Well, I didn’t make it out to Ukrop’s big one-year anniversary celebration on Saturday because I was preparing for the hubby’s birthday party. But from the looks of the parking lot, it was a big success.

I promised Jonathan Rhudy, my PR contact at Ukrop’s, that if he sent me a picture of their Mill Mountain cake, I’d post it on the blog. So here it is, before it was demolished and eaten by a crowd of Ukrop’s shoppers. The fellows standing behind the cake are Jeff Ukrop, zone manager for Ukrop’s, Jim Goodman, Ukrop’s executive pastry chef, and Jason Woodcock, Ukrop’s Roanoke store manager.

I think it’s kind of fitting that this picture came in the week after I wrote about brightly colored wedding cakes. If anyone wants a kelly green wedding cake, this is what it might look like. Minus the little tractor trailer (or not — whatever you’re into).

A few fun facts about the cake:

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This was the view from our hotel in Charleston, S.C. last week. And while it is a beautiful view indeed, memories of the boats and water are in strong competition with memories of the food I ate while I was there.

Charleston is a food city, there’s no doubt about it.

The most upscale meal we had was at Oak Steakhouse in downtown Charleston, which is housed in a historic former bank building on Exchange Street. Oak is run by Brett McKee, the same chef who headlined the Puttin’ on the Dog event at Roanoke Country Club not long ago.

My husband drew the line at letting me bring my camera inside the steakhouse, but I can still picture the meal in my mind: tender, rich oysters Rockefeller, a perfect filet, lobster and shrimp macaroni and cheese and the best brussels sprouts I’ve ever had. They were roasted with applewood smoked bacon and sugar. I must have that recipe.

The best seafood house in Charleston, however, is slightly less beautiful on the outside than the Oak Steakhouse. It’s called The Wreck of the Richard and Charlene, and it’s difficult to find if you aren’t looking for it. Check out the picture (at left) and you’ll see that it’s no wonder The Wreck is one of Charleston’s best-kept secrets.

I found recommendations for The Wreck on the boards at Chow.com, and I will never take another vacation to an unfamiliar city without checking Chow first.

When we checked into our hotel, I asked the clerk: “Isn’t The Wreck near here?”
He replied: “How did you know about The Wreck? We don’t tell tourists about it.”
At that moment, I knew I was onto something.

The Wreck is housed in a tiny, nondescript building on Shem Creek. There are no signs. As you can see, the view from the inside is quite a bit more becoming (and not just because my wonderful hubby is in the picture.)

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This is Nona again. Lindsey missed out on the goodies today. Another nice promotional package arrived from McCormick. This big box was stuffed with various grill rubs, marinades and a Montreal steak seasoning grinder.

Bounty for the guest bloggers!

I have used the McCormick’s Montreal steak seasoning before and I highly recommend it. Lindsey gave me the smokehouse pepper they sent her last week, and I used it this weekend and loved it. It added a nice smoky flavor without being overpowering.

My hubby and I joined Weight Watchers last night, so I am looking for ways to add more flavor to food as I try to whittle away fat and calories and keep to our daily points goals. Of course, I have to be careful with sauces and marinades that can actually add too many calories to what otherwise would have been a lean, low-cal dish.

I want to try the seafood rub, which contains chili pepper, lemon peel, garlic, tomato and brown sugar. Sounds pretty tasty for some salmon filets that want to get out of my fridge and onto my grill.

I promise we will save some of this spice swag for Lindsey.

So what’s grilling at your house this hot and steamy weekend?

Hey FM readers. This is yet another guest blogger, Nona Nelson from The Happy Wag.

I love to cook almost as much as I love to eat, but I know my family needs to eat healthier. That started this weekend with me making better choices at the supermarket: lots more fruits, veggies, whole grains and fish and less of, well, all the other stuff I usually buy.

Last night I made kabobs with chicken, lean pork, peppers, onions, mushrooms and pineapple wedges. I soaked the meat in a little soy sauce, then assembled the skewers, seasoned with a dash of salt and the delicious smokehouse pepper that Lindsey gave me last week, and brushed them with a tiny amount of olive oil. My hubby grilled them and they were very tasty and moist, and fairly low in fat and calories.

Tonight I plan to serve tilapia filets, and typically I would bake them in the oven with butter, lemon and dill. But tonight I want to grill them, and I am looking for suggestions on ways to add flavor to this mild fish without adding too much fat and calories.

I know I can use olive or grape seed oil instead of the butter for a lighter dish. Anyone have a great combo of seasonings or a recipe for a rub that works well with delicate fish?

Hey folks, as you might have noticed at the end of my Front Burner column today, I’ve got Sunday brunch on the brain again.
Ever since before I started this food beat, I’ve been dismayed by the lack of a truly unique Sunday brunch experience in Roanoke. I’m craving something quirky and cool that doesn’t just serve standard breakfast options until 2 p.m.
Until recently, the best brunch I’d experienced around these parts was at Cafe Succotash in Vinton, which has long since closed. I can remember having some kind of twist on eggs Benedict with spinach and fresh tomato, all washed down with a poinsettia (champagne and cranberry juice).

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The beautiful fruit tart you see pictured here was served to us at a dinner party on Saturday night. My friend would like for us to believe that she slaved over it herself, but it actually came from Fresh Market. But it still blew us all away with its gorgeous presentation.
And speaking of being blown away, I doubt if I’m the only one in Southwest Virginia who had my fabulous Sunday dinner plans ruined by power outages and other weather-related snafus.
We’re extremely lucky that we didn’t suffer anything more serious. But we had two beautiful filets in the refrigerator, some organic potatoes for baking, asparagus and the makings for a Caesar salad on hand when our power went out about noon yesterday.
A trip down the street confirmed the worst: that a neighbor’s entire pine tree had been uprooted and slung against a power line. We knew it would be a while before we regained the use of our stove, and hubby was not in the mood to fight the wind in an effort to grill up those steaks.
By the time power did come back on, all we had time to cook was a can of soup and a couple of sandwiches. We ate that in front of the gas fireplace and it hit the spot. But not quite like that filet mignon would have…

What supper plans did you lose out on because of the weather yesterday?

Most of the time when a restaurant attempts to master two entirely different styles of cooking at once, I am suspicious.
Take Circles, for example, a short-lived restaurant in Vinton, which served French, Italian and Thai food. I never made it out to Circles because it didn’t last long; the owner closed up shop to move downtown and open City Corner, the buffet-style joint beside Corned Beef & Company.
But just the idea of Italian food and Thai food coming out of the same kitchen baffles me. I don’t know why — they both come out of my kitchen. Just not on the same night.
Fast forward to now, when I actually find myself advocating that you guys try out a quirky little place on Williamson Road that turns out Latino and Italian food.
El Buen Gusto opened near Civic Mall within the past several months. It’s located in a nondescript little brick building that looks like it could have once housed a check cashing service or something.

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