January 31, 2008
All week, I've been gathering little food tidbits that I want to share on the blog. But each one is a bit too small for an entire entry.
So think of this entry as an omelet you've thrown together with all the odds and ends from the refrigerator. A little green onion, a little tomato, a little feta, some leftover dill.
(That's actually remarkably similar to an omelet I made last week. Yum.)
Let's get started:
* I've discovered what may well be the best appetizer I've eaten in Roanoke in a long time. Well, ever since the tempura mushrooms at 202 Market, at least. Corned Beef & Co. has this scrumptious artichoke and asparagus dip that's positively chock full of artichokes and asparagus spears. Not only that, but they season it with curry, which adds a most unusual twist.
Continue reading "Raiding the fridge for ideas" »
January 30, 2008
If you're like me, the food on Super Bowl Sunday is almost as exciting as the game itself.
Oh, okay, it's MORE exciting!
In tomorrow's Inside Out, I write about creating an easy, low-fuss food bar for Super Bowl parties.
You can even watch me preparing a taco bar on this week's ExtraCast!
Bonus: You'll find out about all the hot musical acts around town this weekend.
Today's Extra section includes my article about the late chefs Malinda Russell and Edna Lewis.
If you haven't had an opportunity to read it, click here.
Researching the lives of these two extraordinary women was quite fascinating, and their influences on the world of cuisine are astonishing.
I'm curious as to whether any of you had heard of Russell or Lewis before now? And what were your impressions about the influence of black cooks on the culinary scene before you read this post or the article?
I ask because I found that I knew very little before I began this project. And it seems a little sad that many others are as uninformed as I was.
Also, do you own any cookbooks by black authors? Have you seen any black chefs in or around Roanoke?
Thanks for taking this little quiz. And if you don't read the article for any other reason, read it for the killer coconut cake recipe at the end!
January 29, 2008
Earlier this month, Roanoke Times business reporter Jenny Kincaid Boone reported that a new restaurant will take the place of Wertz's in downtown Roanoke. Just last week, I saw an advertisement for the new place, Horizon Bar & Grill, in our newspaper (see photo).
Wertz's owner, Gary Crowder, told Jenny he closed the restaurant for personal health reasons but will continue to sell produce on the market.
On Friday, I was able to chat with one of the new proprietors of Horizon, Scott Lockhart.
Lockhart and his mom, Debbie Spangler, are partnering up to run the new restaurant. The mother/son duo have already been running Divinity Catering in Roanoke for about a year.
Scott's background is as a Johnson & Wales graduate who has cooked at restaurants in Jacksonville, Fla., Atlanta and Denver. After he moved back to Roanoke, he worked as a chef at Teaberry's in Cloverdale.
According to Lockhart, he wants to cater to a lunch crowd that has limited time and is in a hurry, so midday fare will be casual and fast. He expects to offer soup, pasta, sandwiches, salads and daily specials "with a unique twist."
Dinner will be more upscale and varied, he says, with a focus on unusual game such as quail, venison, buffalon and pheasant. Lockhart said he was heavily influenced by his time in Denver and likes to add a "Southwestern twist" to his dishes.
I hope Horizon really will be unlike anything else we've seen in Roanoke. It'll definitely be worth checking out once the doors are open!
I just got an e-mail from my sister, who wanted to know why I have been "getting a little slack" with my blog so far this week.
Isn't it fitting that my big sister -- who used to throw things at me in the bathroom when we were teenagers -- is lighting a fire under my butt about the blog?
Well, I've been out of town for two days on one of the best assignments I've had in ages. It's a travel piece about a hotel near Charlottesville called Keswick Hall. I could go on and on about the food I had at Keswick, but I think I'll save that for when the story is about to run. That's slated for the Sunday before Valentine's Day.
Meanwhile, on to something a little more pedestrian, but just as charming: a letter from a reader about Kar's Sweet 'n' Salty snack mix.
If you're thinking about navigating away from this page now because the letter doesn't sound very interesting, you'd be wrong. Oh, so wrong.
Read on.
Continue reading "A little salty, a little sweet" »
January 25, 2008
I've decided to award this week's free cookbook to frequent blog reader Henry.
Henry offered up several fine ideas for jazzing up dishes with products that most cooks keep on hand on a regular basis.
For that, he gets a copy of "Mealtime Magic" by Joey Green.
Henry's comment was:
Boullion.
Anywhere you are going to add salt to water, you can use bouillon instead. Pasta, boiled or steamed veggies, gravies, etc. If you are making a pot of green beans, just toss in a bouillon cube instead of salt.
Dried onion soup mix
You can cheat your way to success with onion soup mix in gravies, roasts, marinade, sauces.
Cream of Chicken/Mushroom
You can jazz up gravy with a shot of Cream of Chicken soup. Of course, these are casserole standbys.
I especially like the suggestion that boullion cubes can be substituted for salt in various recipes. I can see myself adding boullion to all kinds of steamed veggies to add flavor without fat.
Henry, shoot me an e-mail at lindsey.nair@roanoke.com to claim your book. Don't forget to include your address!
As opposed to losing Skins....that being the Redskins....oh, okay, never mind.
My sincere apologies to all the Redskins fans out there. And my sincere apology to mice everywhere -- although this picture doesn't match the recipe below, it amused me so much that I just had to use it.
What better way to drown the sorrow of your team's failure (as a Denver fan, you can trust that I am familiar with that feeling) than with a plate of cheesy, fattening potato skins?
Potato skins are one of those appetizers I could probably make up as I go along. But since I've had some problems in the past with that game plan, why not actually follow a recipe this time?
Look for it after the jump. And tell me this: Do you ever make homemade potato skins? If so, what is your favorite topping, besides the cheese?
Continue reading "Winning skins!" »
January 24, 2008
When I see a Nestle recipe card in the mail, my pulse always quickens just slightly. I know I'm no chocoholic, but their recipes are almost always worth the walk to the mailbox.
It was one of Nestle's cards, after all, that taught me how to make Chocolate-Stuffed Strawberries. Now that's a recipe that always wows friends and family.
This time, the Nestle folks offer up a recipe for a very unusual chocolate tart that is infused with the heady scent of rosemary. If you aren't that adventurous, you may substitute fresh mint.
I'm betting it's probably delicious either way.
Continue reading "Random recipe: Rosemary-Kissed Chocolate Satin Tart" »
January 23, 2008
I don't want to be an alarmist, but I found this article in The New York Times today rather alarming.
Perhaps because I love sushi and I love tuna.
According to the article, the tuna sushi from 5 out of 20 Manhattan restaurants tested off the charts for mercury.
One doc interviewed by the Times said nobody should eat that much mercury more than once every three weeks or so. I don't know about you, but I'd rather not EVER eat food containing unhealthy levels of mercury.
I wish I had the means to commission a test of tuna sushi from restaurants around Roanoke and Blacksburg. Because here's one of the most disturbing parts of the story:
Although the samples were gathered in New York City, experts believe similar results would be observed elsewhere.
“Mercury levels in bluefin are likely to be very high regardless of location,” said Tim Fitzgerald, a marine scientist for Environmental Defense, an advocacy group that works to protect the environment and improve human health.
Does news like this change the way you eat?
January 22, 2008
Remember last week's blog entry about the mostly empty box of gourmet chocolates I found in the mail?
Well, the mystery was solved during a video training session at the newspaper today.
Apparently, multimedia editor Seth Gitner and Web producer Evelio Contreras shot a "training video" with editorial assistant Annie Johnson.
And here's what I learned when I saw it...
And here's what Annie had to say:
"OK, ok. After a substantial amount of peer pressure and some pretty incriminating evidence, I will step forward as the one who enjoyed these fantastic chocolates. Not all of them, though. And not alone.
You might be wondering if it was worth it. Well, Choclatique, you know your stuff."
So the mystery is NOT solved....not entirely.
What better way to start a slow week than with a long-awaited, much-anticipated cookbook giveaway!?
As much as I love to spend hours in the kitchen, lovingly concocting a hot dish with quality slow food ingredients, the chaos of my weekend fully underscored the importance of having quick, easy dishes in one's repertoire.
On that note, I'm offering up a book called "Mealtime Magic" by Joey Green, which claims to have "more than 250 offbeat recipes using beloved brand-name products."
The table of contents alone was enough to pique my curiosity. While other cookbooks are categorized by appetizers, soups, meats, breads and the like, this one is arranged by products such as Aunt Jemima syrup, Fritos Corn Chips, Quaker Oats, SueBee honey and Heinz ketchup.
With a few popular ingredients and this cookbook, you can whip up such dishes as the 7-UP brisket, Popcorn Fluff Puffs with marshmallow fluff or Grilled Salmon with Peanut Hoisin Sauce (made with Jif Creamy peanut butter).
To win this book, share your favorite use for pantry standbys such as canned soup, peanut butter, ketchup, SPAM and the like. The deadline is Friday. My favorite response wins the book.
January 18, 2008
For a few days now, we've been discussing the wonders and joys of a hot pan of cornbread.
Frequent blog reader Rich pointed out the age-old debate over whether cornbread should be sweet or not. I tend to think it should be a teeny bit on the sweet side, but just enough to accentuate that lovely corn flavor.
I've been perusing a cookbook called "The Cornbread Gospels" by Crescent Dragonwagon, which includes more than 200 cornbread recipes and a bunch of fascinating facts about one of our favorite breads.
Right now, I'll stop and address the question that just popped into everyone's head: Is that really the author's name? Well, I did a little research and discovered that yes, it is her legal name. But only because she went through a hippy phase at a young age and changed it. She was actually born Ellen Zolotow.
Now, back to cornbread.
Continue reading "Cornbread: Southern vs. Northern" »
January 17, 2008
Well, today would have been a great day to share some of those cornbread recipes from "The Cornbread Gospels," except that book is sitting on my desk in downtown Roanoke and I'm sitting in front of my home computer wearing fuzzy kitty cat slippers.
Never fear, though! I have plenty of writing to do today from home. It sure is nice, however, to sneak a peek outside and watch the birds fight over my feeder.
Moving on to two very important topics: football and food! Of course, more than any other time of year, the two topics are closely related right now as we approach the Superbowl.
A co-worker yesterday drew my attention to a fascinating feature over at Epicurious called "Taste of the NFL."
The actual event takes place in Phoenix, Arizona on Feb. 2, the day before the big game. At that time, 24 pro football players, both past and present, will serve up their favorite recipe. Proceeds for the event go to America's Second Harvest food bank.
There is a benefit to all of us, too, though -- 24 recipes straight from the mouths of famous football greats! And even if you don't like football, I know we ALL love food. Celebrity recipes always fascinate me. If you want to see them for yourself, from Atlanta Falcons star Tommy Nobis' "Forgotten Cookies" to Cowboys player Chad Hennings' "Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas," hit the Epicurious site here.
And now, in the interest of warm, belly-filling food on a cold snow day, I give you this easy, wonderful Paula Deen recipe for goulash. Enjoy!
Continue reading "Football and food!" »
January 16, 2008
This morning, I received an e-mail from a reader named Jeanne who wondered if I have any ideas for flavoring a pot of white beans without using ham hocks, bacon, or other fattening products.
I admit that while I'm a big fan of the smoky flavor of pork in just about any legume (blame Grandma and those Southern roots), it can be hard to justify if you're watching your health.
According to Saveur, the founder of heirloom bean company Rancho Gordo, Steve Sando, says "Beans shouldn't need to be cooked with a ham hock to taste good."
True, but they need to be cooked with something, don't they? Who wants to eat a plain old salted bean?
Here are a couple of suggestions for Jeanne:
Continue reading "Sprucing up the beans" »
January 15, 2008
I could say so many things about this, but I think I'm just going to keep my smart mouth shut.
I couldn't resist passing along the link anyway. What do you think?
http://www.enn.com/ecosystems/article/28654
Yesterday, I received a press package from Choclatique gourmet chocolates. Included was a box of four chocolates, but when I lifted the lid, there remained only one.
I don't know who broke into the box and left three brown, crinkly papers where three lovely chocolates should have been. But that someone certainly satisfied a sweet tooth.
I finished off the last chocolate, which was stuffed with peanut butter and jelly, then looked through the informational pamphlet. Inside was an image of each of their 75 signature chocolates, and I was struck by their beauty.
Every flavor, from All-American Apple Pie to Grand Marnier Truffle to Minty Julep Heart, is unique in appearance. The Hot Fudge Sundae looks like a little white truffle topped with chocolate and a cherry and the Colombian Coffee Caramel is shaped like a coffee bean.
According to the Choclatique Web site, you can order a pre-chosen assortment, such as the Love Assortment (which includes all of their heart-chaped chocolates) or you can custom-design your own box. Prices range from $16 for a box of 8 to $45 for a box of 30. Not cheap, I know, but not like any other Valentine's Day gift you can find for your sweetie around these parts, either.
I would like to say that I know all the Choclatique flavors are exquisite, but thanks to some unknown person, I can only vouch for the peanut butter and jelly flavor.
To see all of the lovely designs for yourself and to play around with the custom ordering tool, check out the Choclatique site by clicking the link above.
Do you have a favorite brand of chocolates?
Photo: http://www.choclatique.com/
January 14, 2008
One of my eagle-eyed readers has reported that tomorrow is Customer Appreciation Day at Blues BBQ in downtown Roanoke.
I couldn't get owner Patrick Maggi on the phone to verify, but I did speak with someone else at the restaurant who confirmed the special event.
Tomorrow only, you can get your choice of a pulled chicken or pulled pork BBQ sandwich, fries and a drink for $6. If you want to substitute one of their other tasty sides, it's a buck extra. Having had their fries before, I'd suggest sticking with the taters.
I've also tried their pulled pork BBQ, Carolina style, and thought it was tops.
There's no way to know when Maggi will decide to do this again, so if you haven't tried Blues BBQ yet, now's your chance to get a great deal!
Just a reminder: I'm still collecting your recommendations for a list of the sparkliest food gems in Southwest Virginia. Whether it's a terrific chef, a specific dish you cannot stop craving or a great stop for fresh, unusual ingredients, I want to know.
I'm putting the final list together for next week's column. Thanks to everyone who already commented. Your great ideas can be seen here.
Okay, sorry for the rather graphic title today, but the truth is that I'm having a little trouble typing this blog entry due to a kitchen injury I sustained this weekend.
Have you ever had one of those nights when it seems that everything is going wrong in the kitchen? Last night was one of those for me. I think fate was flipping me the bird for picking on my friend Stacy about her ugly bundt cake.
First, while slicing onions for my black bean soup experiment, I sliced the tip off my finger instead. Not all the way, mind you. But it's bad enough. How embarassing! My knife skills have gotten much fancier over the past year and I've never cut myself before in my life. There's a first for everything.
Next, while explicitly following the recipe directions for my soup, I removed several cups and placed them in my blender to puree and return to the soup. Well, I don't know if it's because the soup was boiling hot or what, but it immediately blew the top off my blender and I had tiny black bean skins all over the counter. Clean-up on aisle 5!
(I'd love to know if anyone else has had problems pureeing hot soups. Maybe I should have let it cool for a bit, but that's not what the recipe suggested.)
Finally, my rooster sauce seemed to have a bit of a clog in the nozzle, so it came shooting out exactly perpendicular to the bottle itself and sprayed across my kitchen floor. Much cursing occurred at that time.
Continue reading "Sunday, bloody Sunday" »
January 11, 2008
Number one: Head out to the New River Valley Progressive Men's Club's Fish Fry on Saturday. It lasts from 10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. at St. John’s #35 Masonic Lodge, 235 Depot Street, Christiansburg. Fish sandwiches are going for $4, but the plate lunch ($6) sounds better. It comes with fried fish, coleslaw, baked or pinto beans, cornbread, cake and a drink. Yummer. Delivery is available (call 540-392-9897 or 540-320-2565) and all proceeds benefit the club's scholarship fund.
Number two: Check out the new Sunday fare at Michele's on Main in Salem. According to frequent blog reader Dennis, the restaurant will serve a family-style lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The menu will be homestyle food and by "family style," I mean they're letting you pick a meat and veggies and bringing bowls out to the table for folks to share, kind of like they do at The Homeplace. If you check it out, let me know.
Number three: Watch this hilarious stand-up routine by comedian Jim Gaffigan about one of my favorite foods, bacon. It'll get your weekend started with a smile...and a craving.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVKJpkq-wNo
My friend Stacy is going to kill me, but I just had to share this photo with you guys. She e-mailed it to me this morning with this note: "Stacy's first bundt cake."
Bless her heart. She wanted to make an apple walnut cake for her father and asked to borrow my bundt pan. I can assure you that the bundt pan is a very beautiful, faceted shape. Nothing like this pile she turned out.
I think she might have tried to remove the cake from the pan before letting it cool long enough. Better luck next time.
Moving along, I would like to share a couple of very exciting snack finds. In this new year, when lots of us are looking for ways to slim down and tame those raging cravings, it is a blessing to find something tasty AND satisfying, but smartly portioned.
Take a look at these babies:
Continue reading "Friday randomness" »
Debbie's wish is my command. She says masa is available in the Mexican food section of your local grocery store. I'm going looking this weekend, but I might have to head for a different Kroger than the one I usually shop.
Here's the McCormick recipe for Red Curry Chicken with Masa Dumplings:
Continue reading "Red Curry Chicken with Masa Dumplings" »
January 10, 2008
Sorry for the delayed blog entry today, folks. Our blog service was down all day and just came back up a little while ago.
If you haven't checked out the comments on yesterday's entry, you should! Lots of great suggestions for our Top 25 Roanoke Food Finds, from the creamed succotash at Blues BBQ (I can vouch for that one) to chopped liver at Fresh Market to the peanut soup at Hotel Roanoke.
Keep 'em coming! When everyone has had a chance to chime in, I'll cobble them all together into one delicious list.
Next up: The Flavor Forecast for 2008.
What the heck is that, you ask? Well, I asked the same thing when I found the press packet in my mailbox today.
Most of the time I just give these packages a glance and then send them to File 13. I'd rather come up with my own story ideas, thankyouverymuch.
But this one from McCormick seasonings intrigued me with its declarations about the top flavor pairings for 2008.
Check these out:
Continue reading "The Flavor Forecast" »
January 8, 2008
Okay, I realize it's not exactly the same, but if Saveur can find 100 extraordinary food finds around the world every year, we should be able to list at least 25 of our favorite dishes, restaurants, markets, chefs and more here in Southwest Virginia.
I'll go first. Here are five picks. Give me yours!
1. Carlos Brazilian's Artichoke-Brie Soup.
2. El Palenque desserts (which are still available, in case you didn't know.)
3. Southwest Virginia Farmer's Markets. The fingerling potatoes! The heirloom tomatoes and beans! The tiny cabbages! The fresh peaches! The possibilities are endless.
4. Floyd County. Face it, they rate high in fine local food producers.
5. Roanoke- and Blacksburg- area ethnic markets. Must explore more.
If you do not subscribe to Saveur, I highly recommend that you at least pick up the special issue on newsstands now. It's the 10th Annual Saveur 100, their yearly listing of top notch food, restaurants, chefs and other culinary finds from around the world.
I promise you will learn something. It might even make you drool.
I pored over every delicious word and photograph in my copy. I was so enthralled by every listing, from the Cherry Bounce (a Wisconsin cocktail) to the Pastel de Cuatro Leches, that I completely ignored my husband and disregarded my bedtime until I had devoured the entire issue.
Among my favorite highlights:
No. 2: Heirloom beans! A company in California called Rancho Gordo sells an entire line of little-known American beans, including one that was near extinction before the company revived it.
No 6: The Cherry Bounce, a cocktail made by steeping sour cherries, sugar and brandy in a covered jar for three months.
Continue reading "I'm in love with a magazine." »
January 7, 2008
Important news today from the Southern purveyors of good old fried dough: Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Inc. says their entire menu is now trans fat-free!
They say you can enjoy an original glazed doughnut for just 200 calories and zero grams of trans fat. Well, let's all rush out and get a hot dozen!
I'd like to pause for a moment to address the debate over whether Krispy Kreme doughnuts are better than Dunkin' Donuts: They are.
Continue reading "Krispy Kreme punts trans fat" »
January 4, 2008
Check out this op-ed piece by Lan Samantha Chang that ran in The New York Times this week.
According to the piece, a little diner in Iowa City, Iowa called The Hamburg Inn No. 2 has served quite a few political hopefuls in the past.
Of course, what WE want to know is...what did they eat?
Well, Chang writes that Bill Clinton feasted on an omelet with Swiss cheese, tomatoes and green peppers with homefries and Barack Obama had the Iowa omelet (ham, hash browns and American cheese) with a side of sweet potato pancakes.
Mitt Romney, on the other hand, did not eat because the restaurant was too crowded.
Over at the Serious Eats blog, they're wondering whether Obama's healthy appetite had anything to do with his win.
All I can say is this: Momma said never to take a test without a full belly. And sweet potato pancakes are certainly quite filling, hmmmmm?
In other news, I have been salivating over a salmon recipe that appeared in my inbox this morning from Simply Recipes.
I'll share it here. Have a spectacularly tasty weekend!
Continue reading "The real reason Obama won?" »
January 3, 2008
Well, what do you know? I had just finished up a cup of oatmeal with flax seed this morning (darned resolutions) when I found out that January is oatmeal month!
Quite appropriate, isn't it, considering how cold and blustery it was outside this morning?
Some folks just can't bring themselves to eat oatmeal for breakfast, but I've always loved it. Of course, additions like brown sugar, maple syrup, apples, raisins and cinnamon don't hurt the taste one bit!
Here are a few new ideas, courtesy of eDiets.com, for sprucing up your morning bowl while still maintaining the health benefits:
Continue reading "Bears eat oats and does eat oats...shouldn't you?" »
January 2, 2008
According to this article in today's Washington Post, a "perfect storm" of conditions may conspire to drive up beer prices in 2008. Some craft beers may go up as much as $1 per six pack.
Besides higher prices for hops and barley, one reason is an increased demand for beer in China. What's driving the Chinese to drink more beer?
A friend suggests that it's all the preparations for the Olympics. Just imagine what'll happen when all those Americans arrive.
Two solutions: Either cut back on beer consumption or start brewing your own.
I have a $25 gift card to Provisions with Flo's name on it. Flo left the 1,001st comment on Fridge Magnet since the blog began in March.
Sherry, who was the 1,000th person to comment, never replied to my announcement that she had won. Boo!
Flo, email me at lindsey.nair@roanoke.com to claim your prize!
Like many folks, I am beginning the new year today with a handful of good intentions -- not to mention the sincere hope that they will do more than pave my personal path to hell.
Being a food writer doesn't make it easy to stay slim and healthy. Cutting out all fattening food is, well, just not doable! How am I going to know how good Thelma's fried chicken tastes, whether the new Mexican grill is a hot spot or who fries up the best extra-crispy Buffalo wings in town?
If the French can eat rich cheeses, pastries and animal fats and stay svelte, it has to be possible for me, too -- without taking up chain smoking.
In the spirit of staying healthy in 2008, I pass along my favorite tip of the day, which I found in a fascinating article in the San Francisco Chronicle called "Just the flax, please: Nutrition Pros Help Find the Grains of Truth amid the hype about what to eat."
Continue reading "Eat more (kale) in 2008" »
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