FOOD
Roast Pork with ‘Magic’ Gravy
This recipe for roast pork with magic gravy will not only fool the finicky kids in your life but the grown-ups as well. This gravy has so much flavor they won’t have a clue that it’s jam-packed with healthy goodness. The gravy is thick, rich, velvety and flavorful. How is this gravy magical you ask? Simple, they always come back for seconds!
Ingredients
- Start with a Boneless Pork Loin seasoned with sea salt, minced garlic, rosemary and black pepper.
- Brown seasoned pork in a tablespoon of olive oil.
- Peel and chop 2 apples (I used green)
- 2 onions
- 2 carrots
Production
- Spray roasting pan with olive oil to coat and place vegetables in roasting pan with Pork Loin and 1/2 cup chicken broth
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and cook for 20 to 22 minutes per pound or until internal temperature reaches 160°F
- Place the roasted carrots, onions, apples and juices in a blender (I use a Vitamix) and puree
- The trick here is to disguise the pureed vegetables by combining them with a packaged gravy. (I prefer Pioneer Brand)
- Slowly combine pureed vegetable mixture into prepared sauce pan with prepared packaged gravy.
- Enjoy!
What are some “magical” dishes you serve your family?
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Anaheim’s “The Catch” Ceviche done right!
If you’re looking for Ceviche done right, look no further than Orange County where Anaheim’s The Catch has some of the best.
Some of our favorite finds are unique foodie experiences. We found what turned out to be one of the biggest surprises at The Catch in downtown Anaheim. Just a stone’s throw from Angels stadium and the Anaheim Grove, you can’t turn your head without seeing a big screen TV showing any sport imaginable.
But hang on to your baseball glove, this ain’t your daddy’s sports bar. We went there expecting burgers and hot wings but were in for a shock. According to their history they’ve been serving some of the finest meats and seafood for over 30 years. We checked out the menu and saw treasures like Miso marinated Chilean Sea Bass, Lobster Diablo and their Master Chef Prime 8 ounce sirloin. The Chef is amazing, the servers are experts as helping you figure out what you’re craving and everyone there treats you like family.
They also boast an impressive list of great wines to accompany your meal. Not to worry though, if you have your heart set on bar fare, they won’t disappoint with their delicious versions of Chile cheese fries, fried chicken tenders and their juicy sliders. Now for a REALLY big appetite, well….that’s a story you’re going to have to see to believe. Check back for our unbelievable burger adventure. But while you’re waiting, check out this recipe for The Catches mouth watering Ceviche!
The Catch’s Ceviche
Courtesy of Chefs Tom Hope & Neslon Barillas
INGREDIENTS:
¾ pound rock shrimp, raw or your favorite shrimp, deveined, tails removed
¾ pound fresh bay scallops
2 cups fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
½ jalapeno pepper, seeded, deveined, finely diced
1 cup diced tomatoes (skinned and seeded)
1 medium diced cucumber (peeled and seeded)
½ medium finely red diced onion
1 large Hass avocado, diced
Dash chipotle Tabasco or favorite hot sauce
Pinch of salt, freshly ground pepper
½ cup ketchup
GARNISH:
Sprigs fresh cilantro
Fresh tortilla chips
PROCEDURES:
Blanch seafood for 60 seconds in boiling water. Drain, cool, then dice scallops & shrimp into quarter inch pieces. Add to large mixing bowl, cover and marinate in lemon & orange juice overnight or for a minimum of 4 hours, stirring occasionally. Seafood will now be “cooked” through by acid of the lemon juice. Drain, but leave some of lemon juice to keep seafood moist and to serve as a base for a binding sauce. Add jalapeno, tomato, cucumber, onion, and avocado. Add dash of hot sauce, and pinch of salt and pepper. Add ketchup and gently mix, just slightly mashing avocado. Taste for seasoning. Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve.
Mound in a martini or red wine glass. Garnish with cilantro and serve with warm chips. Makes 6 appetizer portions.
What’s the best ceviche you’ve ever experienced?
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The Beachcomber’s Spinach Truffle Mac
One of the highlights of our visit to Laguna Beach, California was a sunset dinner at the The Beachcomber Cafe. The cafe is located across the Pacific Coast Highway from Crystal Cove State Park and offers vintage 50s-inspired beachy California cuisine with spectacular oceanside view. Everything we ate was incredible but we really oohed and aahed over the Beachcomber’s Spinach Truffle Mac. We had never really experienced anything quite like it. Since the chef was kind enough to share recipe with us, we thought we’d share it with you. Enjoy!!
Spinach Truffle Mac
Yield – 1 Serving
Ingredients
- ½ oz – White Truffle Oil
- ½ oz – Black Truffle Shavings
- 1oz – Baby Spinach
- 4oz – Manufacturing Cream
- 2oz – Unsalted Butter
- 2oz – White Button Mushroom (sliced)
- 1oz – Wild Mushroom mix (Chanterelle, King, Enoki, Oyster, Black Trumpet)
- 3oz – Smoked Gouda (shredded)
- 2oz – Peccorino/Parmesan Cheese (grated)
- 3T – Panko/Cheese Bread Crumbs (1T Parmesan/2T Panko)
- 8oz – Cavatappi Pasta (cooked)
- TT Salt & White Pepper
Production
- In a medium sauté pan, heat 1oz butter until melted and bubbling.
- Add button mushrooms and sauté for about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add spinach and sauté for another minute.
- Add manufacturing cream, cheeses, truffle oil and shavings and continue to cook until sauce starts to thicken.
- Toss in pasta and heat through or until sauce becomes very thick and creamy.
- Taste and add seasoning if needed.
- In a separate small sauté pan heat over medium high, add 1oz butter and sauté wild mushrooms.
Plating
- Pour pasta into bowl
- On top of pasta, sprinkle with Panko/Cheese bread crumbs.
- Place under broiler until breadcrumbs start to brown.
- Remove from broiler and top with sautéed wild mushrooms and sprig of parsley for garnish.
As a bonus, we enjoyed one of the most spectacular sunsets we’ve ever witnessed whine dining at the Beachcomber Cafe.
What’s one of the most memorable dishes you’ve eaten while traveling?
Recipe: Smokey Tomato Bisque
So in the end, I think the moral of the story is that when it comes to comfort food, sometimes you can go home again. Enjoy!
Prep: 20 minutes Cooking: 30 minutes*Seasonings in the recipe, such as salt, pepper & liquid smoke should be adjusted to suit your taste. Liquid smoke can be omitted if you fire roast your own tomatoes or buy the canned, fire roasted variety.
Ingredients
- 10 Roma tomatoes, crushed (blanched w/skins removed)
(or) 3-14 oz cans fire roasted or crushed tomatoes - ½ c. butter plus 1 oz. olive oil
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 white onion, minced
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- Fresh basil leaves,to taste, rolled and sliced into ribbons (chiffonade)(I used 5, reserving half for a garnish)
- Liquid smoke, hickory 1 TBSP or to taste (If using fire roasted tomatoes, leave this out)
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Fresh ground pepper, to taste
Directions
Over medium high heat, in heavy pot, combine butter & olive oil. Cook onions until translucent, reduce heat to medium, add garlic and cook just until fragrant. (About 5 minutes).
Add tomatoes, including juice, cover and cook on medium for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove lid, add chicken broth & heavy cream (slowly) and simmer. It should reduce and thicken slightly.
Add fresh basil, salt & pepper. Cook, uncovered for 10 minutes more on low to medium heat.
Remove from heat and using either an immersion blender or blender/food processor (in batches) blend/pulse until mostly smooth. Leave a few pieces of tomato if you like a little more texture to it. Return to heat (if cooled), serve with remaining basil as a garnish.
The Tampa Taco Bus
You probably won’t find it in any of the tourists brochures but the Tampa Taco Bus in Tampa, Florida is an absolute MUST!!
The Taco Bus is an old school bus converted into a kitchen that prepares incredible, fresh, authentic Mexican cuisine. As a foursquare Mayor of a Mexican Restaurant in Stockbridge, Georgia, I speak with some authority as to the quality of food, and the Taco Bus food was VERY GOOD! In fact, it was so dang good, I dove right in and ate it all before remembering to take any pictures. But being the committed food & travel writer that I am, I took another trip to Tampa and returned to the Taco Bus for the express purpose of snapping photos of my food.
Unfortunately my excitement once again got the best of me and I had taken several bites of both my burrito and taco, leaving only my tostada as an entree worthy of photography. At least now I have an excuse to go back!
Here are a few fun facts about the Tampa Taco Bus:
1. The Taco Bus is open 24/7
2. Broken English is Perfectly Spoken at the Taco Bus! 
3. Indoor and outdoor dining is available, or you can just step up to the window and place your order to go.
4. The Taco Bus doesn’t actually go anywhere – you have to go to it, but it’s definitely worth a detour.
5. Dining at the Taco Bus is about more than just great food – it’s about the experience. I can’t wait to go back!
What are some of your favorite food trucks?
Here’s a link to a Slow-Cooker Citrus Chicken Tacos recipe and a link to how you can make every day a Taco Tuesday!
Ghost Pepper, Tongue Torturing Fun at Zest Fest!
Experience the fine line between pleasure and pain at Zest Fest in Irving, as Rick enters Intensity Academy’s “Hot Lolly Lick-a-thon”, a fun tongue torturing contest involving a lollipop made from the infamous ghost peppers (Bhut Jolokia Chil). It is easily the hottest lollipop on the planet. Can you say “OUCH!” ?
What’s the hottest thing you’ve ever put in your mouth?
Behind the Scenes ~ Berry Fresh Cafe
We received several emails telling us that we HAD to eat at the Berry Fresh Cafe in Port St. Lucie , Florida. So when we were in the area filming at the PGA Village, we stopped by and were treated to some great food and great fun.
Watch and see how the best shrimp-n-grits we’ve ever tasted are made!
Behind the Scenes with Andrew Zimmern
While at Guy Fieri’s closing party at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival, we ran into one of our favorite Travel Channel celebrities, Andrew Zimmern, host of Bizarre Foods, eating of all things, a cupcake.
Spice Up Your Life with Banana Spice Cake
Few aroma’s tug at us as much as the ones that originate in the kitchen. For most of us they conjure memories of family, warmth & laughter, along with fantastic (or maybe not so much) meals our mom’s or dad’s made.
Our old house had a large living room and even a big den with a fireplace, but whenever people came over, it was the kitchen where they would congregate. Great meals, funny stories, dramatic moments and even tears were shed in that room more often than the others. Some of my best memories involve trying to cook with a kitchen full of visitors and family. There is truth in the belief that there are moments in the past we remember only when we smell certain things
One of my favorites was the banana spice cake my mom used to make. The intoxicating blend of banana, cloves, cinnamon & nutmeg was an aroma that would stop you in your tracks. Coupled with the light frosting, made over a double boiler, and it’s impossible to resist. The next time, you’re stuck with a bunch of banana’s that didn’t get eaten, try it for yourself. Wait until the peel is almost all dark they can easily be mashed. Make this enough times, and you won’t need a timer to know when the cake is done; your nose will tell you.
Banana Spice Cake
2 1/2 c. sifted flour 2/3 c. shortening
1 2/3 c. sugar 2/3 c. buttermilk (or 2/3 c. half & half)
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder 1 1/4 c. mashed ripe bananas
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda 2 eggs, unbeaten
1 tsp salt 1 banana, sliced (optional)
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
(If I don’t have buttermilk on hand I put 1 TBSP white vinegar or lemon juice in reg. milk & let it stand for 5 minutes. Then just pour 2/3 c into cake mixture.)
Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl, add shortening buttermilk and mashed bananas. Mix until all flour is dampened then beat at low speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs, beat for one more minute.
Pour batter into 3- 8 inch or 2 – 9 inch greased and floured or sprayed cake pans. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.
Cool, remove from pans and frost, placing banana slices in between layers.
Seafoam Frosting
2 egg whites
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. brown sugar, firmly packed.
5 Tbsp. water
dash of salt.
Combine ingredients, except vanilla in top of double boiler. Beat slightly to mix. Place over rapidly boiling water. Beat with electric mix until frosting stands in peaks. (Approx. 5-7 minutes) Remove from heat, add vanilla, beat 1-2 minutes or until thick enough to spread.
What food smells bring back happy memories for you?
The Art of Finding Great Value Wines – 5 simple tips
Wine doesn’t have to be expensive to to be good. In fact, there are many quality wines for under $10, but there is an art to finding these gems. Though taking a chance on an inexpensive bottle of wine is hardly a risky undertaking, following these simple guidelines will help you with the art of finding great value wines.
1. Research!
The internet is full of awesome resources for wine lovers. One of my favorite sites is Snooth.com. It allows you to search for wines by varietal, price, and region, and it has great suggested pairing guides.
2. Read Wine Blogs
Wine bloggers are passionate about wine and offer an array of information about a variety of wines. Most are the true wine experts and will gladly answer any questions you may ask in the comments section of their blog.
3. Phone a Friend
Ask your real life and social media friends for suggestions. Wine lovers are eager to share what their recommendations.
5. Participate in Twitter Chats
I find that twitter chats to be a great source of information for wine. Three of my favorites are #Foodiechats on Mondays and #WiningHourChat on Wednesdays, and #FoodTravelChat on Wednesdays. Participants are knowledgable, engaging and entertaining.
5. Catalog what you like
The older I get, the less I can depend on my memory so when I come across something I like, I snap a picture of the bottle, save the cork and sometimes write a blog post. Then I’ll have something I can recommend to friends who ask. Vivino is a great app for cataloging your wine experiences.
I can’t end this piece without offering my own value wine suggestion. I was recently sent samples of Dark Horse wines. Dark Horse Cabernet Sauvignon is rich and intense with flavors of mocha, dark fruit and hints of vanilla. Dark Horse’s Chardonnay will please any white wine palate with aromas of ripe red apple and peaches, layered with buttery notes and nuances of caramel and vanilla. At a suggested retail price of $8 you can’t go wrong.
Disclosure: I’m not a sommelier or even a wine snob. I’m just a regular guy who loves wine. I frequently participate in food and wine chats on Twitter where I share what I like and I learn from others what they like. From time to time winemakers and marketers will send me a bottle of wine to review. If I like it, I’ll tweet about it and possibly even write a blog post about it. If I don’t, you’ll never see it mentioned. I am not paid to review wines. The wine is my only compensation.
Behind the Scenes at the Michel-Schlumberger Winery
We went behind the scenes at the Michel-Schlumberger winery in the Dry Creek Valley of Sonoma, California where we learned a thing or two about organic farming from winemaker and vice president of production, Mike Brunson. We saw everything from vine to bottle, comparing our experience to the likes Disney but for grown-ups and without the noise, the crowds, or kids! We soaked up the countryside and sipped the fruit of the wineries labor. Michel-Schlumberger wines are marvelous. Our favorite is a limited production pinot gris which Rick claims may be his favorite white wine ever.
We captured it all on video (watch below). As always, the end of the video features our outtakes.
If you could tour any winery in the world, which one would it be?
Tailgating with Toyota in Tuscaloosa Alabama
Anyone who follows me on social media or has read some of my blog posts knows that three of my favorite things in the world are food, travel, and football. Toyota recently gave me the opportunity to experience all three by providing me with a brand new X-Series 4Runner Gunner to drive Tuscaloosa, Alabama and tailgate at the Alabama vs. LSU football game!
I’ve owned Toyotas since 1987 and this X-Series 4Runner Gunner has been my favorite tailgating vehicle so far. Of course the cargo capacity of the 4Runner is perfect for carrying all the tables, chairs, grills, coolers, food, tents, and decorations necessary for a fun-filled day of tailgating. The X-Series accessories package with the black billet grille, blackout badge overlays, black gunner ultra wheels with BFG rugged terrain tires, and the oval black running boards adds a badass element that lets the world know that I’m as serious about my tailgating as Alabama is about its football.
Here’s a photographic recap of our tailgating adventures.
Planning
Tailgating requires planning. So before embarking on our road trip to Tuscaloosa, my wife, Denise and I did a trial tailgate in our back yard just to make sure we had everything we needed.
Beer
Even if you don’t drink beer, you’ve got to bring beer to your tailgate for a successful experience. Beer is like a currency among tailgaters and is great for bartering – it also helps ease the pain should your team lose. We were able to trade some beer for some BBQ ribs and potato salad with neighboring tailgaters. Just for fun, we took bets on how many bottles of beer you can line up on the 4Runner’s oval black running boards. FYI it holds exactly 28!
Photo Opportunity
We arrived in Tuscaloosa the day before the game and drove to Bryant-Denny Stadium for a photo op with the 4Runner. It would have been useless to try on the day of the game because vehicle access is blocked off and is accessible to pedestrian traffic only.
Set Up Camp
The most difficult part of the whole adventure was finding the right place to set up camp. So many of the tailgaters seem to have legal rights to particular spots that they have purportedly laid claim to for generations. It’s like visiting a church and being politely warned that you’re on so-and-so’s pew. We finally found a spot about 6 blocks from the stadium and set up camp there.
Game Faces
After a day of grilling brats, bartering with beer, watching other football games on TV, and making new friends with other tailgaters, it was time to grab out tickets, put on our game faces and head to the stadium.
Pre-game Festivities
We arrived in our seats just before the pre-game festivities which included U.S. Army Rangers parachuting into the stadium carrying the Flag.
National Anthem
I must admit I got goosebumps listening to Alabama’s Million Dollar Band play the National Anthem.
Football
Of course watching a good Division 1, Southeastern Conference football game was the perfect ending to a perfect day – especially since Alabama won 24 to 10. #RollTide
Check out the #ToyotaXSeries hashtag on Twitter to see some of my tweets from my day in Tuscaloosa and some tweets of other bloggers who planned their own adventures with Toyota.
Share what you love most about tailgating in the comments below!
Clucking Awesome Chicken Man Music Video
We at Midlife Road Trip believe in pursuing our passions. I have always been passionate about travel. But over the last few months in working on various projects for Sanderson Farms, I have developed a serious passion for cooking and eating chicken. As a result, I’ve been inspired to proudly proclaim that “I’m a Chicken Man!” While I’m not an especially good singer, there’s no denying I loves me some chicken!
I hope this music video will inspire you to throw your inhibitions to the wind and pursue your passions. That would be clucking awesome!!
Which of your passions would cause you to cluck in public?
A Cut Above: Idaho Potato #IdahoPotatoCutsClass
My introduction to the potato came from Hasbro by way of Santa in the form of Mr. Potato Head. Fast forward several decades and my love affair with the potato has blossomed and flourished.
The Sunday Supper Movement recently invited me to attend a VIP event at the Epicurean Hotel for “Idaho Potato’s Cuts Class.” Not knowing what to expect, I joyfully excepted knowing that Idaho Potato was the headliner.
Held in the Epicurean’s stadium style culinary theater, Chef Christopher Kottke (Host of Let’s Dish) adeptly took us through the paces of safely learning knife skills. From how to hold a knife to its motion and movement, he instilled in me a new found confidence that I lacked before this #IdahoPotatoCutsClass.
Chef Dave Wooley (Chef, CD Culinary Approach) taught us how to make scalloped potatoes, potato salad and even something very new to me, potato risotto using the techniques we had just learned. We sliced, we diced, and we sampled. A tasty lesson indeed.
We lunched on salad, steak sandwiches, and Hasselback potatoes. I had the honor and pleasure to sit next to Don Odiorne (VP Foodservice at Idaho Potato Commission) a.k.a. Dr. Potato. This was equivalent to dining with the Rolling Stone’s Mick Jagger. Don is the rock star of potatoes. Conversation flowed as freely as the butter
on our Idaho potatoes. Don told me there are 30 varieties of Idaho Potatoes. Can you name them? I couldn’t either, but a few I’ve since discovered are Huckleberry Gold, Ida Rose, and Purple Passion.
After lunch, in Sunday Supper tradition, there was a #Hashed competition. We broke up into teams and were given a choice of ingredients to create a winning potato salad. I’m the first to admit that I’m not good at team cooking competitions. I am a firm believer that too many cooks spoil the broth, and I immediately became overwhelmed with anxiety. As seasonings and sauces flew off the shelves with no clear cut plan, my team’s recipe ran amok with a touch of this and a dash of that. While our potato salad garnered less than rave reviews, it was a fun exercise, and I enjoyed the creative process.
And, as if all of this wasn’t enough fun for one day, we were gifted with a John Boos & Co. cutting board and Wüsthof knives to recreate potato magic at home. Be still my beating heart, professional knives and a butcher block from the best.
I love that Idaho potato is passionate about home cooks.
Stuffed, puffed, scalloped, dolloped, fried, chipped, hashed, boiled, browned, baked or caked, how do you make your Idaho potatoes? Share your favorite recipe below.
Hyatt ‘Good Taste Series’
I recently had the good fortune to attend the Hyatt’s “Good Taste Series’ at the Grand Hyatt in Tampa Bay. They showcased Hyatt’s culinary talent from throughout Florida and beyond. Each of the 13 chef competitors, (some of the region’s top up-and-coming Hyatt chefs) served up two delectable creations during the 3rd annual Good Taste Series Culinary Competition.
Each chef competitor thoughtfully prepared one plate aligned with Hyatt’s Sustainable Seafood philosophy plus one healthy option dish aligned with Hyatt’s global food philosophy;
Food, Thoughtfully Sourced, Carefully Served
and its three pillars: healthy people, healthy planet and healthy communities.
This was not only some of the most delicious food I’ve eaten but some of the prettiest works of art I’ve seen. It looked and felt like a culinary art show. It’s an annual event and every year the competition gets tougher and tougher. I’ve barely digested this year and I’m already looking forward to 2017.
The region’s competing hotels included:
Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort Spa & Casino
Hyatt Regency Coral Gables
Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress
Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront
Hyatt Regency Miami
Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport
Hyatt Regency Trinidad
Hyatt Regency Atlanta
The Confidante, Miami Beach
Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa
Hyatt Regency Sarasota
Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort & Spa
Hyatt Regency Orlando
Chicken Kebabs on Rosemary Skewers #SandersonFarms ad
One of the things I love most about being a part of Midlife Road Trip is all of the great food I get to enjoy in our travels. Unfortunately six years of good eating had me weighing about 30lbs more that I did when I began this journey. If I had continued at this rate, it wouldn’t be long before I would be boarding cruise ships through the cargo door.
Since writing about the food I experience in my travels is part of my job, I can’t very well give up culinary indulgences – nor that I would want to. But I can make a contentious effort to eat better when I am at home. So for the last three months, I’ve been on a low carb diet – no specific diet, I’m just and so far I have lost 23 of the 30 lbs that I had gained!
Chicken Kebabs on Rosemary Skewers are one of my favorite low carb dishes. Not only is it delicious, fun, and easy to make, it has a certain eccentricity that makes it a hit with company. Using fresh rosemary sprigs as skewers flavors the kebabs from the inside out! Here’s the recipe for making two skewers.
Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or breast … but when it comes to chicken, I’m a thigh guy)
1 onion
1 tomato
1 bell pepper
2 sprigs of rosemary
salt
pepper
olive oil
Sanderson Farms Chicken Fact: consumer chicken is never frozen – always farm-to-market fresh!
Directions:
1. Preheat grill on high for 15 minutes
2. Cut two sturdy sprigs of rosemary, approximately 12” long
3. Cut each chicken thigh into 4-5 cubes
4. Cut tomato, onion, and bell pepper into 6 wedges
5. Carefully thread the thighs and veggies on the skewers
6. Drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
7. Cover the exposed ends of the rosemary sprigs with aluminum foil to keep them from catching fire.
8. Reduce grill to medium heat
9. Place kebabs on grill and cook on one side for 5-7 minutes
10. Flip the kebabs and grill other side for 5-7 minutes
11. Remove from grill, place on plate, remove foil, remove skewers, and ENJOY
chicken thighs, onion, tomato, and bell pepper threaded on rosemary skewers
cover exposed rosemary to keep from catching fire
grilled goodness on rosemary skewers
ENJOY!
I could honestly eat this every day. This is just my recipe and there are certainly variations you can make like adding mushrooms or pineapple depending on your mood. I hope to be sharing more of my recipes but in the mean time, Sanderson Farms provides nearly 150 recipes on their website!
What’s your favorite way to cook chicken?
Judging a Wine by its Label #WineWednesday
Judging a wine by it’s label is generally not a good idea. I’ve tasted great wines with mundane looking labels and I’ve tasted mundane wines with great looking labels. To me, the world is a better place when the wine label gets it right.
Such is the case with Apothic Red. It’s gothic looking crimson and black label allude to the plush velvety flavors this full bodied red blend of Zinfandel, Merlot, and Syrah. I found it to have an intense dark fruit flavor with hints of mocha and vanilla. It has a smooth finish and it’s flavors open up nicely if allowed to breathe for about 10 minutes before drinking.
My wife prefers white wines but I convinced her to at least have a sip of the 2009 Apothic Red. Unfortunately she loved it and I ended up having to share the bottle:)
Apothic Red retails for around $14 so you don’t have to be a big risk taker to try something with a cool looking label.
Disclosure: I’m not a sommelier or even a wine snob. I’m just a regular guy who loves wine. I frequently participate in food and wine chats on Twitter where I share what I like and I learn from others what they like. From time to time winemakers and marketers will send me a bottle of wine to review. If I like it, I’ll tweet about it and possibly even write a blog post about it. If I don’t, you’ll never see it mentioned. I am not paid to review wines. The wine I am sent is my only compensation.
Snuggle up with Fifty Shades of Grey Wine
Fifty Shades of Grey Wine
I admit to being one few adults in the United States who hasn’t read Fifty Shades of Grey. I love to read, but lately, my attention span is about 140 characters so I spend more time reading tweets than books. But when presented with the opportunity to snuggle up with Fifty Shades of Grey Wines, I couldn’t resist.
Fifty Shades of Grey Wines are the creation of E L James, the renowned author of the record breaking Fifty Shades Trilogy which prominently features the experience of savoring wine. Both the Red Satin and White Silk are California North Coast blends, retailing for around $18 each.
The Red Satin is primarily a blend of Petite Sirah and Syrah, aged in a combination of new and neutral French oak barrels with flavors of black cherry, cocoa powder, creamy caramel and vanilla, leather and clove spice. I paired the Red Satin with steak fajitas and was not in the least disappointed.
The White Silk is primarily a blend of Gewürztraminer and Sauvignon Blanc. It has a floral nose with hints of honey and pear. It has a subtly minerality with flavors of grapefruit, pear, and a faint hint of butterscotch. The crisp acidity made the White Silk the perfect choice for pairing with the Shrimp Pho I picked up from my favorite Vietnamese restaurant.
For more information on Fifty Shades of Grey Wine, visit www.FiftyShadesWine.com.
If you were a winemaker, which novels would inspire your wines?
Disclosure: I’m not a sommelier or even a wine snob. I’m just a regular guy who loves wine. I frequently participate in food and wine chats on Twitter where I share what I like and I learn from others what they like. From time to time winemakers and marketers will send me wine to review. If I like it, I’ll tweet about it and possibly even write a blog post about it. If I don’t, you’ll never see it mentioned. I am not paid to review wines. Wine is my only compensation.
Fireman’s Chicken, Cornbread and Mom’s Potato Salad #Recipe
Carol Remsburg is a long time friend of ours who describes herself as “Surrounded by water and lulled by the tidal pull”. A passionate wife, mother, and friend, her blog title declares she is “Tidewater Bound- where amid the murky depths of ordinary life are found joy.” Although she feels her life is ‘ordinary’, her passion for food and cooking certainly are anything but. She told us she cooks in large quantities so she doesn’t have to prepare new meals every day; quantities large enough for a Super Bowl party. She was gracious enough to share them with us so we could pass them on to you. Bring friends…lots of them. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
10 lbs russets, peeled, into two pots, I don’t have a single one big enough, water/salt.
One very large Vidalia, diced
One entire stalk of celery hearts, chopped
1/2 jar of salad cukes (I cheated, I could dice up baby gherkins but I didn’t)
15 hard boiled eggs…okay, I boiled up 18 but somebody ate 3 of them, it wasn’t me.–They will fart, very noxiously later–glad SHE sleeps upstairs.
Boiled the potatoes until tender, drained. The eggs shelled and chunked up with the old fashioned pastry cutter…the kind with the blades. All into the BIG bowl, (yes, I have one that big.)
Into another big bowl, 1 jar and 1/3 of another of mayo, real mayo, no fake stuff.
1/2- 3/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 – 1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup of yellow mustard
2 teaspoons salt
1 or more teaspoons freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon or more of onion powder
1 teaspoon marjoram or more (If you can’t get that, Sylvia’s Seasoning)
(mix the dressing well with a spoon)
-Pour over the steaming mass of potatoes, eggs, onions, celery, and salad cukes —
-Incorporate the dressing carefully, then into the BIG Rubbermaid container, then into the fridge to chill down. The dressing is a classic. Many will opt just to glop ‘salad dressing’ over it, but a true dressing isn’t commercial. The mayo (which I can make but won’t), mustard and cider vinegar is a classic, what you add from there is up to you.
-Taste the dressing; work it to fit you, more salt, and pepper.
That’s MOM’S potato salad, just on a much larger scale than she ever made it. She never had leftovers–ever
Fireman’s Chicken BBQ Sauce
Fireman’s Chicken is special. Most aren’t familiar with it from what I’m finding out. It must be a regional thing. I grew up with it; it was MOM’s BBQ sauce. I never knew it was called “Fireman’s BBQ Sauce” or anything else. I just remember Mom making up huge jars of it to take the American Legion. For a few years during the summer months when Dad was Commander of the Salisbury American Legion Post #64, we spent a LOT of time there, often at the big grill in front of the Legion on Route 50. There was lots of summer traffic and they were selling BBQ chicken, Mom’s BBQ chicken. No red sauce here.
It was tangy sweet with cider vinegar, spices, and the char from the fire that made it. It had that indefinable goodness that foodies call “Umami” now. It had the right balance of everything and the chicken was never dried out, it was just PERFECT.
My sisters and I would stand by the roadside flagging down traffic as the incredible scent of the barbecued chicken wafted everywhere. Actually, the passersby didn’t need us hanging out in the breakdown lane waving our arms to pull over. They just followed their noses, they were eager to stop. *************
Recipe:
It was only in recent years (and by that I mean the last 25-30) that I realized Mom’s BBQ chicken wasn’t hers alone. I had certainly encountered it on roadside stands, it was almost the same. The recipe is pretty basic, how you make it your own is yours and you can vary it at will.
It’s oil (I prefer canola, corn, or peanut for this), vinegar, heavy on the salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, and an egg. Mix well. If you have bone-in chicken or are using chicken halves — marinade at least 12 hours. If you are using boneless chicken breast, do it at room temperature but never over 2 hours, or you’ll pickle the chicken breast and make it rubbery. Boneless chicken breast is flexible, but not THAT flexible. My preference is the chicken thighs, bone-in, and the longer you let them go, the better.
Measurements are 1/3 oil, 2/3 vinegar ratio–don’t stint on the salt, lots of salt, and pepper, generous with the poultry seasoning, the egg is a given–lemon pepper if you have it, a hint of sugar, and some Tabasco sauce too–rounds it out. But mostly it’s those primary three—basic ingredients.
My preference today was the corn oil (because I had it), a mix of both cider and white vinegar (white vinegar has more bite, but cider has the sweet–I wanted both), plenty of kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, some lemon pepper, lots and lots of poultry seasoning, and some tabasco sauce. On the side, I had mixed up a smaller lot save the egg for mopping the chicken once it was seared.
Have your grill, if gas, one side HOT, the other side cool. Sear skin side down, flip, sear, move the cooler side to finish. Watch well because this stuff is highly combustible.
You want a char but not a burn, get it crispy. It’s tangy, sweet, and that flavor you really want!
Wet Cornbread
Ingredients:
3 cups Indianhead white cornmeal
3 cups boiling water
2 ½ cups whole milk
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 stick butter
3 eggs beaten
2 ½ cups whole milk
Dollop oil (corn/vegetable)
Put cornmeal, salt, sugar into LARGE bowl, stir, make cavity for butter. Preheat oven to 400 degrees (prep 12” x 9” pan with non-stick spray and then drop dollop of corn oil in bottom of pan).
Add boiling water to cornmeal/sugar/salt/butter –stir well to incorporate, then add eggs, stir until the cornmeal mix ‘eats’ all the egg mix…Then stir in the milk, pour into prepared pan, into the oven, set the timer for 1 hour, but depending upon the humidity of the cornmeal at time of cooking, it could be done in 45 minutes, keep checking, you’ll know when it’s done.
—–
The only real requirement is that once you have the cornmeal, sugar, salt, and stick of butter in the big bowl, incorporate each additional ingredient, hot water, eggs, and milk, one at a time. Then into the 400 degree oven and set the timer for the 45 minutes, if it’s humid it can take longer. You’ll know when it’s done. Take it out, let it set for 15 minutes before you cut it up and serve.
Connect with Carol Remsburg through her blog or Facebook for more great recipes infused with family and a little humor.
GODIVA Takes Chocolate Lovers Around the World in Six Bites
GODIVA CHOCOLATIER LAUNCHES NEW GLOBALLY-INSPIRED, LIMITED EDITION CHOCOLATE COLLECTION
GODIVA Takes Chocolate Lovers Around the World in Six Bites With Chef Inspirations Introduction
What’s not to love! Two of our favorite things: Travel and Chocolate …
GODIVA Chocolatier has created Chef Inspirations – Flavors of the World limited edition chocolate collection. Curated by GODIVA’s international chefs, Flavors of the World is inspired by their culinary journeys across the globe, and the unique local ingredients they have encountered. The chocolates incorporate deliciously surprising flavor profiles to allow chocolate lovers to travel the world in six bites.
Developed by GODIVA’s Chef Chocolatiers stationed across the globe, Flavors of the World debuts six pieces incorporating GODIVA’s rich, Belgian chocolate with ingredients the chefs have come to love through their training and travels, such as Kuromitsu molasses from Japan (Japanese Dark Sugar Ganache) and speculoos, a traditional Belgian cookie (Sirop de Liege with Speculoos). Other regions represented in the box include China (Black Tea Mousse & Sichuan Pepper), Brazil (Brazilian Coffee NutPraliné), United States (Honey Roasted Caramel) and South Africa (Banana & Caramelized Coconut). 
About GODIVA Chocolatier
With a Belgian heritage dating back to 1926, GODIVA Chocolatier is the global leader in premium chocolate. Inspired by the values of Lady Godiva – her passion, generosity, and pioneering spirit — GODIVA’s legendary name has become a universal symbol of luxury, quality and the most delicious chocolate.
The company has a presence in more than 80 countries with over 500 boutiques, in addition to a presence in Global Travel Retail, department and specialty stores, and online. GODIVA offers a range of chocolate creations and is dedicated to innovation and excellence in the Belgian tradition. From its famous truffles and shell-molded chocolate pieces to its European-style biscuits, individually wrapped chocolates, gourmet coffees, hot cocoa and other indulgences, GODIVA is committed to bringing the ultimate chocolate experience to the world.
Celebrating Chardonnay Day
Chardonnay is the world’s most popular white wine grape and is celebrated each year on May 23 in what is now recognized as National Chardonnay Day. I’m not sure how National Chardonnay Day came into being, but any grape that is planted on over 400,000 acres worldwide and in more wine regions than any other grape, including Cabernet Sauvignon, certainly deserves it’s own day.
It wouldn’t be right to celebrate National Chardonnay Day without sipping on an excellent Chardonnay. So this year, I’ll be hoisting a glass (or two) of the inaugural vintage of William Hill Estate’s North Coast Chardonnay. This Chard offers aromas of ripe tree fruit, underscored by hints of brown spice, citrus and tropical fruit. Grown mostly in Sonoma and Mendocino, with a touch of fruit from Napa, this well-integrated wine has excellent acidity and a creamy mouthfeel. I plan on pairing it with some grilled seafood! Happy Chardonnay Day y’all! Cheers!
Alcohol Level: 13.5%
Suggested Retail Price: $14
How will you be celebrating National Chardonnay Day?
Disclosure: I’m not a sommelier or even a wine snob. I’m just a regular guy who loves wine. I frequently participate in food and wine chats on Twitter where I share what I like and I learn from others what they like. From time to time winemakers and marketers will send me a bottle of wine to review. If I like it, I’ll tweet about it and possibly even write a blog post about it. If I don’t, you’ll never see it mentioned. I am not paid to review wines. The wine I am sent is my only compensation.
Popping the Cork #WineWednesday
It’s #WineWednesday and nothing says celebration like the sound of a Champagne cork popping. Wine is fine anytime, but if you want to turn a party into a celebration you’ve gotta bring the bubbles! Barefoot Wines produces a Brut Cuvée and Pink Moscato Bubbly that have been a part of my family’s celebrations for the last few years.
One interesting observation from our celebrations is that most of the guys seem to prefer the crisp Brut Cuvée with hints of green apple, while the gals absolutely love the sweeter Pink Moscato Bubbly with its fruity aromas and creamy finish. At around $11 per bottle, you can’t go wrong either way.
Sparkling wines are also great for making fun, seasonal drinks. Here are a couple of recipes. Cheers!
Barefoot Beach Cup
Ingredients:
3 oz. Barefoot Bubbly Brut Cuvee
3 oz. sour mix
1 strawberry, hulled and sliced
4 grapes, cut in half
3 orange slices
4 mint leaves
Directions:
! Combine fruit, mint and sour mix in a pint glass with ice.
! Shake well and top off with Barefoot Bubbly Brut Cuvee
! Serve with a straw.
Serves 1.
Bubbly at Sunset
Ingredients:
3 oz. Barefoot Bubbly Pink Moscato
1.5 oz. watermelon juice
0.5 oz. raspberry syrup
0.75 oz. lemon juice
Directions:
! Combine juices and syrup in cocktail shaker with ice.
! Shake to blend and chill.
! Strain into champagne flute.
! Top with Barefoot Bubbly Pink Moscato.
Serves 1.
Alcohol Level: 9.58% for the Pink Moscato, 12% for the Brut Cuvée
Suggested Retail Price: $11
Disclosure: I’m not a sommelier or even a wine snob. I’m just a regular guy who loves wine. I frequently participate in food and wine chats on Twitter where I share what I like and I learn from others what they like. From time to time winemakers and marketers will send me a bottle of wine to review. If I like it, I’ll tweet about it and possibly even write a blog post about it. If I don’t, you’ll never see it mentioned. I am not paid to review wines. Wine is my only compensation.
It’s a Chocolate Kind of Day
We enjoyed more than a few of these chocolate covered cake balls at the Jambalaya Jam in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. They came in a variety of flavors, so naturally we had to sample them all to make sure we didn’t miss anything. The red velvet was Rick’s favorite while Sandi preferred the chocolate. Chocolate cheers to you and yours!
What’s your favorite chocolate dessert?
National Chocolate Cake Day! Celebrate with Chocolate Cupcakes! #Recipe
It’s National Chocolate Cake Day and we’re celebrating with Chocolate Cupcakes! Because we’re a mix and match kind of group, we like to take a little of this, a pinch of that and see what we come up with. This is never more fun than experimenting with one of our favorite desserts; cupcakes. Armed with a recipe for dark chocolate cupcakes (that are supposed to be stuffed with peanut butter filling) found on www.howsweeteats.com, the Midlife Road Trip test kitchen decided to see just how much chocolate we could stuff into a cupcake. Is there ever such a thing as too much? Our sweet tooth voted ‘No’. read more…
The Year’s Most Memorable Foodie Moments
Behind the scenes at Le Chique
How could we let 2013 pass without highlighting some of the year’s Most Memorable Foodie Moments. So much of our travels are about food. Learning about local culture, breaking bread with new friends or toasting old ones with a fabulous wine, trying something we’ve never had before or learning about the ingredients it takes to make an amazing meal. Sometimes it’s as simple as an unbelievable donut and a great cup of coffee and other times it’s a multi-course meal in a 5-star restaurant.
Our travels over the last 12 months have taken us to some incredible destinations. As hopeless foodies, we love sharing our culinary adventures. So as we reflect on this year’s journey, we thought we’d share some of our most memorable dining experiences of this past year.
Le Chique – Karisma Azul Sensatori Resort near Cancun, Mexico
The quality of the food, the creativity of the presentation, and of course the wine pairings made this unique 14-course dinner a memorable dining experience.
With dishes like a cotton candy ball with a frozen margarita center; tacos served inside a book; Chilean sea bass served in a banana leaf; a chocolate flower pot; chocolate-covered foie gras morsels on a bed of pecans; it’s no wonder that Le Chique was named winner of Travel & Leisure Mexico’s Gourmet Award for Best Tasting Menu.
Luke: New Orleans
It’s always a treat to dine in a restaurant owned by of one of your favorite celebrity chefs, and James Beard Best Chef award winner Chef John Besh is on that list!
So when we were in New Orleans and had the opportunity to dine at LUKE, we knew it would be something special. Chef John Besh has traveled throughout the world and incorporates French, German and Creole influences into the menu at LUKE.
We started with “le plateau” of fresh gulf oysters on the half shell, chilled to perfection and the Flamenkuche is a thin Alsacien onion tarte, bacon, and Emmenthaler cheese. They call it Hors d’oeuvres; we think it could be an entire meal. The crab & corn bisque exceeded our expectations, as did the fresh gulf fish amandine. But the real standout, a house favorite (and now one of ours) is the Louisiana Shrimp & grits with roasted jalapeño cheese grits, andouille & green onion sausages. A harmony of flavors that was music to our taste buds!
Shrimp and Grits at LUKE New Orleans
Sometimes the most memorable meals aren’t even on land.
Take the bucket list worthy dinner we had aboard Holland America’s Nieuw Amsterdam when we experienced “An Evening at Le Cirque” where they recreate the look and feel of the legendary restaurant right down to the place settings and the menu offerings. Wine pairings, Lobster Salad ‘Le Cirque’, Châteaubriand and their famous crème brûlée were absolute perfection.
Holland America Le Cirque
And then there was the Farenheit 555 Steakhouse on the Carnival Sunshine. It was so good the first night we went we had to go back the next. Foodie dreams are made of things like their New England Crab Cake on Roasted Pepper Remoulade, Lobster Bisque with Vintage Congnac, Fleuron and Fresh Cream and of course the stars of the night, prime steaks.
Carnival Sunshine Farenheit 555
How could we not mention checking off our Bucket List eating a bounty of Alaskan Crab Legs that were caught in the morning and served up that night on Uncruise’s Safari Endeavor, with a breathtaking view of a glacier from our dinner table.
Alaskan Crab on Uncruise Safari Endeavor
Flying in 2013 we had some delicious air ‘fare’. Fresh baked cookies on United, a decadent dessert and box of chocolates from Frankfurt to D.C. on Lufthansa, a dinner fit for royals on board Air Canada enroute to Barcelona and Alaska Air’s cheese with Beecher’s Flagship, Tillamook Sharp Cheddar, a wedge of Brie and fresh seasonal fruit. Needless to say, we didn’t fly hungry.
1st class on Air Canada
Fresh Oysters in Dubrovnik, Croatia
And then there were those moments that were more than a meal. We spent a day inDubrovnik, Croatia eating our way around the walled city, toasting to its beauty and warmth with local wine and eating oysters harvested from the sea that morning.
In Florence, Italy it was about dining local. Our friend Elyse, a.k.a. Foodie International, came to meet us and as we walked past the tourists and back into a neighborhood tucked away from the frenzy, we had a typical Florentine lunch of meats, cheeses and pastas that Elyse ordered for us in Italian.
Charcuterie in Florence, Italy
We raised our apéritifs to our good fortune, an afternoon with friends, good food and the authentic Florence experience. And then there was Memphis, TN. While we enjoyed some incredible BBQ ribs at the Charles Vergos’ Rendezvous, it was our visit to St. Jude Children’s Hospital with Expedia and the dinner we served the kids and their families that truly fed our souls.
There isn’t enough time in the day, or loops in our belts to cover all the food we ate this past year like amazing flavor combinations of the gelato we had in Rome, spam and eggs in Molokai, the banana panna cotta pudding at the Peninsula Grill in Charleston, S.C., the pizza at L & B Spumoni Gardens in Brooklyn, the coffee in Seattle, the poutine in Toronto, Key Lime Pie in Key West, Florida, the food truck experience in Austin and seeing our friend Chef Dolce Debbie realize her dream of opening her own restaurant, Della’s After Dark. It was a delicious year.
Raising our glasses to you and wishing you flavorful travels! Happy New Year!
Sauce it Up! Bananas Foster #Recipe #SundaySupper
We’re going to Sauce it Up with this simple Bananas Foster #Recipe for #SundaySupper!
When you travel as often as we do, the last thing you want to do when you get home is to make dishes that require a lot of time in the kitchen or shopping for ingredients. That’s why we love this very simple to make Bananas Foster sauce. It has only a handful of ingredients, most of which you usually have on hand and it’s ready in minutes.
Serve it over vanilla ice cream and you have a delicious dessert in no time! read more…
Celebrating #CabernetDay with a 2008 Aurielle Cabernet Sauvignon
This year I’m celebrating #CabernetDay with a 2008 Aurielle Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s a old adage that wine gets better with age. The Aurielle is a higher end Napa Valley wine that if cellared for a few years will totally ROCK!
However, I have neither the patience nor discipline to wait for a wine to peak so I uncorked the bottle and poured it into a decanter. Just letting the wine breathe for about 20 minutes was a remarkable act of self-restraint on my part.
The wine is well balanced with flavors of plum, black cherry, berries, tobacco and leather. The mouthfeel is rich and velvety with firm, fine-grained tannins that provide excellent structure. It matches particularly well with garlic, rosemary, sage and would pair well with grilled meats, gourmet burgers, rich seafoods, risottos, cream based sauces and nutty, aged-cheeses. Of course I was too impatient to prepare any food so I savored the wine all by itself.
I recommend that you buy at least two bottles – one to enjoy now and one to cellar. It will definitely appreciate in quality and value. Cheers!
Alcohol Level: 14%
Suggested Retail Price: $90
Disclosure: I’m not a sommelier or even a wine snob. I’m just a regular guy who loves wine. I frequently participate in food and wine chats on Twitter where I share what I like and I learn from others what they like. From time to time winemakers and marketers will send me a bottle of wine to review. If I like it, I’ll tweet about it and possibly even write a blog post about it. If I don’t, you’ll never see it mentioned. I am not paid to review wines. The wine I am sent is my only compensation.
Culinary Travel: 3 trends that will have you asking for seconds
Have you noticed that more and more people are traveling for a good meal? We have found that Culinary Travel is on the rise. We sat down with Jerry Penacoli and Cyndi Edwards on the syndicated morning show Daytime and shared 3 trends that will have you asking for seconds.
What’s the best meal you have ever traveled for?
Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with Crab Tostadas and Chipotle Remoulade #Recipe
Join us in celebrating Cinco de Mayo with Crab Tostadas and Chipotle Remoulade a recipe we got from the Four Seasons in Los Angeles, Executive Chef, Ashley James. One of our favorite places to unwind is their Windows Lounge. Plush sofas, comfortable armchairs and an inviting outdoor patio provided us a great place to relax, people watch ( favorite pastime of ours) and sample enticing appetizers from around the world, try a specialty martini (or two) and peruse the extensive wine list. We know you’ll enjoy this Crab Tostadas as much as we did!
Crab Tostadas with Chipotle remoulade
Ingredients crab:
4 crispy corn tostadas
8a ounces Dungeness crab
½s chopped Roma tomato
2 tablespoon chopped cilantro
2 tablespoon chopped white onion
¼ finely chopped chili Serrano
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 piece of avocado sliced into 8 strips
Salt and pepper
Ingredients Remoulade:
2 tablespoon mayonnaise
Juice of ½ lime
½ teaspoon finely chopped chipotle chili
½ teaspoon chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon finely chopped dill pickles
Methods:
Remoulade:
Mix all ingredients together and divide between the four tostadas
Crab:
Mix all ingredients together season to taste and divide between the four tostadas placing the crab on top of the Chipotle remoulade.
Place two strips of avocado on each tostada and serve.
Chefs notes:
Great served with an interesting Margarita, Tequila or Michelada
La Dolce Vita … The Sweet Life
On Santa Monica Boulevard, a little Italian restaurant, La Dolce Vita “The Sweet Life” sits unassumingly since 1966. While outwardly it’s unremarkable, inside it is the keeper of stories of some of Hollywood’s most notorious characters. Restored to it’s original glory during a 7 month hiatus, owner Alessandro Uzielli, clearly passionate about this rare treasure, resurrected the decor and menu that contributed to its previous success.
Walk through those doors and you’ll hear “Welcome home.” Ruben Castro, La Dolce Vita’s 40 year maitre’d, is a delight from the moment you arrive; greeting you like you’re family. The staff follow his lead, beckoning you to your table, anticipating everything you need before you even know you need it. read more…
Recipe For Success: Rachelle Lucas, a.k.a. @TravelBlggr revisited
Recipe For Success: Rachelle Lucas, a.k.a. @TravelBlggr, a freelance writer, videographer and spokesperson with a focus on travel, food and social media who believes the best way to learn about a destination is through its flavors.
MLRT: What’s on your bucket list?Rachelle: I have so many things on my bucket list! It seems when I cross one off, I add two more. Professionally, I want to publish a cookbook of all my favorite travel recipes. As for conquering fears … learning to SCUBA is on the list (I’m a bit claustrophobic). And for travel, my list is a mile long. But my top three bucket list destinations are Thailand, Ice Hotel in Sweden, and Machu Picchu in Peru.MLRT: Best Travel Tip
Rachelle: As much as you might plan, there are so many things that are unpredictable in travel that I’d say the best tip is to be flexible and enjoy the journey.
Limoncello
Ingredients1 liter water1 liter alcohol (Vodka is best)4 cups sugar8 lemons
Directions
Peel lemons and place peels in hermetically sealed container with alcohol to infuse with flavor for a minimum of 4 days.After 4 days, make a syrup by bringing 1 liter of water to a boil and adding the 4 cups of sugar. Once syrup has cooled, blend the alcohol infusion with the syrup.Mix and then let it sit for 10 to 20 minutes.Pour limoncello through filter or sieve into a glass bottle and chill. Serve very cold.
Champagne Risotto with Wild Mushrooms
Ingredients2 cups chicken stock3 cups champagne8 oz brie (without the rind)2 oz dried wild mushrooms (black trumpet pictured above)3 tablespoons olive oil1 medium white onion, diced2 cloves garlic2 tablespoons Italian seasoning1 tablespoon truffle salt2 tablespoons butter2 cups short grain rice (Arborio is best)Directions1) Add champagne to a medium saucepan. In a deep skillet, add chicken stock, brie and dried mushrooms. Let simmer at medium heat until the brie is completely melted. Allow the mushrooms to reconstitute (about 15 to 20 minutes) then remove mushrooms and set aside.2) Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a non-stick skillet and add garlic, onions, spices, and a pinch of truffle salt. Saute until onions are clear and starting to brown. Remove from pan and set aside in a separate bowl. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to skillet and then add the rice. Toast the rice until it is well coated in oil appears almost clear in color.3) With a ladle or measuring cup, add one cup of warm chicken stock mixture, pour into rice and stir until absorbed. Then, using a cup or ladle add one cup warm champagne to rice and stir until absorbed. Make sure the rice has absorbed all liquid before adding more. Repeat this process of adding liquid and stirring until all of chicken stock is gone. This slow cooking process keeps the grains from splitting so the rice is creamy, not mushy.4) Transfer the mushrooms and onions to the rice mixture and stir together. Sprinkle on remaining truffle salt.Serve fresh grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese on the side. For a meal, I suggest serving with panko encrusted chicken breast or halibut and broccoli.
MLRT: Best vacation you ever had?
Rachelle: The best vacation I ever had was 8 days in Costa Rica. I stayed at an eco resort in the rain forest on the eastern side just south of Limon. There were no computers, no cell phones, just the sound of the jungle and a hammock for perpetual napping. It was a complete digital detox and have never left a vacation more relaxed.MLRT: If you could meet anyone, past or present, who would it be?Rachelle: Tough question! Right now, after seeing an interview on Sunday Morning, Betty White. She has an infectious smile, a great outlook on life and is still happy and active at age 89. Plus, she gave some hilarious travel advice with her quote, “Oh, I don’t need sleep. I just went to my hotel and had a cold hot dog and vodka on the rocks.:MLRT: Best use of social media for Travel
Rachelle:Definitely finding recommendations from locals. Where ever I travel to, I always ask for advice on Twitter for the best restaurants and places to stay. Locals know best. Just hashtag the city name and you’re sure to get some responses.
Twitter: @TravelBlggr
Top 25 Most Influential People In Travel
www.RachelleLucas.com
www.InnTheKitchen.com … Recognized as one of FoodBuzz.com‘s Top 9 Featured Publishers!
www.TheTravelBite.com …
Classic Tomato Sauce
Bring to a boil
let cool
chop tomatoes then place chunks in a large funnel. With a large whisk grind the tomato, saving the juice in a large pan. Then add the chunks back into the juice. (easy out: place the tomatoes in a blender)
In a separate pan saute garlic lightly in olive oil.
Begin to heat your tomato sauce on a med – low heat (to prevent the sauce from burning and sticking)
add:
4 1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
Sauteed garlic, to taste
Add salt, pepper and honey to taste.
Enjoy.
Restaurant size recipe
20 pounds of fresh tomato
Bring to a boil
let cool
chop tomatoes then place chunks in a large funnel. With a large whisk grind the tomato, saving the juice is a large pan. Then add the chunks back into the juice. (easy out: place the tomatoes in a blender)
In a separate pan saute garlic lightly in olive oil.
Begin to heat your tomato sauce on a med – low heat (to prevent the sauce from burning and sticking)
add:
5 ounces of Oregano
1/4 pound chopped fresh basil
Sauteed garlic, to taste
Add salt, pepper and honey to taste.
Enjoy.
National Pecan Day! Celebrate with Pie #Recipe
Image Credit: Selznick International Pictures
It’s National Pecan Day! Celebrate with Pie #Recipe … This time of year has us all dreaming of the South. Sunny skies, gentle warm breezes are enjoyed from a chair on the front porch while sipping sweet tea as we share stories with friends & family. We’re all feeling a little “Steel Magnolia” stirring in us as we anticipate the coming spring. In celebration of all things southern, we’re exploring all your favorite non-yankee places, people & tradition on today’s #Nuts “therapy session”. So in preparation, we offer up one of our favorite gifts from south of the Mason-Dixon line. It’s from a cookbook by Fannie Flagg, “The Whistle Stop Cafe”. We guarantee, you’ll love it. read more…
Granola .. Utah’s Famed Alta Lodge Recipe
On a Ski Trip to Utah we stayed at the Alta Lodge circa 1939 where we had a hearty breakfast that included the lodges very popular granola. So delicious, we asked for the recipe.
ALTA LODGE GRANOLA
1/2 cup Butter
1/2 cup Honey
1/2 cup Maple Syrup
1/2 cup Apple Juice
In a heavy pan place the butter, honey, maple syrup and apple juice and cook until butter is melted. Set aside.
In a large bowl add and mix together the following ingredients.
5 cups Oats
1 and 1/3 cups of Coconut
1 Cup (sliced) Almonds
1/2 cup Walnuts
1/2 cup Pecans
1/2 cup Sesame Seeds
1/2 cup Sunflower Seeds
Add cooled liquid to the dry ingredients and mix all the ingredients together.
Spread the mixture evenly on greased sheet trays, about 1 and 1/2 inches or so thick.
Bake at 325 degrees F stirring every 15 minutes or so until golden brown and done.
Let cool before putting in storage container.
ENJOY!
Quick and Easy Sweet Italian Sausage Recipe
Quick and easy can also be bold & flavorful as I found out when I whipped up a last minute supper, using Sweet Italian Sausage and other things I already had on hand. Sometimes I just don’t feel like going to the store. It could be too hot, to cold, raining, I have a blog post to write or I just simply feel like getting creative and envisioning myself on the set of Chopped. read more…
Escarole and Beans, A Skinny Italian Side Dish #Recipe #SundaySupper
Escarole and Beans is my absolute favorite skinny Italian side dish. It’s almost a soup, but, my friend Lucille who first made me this for me says it a side dish so, it’s a side dish! It is so easy, fresh and flavorful. It’s also filling and if you’re anything like me, someone who likes to eat large portions, you will love escarole and beans too! It’s a no guilt dish with an 80z serving having only about 125 calories and the perfect compliment to any Sunday Supper! read more…
