Teela Taqueria

This past weekend Brian and I had lunch at a little Southwestern restaurant called Teela Taqueria.  We arrived around 1pm on a Saturday afternoon.  The dining room is not large and they have a patio in the back that overlooks a park.  The inside walls are filled with southwestern art to set the mood.
 
We started off with salsa and chips, which are not complimentary.  This is always a disappointment but after sampling the chips and dip I changed my feelings.  The salsa was chunky, mild and fresh tasting.  The chips were thin and crispy and dusted with a chili spice mix to add a little zing .

The menu is laid out alot like Taqueria Del Sol.......everything is al a carte.  I'm finding that this is a popular trend here in Atlanta.  I love this concept.  Filling up a plate with beans and rice is not what I really want.  This way I can opt out and dive right into the good stuff.

We both ordered a blackened fish taco.  A grouper fillet lightly blackened stuffed into your choice of flour or corn tortilla slathered with a chili aoli and topped off with mango salsa.  This was pretty tasty, although I would have preferred the fish to be blackened a bit more.

I also had the Chorizo Stuffed taco.  This was excellent.  Diced spicy chorizo filled a soft corn tortilla piled with dates, feta cheese and bacon bits.  The combination of flavors was amazing........a little spiciness from the chorizo, sweetness from the dates and saltiness from the feta and of course bacon.  Is there anything that bacon doesn't go with?  I remember buying a chocolate bar in San Francisco that had bacon bits in it.  It was unexpectedly tasty.  I've had cupcakes with bacon in it as well.  I think the salty porky taste compliments sweet tastes.

Brian also had the brisket enchiladas.  The brisket was melt in your mouth tender but the sauce was way too mild tasting for an enchilada.  Overall it was good and the service was outstanding.........that always is a deal breaker for me while eating out.  Bad service can turn the tables on a fabulously prepared meal and ruin the whole experience.

Next time I'm there I have to try the fried green tomato taco............sounds interesting.

Al Fresco Sausage Recipe Contest

With alot of free time on my hands, well not really. Looking for work can be a very tedious and full time job. I try not to spend the entire day searching the Internet and sending out resumes and go outside and enjoy this remarkable spring weather. BTW, when do the mosquitoes and humidity engulf Atlanta? Everyone keeps telling me it's coming but it's already mid May and no sign of either just yet, which is fine with me.
Anyway back to my story. Al Fresco sausage (http://www.alfrescoallnatural.com/) is sponsoring a recipe contest with the grand prize being a $1,000 gift certificate to Williams-Sonoma. The recipe is judged on it's healthfulness and ease of preparation and of course including one of their products. I have been making this red lentil soup for some time now so I just tweaked it a bit to include their product and submitted it today. How nice it would be to win that prize. Who knows? It could happen.
Here is the recipe:

Sun Dried Tomato Sausage and Lentil Soup

1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1 12oz. package Al Fresco Sun Dried Tomato Sausage diced into 1/4" cubes
2 cups leeks diced - about 2 leeks
1 cup diced carrots - about 2 medium
1/2 cup diced celery - about 2 medium
2 cloves garlic chopped fine
8 cups chicken broth
2 cups red lentils
1 cup wild rice
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. white pepper
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
pinch of saffron (optional)

Heat olive oil in large pot. Add sausage and cook about 2 minutes. Add leeks and cook until leeks begin to soften (about 2 minutes). Add carrots and celery and cook 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for about 25-30 minutes stirring occasionally adding small amounts of water to desired consistency.

Strawberries and Shrimp

     Yesterday Brian and I decided to take a little road trip to Athens, GA, birthplace of the B-52's and REM.  Athens is a cute college town (at this time all the kids are gone for summer) with a quaint little downtown filled with Magnolia trees.  We spent the early afternoon walking the streets popping in and out of local shops.
      We had a late lunch at the East West Bistro on Broad st. downtown.  A nice and very well air conditioned restaurant with bench style booths and top notch service.  I wanted a lighter lunch so I ordered a spinach salad with crumbled bacon, tomato, white raisins and a poblano vinaigrette dressing.  That was very good.  The highlight of this salad was the pan fried, panko crusted chevre cake served with it.  I love goat cheese and this prep method is my favorite.  The cake was crunchy on the outside and a nice, warm, melt in your mouth goodness on the inside.
     As we headed back for our 65 mile drive to the city we decided to take some backroads that would lead us to the Atlanta Highway.  The same highway mentioned in the B-52's single, Love Shack......."Heading down the Atlanta Highway, looking for a love getaway".   Anyway, as we were driving we passed a huge field with a sign that said Pick your own strawberries.  We quickly made a U-turn and drove in.


Brian makes a smoothie for his breakfast every morning with strawberries and I eat them with greek yogurt, granola and blueberries.  The idea of having a breakfast in the morning with berries just picked from the vine was an opportunity not to be passed.
We were given a 2 quart bucket that we could fill up and pay $10 as we left.  This was alot of fun.  As I picked the berries  I couldn't help but eat some at the same time, as I'm sure everyone does.


We left the field with our berry stained fingers feeling quite naturalistic in an elevated mood.
The wholesomeness of actually picking your own food to consume just cannot be beat.


We had so many strawberries I made a cobbler for dessert after dinner that night.  Just knowing these berries just came off the vine hours earlier with my own hands made it taste so much better.


Before the cobbler, Brian steamed some wild caught Georgia shrimp with his signature Maryland style steaming method.  I know this is a simple process using vinegar, water and old bay seasoning but it sure makes those shrimp yummy.  He served it with steamed fresh corn on the cob and a little cucumber, tomato, basil salad on the side.  
Next month the blueberries will be ripened, so I'll be "heading down the Atlanta highway"......again.

Lemon and White Wine Chicken with capers

     Last night I made this lemon chicken.  I think I read about it in one of the numerous food magazines I subscribe to (note to self: as subscriptions end don't renew all of them) or shows I'm constantly watching on the Food Network.  It was really tasty and very easy to make.
     I seared two boneless skinless chicken breasts that I had marinated in a 2 to 1 ratio of bottled lemon juice and soy sauce for about 3 hours.  I then added the juice of 3 whole lemons and about 1/2 cup of white wine (Debra's leftover wine while she visited....thank you!).  I "braised" these chicken breasts for about 20 minutes until done adding more wine as it evaporated and threw in some capers and lemon zest and let it simmer for a few minutes and served it with steamed broccoli.  It was as good or even better than going out and ordering off a menu at a nice restaurant.  The whole process was not much more that 30-45 minutes........a great weeknight meal.



     I had a handful of these little treasures I discovered at Trader Joe's for my after dinner treat.  Bite size chocolate chip cookies made entirely from whole wheat flour.  I saw these while I was there and thought they couldn't be that good but since it fared on the healthier side for cookies.......what the hell.  I'll give it a try.   They are amazing.  The flavor just pops with a burst of vanilla and at 130 calories and 3 grams of fiber for 8 pieces it makes for a low calorie dessert.  I love Trader Joes!!

Cakes and Ales

     Cakes and Ales is a quaint but bustling little bistro type restaurant in downtown Decatur.  The menu is small and changes from day to day.  There is an oversized chalkboard raised high on the wall over the dining room of about two dozen or so tables listing the selections for the night.  Each table has a mini version chalkboard placed on each table for easier reading.
    
     We met MaryJane and Scott at their cute little bungalow in Decatur for a drink, snacks and some catch-up conversation before heading out to dinner.  They appear to be really happy and busy people with promising careers.  MaryJane is a journalist working for Bloomberg.  Scott is a PR Strategist for Turner Broadcasting.
MaryJane brought me up to date with her two sisters and I brought her up to date with my side of the family.
     Around 8:00pm we headed out to the restaurant for dinner and continued conversation.  We had a really nice time and Brian really enjoyed his time with them.  They are both really nice and very smart people.  We chatted about everything from gardening, to how everyone ended up in Atlanta, to weeknight eating habits........a very well rounded discussion.
     We started off dinner with a couple of appetizers to share.  MaryJane selected the Arancini ( little rice and mushroom balls coated in breadcrumbs and deep fried).  She handed me the menu and told me to select a couple and the pickled shrimp popped out at me but I thought that might be a little too much of a specialized taste for a group so I chose the gnocchi (excellent little potato dumplings mixed in a light sauce with ground beef and peas).  Then Scott said he wanted some of the pickled shrimp.  Yay!!  That started us down a pathway of pickled foods talk.  Come to find out, they are both fans of pickled foods and have okra growing in their garden and plan to pickle when harvested.
     Our entrees consisted of pork tenderloin, roasted chicken, trout and salmon.  As the waiter placed each entree down in front of the party that ordered the dish, we all dove in with our forks and commented how tasty our meals were.  Then one by one all plates were pushed to the center of the table so everyone could take a jab at each other's plate and taste.  Everything was really good but I especially liked the chicken that MaryJane ordered.  It was so moist and juicy.  We all commented how good it was and the conversation steered to fried chicken and which places in Atlanta stood out with the best of the fried birds.  I can't remember all those places Scott and MaryJane suggested but the one that is embedded in my mind is Chicken and Waffles.  Located in downtown Atlanta and owned by the legendary Gladys Knight.  I have put that on my growing list of places to try.

New York City

    
     We arrived in NYC late afternoon this past Sunday.  We checked into the newly opened Fashion 26 hotel at 7th Ave. and 26th St. right across from the Fashion Institute of Technology.  It's a nice modern hotel with decent size rooms for NYC.  The picture above is the view we had from our hotel window on the 20th floor.
     After Brian made some calls and did a bit of work to prepare for his following work day, we headed out to Grand Central Station to have dinner at the Oyster Bar Restaurant.  This restaurant is noted within the city as a favorite stop for fresh seafood.  To our disappointment, they were closed on Sundays.  Not a big deal,  I would make a reservation for dinner the following night.  We ventured out into Midtown Manhattan in search of another place to eat.  As we walked block after block and found ourselves further downtown, Brian said he felt like just sitting in some quiet little pub eating a burger.
    We came across Jack Dempsey's.  It was the perfect little Irish Pub.  Brian ordered a burger and fries and I had an Asian chicken salad with a peanut dressing.  Both were pretty tasty.
    
     We headed back to the hotel but not before a stop into the Garden of Eden near the hotel.  I love this store.  This is a local "chain" of about 6 stores based out of NYC.  This is NYC's answer to Whole Foods.  They're not overwhelming, reasonably priced and has the feel of a mom and pop business.  I always say if I lived here this is where I would be shopping.

     Monday morning after a quick breakfast at the Malibu Diner on 23rd st., Brian headed off to work and I hit the streets.  My first stop was down into the subway where I purchased a pass so I could jump on and off the train to get me around the city at my convenience.  I headed over to Macy's since the forcast was for rain and I wasn't about to let the weather manipulate my plans.  I picked up an umbrella.

     I took the train up to the upper west side and strolled around 72nd street and watched and listened to crowds of tourists outside the Dakota building where  John Lennon lived and was murdered.  I stood across the street and peered into the gated arched breezeway where his demise was met.  I walked into Central Park and into Strawberry Fields dedicated to his memory.  The pathway leading to the grassy field brings you to a mosaic embedded into the pavement with "Imagine" stamped into it.   The day was overcast and somber but very calming.  I found this private little spot near a lake in the park and sat for a while listening to the birds and realizing the sounds of the city had disappeared.  I saw a man across the lake with a fishing line cast into the lake and  I thought  how nice that this vast chunk of land in the middle of Manhattan was dedicated for all people living and visiting to escape from the city and "imagine" they're somewhere else.

     As I was heading back to Central Park West to catch the train, Brian called and said that he had to go to Philadelphia and would be leaving in about 2 hours and not be back until later that evening (which ended up being about 4am).  I was on my own for dinner.  Oh well.  He did come here to pull off this project that had been problems from the beginning, not to play tourist with me.
     My plans included having lunch at Joe's Shanghai in Midtown.  The original Joe's is in Chinatown but I just didn't want to go all that way.  This was closer and the food is the same, which is wonderful.  Joe's started the soup dumpling craze a while back and although I've never had them anywhere else I'm sure these are the best.  These doughy buns are filled with a zesty broth and a pork meatball and steamed, served in a bamboo steamer basket nestled on a bed of shredded iceberg lettuce and served with a ginger sauce for dipping.  Biting into the side of the dumpling opens a hole where you can sip out the broth before devouring the dumpling.  I think this has to be my favorite asian delicacy.  After I have scarfed down the dumplings I place the lettuce onto my plate and use the dipping sauce as a dressing for a little salad.......absolutely yummy!
     Since Brian was not having dinner with me I still went with the plan of having dinner at the Oyster House.  Instead of sitting in the dining room I grabbed a stool at the U-shaped counter where people on the go and commuters hurrying to catch their train will sit.  Besides, it's a perfect people watching area.  The menu offers everything seafood.  I kept going over and over trying to decide how much I could possibly order and eat.  I wanted everything. 
     I started off with a 1/2 dozen of Bluepoint Oysters ( my new favorite ......maybe  everyone else's since the oil spill will affect the production of gulf oysters), followed by a bowl of New England clam chowder (which their noted for........excellent by the way, and finally pan fried soft shell crab.  These are in season now and the restaurant only serves them fresh while in season.  They only serve them pan fried not deep fried like I have always eaten them.  For some reason I have shyed away from any preparation other than deep fried.  Have I been missing out! These were incredible and I'm sure alot healthier since they weren't breaded and cooked in a pool of oil. 

For dessert I had a classic vanilla cupcake with chocolate cream frosting from Magnolia Bakery.  This is the bakery that  made famous the cupcake craze and was featured in a few episodes of "Sex And the City".  I have to say it was pretty good.  I was so excited when I stumbled upon this in Grand Central Station after dinner.  After eating my cupcake, I sat in the "urban living room" in Grand Central and people watched for about an hour or so.  It's just so much more interesting than watching television.  I was finding alot of entertainment doing this and  envisioning people's current state or life just by watching their actions.

Wed. morning I headed out with Brian.  He got in about 4am and had to be back at work at 8:30am.  He asked me if we could eat at this little Italian restaurant tonight just a few doors down from the hotel since it had been recommended to him by his vendor he was working with in NYC.  Of course we can.
I spent Wed. morning in Greenwhich Village.  I think this is my favorite neighborhood in NYC.  It's quaint, homey and is filled with little cafes and boutiques.  It's tree lined streets give it that pleasant comforting village feel.

Murray's on Bleeker St. in the Village is the best cheese shop ever.......or so far.  They have every kind of cheese you can imagine.  I walked through the shop and found myself fortunate that I could not buy any cheeses to take home with me otherwise I would have over done the spending.  I did buy the Murray's Cheese Handbook.  This is a little paperback they published as a guide for those ignorant about cheeses.  I snatched it up and will start another food quest of cheeses I read about in this book.

Around 11am, Brian called me and said he was done with work until further notice.  He said he wanted to get some lunch and relax afterwards.  I met him back at the hotel and then we headed down to the lower east side to have a sandwich at Katz's.  This Jewish deli is famous for their pastrami and corned beef they make in house.  I couldn't wait to try it.  I was told that the sandwiches are huge so we ordered one to split.   OMG!  This was the best corned beef ever!  I mean ever!  I don't know how they do it but this corned beef was so tender it just melted in your mouth, served on rye bread with mustard and a side of homemade potato salad with 2 halves each of their sour pickles and half-sour pickles.  The setting is nothing special but the place was packed.
     The Italian restaurant we ate that night , Tres Dici, was superb.  We both had pasta.  I had the tagliatelle with crabmeat and a white wine sauce.  I could pick up a hint of fennel in there as well.  Brian has a rigatoni style pasta which I can't remember the name with grilled shrimp and light cream sauce.  That was very good too.  I also had a glass of a pinot noir from Peru that was really good.  I wrote the name down so I could search for this in a local wine shop next time I'm in the mood for wine........maybe with a new cheese that I'll be purchasing.

After lunch Brian was beat and wanted to go back to the hotel and take a nap.  I dropped him off and went to Times Square where I saw Katie Couric on the corner of Broadway and 45th rehearsing for bit she was filming about the bombing incident that happened right there.  It was interesting to see how they prepare to film a segment and she was so nice and waved to the crowd gathered and shook hands.

     I made my way over to Rockefeller Center and up to the "Top of the Rock" observation deck.  What a spectacular 360* view of the city.  Seeing the city from this view really validates how massive this city is.
  My time in NYC for three days by myself let me take notice of the Manhattan life.  Street vendors are abundant, selling everything from pretzels to gyros.  Corner convenience stores seem to populate every block and all have some kind of hot food bar or salad bar for all those New Yorkers that are on the go, usually with no seating but just a counter that you can stand and eat and be on your way to get to work, home, school or catch the next train.
This city is built for convenience and not an aesthetic design.  I marveled at the ramps circling out over the streets of the westside from the Port Authority Bus Terminal that lead the busses right to the Lincoln Tunnel so they can avoid the city traffic and keep on schedule to all the commuter train lines that lie under Grand Central Station taking people to their homes after long day in the city.  The city's subway system is truly amazing.  The city forefathers did an excellent job creating hundreds of miles of tunnels and underground walkways to connect people from one line to the next.


    This was my most memorable breakfast........a handmade water boiled bagel that NYC is famous for.  I see what all the fuss is about.  A huge bagel with a delicate outside crust and a soft chewy inside.  A definite treat.  I had mine with an olive and pimento cream cheese.......yummy!

Landmark Diner

     Since we are leaving for NYC for a few days.........Brian has a business trip there and all his expenses will be paid, I can tag along with only a cost of a flight and meals.  Of course, being let loose in Manhattan by myself for 3 days will surely add some increased and  unnecessary balance to my credit card.  Oh well, I can justify this by telling myself that we're not putting out the normal $250 - $300 a night for a hotel room in Manhattan.
     Back to my thought.......we decided not to cook at home but instead try the Landmark diner in Buckhead.  I've driven by it almost everyday since we've moved here and I always tell myself " I need to stop in and try this place."
     The place is somewhat retro in design and spotless.  The whole interior just shines and looks immaculate.  This wasn't going to be your typical greasy spoon.
     The menu is extensive and filled with your normal comfort foods plus alot of Greek influenced items, pastas and seafood.  We noticed that the staff seemed to be predominantly Greek.  All the entrees are served with a choice of house, cesar or greek salads and a basket of nice soft and warm bread with softened butter.
     Brian ordered the seared sea scallops and I ordered a good old southern favorite ( but not the healthiest ) country fried steak smothered in a white gravy served with mashed potatoes and brown gravy and a side of green beans and carrot mix.  The steak was nice and tender and spiced just right but the chef was a bit heavy handed with the gravy.  No problem.....I just moved aside what I didn't want to eat.  The green beans tasted canned as well as the brown gravy.  Actually the brown gravy reminded me of those powdered gravy packets that you can whip up with just a pot of boiing water.  I made a mental note to pass on brown gravy items in the future.
     Brian's dinner was loaded with scallops.  All perfectly seared and served with tartar and cocktail sauce, a huge baked potato and the same disappointing green bean and carrot mixture.  There was a nice half of a lemon on the plate.  A nice touch, as most restaurants serve just a wedge of lemon which is never near enough (for me anyway) to evenly coat all my pieces of seafood.
     We began our meal with each of us getting a greek salad.  This was excellent.  It was massive as well.  A nice blend of chopped romaine, iceberg, fresh tomatoes, cucumber, whole kalamata olives (right on!) and red onion.  The dressing was the typical lemon and olive oil blend.......light and citrusy with a hint of sweetness.......very nice.
      I also ordered a crock of french onion soup.  The oniony beefy broth was ladeled onto cubes of toast squares and topped with a thick layer of mozzarella cheese that was melted and browned under a broiler.  I love that combination of ooey- gooey melted browned cheese and broth.......yummy!
    Needless to say we left feeling stuffed like a Christmas pig but very satisfied.  As we were leaving, we passed by a pastry counter where all their homemade desserts are displayed.  It was very tempting but we declined and made a promise to save room for dessert next time.  There was an interesting little morsel (which I forget the name) but it was described as a fried dough that's been soaked in a citrus honey syrup.  It looked very different and unique and kept calling out to me resembling decorative orange colored packing peanuts.  I wish now that I had brought a few home to sample.  I can't wait to go back.

Inman Park and Parish

    Yesterday Brian and I went to Inman Park for the street fair that's
held there every year.  The neighborhood is located just east of
midtown and south of the Virginia Highlands neighborhood.  It's a nice
urban neighborhood with bungalows and victorians lining the tree shaded
streets with many uneven brick laid sidewalks.........lots of charm.


The street fair was pretty massive and incorporated several blocks within the area.  Lots of food vendors selling the traditional fare but I also stumbled upon a fried seafood booth that looked really tempting but I decided to hold off  to try a New Orleans style restaurant on Highland Ave. within walking distance of the fair.


After walking around for a couple of hours and seeing all the artists' wares we headed over to Parish.  This  restaurant is operated by owner / chef Nick Meloin.  From what I've read he's originally from New Orleans.  I couldn't wait to sample some of his Big Easy bites.
  We arrived there around 2:30 pm and I was excited to examine the menu and make a selection and be treated with some good old fashioned New Orleans food.  Unfortunately, the brunch menu was all there was to offe, I was told as we were seated.  My heart sank.  The brunch items looked inviting but I really had my taste buds ready for something more traditional to the New Orleans scene.
    The server saw my disappointment and suggested we go downstairs to their marketplace where they have an ongoing menu of sandwiches including poboys and muffulettas.  I perked up.  I decided this would be adequate for a late lunch and we hurried down the stairs to this exposed brick room with a coffee bar, small pastry counter and tiny selection of fresh vegetables  and wines for sale.  At the end of the room there stood a counter with a handwritten chalkboard menu with their selections.
    Brian decided right away he was having the fried oyster poboy.  I saw muffuletta written on the chalkboard and the satisfying taste of Central Grocery filled my head.  That bubble quickly burst when I saw listed as an ingredient of the sandwich.......gardenaire.  Gardenaire?! OMG, if this New Orleans chef is listing gardenaire as an ingredient on his muffuletta and not olive salad, I'll pass.  Would the bun be a kaiser roll?  I wasn't taking any chances.  I chose the fried green tomatoe BLT.
     When Brian placed his order, the clerk asked what would you like on it?  Brian responded....."dressed".  The guy looked at him as if he were speaking Latin, so Brian calmly said lettuce, tomatoe and mayo.  Maybe Nick needs to give a New Orleans food lesson 101 to his staff.
     Our food came and it was good.  Brian's oysters were nicely fried in a cornmeal batter on a french roll - not true french bread but it was good.  Mine was served on grilled white toast.  The bread was a little too delicate for this sandwich and couldn't hold up to the fried green tomatoes, bacon and fresh tomatoes.  All in all it was tasty.  Each sandwich came with a few slices of half-sour pickles, which was a nice treat.  I want to go back for dinner and see if Nick has brought the right style from New Orleans with his dinner menu.

Thunder

    Last night a thunderstorm moved into the Atlanta area which will bring a rainy weekend to enjoy.  Sometime during the night I awoke briefly, just enough to lift me into a somewhat state of awareness but not enough to be fully awake.  As I was contemplating the time and thinking it was time to get up and enjoy a cup of coffee that is the highlight of getting out of bed, I heard a roll of thunder.   This comforting pleasant sound instantly pushed all thoughts of getting out of bed and quickly pushed me back down into the blissfulness of a protective sleep. 
    Thunder for me is like the gentle rocking a mother gives her infant child to soothe them into a lullaby of sleepiness.  I have a sound machine that plays a rolling thunderstorm that I turn on every night when I turn off the light.  Having lived in the mountains of Colorado for the past four years the true thunder has been non-existent or so rare and short lived it was just a tease.  There is no substitution for Mother Nature.  Mankind can never duplicate the trueness of nature and how it can alter your mood, change one's thinking or bring a smile to your face in a split second. Thunder is another gift from Mother Nature having returned to the South that I will cherish always.  I love the rain and thunder.

Pork Loin Roast and Risotto

   
      Yesterday I did some more food store hopping around after I met Brian for lunch at a Sushi place in Buckhead.  RuSan's was the recommended place from several people.  We decided to try it out.  They have a lunch buffet with selected entree's, sashimi, sushi, soup and salad.  Overall it was okay.  This was recommended by two different people but I just didn't quite get into it. I'll have to go back and try something off the menu.....maybe that's the trick.
     Anyway, after lunch I popped over to the Buckhead Whole Foods to check out their selections.  This store is bigger than the one I have been frequenting and carries alot more inventory.  They had sea bass on sale so I bought some thinking this would counter balance having mediocre sushi for lunch.
     On the way home, I stopped at Kroger to pick up a few items and stopped at the "manager's specials" section.  This is where meat is discounted as it's sell by date has been met or nearing.  I found a nice looking pound and half pork loin roast for just over 3 dollars.  What a deal!
     For dinner I made a pea and leek risotto from Martha Stewart's Everyday magazine.  I love that magazine.  Every issue always has something that is quick, easy and good to prepare.  I made up a "glaze" of stone ground mustard, red wine vinegar, sage, garlic powder and black pepper and smeared it all over the pork loin roast that I stuffed with slivers of fresh garlic.  It roasted in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes and came out perfectly cooked.  The meat was tender, moist and had just a slight pinkness to it.  It was yummy and there's plenty left over for tonight's dinner ( which I love).
    The risotto was nice as well.  Brian is not a big fan of rice dishes but risotto tends to cloak it's "riceyness" and just becomes immersed in all the other flavors that are added to it.  It's always an easy type dish to make if you just don't mind doing a little stirring for about 30 minutes.

Rainy Day Gumbo

     Today I drove Brian to work since he turned in his rented 2010 Subaru Outback last night because his car would be ready for pick up today.  As we left for the drive to his office the rain was coming down softly.  It felt  like one of the cozy days that you feel like not going to work and preparing some type of comfort food.  Guess what, I didn't have to go to work and as I drove down Roswell Rd. to Buckhead "gumbo" filled my thoughts.  Gumbo was in the forcast as much as the all day rain was in the Atlanta weather's forcast.
     As I was driving to the grocery store thinking of what I needed to make my gumbo, I recalled years ago living in the French Quarter across the street from my good friend Bonnie.  She was my first introduction into cooking and showed me how to make gravy.  Her philosophy was " if you can make gravy, you can make a meal."  How true.  I was so excited when she taught me how to make gravy steak.  It was so easy. 
     One night she invited me over for some of her homemade gumbo and a little lesson on making a roux.  Normally a roux conjures up a tedious task of labor and fear of burning it, not with Bonnie.  Her style of making a roux is best compared to that of an artist.   Her canvas is the heated pot, her paints are the oil and flour which she meticulously blends together until the masterpiece is created. 
     She never stands laboring over the stove but rather pulls up a bar stool with a glass of chilled chardonnay within reach and sips and stirs until the perfect dark, dark, brown color of the "painting" is achieved.  The gumbo's flavor is all about the darkness of the roux.  I still have not been brave enough to get to that dark chocolate color for fear of burning it and having to begin the process all over but I inch a bit closer with every new pot I make.

Vinaigrette and Peppers recipe

At Debra's request for her update on vinaigrettes, I don't rely on a recipe.  I just kind of wing it every time but the basis is always the same:
1 part vinegar
3 parts oil
dried herbs
mustard
salt and pepper

I always use a mix of balsamic and red wine vinegars and a mix of cold pressed olive oil and canola oil.  I place these in a bottle (I've saved a store bought salad dressing bottle soaked it in hot water, and removed the label) and add a dollop of stone ground mustard ( you can use regular yellow or dijon, this helps to emulsify the oil and vinegar combo) add a pinch of dried basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, garlic and onion powders, kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.  I shake and shake the bottle.  I test it on a lettuce leaf and adjust seasonings to taste.  You can get creative and add chopped roasted peppers, pesto, olive tapenade or anything you find stashed in your pantry of fridge. 

For the peppers, I used 1 cup of quinoa and cooked  in 2 cups salted water (as you would if you were making rice).  I cooked 1 cup of polenta in 1 cup milk, 1 cup chicken broth and 1 cup water with salt and pepper to taste, stirring the entire time.  I cooked about 1/2 pound of ground pork sprinkled with dried sage.  I mixed the quinoa, polenta, cooked pork and I added some leftover crabmeat that I had to it, mixed it all together and added 2 green onions chopped with grated parmesean cheese ( I just grated until it looked like enough to me......probably about 1/2 cup.
I stuffed 3 small peppers that were cut in half so I had six halves.  I boiled these peppers for about 8 minutes until they just began to soften and then filled the cavity halves with the stuffing.  I placed them all in a baking pan and filled it with water so the water level just came up about 1/4 of the way on the peppers, covered the pan with foil and baked in a 350 degree oven for 35 minutes.  I stuffed the peppers the day before and pulled them out the next day to cook.  This is a good meal to have plenty made and freeze for a future meal.  They freeze well.  Just thaw overnight in the fridge and cook as stated above.

Dogwood Festival

This weekend was the Dogwood Festival held at Piedmont Park in Midtown Atlanta.  After a slow moving morning we got dressed and headed over to the Medical Center Marta station about 8 blocks from our house to take the red line train to the Park.  This was my first encounter with riding the Atlanta "subway" system.  It's really efficient for taking you to points in Buckhead, Midtown, Downtown, airport and other parts of the city I'll eventually get around to exploring.

The park was very pretty and had great views of the midtown skyline bordering the east side of the park along Piedmont Avenue.  The outer walkway that encircles the park was filled with artists' selling their handmade crafts and food vendors set up at each corner of the park.  The food was the typical festival / carnival fare........hot dogs, corn dogs, gyros, kettle corn, grilled chicken, etc.  I bypassed these and opted to grab a bite to eat and one of the many dining options around the park.  After overhearing a recommendation in the Outwrite Bookstore on 10th and Piedmont, we strolled over to Joe's for a quick bite to eat.
                                                                                                                                               
 Joe's was packed.  After all, it was a perfect day to be out and about and the restaurant offered an outdoor patio overlooking Juniper St. shaded by the many trees that lined the street.  We had a simple lunch of burgers and fries.  I couldn't just order a plain old burger so I chose the Wisconsin blue cheese burger.  It was pretty good.  The fries were nothing spectacular but still tasty.  The dusting of spiced seasoned salt helped to add to the flavor.        
            
Skyline view of Midtown Atlanta from the open play area at Piedmont Park.




Brian remembered this artist at a street fair in Miami and bought one of his pieces while we were there..........so naturally he had to buy another piece at this festival.

Taqueria Del Sol

Debra's last full day in Atlanta was Friday. Debra remembered eating at a Mexican inspired restaurant with Rachel years ago but could not remember the name or location. Rachel's memory of this place wasn't much better other than the food being outstanding but she did remember it being called Taqueria Del Sol but couldn't remember the location but she said it was near a toy store and kitchen shop that served dessert.

Debra's CIA personality surfaced which I haven't seen in a while. It came in handy on this trip and she discovered the exact locale of the three in the metro area by using her skills that she has finessed over the years just using the bits of information that Rachel could deliver.

After a brief shopping stop at Buckhead Station we headed to Atlanta's West Side for lunch. It was absolutely scrumptious. We arrived to find ourselves having to wait in line. No problem. This gave me time to decide on what I needed to order. I chose the Nutty Shrimp taco and Beef Brisket enchilada with a side of turnip greens. Debra opted for three tacos.......Nutty Shrimp, fish and the Memphis. We began our indulgence with a starter of Salsa Trio and guacamole.

The salsa trio consists of a nice, fresh, mild, and chunky style salsa. A roasted tomato salsa and a tomatillo salsa. My favorite was the fresh mild salsa. When I say it tasted fresh.........it was as if they plucked the tomatoes straight from the vine out back and blended onions, lime and cilantro to create a salsa that would be satisfying as a meal......with tortilla chips of course. The guacamole was just as fresh tasting and yummy. I would have been content just eating salsa, guacamole and chips for lunch.

The highlight was the deep fried nut crusted shrimp filling the flour tortilla and lightly coated in a honey-habanero mayonnaise. The mention of habanero invokes images of burning, stinging, torture but this was not the casea. With some hidden magical talent this mayo was infused with flavor and not the dreaded fire breathing dragon that habanero's are famous for. The enchilada was just as tasty with the beef red chile sauce, once again loaded with chile flavor and just the right amount of heat........just as the spring day it was in Atlanta.....the right amount of heat.

It was so yummy, I took Brian there for lunch today as well. He loved it and thought the Nutty Shrimp taco topped the list as well.

By the way, the "kitchen shop" located nearby was awesome. Not only do they have an assortment of nice bowls, plates, and other kitchen items but an artisanal cheese shop, butcher shop with italian meats and sausages and a small prepared food selection that serves their homemade fried chicken. This chicken was a true southern style fried chicken. First they brine it for a day and then marinate it in buttermilk for a day before coating in flour and deep-frying it. I discovered this after Debra and I finished our meal and I had to try it.......just one fried chicken leg. It was just as though I was transformed to a Southern Belle's plantation kitchen eating what the kitchen staff prepared for dinner on Sunday afternoon.


Salsa Trio

Atlanta Fish Market

Since Thursday was spent running around Atlanta on food shopping trips we decided, at Brian's suggestion, to go out for dinner. That was a great idea since Debra and I didn't even get home until after 5 p.m.

We waited for Brian to arrive, piled into his car and headed to Houston's on Lenox Ave. in Buckhead. Once we arrived we noticed groups of people milling around the front door. Thinking the place is packed, as usual, we asked the valet attendant if he could check the wait time. He came back with the disappointing news of 45 min. to an hour. We chose not to wait and headed over to the Atlanta Fish Market on Pharr Rd. in Buckhead, home of the giant metal sculpted fish which has become as big an icon in the city as the big chicken at the KFC in Marietta.

The restaurant is all about fresh seafood. The menu is 95% seafood with just a tiny small section dedicated to those carnivores that can't manage to adjust to the "When in Rome" attitude when dining at a restaurant dedicated to the bounties of the sea........you're missing out people!

We began our feast with a raw oyster sampler consisting of four types of oysters from the North Atlantic area, Blue Point being my favorite. Other regions included were Prince Edward Island, Island Creek, MA and Pickle Point, MA. In addition to this sampler appetizer we also indulged in fried Blue Point oysters. Crispy, light and fried perfectly with a nice spicy remoulade sauce for dipping.

Our next round included two salads to share between the three of us.... the Atlantic Fish Market "Chopped Salad" and the iceberg wedge salad. The Chopped Salad was a mix of greens and veggies finely chopped and tossed with a creamy basil ranch dressing. The wedge salad was nicely prepared with the lettuce wedge leaves separated so the spiced creamy blue cheese dressing filled the crevices so every bite was coated with this flavorful goodness. Diced tomato and bacon adorned the leaves for added flavor and texture. I thought the wedge salad was tops in the salad category.

Our main entrees arrived. Brian ordered the flounder stuffed with a seafood combination of shrimp, crab and scallops mingled with mushrooms and moistened with a white wine sauce. It was delicious. Debra's delight was the jumbo sea scallops sauteed and served on a bed of spinach nestled in a bath of their signature Hong Kong sauce. This Asian inspired broth was a nice blend of sherry, soy, ginger and julienned scallions. My meal included two smaller fillets of Chilean Sea Bass and Atlantic Salmon both prepared in the Hong Kong style and served on top of a bed of sauteed spinach as Debra's scallops were and as equally delicious. The spinach served a meaningful purpose as a sponge to absorb the broth and add flavor.

After all this, we had no room for dessert, but maybe next time.


Pictures from top to bottom are:
AFM's "Big Fish"




Salmon and Sea Bass with Spinach and Hong Kong Sauce



Iceberg Wedge Salad

Harry's Farmers Market

Thursday morning Debra and I had a leisurely morning drinking coffee on the patio before getting dressed before making a trip to Harry's in Marrieta, guided by my trusted GPS friend Samantha.

We arrived without incident and strolled into the spacious building. We entered the market and Debra kept commenting this looked different and a bit "re-arranged". We finally realized after she finally made contact with Rachel, her daughter who once lived in Atlanta, this was the wrong Harry's they would frequent. The more familiar one and the market that Alton Brown, from the "Good Eats" show on the Food Network, does his shopping is actually located in Alpharetta. Despite the confusion of stores, I enjoyed my trip there.

Harry's has been bought out by Whole Foods, so the look and feel of Harry's has lost it's down home unique charm, as I've been told. The store appears to be a "Super Whole Foods". It's massive and every department is enormous and includes single aisles dedicated to ethnic foods, which was interesting. I found canned goods imported from the UK which are specifically produced and packaged for the tastes of people in that region of the world. I found some orange gummy candies imported from Asia and tossed that into my basket for a treat later.

The seafood and meat departments were abundant as well. I picked up some black forest bacon at the butcher counter to fry up for breakfast Sunday morning.....with eggs fried in the bacon drippings, of course. In the produce section I found some baby napa cabbages that looked extremely inviting for my next dinner salad.

The next trip will be to the Alpharetta store with a hope of running into Alton Brown in the produce section while he's on his next shopping venture to film another episode of his show.

Quinoa stuffed Red Peppers

My sister, Debra, arrived this past Wed. around lunch time via the Marta train. I met her at the Medical Center Station and since we both had not eaten lunch and she's a light lunch eater I suggested we pop over to Sweet Tomatoes for an all you can eat lunch buffet. I don't feel quite as guilty eating at this type of buffet since I'm pigging out on greens and veggies. I just love this concept and the fact that I can walk out of the restaurant full but not stuffed and I've done my body good.

We came back to my house and sat on the patio and chatted until Brian got home and we popped open a bottle of wine and chatted more as the sun went down and the day began to cool off. It was very nice.

Along around 9:00 p.m. and an empty wine bottle later, we decided to eat. Earlier that day I prepared red bell peppers stuffed with a mixture of quinoa, polenta, crabmeat, ground pork, green onions, parmesean cheese and sage. I mixed about equal parts of cooked quinoa and polenta and added the other ingredients to mesh together into a nutritious and healthy stuffing.
Mixing the polenta along with the quinoa provides a nice flavor but best of all it becomes the glue that binds the stuffing together to really just mold this into every crevice and nook of odd shaped peppers.

I served this along with stewed fresh green beans that were simmered in a mix of onions, stewed canned tomatoes, garlic, thyme and tasso. I have not been able to get my hand's on tasso since leaving Louisiana, so I was so excited when I found it after moving to Atlanta. Tasso adds that little zing of flavor to cooking that really bring out a flavor only found in Louisiana style cooking. I've discovered that green beans and tasso were just meant to be together. The two flavors meld together and create such a harmonious marriage.

Stuffed Poblanos

I headed out early this morning making my way through a series of shopping stops. I began my spending spree at Trader Joes picking up some produce and then made my way over to Whole Foods. I was on a mission at this stop for granola, polenta, quinoa and some dried bulk herbs (which this store only stocks bottled herbs).

Everytime I pop into Whole Foods with the intention of picking up only what is on my list, I undoubtedly see something else I just have to have. In this case it was a clump of fresh basil with the roots still intact that I thought would be delicious in my salad tonight. I can plop this into a glass of water to keep fresh and sit on the kitchen counter as a temporary live plant.........until it's totally consumed. I bought it and chopped a few leaves into my salad.

The next stop was Target. It's an easy stop for me, usually in and out in minutes. I picked up a couple of rugs for our entryways and a new water bottle for Brian. I'm never tempted to linger and browse in a department store. I suppose if they had a gourmet food section I would have to take a stroll through it.

Onto Kroger for cleaning supplies, paper towels, crabmeat and a survey of the produce section to compare Trader Joes prices. I did good.

Since Whole Foods didn't have the bulk spices I wanted, I decided to make one added stop that wasn't part of the itinerary to Fresh Market. This is another challenging place for me to pop into and pick up only what brought me there in the first place. I bee-lined to the bulk spices without grabbing a shopping basket, found what I needed and as I turned the corner to head to the cashier, there it was, the bulk sections of nuts, snacks, dried fruits and candies. As I saw all those wonderful bins filled with yummies I instantly turned into one of the kids with the golden ticket entering the Willie Wonka factory for the first time. I made my way over to each bin deciding which of these treats was coming home with me. The winner was a trail mix blend. I justified this added purchase by saying that I would mix it with the granola I bought from Whole Foods.

As I headed home the clock in my car was reading 12:13pm. I am kind of hungry I thought to myself. As I was driving down Roswell Rd. my car seemed to begin steering out of control and drove right into a Popeye's parking lot. Isn't that a coincidence. I haven't eaten Popeye's since I left New Orleans in June of 2003. I went inside, ordered a two piece with cajun rice, sat down and scarfed it down in 2 minutes. It was heavenly. Just as I remembered. Playing in my head was the jingle from the 80's " Love that chicken from Popeyes's".

I made it home, did some work around the house, and then prepared dinner. I stuffed some Poblano peppers with a cilantro rice, crabmeat, cumin, roasted garlic powder and some diced applewood smoked cheddar. I topped it off with some mild wisconsin cheddar and baked it in the oven. It was really good. I'll have to do this again.