Sip.Stir.Go

  I love to cook but there’s something nice about backing away from the stove and letting someone else do the work and though eating out is great, eating for good is even better. What’s eating for good? It’s when my dollars not only feed my belly but go to a worthwhile cause. An opportunity to eat for good is coming up Sunday, October 6 at Kenan’s Blue Zone. Come join me at A Tasteful Affair, a…

Green Bean & Tomato Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette

Quick and easy is my summer meal mantra so this delicious side fits right in.  The dressing comes together in under 5 minutes too (make it in a mason jar for easy missing) and it’s so good you might just want to keep some around for dressing potato salad or to drizzle over grilled salmon. I tend to eyeball ingredients so depending on size of your tomatoes and length of the green beans you may…

Dijon Vinaigrette – A Great Dressing or Marinade

This vinaigrette is delicious on salad or drizzled over grilled salmon. It also makes a fantastic baste for grilled shrimp or a flavorful marinade and baste for grilled chicken.  I’ve found, depending on the brand of Dijon mustard I use, that sometimes I need to up the lemon juice. Adjust according to your own taste.

Recipe makes about 3/4 cup of dressing

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon…

Tom & Jenny’s Candy have introduced some new flavors to their fantastic line of candies. I recently had the chance to try them and I can say they’re good.  So what’s so special about these caramels? Well, Jenny is a dentist with a serious sweet tooth. I know, right? She knows firsthand the effects of sugar on teeth and knew the answer wasn’t to tell people to give up candy or carry a toothbrush…

GO: Himalayan Range, Cary NC

Incredibly flavorful Nepalese food is served at this nice but not fancy Cary spot. Because of Nepal’s geography the food embraces Indian as well as Chinese and Thai notes. One prime example of this mismatch are momos, a Nepalese delicacy reminiscent of a Chinese dumpling yet heartier and spiced differently. The only disappointment in my meal was the paratha which was greasy and doughy but the…

I really enjoyed my meal and you all know me, if I don’t like something I say so. As I’ve said on my blog, I will never pan a restaurant on my blog; I simply don’t write about bad experiences. I have chosen to write about this one so there you go. I think it’s worth putting Treforni on your lunch or dinner circuit. There is a likelihood that people will want to compare Treforni to Pizzeria Toro and I do so just to offer distinctions. They are the same in that they both sell wood fired pizza but they are different enough that yes, there is room enough in this foodie town for both.

The owner traveled to Naples to learn to make Neapolitan pizza

Some of the best places to eat are often tucked into unassuming spots – cinder block buildings on roadsides, off road shacks or in suburbia, strip malls. Treforni is tucked into a strip mall at the intersection of 54 and Garrett Road – not a terribly far jaunt away from downtown but you all know me, getting me out of downtown is hard.

I enlisted my boyfriend to come with me to dinner so I could get another opinion and I’ll admit it, eat more. Stepping inside it was easy to forget we were in a strip mall. The space features a lot of warm wood, string lights and bench and bar table seating. The stack of firewood greeting me at the door signaled good things ahead and the tre forni (3 wood fired ovens) in open view of the dining room were impressive.

The host quickly seated us and we settled in with $3.00 draft Peronis. 3 dollars people – if I could insert praise hands here I would. Score 1 for Treforni. We scanned the menu of salads, pizzas, calzones and sandwiches and decided to start with a half order of the spinach salad (baby spinach, red onion, grape tomatoes, gorgonzola, balsamic vinaigrette). Note to other restaurants: I know I can ask for half orders but do me a solid and just offer it as an option. The salad was crisp, fresh, with an ample amount of toppings to greens and it was adequately dressed with a well balanced balsamic vinaigrette. Score 2 for Treforni. It was a nice start to the meal.

For dinner we ordered the Treforni calzone and the Capricciosa pizza. They were both delicious and HUGE.

Treforni calzone

The calzone is fashioned from the pizza dough so they take that entire piece of dough and just fold it in half. I love a good calzone and this was one of the better ones I’ve ever had. The dough is a bit sweeter, softer and chewier than Toro’s crust. There was the proper amount of filling (no dry edges) and the ricotta – Holy mother of all cheeses – the ricotta was perfect! It was actually flavorful. I’ve had a lot of weirdly textured, dry, flavorless ricotta. This was exceptional. Add in the mozzarella and the salami . . . fantastic.

Capricciosa pizza – prosciutto cotto, artichokes, mushrooms, mozzarella

The pizza was lightly sauced with a sauce less sweet than others I’ve had which was quite nice. It tasted like fresh tomatoes and the toppings were quite good. The crust is heavier than a Toro pie but it’s not by any means bready. The pizza was served with 3 accompaniments – freshly grated Parmesan, chopped garlic and red chili peppers. I love cooking with garlic but I was a bit wary of eating raw garlic but decided to give it a try. I’m a convert. The addition of the raw garlic, a sprinkle of cheese and the bite of the red chilies really kicked up the flavors of the pizza. If they don’t bring the toppings ask for them. It’s worth giving this flavor boost a try.

We had eaten far more than any 2 people should but I suffer for my craft so I loosened my belt and plunged headlong into dessert. They offer 3 – cannoli, tiramisu and a chocolate hazelnut calzone. I love cannoli and often can’t find good ones so I thought I’d give theirs a try. That ricotta I mentioned before . . . amazing in the cannoli. They took that creamy goodness and very lightly sweetened it so it was rich, creamy and delicious without that cloying sweetness some cannoli have. The cannoli shell was amazing. It was perfectly crisp, slightly sweet and incredibly flavorful. The dark chocolate was bittersweet and delicious and most importantly the cannoli was at the perfect temperature. It wasn’t straight out of a refrigerator nor was it warm. It was cool, perfectly cool. I was all over that cannoli and realized once I’d demolished it that I’d forgotten to take a picture.

My meal was delicious. The food was well prepared, the ingredients were high quality and everything was delicious. The space was comfortable and our server was friendly and her service was attentive yet relaxed. I’ll definitely be back. Another big plus for Treforni is they have a dedicated gluten free oven so if you have a gluten sensitivity you can enjoy pizza again. Mangia.

Treforni’s one year anniversary is this Saturday and they’ll be celebrating from 11-2 with pizza samples, raffle prizes and ingredient samples and demos.

Treforni, Hope Valley Commons, 1125 W NC Highway 54, Durham Monday – Saturday 11:00­-2:00pm/5:00pm -10:00pm Sunday 11:00 – 8:00pm

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living room whimsy

All stacked up and ready to go

A fun living room to wait for your table in the dining room or just enjoy your meal.

I love this beer and for $3 for this nice sized draft, what a bargain.

Stir: Caramelized Japanese Turnips #vegetables #sides #vegetarian

Turnips. Growing up I hated these – bitter, mushy, gross.  My Mom, sweet Southern lady that she is, would cook them for HOURS along with the greens.   I was certain I would hate them forever but there they were at the Farmer’s Market – small, delicate, unblemished.  They certainly know how to market themselves.  I decided I’d give them another try and I have to say, I’m a convert.  Japanese…

I’ve changed WordPress themes and am experiencing some growing pains. I apologize if you’ve received multiple emails while I’ve tried to link older content to a new post. Thanks for your patience as I’ve figured this out. Fran

Italian Sub aka Desk Lunch doesn’t have to be boring

Use your leftover items from the antipasto platter to make this great sandwich. It’s flavor is best if made the night before serving.  Bonus – it’s big so you can easily share it between two folks and be satisfied. 6 inch wedge of ciabatta, sliced in half lengthwise leftover items from the Antipasto platter – if you only served one you’ll likely have 2 slices of tomato, artichokes and 4 slices of…

New blog post: Antipasto & Easy Lunch @lafarmcary @wholefoods_drh

Castellina in Chianti, a small town nestled in the Tuscan hills between Florence and Sienna, is home to about 2,800 people. It is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen with blues and greens so vibrant it was hard to believe that what I was seeing was real. I was fortunate enough to arrive on a day when the locals were holding a festival. Folks strolled down the streets, wine glasses in…

This store has it all – every vegetable, sauce and garnish needed to make traditional Asian cuisine or any other dish you can dream up.

Banchan to go.

Need pots and pans – yup, they’ve got them. Delectable bakery items, check. This store really does allow for one stop shopping. I was in love with the store from the moment I locked eyes with the gorgeous vegetables. Okay, I’m getting overly poetic but you get my drift.

Lawd look at all those different kinds of kim chi.

But, that’s not all. THERE’S A FOOD COURT. Even if you have no need for groceries roll in for delicious food. There are multiple food stalls selling different dishes such as traditional Korean dishes, bento boxes, curries, noodle soups, Korean fried chicken, sweets . . Order from the main counter, get your number and when it flashes on the billboard above the appropriate food stall head over and get your food.

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On my visit I had the LA galbi, Korean short ribs.

These ribs were great though they could have marinated a tad longer just for flavor not tenderness. The meat was obviously high quality – tender, rich and buttery as good beef should be. For $17.99 I got enough ribs for 2 and 2 banchan. There are cheaper spots in town but $17.99 is more than fair for the quality of meal I got here. The ribs were also heavy with meat which has everything to do with how they were cut. I’ve had plenty of galbi at cheaper spots that through the magic of creative butchering serve ribs with little meat on the bones. H Mart doesn’t cut corners. The dining space is nice with dark wood and ample seating so it was a comfortable spot to have dinner. I look forward to eating my way through the food court and shopping at H Mart. It’s a beautiful bright store that is well stocked and well priced and even better it’s closer to Morrisville so it is an easy drive from Durham.

According to their website, the H stands for “Han Ah Reum,” which means “One Arm Full of Groceries.” I marvel at your restraint if you leave with just one.

HMart, 1961 High House Rd., Cary, NC 27519, 9-9 Daily

Sun-dried Tomato Stuffed Chicken Breasts

I’m always looking for quick easy meals but they also have to pack a lot of flavor. I think my riff on Chicken Saltimbocca hits the mark. It’s loaded with flavor, easy to assemble and ready in about 45 minutes which isn’t that bad since 30 minutes of that time it’s hanging out in the oven. Much like my grandmother I have a tendency to add a bit of this and a dash of that so this recipe is fairly…

The Reason for the Trip: Harry Potter World & Universal Studios

 There are 2 parts to this park – Hogsmeade & Daigon Alley. It’s worth it to do both. They are connected by the Hogwarts Express and the ride is different each way so make the roundtrip. We visited on a Monday and found the park full of adults in wizarding capes drinking beer – both butter and craft. Lunch at The Three Broomsticks (fish and chips, $15) was surprisingly good. There were 3 huge pieces of lightly breaded, flaky fish and a pile of thick cut steak fries. The meal was big enough to share between 2 hungry adults. After Harry Potter World we moseyed over  to Universal Studios. There you can take a stroll through Springfield and ride the Simpsons ride (awesome), check out Marilyn Monroe wooing the crowds and visit Cannery Row. There’s a ton to do and going on a weekday served us well as we waited on average 20 minutes to board rides as compared to the hours folks wait on weekends.

  Eat & Drink: A few of my favorites

 Hawkers Asian Street Fare, Pan-Asian small plates and a great assortment of beer. The dishes are actually sized for 2 people to share. None of this 3 items on a plate garbage that makes me so angry with tapas/small plates. Monday – Friday from 3-6 is Happy Hour with $3 craft beer and $3 small plates. Wednesdays you can bring your own bottle of wine with no corkage fee.

Linda’s La Cantina which confusingly is a steakhouse. 4721 E. Colonial Drive, around $30 for a massive ribeye, salad and baked potato. I had 4 meals from this steak. When I travel I want to visit the spots that have become institutions. Open since 1947 and consistently ranked as one of the best steakhouses in Orlando, Linda’s didn’t disappoint. It’s the sort of place I love – diner friendly service and perfectly prepared food with no frills. This spot isn’t fancy. I had planned to dress up for dinner since it was my birthday but looking around the room I’d have been the only person not in jeans. Spend the day touring Universal and then stroll in for a great steak dinner. Look at that char!

Il Pescatore, 651 N. Primrose Drive, around $15.00 for entrees that are shareable. This is the spot for no frills, homestyle Italian food. My eggplant parmesan was quite good and my boyfriend’s lasagna was also delicious. The eggplant wasn’t too heavily breaded, was cooked through but not mushy and wasn’t greasy. The ratio of eggplant to cheese and sauce was perfect and the sauce was really delicious. The meat in the lasagna was actually well seasoned which I attribute to the use of meatballs in the dish rather than plain ground beef.  There was a range of options for wine and I chose the house wine which paired perfectly with my meal. What made the meal however was our server. He was fantastic. He clearly took pride in the food, made great recommendations and I admit it, his heavy NY Italian accent was endearing. I was reminded of the Italian restaurants we went to in Little Italy when I was a kid.

Il Pescatore – eggplant parmesan

Il Pescatore – the lasagna was well seasoned and delicious.

Pho Vinh, 657 N. Primrose Drive, $10 or less for giant steaming bowls of pho. I had no idea Orlando had a large Vietnamese population. The result of this concentration of Vietnamese residents is that there is an area, Little Vietnam, full of stores and restaurants. We passed about 5 banh mi shops in a row interrupted by Asian markets and then there were noodle shops left and right. Heaven I tell ya. I can’t wait to return to Orlando to spend time eating my way through Little Vietnam. Pho Vinh offered steaming hot pho with the usual accompaniments. With so many places to choose from I imagine there are other spots for delicious pho as well but this place hit the spot. For more about Little Vietnam check out this blog post from Orlando Magazine. Sorry there’s no picture. Sometimes I am so focused on eating I forget the camera. That is a good thing.

The Courtesy Bar, 114 N. Orange Ave, Orlando

The Courtesy Bar 114 N. Orange Avenue. A fantastic whisky bar. This spot looks swanky but the bartenders are more dive bar than diva. This is not to say the service is any way lacking. It isn’t. Service was impeccable and blissfully came with no attitude. These folks were concerned with making sure I got the proper drink for my palate and that I had a good time. The cocktails were creative and delicious. They served a Sunday punch as well. It was citrusy, refreshing and had a well-balanced boozy bite. I could have spent hours hanging around the punch bowl and it made me realize I’ve really underestimated the beauty of a well made punch. Next party = punch bowl. An added bonus was that we were there on a Sunday afternoon when they have a regular barbecue buffet. To call it barbecue is not quite correct though. It was a free buffet of delicious barbacoa from Pig Floyd’s. The buffet had buns and tortillas, delicious well seasoned Cuban black beans, rice, cole slaw, various hot sauces and traditional barbecue sauces. This bar was fantastic!

Winter Park – skip over to this scenic manicured town for the day.

I love Tiffany glass and was surprised to learn the Morse Museum in Winter Park houses the world’s largest collection of Tiffany glass including Tiffany’s chapel interior.

When it’s time for lunch head to 4 Rivers Smokehouse, 1600 W. Fairbanks Boulevard. Two words – BURNT ENDS. Smoked, charred, chewy chunks of brisket with bits of fat nestled in a soft bun and drizzled with sauce. HOLY COW! My boyfriend got the Burnt Ends and I got the pork BBQ thinking we could share. My pork BBQ was good but hands down the burnt ends were the way to go. If I could I would pay money for them to ship me burnt ends. The sides were also delicious.

    After lunch head back to Park Avenue and pop in and out of boutiques making sure to walk down Welborne Avenue to visit the independent bookstore, Writer’s Block. Wrap up your afternoon at The Wine Room on Park Avenue. Buy yourself a tasting card and sample from the 156 available wines.

Stay: Homewood Suites, 8745 International Drive, Orlando

Conveniently situated near Universal Studios and a stones throw from wonderful restaurants, this hotel was a great home base. Rates were reasonable and included breakfast and afternoon receptions. What made our stay even better though was the staff. My boyfriend gave me a birthday card which I had displayed on a table in the room. Housekeeping saw the card and we returned that night to find the room decorated for my birthday, a card from the hotel and a basket of goodies. A customer service win!

“Conversation is what we all need right now. That and baklava diplomacy.” That is how Deena and I ended our conversation. “. . .  whenever I hear about someone badmouthing Arabs, Muslims or any other group for that matter, I just want to sit them down with some baklava for a nice chat. It seems impossible that we wouldn’t be able to find common ground over something so delicious. Perhaps we could…

My mother would make big pots of Brunswick stew in the winter months and this for me is the first flavor I want when the weather turns cold. I had never cooked it before but decided yesterday was as good a day as any to give it a try. I made a few changes, adding chorizo, paprika and roasting the bones, but otherwise stayed true to my Mom’s recipe. Feel free to skip the chorizo. I think it adds…

The Bulldega Urban Market is located at City Hall Plaza in downtown Durham right around the corner from Pompieri. Give them a try. They are a welcome and much needed addition to downtown.