Day 1: Charlotte Food Tour 2k15

Two days are insufficient to explore the blossoming food scene in Charlotte, North Carolina.  Alas, a working girl may not have unlimited vacation days and I wouldn't want to trespass too long on the unmatched hospitality of my friends here.

I've spent time among the flowers and birds of a well-planned garden, being graciously chauffeured through the baffling streets of Charlotte and enjoyed every moment of my time.  Perhaps most wonderful of all I have been able to see a bit of Charlotte through its food.

Monday was a full day of food exploration and enjoyment.  We started the day with homemade pancakes similar to these and then hit the roads - which as I mentioned are utterly confusing - for a full day of food.

First stop was Amelie's French Bakery at Carmel Commons.  Amelie's is a well-regarded local chain celebrating French pastry and unique design with their community oriented space.  Each location has its own kitchen for maximum freshness.  The baked goods were varied, beautiful and the atmosphere was modern, whimsical and welcoming.

Next up, Davidson Chocolate Co. in the Dilworth neighborhood.  They are a teeny chocolatier with elegant creations.  Most of their chocolates were available in both dark and milk chocolate which was a nice option.  Among their offerings are truffles, hand-dipped cut ganache pieces as well as molded bonbons.  The store was very quiet and I couldn't find out what brand of chocolate they used or other details regarding ingredients.  Cute shop, but certainly not top on my list. Worth a try if you need a gift.  The Hot Chili and Hazelnut Truffles were both light on flavor and a bit firm for my taste.

 

Oops! Ate all of these before I got to my camera.

                            

A stroll around Pasta & Provisions was necessary and the aroma of garlic made me incredibly hungry.  The grocery portion of the store reminded me of Arlington, VA's own Italian Store.  Obviously, that is meant as a great compliment.

On the way home we stopped for lunch at Cajun Yard Dog where my constant craving for deep fried catfish and potato salad was temporarily sated.  Thumbs up for taste, service and value.

In the afternoon I had the pleasure of meeting with local chef, Bill Bigham.  Chef Bigham works as a personal chef and teacher in the Charlotte area having completed a culinary course at Johnson and Wales.  His enthusiasm and insight regarding the Charlotte food culture was both refreshing and encouraging.    

We met Chef Bigham at Dean & Deluca, always a lovely experience.  I was glad to see their locally sourced pastries front and center.

                             
Finally, day one ended with dinner which I had the privilege of making for my hosts and some of their family members.  Roasted asparagus, salmon, risotto, salad and chocolate coated peanut butter cookies were on the menu.

Come back tomorrow for Day 2 which will include my favorite chocolatier in Charlotte and a few more highlights.

Presto, Pesto

If you're looking for a way to use up scads of arugula, look no further than pesto!  It is an easy, flavorful, healthy way to use up extra zesty greens.

We make pesto every year from basil, parsley and wild Italian Arugula.  It keeps really well in the freezer, so you can eat it all year on your sandwiches, pasta and green beans.  Immersion blenders makes the process especially easy.

Farmer's Market

Just a few iPhone snaps from the best farmer's market in Virginia.

Guacamole

Anyone else noticed the uptick in avocado advertising?

Easy Guacamole
-1 large avocado, large dice
-1 T. red onion, small dice
-1 small garlic clove, finely minced
-1 tsp. lemon juice
-salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients with a spoon.  And serve with corn chips, salmon cakes, or all by itself!

Easy, Healthy Side: Rustic Cut Salad

I made this a few nights ago.  Tasted great, photographed pretty well.  So I figured I'd better share it.

Oh, and by rustically cut I mean sort of randomly/lazily cut.  You know, whatever you want.  I like the different sizes/shapes.

You'll Need:
- 2 cups of randomly/rustically cut cucumbers
- 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
- 1 large carrot, cut rustically
- 2 tablespoons chopped red onion
- 1/2 stalk hearts of palm, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2-3 tablespoons Rice Vinegar

First.


Chop everybody up and toss 'em in a bowl.

Second.


Mix them all together with a large serving spoon.

Third.


Drizzle olive oil and vinegar over and toss again.  Then add in the seasoning.

Fact of the Matter: In the summer I eat salad almost every single day.

Going to the Market

This morning I went to the Farmer's Market.  One of the few things I will get up early for on Saturdays.  Also, there was a loud truck outside that woke me up.

But you didn't need to know that.

Moving on.  So, I took pictures there and here's what came out.

Fact of the Matter: I think most of this stuff was over-priced.

Something Green: Kale

Oh, hello there bloggers.  Post #3.  How am I doing?

Anyways...here we have kale.  Good for you and tastes awesome.

Nutrition Info (approx.): 


1 ounce will give you 86% of your daily value of Vitamin A
1 ounce will give you 56% of your daily value of Vitamin C
1 ounce will give you 4% of your daily value of Calcium
1 ounce will give you 3% of your daily value of Iron


Here's how it goes.

You'll need:
- Kale (seriously proportions don't matter much because it shrinks to nothing, so whatever you have)
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon stir fry sauce or soy sauce
- 2 minced cloves garlic
- 1 big skillet

First.


Break all the tough stems off of the kale. Put olive oil and garlic in the pan and heat on medium.  Add kale.

Second.


Pour stir fry sauce or soy sauce on top.  Toss with tongs to coat.

Third.

Cover, heat on medium-low for a good 3-4 minutes until it is nice and wilty.

Fourth.


Stir it around a bit to make sure it is well coated and dark green and wilted.  Eat it.

Fact of the Matter: I really love Flickr.