May 31, 2007
Last week, I was sitting on a plane destined for Oakland, Ca. sandwiched between my co-worker and a stranger. We struck up a conversation with this young woman, who told us she was flying from her home in Chicago to California for a business meeting.
It turned out she works for a company called Bear Naked, which manufactures all natural granola, hot cereal and trail mix. She seemed pretty passionate about the product and the company. She had even made a deal with United Airlines to serve packages of Bear Naked granola in their on-board snack boxes.
Well, I sure as heck wasn't buying one of those $5 snack boxes, but I did obtain some Bear Naked upon my return. My co-workers and I have been munching on the stuff around my desk for the past couple of days and we all agree that while it's not as crunchy as your typical store bought granola, it sure is flavorful.
It might be that the consistency is not what I'm used to because Bear Naked is soft-baked and "bearly processed and utterly naked." In other words, no preservatives to keep it crunchy.
Wow, that just reminded me of the cereal varnish that Clark Griswold invented in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. I'm pretty sure there's none of that on this cereal.
Bear Naked has a story behind it, and it's a pretty good one.
Continue reading "Not just plane granola" »
May 30, 2007
I just received a big, beautiful information package from the National Watermelon Promotion Board. One of those things you learn on the food beat: there's a national promotional board for just about every food in existence.
Despite the fact that summer is prime season for digging into a big, juicy slab of the slurpy fruit, I might not have considered writing about watermelon if not for the package. Come to think of it, I can't remember the last time I buried my face in a big slice of watermelon, but I used to adore it when I was a kid. These days, it's something that gets brought to a picnic or cookout and then promptly forgotten in favor of brownies or something else far less healthy.
Maybe this should be the summer for rediscovering watermelon. And if eating it plain doesn't sound exciting enough, the watermelon board sent me some scrumptious-sounding recipes like crabcakes with watermelon dipping sauce and fluffy watermelon salad.
Check them out below, and if you've got a special recipe that involves watermelon, check in with the blog.
Continue reading "Planting a seed" »
May 29, 2007
Roanoke County wine and gourmet shop Bel Pasto announced last week that it will be closing its doors.
In an e-mail to customers, co-owner Pam Martin wrote: "There comes a time when the dream that you're trying to create comes face-to-face with the reality of trying to keep a business viable long-term. We cannot thank you enough for your support, your caring and your belief in what we tried to accomplish at Bel Pasto. When we began our journey, we were told that retail is a numbers game and unfortunately, that theory has been borne out."
The store is open this morning for the beginning of its closing sale.
"Every time a local business ceases to be, a little part of what makes our town unique and liveable is lost," Martin wrote. " I still believe in supporting local businesses, I still believe in voting with your dollars, I still believe that our quality of life begins with what we put into our bodies and souls- I hope you do too."
A couple of readers wrote in this weekend with suggestions for David Speight, who has been looking for a good softshell crab. Nona says to try Wasabi down on the market and Tom says he regularly gets a hankering for the softshells down at Kim's Seafood in the market building. A friend of mine also mentioned Stephen's on Franklin Road. A little higher-priced, but worth checking out.
Of course, someone who goes by Shemp says the only way to find good ones is to head for the coast. I'm heading for the coast of North Carolina next week myself, but when I get there I won't be looking for softshells. I'm hoping some blue crabs are in the seafood markets. I'm ready to do a little picking and grinning.
Over the weekend, my mom's fiance caught a bunch of trout in the Cowpasture River. I know there's some concern with the fish kill on the Cowpasture and the James these days, but none of these little beauties appeared to be sick. We slid some pats of butter up inside them, seasoned them, wrapped them in tin foil and cooked them on the charcoal grill. I haven't had as delicious and fresh a piece of fish in many years.
Reader Debbie Franco wrote in the other day looking for Stephen Colbert's AmeriCone Dream, a fairly new flavor of Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream. I wrote a Corner Shot about that flavor several months ago, but I've never seen it on grocery shelves in Roanoke. Debbie says a co-worker finally found it at the Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op and brought some in to work.
Mystery solved.
Although, if it's available anywhere else around town, I'd be interested in knowing that.
May 25, 2007
Reader David Speight posted a comment asking about the availability of softshell crabs in the area. I'm not sure if he's talking cook-your-own crabs or a restaurant that serves up a delicious one. Either way, it's a darned good question.
David, you might be able to find both at The Seafood Co. up by Heavenly Ham off Colonial. Steve has got a fresh seafood case as well as a seafood-heavy menu. If he doesn't have them in the case, he may be able to find them for you. Ditto for Fresh Market and, when it eventually arrives in June or July, Ukrop's.
As for other restaurants around that serve softshell crab po boys and the like, I have to admit I'm not sure. I'm personally a bigger fan of blue crabs. I would have said check Parker's Seafood on Peters Creek Road, but I believe they're still rebuilding from the kitchen fire. More word on that to come.
Anybody know where else David can get his claws on a tasty softshell crab? Well, let us know!
May 24, 2007
As promised, here are some food-related pictures I had to share from my recent trip to California.
The first is a shot of sushi master Joon San at Osaka in the Castro district in San Francisco. That monster roll in the foreground was consumed with gusto by myself and travel companion Seth Gitner, the multimedia editor here at The Roanoke Times. I also had my favorite maki roll, a salmon skin maki. Joon San added a few vegetables to the salmon skin roll, something I've never seen done around here.
As fabulous as the sushi was, I have to say that the special rolls compared in some ways to the "Trust Me" rolls at Ben Gui up by Buffalo Wild Wings at Tanglewood. Ben Gui's Red Dragon roll is just as good as what we had at Osaka.
If you haven't ordered a special roll at Ben Gui, you must. And if you're ever in San Francisco, check out Osaka at 460 Castro Street.
The next picture is Seth eating a salad the size of his head (or bigger, really) at Cafe Intermezzo in Berkeley. We were wandering around looking for lunch and he turned down a couple of places, saying he wanted to experience something truly Californian.
"Well," I said, "That means we need to find some sprouts and avocado."
So we ended up at Intermezzo on Telegraph, which brags that it's the original salad spot. Checking out what Seth got for about $6, I'd say not too shabby. And my hummus sandwich was pretty darn good, too.
In next week's column, I'll talk about eating at Chez Panisse, a world-famous restaurant in Berkeley. And since I know you guys don't want to just hear about great restaurants located on the other side of the country, I'm going to do some digging for local chefs striving to bring fresh, local game and produce to the table just like Alice Waters does at Chez Panisse.
No, you aren't lost. The Front Burner has been renamed in order to stave off the trademark lawyers from D Magazine in Dallas.
But that's okay, because I think I like this name even better anyway. So I wish the D Magazine folks well with their future endeavors and thanks to all my blog readers for submitting name ideas. It really became a serious undertaking.
Cred goes to my buddy and Roanoke Times photographer Stephanie Klein-Davis for coming up with the new name over a couple of beers at Awful Arthur's last night. I knew if I got people drinking, the creative juices would flow.
It could have been Stir Crazy, The Daily Dish, Medium Nair, Feeding Frenzy, The Grub Hub, The CuliNAIRian, Bean There, Done That, and so on. I even came up with the perfect name IF my blog were about wine, which it's not: Pinot Nair.
So anyway, to hell with all this blog name talk. On to food talk.
A co-worker stopped by my desk this afternoon with a container of chicken curry he purchased at a new Thai restaurant in Vinton. That's right, we have yet another Thai restaurant in the valley.
This one is called Red Jasmine, and my pal says it's better than all the rest. So there's one opinion. If anyone out there wants to offer up theirs, feel free.
On a personal note, I actually discovered a decent pizzaria near my house off Williamson Road. I can't believe it took me so long to actually try Rico's Pizza, which has been located on Williamson for years. My husband, Howard, refuses to eat what he calls "corporate pizza," so if we get a hankering for a slice, we always have to order from a little independent place.
Too bad Frank's and New York Pizza are not convenient to our home. But we ordered a medium with mushrooms, peppers and pepperoni from Rico's on Tuesday night and got freshly sliced mushrooms and red peppers. Delicious stuff. I hope it's consistent.
May 23, 2007
I got the blues when Noketown Bar & Grill at 312 2nd Street shut down, not because I thought they had a great concept or good food or decent service or anything like that, but because it's such a shame to leave a beautiful space like that standing empty.
Well, the vacant restaurant is getting ready to get the blues itself. Roanoke blues singer and WROV radio show host Kerry Hurley and his wife, Cynthia, plan to open a new restaurant and live music spot there by August.
It'll be called Blue 5, a name derived from the fifth note (an important one in blues music), and Hurley promises eclectic food, impeccable service and a hot music scene.
The Hurleys have hired a chef from Richmond (they aren't ready to name him yet) who will manage the kitchen while Cynthia Hurley, who has more than 20 years of experience at The Hotel Roanoke, manages the front. Once they establish consistency with food and service, Kerry said, he'll focus on bringing in can't-miss acts for the new stage they're building in front.
Those acts will not just be blues or jazz, he said.
"It'll be blues and jazz themed, but we're not limiting ourselves to that," he said.
He also doesn't want to pigeonhole himself food-wise, he said. There will be a range of flavors at prices less than the Metro and 202 Marketplace fare. He said they're aiming for something between Corned Beef & Company and Metro.
In addition, Hurley says his sister-in-law, who has run a blues spot in New Orleans for years, will move north and become their bar manager.
For more details on the restaurant, stick with this blog or The Front Burner column in print. Also keep an eye on the work of my colleague, Ralph Berrier, who is sure to be interested in the music angle.
It's exciting stuff. The only thing Roanoke needs worse than more great restaurants is better music venues.
My inbox this morning was jam-packed with foodie news of the most urgent variety.
Kids, get ready for this: Mrs. Butterworth's is talking again.
That's right, the big, sweet breakfast character we all came to know and love with our pancakes and waffles, will be chatting in commercials again after 10 years of silence. I missed her so much. She is so motherly.
Moving on to carb world, a company called Jay Robb enterprises has developed a product called YAMMIT! It's a entire line of energy supplements made out of sweet potatoes.
Here's what the company said about it:
"Since no one wants to carry around a yam or sweet potato to munch on throughout the day, Jay Robb Enterprises has developed a simple solution…you take truckloads of yams, cut them into pieces, dry them, and place the dried yam nuggets in 10,000 containers. What do you get? A healthy, delicious, high energy snack…YAMMIT!"
What do they mean? I carry around a yam all the time. It tastes so good dipped in Mrs. Butterworth's.
Not really, but I do enjoy maple syrup on my sweet potatoes and yams from time to time.
Finally, the Internet is home to yet another comprehensive recipe site. This one is owned by Time, Inc. and is called MyRecipes. They call themselves a complete food and recipe hub powered by content from such well-established cooking sources as Cooking Light, Southern Living and Sunset magazines.
Check it out at www.myrecipes.com
May 22, 2007
I've racked up a lot of comments while I was out west and I want to thank all the faithful Virginia readers and friends who posted with ideas and suggestions for a new and improved blog name.
I've given it some thought myself while I was absorbed in Bay area cuisine this week, and when I get back tomorrow I'll start the wheels turning on a new blog name.
I might even ask the bosses for permission to name it "Eat This." Not really.
Say goodbye to The Front Burner blog, y'all. Front BurnerFront BurneFront BurnerrFront BurnerFront Burner Froooooooooooont Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuurner. Sorry, I couldn't resist. Come on, you D Mag guys are having fun with this, too.
Anyway, I had a dream come true in Berkeley, Califrornia last night and I'm raring to tell all my readers about it. I was able to go to Chez Panisse for dinner and experience what I have only read about in Vanity Fair before now -- the world-famous organic gourmet that originated in the mind of Alice Waters.
I'll tell that story in an upcoming Front Burner print column (I can still say that, right?) and blog a little bit about the strange small-world experience I had at Chez Panisse in the coming week. I also have some pictures to post of a great sushi joint and a monster salad.
Keep reading, my faithful foodie friends.
Oh, and you deserve a recipe:
Continue reading "California Dreamin'" »
May 18, 2007
I'll take this opportunity, several weeks into writing The Front Burner blog, to thank all the folks who regularly read it and share great food and cooking ideas with me.
But The Front Burner will now go kaput. Dead-deadski. No mas.
That is, the NAME The Front Burner will now go kaput. The blog itself is going to continue, bigger and better than ever, under a yet-to-be-determined new name.
Thanks to the friendly bloggers at D Magazine in Dallas, Texas and their presumably well-paid lawyers at Haynes and Boone, LLP, we're ditching the name because we have been informed that it belongs to them.
Yes, the name of a blog can actually be owned, apparently.
You see, D Magazine has this blog called "FrontBurner." It's about stuff like politics and sports and the trailer for "Blonde Ambition" starring Jessica Simpson.
My blog, The Front Burner, is obviously about food and cooking and local restaurants and the like.
But since the Internet is a global marketplace, I guess we're both technically competing for attention in the same market. At least, that's what the fellas at Haynes and Boone say.
Continue reading "The Front Burner gets a flaming bag of poo on its doorstep" »
I love salad bars.
Especially salad bars with chick peas and artichoke hearts.
There just don't seem to be as many salad bars in restaurants these days, and I suspect it has something to do with health concerns, although I'm not sure. Several Kroger stores- such as the one in Daleville- have apparently done away with their salad bars. I hope that's not going to be an ongoing trend.
While I'm on the subject, anyone who eats lunch at the market building in downtown Roanoke has probably discovered Adobe Salad Works. It went in the stall previously occupied by the Grassroots Deli, which also served custom-made salads, but without the extensive topping options now available at Adobe.
Adobe serves sandwiches and several menu salads, such as the River Styx with roasted red peppers, onion, cukes, tomato, kalamata olive and hearts of palm. But customers can also fill out a "build your own salad" sheet, checking off whatever vegetables, cheese, meats and other goodies they would like. The workers then build the salad while you watch.
Build your own salads at Adobe start out at $2.50 for your choice of spinach or a lettuce blend. From there, each topping ranges from 25 cents to $1.50 for things like curry chicken salad or smoked salmon.
I'm amazed by the variety on this salad bar. It's got all the usual stuff plus my garbanzo beans and artichoke hearts. Then it gets wilder, with offerings like mandarin oranges, water chestnuts, fresh basil, pickled ginger, a whole array of nuts and some exquisite cheeses like feta, havarti and blue cheese crumbles.
My salad came to about $5.50 and was big enough for a whole herd of horses. In fact, that's my only complaint about Adobe so far (and it's not even a full-fledged complaint). The salads are humongous-- I couldn't finish mine, but it's so hard to keep a salad for leftovers because some ingredients get funky. So you might want to think about that when you order. Either be really hungry or ask for some funk-prone toppings, like the cheese or eggs and dressing, on the side.
Have you got a favorite salad bar in town or a favorite topping? Check in w/ the blog.
May 17, 2007
Isn't it funny how some childhood memories lie dormant in our brains until they are sparked to life again by something?
That's what happened to me the other day when I was looking at my most recent issue of Martha Stewart Living magazine. When I flipped to page 96 and saw a photo of a jar of sun tea, I was suddenly taken back to my summer days in Leadville, Colorado.
Every summer, my mother would regularly brew the stuff. I'm not sure where she obtained the giant jar-- I guess it's like a 2-gallon pickle jar or something, and she probably got it from work since she's was in the food biz. After mixing up cold water and loose tea, mom set the jar on a stool outside for several hours and the golden color gradually deepened to a beautiful amber in the sun. I haven't known her to make sun tea much since we moved back to Virginia, which doesn't really make a lot of sense given the fact that Virginia sun feels a lot hotter than Colorado sun. At any rate, the delicious iced tea recipes in my Martha Stewart magazine, combined with the memories of mom's sun tea, have got me searching for a big jar so I can make my own batch this summer. I'll attach the magazine recipe below, but I'm sure one of you knows a whole lot more about sun tea than I do. Feel free to fill us in.
One extra tip while we're talking tea: Everyone hates how difficult it is to dissolve sugar in a nice, cold glass of iced tea. Well, Martha points out that if you keep simple syrup on hand, it's much easier to sweeten your tea the natural way.
Simple syrup is also a key ingredient in many cocktails, such as mojitos. It's like hummingbird food for people.
Continue reading "Tea time!" »
May 16, 2007
Well, I slacked off yesterday and forgot to re-post with a promised recipe, so I guess I deserve 30 lashes with a wet noodle.
I'll make it up to you guys.
My grilling story in the Extra section today talks about a "Thrill of the Grill" class I took at Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center. I shared a recipe for tandoori chicken with grilled tomato jam and herbed yogurt sauce. That's an unbelievably tasty entree and is a simple recipe to make, believe me. The only downside is that it requires a LOT of spices, so if you don't already have a well-stocked spice cabinet, you might be in for a little shopping.
The class also learned a delicious grilled fruit and onion salsa recipe, which Chef Billie Raper served with juicy grilled tuna loin. But this salsa could be just as nice on a grilled chicken breast or pork tenderloin, or even with a skewer of shrimp. If you aren't big on cilantro, you might consider cutting back the amount or omitting it entirely. Not me! I dumped in every bit of two tablespoons.
The key to charring the onion, as you may have learned if you read the grilling story today, is not to slice it in rounds and lay them on the grill. You'll end up losing half of it that way if you aren't careful. Instead, cut off the top and quarter the onion just shy of the base, leaving the base intact. That way the onion won't fall apart on the grill. Also, try to slice the fruit in flat slabs so they are easier to grill.
Enjoy!
Continue reading "Charred red onion and fruit salsa" »
May 15, 2007
I'm in the mood to dish about restaurants this week for some reason-- maybe because there's so much going on about town.
New Irish pubs, new fancy spots downtown for after-work martinis, you name it.
A co-worker stopped by my desk the other day with a menu from the Backcreek Grill in the old Ye Olde English Inn location on Bent Mountain Road. I'm very interested to see how this restaurant fares in that spot-- my guess is that it will do well because of the major growth on Bent Mountain. All those folks want a neighborhood watering hole just as badly as those who live in Grandin Court or Old Southwest or off Williamson Road. I'm still waiting for a great watering hole off Williamson Road, but now I digress.
The Backcreek Grill has some local sports connections and a few really inventive decorative elements, but I won't steal that thunder from sports writer Doug Doughty, who is working on an article about that.
I will say that checking over the menu reveals a lot of what I would call typical bar food: spinach dip, nachos, chicken fingers, wings, cheese fries (waffle!), salads, burgers, etc. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but I'm going to go for more unusual offerings like the black bean corn salsa, basil shrimp salad, delicious-sounding wraps and croissants and gourmet pizzas. Check this out: the bayside pie has scallops, pesto, artichoke hearts, parmesan and mozzerella. YUM!
The dinner menu includes some more ambitious dishes like seafood alfredo, filet gorgonzola, stuffed shells and more gourmet pizzas.
If you try out the grill, let me know how it is.
Moving on, a little birdie tells me that the Green Dolphin on Campbell Ave. is for sale. I believe that means it's for sale as it is and is NOT closing. But who knows what changes are in store.
Check in later today for a recipe! It's been too long since I shared one.
May 14, 2007
While cruising by Ridgewood Farms last week, I noticed some activity at the old Western Sizzlin', also the former home of Cheers bar.
Some interior work appears to be in progress and a sign out front says "T-Bone Jack's."
While there's no official word yet on whether a new restaurant is opening there, one can hazard a guess as to what the sign means.
Here are a few other little clues: Our business reporter, Jenny Kincaid Boone, reported that a Salem company called Line Management, Inc. bought the old Western Sizzlin location on Hershberger Road recently for $1.1 million. That's the same company that runs Jersey Lily's Roadhouse Grill out on Orange Avenue, and it recently opened restaurants called T-Bone Jacks Steakhouse & Saloon in Waynesboro and Lynchburg.
Line Management told Jenny it has not yet finalized plans about what it will do at the Hershberger Road site. No word on the Cheers spot, but with the added space downstairs, they could put in a large restaurant there.
If anyone has tried a T-Bone Jacks in Waynesboro or Lynchburg, I'd be really interested to hear what it was like. Line Management used to own some Texas Steakhouses, too, so I'm curious as to whether it has the same feel.
In other restaurant news, I'm keeping an eye on the new Sonic going up in front of Lowe's and Kroger on Rutgers Street Northwest. Now I can sneak in there for a peanut butter milkshake on my way out of the grocery store.
Come to think of it, I'm not so sure that's a good thing...
May 11, 2007
Photo courtesy Wagner International Photos.
It's been a long week, but Friday is finally here.
Maybe your idea of a relaxing Friday evening is heading out to dinner. In that case, you might check out the review of Nico's Italian restaurant in yesterday's Inside Out. If that doesn't suit you, try out our restaurant directory. You can plug in the location and cuisine of your choice and the guide pops out suggestions for places to dine.
If you see anything missing there, feel free to let me know!
If crowds are more your thing, the Salem Avalanche are in town tonight. I'm heading out there for a pre-game judging of our hot dog contest. To see who won, check out tomorrow's Extra section!
Perhaps you're so tired of seeing people that you just want to hole up at your house, maybe sit out on the deck and enjoy a cocktail or an iced tea to get the weekend rolling. In that case, take a look at this winning recipe from the 47th National Chicken Cooking Contest.
It's called Thai-Inspired Stuffed Chicken Breast and Slaw. I like the unusual sound of the crunchy Thai slaw, so I think I'll test it out myself this weekend.
Have a great weekend and thanks so much for taking a peek at my blog this week. As always, any comments or suggestions are welcome!
Continue reading "Cook up a great weekend!" »
Well, I did it again. With all my talk of the morels I was going to hunt this year, time got away from me and I never did get a mess of the tasty shrooms.
Someone else did, though. Check out this picture of some morels found by a guy who works with my mom.
Of course, I'm not advocating the use of tobacco products, but those babies are bigger than a can of chew! It's A-MAY-ZIN.
I can just taste them now, dredged in seasoned salt and fried to a golden brown. Mmmmm.
I suppose there's always next year.
For those of you who did find some, or maybe purchased some or have another kind of mushroom you think would work, here's a pretty delicious-sounding recipe. It's a butter mushroom sauce for serving over chicken breasts, veal cutlets and certain kinds of fish. It came from The Great Morel, a Web site chock full of info on the little brains-on-a-stem. Check out the site here.
Continue reading "Scoal-sized shrooms" »
May 10, 2007
Check out this bizarre press release I got today:
"Catania Wine Enhancer's Unique Technology Improves Taste Of
Wine, Beer & Coffee. It's a product that can turn a good
beverage into a great one. Using a trade secret technology, the
Catania Wine Enhancer creates a harmonically balanced resonate
frequency that balances a wine's tannins and boosts the flavor
and aroma. Additionally, the Wine Enhancer has been known to
reduce or eliminate headaches among wine drinkers, based on many
users' testimonials."
I'm told you can find more information or buy the stuff, which costs $45-$150, here.
Question: Why wouldn't you just spend that money on a DECENT bottle of wine? Inquiring minds want to know... if you try this stuff, let me know how it works!
Next up: Good old liqueurs that probably need no enhancing whatsoever. They're new from the Starbucks line and include both coffee liqueur and cream liqueur. The Starbucks folks sent me some yummy recipes for the stuff, which cannot be purchased at your local Starbucks. For these products, you'll have to visit the ABC store.
Check out these summerlicious treats:
Continue reading "Turning good wine great" »
May 9, 2007
It seems appropriate that I write about big, messy burgers on the blog today because I just built a sloppy one last night, complete with cheese, sauteed onions, pickles, lettuce, tomato and all the condiments. Man, was that good!
Children are usually associated with boring little happy meal burgers, but I have proof that adults aren't the only ones who like to pile everything in the refrigerator on their beefy goodness.
Apparently, the restaurant chain Red Robin, which has a fairly new location out by Valley View, sponsored a "Next Gourmet Burger Kids Contest," inviting children to invent gourmet hamburgers.
Red Robin teamed up with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to create a cookbook with winning recipes. The book includes a foreward by NCMEC President Ernie Allen and safety tips throughout.
The cookbook can be purchased at Red Robin restaurants or online here for $5 plus tax from May 15 to July 15, 2007. Proceeds go to NCMEC.
They sent me a copy of the cookbook, which includes recipes for all the winning burgers. There's even a Southwest Virginia winner in the book! Morgan Welch, 8, of Rich Creek in Giles County invented Morgan's Stroganoff Burger. See below for the recipe.
Let me tell ya, Morgan's burger recipe isn't the only one that got my stomach rumbling.
Continue reading "Kidburgers for a good cause" »
May 7, 2007
The following new cookbooks are either on shelves now or making their way to a bookstore near you:
"The Best of Gourmet: Sixty-Five Years, Sixty-Five Favorite Recipes," Random House, $40.00.
"Pie: 300 Tried and True Recipes for Delicious Homemade Pie," by Ken Haedrich, Harvard Common Press, $24.95.
"Betty Crocker Cookbook for Women," by Dr. Rita F. Redberg, Wiley Publishing, Inc., $24.95.
"Cook the Perfect..." by Marcus Wareing, DK Publishing, $25.00.
"300 Best Stir-Fry Recipes," by Nancie McDermott, Robert Rose Press, $24.95
"I Love Coffee! Over 100 Easy and Delicious Coffee Drinks," by Susan Zimmer, Andrews McMeel Publishing, $16.95.
"The Greyston Bakery Cookbook: More than 80 Recipes to Inspire the Way You Cook and Live," by Sara Kate Gillingham-Ryan, Rodale Books, $26.00.
"Barbecue Nation: 350 Hot-Off-the-Grill, Tried-and-True Recipes from America's Backyard," by Fred Thompson, The Taunton Press, $18.95.
"Short & Sweet: Sophisticated Desserts in 30 Minutes or Less," by Melanie Barnard, Houghton Mifflin, $14.95.
Tent? Check.
Sleeping bag? Check
Bug repellant? Check.
Whisk and microblade? Say what?
That's right. Serious campers who are also serious cooks can find many a way to make campfire eating gourmet.
Of course, to me, the campfire is the very best part of every camping experience. Not only can you stare, dazed, into the flames and poke a stick at the coals while the socializing happens all around you, but you can also toast marshmallows and whip up a breakfast over those flames that'll make your tongue want to smack your face.
Continue reading "Calling all campfire gourmets!" »
May 5, 2007
If ever there was a day to break out a new recipe and mix up a pitcher of margaritas, this is it. Too bad it isn't sunnier and hot enough to justify blending up a frozen beverage for hanging out on the deck. Oh well, do it anyway!
If you're headed for a Cinco de Mayo party tonight or just looking for something fun to do at home with the family, start peeling some potatoes and whip up these delicious papas rellenas. I included this recipe in my column this week, but it's worth repeating now.
These tasty appetizers might disappear as fast as you can lift them out of the hot oil and roll them onto paper towels. Sounds like a good reason to have a big old pan of chicken enchiladas waiting in the oven.
Adios!
Continue reading "Happy Cinco de Mayo!" »
May 4, 2007
Office manager Nona Nelson tried the Stok black coffee shot. Here's what she had to say:
"I poured the shot of Stok into a venti Starbucks latte and so far as I continue to sip it I have not noticed much of a difference, not much of a difference at all, no, no, no, not the slightest bit jittery, so just fine here, except I am typing really fast...but other than that I am juuuuusssst fiiiiinnnnne....not manic at all...all is goooooooood here...where can I get mooooooore of this stuff?????"
Our sports writer, Doug Doughty, also tried a shot. Although he opted to take it straight.
He wrote:
"That elixir tasted a little bit like cough medicine."
Okay, so much for our very unscientific analysis of this new product. Now, how 'bout a recipe for some creamy asparagus soup? Might be a good weekend for it. Read on:
Continue reading "Update on the Stokage" »
I stopped by the 7-11 for gasoline and a decaf this morning and noticed an unusual black box positioned near the sugars, creamers and other flavorings.
In it were what appeared to be coffee creamers, except they were black with silver lids.
They're Stok black coffee shots, apparently. The label says "Limit 2/day. Warning: High Caffeine. Not for those under 18, pregnant or caffeine sensitive."
I fall into the last category, but I snagged a few anyway so I could do a little research on them. Supposedly, Stok black coffee shots have as much caffeine as a cup of espresso. Although they are called creamers, they technically contain no cream or dairy product at all. No, this just contains caffeine. Which you pour into your, well, caffeine.
According to www.energyfiend.com, which is dedicated entirely to everyone's favorite legal drug: "A 0.44 ounce shot of Stok Black Coffee Creamer contains 40 milligrams of caffeine. The "non-dairy creamer" shots come from Whitewave foods under the Stok brand. There is a "sweet" version and a non-sweetened version."
I won't be trying this stuff because it'll cause my heart to jump out of my chest. But a brave soul in the newsroom here, Nona Nelson, has agreed to be my test subject.
I'll write back later and let you know if Nona is hanging from the ceiling by her fingernails.
May 3, 2007
It must be the rain, but today I want to be anywhere but at my desk being responsible.
In a dark movie theater eating popcorn, perhaps. In my kitchen fixing unhealthy appetizers for all my friends. Or out at a bar drinking a cold one and eating some painfully hot buffalo wings. Ahhhhhh. Maybe if I imagine it hard enough it will feel like I'm there.
Or maybe I should just share a few cocktail recipes today to get us in the mood for this weekend and the Kentucky Derby! Hopefully by Saturday, it'll be nice and sunny-- perfect weather for a silver mug full of mint julep.
Continue reading "Derby drinks" »
May 2, 2007
In case you haven't already heard, Twists and Turns on Campbell Avenue in downtown Roanoke is hosting an entire week of events this week to benefit Mill Mountain Theatre.
The events include cooking demonstrations, wine tastings, floral arranging and cake decorating classes! For an entire schedule, check out Larry Bly's column here.
I'm feeling kind of nutty today. Maybe it's because National Pecan Month just passed in April. Or maybe because salad season is here and I love nothing more than some toasted walnuts and craisins on a big, beautiful salad.
Despite the fact that I just ate two chocolate chip cookies for breakfast, the start of summer really has got me thinking healthier. I am a victim of high cholesterol, so my goal is to lower that number this summer with good fats and fresh greens.
I whipped up a big tossed salad with garbanzo beans-- one of my favorite toppings-- last night, and I'm thinking about doing a whole column or article about homemade salad dressings. So if you've got a great recipe for a vinaigrette or a creamy dressing, feel free to share. My emphasis will be on EASY because spur-of-the-moment salad dinners on 90 degree days call for dressings that are easy to whip up.
Now, back to the nuts! I got a fantabulous-looking recipe in the mail today for stuffed mushrooms, and the stuffing incorporates healthy, flavorful walnuts.
Here goes:
Continue reading "Feeling nutty-- and fresh" »
May 1, 2007
Remember what Ralphie said on A Christmas Story when he finally got his decoder pen and discovered that the secret message was "Be sure to drink your Ovaltine?"
He said, "It's a crummy commercial!"
Well, I'll be honest and admit that's what this blog entry is-- a crummy commercial. But hopefully it'll spark your interest in a few upcoming articles I'm working on.
I've been lucky enough to get an inside look at the Ukrop's central kitchen and bakery in Richmond and will be dishing a little about that in next week's Front Burner column in The Roanoke Times. What can you expect at our Ukrops? The kind of offerings that will make you happily head to the grocery store on your lunch break-- not to shop for necessities so much as to actually sit down and eat lunch. So far, what personally excites me the most is a giant salad bar open from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. every day. No more rushing to the store after the gym at night to try and catch the salad bar before it has been broken down. Check out the May 9 Extra section for more details.
Also on the list is a story about cooking classes in the Roanoke Valley. I joined a Thrill of the Grill class at Hotel Roanoke on Sunday and learned everything from the proper way to break down a whole chicken to how to prep tandoori chicken with tomato jam. Let me tell you-- that was a full day of fun for anyone interested in cooking. Yes, I needed to learn how to break down a chicken! I've never claimed to be Julia Child, you guys...
Finally, you might look for tomorrow's Front Burner column for the word on how a bunch of Roanoke City and Western Virginia Water Authority employees got together to create a cookbook to benefit the American Cancer Society. I'll share a fabulous papas rellenas recipe with you in the paper. For my blog readers, why not an extra recipe to get the juices flowing?
This is your reward for reading to the end of my crummy commercial:
Continue reading "Sneak peeks" »
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