Giving Thanks

Just a little warm, spicy comfort coming your way. This soup is from a recipe in Sarah Foster's cookbook titled Fresh Every Day.

The soup is called something like Chipotle Squash and is perfect for cold, wet days or just when you need a warm up inside. I made a nice big batch and froze it to enjoy at my leisure. Even just looking at the picture I'm feeling that my nose is a little warmer and my soul a little steamier. I swear that I took the picture to the right even though it looks almost identical to the picture in the cookbook. That's a recommendation in itself! I'm not an avid cookbook reader but this is a cookbook that I can recommend without a single qualm. It works for home cooks and people who don't think they can boil water. I have owned it for several years now and it never fails to inspire me. And even better- Sarah Foster is a local!

I'm wishing you joy and I'm thankful for all my blessing. Here's hoping you snuggle up with a great cookbook or a bowl of soup or a pack of wild relatives and enjoy the gifts of this season!

Nutella Poundcake

Uhm...seriously, could this look more divine? It's from this month's Food & Wine magazine. The recipe is so, so easy. Two things to note:

• I needed a bigger loaf pan than the standard size. It cooked over and now I've got to clean out my oven.
• It is very, very hard not to eat the whole thing at once.

Memorial Day

I've been very interested in CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) for several years but never quite got around to doing the research to join one. I kept telling myself that it was ok. I was too busy. It didn't make me a bad human to buy produce wrapped in plastic and carted in from somewhere else. I seemed to always have a few too many things to take care of to get around to finding a source of local produce or connecting with a specific farmer. We did move, build a fence, organize a new house, have baby no. 2, etc so there was a lot going on. Last year we went to at least one farmer's market every weekend and grew a cherry tomato along with our usual mix of herbs. We shared our cherry tomatoes with the neighborhood when we became flooded and I was not a bad human. But, I was not the best human that I could be in my suburban paradise and I pined for more of a connection between garden and food.

This winter, I made it a priority to join a CSA. I paid my deposit and then waited for spring to arrive. Not very patiently but as patiently as my genetic make-up will allow. I checked my farm's website religously looking for the signs that the magic was beginning and told every person I spoke with (sometimes multiple times) about the CSA we joined. Our farmer's are Jason and Haruka from Edible Earthscapes . The produce listed on their site ranges from solidly normal to exotic and unknown. I was afraid for a while that I was annoying them to death with questions and just over the top exuberance. Fortunately, they still seem to like me-at least they don't visibly cringe when I show up on Saturday mornings to collect my box.

We're now on our third box of goodies from Edible Earthscapes and I've been remiss in not posting earlier. I am overwhelmed and overjoyed with the abundance that greets me each week in my box. This week we got butter lettuce, turnip greens, romaine, watermelon radish, daikon, basil, cilantro, and peas!! A lot of the ingredients we get from the farm are not items I would usually make so it's really forcing me outside of my comfort zone. I'm doing a lot of research online for recipes each week and have a renewed appreciation of bloggers and useful forms of technology in general.

While I will post recipes eventually, I would like to take a moment and reflect on the emotional and spiritual connection that seems to deepen each week between me and my, well...produce. When I was little, I lived with my maternal grandparents on-and-off and spent at least a few days each week with my paternal grandparents. My grandparents were avid gardeners and maintained a connection to food, a disdain for waste and a penchant for 'make-do' that seems indicative of their generation. Both sets of my grandparents ALWAYS planted a Victory garden and would still find a way to justify stopping by a pick-up truck piled with corn on the side of the road if the price was right and the corn was sweet. My grandfather could become downright verbose about peaches (and country ham) and there was always a strong debate between my grandfathers on the the merits of tomato varieties (German Johnson usually won).

I have vivid memories of 'putting up' plums, shucking corn, shelling peas-with my relatives all around laughing, chattering or singing. I can close my eyes and feel the breeze off the back yard coming through the screen doors in mid-July after a day spent romping through the pasture in search of blackberries for cobbler while my grandmother combed through my sunkissed hair looking for ticks. I remember how excited my grandmother was when the persimmons were ripe or when the pecans at the church fell. There always seemed to be some kind of produce that needed work and always people who were glad to take some of it. Jams or nuts or canned goods were my grandparents equivalent to giftcards-everyone likes them and no one will turn them down. So gardening, eating, and love have always been viscerally entwined for me in a way that our industrial lives lack.

I find myself regretting that my son won't ever be able to just ramble un-chaperoned until the fireflies come out or wind up in the creek face-to-face with a snake of unknown pedigree and have to figure out the best escape route. He's unlikely to walk under the apple tree for his sister because she's afraid of the yellow jackets and fish out the best apple for her or to climb the spry cherry trees to get the tart little pink balls before the birds can scavenge them away. I find myself finding ways to recreate those same langourous summer memories within the context of our suburban, year-round school, two parents who work, life-for myself as much as for my kids.

When we walk the greenway beside our house, I point out the blackberry vines with their green nubs just starting to show. I show them poison oak (the first and most important plant to learn to ID) and talk about how allergic my brother always was to it but how my dad and I never get it. I show them how to suck the juice out of honeysuckle and teach the oldest the names of trees that we walk by. But it's been more difficult to recreate the way working for and with your food translates into a further love and appreciation for our non-monetary wealth. That is, it was more difficult until the addition of the farm box to our lives.

Each Saturday morning we pile into the car as soon as we can to go and get the box before the sun is too hot. We eat breakfast surrounded by people who produce food locally and are genuinely enjoying the connection to the other folks at the market. We go around the market and pick out bread, eggs, cheese, seafood, and more produce (how can that be!!!). We talk to new friends we've met at the market and old friends we've convinced to come out. The kids dance a little bit to the live music and sometimes we engage in a little modern day retail shopping at the mall to keep from having to run around again afterwards burning more gas.

When we get home, I spend the next 3 hours engaging in the ritual of unloading and sorting and cleaning and bagging and sometimes just fidgeting with the produce. I go through what we'll make, I show my kids all the interesting things that come along with organic produce (slugs!) and talk about how things are grown. There is a change occuring that is slow but powerful within my house because of that white cardboard box. My son ate turnips last week. Granted, they were in a cherry sauce but still!

Mostly though, I'm reconnecting to the way food-the growing, the prepartion, the creativity-can translate into the expression of love and affection for each other. We linger over dinner more often now. We ate around our table (not our kitchen island) 5 times last week. We've had people over for meals more often lately. In general, we are expanding into better human beings-the ones that we know we should be but can never quite find the time to be.

We got peas this week in the box-fat, juicy, crisp little pods that are just begging to be crunched. While I took of the stiff bits on the ends I could almost feel my grandmother's tan, lined hands swiftly working beside me while she jabbered on about a funny joke she heard at church. I think I will be finding the time for a CSA from now on.

Charleston Weekend

On a weekend in November, our little family made the jaunt down to Charleston, SC. Despite our relative proximity to Charleston, none of us had ever visited Charleston before and we were all anticipating quite an adventure. We drove down with both kids on Friday night so we'd be ready to start the day on Saturday. We explored Patriot's Point, the Aquatic Center and strolled through the White Gardens. We took in the views over the water, drove into Mt. Pleasant and tried to be as touristy as possible with 2 small children in tow. We found Charleston to be charming and proud in the way only old southern ladies can be-well-dressed, well-heeled, and welcoming to all who show up asking for a glass of sweet tea. As a southerner, I know that those sweet old ladies are made of steel too so don't push your luck! Most establishments were very welcoming to us and our kids so we made the most of it. From my perspective though, Charleston is a city of food that feels like it was built by and for the sole delight of foodies. The wealth of choices and the quality of the food in Charleston is like no other small city I have visited-except maybe in Italy.


I promised my sweet husband that I intended to eat my way through Charleston and I did not disappoint him. I can still remember his face when I asked if he was ready to eat again about 2 hours after eating a gianormous lunch. That's long enough right? I just wanted a snack....here's a list of our favorite meals while in Charleston.


82 Queen

After our introductory carriage tour, we decided to eat lunch at 82 Queen. Tucked in the middle of a block of historical houses, 82 Queen is easy to miss but what a mistake you would be making! You can read all about the history of the house, the awards and the staff on their website. However, you only need to know that the food is incredible. Even more interesting, I found that my children were incredibly comfortable in the restaurant (maybe because it was more like a house with individual rooms and pockets) than like a restaurant. We went for lunch and enjoyed every morsel of food that touched our taste buds. For an appetizer, I shared a crab cake with my son that was probably the best crab cake of my life to date. It was pure, tasty crab without a lot of filler or spice. Just enough flavor to heighten the sense that this crab was a creature of the surf. For my entree, I had Grilled Pesto Encrusted Mahi Mahi over creamy grits and fried green tomatoes. I sometimes feel that Mahi Mahi is overrated as a fish to eat while out because it is usually flavorless and/or overdone. This mahi mahi was tender and fresh, sweet and succulent. The grits were actually creamy and the fried green tomato was sweet (if a little small-no surprise given the season). My husband enjoyed a salad of baked asparagus, tomato and fresh mozzarella wrapped with Tasso ham. I tried this salad and it was good but nothing could break through the hold that crab cake had over me! For his entree, my husband chose low country jambalaya which managed to be sweet, smokey and slightly spicy all at once with chucks of seafood and peppers.


Sermet's Corner

I have to admit that Sermet's corner was not a first pick. We really only ate there because we couldn't get a reservation at FIG. However, it turned out to be one of our favorite meals. Sermet's food is very good but the real benefit for us turned out to be the atmosphere. There was a nice mix of locals with a few tourists. The ceilings were high, the atmosphere was relaxed and the seating was comfortable. When we arrived, our kids were famished and tired from walking all day. My son ordered a burger and received a huge patty of ground beef on a buttered bun the size of his head. He managed to eat most of it and then plow through dessert-a layered cheesecake concoction. I took several website's recommendations and ordered the lavender, honey and black pepper marinated pork tenderloin over a cheese infused polenta. I have to say that I enjoyed the pork but I doubt I will order it again. Lavender is my favorite scent and I associate laundry, clean bathrooms and ice cream (don't ask) with it. I do not associate lavender with meat or savory tastes and this dish did not change that preference. I don't recall what my husband had for supper but we would definitely go back to Sermet's corner next time we're in Charleston.

S.N.O.B
By far, the jewel in the crown of the culinary weekend. S.N.O.B (Slightly North of Broad) is just....well it's almost too much to speak of. The atmosphere is chic but cozy. The staff is some of the most gracious, welcoming staff I've ever encountered at a restaurant. To a person, they all seemed to want every patron to feel welcomed and comfortable. The food. Oh the food just defeats my description skills. I had trigger fish with a lemon sauce and pea shoots for my main course. To explain more about that dish-how the nutty crunch of the pea shoots perfectly complemented the smooth dent of the fish with the sweet tang of the lemon just peaking in at the edge of the bite. Well, it's not nearly as clear as I wish to make it-like saying Rachel Weisz is pretty.

So, I'm defeated on my description of the food at S.N.O.B and I'm sorry that I can't say more. Just GO THERE if you are ever in Charleston. And if you go there, try very hard to be as gracious and welcoming as the staff. S.N.O.B has a children's menu and the staff are very friendly and accommodating to children. Our kids were exceptionally well behaved that night but several patrons were downright rude to us (at 5pm!!) that we would bring children to such an austere place as S.N.O.B.

I have one and only one complaint about Charleston-the central part of the city is running low on locally owned coffee shops or bakeries. We did find a small place near the Market (Paradiso) and another place (Kudu) near the college but you will not hear me expounding on the virtues of Charleston's coffee. There are a couple of cookie or cupcake shops but they could really use a little French bakery or patisserie with an espresso machine. I had to make do with the favorite national chain but since their food is terrible, it wasn't as satisfying as I would like.

Nikos Taverna

I would like to rave about the lovely things I've been making myself to eat lately. I would also like to tout my housekeeping skills and my perfectly coiffed hair. That just isn't what's happening around here lately though. I've been eating out-a lot. In fact, we've found a little gem we like so much that we've become regulars.

I'm a HUGE fan of Greek food. My first paid job was working for the Bakatsias family as a busperson/waitress in Burlington NC. Since most restaurants in Burlington are owned by Greeks and most teenagers can't make money except by waiting tables, I worked for Greeks for almost 10 years to support myself. In hindsight, I can't think of a better place to have a first job. The people I worked for were almost always first or second generation Americans and really instilled a strong work ethic in me. They were also incredibly tolerant of young people but especially when those young people are interested in their culture. I had several sets of self assigned Greek grandparents who introduced me to a language that wasn't English and food that wasn't American: Spanikopita, Gyros, Souvlakia, all kinds of seafood, spinach....sigh.

Nikos Taverna opened about two months ago just down the street from my office in Morrisville as a sister restaurant to Taverna Nikos in Durham (http://www.northcarolinatravels.com/durham/photo-album/durham-taverna-nikos_jpg_view.htm). I am always suspicious of 'authentic' ethnic food in Americanized restaurants so I didn't jump on the bandwagon right away. For some reason, I am usually very disappointed with most Greek restaurants-probably because my expectations were set by some excellent home cooks and I keep hoping I'll recreate that first taste of spanikopita-probably a regional recipe that I will never get again. One night providence intervened while we were on our way home when E. HAD to go to the bathroom RIGHT NOW! So, we landed at Nikos Taverna starving and in need of sustenance (and a bathroom).

When you walk in Nikos Taverna, the bar greets you with sleek black lines and reddish walls. There's a shiny espresso machine on the right side and a full line-up of wines and spirits twinkling along the back. The main dining room is an open creamy yellow backed by the kitchen where you hear what's happening but you can't see it. The atmosphere is a comfy mix of elegant white tables with kitchsy murals of the sunny shores in the background.

Nikos Taverna has never done me wrong. And I mean never. The owners know their food and their customers and are ready for them. We've eaten almost everything on the menu at least once and there are some things that aren't my favorite, but they sure aren't bad either. For starters, there is a perfect wine list. You can get a really nice glass of Greek wine or a bottle of a California cab. Our favorite thing to get is an appetizer platter. We usually pick the light, crispy Calamari (Kalamarakia), the grilled sausage and roasted lemon potatoes, tsatsiki sauce, salmon roe dip, horiatiki (greek salad), and eggplant metzalata. Once, we accidentally subbed in an octopus braised in red wine (yummy but a little too graphic for me everyday). The spanikopita is good but not my favorite and the braised spinach recommended by a waitress one time was also good but is not in my top ten.

For a main course, I love the Kokkonisto (braised lamb shank) that tastes as good as my own. Actually, anything with the word 'lamb' in the description will be stellar here-we've had chops, a tenderloin cut and kabobs-all were great. I've had the bouillabase-a heady mix of tomatoe-y broth with 5 kinds of seafood swimming. I like the souvlakia and my son swears by the 'pizza' (pita bread with some feta and sesame seeds broiled on top). All of the seafood is fresh and perfectly treated. Portions are gigantic unless you can beg convincingly for smaller ones you will need a box for anything you order.

Finally, they have the absolute best chocolate pudding. It's homemade with heavy cream and dark chocolate. Topped with real whipped cream. Our table always splits one for dessert but doesn't always manage to finish it. Ok, maybe not the most authentic Greek dessert but it is absolutely perfect.

Now, I've taken some friends to Nikos Taverna and they don't love it as much as me. Is it the 'Ti can ez?' (how are you?) that gets me at the door or is it the authentic taste of the food that reminds me of my formative years? All I know is my whole family loves this place and we keep going back for more! Efkaristo poli! Kali nichta! (Thank you very much! Good night!)

Elmo's and Daniels

Last week started off like a marathon in a bad dream. After the Apex evacuation and disaster, we were understandably shell-shocked. In spite of our exhaustion (or because of it) we did manage to eat at several fabulous restaurants. Two of our sampling have become solid favorites.

One is a called Elmo’s(http://www.elmosdiner.com/). It's a little diner with at least two different locations-one in Durham and the other in Carrboro (http://www.elmosdiner.com/). Breakfast is abundant, creative, cheap and served all day. I had southwest grits –green hot peppers, cheese, tomatoes served with scrambled eggs and sourdough toast with real orange marmalade. I've also tried the lunch food (it is a diner after all) but I keep going back to the breakfast. Sometimes on the weekends they have pumpkin pancakes as a special. If you miss those, don't worry- they always have 4 different kinds of pancake available on the main menu.

The other new favorite is called Daniels (http://www.danielson55.net/). Daniels does very little advertising and the building is un-prepossessing. I've driven by it for years without even a second though. But, the Raleigh food critic loves them AND they got a wine spectator award every year for the past 10 years. I thought it might be worth trying out since it’s only about 3 miles from home. If nothing else, it could be a nice take-out joint.

It was so, so good.

Great wine list-very easy to get a fabulous glass of wine for $5. We went with my brother and Sister in Law so we actually got a really even sampling of the menu. Here’s what we ordered:

Salads
1 blue cheese/pear/grape salad with pecans
1cranberry/pecan salad
2 house salads

I love a restaurant that serves a great salad. These salads are $5 each, loaded with cheese, pecans and hidden yummies. Served with homemade dressing. Off to a great start.

Main Courses
Toddler-cheese pizza
K.-spaghetti carbonara
Sucar-penne alla norma (if you know what Penne alla norma is already forgive me. For the rest of us who didn't- it’s capers, olives, tomatoes, red peppers and eggplant. Obviously an oversight in my obsession with eggplant that needed to be rectified.)
Brother-chicken marsala
SIL-cheese tortellini in alfredo with chicken

Brother took his first bite and said “This is hands down the best chicken marsala I’ve ever had in my life”. They give huge portions but he stuffed all of it in (except for the one bite he gave me). It really was the best I’ve ever tried. K’s carbonara tasted perfect-like a heart attack waiting to happen. My penne was very, very good-summer topped with shaved feta and fresh basil. We didn’t have room for dessert but they are supposed to be even better than the food.

UPDATE: We've been back since the original post and I can add a few pointers, addendums, etc. The atmosphere is slightly zoo-like for the early diners. But, if you have a small child and don't mind the zoo, you will fit in nicely. The wait is shorter when you go early (or late) and you can actually find a spot to park.

The standard Italian-American fare is what Daniel's really excels at. The recipes that you associate with the Italian joint down the block-marsala, red sauce, vodka sauce, pizza. Anything with Daniel's pink sauce will be rich and worth it. The sausage with spinach and white beans is lovely and seasonally appropriate. Daniels sometimes stumbles a bit when they start getting creative. Don't get me wrong-the chef's specials are still solid food worth eating-but I'm not as impressed with them as I am with the perfect piccata or marsala. I won't be trying a special again until I've worked my way through the whole rest of the menu!

Peak City-Part II

Sucar is a sucker. My family and I visited Peak City Grille again this weekend. It's just soooo close and so cute.

Initially, I was excited because they've revamped their menu. It was Sunday and therefore Prime Rib night. K. wanted a steak so he ordered the Prime Rib. I ordered the pistachio crusted lamb chops. They were sold out. Oh well. Ok then, I'll take the wild salmon with wine reduction, roasted potatoes and asparagus.

For wine, K. chose a glass of Estancia meritage(http://www.wineaccess.com/store/totalwine-cary/ecommerce/product.html?product_id=10678475). I chose GundlachBundschu Cabernet(http://www.wineaccess.com/store/totalwine-cary/ecommerce/product.html?product_id=10705940). Both are nice wines to sip and drink. Looking good so far.

Salads were solid. K. had the blue cheese iceberg wedge. The blue cheese dressing had the best qualities of homemade-creamy and crumbly at once. I had an organic mixed green salad with craisins, pecans and goat cheese. Tasty except for the shreds of ice-berg lettuce filling in where the spinach should have been. Oh, E. coli! What are you doing to my favorite salad green?

The main courses were less than thrilling. K's prime rib was tough and chewy. I was reminded of cow-a ruminant chewing my cud will I gnawed through my sample. My salmon was okay but too elaborate. The salmon flavor was being buried and I couldn't help but wonder if the disguise was intentional. We complained about the chewiness and received a dessert compliments of the house. It was a grainy blueberry-peach cobbler. Unfortunately, the best part about dessert was the ice cream-not homemade but high end store-bought.

The service this time was fantastic. Thoughtful and attentive without being annoying. So, at least that was up. If only the food could match the wine and the service and they could get it consistent! See, this is why I keep going back. Glimmers of hope....and laziness.

Anyway-I'm on a mission to find new restaurants in my town. Wish me luck!

Peak City

I sent this review to my good friend ec in April. It was my birthday, the first time we'd visited peak city, and I was 3 weeks into a prolonged, extended move. So, here's my initial reaction to Peak City Grill(http://www.thepeakcitygrill.com/) in Apex:


When you enter peak city grill, you are greeted by the standard college coed in black-on-black ensemble. Cheery smiles with a hint of intelligent sarcasm give a glimmer of the meal to come. Ella or Frank is blaring, but somehow you can still carry on lively conversation with your immediate table. Maybe the high ceilings or the brick walls contribute but the room is busy, lively-but you cannot hear the table next to you.

There are long, red painted benches instead of upholstered booths. There is gleaming white china with full 5 course silver laid out perfectly on black tablecloths. The service is prompt, knowledgeable, and welcoming. The food-well- the food is almost perfect.

For starters, we had confetti bruschetta. Slivers of toast slathered with goat cheese. Red and yellow grape tomatoes, onions, and garlic heaped on top with balsamic vinegar drizzled over the top.

K. got a salad with arugula, strawberries, pralines, goat cheese and a strawberry cream vinaigrette. It tasted like the perfection that only strawberries in season can be.

For entrees there was a pork loin wrapped in bacon atop a polenta cake with lobster and guyere. The outside was crisp, the center creamy. Served like a sandwich-wilted spinach smushed between a crisp polenta cake and a slab of pork. There was also a sirloin with a portabella rub and a tomato basil sauce for dipping.

For the toddler, there was a creamy orichetti with a crunchy bread crumb top.

And the wine! There is a whole page of wines by the glass-for red wines. And another for white. Your glass is not small either. You will be toast if you drink more than 2 of Peak City's glasses of wine.

I gave it 3.5 stars. I recommended it to friends. I sang with glee about the local talent in my new home town.

I have to eat my words. I was wrong. It was an anomaly. We have since been back to this restaurant 7 times. Each time there is a item we eat that shows promise and keeps the hope alive that one day I can resume my love affair with this restaurant. But each time we visit, my well of enthusiasm decreases. Forgive my fatalism, but after last week's visit, I've reached an all time low.

What could have happened? I'll tell you. In detail-at least until I'm too sad about it to go on and must resort to eating ice cream in my pajamas on the couch.

The wait staff is less concerned with serving and more focused on fraternizing-with each other. While the wine list is still extensive and generous, you have no idea whether you actually got the wine you ordered because the wait staff forgets as soon as they place the order at the bar. There are times when there aren't enough waiters to serve you effectively. There are also times when the hostesses take 5 minutes to decide where, exactly to seat you-in an empty restaurant. Management issues and training glitches are not insurmountable obstacles. It's possible even that my experiences are flukes or a temporary (yet prolonged) strike of experienced staff. Some nights, the wait staff gathers in the bar and snuggles while they wait on orders to come up. Another night, they talk loudly about where to go 'party' after work. At any rate, poor service is easily rectified if by better management.

So let's move on to the food.

Every time we go to Peak City (excepting the first) half our menu selections have been under-performers. Now, you could say-"You pessimist! Half your food was fabulous!" And you'd be right. That's why I keep going back. I can honestly say I've had the strawberry arugula salad at it's Peak-and I've had the cardboard version. I've had the confetti bruschetta sing in my mouth-and last week, I had stale bread slathered with goat cheese and tomatoes with brown seeds. I would have returned it to the kitchen but my waitress only came back to my table once-with the check. My overall point is, when we eat at this restaurant, we have to order double the amount of food we really want because half of it will not live up to it's potential.

I know, I know-how will they improve if I don't complain. I'm not sure they care to. Peak City has the capability to be great-but they seem to be content with being underachievers. I reduce my rating to 2 stars with a heavy warning to expect that you will be dining at a chain restaurant-not a local bistro. Who knows! You may be surprised!