March 2012
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03/29/12End of Prohibition Party At Sweet Grass Next DoorIf celebrating the end of Prohibition seems a little dated, you might want to stop by Sweet Grass Next Door tonight and shake it up with a Sazerac or Manhattan. It's been 78 years since Americans won back the right to drink, and chef Ryan Trimm is ready to party at his neighborhood bar. He's preparing a delicious list of heavy appetizers (translation: dinner) to complement a menu of specialty cocktails. The inspiration for the event comes from Fee Brothers Bitters, a distilled flavoring of herbs, fruits or spices that is popular again thanks to the reemergence of classic cocktails from mid-century America. Trimm has worked tirelessly to bring Fee Brothers Bitters to Memphis, and Joe Fee, a fourth-generation proprietor, will be attending the event. ... |
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03/27/12No Menu Monday at Andrew Michael Italian KitchenHere's a quick take away from my first no menu Monday at Andrew Michael Italian Restaurant: Noma dirt, hibiscus cream cheese and an arugula flower. I'd never seen an arugula flower before, but there it was, a tiny flourish to the meal's third course. The hibiscus cream cheese draped the dessert plate with a lovely pink pool for strawberry cake and honey black pepper gelato. And the Noma dirt? It was my favorite course, but I have no idea what the ingredients were in the bread crumb topping for the menu's first course. But I do know this: Noma, a Copenhagen super star for Nordic cuisine, was named best restaurant in the world for the past two years. Monday's menu was all vegetarian, an interesting twist for chefs well-known for their snout-to-tail preparation... Posted at 09:20 AM | Permalink | Comments: 1 |
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03/25/12Celebrate Spring at Dinstuhl's Open HouseIs anything more magical than Dinstuhl's at Easter? See for yourself today when the local stores hold their spring open house. Translation: free candy. I stopped by Dinstuhl's in Laurelwood Shopping Center Saturday to marvel at the merchandising and I asked an employee what the open houses are all about. "Lots of free samples from noon to 4," she said, smiling. The Dinstuhl's in Germantown and Dinstuhl's candy kitchen on Pleasant View Road also are hosting open houses today at the same time. While I was waiting to check out (I still send my daughter Easter candy even though she's in college!), I learned a few things about Dinstuhl's candy from the sales associates. Chocolate covered strawberries arrive in time for Valentine's Day... |
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03/23/12YoLo Comes To University of Memphis CampusAfter three failed attempts to buy YoLo frozen yogurt at the University of Memphis, (broken yogurt machine, machine being cleaned, bookstore closed), I finally got a dish of dark chocolate and orange sorbet with waffle cone pieces, mini chocolate chips, peanuts and a sprinkle of M&M's. I ate it while I was walking across the quad, not easy but necessary. I didn't want my yogurt to melt even though I like it a little slurpy. This week is the grand opening of YoLo on campus, and students are stoked. The self-serve machines are located at the University of Memphis Official Bookstore and Cafe, but don't wait too late. The bookstore closes at 6 p.m. (earlier on Fridays), and employees break down the machines for cleaning about 30 minutes before... Posted at 11:02 AM | Permalink | Comments: 2 |
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03/22/12Martinis for 25 Cents and Birthday Dinners at Felicia Suzanne'sFelicia Suzanne’s, the upscale Southern restaurant at the corner of Main and Monroe, is throwing a party this week to celebrate its 10-year anniversary. Chef Felicia Willett is rolling out special menus through Saturday, including tonight’s four-course vegan/vegetarian dinner paired with sustainable wines from Oregon and California. The dinner is $55 per person, plus $35 for wine pairings, and 10 percent of the proceeds will be donated to Project Green Fork. On Friday, a classic Creole dinner begins with Ramo’s Gin fizz and oysters served on the restaurant’s charming fountain patio. The dinner is $65 per person plus $35 for wine pairings. Some of the evening’s proceeds will benefit Streetdog Foundation. For a less expensive way to party, stop... |
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03/19/12Celebrate Big Star (and Oysters for 40 Cents!) at Mortimer's RestaurantUntil Saturday night, I'd never been to Mortimer's restaurant on Perkins in East Memphis. And oh, the glories I have missed: an iced tray of oysters for 40 cents each, a tribute wall to local music icons Big Star, a mean martini from bartender Chuck Schafler, and a historical cache few restaurants in Memphis can match. Do yourself a favor and stop driving by this place, operated by Sara Bell since 1981 and named after her father. Here's why: Mortimer's is the real deal, a family restaurant from a time when adults could smoke, drink, and eat with impunity. These days, there's no smoking in Mortimer's, but the decades of food and drink are layered in the place, giving it a blue-collar "Mad Men" feel that is contagious and friendly. I... Posted at 06:53 AM | Permalink | Comments: 6 |
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03/16/12"The World in a Skillet" Dinner Sunday at Restaurant IrisHere’s a delicious way to kick off a new week: Kelly English is hosting a dinner Sunday night at Restaurant Iris featuring recipes from Paul and Angela Knipple’s new cookbook, “The World in a Skillet.” The local authors will be attending too and are looking forward to a favorite: a trio of rice dishes including jollof rice from Africa, arroz con pollo from Cuba and jambalaya from Louisiana. “It is culinary history on a plate,” Paul Knipple said, explaining the evolution of the recipes. The rest of the menu reflects a similar global spin from Southern cooks: lagniappe servings of mazorca and chicken kabobs; an amuse-bouche of crab Rangoon; duck breast and grits; a deconstructed Kurdish lamb stew called Selim ba gosht; and calas with pot de... |
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03/14/129-Year-Old Logan Guleff Heads to NYC for Jif Sandwich Cook-offFourth-grader Logan Guleff and his Chomp Burger recipe head to New York City next week for the Jif peanut butter sandwich competition and the chance to win a $25,000 college scholarship. Oh, and his folks get to go too. Logan, who also writes a food blog called The Taste of Memphis, is one of five finalists in the national competition thanks to his creative spin on a turkey burger made with Jif natural peanut butter and topped with broccoli slaw. Logan loves to cook and created the recipe on his own, said his mom Kim Guleff. "I know it doesn't seem like a kid-created thing, but it really was," Guleff said in an email. "He said burger, I said what about turkey, and then the door to the fridge opened and out popped this creation." In addition to the... |
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03/07/12Ricki's Cookies Rolls Out Hamantashen for PurimHow cool is it to have a holiday that begins on a Thursday? Leave it to the Jewish calendar to amp up spring with Purim, a holiday that commemorates the salvation of the Jewish people in ancient Persia with food and drink. I'll leave the drink part up to you, but for dessert or gift-giving, head to Ricki's Cookies in the Eastgate shopping center for a delectable assortment of hamantashen, the holiday's triangular-shaped cookies filled with poppy seed (Ricki's favorite), chocolate and fruits, including apricot and strawberry. It's easy to miss Ricki's because it's tucked on a side street next to Radio Shack, but take the detour. In addition to hamantashen, this wonderful bakery makes breads and more familiar cookies like soft and chewy chocolate... |
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03/02/12Farmer Mixer at the Brooks: A Sell Out"It's all about walking the line." So says Chubby Vegetarian Justin Fox Burks about the lovely spread of vegetarian dishes he and Andrew Adams served at Thursday's kick-off for the "Farmers Market Film Series" at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art. The series begins Saturday at 2 p.m. with a screening of "The Read Dirt on Farmer John." Three more films will be shown on subsequent Saturdays. Click here for more details. On Thursday, local food advocates focused more on food than film, working the lines for an assortment of small plates, including these adorable egg shells stuffed with goat cheese cake with olive caramel and pepper jelly. The chefs also served their version of Scotch eggs with truffle potato foam (my favorite) and a Joconde... |
