Memphis Stew - Memphis

05/08/12

Memphis Food Truck Association Rolls Out Agenda and Special Events

With an unanimous and heartfelt “aye,” the Memphis Food Truck Association formed Monday evening during a meeting held in an empty store front in the Broad Avenue Historic Arts District. About 40 food truck operators attended the organizational meeting led by YoLo Frozen Yogurt founder Taylor Berger, who is heading the charge for food truckers in Memphis to organize and publicize. “The only way we can speak is as one voice,” Berger told the group, explaining that 45 food truckers already hold licenses to operate in Memphis, while another 30 to 40 are waiting for approval. “With almost 100 trucks trying to operate, that means there’s a big appetite in the city for mobile food.” Amen. Monday's...

Posted at 10:08 AM | Permalink | Comments

05/07/12

Friday Lunch: Coletta's Barbecue Pizza and Makeda's Cookies for Dessert

On Friday, I ate two slices of my first barbecue pizza from Coletta’s Restaurant on South Parkway. Since we ordered a large pizza, we carried most of it home. Then we did a quick swing into Makeda’s Homemade Butter Cookies on Airways because I was thrilled to find the retail location. Tony got caught up in the energy of owner Maurice Hill and his mom and bought $13 worth of cookies. We woofed down a pecan and a chocolate chip in the parking lot. That left 10 cookies in the bag. So guess what we ate all weekend? Yep. Leftover Coletta’s pizza and cookies from Makeda’s. Admittedly, there are worst fates, and although I added salads to our meals from my first CSA of the season (red leaf lettuce and artichokes!), the pizza and cookies dazzled me the most....

Posted at 08:02 AM | Permalink | Comments

05/04/12

Healthylicious Food Truck Joins Farmers Market Lineup

Food truck alert: Healthylicious has joined the vendor lineup at the Memphis Botanic Garden farmers market, serving cold drinks and fresh food smoothies with a Mexican twist. Food trucker Karen Febles, whose sunny personality is as cheerful as her yellow truck, is making aguas frescas with fruit and vegetables from the 30 acres she and her husband farm in Ripley. “I use kale and berries from the farm and, of course, we will have lots of watermelons,” Febles said, whipping up a cold and frothy “Tropical Fun” smoothie, one of her most popular drinks combining mango, pineapple, orange and strawberries. Febles started juicing after a miscarriage, combining her fresh food focus with healthy ingredients indigenous to her home in Merida, Mexico, located about...

Posted at 01:49 PM | Permalink | Comments

04/30/12

Beer Cocktails with Little Mikey at Jack Magoo's

In a spontaneous move to get out and do something on Saturday night, Tony and I opted for a first time visit to Jack Magoo’s Sports Bar & Grill on Broad Avenue. It was a fine decision. We met Mike Turner, aka Little Mikey, who most of our pals know from Neal’s before the Midtown bar burned down last year. Turner’s now managing Magoo’s and mixing up some lovely beer cocktails. Admittedly, I was a little hesitant to jump into that game. First, I’m not crazy about beer, and second, I am very particular about my cocktails. But Mikey is a persuasive sort, especially when he says Wheach Peach Wheat beer is the perfect brew for summer. Wheach is from O'Fallon Brewery near St. Louis and has an adorable logo that makes you want to play Pac-Man....

Posted at 06:43 AM | Permalink | Comments

04/27/12

Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale at Tonight's South Main Trolley Tour

Buy a cupcake, save an animal. Does it get any better than that? Certainly not for the bakers and buyers in the Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale, who will contribute all proceeds from tonight's event to the Humane Society of Memphis and Shelby County. The bake sale, coordinated in Memphis by Food Awareness, will be staged in front of Grawemeyer's during the South Main Trolley Tour. Grawemeyer's is the new downtown eatery located on the first floor of the old Pullman Hotel at 520 S. Main Street. Vegan Crunk blogger Bianca Phillips, who is also the associate editor at the Memphis Flyer, is spearheading the sale as part of a worldwide effort to promote animal-free diets and philanthropy. During the past three years, bake sales held during the last two...

Posted at 11:15 AM | Permalink | Comments

04/25/12

Buttermilk Drops At Gibson's Donuts: A New Orleans Tradition

During my last visit to Gibson’s Donuts in East Memphis, I overheard a young man with a distinct Louisiana accent say to his friend, “I sure hope they have some buttermilk drops left.” They did, and he bought all four. If you are from New Orleans, you probably understand the city’s love affair with buttermilk drops, a signature donut from a bakery called McKenzie’s, which I'm told never reopened after Hurricane Katrina. The donuts are unique because they have indentations like a peach instead of holes in the center. When the buttermilk drops hit hot oil, they puff up into moist pound cake-type donuts with crunchy exteriors. A light glaze icing is their crowing glory. General manager Britton Deweese grew up eating...

Posted at 10:58 PM | Permalink | Comments: 1

04/23/12

Restaurant Iris: On the Prowl for the Best Iris Photo

I know most of you have got the heat on tonight even if you don't fess up. Still, it's spring, and time to celebrate the iris, the state flower of Tennessee. As most Memphis foodies know, Kelly English's restaurant in Midtown is named Restaurant Iris, and so English has a photo contest every April. Amateur photographers submit photos, and viewers vote for their favorite. I just clicked through the lovely portfolio of bearded Irises and natives, and so should you. The photographer with the most votes wins a dinner for two at Restaurant Iris. How cool is that? To submit a photo, post it on the restaurant's Facebook page. To vote, click here.

Posted at 08:32 PM | Permalink | Comments

04/20/12

Wanted: Restaurant Recommendations in Cordova, Collierville and Bartlett

Over the past few months, I’ve been diligently working away on an upcoming book titled Food Lovers’ Guide to Memphis. The book’s publisher, Globe Pequot Press, is hoping for a year-end release. Of course, I have to finish writing the book first, and that’s where you can help. The book is a travel guide of sorts to restaurants, specialty markets, and artisan purveyors. It has a nice local spin (no franchises!) and is organized in chapters by location. I’m working now on the chapters for Cordova, Collierville, and Bartlett. Since I don’t live or work in these neighborhoods, I’m worried about missing restaurants or markets people like. For instance, I’ve read about a gourmet store in Cordova specializing in spices, but I can’t...

Posted at 12:44 PM | Permalink | Comments: 6

04/18/12

Yippie Hippie Granola: My New Favorite Breakfast

Truth be told, I’m a yippie hippie granola type from my days at Syracuse University when I braided and baked loaves of whole-wheat bread in my dorm room. That's my justification for spending $7 for a package for Yippie Hippie Granola at the downtown Memphis Farmers Market. So what’s my explanation for spending that much money again for a 12-ounce bag of cereal? I have never had a better power-up for my day. Made in small batches with rolled oats, nuts, and seeds, Yippie Hippie Granola is mixed with a blend of hemp, rice bran, and walnut oil and sweetened with agave nectar, raw honey, and maple syrup. There’s even a little cinnamon, lemon juice, and Amaretto liqueur in the recipe. What those last three ingredients do for me is turn...

Posted at 06:34 AM | Permalink | Comments: 2

04/16/12

Here's One to Try: Jennifer Chandler's Mustard Barbecue Chicken

Hallelujah. My husband barbecued drumsticks last night with a unique and delicious taste, thanks to a recipe in Jennifer Chandler’s new book, Simply Grilling. Don’t misunderstand. Tony is an expert grill guy, but his barbecue sauce tends toward traditional tomato, vinegar, and spices. Chandler’s recipe called “Chicken Drumsticks with Mustard BBQ Sauce” combines prepared yellow mustard, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, dry mustard, and cayenne. I loved the mustard-centric flavor and how the sauce complements the meat, instead of overpowering it. My sorry photo doesn't do much to capture how great this meal tasted. So you'll have to try making it yourself. Tony also followed Chandler’s recipe for shucked corn...

Posted at 07:27 PM | Permalink | Comments

	05/08/12 Memphis Food Truck Association Rolls Out Agenda and Special Events With an unanimous and heartfelt “aye,” the Memphis Food Truck Association formed Monday evening during a meeting held in an empty store front in the Broad Avenue Historic Arts District. About 40 food truck operators attended the organizational meeting led by YoLo Frozen Yogurt founder Taylor Berger, who is heading the charge for food truckers in Memphis to organize and publicize. “The only way we can speak is as one voice,” Berger told the group, explaining that 45 food truckers already hold licenses to operate in Memphis, while another 30 to 40 are waiting for approval. “With almost 100 trucks trying to operate, that means there’s a big appetite in the city for mobile food.” Amen. Monday's... Posted at 10:08 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	05/07/12 Friday Lunch: Coletta's Barbecue Pizza and Makeda's Cookies for Dessert On Friday, I ate two slices of my first barbecue pizza from Coletta’s Restaurant on South Parkway. Since we ordered a large pizza, we carried most of it home. Then we did a quick swing into Makeda’s Homemade Butter Cookies on Airways because I was thrilled to find the retail location. Tony got caught up in the energy of owner Maurice Hill and his mom and bought $13 worth of cookies. We woofed down a pecan and a chocolate chip in the parking lot. That left 10 cookies in the bag. So guess what we ate all weekend? Yep. Leftover Coletta’s pizza and cookies from Makeda’s. Admittedly, there are worst fates, and although I added salads to our meals from my first CSA of the season (red leaf lettuce and artichokes!), the pizza and cookies dazzled me the most.... Posted at 08:02 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	05/04/12 Healthylicious Food Truck Joins Farmers Market Lineup Food truck alert: Healthylicious has joined the vendor lineup at the Memphis Botanic Garden farmers market, serving cold drinks and fresh food smoothies with a Mexican twist. Food trucker Karen Febles, whose sunny personality is as cheerful as her yellow truck, is making aguas frescas with fruit and vegetables from the 30 acres she and her husband farm in Ripley. “I use kale and berries from the farm and, of course, we will have lots of watermelons,” Febles said, whipping up a cold and frothy “Tropical Fun” smoothie, one of her most popular drinks combining mango, pineapple, orange and strawberries. Febles started juicing after a miscarriage, combining her fresh food focus with healthy ingredients indigenous to her home in Merida, Mexico, located about... Posted at 01:49 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	04/30/12 Beer Cocktails with Little Mikey at Jack Magoo's In a spontaneous move to get out and do something on Saturday night, Tony and I opted for a first time visit to Jack Magoo’s Sports Bar & Grill on Broad Avenue. It was a fine decision. We met Mike Turner, aka Little Mikey, who most of our pals know from Neal’s before the Midtown bar burned down last year. Turner’s now managing Magoo’s and mixing up some lovely beer cocktails. Admittedly, I was a little hesitant to jump into that game. First, I’m not crazy about beer, and second, I am very particular about my cocktails. But Mikey is a persuasive sort, especially when he says Wheach Peach Wheat beer is the perfect brew for summer. Wheach is from O'Fallon Brewery near St. Louis and has an adorable logo that makes you want to play Pac-Man.... Posted at 06:43 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	04/27/12 Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale at Tonight's South Main Trolley Tour Buy a cupcake, save an animal. Does it get any better than that? Certainly not for the bakers and buyers in the Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale, who will contribute all proceeds from tonight's event to the Humane Society of Memphis and Shelby County. The bake sale, coordinated in Memphis by Food Awareness, will be staged in front of Grawemeyer's during the South Main Trolley Tour. Grawemeyer's is the new downtown eatery located on the first floor of the old Pullman Hotel at 520 S. Main Street. Vegan Crunk blogger Bianca Phillips, who is also the associate editor at the Memphis Flyer, is spearheading the sale as part of a worldwide effort to promote animal-free diets and philanthropy. During the past three years, bake sales held during the last two... Posted at 11:15 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	04/25/12 Buttermilk Drops At Gibson's Donuts: A New Orleans Tradition During my last visit to Gibson’s Donuts in East Memphis, I overheard a young man with a distinct Louisiana accent say to his friend, “I sure hope they have some buttermilk drops left.” They did, and he bought all four. If you are from New Orleans, you probably understand the city’s love affair with buttermilk drops, a signature donut from a bakery called McKenzie’s, which I'm told never reopened after Hurricane Katrina. The donuts are unique because they have indentations like a peach instead of holes in the center. When the buttermilk drops hit hot oil, they puff up into moist pound cake-type donuts with crunchy exteriors. A light glaze icing is their crowing glory. General manager Britton Deweese grew up eating... Posted at 10:58 PM \| Permalink \| Comments: 1
	04/23/12 Restaurant Iris: On the Prowl for the Best Iris Photo I know most of you have got the heat on tonight even if you don't fess up. Still, it's spring, and time to celebrate the iris, the state flower of Tennessee. As most Memphis foodies know, Kelly English's restaurant in Midtown is named Restaurant Iris, and so English has a photo contest every April. Amateur photographers submit photos, and viewers vote for their favorite. I just clicked through the lovely portfolio of bearded Irises and natives, and so should you. The photographer with the most votes wins a dinner for two at Restaurant Iris. How cool is that? To submit a photo, post it on the restaurant's Facebook page. To vote, click here. Posted at 08:32 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	04/20/12 Wanted: Restaurant Recommendations in Cordova, Collierville and Bartlett Over the past few months, I’ve been diligently working away on an upcoming book titled Food Lovers’ Guide to Memphis. The book’s publisher, Globe Pequot Press, is hoping for a year-end release. Of course, I have to finish writing the book first, and that’s where you can help. The book is a travel guide of sorts to restaurants, specialty markets, and artisan purveyors. It has a nice local spin (no franchises!) and is organized in chapters by location. I’m working now on the chapters for Cordova, Collierville, and Bartlett. Since I don’t live or work in these neighborhoods, I’m worried about missing restaurants or markets people like. For instance, I’ve read about a gourmet store in Cordova specializing in spices, but I can’t... Posted at 12:44 PM \| Permalink \| Comments: 6
	04/18/12 Yippie Hippie Granola: My New Favorite Breakfast Truth be told, I’m a yippie hippie granola type from my days at Syracuse University when I braided and baked loaves of whole-wheat bread in my dorm room. That's my justification for spending $7 for a package for Yippie Hippie Granola at the downtown Memphis Farmers Market. So what’s my explanation for spending that much money again for a 12-ounce bag of cereal? I have never had a better power-up for my day. Made in small batches with rolled oats, nuts, and seeds, Yippie Hippie Granola is mixed with a blend of hemp, rice bran, and walnut oil and sweetened with agave nectar, raw honey, and maple syrup. There’s even a little cinnamon, lemon juice, and Amaretto liqueur in the recipe. What those last three ingredients do for me is turn... Posted at 06:34 AM \| Permalink \| Comments: 2
	04/16/12 Here's One to Try: Jennifer Chandler's Mustard Barbecue Chicken Hallelujah. My husband barbecued drumsticks last night with a unique and delicious taste, thanks to a recipe in Jennifer Chandler’s new book, Simply Grilling. Don’t misunderstand. Tony is an expert grill guy, but his barbecue sauce tends toward traditional tomato, vinegar, and spices. Chandler’s recipe called “Chicken Drumsticks with Mustard BBQ Sauce” combines prepared yellow mustard, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, dry mustard, and cayenne. I loved the mustard-centric flavor and how the sauce complements the meat, instead of overpowering it. My sorry photo doesn't do much to capture how great this meal tasted. So you'll have to try making it yourself. Tony also followed Chandler’s recipe for shucked corn... Posted at 07:27 PM \| Permalink \| Comments