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03/23/13Pam's Pics at Paulette's: Seafood Cioppino, Pan Seared Scallops and Goat Cheese SouffleWe decided it was time for a fresh look at Paulette’s, now that the popular restaurant is comfortably settled into its downtown home at the Inn at the River. The restaurant, along with its new chef de cuisine Kelly Hartman, is featured in “Dining Out” in the March issue of Memphis magazine. Unfortunately, Pam’s Pics, a standard companion to restaurant reviews, are not online. They are only included in the print edition of Memphis magazine, available at newsstands in Memphis, including The Booksellers at Laurelwood. So here are my three favorite dishes at Paulette’s restaurant, along with Justin Fox Burks' beautiful photographs. Pam’s Pics Pan Seared Day Boat Scallops... Posted at 10:39 AM | Permalink | Comments: 1 |
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03/19/13The New Poplar Plaza Kroger Opens Today and Here is a Look Inside.The spacious and abundantly stocked Poplar Plaza Kroger in East Memphis opens today at 6 a.m., and here’s my advice: Go shopping immediately and don't even try to restrain impulse purchases. I was fortunate enough to attend the Party at the Plaza Tuesday evening for a sneak peak, and I was impressed with the store’s merchandise, the opulent end stacks (there’s even an Apollinaris sparking water fountain), and the cloth-covered tables in the baby aisle where I could stash my empty wine glass. Sadly, the tables will be gone by opening day along with the wine, but the rest of the merchandise stays to tempt shoppers with a remarkable assortment of groceries, specialty items, and fresh foods. The store also promises to mix in merchandise... Posted at 11:55 PM | Permalink | Comments: 4 |
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03/13/13Watch Melissa Cookston and Yazoo's Delta Q Win Kingsford Invitational on Destination AmericaLocal cue-lovers who frequent the Memphis Barbecue Co. in Horn Lake won’t be surprised by this accomplishment: Melissa Cookston and Yazzo’s Delta Q, her storied competitive cooking team, have won the first Kingsford Invitational Barbecue Competition. The win comes with a $50,000 prize. The local pitmasters competed against seven other championship teams in a cook-off televised for the cable channel Destination America. The show, “BBQ’s Ultimate Championship: The Kingsford Invitational,” airs Sunday at 9 p.m. Cookston’s team also won the competition’s One Bite Challenge (and another $5,000) with their “Grilled Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Shrimp.” The recipe, a wonderfully Southern mix of pepper bacon, cream... |
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03/12/13Meet the New Team and Updated Menu at Cortona Contemporary Italian in Cooper-YoungHere's a perfect pairing of my dual roles as writer and teacher: One of my journalism students at the University of Memphis writes an excellent food story. In this case, the writer is Crystal Russell, and her story on Cortona Contemporary Italian in Cooper-Young is a look at the restaurant's updated menu shaped by chef Nate Olivia and manager Jennifer Dickerson. Both Olivia and Dickerson are part of the restaurant's new management team, and their menu reflects a more contemporary and upscale turn for the trattoria opened two years ago by former chef/owner David Cleveland. Russell published her story on MicroMemphis, a site written by journalism students as part of their capstone course before graduating. If you haven't seen their work, be sure to check it out.... |
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03/10/13New Tex-Mex Food Truck Parked Weekdays at the University of MemphisA new food truck called La Lola Loca is updating the food options at the University of Memphis with a little Latin flare. The truck, a Mexican cantina operated by the university’s Tiger Dining services, is parked in the Richardson Tower’s parking lot Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Richardson is the high-rise dorm behind the campus visitor’s center at the corner of Central and Patterson avenues. “We’re trying to do something new for the students and keep Memphis as close to the trends as we can,” said Chuck Wigington, district manager for food services. Lola Loca adds to the growing arsenal of trucks already operated by food supplier Aramark on other colleges, including the University of... |
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03/04/13Girl Scout Cookie Sale: Fun facts, Recipes and Troop 10105 from Holy Rosary SchoolIf putting Thin Mints in the freezer is as gourmet as you get, check out the recipes that tag along with the Girl Scouts’ annual cookie sale currently underway. Thank You Berry Much Granola works for breakfast, Do-Si-Dos Peanut Thai Chicken takes care of dinner, and Thin Mint Brownies is a perfect dessert. Clearly, the Girl Scouts of America are thinking outside of the box. So are their moms. “I hear a favorite for moms is mixing Kahlua, vanilla ice cream, and Thin Mints in a blender,” said Linda Safford, annual appeals manager for the regional Girl Scouts organization in Memphis called Heart of the South. “But we don’t share that recipe with the girls.” A springtime ritual for Brownies, Girl Scouts, and... Posted at 08:56 PM | Permalink | Comments: 1 |
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03/01/13Finding Friends, New Wines and Excellent Salmon at Passport to OregonI’ve never visited Oregon, and I’m a newbie to wine tastings, so I was happy to meet Jeane Mercer and Breen Bland last Thursday at Passport to Oregon, a festive and informative tasting at the University Club in Midtown organized by Joe’s Wines & Liquors. The couple practice law in Memphis, but travel to Oregon regularly to enjoy the state’s wines and their property on the northwest coast. “We’ve visited many of these same wineries,” Mercer said, checking off her favorites on my tasting list. “If you like sparkling, try Argyle.” (I did, and the Blanc de Blancs 2008 was excellent.) Bland added that he appreciates the feel of Oregon, and the energy the state’s winemakers bring... |
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02/26/13Tommy Dodson: A Sad Goodbye to Our Farmer and FriendOn Saturday, or maybe it was the Saturday before, I laughed with Tommy Dodson about the gentle ribbing he was getting from his wife Bonnie. Our conversation at the Tsunami Farmers Market, always a welcomed respite in my busy week, led to lettuce. Bonnie was kidding Tommy about not knowing his lettuces (I think it was romaine) even though the couple's daughter Hallie is a horticulturist developing new lettuce varieties in Hollister, California. He just shook his head and smiled in a way that lit up his face, a face humanized by the wind and sun that comes with being a farmer. Then he sold me a beautiful daikon radish. “It's a volunteer,” he said. “It just popped up.” I remember this conversation as a small homage to... |
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02/23/13Overton Square's Side Street Grill: Smoked Chicken Nachos and Cocktails with a PunchAn impressive pyramid of ingredients on a square white plate, the smoked chicken nachos at Side Street Grill grabbed my attention from a nearby table. I ordered one immediately, sharing the dish with five friends and a first round of cocktails. While many nachos use a mishmash of ingredients to justify their place at the table, Side Street’s version keeps things simple: chips, queso, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes and plump rounds of jalapeno pulled together by the chicken’s smooth and smoky flavor. Go ahead and skip the nachos’ gratuitous side of sour cream. Better to save your calories for the Grill’s build-your-own burger ($9.50), a half-pound hand-shaped patty served on a Kaiser bun and topped with whatever meets your fancy:... |
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02/19/13Pam’s Pic: Dragon Tuna and Vesper Martini at East Tapas & DrinksWhen this beautiful pairing arrived to my table at East Tapas & Drinks, I was awestruck, first by the artful plating of the sashimi and then by the oversized martini with a curlicue of lemon zest. After a taste of the tuna and a sip of the drink, I named the twosome "Beauty and the Beast." Beauty refers to the tuna shaped like a new rose and garnished with thinly sliced jalapeno, a zigzag of house-made ponzu glaze and a single stem of cilantro. The Beast is a bit of back story, but suffice to say, the Vesper martini throws a punch, mixing together vodka, gin and Lillet, a French aperitif used in the drink instead of vermouth. The cocktail’s origin is equally virile. Author Ian Fleming created the Vesper for James Bond... Posted at 06:30 PM | Permalink | Comments: 2 |
Memphis Stew is a food blog that celebrates our city’s community table and the people who grow, cook, and eat Memphis food. It is written by Pamela Denney, food editor of Memphis magazine, who sees food as a delicious way to build families, friendships, and a more healthy and sustainable future.
