Sunday, August 31, 2008
savannah ga
well we've had a lot of good meals in the low country, but today was not the case. we drove to savannah to go to the lady and sons restaurant of paula deen. even though there were open tables we were told there were no openings for the WHOLE DAY, so we had to get the buffet... to go. the fried chicken was good but so is the chick inn, the mashed potatoes were good, but not spectacular. the bread was decent, but very dry. the yams were great and the ribs decent. I tried to call the restaurant a few times before I left, to no avail. if hospitality is the published mantra, try to show a little. all employees I encountered seemed to be trained to turn a table as fast as possible.
Wanderings
I know I have a tendency to go on and on about the things I love most. Cooking, eating, soirees, flowers, more flowers. cooking, eating, eating out...adventures.... My garden. My flowers. My grandsons. My home on Dutton Hill.
So what, you might ask, does WFS do whilst I engage in all this wonder and excitement? Mostly, he is a good trooper, driving me, waiting patiently and then digging holes for my amassed plants or cleaning up ungodly messes AFTER I have a cooking explosion! Yesterday was no exception. Patiently, he drove and waited. Farmer's market, garage sales and a few other odds and ends of Saturday ramblings. We ended up at St. Matthew's Feed and Seed. Around this time of the year, I go on Plant Rescue. I go looking for all the half dead, wilted or leggy plants. The throw out bin is preferable...but I will buy on the 75% table, shed or far corner. I was in the far corner yesterday when WFS wandered off, like a siren song had caught his attention...It had and it was! An overgrown backyard behind the Feed and Seed store was filled with cars, car parts and weeds. It was, as if the angels were singing for him. He raced back, nearly out of breath, saying..."you've got to see this!" We both broke through the overgrown barrier of weeds and vines and lo, there they were. His dream come true. A car boneyard!~ After much admiration, I took out my new little camera.. Here is the results. And I might add, every picture tells a story~~~~~~~~~~
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Beginning of the day
We had a wedding this weekend. It was held on the banks of the Ohio River, in an 1803 mansion. Weddings are sentimental and lovely affairs~~~~~~~"What will the wedding supper be?" Miss Mousie had two butterbeans and blackeyed peas.Or was it catnip tea? This was an entirely over-the-top wedding dinner, lamb chops, filet of beef, shrimp, chicken stuffed with goat cheese and ham, vegetables of every hue, fruits, cheeses, plus ~~~~an elegant white cake with a raspberry filling and no, not one drop of crisco frosting! We stopped on the way, dressed in our finery, and purchased some peaches from Bray's Orchards. The little wooden fruit stand was beside the highway, just before the long dip down to the river. The sun was high and hot as we pulled into the wedding site. I swear, a breeze fluttered just as the bride appeared. Bagpipes, a string quartet, a lovely, lovely operatic singer and white doves released over the river, made for a glorious and rich day. A true Pig and Peaches day.
My photos are the beginning and end of my day....the old fashion yellow rose in early morning light and my first moon flowers to end the day. The only thing that rivaled my moon flower was the orchid tree in the center of the food table. It was a tower of pinks, oranges and yellow. A stunning arrangement. My moon flowers win above all other flowers.....
AE will post his travels to Sea Island soon.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
The much touted Blue Dog Bakery
If I could sing, I would, and my tune be about working in the garden, clearing a path through a prominent flower bed that Perro has decided is his favorite sleeping place. It would be a tad be militant as I am quite protective of my tender,sweet and beautiful plants. Perro thinks differently and loves the cush on his tush. Just as I was in the thick of it, Dr. Polly stopped by...want to go have a coffee? Blue Dog! After an iced coffee, filled with mostly cream...an icy mocha shake of sorts and a fresh peach frangipani, my song is a happy one.....I've been humming as I water and take little photos. My adventure for the day was a quick respite at Blue Dog. I am telling you, it is the best of Louisville! For all the world to see: Look above.
DINNER REMNANTS
As you know from yesterday's blog, I have been away doing important work, herding little bluebell mouse into her temporary home, taking rainy walks and generally having fun with Mom and Dan. It's the best break from my frantic "must do" world!
After a rainy ride home,.....back to parched Louisville, I was faced with, what to do about dinner? My friend, Cis, offered to take us out for a quick bite and then watch the Democratic convention....I mused on this for a bit, but quickly decided to do what I love best, cook! Plus, Mom, Dan and I had been basking in a no cook zone for two days....I love to open the cupboards, refrigerator or go to my tiny garden and start the process. Living in the center of so many great little food shops, it is very easy for me to get wonderful ingredients. This can be a spoiler. It makes eating on a whim easy....I, as Dan has blogged, started my love for cooking when I had no money, no groceries nearby and only a strong creative desire to make something wonderful happen in the kitchen. Sort of a stone soup theory. Last night I decided I would make only what could be created out of larder. I had: onions, two zucchini, Boursin cheese, a purple pepper, AND Tari and Alan's oven dried tomatoes...plus the green striped and red tomatoes they brought over Monday evening.....I also found, five strips of bacon, half of a jicama and a jalapeno pepper. So, here's what happened. My dear friend Cathy( generous beyond belief) sent me Dorie Greeenspan's Baking Cookbook...I've made pie crusts since I was too young to remember. Same way, every time. Until Dorie. I decided to try her take on crust. It is one of the most fabulous and accurate recipes for pie crust ever invented. Not so different from the usual flour, salt, shortening ,ice water crust...but something makes this one unbelievably tender and perfect. I made her crust first in my cooking frenzy. Stored the crust in the frig and started part two. I sauteed the onions, added the pepper and zucchini..went out and gathered a bunch of herbs...tossed them in. Got out those divinely inspired oven roasted tomatoes....Then, I thought, I need to make this more like a pot pie,,,,some sauce, gravy, something! I made a roux, added some cream and then I found that little chunk of Boursin...into the sauce....At the last minute I added the sauteed veggies and roasted tomatoes..The double crust, almost devoured pie at the top of the page, is the result. While the pie baked, I tackled the salad part of dinner. I thinly slivered the jicama, diced the jalapeno into tiny little pieces and rendered bacon bits....I tossed the salad with champagne vinegar, olive oil and lots of salt and pepper...it was, a marvel! I wax on about this dinner because in the world of food adventure, the gifts given: Cookbooks, oven dried tomatoes, herbs from the garden will make you happy over and over again. The lovely feeling of connecting with the gift givers( even if they are in NYC) or across town while cooking and cleaning is, well, priceless.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Miss Mousie/Bluebell mouse
See dandylandmuse blog for the complete story...I just had to have him on Pig and Peaches!
Guess What?
AE just told me P&P made GOOGLE! Just in time for his Sea Island Adventure. You'll never be without resources again for food, travel and adventure. You are just a click away. Check AE's new contest at the bottom of our page.
Sumac, a prelude to autumn
Heading out for a walk, this brilliant blaze caught my eye....
We were, after our walk, as wet as water soaked rats.
This saying a direct quote from Cebah.
GARDENS
GOING THROUGH THE BACK OF THE LUMBER YARD TO THAT GARDEN HAVEN, IS LIKE STEPPING THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS. I ALWAYS FEEL LIKE ALICE. URBAN SPRAWL(EVEN IN SHELBY CO.), HAS BOOMED IN THE PAST TWENTY YEARS.. THE OLD TIMEY SENTIMENT IS ALIVE AND WELL EACH TIME YOU ENTER THE BACKYARD PORTAL TO THE GARDEN. I AM ONE OF THE LUCKY TEN! THE TOMATOES FROM THAT GARDEN HAVE NOURISHED MY BODY AND SOUL THIS SUMMER.
SPEAKING OF GARDENS, I JUST RETURNED FROM EDEN....DUTTON HILL WAS DRENCHED IN RAIN FROM FAY, I TOOK A LONG WALK WITH DAN (IN THE RAIN) BACK THROUGH THE FIELDS AND WOODS. AS SOON AS I CAN GET TO MY COMPUTER I WILL DOWNLOAD THE FINEST EXAMPLES I HAVE OF WHY THAT FARM IS MAGICAL...
AE WILL BRING US MORE MAGIC FROM HIS TRAVELS. STAY TUNED. P&P IS ON THE MOVE.
SPEAKING OF GARDENS, I JUST RETURNED FROM EDEN....DUTTON HILL WAS DRENCHED IN RAIN FROM FAY, I TOOK A LONG WALK WITH DAN (IN THE RAIN) BACK THROUGH THE FIELDS AND WOODS. AS SOON AS I CAN GET TO MY COMPUTER I WILL DOWNLOAD THE FINEST EXAMPLES I HAVE OF WHY THAT FARM IS MAGICAL...
AE WILL BRING US MORE MAGIC FROM HIS TRAVELS. STAY TUNED. P&P IS ON THE MOVE.
gardens
i am heading out tomorrow for sea island. we'll be having dinner tomorrow night at the greyfield inn. very excited about this. just wanted to touch one one subject before i left. my dad's garden. he loves it. this garden is unique in a few aspects. the main one is, it is in the middle of town. by this i mean, it is right on us60, where we have about 50 cars go by every minute of daylight. it is between two businesses - a bank and a lumber company. he raises corn, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, squash, and melons. it is also unique in the fact that it is a shared garden. there are two main caretakers, but it provides bountiful vegetables for about 10 families in shelbyville. and it is a welcome respite to the mass development that has sprung up all around the fields i played in when i was growing up. i pass it near daily on my walk to the bank, and it always takes me to simple times in my mind. AE
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Louisville eats and why we love them
When approaching the top ten dining establishments in Louisville, it became a daunting task, for one
essential reason, it was very difficult to narrow the field to 10. That is a good thing. Guests from the big 3 cities, New York, LA, and Chicago often comment on the great selection of restaurants in Louisville. We have some great fine dining spots but we also have many, many small, off beat restaurants that could vie with any of the big city joints. One that comes to mind is the Mayan Gypsy. Most recently returning as the Mayan Cafe on Market Street... The owner/chef came from Mexico with little more than a burning desire. He started his business in a step-truck. Painted bright aqua, it could most often be found near construction sites. After several years of building a clientle,he opened a small diner on an uncharted area of Market. Tables were draped in assorted 40's tablecloths and the
Margaritas were icy and served in heavy tumblers. So, what made this place electric? Tamales so good... So fresh,wrapped in corn husks and steamed to perfection. My travels years ago to the Mayan region of Mexico, yeilded three distinct things in my memory bank, a backpack filled with chicklets( from the zillions of crafty street children), a six week stint of dysentery, and the best tamales under the sun. The Mayan Gypsy brought back that food memory for me.....,it lingers still. The Mayan closed a few years back but the chef is back doing his original idea after a short sabbactical in his homeland.
I haven't visited his new locale on the now trendy Market Street but Pig and Peaches has a mission and exploring Louisville's food finds makes this an imperative for my future dining. There are other spots on Market that will make this column, Artemesia, Primo, Toast....
Come along for the adventure of food and travel....join in, we love the input. AE is keeping me on my toes....and on my computer! His restaurant reputation goes unrivaled in these parts....
essential reason, it was very difficult to narrow the field to 10. That is a good thing. Guests from the big 3 cities, New York, LA, and Chicago often comment on the great selection of restaurants in Louisville. We have some great fine dining spots but we also have many, many small, off beat restaurants that could vie with any of the big city joints. One that comes to mind is the Mayan Gypsy. Most recently returning as the Mayan Cafe on Market Street... The owner/chef came from Mexico with little more than a burning desire. He started his business in a step-truck. Painted bright aqua, it could most often be found near construction sites. After several years of building a clientle,he opened a small diner on an uncharted area of Market. Tables were draped in assorted 40's tablecloths and the
Margaritas were icy and served in heavy tumblers. So, what made this place electric? Tamales so good... So fresh,wrapped in corn husks and steamed to perfection. My travels years ago to the Mayan region of Mexico, yeilded three distinct things in my memory bank, a backpack filled with chicklets( from the zillions of crafty street children), a six week stint of dysentery, and the best tamales under the sun. The Mayan Gypsy brought back that food memory for me.....,it lingers still. The Mayan closed a few years back but the chef is back doing his original idea after a short sabbactical in his homeland.
I haven't visited his new locale on the now trendy Market Street but Pig and Peaches has a mission and exploring Louisville's food finds makes this an imperative for my future dining. There are other spots on Market that will make this column, Artemesia, Primo, Toast....
Come along for the adventure of food and travel....join in, we love the input. AE is keeping me on my toes....and on my computer! His restaurant reputation goes unrivaled in these parts....
louisville,ky
i posted a list of cities a few weeks ago to vote for the best restaurants in america. i listed four cities, if i had listed five the fifth would be louisville,ky. ok ok- i know what you're going to say- you live there, of course your gonna list it. you would be right i do live there. but when i travel out of the country, i say i live in america, if they pry i say my house is in kentucky. i have been to the 50 biggest cities in the country, most of them many times. i try to go to the top 25 at least once every 5 years. granted, my daughter turning 2 last year and requiring an extra plane ticket slightly slowed this mass blanketing of my nation. but, when i do travel i seek out restaurants like a pig looking for black truffles in the forests of france. i use many sources to find where i am eating. magazines, newspapers, internet, friends in the city, television. anyway, just giving some credence as to why this statement should carry some weight- louisville can hang with any city except for new orleans, san fran, chicago, and new york.
reasons: we have a great culinary program at sullivan university. chef castro has taught many great chefs their profession at this institute, which is up there with the cia, johnson and wales, and maybe one other. my friend allan is also great at teaching ethnic cuisine. he is great with students also. these chefs come to louisville and fall in love with our city. we are lucky to be a big city without horrible traffic, our roads are really good. we are on the eastern time zone, a huge plus. and we are located in the population center of the country. shaded to the east coast, right in the middle- miami in 2 hours, new york city in 2 hours. back to food- why is it sooo good.
we have a history of food in this city. we invented the cheeseburger (kaelins), the hot brown (the brown hotel) and these are big dishes. we also are geographically gifted by having southern and northern influences. also, many establishments are owned by non-native americans. they seem to be excellent in the knack of running a restaurant if they love it. jeff jarfi (jarfi's); mehrzod sharbianni (z's); mahjid (saffron's and volare) ;and peng looi (asiatique and the august moon) are a few that come to mind. they bring an air of international cuisine to the table. we also have indian cuisine in shalimar and kashmir, and many japanese sushi houses. but so do most other cities- why is louisville better. is it the water that sits in our romantic reservoir- my favorite spot in louisville by the way- i can't believe they put up gates so we can't walk there at night. is it the great ingredients that grow from our wonderful soil- or just a drive that is needed to succeed in a restaurant where the bar was set so high by the great restaurants. kathy cary and lilly's, and mrs. shepard at cafe metro are partly responsible for this "high bar".
also, there are distinctive areas for dining, which can each create a different feel. you have bardstown road: seviche, jack fry's de la torr'e uptown and metro, nio's. you have frankfort ave: porcini's, irish rover, north end, and bourbons. you have old louisville: buck's, 610, amici, and carly rae's. there's downtown with morton's, jeff ruby's, proof, primo, park place, blu, and melillo's. and finally the east end, many chains as well as cafe perussa, z's, and limestone. each area offers a different feel of the city. suburbanite, funky, sophisticated, or relaxed. and each can take on a different one of these at any time.
so what is the exact point that puts louisville so far ahead, there isn't just one. by looking at the coverage we give our food (the courier journal in the scene), louisville hotbytes website, the leo, the voice, the louisville originals alliance- it shows we are very in tune with where we eat, and we want the best. its that simple. or was that simple? the fact is we have an outstanding array of dining spots and i'd go as far to say that there is no city our size that can hang with us, and we are better than all but those four. now don't get me wrong- philly has le bec fin which is better than any reataurant we have, but after that angelina comes to mind, and very few others. there are cities with a few great restaurants, but our bottom tier still gets visited by people who do know good food, and that is saying a lot. where are we eating tonight?
reasons: we have a great culinary program at sullivan university. chef castro has taught many great chefs their profession at this institute, which is up there with the cia, johnson and wales, and maybe one other. my friend allan is also great at teaching ethnic cuisine. he is great with students also. these chefs come to louisville and fall in love with our city. we are lucky to be a big city without horrible traffic, our roads are really good. we are on the eastern time zone, a huge plus. and we are located in the population center of the country. shaded to the east coast, right in the middle- miami in 2 hours, new york city in 2 hours. back to food- why is it sooo good.
we have a history of food in this city. we invented the cheeseburger (kaelins), the hot brown (the brown hotel) and these are big dishes. we also are geographically gifted by having southern and northern influences. also, many establishments are owned by non-native americans. they seem to be excellent in the knack of running a restaurant if they love it. jeff jarfi (jarfi's); mehrzod sharbianni (z's); mahjid (saffron's and volare) ;and peng looi (asiatique and the august moon) are a few that come to mind. they bring an air of international cuisine to the table. we also have indian cuisine in shalimar and kashmir, and many japanese sushi houses. but so do most other cities- why is louisville better. is it the water that sits in our romantic reservoir- my favorite spot in louisville by the way- i can't believe they put up gates so we can't walk there at night. is it the great ingredients that grow from our wonderful soil- or just a drive that is needed to succeed in a restaurant where the bar was set so high by the great restaurants. kathy cary and lilly's, and mrs. shepard at cafe metro are partly responsible for this "high bar".
also, there are distinctive areas for dining, which can each create a different feel. you have bardstown road: seviche, jack fry's de la torr'e uptown and metro, nio's. you have frankfort ave: porcini's, irish rover, north end, and bourbons. you have old louisville: buck's, 610, amici, and carly rae's. there's downtown with morton's, jeff ruby's, proof, primo, park place, blu, and melillo's. and finally the east end, many chains as well as cafe perussa, z's, and limestone. each area offers a different feel of the city. suburbanite, funky, sophisticated, or relaxed. and each can take on a different one of these at any time.
so what is the exact point that puts louisville so far ahead, there isn't just one. by looking at the coverage we give our food (the courier journal in the scene), louisville hotbytes website, the leo, the voice, the louisville originals alliance- it shows we are very in tune with where we eat, and we want the best. its that simple. or was that simple? the fact is we have an outstanding array of dining spots and i'd go as far to say that there is no city our size that can hang with us, and we are better than all but those four. now don't get me wrong- philly has le bec fin which is better than any reataurant we have, but after that angelina comes to mind, and very few others. there are cities with a few great restaurants, but our bottom tier still gets visited by people who do know good food, and that is saying a lot. where are we eating tonight?
Monday, August 25, 2008
610 magnolia
saturday during the day i was informed my daughter was spending the night with grandmommy and her mother and i were free to eat at a grown-up restaurant. this explains why 610 was not on my list friday. i was excited and thought quickly- where to go i could get in. it was 3:45 i wanted to eat at 7. le relais was not available. i thought- proof or 610. i called 610 first-money.
when we arrived, our last name was requested and we were taken immediately to our table. we were given a "center stage" table and asked about a cocktail. JLG ordered a champagne and i a glass of chardonnay. they were poured tableside and we toasted to the good ole days- as i always do. the $75 prix fixe 5 course menu had a few choices to be made, so we perused the two pages. our starters were picked for us. a house cured gravlix with sturgeon caviar atop a cucumber; a country pate atop a fancy crouton; and my favorite, the 610 blt. this blt had foie gras as its main ingredient.
for our second course, i had a nova scotia lobster with a green sauce that might have been flavored of melon. it was very mild, but the lobster would've been fine bare. the succulent meat was shown perfect resistance to the bite. JLG had a salad consisting of two colors of green beans, balsamic vinegar, and a wonderful goat cheese. the green green beans were good, but the white ones were not tasty. a little lettuce rounded out the beautifully presented square plate.
our third course was the official salad course. i had a ravioli that was recommended by our wonderful server. she has been with he restaurant since the days ed garber had his over the top tasting dinners- invitation only. trust me- it was THE place to be whenever they were given. the ravioli was four or five plump round handmade noodles with a ground dry cheese on top. JLG had the same version as mine, except with eggplant as her filling. some tangy sun-dried tomatoes rounded out the dish. this was my least favorite of my dishes, not very memorable.
the main dish was beef for me. two ways, with potatoes and bacon in the middle. a brisket cube was to my right. it was very flavorful and cooked to perfection. the strip on my left was beautifully red and was sliced into strips. there was just enough fat on these strips to lend wonderful flavor to the meat. JLG had a sea bass. i believe there was a lemon sauce on the fish.. i am not a huge fan of fish, but i'll always take a couple of bites of anything. it was very mild, and i feel the sauce could have lent more flavor. i had a glass of spanish red wine with my meat, served in wonderful stemware.
dessert- JLG had a peach bread pudding. it was very good, served in a cool "wings lifted" bowl.. i had a pomegranite fig tartlette with balsamic gelato atop. the ice cream melded perfectly with the dry tartlette, and the three split figs were a wonderful treat. the petit fours were also great. cheesecake on a stick, covered with chocolate, and a cake that was outstanding.
when i compare this restaurant with a five star restaurant (and keep in mind 610 is our city's best shot-corbetts is too big and tries to do too much) i feel that taste is all that's missing. granted, this is a huge factor. there was but one service error, and that was simply failure to remove an empty chardonnay glass after pouring the red wine. with the two super attentive servers, this was as close to perfection as you can get in Louisville. i have been to this place twice since ed lee took over, and i felt the flavor was just under 5 star quality. he is an incredibly nice man and a gracious host. what he brings to the table is the closest thing we have to a 5 star restaurant in louisville. our bill was $240 and that showed with the 5 tables that were there as we dined. but it was summer and they'll be fine. ****stars excellence is achieved AE
when we arrived, our last name was requested and we were taken immediately to our table. we were given a "center stage" table and asked about a cocktail. JLG ordered a champagne and i a glass of chardonnay. they were poured tableside and we toasted to the good ole days- as i always do. the $75 prix fixe 5 course menu had a few choices to be made, so we perused the two pages. our starters were picked for us. a house cured gravlix with sturgeon caviar atop a cucumber; a country pate atop a fancy crouton; and my favorite, the 610 blt. this blt had foie gras as its main ingredient.
for our second course, i had a nova scotia lobster with a green sauce that might have been flavored of melon. it was very mild, but the lobster would've been fine bare. the succulent meat was shown perfect resistance to the bite. JLG had a salad consisting of two colors of green beans, balsamic vinegar, and a wonderful goat cheese. the green green beans were good, but the white ones were not tasty. a little lettuce rounded out the beautifully presented square plate.
our third course was the official salad course. i had a ravioli that was recommended by our wonderful server. she has been with he restaurant since the days ed garber had his over the top tasting dinners- invitation only. trust me- it was THE place to be whenever they were given. the ravioli was four or five plump round handmade noodles with a ground dry cheese on top. JLG had the same version as mine, except with eggplant as her filling. some tangy sun-dried tomatoes rounded out the dish. this was my least favorite of my dishes, not very memorable.
the main dish was beef for me. two ways, with potatoes and bacon in the middle. a brisket cube was to my right. it was very flavorful and cooked to perfection. the strip on my left was beautifully red and was sliced into strips. there was just enough fat on these strips to lend wonderful flavor to the meat. JLG had a sea bass. i believe there was a lemon sauce on the fish.. i am not a huge fan of fish, but i'll always take a couple of bites of anything. it was very mild, and i feel the sauce could have lent more flavor. i had a glass of spanish red wine with my meat, served in wonderful stemware.
dessert- JLG had a peach bread pudding. it was very good, served in a cool "wings lifted" bowl.. i had a pomegranite fig tartlette with balsamic gelato atop. the ice cream melded perfectly with the dry tartlette, and the three split figs were a wonderful treat. the petit fours were also great. cheesecake on a stick, covered with chocolate, and a cake that was outstanding.
when i compare this restaurant with a five star restaurant (and keep in mind 610 is our city's best shot-corbetts is too big and tries to do too much) i feel that taste is all that's missing. granted, this is a huge factor. there was but one service error, and that was simply failure to remove an empty chardonnay glass after pouring the red wine. with the two super attentive servers, this was as close to perfection as you can get in Louisville. i have been to this place twice since ed lee took over, and i felt the flavor was just under 5 star quality. he is an incredibly nice man and a gracious host. what he brings to the table is the closest thing we have to a 5 star restaurant in louisville. our bill was $240 and that showed with the 5 tables that were there as we dined. but it was summer and they'll be fine. ****stars excellence is achieved AE
Weekend. Monday morning and musings
After a more than crazy weekend, I have finally found a minute. Is this insane or what? I am supposed to be, well, relaxed and easing into a saner, softer, more simple way of life. Hasn't happened,yet! Musing on that lifestyle makes me wonder if sane is all it is cracked up to be...ask anyone who knows my passion for moving things about....a book could be written....
Nancy left an interesting blog and it made me think of all my sweet nieces-in-laws~~~~~~~~ see above photo.
I had lunch with Tari today at Jack Fry's and it made me appreciate what wonderful and exciting females role models Nancy and Tari are....we are so lucky to have them in the Dutton fold.
Tari works at Jack Fry's and if you aren't exhausted yet by the Jack Fry's hoopla ...let me say, lunch today was completely divine.
My friend Polly and her 88 year old mother, Eloise and I met there. We were lucky enough to get Tari( I asked for her!)....Tari recommended the Thai chicken salad. I was leaning toward the Tahi chicken salad anyway..... Too good for words. Thinly shredded chicken, crisp romaine and cucumbers were tossed in a light peanut, sesame dressing, the finishing touch was a sprinkling of crunchy rice noodles on top of the salad..... Eloise and I started with a cup of smoky tomato soup. Brightly flavored, real smoky tomato taste with just enough kick to wake up your senses. We segued into our entrees, Eloise had the special sandwich..smoked salmon, benedictine and bacon served on rye bread. She could not have been happier. She is recovering from a broken hip and she said it was the best meal she'd had in a long time. Polly had the all American burger and fries.....need I say more? Eloise and my mom are from the old school, no meal is finished until you have dessert. Tari brought us a blueberry crumble, hot and crunchy, topped with a big scoop of ice cream.....it was an large lunch, but , very, very satisfying.
I am cooking dinner tonight and I NEED to be hungry to get my creative juices going...Guess I had better go water and sweep outside to balance another perfectly executed meal from Jack Fry's.
Friday, August 22, 2008
8/23/08
when i decide we are going out on a weekend (usually saturday) and a few parties are involved, i make a list. what restaurants sound good. good for the weather, maybe somewhere i haven't been in a while, or maybe i'm just craving it. anyway, my list for this weekend is as follows::
brix wine bar (maybe t. hood will be performing)
carly rae's
makers mark (4th street live)
rich o's
ditto's
i'll try to do this every weekend i am in town.
brix wine bar (maybe t. hood will be performing)
carly rae's
makers mark (4th street live)
rich o's
ditto's
i'll try to do this every weekend i am in town.
State Fair, Horse Show, Friends
Yesterday afternoon took more than a little urging for me to convince WFS we HAD to go to the Kentucky State Fair. He generally isn't reluctant to go anywhere/anytime~~~~~after a little nudging and cajoling, he agreed. The state fair can't be missed. My friend, Marion, a state fair newbie and horse show lover, was ready and willing to do the thrills up close. Deal done. We agreed to meet at the fair. WFS and I arrived about one hour before Maid Marion, lots of time to: people watch, cake and pie view, gaze into antiques road show rejects booth, look at quilts, art, photography, on and on....A word to the wise, if you like the food section, for the sake of sanity; go early in the week. The moss growing mold and flies swarming in the glass cases left this girl in shock. I recovered.
It was time to meet up with Marion. We headed toward the horse show. Now, there are two sides to everything and the state fair is no exception. There's the outside/midway crowd and the inside/air conditioned horse show crowd....and never the twain shall meet. Outside, all you need to know, was handily covered by AE last week. That testimonial could not be improved. The inside, a site to behold. Perfectly coifed men, women, children and horses. Trim, sleek, fancifully dressed. An air of gracious gentility. Grand scope of events, this one! Our friend and Horse Show Captain, invited us to sit in his box...a spot saved for the most illustrious. We were in! Marion joined us there and if you don't know Marion, this will probably not do her justice....but the girl can work a crowd. She arrived, looking a million...crawling over seats with her wine in tow. It was hard to concentrate on horses when we had to give fashion citations and the like but we managed. We were having such fun we completely forgot our kind servant, WFS, who continually refreshed our drinks and carried us food...so as not to disturb our horse watching...I suspect you know by now WFS was completely into the evening and his considerate reputation.... redeemed. We took a break from the flutter of refined festivities and returned to the outside....We strolled through the new north wing pavilion and looked at some very expensive nic nac booths. Marion had some goals in mind....she can blog on these if she so desires. After a corn dog, the evening was coming to an end. We left Marion by Freddie Farm Bureau, swathed in blue plastic...Freddie had been put to bed for the night and I was going to do likewise.
It was time to meet up with Marion. We headed toward the horse show. Now, there are two sides to everything and the state fair is no exception. There's the outside/midway crowd and the inside/air conditioned horse show crowd....and never the twain shall meet. Outside, all you need to know, was handily covered by AE last week. That testimonial could not be improved. The inside, a site to behold. Perfectly coifed men, women, children and horses. Trim, sleek, fancifully dressed. An air of gracious gentility. Grand scope of events, this one! Our friend and Horse Show Captain, invited us to sit in his box...a spot saved for the most illustrious. We were in! Marion joined us there and if you don't know Marion, this will probably not do her justice....but the girl can work a crowd. She arrived, looking a million...crawling over seats with her wine in tow. It was hard to concentrate on horses when we had to give fashion citations and the like but we managed. We were having such fun we completely forgot our kind servant, WFS, who continually refreshed our drinks and carried us food...so as not to disturb our horse watching...I suspect you know by now WFS was completely into the evening and his considerate reputation.... redeemed. We took a break from the flutter of refined festivities and returned to the outside....We strolled through the new north wing pavilion and looked at some very expensive nic nac booths. Marion had some goals in mind....she can blog on these if she so desires. After a corn dog, the evening was coming to an end. We left Marion by Freddie Farm Bureau, swathed in blue plastic...Freddie had been put to bed for the night and I was going to do likewise.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
great louisville dishes
well, yesterday i listed my top fourteen dishes in louisville. these are looking at one criteria only. taste. presentation does not matter, although i can't think of any of these that aren't plated well. restaurant does not matter, server does not matter. i'll list one dessert, one drink, and the rest are appetizers and entrees.
ASIARITA this drink from asiatique brings the goods. served up with a retro shaker, the libation is so cold, ice forms on your chilled half salted rim. kinda sweet and very savory.
TRUFFLE MAC AND CHEESE this appetizer comes in a black iron skillet the size of a silver dollar pancake piping hot. delectable taste with a kick, avalon hits a homerun with this one.
BAKED BRIE WITH HABANERO JELLY they've been serving this appetizer since the early days. the assorted crackers go perfect and the jelly and crust make it. this plate always gets sent back empty.
CALAMARI FRITTA i recently tried this for the first time while at a bats game. i was with my family so i hurried to the bar to get back to them. i didn't want a dog, so i just ordered something while i talked to jay, the chef. i was amazed at the texture and flavor. two sauces compliment this dish to the max.
CHICKEN PANNINI this pressed sandwich from blue dog bakery is a lunchtime hit. the cheese is perfect and the bread is awesome.
CANTONESE NOODLES my lady would not let me in the house if i left this one out. if you've got a mild tongue, steer clear. bean sprouts and heavy noodles, spicy x2.
SEAFOOD PAELLA it takes two to order this big boy from de la torre's. find a friend and enjoy.
LASAGNA if you go to melillo's for this dish, having a friend might not hurt. its the biggest i've ever seen!
PORK CHOP SANDWICH i love this sandwich from 3rd avenue cafe. it is hot and sweet, the plain bun somehow adds, yes, adds to the sandwich.
PARILLADA one of my top three. this meal comes on a ceramic grill delivered to your table. it contains an argentine strip steak whose flavor is noticeably different. the chorizo sausage is what makes this dish go. the flavor here is so good. the brother owners are from south america and house make this sausage. i usually get two sausages and leave off the ribs. finishing out this plate are sweetbreads. they know how to do these as well.
CHURRASCOS DE ARGENTINA also one of the top three. the skirt steak is so generous, the chimichurri is divine, and the mashed potatoes stay hot for the entire meal and are wonderful. this dish is bliss.
PASTA BOLOGNESE when chef michael crouch perfected this dish, he made a lot of diners at bourbon's very happy. the meaty sauce rings with flavor, and the noodles compliment the sauce to perfection.
RATTLESNAKE PASTA the final of the top three. served at j alexanders- red, yellow, green peppers, a tiny amount of finely chopped onion, shaved chicken breast, linguine noodles, and a spicy peppery cream sauce make this dish soar. i can't say how much i love this dish.
CREME BRULEE CHEESECAKE this round mass of goodness is topped off with a flambeed crust. amerigo has this dessert correct.
well there they are- i know there is a chocolate molten cake out there that i can't put my finger on, and i did not touch on breakfast foods. i love breakfast foods and that will be a seperate entry. there are many dishes that are equally good out there, lots of specials can blow me away. the escargot at le ralais and the crab cake at bucks just missed the list. just so many great restaurants in this city. AE
ASIARITA this drink from asiatique brings the goods. served up with a retro shaker, the libation is so cold, ice forms on your chilled half salted rim. kinda sweet and very savory.
TRUFFLE MAC AND CHEESE this appetizer comes in a black iron skillet the size of a silver dollar pancake piping hot. delectable taste with a kick, avalon hits a homerun with this one.
BAKED BRIE WITH HABANERO JELLY they've been serving this appetizer since the early days. the assorted crackers go perfect and the jelly and crust make it. this plate always gets sent back empty.
CALAMARI FRITTA i recently tried this for the first time while at a bats game. i was with my family so i hurried to the bar to get back to them. i didn't want a dog, so i just ordered something while i talked to jay, the chef. i was amazed at the texture and flavor. two sauces compliment this dish to the max.
CHICKEN PANNINI this pressed sandwich from blue dog bakery is a lunchtime hit. the cheese is perfect and the bread is awesome.
CANTONESE NOODLES my lady would not let me in the house if i left this one out. if you've got a mild tongue, steer clear. bean sprouts and heavy noodles, spicy x2.
SEAFOOD PAELLA it takes two to order this big boy from de la torre's. find a friend and enjoy.
LASAGNA if you go to melillo's for this dish, having a friend might not hurt. its the biggest i've ever seen!
PORK CHOP SANDWICH i love this sandwich from 3rd avenue cafe. it is hot and sweet, the plain bun somehow adds, yes, adds to the sandwich.
PARILLADA one of my top three. this meal comes on a ceramic grill delivered to your table. it contains an argentine strip steak whose flavor is noticeably different. the chorizo sausage is what makes this dish go. the flavor here is so good. the brother owners are from south america and house make this sausage. i usually get two sausages and leave off the ribs. finishing out this plate are sweetbreads. they know how to do these as well.
CHURRASCOS DE ARGENTINA also one of the top three. the skirt steak is so generous, the chimichurri is divine, and the mashed potatoes stay hot for the entire meal and are wonderful. this dish is bliss.
PASTA BOLOGNESE when chef michael crouch perfected this dish, he made a lot of diners at bourbon's very happy. the meaty sauce rings with flavor, and the noodles compliment the sauce to perfection.
RATTLESNAKE PASTA the final of the top three. served at j alexanders- red, yellow, green peppers, a tiny amount of finely chopped onion, shaved chicken breast, linguine noodles, and a spicy peppery cream sauce make this dish soar. i can't say how much i love this dish.
CREME BRULEE CHEESECAKE this round mass of goodness is topped off with a flambeed crust. amerigo has this dessert correct.
well there they are- i know there is a chocolate molten cake out there that i can't put my finger on, and i did not touch on breakfast foods. i love breakfast foods and that will be a seperate entry. there are many dishes that are equally good out there, lots of specials can blow me away. the escargot at le ralais and the crab cake at bucks just missed the list. just so many great restaurants in this city. AE
SBD's top ten in Louisville
After reading AE's fine contribution to our food, travel and adventure blog, I decided to tackle the top ten. AE and I have discussed this in various configurations many times...who? what? where? the best, always a variable in the dining scene . There are restaurants, however, in Louisville, that can always be counted on to provide fine dining, great service or as in the case of the Come Back Inn, something entirely off the charts of ordinary review criterion. So, I start my list of ten:
Le Relais. There is only one thing I could add, the art deco interior has a mood unsurpassed by any other restaurant in Louisville. Outside dining, with small planes buzzing around Bowman field, is a great alternative to the dressy interior...just sit back,order a drink, enjoy the splendid cuisine in a casual atmosphere. Le Relais is the best,. hands down.
Jack Fry's. I think we've covered this fine establishment. Jack Fry's never fails, it has a buzz without small planes and is the place to see and be seen, or sit and go unnoticed.....
610 Magnolia. One of the things I loved about Ed Garber's 610 Magnolia was Ed. Ed Lee(from NYC) has a flicker, Eddie Garber, a red hot flame. Enough said.
211 Clover. A lovely, lovely restaurant. Fine french cuisine served with a local twist... a beautiful outside patio under a big, leafy tree...and servers that know food, love food and can recommend wine to match. A brilliant combination. 211 Clover works for me, and seemingly dozens of other assisted living types.....
Maido Japanese. Chef Toki is from Japan and learned at her mother's knee. She is a young, exquisite chef. She can produce art on a plate that brings gasps....She would be on my top ten for her seaweed salad and noodles. When I asked her secret, she told me she chants over her noodles and broth....I am not sure what this does, but the results of ethereal. On a drizzly evening with just the hint of winter, Toki can restore my soul with her noodles.
Mojitos. New, exciting, crammed with people vying for a seat. Latin, Cuban, French fusion. What's not to like? I want to go often but getting in is a process ...and it takes patience...I am an instant gratification girl~~~~~~~
Simply Thai. It shocked me that I included this restaurant. It is in our neighborhood. The chef is a woman,formerly a doctor, from Thailand. We can get take away, bring it home or eat in the tiny purple dining room. Whichever way we chose, the tofu is dreamy, the curry fiery and the ingredients fresh, fresh, fresh. I long for that combination and Simply Thai simply gets it.
Blue Dog Bakery. I know, I know...it isn't a dinner establishment....but if you have breakfast or lunch at Blue Dog it is so incredible that you don't NEED another meal. Their artisan bread is legendary. Their food incomprehensibly good, the dining room spotless clean and cozy. From their sandwiches prepared on fresh, real bread to their eggs with piperade, this place rocks. We need only to crack the door and our Americano and lattes are started. Service can be a bit spotty but once you get the Blue Dog rhythm and relax into it, things go much easier....Blue Dog makes my list because for years it is the place I go again and again. All seasons, it brings me delight. I could not imagine Louisville without Blue Dog.
The Patron. Great local food. Great location. Funky interior. Good art. Sunday brunch, heavenly. Not without its flaws...but for most of the time, The Patron succeeds. Owner and chef, Amber McCool is hands on, as is her partner and the in house baker, Matt. They have a combination that is so cool.
Lily's and The English Room. Very different, both good, consistent and certainly fine enough to make a top ten anywhere across the universe. We are lucky to have both in Louisville, so why don't I eat there more often? Probably because my grid is set in stone. We eat at home a lot and nights out we wander the same circuit. I save my culinary adventures for road trips.
And now, drum roll~~~~~~~~Proof....we are lucky to have this off beat and imaginative spot in Louisville. However, Chef Michael needs to go to southern hospitality school. We, here in the gateway to the south, are used to our enquiring being indulged, if not answered. We steadfastly stand on manners....and a welcome smile. I get extraordinarily good service MOST of the time...but Proof can fall so short so much of the time that is is hard for me to muster,"Let's go to Proof." For a $150.00 & up for two, you gotta treat me like Madame Vanderbilt...
Le Relais. There is only one thing I could add, the art deco interior has a mood unsurpassed by any other restaurant in Louisville. Outside dining, with small planes buzzing around Bowman field, is a great alternative to the dressy interior...just sit back,order a drink, enjoy the splendid cuisine in a casual atmosphere. Le Relais is the best,. hands down.
Jack Fry's. I think we've covered this fine establishment. Jack Fry's never fails, it has a buzz without small planes and is the place to see and be seen, or sit and go unnoticed.....
610 Magnolia. One of the things I loved about Ed Garber's 610 Magnolia was Ed. Ed Lee(from NYC) has a flicker, Eddie Garber, a red hot flame. Enough said.
211 Clover. A lovely, lovely restaurant. Fine french cuisine served with a local twist... a beautiful outside patio under a big, leafy tree...and servers that know food, love food and can recommend wine to match. A brilliant combination. 211 Clover works for me, and seemingly dozens of other assisted living types.....
Maido Japanese. Chef Toki is from Japan and learned at her mother's knee. She is a young, exquisite chef. She can produce art on a plate that brings gasps....She would be on my top ten for her seaweed salad and noodles. When I asked her secret, she told me she chants over her noodles and broth....I am not sure what this does, but the results of ethereal. On a drizzly evening with just the hint of winter, Toki can restore my soul with her noodles.
Mojitos. New, exciting, crammed with people vying for a seat. Latin, Cuban, French fusion. What's not to like? I want to go often but getting in is a process ...and it takes patience...I am an instant gratification girl~~~~~~~
Simply Thai. It shocked me that I included this restaurant. It is in our neighborhood. The chef is a woman,formerly a doctor, from Thailand. We can get take away, bring it home or eat in the tiny purple dining room. Whichever way we chose, the tofu is dreamy, the curry fiery and the ingredients fresh, fresh, fresh. I long for that combination and Simply Thai simply gets it.
Blue Dog Bakery. I know, I know...it isn't a dinner establishment....but if you have breakfast or lunch at Blue Dog it is so incredible that you don't NEED another meal. Their artisan bread is legendary. Their food incomprehensibly good, the dining room spotless clean and cozy. From their sandwiches prepared on fresh, real bread to their eggs with piperade, this place rocks. We need only to crack the door and our Americano and lattes are started. Service can be a bit spotty but once you get the Blue Dog rhythm and relax into it, things go much easier....Blue Dog makes my list because for years it is the place I go again and again. All seasons, it brings me delight. I could not imagine Louisville without Blue Dog.
The Patron. Great local food. Great location. Funky interior. Good art. Sunday brunch, heavenly. Not without its flaws...but for most of the time, The Patron succeeds. Owner and chef, Amber McCool is hands on, as is her partner and the in house baker, Matt. They have a combination that is so cool.
Lily's and The English Room. Very different, both good, consistent and certainly fine enough to make a top ten anywhere across the universe. We are lucky to have both in Louisville, so why don't I eat there more often? Probably because my grid is set in stone. We eat at home a lot and nights out we wander the same circuit. I save my culinary adventures for road trips.
And now, drum roll~~~~~~~~Proof....we are lucky to have this off beat and imaginative spot in Louisville. However, Chef Michael needs to go to southern hospitality school. We, here in the gateway to the south, are used to our enquiring being indulged, if not answered. We steadfastly stand on manners....and a welcome smile. I get extraordinarily good service MOST of the time...but Proof can fall so short so much of the time that is is hard for me to muster,"Let's go to Proof." For a $150.00 & up for two, you gotta treat me like Madame Vanderbilt...
An adventure inside an adventure
Zip and Chance and their owners were preparing for a trail ride down the dusty road to the Amish village. I stopped to talk with the fellows saddling up and was offered a ride on Zip( shown above). As we came back out of the valley those two guys were eating a bologna sandwich by the creek, just cooling off, they hollered! Zip and Chance had no comment.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Home sings me a sweet song
Some folks are lucky enough to spend a few days or weeks on Dutton Hill, some of us luckier still, to call to it home. Our life..
We are indeed, lucky. The number of folks falling into the category of family know who they are---- our real family, the ones that fall in love the minute they climb the hill and see our mother setting the table, picking the vegetables, telling a tale, singing an old folk song or showing off her varied collections. Generally making each moment, well.... momentous. You just know, this is it and IT doesn't have to be defined. And the food. If food is love, if food is life, if food is joy...food from Cebah's kitchen is the nearest thing to heaven that I know. Because, one smell, one bite, one piece of fried chicken and it is all encompassing. I have been home for the past two days. Gone are the days of Mom gathering everything from scratch and having a meal ready in an hour, but the memories, oh, the memories. You couldn't pry them from me with a crowbar.
Last night I crawled into bed, the window open. The bugs sawing away outside, a little breeze kicking..... instant sleep. As the first birds started chirping this morning, I could smell the double strong coffee coming from the kitchen. The day began. And what a day it was. We decided to go on a little road trip over to the Amish Village. This is about a twenty-five minute drive through country that is stunningly beautiful. We drove slowly over Fishing Creek, following its snake path through the rolling verdant hills. Long fields of corn flanked each side of the road. As we turned from the blacktop road to the dusty, narrow dirt road, we passed by the persimmon tree. On a previous trip, a year or so ago, my mother had me climb on top of my car to shake the persimmons from the tree. She stood on the ground whooping with delight each time another orange cascade fell from the sky. We gathered enough for her persimmon pudding.
We drove past fences holding chickens, goats,cows and horses. We drove through low bottom ground brimming with ripe watermelons. Horse drawn rakes were fluffing the hay into rows. Shy children were playing under shade trees near the back porch. Sheets and overalls were drying on clotheslines, propped up with slender sapling poles. We stopped often by the creek bed and fields to just soak up the quiet contentment of the day. Without a word we both knew this was a hard life but a good life. A way of life we both knew well.
We stopped in the Amish store, stocking up on 'bulk items'...The Amish women do not speak much and help only if you ask. Otherwise, gather your goods, pay in cash and leave quietly. I always get: strike anywhere matches, poison ivy soap, homemade butter and assorted dried fruits. Somehow we always manage to get lots of items but the staples are always the same for me.
My mom is getting older and her days are not as active...she can still tell a story that will amaze and amuse...she still bosses her kids around and she adores her new little boy, Alf, the pup. I dream of Paris, I dream of New York, I dream of Spain.....I dream and dream but I live a charmed life. I am Cebah's daughter.
We are indeed, lucky. The number of folks falling into the category of family know who they are---- our real family, the ones that fall in love the minute they climb the hill and see our mother setting the table, picking the vegetables, telling a tale, singing an old folk song or showing off her varied collections. Generally making each moment, well.... momentous. You just know, this is it and IT doesn't have to be defined. And the food. If food is love, if food is life, if food is joy...food from Cebah's kitchen is the nearest thing to heaven that I know. Because, one smell, one bite, one piece of fried chicken and it is all encompassing. I have been home for the past two days. Gone are the days of Mom gathering everything from scratch and having a meal ready in an hour, but the memories, oh, the memories. You couldn't pry them from me with a crowbar.
Last night I crawled into bed, the window open. The bugs sawing away outside, a little breeze kicking..... instant sleep. As the first birds started chirping this morning, I could smell the double strong coffee coming from the kitchen. The day began. And what a day it was. We decided to go on a little road trip over to the Amish Village. This is about a twenty-five minute drive through country that is stunningly beautiful. We drove slowly over Fishing Creek, following its snake path through the rolling verdant hills. Long fields of corn flanked each side of the road. As we turned from the blacktop road to the dusty, narrow dirt road, we passed by the persimmon tree. On a previous trip, a year or so ago, my mother had me climb on top of my car to shake the persimmons from the tree. She stood on the ground whooping with delight each time another orange cascade fell from the sky. We gathered enough for her persimmon pudding.
We drove past fences holding chickens, goats,cows and horses. We drove through low bottom ground brimming with ripe watermelons. Horse drawn rakes were fluffing the hay into rows. Shy children were playing under shade trees near the back porch. Sheets and overalls were drying on clotheslines, propped up with slender sapling poles. We stopped often by the creek bed and fields to just soak up the quiet contentment of the day. Without a word we both knew this was a hard life but a good life. A way of life we both knew well.
We stopped in the Amish store, stocking up on 'bulk items'...The Amish women do not speak much and help only if you ask. Otherwise, gather your goods, pay in cash and leave quietly. I always get: strike anywhere matches, poison ivy soap, homemade butter and assorted dried fruits. Somehow we always manage to get lots of items but the staples are always the same for me.
My mom is getting older and her days are not as active...she can still tell a story that will amaze and amuse...she still bosses her kids around and she adores her new little boy, Alf, the pup. I dream of Paris, I dream of New York, I dream of Spain.....I dream and dream but I live a charmed life. I am Cebah's daughter.
louisville's top ten
ok- i warned you this might be coming. here is my list. personal favorites in my hometown. these restaurants display an integrity in the food industry over time. no new restaurants are allowed on my top ten list. establish yourself and we'll recognize. drum roll please>><>>>
LE RELAIS whats not to like. most romantic restaurant in louisville. great french food, good host, inventive chef
JACK FRY'S these two are at the top of the list for a reason. atmosphere does it all here. and the challenge of getting in. love the piano music, and the food is solid. service is above top notch and great bar
SEVICHE although its stock has gone down a little ( you can actually get in on a saturday now) this gem still shines bright. the brie appetizer with the habanero jelly and the churrascos de argentina would stick out on ANY menu. great decor inside or out. wonderful location.
PALERMO VIEJO this one goes hand in hand with seviche for me. the paradilla is one of the best dishes in louisville. the bar is thoughtfully stocked, and the staff is amiable. great sangria.
VOLARE Mahjid has turned this restaurant into what was needed on fankfort avenue. the best italian restaurant in town. lively atmosphere and wonderful cuisine.
Z'S OYSTER BAR AND STEAKHOUSE when Mehrzod opened this spot years ago, the service was shoddy and i wondered if the restaurant would last 2 years. what a difference 1 year makes. not only did service match the cuisine, it surpassed it. wanna see action on derby night- come here
THE ENGLISH GRILL for a genteel dining experience, nothing beats old world dining at this spot. the chefs table is an experience not to miss in one's life
610 MAGNOLIA when ed gerber sold this business to ed lee, the restaurant lost the most creative chef in louisville. what it did not lose was the beautiful dining room and a forward thinking approach not seen elsewhere in louisville
COME BACK INN on a cool evening, this place is impossible to beat. the italian dishes are turned out with methodical greatness and i don't think there is a time you can go when there is no wait.
PAT'S STEAKHOUSE you might be able to find a little better atmosphere at jeff ruby's (total opposite style) or a slightly better steak at ruth's chris- but the intangibles keep this dining institution on the list (albeit at the bottom) the owner is always there, he cuts his own beef, the place is like going back in time, its not a chain, and the atmosphere is irish- which is at least original.
there were so many that could've fell right onto this list on a different day- lilly's, park place, buck's. but for now, this is the list. love it or hate- lists always make for good conversation. cafe perussa has a lot of potential, as does a few other new comers. if they stay the course, they'll be fine AE
LE RELAIS whats not to like. most romantic restaurant in louisville. great french food, good host, inventive chef
JACK FRY'S these two are at the top of the list for a reason. atmosphere does it all here. and the challenge of getting in. love the piano music, and the food is solid. service is above top notch and great bar
SEVICHE although its stock has gone down a little ( you can actually get in on a saturday now) this gem still shines bright. the brie appetizer with the habanero jelly and the churrascos de argentina would stick out on ANY menu. great decor inside or out. wonderful location.
PALERMO VIEJO this one goes hand in hand with seviche for me. the paradilla is one of the best dishes in louisville. the bar is thoughtfully stocked, and the staff is amiable. great sangria.
VOLARE Mahjid has turned this restaurant into what was needed on fankfort avenue. the best italian restaurant in town. lively atmosphere and wonderful cuisine.
Z'S OYSTER BAR AND STEAKHOUSE when Mehrzod opened this spot years ago, the service was shoddy and i wondered if the restaurant would last 2 years. what a difference 1 year makes. not only did service match the cuisine, it surpassed it. wanna see action on derby night- come here
THE ENGLISH GRILL for a genteel dining experience, nothing beats old world dining at this spot. the chefs table is an experience not to miss in one's life
610 MAGNOLIA when ed gerber sold this business to ed lee, the restaurant lost the most creative chef in louisville. what it did not lose was the beautiful dining room and a forward thinking approach not seen elsewhere in louisville
COME BACK INN on a cool evening, this place is impossible to beat. the italian dishes are turned out with methodical greatness and i don't think there is a time you can go when there is no wait.
PAT'S STEAKHOUSE you might be able to find a little better atmosphere at jeff ruby's (total opposite style) or a slightly better steak at ruth's chris- but the intangibles keep this dining institution on the list (albeit at the bottom) the owner is always there, he cuts his own beef, the place is like going back in time, its not a chain, and the atmosphere is irish- which is at least original.
there were so many that could've fell right onto this list on a different day- lilly's, park place, buck's. but for now, this is the list. love it or hate- lists always make for good conversation. cafe perussa has a lot of potential, as does a few other new comers. if they stay the course, they'll be fine AE
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
*****
yesterday as i was thinking about who we could get to contribute to this blog, my thoughts turned to an experience i had in march that stuck out in the culinary world. my lady and i were in las vegas, staying at the wynn hotel. on the second night, we dined at Alex, which is in the wynn. as a student of ratings, i have found mobil to be the most accurate of the rating systems. they have the fewest members of their most exclusive class (5 stars), so i feel it is the hardest echelon to reach in the restaurant business. there are 17 on this years list, which shows the 17 most exclusive restaurants in america. michelin can have their stars, i feel europe suits them just fine. and most newspapers grade on a four star system, which seems to work well for them. when i grade a restaurant, it will be on a 5 star curriculum. i have not eaten at a 5 star restaurant in kentucky- none are deemed so by me- so 4 is the best louisville has to offer. and there are 4 star restaurants in louisville that i have the utmost respect for. maybe tomorrow i'll list my top ten.
but for today, we will talk a little about alex. not an official review, just a few observations. the dining room was nothing short of heavenly. the meal was seamless, as perfection should be. there were heavy doses of cauliflower in the dishes. a foie gras was excellent and i had the single best dessert i've ever had i n my life. it was a chocolate hazelnut nougat cake with cherry sauce. words would not do any justice to this dish, so i will let it stand in all its glory without them. we asked the waiter to send the chef over, and he was at our table within 10 minutes. to me, meeting a 5 star chef is as good as it gets. ive met many many celebrities over the years:muhammid ali, president Bush, payton and eli manning, tom brady, michael jordan, toby keith, george strait, johnny unitas, just to name a handful. but the apex is when the master chef saches over and sticks that hand out. they are able to do with ordinary ingredients- extraordinary things. seems simple enough, but only a few can pull it off. he was probably the most genial of all of them i'd met.. we spoke for about 6 minutes, as i asked him culinary questions and we talked of mutual experiences. i thought he would be an excellent part-time contributor to this blog. we want this to be a place where the best chefs can trade ideas. a place of idea swapping and industry updates done by the top critics, chefs, and the best foodies who blanket the land investigating the goings-on of the food world.
at alex, the hostess and i became acquaintances as our stay went on. i try to make it a point to get to know someone on the staff. i am pretty out-going, and it never hurts to have contacts, if they want to come to the derby, i offer my basement apartment. friendships help the world spin. the meal turned out to be a $600 dinner. we were amazed for 2:45 hours, and loved every minute. when i leave a 5 star restaurant, i truly smile in my sleep. it is as good as it gets in my book. i am looking forward to my upcoming trip to the cloister in georgia. we will dine at The Georgian Room, and an official review will follow. check for that just after Labor Day. AE
but for today, we will talk a little about alex. not an official review, just a few observations. the dining room was nothing short of heavenly. the meal was seamless, as perfection should be. there were heavy doses of cauliflower in the dishes. a foie gras was excellent and i had the single best dessert i've ever had i n my life. it was a chocolate hazelnut nougat cake with cherry sauce. words would not do any justice to this dish, so i will let it stand in all its glory without them. we asked the waiter to send the chef over, and he was at our table within 10 minutes. to me, meeting a 5 star chef is as good as it gets. ive met many many celebrities over the years:muhammid ali, president Bush, payton and eli manning, tom brady, michael jordan, toby keith, george strait, johnny unitas, just to name a handful. but the apex is when the master chef saches over and sticks that hand out. they are able to do with ordinary ingredients- extraordinary things. seems simple enough, but only a few can pull it off. he was probably the most genial of all of them i'd met.. we spoke for about 6 minutes, as i asked him culinary questions and we talked of mutual experiences. i thought he would be an excellent part-time contributor to this blog. we want this to be a place where the best chefs can trade ideas. a place of idea swapping and industry updates done by the top critics, chefs, and the best foodies who blanket the land investigating the goings-on of the food world.
at alex, the hostess and i became acquaintances as our stay went on. i try to make it a point to get to know someone on the staff. i am pretty out-going, and it never hurts to have contacts, if they want to come to the derby, i offer my basement apartment. friendships help the world spin. the meal turned out to be a $600 dinner. we were amazed for 2:45 hours, and loved every minute. when i leave a 5 star restaurant, i truly smile in my sleep. it is as good as it gets in my book. i am looking forward to my upcoming trip to the cloister in georgia. we will dine at The Georgian Room, and an official review will follow. check for that just after Labor Day. AE
Monday, August 18, 2008
sometimes in life one must step back from their grind and establish a baseline of where food starts, at the most basic level. it can be hard to do this at a restaurant where you have pairings and plated choices that are usually ordered "as-is". mix this food criterium with some photographs, fish, pig cakes, cattle, ferris wheels, produce, and more 200 lb.+ women wearing belly shirts and you have the glorious kentucky state fair! saturday afternoon i took my daughter and her mother, and my buddy michael to this frenzy. we parked across the street at the executive west hotel, and my brother took me across the street on the golf cart. free parking and a ride to the front door of the south wing- priceless. once inside we perused the flea market style shops and found ourselves at the first food stall of the day. morgan's fudge. if you know the fair, you know the fudge. people start lining up as soon as the fudge starts getting worked. by the time the fudge is ready, there are 80 people slack jawed around the booth, and they scoop up the fudge and there is no trace of the 4' log in about 9 minutes. the flavors vary, and the velvety fudge is divine. not too gritty, not too sweet (if thats possible in fudge), and still very warm. it really does melt in your mouth.
after main street kentucky, we decided it was high time for a corn dog. the simple stand to the right of freddy farm bureau has served as my outpost for as long as i can remember going to the fair. at $3.50 each, we grabbed 3 for our first snack. a little ketchup and mine was gone. still warm corn breading that was applied thickly. an old acquaintance serving the treats lent some conversation to this food stop. on to the midway as my daughter rode the merry go round and the train. she is very precise in what she wants to do. we could not find a train, but she swore it was there. after searching, we found it. she is still calling this the favorite part of the day. as she rode the train, i snuck over to the elephant ear/funnel cake stand. i imbibed in an elephant ear. this was the best thing i had all day. as sierra twirled around the track, the three adults enjoyed the warm, buttery, cinnamonic treasure like it was kobe beef. we were on a bench, eating from a paper plate in my lap, and we were all 4 smiling like we had won the powerball. simplicity.
after passing on randi gallrein's roasted corn, we bought some fresh kentucky proud salsa made close to home in taylorsville, ky. the pineapple whip soft serve ice cream was staring us in the face and we could not blink. we got in line and paid the $3 for a cone. ohhhhhh, was it good. perfect balance, perfect temperature. what else needs to be said. my sister was in the air on her way to Hawaii, but i was enjoying their fruits many miles away. as we walked through the tobacco and tomatoes, the ice cream was quickly vanishing.
we had been on our feet for about 4.5 hours to this point, so we decided we should start heading towards the gate, because we knew we would be tempted by more delicacies. an italian sausage proved to be the temptress. although it was small for the bun, the flavor was there, as my daughter enjoyed her cheese fries. they remained crisp even smothered in cheese. we wrapped up our date with the fair, and headed home. my brother gave me a tour of the renovation process of the hotel. as head of security, we had access to all of the hotel, so we looked at the new windows and the new restaurant, the blue horse. opening soon and to be reviewed soon. AE
after main street kentucky, we decided it was high time for a corn dog. the simple stand to the right of freddy farm bureau has served as my outpost for as long as i can remember going to the fair. at $3.50 each, we grabbed 3 for our first snack. a little ketchup and mine was gone. still warm corn breading that was applied thickly. an old acquaintance serving the treats lent some conversation to this food stop. on to the midway as my daughter rode the merry go round and the train. she is very precise in what she wants to do. we could not find a train, but she swore it was there. after searching, we found it. she is still calling this the favorite part of the day. as she rode the train, i snuck over to the elephant ear/funnel cake stand. i imbibed in an elephant ear. this was the best thing i had all day. as sierra twirled around the track, the three adults enjoyed the warm, buttery, cinnamonic treasure like it was kobe beef. we were on a bench, eating from a paper plate in my lap, and we were all 4 smiling like we had won the powerball. simplicity.
after passing on randi gallrein's roasted corn, we bought some fresh kentucky proud salsa made close to home in taylorsville, ky. the pineapple whip soft serve ice cream was staring us in the face and we could not blink. we got in line and paid the $3 for a cone. ohhhhhh, was it good. perfect balance, perfect temperature. what else needs to be said. my sister was in the air on her way to Hawaii, but i was enjoying their fruits many miles away. as we walked through the tobacco and tomatoes, the ice cream was quickly vanishing.
we had been on our feet for about 4.5 hours to this point, so we decided we should start heading towards the gate, because we knew we would be tempted by more delicacies. an italian sausage proved to be the temptress. although it was small for the bun, the flavor was there, as my daughter enjoyed her cheese fries. they remained crisp even smothered in cheese. we wrapped up our date with the fair, and headed home. my brother gave me a tour of the renovation process of the hotel. as head of security, we had access to all of the hotel, so we looked at the new windows and the new restaurant, the blue horse. opening soon and to be reviewed soon. AE
A Boston adventure with Colin
Sunday, August 17, 2008
You are what you eat
There's quite a buzz around the best city for restaurants.
Go to comments( go to bottom of page and vote) and weigh in!
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Jack Fry's, a Louisville gem
Yesterday was, well, one of those days. I had a billion things on my list and WFS slid through three counties chasing the almighty $$$$, plus protecting the rights of the downtrodden. We met around four to look at kitchen tiles. We searched through an industrial park for 20 minutes locating the showroom. When I could HEAR the clenching of teeth, I knew I had pushed the limits on the day.
WFS said firmly, we need to go to dinner, let's go to Jack Fry's. In our city, we all know this is a top dining experience and also very difficult to get into on a whim. Calls were made, no reservations, but Stephanie, the new owner, offered a suggestion; come down just before five and queue up. Two of the forty seats are held for walk-ins. In less than 30 minutes we (along with fifteen other hopefuls)occupied the parking lot. WFS, not to be foiled, STOOD in front of the door, first in line. As the door open, promptly at 5:30, we were ushered to the only table in Jack Fry's. A bustling crowd followed us and several guests were turned away. Our server, came by immediately for drinks. Our friend, Terry,( and server) dropped by our table to welcome us. Stephanie stopped by and said she was so happy we got a table. Even in a very hurried moment, each person took a moment of time, is there a lesson here in hospitality?
We ordered wine by the glass, our server suggested a D'Arenberg,'HermitCrab' 06 white blend for me....WFS thought I would prefer my usual sauvignon blanc. We ordered.. a few sips into my sauvignon blanc, our pretty server stopped by to ask how I liked my wine, I brightly said it was okay...Not good enough, said our server, let's get you the D'Arenberg. She promptly delivered the replacement wine, WFS drank the first choice and the night was off to an auspicious beginning.
We ordered our salads and dinners. My dining companion, WFS, ordered escargot( JF's does it best), a beet and goat cheese salad and the vegetarian dish, Potato Gratin. I ordered Heirloom tomatoes and the night's fish special, Halibut with green lentils. We both dove into the escargot served with Blue Dog bread. We sipped our wines and felt our cares drift away~~~
Our salads arrived timely. WFS had a tower of yellow beets served with arugula and Capriole goat cheese. A light drizzle of vinaigrette was the finishing touch. This would be salad I would devour if it were not for tomatoes. The heirloom tomatoes came served with a thinned, peppy thousand island dressing and a artistic edge of balsamic. I must tell you, this was a culinary coup.
Our main courses were equally stunning. I am not a huge fan of lentils. Many times lentils appear to have spent way too long in the kettle. These were toothsome, fresh and packed with flavor. The halibut was perfectly seared, topped with frisee, then creatively complimented with a small accent of veal reduction. All combined, this dish was a taste sensation. Groaning from food, we were prepared to call it an evening....
Desserts were offered and then~~~~~~~the night's dessert special was explained. Green tea bundt cake served with a reduction of green tea syrup, finished with nectarines and blackberries. Siren song! I will close by saying, white nectarines,perfectly ripe swimming in green tea syrup, surrounding an individual green tea cake set this girl's heart pumping. Our bill was reasonable and the new owner, Stephanie treated us to the appetizer. This was unexpected and very gracious.
We left with the other early diners feeling so lucky to get a table in the best of Louisville.
The only comparison I have from my travels is Harrison's in NYC...they aren't as good as JF's but the vibe is there.
Friday, August 15, 2008
enoteca pinchiorri
from time to time we will write articles on past experiences had in the food world. to show our international focus i would like to reminisce on the wonderful restaurant enoteca pinchiorri in florence, italy. i dined there in 2002 and vividly remember the scene when we arrived. After a bit of speculation on a cab ride, we found the unassuming entrance. when we walked into the eatery, the staff lined up in a row- about 12 deep and each greeted each member of our party with a "buena setta". the kind of good evenings that were genuinely heartfelt. these people had never seen us, but we knew their mettle was there. the dining was spectacular, i cant say i remember any of the numerous dishes, but the food was spectacular. i think it is the nicest restaurant in all of italy. the proprietor was the most gracious woman you could meet. she spoke broken english, but communicated her love of food and service with her smile and effervescent personality. it seems in europe getting professional service is continental. in america big cities are usually hit, but there is room for improvement on a lot of other areas. seems to go hand in hand with the experience. i hope that genial staff is still serving 6 star dinners near the duomo. and i hope to again be greeted by a chorus of "bueno setta"s!!!!
a small comment on the other photo. Two young women on a perfect September day overlooking Florence. Those two sisters have experienced many adventures since that glorious day but none more lovely. Missing from the photo is our brother Dan, the photographer. We'll blog more from those glorious days of yore.
South of the border
The little house you are viewing is high in the mountains of Costa Rica, and is the refuge of my dear friend, Cis Wilson. She has a little over 100 acres and the most spectacular views of the bay of Nicola and the Pacific.. Her tiny kitchen is wonderful. Most meals are eaten on the large veranda seen in the front of her Casa. Each Friday a truck appears on the dirt road filled with fresh, plucked and cleaned chickens in a large cooler, on Saturday another truck appears with the fresh shrimp...to your door shopping. Vegetables are gotten each Friday in Nicola, a most incredible outdoor market. Cis's rusty Toyota land cruiser(1988) will be literally stocked to the gunnels after a whirlwind run through the market! It was so exciting to be there among the local village, hunting and gathering food. Staples must be brought in from the large city market 21/2 hours away. The first item of business when you embark from the plane is to stock up before the trek to the mountains! Betty, the daily cook, relies on old familiar family fare, reminiscent of summer on the farm in the hills of my home...her vegetable tortillas, a daily staple, were incredible. On day, needing to cook, Cis suggested I make a Kentucky family dinner. We got a fresh young chicken, cabbage, potatoes and a pineapple...the workers all gather on the front porch exactly at noon~~~~~~~~a scene as familiar as anything I know in life. A daily ritual never far from my memory. On this day, they brought their wives and children. We served them fried chicken, mashed potatoes, cole slaw and biscuits( this isn't easy but a search went out for lard in the village and was found)....we finished with an odd version of pineapple upside down cake...it was extraordinary, if I do say so! I handled all weekend cooking chores and what a delight. Fresh eggs, fresh vegetables, fruit of every variety....rice, shrimp, chicken. Endless opportunities.
The last Saturday evening we were in Costa Rica, the local villagers decided to throw a going away dance for us....we walked the 3/4 mile trek down to the village on a narrow dirt road, chickens, goats, cows and horses on each turn. It was just getting dark as we arrived to a pavilion of sorts. Leaning against a sagging fence was all the young handsome men...twittering by the door were all the young women. Inside the open air pavilion were the elders and babies. Little tents were in the corners, odd, I thought....silly me, they were there to place sleeping children in later on! We were offered beer and coke and rum...in little plastic cups.
I rarely drink beer and never drink rum and coke(warm) but to refuse is not acceptable...Rum and coke, says I! We found seats on a long, narrow wooden bench, clinging to the outside wall of the pavilion. Cis has called this village her second home for fifteen years and is revered. Her guests are welcome but with guarded and very polite behavior. We were barely seated when all the older women approached us to share the evening's refreshment. We were brought (repeatedly) paper plates of saltine crackers with black bean paste, crackers with tuna, crackers with guava jam...warm slices of melon...more rum and coke. I will say here never, ever have I had food delivered with such love( and I know about food as love) I couldn't eat much of the offering, but it brought tears to my eyes to see such love and kindness for us, the humbled guests. The party began! Dancing an art in the village, it was like watching Dancing with the Stars with soul! The guys left the fence, young girls were no longer shy, married couples were hot!!!!! The elders rocked the babies and served more food. Our friends from Cis's farm were there, taking our hands, tugging us onto the dance floor. A local worker from the sawmill invited me to dance. He taught (or at least tried) to teach me intricate Spanish dance moves by eye contact and tapping me gently on my head, indicating time to spin or turn! I danced my ancient knees away....we were the stars of the evening...welcomed, loved, treated as if we'd spent all of lives there. We snaked back up the dark road well into the night,
leaving young lovers whispering by the fence, babies sleeping in tents and old men picking up beer bottles. A night to remember.
On Sunday morning my amore came calling, he not only loved the dance but thought I might like to walk the sawmill on Sunday! I could not but after many kisses he moved on down the road. WFS offered him a far sum to take me, but you all know the story of the Ransom of Red Chief~~~~~~~
This is such a lovely story because all the memories collide with my youth.. Sawmills and socials....
I will have to tell you about pie suppers at Caney Fork....
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Somehow I could almost feel the confusion and lack of direction at this restaurant.
I think this kind of swamp driven food could be an asset to our city. Plus the fun of live music on a patio. I hope at least the music was cajun and fun. Maybe this weekend at the Kentucky State Fair will bring a lively food review!
macca
sunday 8-10-08
macca - florida seafood grill
as i was reading the paper this weekend i saw an ad for a new restaurant in westport village. it billed live music after 7 and seemed to fit the parameters of what sounded good that day. we made the trek down to westport road and entered the architecturally gifted cityscape. we easily found the establishment and were seated immediately. we were shown to our outdoor table, where the music would be playing. the evening had brought out a full house to the patio area.
after waiting 10 minutes for our server, i decided to go to the bar, as i was in need of a libation. waiting seemed to be the attitude of all servers i dealt with, so the 6 minutes at the not busy bar fit right in. the mango and pineapple mojitos were very strong, and that is about all i can say about them. if we had wanted shots, we would've ordered them. when i returned to the table after conversing with a patron about the pga and the ryder cup, i was informed by my dining partner that we had still not been visited. i did not sit, but went straight to the manager. after explaining my plight, she personally placed my orders. the seafood fondue($9.95) was a flavorful concoction, it was just not the right consistency. it was so runny, it was nearly impossible to make the dip stay on one of the multi-colored chips from the bowl to my mouth. the shredded pork sliders were an easier eating option, and were just as flavorful. the 4 mini buns were fresh and showed that there were some good ideas going into the restaurant. a little dry, but this was the best dish, so we won't pick it apart. the manager stated she would take care of our appetizers.
for our entrees, my partner had the salmon. it had a sweet glaze on it, and was an ample cut. my everglades bucket contained fried clams, fried gator tail, and 2 crab cakes. the crab meat appeared to be imitation, although i am not sure of this. regardless they did have decent flavor, thanks to a yellow honey based sauce. the clams were best when drowned in cocktail sauce, perhaps a lighter breading would suffice. and the gator tail was very good. the bite sized morsels were perfectly battered and flash fried. the tartar sauce did them no justice, so i grazed them by the cocktail sauce and enjoyed them.
a table adjacent to us ordered the everglades pie, which is praline ice cream with whipped cream , nuts, and a graham cracker crust. it looked delicious. unfortunately, we were too full to imbibe upon such an endeavor, so we asked for our bill. when it came, both appetizers were on there. i took my daughter to the bathroom, and when i returned i saw that only one had been removed. i was very polite during the whole meal, which must have been mistaken for weakness. the manager personally deducted only one appetizer, even though she had said she was going to delete them both. what a pity. i will not return to this restaurant.
macca - florida seafood grill
as i was reading the paper this weekend i saw an ad for a new restaurant in westport village. it billed live music after 7 and seemed to fit the parameters of what sounded good that day. we made the trek down to westport road and entered the architecturally gifted cityscape. we easily found the establishment and were seated immediately. we were shown to our outdoor table, where the music would be playing. the evening had brought out a full house to the patio area.
after waiting 10 minutes for our server, i decided to go to the bar, as i was in need of a libation. waiting seemed to be the attitude of all servers i dealt with, so the 6 minutes at the not busy bar fit right in. the mango and pineapple mojitos were very strong, and that is about all i can say about them. if we had wanted shots, we would've ordered them. when i returned to the table after conversing with a patron about the pga and the ryder cup, i was informed by my dining partner that we had still not been visited. i did not sit, but went straight to the manager. after explaining my plight, she personally placed my orders. the seafood fondue($9.95) was a flavorful concoction, it was just not the right consistency. it was so runny, it was nearly impossible to make the dip stay on one of the multi-colored chips from the bowl to my mouth. the shredded pork sliders were an easier eating option, and were just as flavorful. the 4 mini buns were fresh and showed that there were some good ideas going into the restaurant. a little dry, but this was the best dish, so we won't pick it apart. the manager stated she would take care of our appetizers.
for our entrees, my partner had the salmon. it had a sweet glaze on it, and was an ample cut. my everglades bucket contained fried clams, fried gator tail, and 2 crab cakes. the crab meat appeared to be imitation, although i am not sure of this. regardless they did have decent flavor, thanks to a yellow honey based sauce. the clams were best when drowned in cocktail sauce, perhaps a lighter breading would suffice. and the gator tail was very good. the bite sized morsels were perfectly battered and flash fried. the tartar sauce did them no justice, so i grazed them by the cocktail sauce and enjoyed them.
a table adjacent to us ordered the everglades pie, which is praline ice cream with whipped cream , nuts, and a graham cracker crust. it looked delicious. unfortunately, we were too full to imbibe upon such an endeavor, so we asked for our bill. when it came, both appetizers were on there. i took my daughter to the bathroom, and when i returned i saw that only one had been removed. i was very polite during the whole meal, which must have been mistaken for weakness. the manager personally deducted only one appetizer, even though she had said she was going to delete them both. what a pity. i will not return to this restaurant.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Dinner at Seven
Tonight my friend, Cis Wilson, arrived from Maine by USAIR around six-thirty. I thought it would be nice
to have dinner ready. It all started at the farmer's market~~~~~~~~~~~~
Corn, that unbelievable summer treat. Perhaps my last wish would be corn, straight from the garden, into a pot, blanched a few minutes, slathered in butter and salt......I digress.
Okay, so the corn, and peppers, and some fresh thyme and some chorizos left here by Cathy Loup, far in the back of the frig...a few frozen shrimp....cream, eggs...what does the cook create? Well, it was a variation on corn pudding but filled with all of the shrimp, chorizos, peppers, thyme...I sliced some tomatoes...stolen from my friend Bob Ethington's garden. With a little help from my friend, David and then there was Ashley...It's a guy thing. You see, I could just walk in the garden and help myself, that is the way the Ethignton's are....generous, kind, loving, giving....however, stealthing into the garden has become a frightfully fun afternoon for moi....
oh, the dinner! Tomatoes, so red, ripe and perfect. A little olive oil, basil and salt...you can hold the olive oil and basil. Tomatoes are perfection.
I called Dan, asked him how he made this okra that spun my head around. The guy at the farmer's market had some tiny little okra. Dan told me two variations. WFS likes everything crunchy/fried. So I chose version 2... Marinade the okra in lemon, garlic and salt...then dust them with cornmeal, salt and tumeric....fry them up! OOOOOOOWEEEEE, they were good. ...Cis loves cole slaw, so I made her some. Like Mom's, tangy and crunchy. Some Blue Dog bread and a glass of Bordeaux Blanc...French, darlings!
I threw together a peach and ginger cake, topped with fresh peaches from Pennsylvania. A little whipped cream. Heaven.
My dinner at seven stretched on until nine.
I must go find my pjs and sleep at least ten hours. Seems civilized, yes?
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
View from my favorite city
With two of my favorite people, my son and grandson...
Christopher and Colin
After much adieu, my fellow blogger, Ashley, is up and blogging. This is very good news. He has traveled to so many places and is a great photographer. Our art editor, Dan, was growing a little tired of transferring all the photos, info, etc....we are getting our sea legs on this blogsphere!
It will be fun to follow our different taste and travel experiences. We are inviting along some close friends and family to blog with us.
Otherwise, the flotsam and jetsam will have to find other sources to corrupt.
Part duex:
Last night, WFS and I went to our favorite local pub, Jack's, by Equus Restaurant. It is a cozy, quaint and totally restful environment. We settled in our big, swivel chairs, in our favorite corner. Jonathan already had our wine by the time we adjusted our chairs. Note: It is very, very nice to hear your name the first moment you enter an establishment. Jonathan( server and maitre d) even knows which credit card I use! That is highly individualized attention to detail.
As soon as he delivered our wine, chilled perfectly, he offered the night's specials. I ordered the special soup, chilled gazpacho....now, this is a soup that can be a wonder or a wonk. Jack's ( Equus) made one of the better versions I have sampled. Bill had the meatball sliders, served with sweet potato fries. He was smacking his lips! I slipped a few fries to my plate. YUM! It is the best pub in our neighborhood( St. Matthews) for relaxing, watching the news and occasionally visiting with friends. We have actually made friendly chatter with other folks that frequent Jack's regularly. We were home by 7:30, with plenty of time for an evening walk with Chloe and Perro~~~~~~~~~~~
Monday, August 11, 2008
We are in the process of revamping our identity,,, should we be incognito?
We think visuals might be one clue too many in our quest for reviewing and writing.
Pig and Peaches wants, foremost, to have freedom....
our candid and critical comments must have an ease of expression.
Too much personal information might make that a little less viable.
We are working on our blog approach.
but I will venture this: My favorite city in the whole world is Paris.
Every inch....I truly am a francophile
Sunday, August 10, 2008
a little explanation for the Sunday Photos. I can only drive my art editor so far.
The basil(in the photo) and all my herb garden are so lush. I had to save and savor it.
The morning glories are, well, self explanatory.
The little flowers were speaking to me as I stretched to photograph the morning glories!
All these photos are taken with my iphone, a device I dearly love.
Today I am going to look for a little camera.
I want night photos and my trusty iphone just doesn't see well at night.
This latest entry will be about pig and peaches. This Sunday morning
brought a small omelet, filled only with cheese. The omelet was topped with fresh tomatoes,
jalapenos, fresh basil and a squeeze of lemon. We had a rasher of bacon, sugar cured,
and challah toast. Hot coffee, seated outside with the morning glories in full bloom, made the morning spectacular.
We finished our brunch with blueberrries, blackberries and white peaches. I served them the way my moma taught me, a little sugar on the fruit until the juices thicken
and then pour a dollop
of thick cream over it all....
An instant river of creamy purple curled around the bowl.
I could have eaten the whole bowl but I shared it with WFS as he polished off the last crumbs of toast.
Ask me tomorrow if it was a perfect day, I still have half a day to go.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
It is s very lovely Saturday morning.
Today I feel Kentucky is the most beautiful place in the world.
I had in mind to describe the place I would want to wake up this morning.
To my surprise, as I awakened, it was here.
The old adage, there is no place like home~~~~~~~
Kentucky is my home.
The hills of south central Kentucky my deep rooted home.
My brother, Dan, keeps the hills alive.
Friday, August 8, 2008
Cafe Perusa Review
Cafe Perusa review by: Ashley Ethington
sometimes i find myself going into a restaurant that i want to not like. call it selfish reasons; i only have so many nights in a year, and my list of restaurants to visit frequently is quite long. thus was my thinking going into cafe perussa on a balmy wednesday night. the restaurant is tucked away from taylorsville road by ways of a few turns from hh gregg at the corner of hurstbourne lane.
once inside we were greeted and seated. the host was short on his greeting, but let us pick our table. we quickly pointed to one of the very large "sunken tables", with which our soon to be 3 yr old daughter was going to be much more comfortable, as would everyone involved. the bright dining room was a contrast to the spanish exterior, but no less than gorgeous. upon settling in, our excess place settings were whisked away and drink orders placed. although the split of champagne was out of stock, an alternate was not made available. the other three adults ordered wines by the glass, all different, and all handled with meticulous care, as a mother would give her 5 day infant. each wine was presented in the correct glass and a taste offered before the generous pours were complete. the jordan chardonnay ($12) was perfectly chilled, and art that somehow gets overlooked in our fair city. the table settled in with good converstion and appetizers on the way. a crawfish salad was a perfect august dish. two tomato carvings could have been replaced with a fruit and nirvana would have been at hand. the lobster bisque ($5.95_cup) was a solid version of the wonderful soup. the corn chowder, part of the $25 m-t-w three course tasting dinner, was equally flavorful, with a nice kick. the pride of the table was the study in oysters($18.95?). the chef needs to start teaching and stop studying. he has aced this test. 6 wonderful chesapeake bay oysters were pulled from the bay in a very small number of days. the freshness even shone through the wonderfully combined array of flavors bestowed upon them, such as a peppercorn bouillabaisse, oscar styled, and even a buffalo hot sauce version.
after a small hitch in delivery of the entrees, all plates were beautifully arranged, and the venison loin looked scrumptious. the venison, along with the tempura battered salmon were the second course choices on the $25 tasting menu. the new zealand rack of lamb was easily the best entree ordered for our table. the beautiful redness of the meat foreshown the massive flavor packed in the cells of the rack of lamb. the juice exploded in my mouth as I closed my eyes and shuddered with disbelief ( our a sort of prayer to the great chef in the sky). accompanying the rack was a shot glass of a minty sauce that caontained 6 or 7 long crispy sweet potato french fries. they matched the lamb as well as any side dish has ever matched a main portion. a crab cake appetizer served as my entree and sufficed pleasantly, especially since i ate nearly 2 pieces of the heavenly white bread with a honey flavored butter. a sweeter bread was also offered with our initial waters. the crab cake had all the right ingredients: crab, crab, and sweet crab. very little breading, very little of anything except a dab of remoulade that perfectly accented the crustacean's aroma. the buttered noodles for our youngest diner were sufficient if not bland. i understand its not there target audience.
as we spoke, we went to thoughts of dessert. my fellow reviewer and i swapped seats as the very modern bathrooms were visited. we moved together so that we could comment on the exquisite evening we were having and so we could easily share our flan. a short ginger bread stick was places atop the perfectly executed dish. it spawned a memory of my splitee from her travels as a young girl in france, as she spoke we were transported to that balcony overlooking the mediterranean sea. the flan was the perfect ending with a dollop of whipped cream just enough to add a cool ending on that hot night.
overall i feel cafe perusa showed a perfect feel for the east end crowd and beyond. by the passion shown from our waiter, the maitre 'd, and the chef- i know this restaurant will be in the minds of many in-the-know louisvillians for the comings seasons. the quote we read when we walked in the door seemed to show the omnivorescent knowledge of the establishment; as it read_______________________________________________< ________________, _____________!
****stars (out of four) one of the top 12 in louisville.
Cafe Perusa, Louisville, KY
It took a little more than a drive around a strip mall to find Cafe Perusa, however, it was a welcoming facade that finally greeted us. We entered an opulent foyer. The first positive omen was a MFK Fisher quote inscribed on the round entrance wall. It bodes well with me that owners/designers or chef are tuned into one of the great all time food writers. I was not to be disappointed by the lovely quote. Our host/seater was young and a bit unsure but adequate. A small suggestion would be to have sparkle and shine greeters. It would complete an otherwise excellent lesson in hospitality at Cafe Perusa.
We were quickly introduced to a professional, friendly server. My fellow reviewer, Ashley Ethington and I vowed not to disclose our thoughts during the meal. This proved exceedingly hard to do. Suppressing ooohs and aaahs as the food arrived, presented in very stylish elongated dishes; was very difficult, indeed. Looks can be deceiving, but Persua does not rely on food as theater. They deliver. Our server quickly delivered out drinks, paying great attention to our wine by the glass choices. Our youngest dining partner, age three, was given equal attention to her beverage choice.
Tuesday night brings a value packed get acquainted tasting menu. Any item on the tasting menu would leave a diner happy. After my dining companion settled on venison and a salad from the special tasting menu, it opened the door for a culinary adventure for me. The oysters, from the well thought-out menu, were a siren song to me and they proved to be an excellent choice. Six Chesapeake Bay oysters arrived as plump, fresh and well prepared as any I have ever sampled. And not a slider among them. Each oyster had its own fine topping. Ranging from crab meat to a black pepper consomme, I was thrilled with each new taste sensation. I sampled the crayfish salad and the two soups of the evening. All three were taste delights. The lobster bisque was granted to me by my fellow reviewer after I moved my oysters down for his palate. A dish so well executed had to be shared. My fellow reviewer didn't disclose his sentiments on the oysters, but he finished them off rather rapidly. We both agreed the bisque might have been better with a homemade stock but it was certainly tasty enough. The corn chowder would rival any I have tasted. We were ready for more............
We had a small glitch in our main course. A new expeditor confused the orders and delivered food to the wrong table. This could be a serious dining faux pas. Cafe Perusa's staff handled this with great charm and quickly delivered our dinners. Hardly a miscue, but, a rather well handled moment.
Our entrees were a visual delight.My lamb was from New Zealand, as was the venison( served medium rare with a nice tart marmalade finish). The salmon was wild caught and presented in a tempura batter. The crab cake, while on the small side, delivered a wallop of fresh crab; allowing me to understand the complete dish from one shared bite. My lamb was so generous and exciting in flavor, that I could share little lollipop bites around the table. A small side of corn pudding was masterfully finished, very rich and souffled. Thinly cut sweet potato fries in a sweet, mint dipping sauce rounded out the plate, making this a perfect entree. I failed to mention the warm foccacia that appeared the moment we were seated. It was served with a honey sweetened butter. Delicious! Our desserts were well made and also passed around the table. We sampled a rich flan and a very light chocolate cheesecake.
We split our tab, coming to about $90.00 per couple. Our dining companions might have carried a bit of my food on their tab as I ventured into a pricier menu offering than the $25.00 tasting menu. It didn't seem to matter as we all left marveling at his new, exciting and well staffed dining option in Louisville, Ky. It is my hope this location will prove to be a positive choice, Otherwise, I hope we always keep this transplanted New Orleans chef here in Louisville.
We are a food, travel and adventure blog.
We have two primary goals. Eat and travel.
We founded our organization based on an afternoon food
explosion. My partner, fellow foodie, traveler and co-writer,
Ashley Ethington... found online a supplier for bellota ham.
We determined to meet and sample the ham....it just happened
that fresh peaches were on the sideboard, when I say fresh,
I mean from Alabama, soft, warm, fuzzy.
We sat down, ate a little ham, talked over the intricate flavors,
as we discussed the differences in ham. Kentucky ham, Italian ham,
Spanish ham, cured ham in my Mom's smokehouse.
But, it was those warm, fuzzy peaches, soft and ripe, luscious;
that propelled our afternoon into a food revelation.
We'll reveal the intricacies in this blog as time goes by,
but for now, that was how Pig and Peaches was born.
We'll be reviewing establishments world wide.
Food, adventure, travel.....
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The founding members are:
Ashley Ethington
Sarah Dutton
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Dan Dutton
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