We had the good luck of being at the right place a the right time to have the Westvleteren 12 from Brouwerij Westvleteren, the most sought after Trappist beer that is arguably the best beer in the world. First we were discussing good Belgian beers with the owner of a bar, and then suddenly, we were drinking a beer so good it would put most beer or even any other drink to shame.

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a chalice (standard Chimay glass) at room temperature, the Belgian quadrupel drank more like a cognac than a traditional quad. Dark fruits are apparent, with rich date and fig, a little brown sugar...enough fruit and rich flavors to balance the alcohol of the beer so it remains smooth. There was no harsh edge or burn even on the finish. Some of the alcohol was noticeable on the nose but this beer was so enjoyable. We could not believe how drinkable and balanced this was at 10.2% ABV. The bottle itself was over 4 years old (the 12 can age longer than most wines).

Our friend also had the Westvleteren 8 (dubbel style) which we offered to buy along with the rest of the 12 but to no avail. Either way, we are grateful for having the pleasure of tasting the best beer in the world. At least we didn't have to wait several hours in a car in rural Belgium for a small allotment.

If you come across any, don't pass up the chance to taste or buy. It is worth it no matter what it costs. A true once in a lifetime beer experience. We wish we had a couple of bottles to age at home.

New York City is home to the United Nations - and to so many people from around the world. After finding kangaroo meat at a local butcher shop, we wondered how many other interesting ingredients we could find to make an United Nations-inspired International Dinner for our adventurous and non-adventurous family members.

And so, thanks to FoodBuzz and VISA Signature, we were able to explore New York City, find and cook some very interesting ingredients from different countries, and get our family's reaction

Every Saturday we're in the city, we try to head out to one of the many farmers' markets in Manhattan. With today's rainy weather here in New York City (plus our preparations for tonight's 24, 24, 24 Foodbuzz dinner - please see tomorrow's post for details), we're probably going to stay indoors. Instead, we hope to brighten your day with (sunny) photos from the largest farmers market in Manhattan: Union Square Greenmarket.

This is where lots of great restaurants (e.g. Union Square Cafe) buy their ingredients. (If you get up really early and get there around 8AM on a Saturday, you can follow chefs and restaurant employees around to see/buy what they get).

Like many others, we enjoyed watching the competition on Top Chef Masters every week. It's like regular Top Chef, but without the cattiness and initial filler episodes.

One of our favorite competitors, and eventual winner, was Chef Rick Bayless. His respect for Mexican cuisine and use of fresh and authentic ingredients won us over. We couldn't wait to dine at Frontera Grill!

The restaurant itself was casual, vibrant, and tight. We actually had to walk through the kitchen to get to the restroom. This was fun because we could see the kitchen staff prepare various dishes (we're pretty sure we saw Bayless' sous chef who also appeared on the show's finale).

So with the restaurant's last glass of the Shakira margarita (we're not sure how that happened), we eagerly awaited our meal. The margarita (above, $10) was fresh and fruity, made with guava, pineapple-infused tequilla, lime, and crimson hibiscus.

While we were in Chicago, we were lucky enough to get tickets to see the Cubs with a few friends. So we headed up early to Wrigley Field to check out Wrigleyville and grab some lunch. We were amazed by the number of fans who were already lining up to get into the stadium 3 hours prior to game time!

We walked up to the northern part of Wrigleyville to Uncommon Ground, a local restaurant that features fresh ingredients from nearby farms (and from their rooftop which houses the 1st certified organic farm in Chicago).

How could we resist? It had been awhile since we last indulged at Doughnut Plant and we were in the area. In addition to our favorite creme brulee doughnut, we also bought the square peanut butter doughnut with blueberry jam filling.

What did our first square doughnut taste like? This doughnut was fantastic! The peanut butter glaze melted in our mouths - it was so smooth. The blueberry jam filling took us back to our childhood...when our families would stop by the roadside fruit stand and buy fresh blueberries. Chef and owner Mark Israel - you are a creative genius!

Doughnut Plant is located at 379 Grand St. (at Norfolk St.) in New York, NY.

Though we both have a love for food, we have other interests that differ from each other. So there are a few times when we do not agree on the best way to spend an afternoon in a new city.

While we were in Chicago, one of us wanted to spend some time at The Gage Restaurant and Tavern, an Irish bar/restaurant, while the other wanted to go across the street to The Art Institute of Chicago, a renowned art museum conveniently open late this summer until Labor Day (with free admission too!) on Thursdays and Fridays.

Our solution? Split up for a couple of hours and choose our own adventure. Here are our side by side photo tours, begging the question, "Which experience would you choose?"

What would cause otherwise rational people to line up in 90F+ sunny weather for over an hour and a half? If we told you we waited for a few hot dogs, would you still think we were sane?

Our sanity aside, the 5 sausages (plus duck fries!) from Hot Doug's made up one of the best meals we've ever had!

(Yes, the wait was long, but we passed the time enjoying our ice cream, talking about the menu with others in line, and watching a very brief and subdued ice cream truck turf argument).

So many choices! When we reached the front of the line, we ordered from Doug himself - a friendly and, despite the contained chaos, pretty relaxed guy.

Here was our Hot Doug choices, in preferential order:
#1 Why we came here - Foie Gras and Sauternes Duck Sausage ($9) with Truffle Aioli, Foie Gras mousse, and Sel Gris. Heavenly! This was so rich, earthy, and indulgent - definitely worth every penny!
#2 The Salma Hayek (formerly the Madonna, the Raquel Welch and the Ann-Margret) ($4): We added sport peppers onto this (andouille sausage) and still did not find it very hot. It was overall very tasty, like a spicy hot Italian sausage with tons of toppings.
Duck Fat French Fries ($3.50) - Only served on Fri and Sat, these crispy, savory, and surprisingly not too greasy French Fries were fantastic.
#3 or dead last - Atomic Bomb ($7.50): This was the controversial one between us. If you can handle the heat of multiple habanero peppers, you can handle this "damn spicy" pork sausage with blood orange mustard and habanero-jack cheese. We both love spicy foods, but after one bite, only one of us was able to still feel our taste buds!
#3 or #4: Elk Sausage ($8): This came with Bacon-garlic mayonnaise and beer-washed truckle cheese. It was rustic plus who could resist a sandwich with bacon, beer, and sausage all in one?
#4 or last - The Cognac Lamb ($8): The lamb sausage itself was good, but the sauce was too subtle to match the taste of the meat. Perhaps a minty sauce would taste better with the lamb.
Hot Doug's is located at 3324 North California in Chicago, IL. The place opens at 10:30am - it's worth the wait - just get there early!

Inspired by yet another Jacques Pepin recipe, this complete dish only takes as long as it takes you to boil pasta. We made this recipe last Friday - so we adapted his recipe with any ingredients left in our fridge. Basically we make a raw sauce and let the hot pasta cook it a bit.

Chef Pepin used anchovies and fresh peas in his version - we opted to go vegetarian and added zucchini and yellow squash. Feel free to add more vegetables and cheese to your liking - after all, we just used what we had on hand!

Ingredients:
1/2 package whole wheat spaghetti
1 heirloom tomato, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
1/4 Spanish onion, chopped
3 mushrooms, sliced
1/4 zucchini, diced
1/4 yellow squash, diced
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
hot pepper flakes, to taste
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
olive oil

Directions:
Boil water for pasta.
Combine all of the other ingredients together into a mixing bowl.
Cook the spaghetti.
Microwave the bowl of vegetables for 2 minutes or less. Alternatively, warm the vegetable mix on the stove top. (This is to warm the mix so the pasta still remains hot).
Add the pasta, and some pasta water, to the bowl and mix together.
That's it! We'd love to know if you've made this dish and how it turned out!

One of our favorite California producers is Orin Swift Cellars. You've probably seen this distinctive label, at left, on a bottle of The Prisoner, their flagship wine.

Though we are not usually big fans of very ripe and wines, The Prisoner is a lush style that actually works. The Prisoner is all about big fruit, alcohol and with enough freshness to keep it from getting boring. The wine is a blend of Zinfandel with Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Charbono and Grenache. We fortunately have a few of the 2005 vintage left (it's been sold out for a long time) and have recently been drinking the 2007 (about $34). We've had this wine with steak, roasts, or by itself.