As someone who understands the need to find just the right color, I find both the Pantone Palettes Dinnerware and Pantone Mugs exceptionally fabulous. My personal favorite, Pantone 021C is a vibrant orange that just screams good morning! If orange isn't your thing, then perhaps a muted cup and saucer in four shades of burnt ochre? Either way, just make sure you get the right color to match your Pantone cell phone!

Pantone mugs are currently only available in the EU and are £8 each. The Pantone Palettes sets begin at $5.95 for tote bags and end at $14.95 for large cup and saucer sets. However if you act fast, they're on sale in several places. I really don't need another tote bag, but think of how cute it would be full of fresh farmer's market veggies!

If you're hoping to step up your food photography skills, be sure to check out this great five step food photo primer. - Apartment Therapy Kitchen

The scientific name Papaver, which translates to food or milk in Latin, refers to the milky fluid of the flower's pods. There are 120 species that belong to the Poppy family in a variety of vibrant shades like red, yellow and orange. They bloom in large numbers during summer, and prefer moist soil. Each long, hairy stalk holds one flower and the petals are very thin, almost like tissue paper. Poppies are an ancient flower that were used as decoration in Mesopotamia and Egypt, and although they don't last very long, poppies make great bouquets as well as beautiful garden borders. To make cut poppies last, burn the end of the stem with a match until it blackens, or dip it in boiling water for several minutes. They are one of the most popular wildflowers and the official flower of California. In your garden, remove dead foliage after dormancy or frost to ensure that they grow back pretty and healthy.

In celebration of National Candy Month, I thought I'd dig up a recipe for one of the first drinks I ever enjoyed: The Jolly Rancher. Much like its name implies, this drink tastes like the sweet candy treat. It's a mix of apple, peach and cranberry and leaves a lovely fruity taste in your mouth. If you haven't had one, you'll be surprised by how much it actually tastes like a Jolly Rancher, and if you've had one before, it's probably time to try it again. To get the recipe, read more

One of my favorite things about traveling is checking out the aisles of foreign grocery stores. If you haven't been fortunate to travel around, then don't fret, there's always this gallery of weird things people eat around the world. - Gadling

I recently attended a graduation party where the majority of the food was crammed onto one teeny little table. The chips were on another table so if you wanted dip with your chip, you had to carry it from one side of the room to the other. To make matters worse, the guest were crowding around the food table blocking the walkway, door to the outside, and access to the refrigerator! The party lacked flow, cliques formed and mingling was awkward and uncomfortable. I pulled the hostess' best friend aside and explained to her the importance of stations at a party.

Set the food on different tables throughout the house. Map it out. Some outside, some inside, some here, some there. Separating the food gives guests something to do and mobilizes them around the party. A general comfortable flow in which guests move freely, greet one another, and interact will never occur if you plop all of the food and drinks in one area. So next time you plan your party, keep that in mind and everything will go swimmingly!

I'm going to start off by stating the obvious: There are too many cheftestants in the kitchen. Not only did the quickfire challenge look like a madhouse, but I'm not even sure every contestant received airtime. There are still a few people that make me say "who's that?" (anyone catch the random chef about 35 minutes into the show?), however there are definitely a few personalities that have started to shine through. Also, the food was pretty impressive this time around - things really appear stepped up this season and I can't wait to see what happens next. But before we go on, let's get through last night's recap. To find out what happened and who went home, read more

Today is the first official day of summer and the perfect time to enjoy a big, green salad for dinner. Hearty and filling, salads are an excellent way to eat your daily vegetables and stay cool on a hot day as no oven/stove is necessary. Crisp greens, tangy homemade vinaigrette, and a poached egg (zapped in the microwave to make things easy on you) combine for a delicious and healthy meal. Pair with a chilled glass of white wine to ring in the sunny season: cheers to summer! This recipe is too good to pass up so bookmark it now and read more

Yesterday I walked you through the first part of my extravagant time at the French Laundry, and while everything I posted was definitely tasty, you guys haven't even seen the meat of the story (bad pun intended). Today I'll take you from fish course to beef and all the lovely bits in-between.

After the foie gras, the next course was either Filet of American Red Snapper with Summer Squash, San Marzano Tomato "Fondue," Cuttlefish and Arugula-Castelvetrano Olive Pudding (shown right) or Spanish Mackerel "En Escabeche" with Hawaiian Hearts of Peach Palm, English Cucumbers, Cilantro Shoots, Haas Avocado "Coulis" and Rangpur Lime "Gastrique" (shown above). I ordered the snapper, while Jimmy ordered the mackerel. When our dishes arrived I was envious of his dish - the presentation was so gorgeous - however after tasting both of them, his fell a little flat and I was certain I picked the winning dish.

To see what's up next (and believe me, the best parts are next), read more