potatoes , Green Beans Amandine, Honey Wheat Rolls
• Wednesday: Puerco Guisada, Lemon Scented Basmati Rice, Romaine Salad w/ Corn Salsa and Ranch Dressing, CM Flour Tortillas
• Thursday: Turkey Chile Meatloaf, Yukon Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans Amandine, Honey Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls
• Friday: Almond-Crusted Tilapia, Golden Rice Pilaf, Creamed Spinach, Mini Baguettes
• Saturday: Chicken Cordon Bleu, Creamed Spinach, Roasted Rosemary Potatoes, Mini Baguettes
• Sunday: Honey Garlic Flank Steak, Vegetable Fried Rice, Carrot and Snap Pea Saute, Dinner Rolls

Perfectly balanced meals of meat, vegetables, starches and bread for soppin’ or dippin’; what more could you ask for?

If you said dessert, you’re clearly a gourmand. But don’t worry: Central Market has their own patisserie on hand for all your cookie, brownie, cake, pie, tart, parfait and chocolate needs (see a delicious example at right). Yum!

Seriously, if you haven’t experienced the thrills of freshly-ground organic coffee, raw-milk cheese, or a selection of saké that’ll make your head spin, then you’ll want to check out Central Market. With two locations in Austin one at North Lamar (4001 N. Lamar Blvd.) and one at Westgate (4477 S. Lamar Blvd.), plus several Café On The Run locations in H-E-Bs across Austin, you’re sure to find something delicious for less. Bon appétit, frugal foodies!

Kerbey Lane Café, Northwest location (photo via kerbeylanecafe.com)

We found the Kerbey Lane Café, an Austin favorite that has apparently been voted “Best Breakfast” every year since 2005. Nice! Although we haven’t yet taken advantage of their crazy early-bird breakfast special (for a mere $3.45 between 4 and 7 AM, daily), we like the thought of a resto that’s open 24-7 and has a slightly more upscale ambiance than (our admittedly cheesy fave) Denny’s. Inspired by the fact that their Northwest location was open today, we set out in the Truckasaurus to taste the Kerbey Lane Café’s wares.

DC ordered their Cobb Salad, which he’d been salivating over since he noticed it on the web version of the menu. I dithered for a while, trying to decide what would be best, kind of wanting to order a Cobb Salad of my own, or maybe one of their Cobb Sandwiches (basically, a Cobb Salad on bread), but hating that feeling of “copying” a fellow diner. (I like to at least be able to trade a bite or two with my dining companions, to get a better idea about what the rest of the menu is like.) Ultimately, I went with the Chicken Enchiladas Verde, and we also tried the Bloody Mary (he) and Kerbey Kosmo (me) from the drinks menu.

I enjoyed my Kosmo, which was a local twist on the typical Cosmo made with Tito’s Vodka and pomegranate liquor. I had a sip of DC’s Bloody Mary, which was a real kick in the teeth with its spiciness. He thought it was tasty, as he enjoys a good Caesar (or Mary in a pinch).

Annoyingly, when the food arrived I was all the more disappointed in my selection. Should’ve had that Cobb Sandwich! I had a few bites of the Husbot’s big salad, with bleu cheesiness, hard-boiled eggs, bacon, chicken and romaine lettuce galore, and was totally jealous. My enchiladas were okay, but nothing like the spicy authentic Mexican dishes I’ve gotten used to eating here in Austin. I can’t really put my finger on anything I would say was bad about them, but they just weren’t as face-meltingly hot as I like them to be. On the plus side, however, I had room for dessert, which was what I had really wanted to order since we walked in!

Checking out the dessert menu, I noticed they listed cheesecake, and said to inquire with the waiter about daily specials. I asked what the cheesecake of the day was, and our waiter told me it was a peanut-butter and chocolate concoction. Yum! I ordered a slice and offered a few bites to DC, who thought it was “too rich.” (He admits he has lost his taste for desserts since a particularly sweet-toothed ex-girlfriend ruined him with too many breakfast sweets.) I thought it was delicious, although I will also admit to enjoying the pleasures of a straight-up plain cheesecake, which I would be curious to compare it to in the future.

All in all, I would have to say that the Kerbey Lane Café (Northwest location) was a decent spot for lunch, and I’d be interested in giving them another try. The waiter also noted that different locations have different menus, so I’m wondering if perhaps there are other items I might enjoy more than the enchiladas in the future.

ADDRESS: 13435 Highway 183 N. (Northwest location; see website for other locations)
PHONE: (512) 258-7757
ONLINE: kerbeylanecafe.com

"I (heart) chocolate" (based on a photo by Flickr user jovike)

More chocolate articles (and sweet, sweet photos) soon to come, but in the meantime, be sure to check out our affiliate Chocolate.com’s Gifts Under $25 page for all your shoestring budget home-delivery chocolate needs. One more must-read before you go: check out my article on chocolate’s health properties, entitled Research on Health Benefits of Chocolate.

XOXO,
Choco Fanatic, aka Laura