fun

a year of bakes-august

kdavis Leave a comment

i don’t know how this month’s bake came to mind but ended up deciding on chocolate eclairs. i was drawn to them because (1) i’ve never made choux pastry (2) there were multiple components and i felt up for the challenge and (3) i felt like it would be a good test of my baking skills.

oh, and this bake was doubly fun because mom was in town! now, she worked in food service her entire career, so she could smoke just about anyone in the kitchen (myself especially) but she was patient as i got all the ingredients organized, equipment laid out, and oven preheated. using this recipe from food & wine magazine, we got right to work on the choux pastry. i’ve seen chefs make it countless times on baking competition shows and was excited and nervous to see if it would work out for us. and despite the handful of negative reviews on the website, we powered forward. after boiling our water/butter mixture, i diligently removed the pot from the heat and vigorously stirred in the flour. much to our amazement and relief, the dough started to come together from the sides and leave the trademark film on the bottom of the pot! it was a baking miracle, i tell you! we were on top of the world.

we threw it in the mixer to cool off, added the eggs one at a time, and piped those bad boys out on a baking sheet. they might not look like much now, but just you wait. 🙂

while the oven was hard at work, we fixed up the pastry cream (blessedly easy and dangerously delicious), washed our dishes, and let the anticipation rise. i think i am a capable enough baker to have completed this one on my own without issue, but it was a much more enjoyable experience with mom by my side. love ya, mom!

about 40 minutes later, we pulled open the oven door and grinned from ear to ear. the eclair shells were golden but not burned and had a nice hollow sound when you tapped the bottoms. we’re on a roll! nothing can stop us now.

once those little shells cooled on the baking racks, it all came together pretty quickly. we split them horizontally, dunked the tops in a melted chocolate-butter mixture (YUM), and spooned in generous heaps of the pastry cream.

even though dinner was right around the corner, we immediately indulged. these eclairs are extremely decadent without being overly sweet, and we each scarfed ours down in just a matter of bites. as we say in our household, this recipe is a “keeper” for sure, and i look forward to a special occasion (or, you know, just another random monday) when i can make them again.

seattle – evening 1

kdavis Leave a comment

our visit to anacortes had come to an end, but we weren’t done with washington just yet! mom, aunt cindy, and i decided to tag on a few extra days and explore seattle. i’ve been to seattle once when my small group was passing through for a trip to alaska. so, it was like a whole new world!

we got a bit of a late start so only had time to really check into our airbnb and grab some dinner that monday evening. our airbnb was a clean, spacious, well-stocked condo in the queen anne area. the owner refers to it as the “kraken cabin,” and all the host instructions were easy to follow. i imagine this view west (and the sweet little porch) is even more pleasant when the sun is out. 🙂

we unpacked a bit and started to do a little online looking to figure out what we wanted to eat. sometimes you know just what you are craving. that night was not one of those nights, lol. so much sounded so good! however, the travel gods looked down on us because we found in the condo a binder full of recommendations from the host. what luck! page after page listed different types of food and different parts of town with all sorts of suggestions. you could find just about anything in there! with the rain picking up and our bellies rumbling, we decided the nearby queen anne beerhall was worth a visit. oh, and worth a visit it was!

as mentioned in another recent post, i have never had the pleasure of going to europe, but wow, this experience felt very authentic! long tables and benches as far as the eye can see, raucous kraken fans ready to root on their hockey team, and pint after pint of beer. what a find!

we squeezed into a table between two pairs of coworkers who were humorous and kind to us out-of-towners and all our questions. if any of you knows us three, you know we are not afraid to strike up a conversation. two of those folks we met were mustafa and christopher. mustafa is an attorney and christopher is a soon-to-be-attorney at a local law firm. throughout the conversation, we found out mustafa grew up in huntsville (what are the odds?) and that christopher has a little eastern europe heritage (again, who would have thought!). it was such a serendipitous meeting, and i could not have planned it better if i tried. we got their stories, they got our stories, and they were so sweet to recommend a whole bunch of local spots for us to try during our stay. i love that they obliged our “old school” request to write the restaurants down instead of just punching them into our phone. plus, this napkin will make for a great page in my scrapbook!

over our chatter and cheers and laughter, we shared the giant pretzel, grilled corn, beet salad, and cheese curds. everything was fresh and rich and flavorful, and i bet if i lived within walking distance i’d be a regular. even though it is good to go through life with a plan, sometimes the most unplanned things end up being the best. mustafa and christopher, thank you for tolerating our little trio. if you’re ever in atlanta, i’d be happy to return the favor!

an anacortes occasion

kdavis Leave a comment

earlier this year, i was pleasantly surprised and quite flattered to receive an invitation to my great aunt nancy’s 90th birthday celebration up in anacortes, washington. with plenty of pto and some miles burning a hole in my virtual wallet, my mom and i took a week off from work to venture up to and around the pacific northwest.

our flight saturday morning to seattle was, blessedly, uneventful. however, our luck was short-lived once we got to the rental car center. long story short, i couldn’t pick up the car my husband reserved for us because my name wasn’t on the profile. then, i had the pleasure of waiting for an hour to get a car from a different provider. after declining all the add-on insurance and taking the elevator down a couple floors, we threw our bags into the trunk of our zippy kia soul and hopped on i-5 to make our way north. you know, i feel like we got the true washington state experience right off the beat. downtown traffic, cloudy skies, and rain.

thankfully we weren’t really in a hurry, so it was nice to cruise along and take in the sights of the evergreen state. we all know atlanta is called the city in the trees, but everything here is just so lush. some leaves had started changing, but i think in a couple weeks’ time, the trees will really be showing off.

about two and half hours later, we turned into wisteria gardens. this place was just so picturesque! from the chic farmhouse to the nearby pumpkin patch, i couldn’t imagine a better backdrop for the evening, which was a whirlwind of hugs, meeting new people, re-meeting family i hadn’t seen in decades, eating, drinking, and dancing. the elvis cover band was a huge hit, and i am so grateful we were included in the celebration. aunt nancy, i hope i look as good as you when i’m 90! if you have any secrets to share with my generation, i’m all ears. 🙂

once the party wrapped up, we headed back to the cabin nearby. it had a peaceful view of skagit bay, and we spent the night enjoying some red washington wine while puzzling and solving the world’s problems. it’s so interesting to hear how our conversations have transformed over the years and through different stages of life. so grateful for these women!

sunday was our final day in anacortes, and we piled up and headed to mark’s and shamay’s for some brunch. there were cars and people and food everywhere, and i grabbed a seat out on the porch. what a pleasant view! i feel lucky to have family like this, where you are welcome to join the fun as you are and, generally speaking, the more, the merrier.

after brunch, mom, aunt cindy, sara, julian, and i went to fernhill cemetery to visit and pay our respects to some of the extended family. these grounds are so quiet, and even if i do not make it back up here in my lifetime, i am glad we took some time to remember where this side of my family comes from and who part of me is.

as i am certain i’ve written before, our family is always ready to eat. so, we met our cousin lorri in nearby la conner for a little small town afternoon. the drive there was so relaxing, and i cannot believe all the dahlias we saw along the way. i mean, these things were mondo-sized and everywhere and in every shade you can imagine. i didn’t get to snap a picture, but my mom was sure to because my sister-in-law kari loves these blooms. kari, you would have been in heaven up here!

we ended up having lunch at la conner seafood and prime rib house, which was the same place that catered the party the night prior. we started with the spinach artichoke dip, which was scarfed down quickly. i then treated myself to a cup of clam chowder and crab cakes. the chowder was fine, but the crab cakes were worth every penny and every bite (despite this poor photo quality, i promise).

while we’d been having lunch, phillip had separately mentioned to me that it recently was national ice cream day, so it was easy to convince julian we should go for a scoop! just down a block at lulu’s espresso & ice cream, he had a cone of cherry ice cream, and i went for a cup of triple chocolate. i think he liked his, yes? 🙂

that night was extra dreary out, so we stayed in and munched on leftovers. julian and i got to play in the loft upstairs, and i was quick to fall asleep after such a fun day. i’ve a feeling it’s easy to do that up here. thank you for the memories, anacortes!

my suburban diary: paint on the floor

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here in georgia our nephew bode lives nearby, and each november when his birthday rolls around, his parents invite us to his celebration. it’s only been four years now, but phillip and i have set a reputation for dressing up for the event to really enhance the theme of the party. the first year we were tigers and lions and cheetahs for “wild and one,” the second year we were minnie and a hot dog for “twodooles,” and the third year we were a paleontologist and dinosaur for “three-rex.” you get it.

well, when bode turned four earlier this month, it was time to channel my inner crafting skills and get to work. the theme was “the need four speed,” and my mother gets all the credit for this idea: box car lightning mcqueen and sally! it was genius and, i’d say, beginner on the difficulty scale. 🙂 getting the boxes folded just right was step one, and then they needed some beautiful coats of paint. well, i opened the garage door, laid down some spare cardboard and newspapers, and got to work. i was highly satisfied with the results, but when i pulled up my “protective” base layer, i couldn’t help but laugh. that spray paint sprayed a little further than i intended, and we now have lovely abstract blue and red artwork on our garage floor. it’s not like we have a professional finished garage floor, so it is no big deal, but it just made me smile because i feel like everyone at some point works on some sort of craft in their garage (if lucky enough to have one) and inevitably gets a little of the art where it shouldn’t be. but honestly, isn’t it a memory you are making? i am certain that each time i walk in the garage and see a little sliver of paint here and there, i will think back to, yes, the craft, but also the reason for it: family. you’ll have to check in next november to see what we come up with next!

an mcu journey: a progressive dinner & daddy issues

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for once i am writing about this next leg in our journey the day right after the event! perhaps with everything fresh in my mind my review will be fair and accurate.

so, as everyone knows, with each new movie we have been ordering dinner from a restaurant new to all if not most of us. now, i love having someone else cook for me as much as the next full-time working 30-something, but this time we mixed it up and, if i say so myself, had the best time. we have, now that i think about it, an absurd number and variety of grocery stores around us. kroger, publix, whole foods, walmart, lidl, aldi, fresh market. you name it, we probably have it. however, one that i do not frequent but that has been in town for ages is the local trader joe’s. i wouldn’t say i don’t go because i don’t like it; rather, when my grocery run truly is a run for the essentials and not a stroll through the store kind of event, there are many stores closer than tj’s that will get the job done. and i know how popular tj’s is across the country and that it has a huge loyal customer base. so, what did we do for dinner last night? we ravaged the local tj’s for a bunch of their customer favorites and had a progressive dinner together!

my shopping experience wasn’t as relaxing as i wanted it to be (i mean, 5 o’clock on a saturday probably was not the best time to go), but after i conquered my anxiety, the result was well worth the effort. listed in no particular order, here are all the goodies we dined on last night and our general review of each. i think it’s safe to say that we will try making tj’s a more regular stop on our grocery route!

  • pork & ginger soup dumplings – these were a winner among the crowd. easy to prepare and perfectly steamed, i am convinced it would be quite easy to eat a whole box myself. do be warned, though, that you really do need to like ginger to like these dumplings.
  • cauliflower jalapeno dip – this dip was talked up on a website i visited but really failed to deliver on the cauliflower or jalapeno flavor. it was nice and creamy, i’ll give it that, and gave us a good excuse to try the pita bite crackers. however, this dip will not be on my re-buy list.
  • salsa – thinking the dip was going to be too spicy, we grabbed a jar of salsa as a nice mild option. however, this salsa had more kick to it than the dip! but, we all agreed it was more flavor than heat and paired perfectly with the blue corn tortilla chips.
  • chicken burrito – everyone had a half a burrito as a little appetizer, and everyone had the same opinion: please, no more. in a pinch? sure. if you had to eat it to survive, okay? however, there was not much depth to the flavor, and unless i followed the heating instructions incorrectly, the burrito really was not heated through consistently. maybe if i had flipped them in the microwave halfway through they would have been better? maybe, but i don’t know that i will go buy more just try my theory.
  • cauliflower gnocchi – more cauliflower? why not! decadent gnocchi are a treat for me, and a cauliflower version sounded like a pretty safe version. as much as i wanted this one to be a winner, i’d say it probably took home the bronze. the texture was the slightest bit gummy, but i cannot fault them for taste. these little pillows were packed with cauliflower flavor, and i am betting that if i had first boiled them and then finished them off in the pan for a little browning that they would have been even better.
  • mac and cheese bites – these little buddies got high marks all around. i’m not sure there’s much to not like here. crispy outside? yes, please. creamy mac’n’cheese center? of course! these were right on in every way and would be good to keep in the freezer for when family or friends come over.
  • mandarin orange chicken – everything i read/heard told me this chicken has been a top-seller for years, and for once, the reviews did not steer us wrong. i baked the chicken in the oven, heated the sauce in the microwave, and prepared some rice on the stovetop. one bite altogether, and it is like you are in takeout heaven, but it’s better than takeout because it does not cost as much and is ready in minutes (no waiting on delivery or going out in your jammies for pickup!). due to the sheer amount of food we had throughout the evening, there were leftovers, but i don’t expect them to last long.
  • snacks – throughout the night we also munched on other snacks like the plantain chips (so crispy and flavorful and salty), the white cheddar corn puffs (i may have eaten half the bag during the movie), and bite size everything crackers (these were INCREDIBLE).
  • desserts – and you can’t forget about the sweets! the dark chocolate peanut butter cups and crispy crunchy chocolate chip cookies were nearly gone by night’s end. gotta balance the salty with the sweet!

now that we were filled to the brim with flavors of all kinds, it was time for guardians of the galaxy vol. 2. i will certainly get more detailed with my review, but at the end of the film, realizing that this one’s purpose was primarily necessary for character building, i said, “alright, if they insist.”

ego and his planet and his whole “expansion” thing were quite over the top (again, i know that’s how these stories go, but still). additionally, the movie was about 30 minutes too long in my opinion, but this is coming from the girl who likes movies 2 hours or shorter. as i sit here and reflect, i think those were my biggest gripes. then, if i really put some thought into what i did like, i’d say there were a good handful of things, but just not enough to outweigh my general apathy towards this film.

drax was my favorite character, and i hope we see more of him later. knowing a character’s backstory seems to be my thing, as i really liked learning more about gamora’s and nebula’s past. i wasn’t so sure about baby groot, but the scene when he is supposed to get the fin for yondu was too funny, and i especially thought the extra clip at the end with teenager groot was particularly precious. oh, and how could i forget about poor taserface? he never stood a chance.

i feel like we are in the final lap of this adventure and will be very interested to see if anything can dethrone iron man or trader joe’s (yes, we have a new number 1!) in these last few films. anything is possible!

EATS

  1. trader joe’s
  2. sweet octopus
  3. alessio’s
  4. gordo’s pizza
  5. alebrije mexican restaurant
  6. jim’n’nick’s
  7. burger 21
  8. jerusalem bakery
  9. armando’s caribe
  10. honeypig
  11. sonny’s bbq
  12. cue barbecue
  13. lon u
  14. rose and olive
  15. wayback burger
  16. 2 nyers pizza
  17. tokyo shokudo

MOVIES

  1. iron man
  2. ant-man
  3. spider-man: homecoming
  4. guardians of the galaxy
  5. captain america: the first avenger
  6. black panther
  7. thor: ragnarok
  8. thor: the dark world
  9. captain america: civil war
  10. guardians of the galaxy vol. 2
  11. thor
  12. avengers: age of ultron
  13. captain america: the winter soldier
  14. doctor strange
  15. iron man 3
  16. the avengers
  17. iron man 2

an mcu journey: an al dente dinner with modern vibes

kdavis Leave a comment

the delicious eats and fun flicks are still a-comin’, and although i feel like we still have a good chunk to get through, we’ve come so far! you know what’s up. we’ve had the good, the bad, the better, the worse, and if i had to describe everything for this week of adventure, i’d say everything was solidly solid. wait, is it grammatically acceptable to use an adjective to describe itself? sure, why not!

first up is dinner, and one food group we had not yet enjoyed together for marvel night was italian. i mean, we’ve had pizza, but i’m talking pastas and marinaras and garlicky goodness.

phillip and i were super ready to recommend we order dinner from nearby alessio’s. we had tried them for his birthday dinner last year via delivery during the pandemic, and they just might be one of my favorite italian places in town. if i were force fed the tortellii cardinal every day for a week, i would gladly welcome the challenge. phillip tried the ravioli, which i admit was divine. dave and jenn both had parmigiana, dave the veal and jenn the chicken. dave had never had veal before and commented that the texture seemed a little off. could it be because it was delivered? would it be better fresh out of the oven, tableside? is it possible that veal simply is not for him? i guess we’ll just need to eat at the restaurant soon to settle it!

so, dinner was a hit, as far as my dish was concerned. can we say the same for the movie? well, i don’t know that i’d give black panther the highest marks, but it definitely is not at the back of the pack. i feel like it was quite a hit when it first released in 2018, and i’ll admit i was looking forward to seeing it for myself. and now thinking back on it, i first was a huge fan of the fact that this movie takes place in a completely different setting from all the other movies i have seen so far. although most of the scenery is probably computer-generated, it was a nice change. i also appreciate that the start of the movie is very straightforward and explains the history of wakanda; it was helpful to get some direct insight right upfront!

from the vibranium thieves to n’jadaka’s thirst for revenge, i liked the multi-layered conflict throughout the film. the soundtrack was pretty awesome, too, and i was especially glad that at the end t’challa chose to open an outreach center. i really don’t know that there was a better way to conclude the movie.

you know, as i sit here thinking and writing about the restaurant and the movie, i think they both get higher ratings that i originally planned. it’s anybody’s game at this point!

EATS

  1. sweet octopus
  2. alessio’s
  3. gordo’s pizza
  4. alebrije mexican restaurant
  5. jim’n’nick’s
  6. burger 21
  7. jerusalem bakery
  8. armando’s caribe
  9. honeypig
  10. cue barbecue
  11. lon u
  12. rose and olive
  13. wayback burger
  14. 2 nyers pizza
  15. tokyo shokudo

MOVIES

  1. iron man
  2. ant-man
  3. spider-man: homecoming
  4. guardians of the galaxy
  5. captain america: the first avenger
  6. black panther
  7. thor: the dark world
  8. captain america: civil war
  9. thor
  10. avengers: age of ultron
  11. captain america: the winter soldier
  12. doctor strange
  13. iron man 3
  14. the avengers
  15. iron man 2

an mcu journey: meat & magic

kdavis Leave a comment

oh man, where do i start? if i sound exasperated, it’s because i am! this journey has come to feel more like a saga, but i’ve put in this much time so far. just gotta finish the drill!

a couple weeks ago phillip and dave were out and about for some quality bro time and drove right to our next restaurant pick, honeypig. korean bbq? right up my alley! i wasted no time ordering the bulgogi bowl (which phillip had, too), and jenn ordered the be be bop with chicken. the brothy soup was a great start, and i nearly scarfed down the bulgogi, fitting in bites of rice and kimchi, too. however, everything else in my to-go container was, unfortunately, forgettable. from what i recall, jenn’s chicken dish was just okay, and i couldn’t even tell you what dave had. i guess that says it all, doesn’t it? maybe it’s a better experience at the restaurant than at home…i mean, who doesn’t love that k-pop/grilling atmosphere?

like our meal, this week’s movie was mostly mediocre with hints of harry potter and inception in the wild world of doctor strange. i was warned ahead of time that this movie is very unlike the others in the mcu and am glad i had a head’s up so that i could brace myself for the weird experience i was about to have. despite some killer cast members (who can ever have enough benjamin bratt or chiwetel ejiofor?), i had a hard time really connecting with stephen strange’s character. i mean, we all know he was a huge jerk at the start of the movie, and even as he started gaining his powers (which happened awfully quickly), he still seemed to be selfishly focused on only what was in it all for him. it wasn’t until he just happened to be around as the sanctums started to collapse that he really cared to consider how he could help others with what he had learned. there was the slightest glimmer of redemption when he apologized to christine, but that still only came when he needed something from her.

now, enough of that critique, let’s focus on others! the out-of-body astral fights had me rolling my eyes, and the absurdly pathetic security protocols were disappointing. i mean, why didn’t that special book have a few more locks or guards around!? and as i rewatched the movie earlier this morning to refresh my memory, a big question finally dawned on me: why are all these other beings from other universes and worlds wanting to always destroy earth? there aren’t other uninhabited planets to conquer? guess that wouldn’t make for a very entertaining movie franchise.

i did like the special effects and appreciated the comic relief doctor strange’s cape relic brought in a couple fight scenes. other than that, i’m not sure there was much for me to love here. oh well, gotta have the bad to appreciate the good i guess.

both picks this time around were very middle of the pack-ish. cannot wait to see if the rankings get mixed up a bit as things progress!

EATS

  1. sweet octopus
  2. gordo’s pizza
  3. alebrije mexican restaurant
  4. jim’n’nick’s
  5. burger 21
  6. jerusalem bakery
  7. armando’s caribe
  8. honeypig
  9. cue barbecue
  10. lon u
  11. rose and olive
  12. wayback burger
  13. 2 nyers pizza
  14. tokyo shokudo

MOVIES

  1. iron man
  2. ant-man
  3. spider-man: homecoming
  4. guardians of the galaxy
  5. captain america: the first avenger
  6. thor: the dark world
  7. captain america: civil war
  8. thor
  9. avengers: age of ultron
  10. captain america: the winter soldier
  11. doctor strange
  12. iron man 3
  13. the avengers
  14. iron man 2

thx for the memories, asheville

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to celebrate my birthday earlier this month, phillip and i decided to enjoy a getaway weekend just a few hours northeast in asheville, nc. phillip hadn’t been, and it feels like a lifetime ago since i visited for a bachelorette weekend. so, with really no reason not to go and a junk ton of breweries ready to welcome us, to asheville we went!

we were a bit parched from our travels, so after dropping our luggage, we hit downtown by foot and started taking in the city. it was a bustling thursday night, and eager to up our own energy, phillip’s eye was caught by double d’s coffee & desserts bus. what a lovely, unexpected surprise to begin our adventures!

i mean, how can you walk by this and not stop. 🙂 phillip ordered an iced mocha, of course, and i tried their unsweetened peach tea, which was perfectly refreshing on a warm summer evening. there were plenty of tables and benches around, so we sat back and relaxed as we enjoyed this little oasis plopped right in the middle of the city. i highly recommend you put this bus on your list!

caffeinated and ready for more, we strolled down to wicked weed brewing. this place seems like an asheville staple to me, and instead of sitting in the main dining room, we walked downstairs to find a couple stools at a hightop. there were lots of folks with their doggies nearby, and i noticed throughout our trip that all of asheville seems to be pretty pet-friendly. perhaps next time grace can join us!

known very much as a beer town, asheville has lots to offer in this category, so we wasted no more time. we both ordered a flight, grabbed some pretzels and yellow mustard, and took a seat. it was not too long before we were chatting with the folks at the other end of the table, getting their stories. you just never know who you might meet! we were lucky enough to get to know chase and tiffany over the course of a few more hours and a couple more rounds of beer. they are a pleasant couple from ohio and vacation to asheville every year, so we lucked out with our own tour guides! and although it was their last night in town, they shared with us the inside scoop on all their favorite places that we had to try during our visit. spoiler alert! everything they recommended was incredible. 🙂

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louisville – day 1

kdavis 1 Comment

like many folks these days, our plans have been canceled or rearranged, and while some days we might feel down about it all, others you just have to make your own happiness happen.  phillip and i did just that this past weekend with a quick getaway to louisville, ky.  it was a good halfway point to meet up with my dad (who drove up from alabama) and my younger brother clark (who flew down from chicago).

phillip, clark, and i got in around lunch, so after we dropped our suitcases at the hotel, we took a walk to the highlands to try out el taco luchador.  this spot was recommended by my friend sara, who lived here for several years, and is bright and fun, serving up delicious food and beverages.

round one was a couple of coronas, of course, while clark tried the frozen watermelon margarita.  clark said his drink was tasty and only made better with an order of chips and queso.  apparently, the only way they serve queso in chicago is fundido-style which, although good in its own way, cannot quite compare to the runny, mouthwatering white queso you find at mexican restaurants in the south.  i think clark was in heaven with each bite!

cheers!
queso for everyone!

as for the tacos themselves, we all three tried the baja fish taco and declared it the uncontested favorite.  between the perfectly battered filet and crispy cabbage, it was a taco that would satisfy any taco-lover in town.

baja fish tacos & the al pastor taco.

also tried (and devoured) were the al pastor, carnitas, and chicharron tacos.  they, too, were a tasty trio, and for me, the chicharron was so perfect and tender that i had to order a second!

the carnitas & chicharron tacos.

later that day, milo rolled into louisville and, inevitably, it was time to eat again.  if you’ve ever been on a trip with my family, you know the plans largely revolve around food.  surely we aren’t the only ones?

we wanted something good but not too fancy and soon settled on trying feast bbq.  how did we decide on trying feast?  i’d be lying if i told you it wasn’t because of the bourbon slushies they prominently feature on their site… 🙂  also, it was a short drive from the hotel.

doesn’t clark look thrilled, lawlz?
phillip was thirsty, lol!

dad had the brisket sandwich, which he rated as an 8 out of 10.  i feel like that’s saying a lot seeing as how he has lived in the south over 30 years now and has tried his fair share of brisket.

clark went for the pulled pork sandwich with a side of sweet potato fries.  he commented that it all was perfectly satisfying.

phillip and i were in a sharing mood since we were still full from lunch, so we munched on the simple salad (gotta get some greens, somehow, some way) and crispy mac & cheese balls (which, in our opinion, didn’t need the overpowering horseradish sauce at all).

simple salad.
crispy mac & cheese balls.

overall, we ended our first day in louisville two for two.  not a bad start!

mozzarella!

kdavis Leave a comment

earlier this month i wanted to plan a little date night in for phillip and me and was inspired when my coworker sue told me about a creamery in pennsylvania that offers mozzarella-making kits and instructions.  no sooner were the words out of her mouth than i had placed my order for a pound of our very own curds.

you want to know the most interesting thing i learned about making mozzarella?  that once you have the curds, it really doesn’t take long at all!  rynn takes you through the mozz-making process step by step in an adorable online video you get access to once your curds arrive.  to echo her suggestion, i highly recommend pouring yourself a drink, kicking back, and simply watching the process first before diving in to make your own.  rynn is charming and entertaining and informative all at the same time and really does give you deep insight into cheese and, of course, mozzarella.

aw, rynn.
cheers!
the finest wine.
it’s hard not to smile when you are drinking wine.

once we felt prepared, we inched our aprons and shred our curds and boiled our water and sprinkled our salt and got to work.  the process, again, really isn’t too difficult, and i ultimately think the most important step is getting your water hot enough.  i don’t know that ours was because our mozz balls were a little lumpy and not as smooth as i think they could have been.  however, it was still a fun time watching those curds clump together and then pulling them with the spoon for that picturesque waterfall effect.  i mean, i think they look pretty good for first-timers!

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so now that we had our fresh mozzarella available, how did we enjoy it?  well, we sliced up one of the balls and enjoyed it on its own, and some things just taste better when you make them yourself.  next up that night were individual pizzas with our lovely mozz plopped on top.  each bite was super cheesy and super delicious.  then, we paired the mozz with some fresh tomatoes, basil, and vinegar for a little caprese salad.  how gourmet!

if you like cooking and you like cheese, please order yourself some curds and join in on the fun.  it was a delightful evening in and almost makes me feel like i’m right in italy alongside the experts.  almost.  🙂