November 30, 2007
In case you didn't already know, garlic is a superfood.
And according to this health blog entry in the New York Times, scientists have started to unlock the reasons why. One of their findings? To maximize garlic's health benefits, wait 15 minutes after you crush it to cook it.
Who knew?
I love it when you guys come out of the woodwork on a food topic. I don't think I've seen such a healthy response since the wings discussion back during the summertime.
It's a good thing I picked up a turkey sub from Subway for lunch on my way to work this afternoon (I'm working an odd shift today) or my stomach would have been grumbling something fierce by the time I finished approving your comments.
A few of your mentions don't surprise me at all. Firehouse, Jimmy V's, the Brambleton Deli, The New Yorker. The NY is right near my house, so I'm quite familiar with the delights of their mountains of meat. Good choice there. Just don't forget your cash!
I'm surprised to hear about On the Rise and Grace's, though. I know On the Rise has terrific bread, but I always forget about their lunch offerings. I'm going to have to stop in there and see what they've got to offer for subs. Grace's is another spot I'll have to try. Although when you think about it, most excellent pizza joints can also put together a pretty decent sub.
Technically speaking, I suppose a cheesesteak qualifies as a sub, too. And several pizza places have cheesesteaks that are to die for. I'm thinking of New York Pizza when I write this, but Cucci's is also terrific.
If you're like me, you've got a hankering for a sub after all this sub talk. So if you pick one up somewhere this weekend, try to remember to snap a picture of it before you dig in and send it to me at lindsey.nair@roanoke.com. Maybe we can put together a gallery of good-looking subs that will help us decide which restaurant puts together the prettiest one.
Either that or it will just make us hungry again.
November 29, 2007
Subs, grinders, hoagies, heroes, torpedoes, po' boys, bombers -- whatever you call them, sometimes a big, fat sub is just what the doctor ordered.
Just about every American-style restaurant has some kind of submarine sandwich on the menu and fast food sub shops are on every corner. And bad subs might be even easier to find than good ones.
Continue reading "Let's talk about subs, baby" »
November 28, 2007
If you're like me, you can't go Christmas shopping without finding at least a half-dozen "toys" you want to buy for yourself. Most of my wish list, of course, includes kitchen gadgets or food items.
Fortunately, I can satisfy my urge to buy those things by getting them for the other foodies in my family. If you still need to buy a gift for someone like that or you're looking for gift ideas for yourself, check out these nifty products I found online.
If you've got any other ideas or would like to tell us what you wish Santa would bring for your kitchen, do tell!
Continue reading "All I want for Christmas..." »
November 27, 2007
A new Mexican grill is open downtown in the former Green Dolphin Grille location, just in time to fill the gap left behind when Red Coyote packed up and moved out of the market building.
No word yet on whether the food at Alejandro's is as tasty as it sounds on the menu. But since I have always suspected that I was Mexican in a past life (due to my addiction to that cuisine) it won't be long before I'm heading there for lunch.
Alejandro's is clean and simply decorated inside. I stopped there for a to-go menu today and was accompanied by my friend Pete, who lived in Mexico for 10 months. His verdict: looks very authentic.
From the looks of the menu, the grill is going to serve a lot of the same dishes available in other Mexican restaurants around town. But they also have a salsa bar in the restaurant and nine different meat choices for tacos, burritos, tortas and tostadas.
Continue reading "New nino in town" »
November 26, 2007
Well, Thanksgiving is over and my 16-pound turkey has already been reduced to a big pot of stock that's waiting at home in the fridge rignt now.
But when I walk in the door today and smell that rich odor of turkey still hanging in the air, I'm not sure turkey soup will sound very appetizing.
Not that this year's Thanksgiving bird didn't earn a rave response from my guests. I bought it from Weathertop Farm in Floyd County and I don't believe I'll ever buy another store-bought bird. My Dad said it might've been the best turkey he's ever eaten. Now there's a compliment!
I brined mine overnight in a brown sugar and kosher salt brine, then stuffed it with celery, onions, carrots, apples and bay leaves and sprinkled the top with rosemary and pepper. In a roasting bag, it took less than three hours to reach 165 degrees.
But no matter how delicious it was, after a couple plates of leftovers and a turkey sandwich or two, my appetite for turkey is waning. At least I haven't resorted to making turkey waffles like Sally Forth in yesterday's comics.
In an effort to put an exciting twist on the last bit of turkey in my fridge, I believe I'll try out the Thai Chicken Noodle Soup recipe that ran with last week's column. A little hot sauce, some cilantro, some rice noodles and voila! Maybe we can power through the last scraps of the little bird.
In case you missed that recipe, here it is again. And if you're looking for another tasty way to transform the last of your turkey, keep an eye on the video player below for a casserole demonstration that should appear within the day.
Continue reading "Last of the turkey" »
November 21, 2007
By the time some of you read this, I'll be baking my Thanksgiving pies and lowering my turkey into the brine.
But the most important part of this holiday isn't the delicious dishes we'll prepare (although that's important; don't get me wrong). It's sitting down at the table with the people we love and knowing how lucky we are to have the many things that others are not fortunate enough to have.
On that note, I want to thank all of my blog readers for making the Fridge Magnet such a fun part of every day at work. I am thankful for each one of you.
Since I'll be away the rest of this week, I want to leave you all with a special treat. Web producer Meg Martin has built a player for all of the food videos I've created. There, you can watch my wings video, a funny chili pepper video, a story about Foggy Ridge hard cider and the pomegranate demonstration.
Perhaps it will give each of you an excuse to escape the family or just burn a little time while relaxing at home.
Also, by early next week, a new video will appear on the player featuring yours truly preparing a casserole with leftover turkey. It's a delicious casserole and I urge you all to try it out. If you have any other ideas for food videos, feel free to make suggestions.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
I have so much food and beverage news to share today that I thought I would lump it all together in one huge smorgasbord of a blog entry.
In this entry, you will find:
* A recipe for naan that you can make at home (at the request of blog reader Jay).
* A guide to beers that make perfect accompaniments to Thanksgiving dinner.
* A link to this week's E-Cast, The Roanoke Times' new entertainment Web cast, with an appearance by yours truly, who will wrestle with a pomegranate and drink some bubbly.
* A couple of extra soup recipes, as promised.
First up, the E-Cast. If you have not yet checked out this new endeavor by the crazy folks here at The RT, here's a peek at this week's version.
You'll see that the last item is me demonstrating the proper way to open a pomegranate. I've lately been obsessed with the sweet, beautiful seeds of the pomegranate. They are delicious as an addition to a garden salad, over ice cream, in a fruit salad, on cold cereal or just right out of hand. The way they pop in your mouth reminds me of a sweet version of caviar. In this video, I demonstrate a very easy and attractive holiday cocktail. Check it out.
Continue reading "All-you-can-read blog entry" »
Indian food is one of the most-craved ethnic cuisines, and every time I end up at an Indian restaurant, I have to fight hard to avoid ordering my very favorite dish, malai kofta.
Malai kofta are vegetable dumplings served in a rich, spicy, creamy sauce. The sauce is either very similar to or identical to korma, a nutty, cream-based gravy.
But Indian food can be very time-consuming to make from scratch. It can also be quite expensive, considering that several of the standard spices, like saffron, cardamom and curry, are among the pricier ones you can buy.
Imagine my delight, then, when I was shopping at World Market in D.C. recently and came across some delicious jarred Indian sauces, including korma and tikka masala. The sauces are made by Shere Khan, an England-based restaurant. They sold for $5 per jar at my favorite store on earth (can we get a World Market here?).
Continue reading "Korma chameleon" »
November 19, 2007
Does anyone out there have a tried-and-true recipe for homemade jerky?
What ingredients and method have you found to be the best?
Whether you make turkey jerky, deer jerky or any other kind, I'd love to hear from you for a future Front Burner column.
Mondays are difficult anyway, but today I had a very serious and important responsibility added on to my job.
The challenge: To judge an office chili cook-off at the Art Museum of Western Virginia that had reportedly already resulted in extensive trash talking among the staff.
When I arrived with my co-worker and fellow judge , Kevin Kittredge, we were greeted by a delicious, spicy aroma and nine steaming pots of homemade chili. The museum staffers hovered around and watched us, presumably waiting until we had completed the judging so they could eat lunch.
In reality, I believe they were studying the judges for some inkling as to which way we would lean.
Continue reading "The art of chili-makin'" »
November 16, 2007
A few days ago, my co-worker was looking for a fancy red meat recipe to impress his sweetie. He had heard of osso buco (literally translated as "bone with a hole") and wondered if I could find a recipe.
Find one I did, but the cooking time for these tender veal shanks was more like 3 hours than the 35 minutes or so that he was hoping to spend on that night's dinner. I hear he ended up buying a nice ribeye steak instead.
Since it's almost the weekend and we've got plenty of time to plan for a 3-hour meal, I'll pass this recipe along to you all instead. That is, if you have no problem with the thought of feasting on what was once a cute, baby animal. I know I don't.
Have a great weekend.
Continue reading "Random recipe: Osso Buco" »
November 15, 2007
Another restaurant is folding this week, but they are not falling victim to low profits.
No, according to Sundance Cafe owner Sharon Gentilini, business was humming along just fine at her little Campbell Avenue lunch joint.
"We were doing excellent business here," she said. "We did a kick-butt lunch."
For more than a year, Sharon and her husband, Robert Gentilini, sold club sandwiches, soups and salads to the starving downtown masses. And those masses, bored with Zak's Cafe and still mourning Angler's departure from the West side of downtown, kept coming back.
But according to Sharon Gentilini, the Virginia Department of Health ordered the restaurant to make improvements that she was not willing to pay for herself. And Total Action Against Poverty, the owner of the building, also did not want to fund the changes, according to Dick Robers, who handles leasing for TAP.
Continue reading "And another one gone, and another one gone..." »
November 14, 2007
Every so often, I hear it: "I wish Roanoke was more like Asheville."
I'm not going to argue the point; I've been to Asheville and have always admired its charm and diversity.
But if this article is any indication, it seems that Asheville residents have actually been coveting something that Roanoke has had for many years: a Dunkin' Donuts.
According to this article in the Asheville Citizen-Times, which was forwarded by my friend Mason, the recent announcement that a Dunkin' Donuts location is coming to town has resulted in everything from cravings to squeals of delight.
The article itself has received more than 50 comments from excited readers.
Except this guy, who has to put a damper on it all:
"Waddle your fat butts on down Lardos and dunk away. Soak up that sugar and fat until you have to ride the fat chair.
Then you can complain about how your low metabolic rate makes you fat."
Oh, lighten up.
Continue reading "Score a point for Roanoke!" »
If you haven't seen today's Extra section or perused Roanoke.com, you're in for a whole mess of special Thanksgiving recipes, turkey tips and information about what local restaurants are doing on the holiday.
Today's Front Burner column features many of the 35+ Thanksgiving recipes that were submitted by you, the lovely reader. I want to thank you all very much for sharing those. If you don't see your recipe in print, do not fear. All you have to do is go here to see the complete list of recipes and a Web page stuffed with all sorts of other holiday news.
As for the leftover turkey, I plan to test out a recipe tonight for a turkey-broccoli casserole that promises lots of warm, cheesy, noodly goodness. I'll let you know how that turns out.
If you have not yet seen my video of Sue Reavis talking about the significance of her pumpkin pie at their family Thanksgiving table, here it is. It's not too late to share your own poignant or funny Thanksgiving memory. We've set up a message board on the Thanksgiving 2007 page where you can share away. If you don't want to do it there, feel free to comment on the Fridge Magnet blog.
And finally, some very exciting news for anyone interested in what's going on in the music, arts and dining scene in Roanoke. The Roanoke Times will soon be launching our E-Cast, which will go up on the site every Wednesday and offer lots of information about fun stuff to do the following weekend.
The E-Cast will officially go live in a couple of weeks, but here's a sneak peek especially for you: http://www.roanoke.com/multimedia/video/ecast/wb/134420
If you get a chance, give me a shout and let me know what you like -- or don't like -- about the E-Cast. As they say, there's always room for improvement!
November 13, 2007
You can blame my late blog posting today on an all-day assignment at Meadow Creek Dairy in Galax, Va., where I got to watch co-owner Helen Feete and company make a huge batch of Grayson, one of their award-winning cheeses.
On the way home, I told photographer Jeanna Duerscherl that my job assignments sometimes feel like school field trips. What better way to earn a living?
Continue reading "Tuesday tidbits" »
November 12, 2007
Richard Todeschini, the talented French chef who created much of Blue 5's unusual menu, is no longer in the kitchen.
According to Todeschini (pictured at left) and Kerry Hurley, part owner of Blue 5, the chef's departure was the result of "differences of opinion." Todeschini's last night at the restaurant was Nov. 3.
"I'm not going to go into details about what happened," Hurley said, later adding, "There is always a natural battle between the front and back of the house."
Sounds like the clash of two very strong personalities to me.
According to Hurley, the restaurant hasn't missed a beat since Todeschini's departure. In fact, Hurley said, they just had one of their best weekends ever.
Continue reading "Blue 5 loses one chef, gains another" »
Even if you didn't act in time to reserve a pasture-fed or organic turkey from a local farm, it may not be too late for you to serve up an all-natural bird.
I just received word that the Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op is going to give away FIVE organic, all-natural Shelton's turkeys this year.
All you have to do is drop by the store between now and next Monday, Nov. 19 and fill out an entry form. Only one entry is allowed per person, per day and no purchase is necessary.
The drawing will be held Tuesday, Nov. 20.
Even if you have already purchased a turkey for Thanksgiving, look at it this way: You'll be prepared in advance for Christmas!
November 9, 2007
One week ago, I asked readers to submit their favorite memory of chocolate.
I never imagined that I would get so many detailed responses. Some were funny, some nostalgic and some just hunger-inducing.
It was very difficult for me to decide who would win "I'm Dreaming of a Chocolate Christmas" by Marcel Desaulniers. But after reading and re-reading (and re-reading) all of the wonderful comments, I decided to award this book to Autumn.
Here's what she wrote:
My fondest memory of chocolate is from when I was a little girl and would spend the night at my grandparents' house.
My grandmother would let me stay up to watch Saturday Night Live with her. While we were watching, she would always have a "midnight snack" (literally!) of a piece of her homemade chocolate pie, which we would share.
The image of a little girl curled up on the couch with her grandmother and a piece of pie just melted my heart. Imagine how exciting it must have been for Autumn to stay up past her bedtime and indulge in a homemade treat late at night.
I don't know if Autumn's grandmother is still living, but my own sweet grandma is gone. So I know how important it is to have memories like these.
Autumn, if you will e-mail me your full name and address at lindsey.nair@roanoke.com, I will put this book in the mail for you. If Autumn does not respond within the next week, I'll give the book to a runner-up.
Stay tuned for another cookbook giveaway soon and have a delicious weekend!
When my relatives start asking what I want for Christmas, my response usually includes some sort of cookware or kitchen gadget that I've been longing for.
While I don't think I'll ever be lucky enough to get a KitchenAid mixer in some wacky color of the rainbow (I'll have to save up for that myself), I have been blessed to receive some of my best kitchen tools as holiday gifts. Example: the microblade my father gave me, a vegetable and pasta cooker from my mom and and a lovely china platter from my husband's stepmom.
Since you are all reading this blog because you love to cook and eat, I'm guessing your Christmas lists typically include some sort of culinary tool or toy. If that's the case, I want to tell you about an interesting event at Ladles & Linens Kitchen Shoppe in Roanoke this Sunday. Unfortunately, guys, this one is supposedly just for the ladies.
"Ladies' Afternoon" is a chance for women to visit Ladles & Linens and create a "wish list," or gift registry, for the holidays. The store will then mail copies of the wish list to anyone you choose. They'll also be providing refreshments and will give away door prizes at the end of the day. And whoever completes a list receives a free gift.
Outdoorsy types can also create a wish list at Walkabout Outfitter, the outdoors store next door. I believe both stores are owned by the same person.
Although this is supposed to be a "ladies only" event, the folks at Ladles & Linens told me the more guests, the merrier. So guys, if you wander in and ask to make your own list at either store, I'm guessing you won't be turned away.
"Ladies' Afternoon" takes place from noon to 3:30 p.m. this Sunday, Nov. 11 at the Roanoke store (305 Market Street) and from noon to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 18 at the Lexington location (13 S. Main Street).
Start making those lists!
November 8, 2007
After I re-ran a former blog post about grilling turkeys in my Front Burner column yesterday, I received a hearty response from readers. Many say they've been grilling the Thanksgiving bird for decades now and wouldn't have it any other way.
The first call I got was from a fellow named Chris who left me a voicemail message saying he grills his bird on a low flame (about 200 degrees) for 5 1/2 to 6 hours.
"It comes out fine every time," he said.
Then, Rebecca Seaster rang me up to say that she and her husband grill birds all the time. Even better, they use an old Southern Living recipe that calls for brining the turkey first, then stuffing the cavity with onions and other vegetables for extra flavor. Mmmm mmmmm!
Rebecca insists that you must cook the turkey breast side down, saying it turns out a deliciously crispy skin. She promised to drop her recipe in the mail for me, so as soon as it comes I will type it up and post it on the blog.
Here are a few more reader responses:
Continue reading "Grill, you know it's true" »
We've talked turkey and swapped recipes, so now it's time to settle on the menu for Thanksgiving and head out to the grocery store. What will be on your table on Turkey day?
Here's my menu:
Brined, roasted turkey with giblet gravy
Mom's Thanksgiving stuffing
Mashed potatoes
Green bean casserole
Sweet potato casserole
Grandma's Darn Good Salad
Cranberry sauce
Crescent rolls
Pumpkin pie
Apple-Cranberry pie
November 7, 2007
The house was cold, I had a half-day off and I hadn't cooked a nice dinner for my husband in weeks.
This Monday, after returning from the second marathon wedding weekend in a row, I decided to go to the grocery store, pick out a nice roast and haul out my Lodge cast iron Dutch oven.
I'm so glad I did.
After years of trying to get a crockpot roast to turn out exactly the way we like it-- juicy and tender and falling apart-- I just couldn't get it to work. Then I purchased my Dutch oven during a sale at Northwest Hardware, and I'll never go back.
I'm sure crockpot roasts turn out very nicely if you do it right, but I cooked the darn things for 8 hours and still didn't get the consistency I liked.
Continue reading "Ode to a pot roast (and a Dutch oven)" »
November 6, 2007
According to a press release from Hostess foods, Sno Balls-- those shaggy, sugary pink snack cakes-- are celebrating their 60th birthday this year.
Even better, of the top five cities in the country for Sno Ball consumption, Roanoke ranks FOURTH! Yes, only residents of St. Louis, Louisville and Grand Rapids love their Sno Balls more than Roanokers. Hartford, Connecticut ranked below Roanoke at number five.
I called a spokeswoman for Hostess to ask how many of the 25 million Sno Balls sold in the United States each year are consumed in Roanoke. She did not know off the top of her head but is supposed to be checking on that for me. I'll let you know as soon as I find out.
Honestly, I don't think I've ever consumed a Sno Ball. I don't even know what they taste like, but I'm told they're sort of marshmallowy and coconutty.
Continue reading "We love our Sno Balls" »
November 5, 2007
Sorry for the delayed blog entry and comment approval, folks; I just returned from a Sunday wedding in Baltimore. Ahh, the crab cake appetizers and wedding cupcakes. The theme was both traditional and trendy. Trenditional!
Happily, I returned to one of the best responses EVER on the FM blog. Who knew so many of you were holding onto a fabulous chocolate memory? I'm not a huge fan of chocolate myself, but I should have considered that it's one addictive food.
It's going to be difficult to decide which reader is most deserving of the book, "I'm Dreaming of a Chocolate Christmas" by Marcel Desaulniers. The contest isn't even over yet. You have until Friday to join in the fun and share your own piece of chocostalgia.
In honor of the theme, here's a recipe from one of my fave dessert cookbooks, "1,001 Low-Fat Desserts" by Sue Spitler: Don't be turned off by "low-fat." This recipes is still loaded with sin.
Continue reading "Chocoholics take over the Fridge Magnet!" »
November 2, 2007
In an effort to cleanse our minds of lungs, brains, rat and tripe, I give you....donuts, chocolate and spaghetti with meatballs!
Those are the three topics of this Friday smorgasbord of food news. Don't forget to read to the bottom of this entry, because I'm going to give away a $30 hardcover book for the holidays called "I'm Dreaming of a Chocolate Christmas" by Marcel Desaulniers.
Item #1: A recent study for the Center for Science in the Public Interest may have you thinking twice about those restaurant meals this weekend.
Now, I don't want to tick off that guy who got mad about the "danger P'Zone," but this study indicates that entrees at the Olive Garden and Romano's Macaroni Grill are packing more calories and fat than they -- or anyone, for that matter -- would like to admit.
The study, which was forwarded to me by a concerned reader, says just about every plate of pasta at those restaurants contains more than 1,000 calories. Spaghetti and Meatballs at Olive Garden? 1,200 calories and 19 grams of fat.
Continue reading "Gain weight just reading this" »
November 1, 2007
I never heard from Donna Alley, the reader who sent in the Broccoli Casserole recipe last week. Therefore, the free cookbook "A Passion for Baking" by Marcy Goldman goes to our first runner-up, Carrie!
Carrie, if you will e-mail your mailing address to lindsey.nair@roanoke.com, I'll stick the book in the mail.
Everyone else, I'm going to announce the next cookbook giveaway tomorrow, so check in.
It was late summer, probably August.
On the hill across the road from my grandparents' house in Bath County, the huckleberry bushes were loaded with little blue treasures and we were ready for one of grandma's homemade pies. So my folks, my aunts, my sister and I set out to fill a bucket.
Aunt Cindy heard it first: the ominous rattling from under the same bush she was stripping. Looking down, she realized she was practically standing on top of a rattlesnake. Cindy, a cop who likes snakes about as much as she likes criminals, freaked out, unholstered her service revolver and blew the snake's head off.
Continue reading "What's your weird food?" »
|
.....Advertisement.....
|
