Tailgate Food

Football season is here ~ Hooray! Since we had a 12pm game at Clemson I am adding a few suggestions here for those early morning tailgates.

Football Deviled Eggs

These were a hit this past weekend in Clemson. The laces are chives and luckily chives are not too pungent of an onion so majority of people won't have a problem with the taste.
Deviled eggs suggestions:
-Always immerse hot boiled eggs immediately in cold water to keep away the green/gray yolk ring.
-To keep them from wobbling on a plate, cut a small piece of the white off the bottom to stabilize.
-Mix the yolks & whatever other ingredients you prefer (I stick to basic mayo, dry mustard, and splash of vinegar (I used rice vinegar this time and worked great)) into a plastic bag and mush together. Then cut off the edge of the bag and pipe into whites. Keeps things less messy!

Bloody Marys

I used to not like Bloody Marys but things have changed over the last couple years. Bloody Marys are a staple at an early tailgate gathering. Zing Zang is the best product out there for pre-made mixes. I enjoy the mix almost as much as a homemade version that includes such ingredients as Clamato juice, celery seed, lemon juice, Worcestershire, hot sauce, etc. Plus you feel better about drinking it because of the tomatoes health properties (Health Benefits)

It really changed when my parents got Adam the above vodka at a Stock the Bar event. Mom liked the way it looked and it tastes even better than that in a Bloody Mary. Instantly upon opening the bottle, the waft of bacon is released from the bottom. Add that loveliness into a Bloody Mary and your day just got that much better. I HIGHLY recommend this purchase.

Chick Fil A

Lets be honest. Sometimes everything at a tailgate cannot be homemade. I just want to write how impressed I was with Chick-Fil-A during a tailgate Saturday in Clemson. The online ordering was easy. The order was hot, correct, and ready on time (7:15AM). The chicken minis and strips were a big hit. The strips are okay if they get cold but the minis are recommended to be eaten warm if possible. Kudos to Chick-Fil-A!

Spin On Things

So, since I just graduated school and unfortunately Adam and I won't be eating out as much until some school debt is paid off I am going to change my blog to things in general. Those things I suggest and don't suggest from products to places and of course still include restaurants. I hope you continue with me on this journey :)

Apex: Peak City Grill

We have moved! Well, Adam has and I will follow behind come next month. Adam wanted to take me to a nice dinner for our first one as husband and wife where we will be spending the next couple years (hopefully ~ moving is a P-A-I-N). We went to Peak City Grill. The downtown is very simple, cute, and quaint so I was not sure what to expect in the food scene there.

We entered and the acoustics were a bit off par (aka voices and noises bouncing off all the wood in the restaurant). We liked that the host gave us the option of sitting upstairs, downstairs or outside. Often, you are just led to a table. The sound was fine once we sat down upstairs overlooking the bottom. The only negative is you can also see into the kitchen.

The server was a pleasant, knowledgable lady who not only could explain to my husband the way the beer he ordered would taste but was knowledgable about the menu. We started with an appetizer of huspuppy shrimp. It was a bit too greasy for me with the hushpuppy overwhelming the shrimp inside. The presentation was neat with the pups coming in a small paper brown bag "spilling over". It came with a mustard sauce that was a bit overpowering for the food.

I ordered the crabcakes because usually I judge a restaurant by how good certain food items are that I have tasted numerous times aka crab. They were divine. As my fork touched onto the cake, bits and pieces of crab fell off so I knew this crab cake was not a load of filling to hold it together but CRAB. Truthfully, it was so good that I do not remember what sides came with it but I cleaned my plate. Yes, I did. However, saying that, did you know that you are supposed to leave a small bit of food on your plate after finishing? It lets the chef know that he cooked enough. A lot of food left means the portion was too large, and a clean plate may indicate not enough food.

I cannot wait to return and try something new! We are excited about trying restaurants in a new area although Atlanta and WIlmington are going to be hard to top.

Wilmington: Riverboat Landing

Adam was moved from the Kernersville job site to the Brunswick job site with only a few weeks notice. He did great in the transition (esp with the help of someone unloading/organizing his room for 6 hours straight one day).

I am super excited about this move because 1) more restaurants to blog about! and 2) although he is a little farther from where I go to school he is closer to my parents.

Adam took me out to dinner the first night I arrived. I absolutely love that we are able to walk to the downtown Wilmington area from his house! The cobble stone roads, the historic homes, and knowing that the Cape Fear river is a street away is very appealing. I saw a cute geriatric couple holding hands as the man held the door to their abode to then see a bride having her bridal pictures taken. It is a very neat town.

Adam said he had a surprise (which usually involves food for me) and he had made reservations! Yay! He took me to the Riverboat Landing. He made reservations for us so we could enjoy "the unique architectural feature of a set of nine 2-person private balconies from which you may view the battleship USS N. Carolina while enjoying your meal."

We had a short wait because we were early but sat down at the bar for a drink. I like how the bartender described Stella to a customer (If you don't know, Stella Artois is a Belgium Beer). He said, "Oh, this is great. It's light but with lots of alcohol." It made me laugh. I decided on my norm: glass of Riesling although I am trying to drink more red since it is better for the body.

The weather was typical July but with a nice breeze. We had some entertainment from a street singer and her guitar (luckily she was good!) We started off with an appetizer of:
Gazpacho shrimp (Chunky gazpacho salsa, avocado, and chopped cilantro-lime marinated shrimp. Served with flash fried blue corn chips). I felt this would be a good decision due to the temperature and being outside. The appetizer was good; however, I felt it was something that I could make at home...which I will probably do!

Adam ordered the Salmon special. Now, this boy knows fish. He spent some of his childhood in the Pacific NW and in the last 5 years went on a fishing trip to Alaska which he and his Dad sent back LBS of fresh fish.

I ordered the Seafood Risotto. I felt I could not go wrong with a description like this on the menu: lobster, shrimp, crab, salmon and grouper with sautéed mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach, herbs, and cream over Parmesan –green onion risotto. It was good...but it was not great. I did not taste any crab or lobster in the mix and the risotto was just a little too dry for my standards.

The ambiance and company were wonderful :) I head to Wilmington this weekend so look forward to more posts!

~ Have you ever made risotto? Is it worth the time and effort to make a true risotto? What is your favorite flavor? Would you return to a restaurant just for the ambiance?

Isn't the painting at the top lovely? It is on the menu cover and was done by Jeff Pittman. He has some beautiful paintings including the Charleston battery, the "Old Well" at UNC, and a shrimp boat at Harbor Island, SC. Check out his work!

Myrtle Beach: Villa Mare

You know how there are those handful of restaurants your family tends to always go to...well this is one of them. Villa Mare used to be in small space in a shopping center so I was excited to see their new locale when going with my family for dinner while on my "mini summer vacation."

The new space is MUCH improved with classic yet simple colors and decorations. We were sat near the kitchen and there was plenty of open seating...however, there was little noise coming from the kitchen so there was not a disturbance.

All the meals are served with bread, soup, and salad. The bread is very good being a small loaf with a crusty outside and soft inside. I enjoy having a good EVOO to dip my bread into versus butter but that is just being picky :)

The soup and salad were standard fare. The soup was flavorful but again nothing I could not find on a grocery isle. The salad had the usual greens and a couple other vegetables.

I ordered the Veal Saltimbocca (stuffed with proscioutto and Provolone and sauteed with marsala wine sauce). Oh, how I was disappointed. To start off there was way too much Marsala sauce in which the veal and spinach were swimming. (**The best Marsala sauce every is at Carrabba's!) I could barely find or taste the proscuitto and the spinach was quite bitter. :(

On a positive note, my mother had a wonderful Villa Mare Pasta (tomatoes, scallions, mushrooms alfredo, over spaghetti) to which she added shrimp: divine!

I will probably head to Carrabba's when I feel like my next Italian fix is in need. What is your favorite Italian Restaurant? Dish?

Atlanta: Park's Edge

This weekend I headed to Atlanta for my cousin's wedding and had the pleasure at staying with some friends from Clemson. After a fun night on the town Friday night, we decided to get brunch on Saturday. The girls said they had the perfect place: Park's Edge. Aptly named this restaurant is nestled in Atlanta's Inman Park.

Due to the size and popularity of the restaurant we called ahead. We were told about 30 minutes so we got there around 12:30 and then the owner said he had told us 1:00ish. He was a bit snappy but then he worked very hard to get a table together for us.

Drinks were abounding for an early morning buzz with bottomless mimosas and bellinis for $10. That was hard to pass up so most of the table ordered the bellinis. In case you do not know, mimosas are made of orange juice and champagne and bellinis are made of peach nectar and prosecco.

The brunch menu was one page with wonderful options ranging from peaches and cream french toast to enchiladas suizas. The service was good and we were given biscuits and jam upon sitting down.

I decided to order this: Crab Benedict with Smoked Salmon (buttermilk biscuit, poached eggs, Hollandaise sauce). Once the waiter told me the crab was lump I was sold.

The dish was delicious as it sounded. The smoked salmon was thinly sliced and topped off the dish. The crab was plentiful, the eggs poached perfectly, and the hollandaise was a light version with a tang which paired well with the delicate flavors of the dish.

If you are ever in this area of Atlanta, I highly recommend you visiting Park's Edge.

Atlanta...I miss you...and your food!

I lived in Atlanta about two years and I definitely had my ups and downs for various reasons but I sure do miss the food! From the restaurants down the street that you only know by word of mouth to the upscale ones who have famous chefs coming to open---Atlanta will tantalize your taste buds.

If you live in Atlanta, you must take advantage of this! Atlanta Restaurant Week


3 course dinners for the price of just an entree at most of the restaurants. It's a wonderful way to find out what you like and don't like!