December 2011
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12/26/11New Look Bloody Marys Kick Off Christmas DinnerI've never been one to think Bloody Marys need to be saved for brunch. For me, the veggie centric cocktail works any time, most recently about 5 p.m. on Christmas when I was cooking dinner. I mixed up the "New Look Bloody Marys" the night before after spotting the recipe in the January issue of "Bon Appetite." I did need to buy a few extras not in my kitchen: a quart of Dill pickles and a new bottle of Sriracha. Otherwise, the recipe's ingredients were on hand: tomato juice, curry powder, Worcestershire sauce, dill seed, kosher salt, cracked pepper and whatever garnishes are hanging out in the vegetable bin. When I tasted the mix on Christmas Eve, I was a little disappointed: Too much curry, I thought. But after sitting overnight in the... |
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12/22/11Celebrating the Holidays with FoodOur tree is beautiful, and my paper whites are blooming in time for Christmas. Still, I’m dreaming of food. Here’s why: Instead of shopping after work, we opt for dinner at Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen. It’s half-off Wednesdays for bottles of wine (yes!) and we discover house-made calabrese on our antipasti plate, along with fennel salami, arugula, buffalo mozzarella, and house-pickled celery. The holidays are looking up. At our first dinner party of the season, Bobby Maupin, an account executive with Southwestern Wine and Liquors, introduces us to Earthquake, a bold in-your-face Syrah from David Michael Winery with a gorgeous finish. It’s a little pricy (about $25), but worth every penny. Drink this beauty with food. ... |
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12/20/11Emerald Thai: A Restaurant To RediscoverFor me, chilly December weather prompts a craving for Thai food, and nothing satisfies that food itch like Emerald Thai Restaurant, located on Mt. Moriah across the street from Neely's Bar-B-Que. The restaurant opened 15 years ago on a stretch of Mt. Moriah better known for its car lots, but Emerald continues to thrive thanks to the skill and dedication of the Praseuth family. Manila Praseuth now runs the front of the house, while her husband Toui is in the kitchen, turning out a warm and spicy assortment of dishes for lunch and dinner. Whenever we visit, my husband Tony reminisces about the restaurant's lunchtime buffet, which he was known to frequent several times a week with his friend, Dan Barron. The lunch buffet is no longer offered, but there are lunch... Posted at 12:53 PM | Permalink | Comments: 1 |
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12/14/11Tacos Los Jarochos at Perkins and SummerFood agony number one: Spotting the Los Jarochos taco truck at Perkins and Summer after work, racing home to pick up my husband, and driving back to the truck before realizing that neither one of us had any cash. (We found a bank branch two blocks away. Yet another reason Summer rocks.) Food agony number two: Deciding to eat our tacos at home, getting stopped by a slow train, and smelling the intoxicating aroma of steak, ham, bacon, chorizo, onion, peppers, cilantro and jalapeno seeping out of the bag. If you haven’t eaten yet at Tacos Los Jarochos, get ready for a treat. The menu is simple: seven types of corn tacos, two different alambres (a spicy fajita-type mixture with green peppers, onion and cheese on a flour tortilla), and a sweet Mexican soft drink called... |
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12/13/11Organic Blue Corn Chips at Target: Delicious!When the Target in East Memphis was renovated earlier this year to accommodate more groceries, I was a real hater. I whined incessantly about how I missed the gardening department and how I hated having food, clothes and housewares in the same shopping cart. These days, I'm eating crow, or more accurately, I'm tearing my way through a bag of Archer Farms "Blue Corn with Flax Seed Tortilla Chips," my new favorite snack food. To be honest, I head to Target with the sole intent of buying a bag or two of these chips, although I also buy something like kitty litter so I don't feel so guilty. Archer Farms, as I'm sure you know, is Target's private label for everything from salsa to Belgium dark chocolate. I've been disappointed by the label's... Posted at 06:32 AM | Permalink | Comments: 3 |
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12/09/11Squash, Coconut and Ginger Soup: A Wintertime FavoriteMy CSA ended weeks ago, but the bottomless bowl of winter squash lingers on my counter. Since winter's blowing in, I got aggressive. First I experimented with squash soup, settling on a combination of recipes that included roasted garlic, ginger and coconut milk. The soup is nice combination of savory and sweet and should appeal to people who aren't so crazy about this prolific winter vegetable. My recipe calls for four cups of cubed and peeled squash and in my zeal I decided to double it. My hand ached the next day from all the dicing. My sister skips the dicing step. Instead, she roasts the whole squash in the oven, scoops out the soft flesh, and combines the squash with sauteed ginger and onion. Next time, I'll try her way. I also experimented with an... |
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12/07/11Jennifer Chandler Offers Free Cooking Demo at Cheffie's CafeCheffie's owner Jennifer Chandler has an early holiday gift for folks who like to entertain the easy way: She's offering a free cooking demonstration called "Taking the Stress Out of Holiday Entertaining." (For me, simply writing the word free at this time of year is a stress buster.) The demonstration Monday at 5:30 p.m. will also include wine pairings thanks to Buster's and Star Distributors. Participants will sample both wine and food, which will include quick and easy appetizers using ingredients from Cheffie's Cafe. For instance, Chandler will demonstrate how to make such dishes as pimento cheese tartlets with jalapeno jelly and crumbled bacon, phyllo cups stuffed with curried walnut chicken salad, sun-dried tomato hummus crostini, and pesto and... |
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12/02/11Delta Sky Magazine Highlights Memphis RestaurantsLast month the editor of Delta Sky magazine asked me to write a piece for a special insert on Memphis. The Memphis section is part of the December magazine tucked in the back of seat pockets on all Delta flights. In practical terms, that means up to 6 million people who fly Delta in December could read about what to do and where to eat in our wonderful city. "Pick your three favorite restaurants and write about them," the magazine's editor said, explaining my assignment. Sounds like a snap for a food writer, right? Trust me, it was not easy. How do you select three top restaurants in a city where many chefs are reinventing Southern food with surprising and sophisticated results? I suggested a sidebar, which allowed me to include a few more favorites.... Posted at 06:51 AM | Permalink | Comments: 1 |
