As you may have deduced by now, we often gravitate toward stir-fries and other Asian cuisines. They tend to be easy to make, quick to cook and full of heart-healthy veggies. This one from Bon Appétit caught my eye because it was a bit different than most, in that I’d never used collard greens in one before. In fact, I don’t recall ever cooking collard greens at all, even though I’ve eaten my fair share.

This recipe uses pork tenderloin which is inexpensive and widely available. Giving it a bulgogi-influenced makeover makes it flavorful, fast-cooking, and weeknight-friendly. Cheers to that! In Step 1 it directs you to freeze the meat for 30-45 minutes for easier slicing. I omitted that step and had absolutely no issue cutting the tenderloin into thin strips.

Two takeaways from this dinner. First, we came to realize our large nonstick skillet had lost most of its “nonstick” properties, so after the meal, it was tossed in the garbage and a new one was ordered pronto.

Second, the gochujang, even though the use-by-date had not expired, was hard as a rock. When I went to scoop out some of the paste with my fork, it almost bent the tines. I’m not sure a jackhammer could have penetrated it! Note-to-self: next batch, seal with some plastic wrap when not in use.

I had planned on doubling the sauce (Step 8) as per some reviewers comments, but then totally forgot to do so (next time for sure). Because we served white rice the previous night, we paired ours with tricolored couscous. In no time, we devoured our portions; then made sure to save this recipe in the “make again” file—using a wok instead of a skillet, and some fresh gochujang, of course.

Make sure to rinse your greens well under cold water and spin dry. The carrots cook best when thinly sliced at an angle.

My mission was to buy a 6-8 pound, bone-in leg of lamb for Easter dinner. When I got to the supermarket I only had 4 choices: a 6-pound boneless leg, a 7-pound bone-in shank, or a choice of a 9 3/4-pound or 12-pound bone-in leg—and it was only 9 a.m. Yes, I could have ordered one from the butcher to exact specifications, but that would’ve meant a return trip a day or two later. So I made an executive decision and grabbed the 9 3/4 pounder.

Now mind you, we were going to be a table of six, with only five of them meat eaters—which guaranteed leftovers galore. (Not a bad position to be in, IMHO.)  And it seemed like an absurd amount of butter in the herbaceous horseradish crust, but we went along with the program. After covering the meat, there was some remaining rub which we planned to use with roasted potatoes later in the week.

Son David and girlfriend Vikki prepare the Greek salad.

Once The Hubs realized his original cooking schedule needed to be altered, he did some research via online and in several of our meat cookbooks to determine a new plan of action. But the best laid plans have a way of going south just when you least expect it. A mere half hour after we put the roast in the oven, the (expensive) meat thermometer started beeping—we knew there was no way the nearly 10-pound roast could possibly be done!

Russ fiddled with it several times, readjusted the probe elsewhere in the roast, but no matter what he did, he couldn’t get a realistic reading. So we went to Plan B and used the instant-read thermometer, the advice of meat authors, and a few prayers to the Higher Power. After the allotted cooking time and resting for 30 minutes, he began carving and realized certain areas were still too rare. At this point in time however, we just plated the medium to medium-rare pieces—which was more than enough for the five carnivores.

A few months back I blogged about another lamb meal that included a side of the most wonderful roasted potatoes, and we decided they’d be a perfect accompaniment to our Easter lamb. We made the Mustard and Rosemary Crusted Potatoes by Molly Stevens with a few tweaks this time. Instead of Aleppo pepper and lemon juice, we substituted regular black pepper and a splash of dry vermouth. Either way, I assure you, you’ll love them!

All of the seasonings go into a large bowl, then the potato cubes get tossed in until fully covered and poured onto a rimmed baking sheet. They’ll seem quite wet at first, but will end up with crusty exteriors when done. And below, the halved fingerlings with the leftover butter mixture made later in the week (prior to roasting them).

NOTE: If you wish to roast a smaller leg of lamb (6-8 pounds), decrease the amount of the herbaceous butter mixture by half, and recalculate the cooking time.

I have to give a shout out to a few other courses to our meal. First, we enjoyed a few appetizers during cocktail hour on the patio. The Sriracha Deviled Eggs were completely devoured; not so much the Creamed Blue Cheese with Brandy Toasts tapa. Most of us liked the taste, although one thought the Calbrales cheese was too strong; but it was the grayish blue color that was somewhat off-putting.

As an entrée for the plant-based diet member, we made Sautéed Mushrooms with Mustard and Parsley which were a divine mix of cremini, oyster, shiitake and portobello mushrooms in a mushroom bullion. In addition, we served Roasted Asparagus with Tarragon-Lemon Gremolata.

And the finalé was my friend Barb’s Dark Chocolate Bundt Cake laced with peanut butter chips topped with a dusting of confectioner’s sugar—and a dollop of ready whip for those who wished to indulge even further.

Just like our “clean-out-fridge” fritatta is a chance to use up produce and other food items about to expire, I conjured up this baked dish to accomplish a similar mission. You can of course substitute any of the ingredients to suit your own situation, but at least this’ll give you a basis from with to launch your meal plan.

Mine started with a half box of dried ditalini pasta. Ditalini “small thimbles” is a type of pasta that is shaped like small tubes; elbow macaroni would make a decent substitute. I also knew I needed to incorporate an opened package of mozzarella cheese before it turned; and a pound of ground beef ready to expire, but still good. I did make a grocery run for the fresh veggies and herbs (our garden was no where near ready in early Spring).

Then it was just a matter of sautéing things on the stovetop and cooking the pasta to less-than-al-dente before tossing it and some cheese altogether into a casserole dish for a half hour bake in the oven.

Let me know how your “bake” turns out…

The Hubster’s newest cookbook acquisition was Milk Street Tuesday Nights by Christopher Kimball so he was anxious to try out a few recipes from it. The layout is unusual in that the chapters are broken down into uncommon categories such as Fast; Faster; Fastest; Easy Additions; One Pot; etc. The first one that caught his attention was this Spicy Pork with Leeks and Roasted Red Peppers from the Roast and Simmer section. Here, roasted red peppers, green olives and two kinds of oregano add bright accents to Greece’s tigania.

In Greece, when there are leftover meat and vegetables to use up, cooks have a solution. It’s called tigania, which simply means “from the frying pan,” a catchall term for a braised dish that varies widely by region, even season.

Tigania is traditionally made with small scraps of pork and whatever vegetables are on hand. Both are first seared, then simmered with some kind of liquid to tenderize the tough cuts of meat—normally wine or lemon juice, but also beer and sometimes ouzo. It turns up in bars as meze, casually eaten with toothpicks, but it also makes for a quick meal at home.

Wine-braised leeks build big flavor in this one-skillet dish from Greece. It calls for braising the pork with six large leeks, a seemingly staggering amount. But they simmer down with white wine, reducing into a creamy, rustic sauce that pairs well with the tender meat. A tip I learned a while back was to trim the leeks in stages as shown below. This way you utilize as much of the edible portion as possible, especially if the whites and light green areas are not as lengthy as you’d like.

Stirring roasted red peppers and olives into the finished dish brightens it by cutting through the leeks’ creamy richness. For an herbal finish, sprinkle on fresh oregano, a nod that highlights the dried oregano used in earlier steps. We served it over a bed of tricolor couscous.

This meal was DELICIOSO!!! Can’t wait to try more recipes from Milk Street Tuesday Nights… And coincidentally, we made this on a Tuesday night!

Recipe by Albert Stumm found on 177milkstreet.com

Jonesing for a healthy, flavorful vegetarian meal on the quick? These Thai-Spiced Salmon Cakes and the Thai-Style Cabbage Slaw meet those demands and more. In less than a half hour you can have a satisfying meal on the table and pat yourself on the back for making some smart choices.

They need gentle handling as the big, tender chunks of salmon can make them crumbly during shaping; if that happens, just carefully reassemble them. Although The Hubster decided to pulse the salmon a few more times than directed. Still a delicate balance act when forming the patties and getting them into the skillet intact.

Not wanting any leftovers this time around, we cut back the portions starting with only 12 ounces of salmon, and reducing the other ingredients by approximately 25%. Well let me tell you, it still made 4 large cakes! In fact, they were so big, we could only fit three of them in the skillet at one time, necessitating the fourth pattie to be cooked afterward.

A perfect accompaniment is this super-quick Thai-Style Cabbage Slaw packed with flavor thanks to lots of fresh herbs and the lime-fish sauce dressing. Don’t omit those roasted peanuts. Not only do they add a nice crunchy texture, but they provide a salty component to boot.

Thai-Style Cabbage Slaw

Salmon Cake recipe by Lynne Curry, and Slaw recipe by Emma Christensen; both from Fine Cooking’s “Make It Tonight” Series.

Cast-Iron Spatchcocked Chicken with Pastrami Spices by Geoffrey Zakarian is an easy to make, fabulously spiced poultry dish. Sunday chicken evokes comforting childhood memories, so it’s a bonus to add a new twist to an old favorite. About a month ago I blogged on a similar recipe from Mr. Zakarian, Aleppo Pepper and Dill Roast Chicken which was just as interesting, juicy and tasty.

Our roasted chicken was almost picture perfect, and both dark (Hubby’s preference) and light meat (my choice) were super juicy with good texture and solid flavor. Keep in mind, the black pepper is definitely dominant, so be prepared for a peppery kick.

Spatchcocking a chicken reduces cooking time and ensures juicy meat—and it’s quite simple. Using kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the backbone to remove, and then open the chicken up flat. (Save the backbone to make stock.) After we flattened out our 4-pound chicken (yes, a little bigger than the recipe called for), Russ questioned whether or not it would fit into our large cast-iron skillet. The answer? Just barely, with a little maneuvering we got it to  fit.

We paired our main entrée with steamed broccolini and roasted fingerling potatoes which cooked at the same temp as the bird. Placed in that same rimmed baking sheet, now lined with parchment paper, I put the potatoes in the oven 15 minutes prior to removing the chicken, and then while the bird rested for 20 minutes, the potatoes finished roasting. Crispy on the outside, creamy tender on the inside, perfection!

No, not a Dr. Seuss book, but a hipster brunch-style joint with four locations in and around Philadelphia. Green Eggs Café is known for maintaining an eco-conscious philosophy. Each location recycles aluminum, glass, plastics, and all paper products. The food and organic waste is composted, and also not put to waste. They prohibit the use of all styrofoam products and plastic bottled beverages. All take-out containers are biodegradable and are made from corn, plant materials, and sugar.

This is the choice son David made for celebrating his birthday, and we were more than happy, along with his girlfriend Vyktorya (both shown below), to give it a go on a recent Sunday. Although you will not find any green eggs and ham on their menu, they are dedicated to serving high quality food at a low cost to their patrons—lucky us!

The have both inside and outside seating, but invariably you are going to have to wait outdoors before you are shown to a table. Thank goodness the weather was cooperating. Part of the appeal for me was not only people watching (we were at the Northern Liberties location which is an eclectic area of town), but scrutinizing the meals as they were brought out. Holy Supersize Batman, every single entrée was ginormous by anyone’s standards.

We decided to have a peak at the menu while we were waiting for seats. The categories are chunked into Eggs, Sweet, Skillets, Savory and Sides; plus you are given a Specials Menu once seated. Unbeknownst to us, it is a cash-only place, but luckily there is a convenient ATM machine by the restroom. It’s also BYO, and many patrons brought bottles of champagne to make mimosas with their carafes of orange juice.

The choices are as eclectic as the diners, and it was extremely hard to narrow down our selections—except for David who had eaten there before and knew he wanted The Kitchen Sink again. It comes in a huge cast-iron skillet with three scrambled eggs, sausage crumbles, Gruyere cheese, potatoes, peppers and onions, all topped with a homemade jumbo biscuit and country-style pork sausage gravy. I saw most people either splitting it or boxing up at least half to take home. Not David, he ate the entire thing!!

Vykky follows a plant-based diet and chose the vegan option of the Breakfast Burrito. I surprised myself and also got the same entrée, but not vegan. This was a large habanero tortilla filled with eggs, corn, house made pork chorizo, Tex-Mex cheese, peppers and onions, accompanied by Pico de Gallo, sour cream, avocado salsa and fire roasted red pepper black bean sauce. Vykky also ordered a side of the Rosemary Potatoes (these too are large) and shared with the table. Needless to say, neither of us could finish and asked for doggie bags to go.

Russ went rogue and ordered from the Specials Menu getting the Chicken Italiano Sandwich, substituting Spanish Fries in place of the regular variety. This monstrosity was assembled on a toasted cheese focaccia bread with grilled chicken breast, roasted red peppers, broccoli rabe, oregano, garlic, grilled tomato, salami, melted provolone and smothered with a roasted garlic aioli. A valiant effort was put forth to finish it, but while he was able to knock off the sandwich, Russ had to surrender at least half of those fries to take a ride home with my leftover burrito.

Even though none of us ordered from the Sweet section of the menu, I couldn’t help but gape at the heaping portions as the waiters brought out French Toast orders (Crème Brûlée, Stuffed Salted Caramel Banana, Stuffed Cookie Dough), Red Velvet Pancakes, and Belgian Waffles. I think I gained 10 pounds just looking at them!

I highly recommend trying out Green Eggs for brunch if you happen to be in Philly. The other three locations are at Dickinson Street in South Philly, Locust Street in Midtown Village, and Gaul Street in the Port Richmond section.

Want to indulge in the irresistible combination of peanut butter and chocolate? Oh hell yes! A perfect sweet treat even for gluten-free eaters, as their is no flour. In an online search featuring the winning combo, I ran across an adaptation of a Peanut Butter Chocolate Brownie recipe from Trish on her “Mom On Timeout” blog.

Basically I never eat dessert, but I love to bake and try out new recipes. However, I do indulge in dark chocolate occasionally, and love peanuts. I first made these for a “girl’s weekend” and let’s just say, they were an instant hit.

Making these triggered an “aha” moment as to what I would bring to an upcoming Seder, which of course does not allow flour. (The family is not kosher.)

My over-the-top addition was a smattering of Reese’s pieces and mini peanut butter cups as a final flourish, not only for color, but because who doesn’t like more peanut butter and chocolate?? Did you know you can purchase these packaged together in the baking section of your local supermarket? Imagine them in cookies, on top of vanilla ice cream, or just straight from the bag. I know, these are a lethal diet buster…

I sliced the little “cups” in half before sprinkling over the ganache.

Just before I popped the brownies into the oven to bake, I realized I neglected to add the mini chocolate chips to the batter, so I quickly spread a cupful on top. For the ganache, the store was out of bittersweet and I didn’t want to use semisweet or unsweetened so I bought “special dark chocolate” instead.

The aroma is heavenly, so waiting until they are frosted and completely cooled is akin to torture. Yielding the most decadent, fudgy, rich and chewy brownie EVER, you’ll want to make these time and again; and they don’t even require a mixer!

Both mustard and cabbage have a natural affinity with the sweet, nutty flavor of pork. Cook’s Country posted a quick cooking, easy-to-prepare main course in which the three were combined. The meal starts with thin pork chops—about 1/4 inch thick— sautéed on the stovetop. Then cabbage is roasted in the oven to crisp the leaves and concentrate its flavors. Finally, drizzling the cabbage with melted butter before roasting helps with browning and flavor.

Mustard Pork Chops with Crispy Cabbage and Fingerlings couldn’t be simpler! To complete the meal I added fingerling potatoes on the rimmed baking sheet with the cabbage. I just included another tablespoon of melted butter and some chopped fresh thyme and both veggies were fork tender in about 25 minutes. (Turn the oven off and cover with foil if they are done before your meat and sauce.)

With just two of us, I only cooked four thin pork chops (original recipe calls for six) but kept the remainder of the ingredients the same because we wanted the extra sauce. OMG, and that sauce (swoon)! While the overall color palette of the meal is a tad anemic, the sauce makes up for that in spades, because the flavor sings in harmony on your taste buds.

All of my changes are indicated in the recipe below.

Adapted from a recipe by Cook’s Country

This dish, Shrimp, Chickpeas and Spinach with Ginger and Cumin has the essence of a long-cooked soup or stew, but takes only a fraction of the time to make. Onion, garlic, ginger, cumin, cilantro, and a pinch of cayenne punch up the flavor—but not enough for us. While the flavors are good in this dish, they’re extremely subtle, so you may want to pump up the volume of some of the spices. (The amounts we included are noted in blue in the list of ingredients.) 

Instead of a skillet, we used our carbon steel, flat-bottomed wok because we thought it a more appropriate cooking vessel. And always looking for ways to increase flavor, in Step 4 where 1 1/2 cups of water is called for, we substituted vegetable broth—but chicken or seafood broth could also be incorporated.

Make It Tonight suggests serving it with Lemony Rice with Scallions (recipe follows), and that sounded just fine with us. Cook your rice according to directions, but add the zest of half a lemon. When done, add thinly sliced-on-a-diagonal scallions and the juice of half a lemon. Ladle the “stew”over the rice.

Adapted from the “Make It Tonight” series by Joanne Smart from Fine Cooking

Lemony Rice Pilaf with Scallions

This simple side dish is perfect for those nights when you have very little in your fridge. Serve with grilled fish, chicken, or shrimp.

By Julissa Roberts from Fine Cooking

Once Julia picked us up from the Gaylord Opryland after Russ’s convention ended, we wasted no time in checking out the City of Music’s other culinary hotspots, starting with Tavern the city’s cool-casual, gastro-pub concept, located on Broadway in Midtown. It was an absolutely stellar day outside so we requested an exterior table for four, as fiancée Byron would shortly be joining us.

After cocktails were ordered (no judging, we were on vacation), we decided to split a Starter of their famous Nachos with chile-spiked black beans, a three cheese blend, lots of cheddar cheese, jalapeño rounds, and an addition of “angry chicken” which made for quite possibly the BEST we’ve ever eaten. These puppies were anything but lightly dressed and arrived gorgeously plated. Dig in we did.

After that, I decided to scale back and get the smaller version of the Baby Wedge with tomatoes, candied pecans, and goat cheese tossed with an Alabama white vinaigrette, and topped with a skewer of four of the most plump and tender chile garlic shrimp—oh my, the memories.

I must have been so infatuated with this salad that I completely forgot, and have no pictures of, what Julia ate! Must have eventually returned back to earth though because I did photograph Russ’s Seoul Bowl consisting of short ribs and veggies in a spicy beef broth with steamed rice and topped with a soft egg. He couldn’t get enough of it.

Byron, being an ex-NFL football player has room to consume, so he enjoyed their good-sized Salted Caramel Pork Chop with Brabant “stacked” potatoes and haricot verts. No doggy bag there. After all that, we actually went food shopping to pick up loose ends for the next several days.

No, we didn’t just eat our way through the vacation, we actually walked many miles a day at different parks and gardens, but this is a food blog after all so I’ll concentrate on that aspect. Julia had taken a few days off from work and was ever-so-kind to schlepp us around and play tour guide.

After one particular trek through Cheekwood Gardens, we decided to enjoy another late lunch outdoors, this time at bartaco, on the infamous 12th Street in the Gulch neighborhood. It is inspired by the beach culture of Brazil, Uruguay and southern California and serves upscale street food with a coastal vibe in a relaxed environment. Julia was very excited to show us this place and has frequented bartaco on numerous occasions.

She gave us the lowdown on how to order. Each table has a set of checklist menus, and you order a la carte so we put our noggins together and came up with a variety of selections that was then given to the waiter. Each item on the menu indicates the number of calories, which helps you stay focused, if so inclined.

For cocktails, it was unanimous, three amazingly delicious bartaco margaritas lovingly made with libélula joven tequila, combier liqueur d’orange, agave syrup and lime juice. OMG, BEST. EVER.

Dad and Julia begin lunch with a toast to the beautiful day.

So what did we eat? How about a “Not Tacos” starter of guac + roja + verde, three divine sauces accompanied by large crisp taco chips. Russ and I could not get over how wonderful the roja sauce was, we are determined to get that recipe somehow (the chef would not divulge). The verde and guacamole were not too shabby either, and whatever was leftover went onto our tacos.

Speaking of tacos, we ordered a combination of chicken chorizo (green chicken chorizo sausage with tomatillo avocado salsa), mojo pork carnitas (slow-roasted with tangy mojo sauce), crispy rock shrimp (masa-crusted crispy rock shrimp with a remoulade sauce, lemon parsley slaw), and roasted duck (tamarind glaze). They were all splendid so it was difficult to choose a winner. Although still very good, Russ and I decided the duck was probably the least favorite (Julia didn’t try it). Again, I was so caught up in the food, I completely forgot to take pics of the numerous tacos, mea culpa… the two margaritas probably had something to do with that!

But ironically, the duck quesadilla, shown above, was a fabulous compilation of hand-pressed blue corn tortilla stuffed with roasted duck, tomatillo sauce, caramelized onions, oaxaca and cotija cheeses. Another side that Julia insisted on was the street corn fritters with charred corn, oaxaca and cotija cheeses, roasted poblanos, and a elote mayo for dipping. She and her dad loved them, while they were a bit too rich for me, but nonetheless tasty.

OK, you know I’m not a dessert person, but given the fact that the food was soooo good, Russ just had to try their churros, shown below. He and Julia split the four pastries with a melted chocolate sauce for dipping, and claimed them excellent. Can we put in a request to open one of these restaurants back home?

Our last night in Noshville was a Friday so the four of us wanted to try something new and different. After hours of scrolling online, Julia sent us links to a few places neither she nor Byron had gone, and that might appeal to us. The winner was The Mockingbird, a modern diner with global fare, funky touches and wicked fun. Their unusual menu is what won us over.

Problem was, we couldn’t get a res until 8:30, so we decided to kill two birds with one trip and have rooftop cocktails beforehand at Rarebirds, in the Noelle Hotel overlooking downtown with a clear view of the AT&T Batman Building and Nissan Stadium.

Russ and future son-in-law Byron get comfy while Julia and I warm up by the fire.

A few cocktails later, and after chats with a couple from Boston, it was time to make the short drive over to The Mockingbird on 12th Avenue North. The restaurant plays with a special sense of whimsy that is evoked in their menu. Playful in nature, each dish is a nod to the experience that the owners want their diners to have—and boy did we have fun!

One of the rooms sports loud floral wallpaper while the ladies room showcases some interesting fixtures.

Where to begin? Our indulgent feast commenced with a complementary dish of toasted baguettes with a savory relish topping—extremely tasty IMHO. And of course Julia had to sample their signature drink, Tequila Mockingbird (don’t you just love the title?) concocted with fidencio mezcal, tequila, lime and an egg white embellished with an image of a mockingbird. 

For some Small Plates we chose Rice, Rice, Baby—round balls plated in a ceramic egg carton made with pimento cheese, arancini, pickled pepper, grilled scallion and chamoy. Russ and Julia loved ’em, Byron and I not so much.

Feeling Grate! Julia and Byron adore Mac & Cheese, and here it is richly made with cheddar, gruyere, manchego and persillade.

Sea Señor—Steamed mussels is a Russ favorite, and these were presented in a caramelized fennel-onion cream with Korean chile threads and a Spanish chorizo. They had to bring more crusty bread for us to mop up that luscious sauce.

All About M.E. was another small plate of Middle eastern spiced Za’atar braised lamb tart, feta, herbs and a summac humus.

And for me (lowercase 😉 ), the Let’s Get Freekeh, was a mixed green salad with roasted mushrooms, currants and a miso vinaigrette. Nobody other than me wanted this wonderful salad (too healthy?) so I had some leftover for the next morning.

Hey Dumplin’—Julia is a gnocchi fan, and although they sounded wonderful on the menu with ricotta, milk-braised pork shank, tomato stew, butterbeans, and spinach, she wasn’t really enamored with the dish. She tends to gravitate toward the creamy, cheesy type.

The Bird is the Word—Byron was full speed ahead with the fried chicken thighs topped with a white (looks orange to me) chorizo gravy over salsa verde mashed potatoes. Then a little pop of color was added with red pickled onions and a sprinkling of fresh cilantro.

And just because, a side of French Fries served with garlic confit aioli and ketchup.

I din’t think anyone could possibly eat more, but no, the three of them decided dessert was a good idea. Julia and dad shared Chess Pie, something I had never heard of until coming to Nashville. It is gooey, buttery, and supremely sweet, and has been a staple of the Southern dessert table for a couple hundred years.

Mr. Byron ordered a fancy Vanilla Milkshake complete with oozing chocolate sauce, mounded with whipped cream and topped with what looked like a streusel of some sort. Well, let me tell you, by the time we got back to their house, they no longer thought dessert was such a good idea. All that sweetness mixed with lots of rich food and libations… you do the math…

For our last meal in Nashville, Julia was excited to take us to one of her favorite brunch places, Urban Grub, an indoor-outdoor restaurant-bar located in a renovated carwash in Nashville’s booming 12 South district. A few of the large, glass roll-up doors are still in use. We loved the design of the restaurant which features a rustic elegance filled with custom woodwork, stone fireplaces and rounded booths tucked into intimate corners.

As for the eclectic menu, pastas are made in house in a vintage pasta machine, the meat pantry is well stocked with freshly butchered pigs, goats, lambs and cows, and the meat curing room has slabs of bacon, prosciutto and culatello aging and curing in preparation for its debut on The Grub’s world-class charcuterie boards.

That famous seafood and charcuterie bar (from 11am to 3pm on Saturdays and Sundays) includes a wide assortment of fresh seafood, house cured charcuterie and unique salads featuring local fruits and vegetables. If I recall correctly, the price varies on how you plate and/or share it. We opted to order from the regular brunch menu starting with a well-made Bloody Mary and a bread basket filled with homemade biscuits and mini chocolate chip muffins, replete with a homemade jam and whipped butter.

After much deliberation, Julia and I ended up both choosing the superbly delicious Shrimp Omelette stuffed with chorizo and Manchego cheese, although she got the side of cheesy grits and I opted for the home fries, shown below.

My man Russ excitedly ordered the signature dish Fried Gulf Oyster Bennie plated over coleslaw and smothered with Old Bay hollandaise sauce, accompanied by cheesy grits and a couple of fried oysters.

I’m going to be perfectly honest here, even though I did think to take a photo, I can’t remember exactly what it is that Byron ordered. An educated guess would be (based on the picture), Sausage, Egg and Biscuit Sliders with a side of fries and dipping sauce.

We had a couple of hours to kill before heading to the airport so Julia, Russ and I decided to visit Centennial park where an exact replica of the Parthenon is built; glad to walk off some calories and enjoy the sunshine before returning home. It was a good thing this time that they didn’t really serve any food on the airplane because I don’t think we could have managed another bite—or that it would have come close in quality to what we’d been used to the past week.

So if you plan on heading to Nashville in the future, don your cowboy boots (or buy some there, the choices are tremendous), practice your twang, and plan to belly up to the bar and strap on your feed bag. Perhaps some of the aforementioned culinary establishments will be on your gastronomic list of things to do…

Plan a winder of time so y’all can be fixin’ to experience some of that Southern charm in Noshville!

Popularly known as the “City of Music,” Nashville—who some purportedly say is growing at a rate of more than 100 people per day—is also often described as the “Athens of the South.” While we are all aware of its expansive music scene, the talent and creativity of its culinary landscape has recently put Nashville on the foodie map. And we were ready to experience it first hand.

Our first trip to “NashVegas” was 4 months ago for a quick Thanksgiving trip to visit daughter Julia and her fiancée Byron who live just outside the city limits in Brentwood. While the turkey dinner was of course the highlight, we did enjoy a few meals out, one of them being Tupelo Honey (located in Franklin) where Fried Chicken dinners reigned supreme for most of our dining party. (Hot Chicken is a Nashville staple cuisine.)

But I digress, this is about our most current visit which was prompted by Hubby Russ’s annual NatCon Conference at the Gaylord Opryland Resort, one of the few places able to accommodate 6,000 attendees. WOW, it is massive at 9 acres, plus 4 acres of combined indoor and outdoor water attractions, and the convention center! It’s actually the largest non-gaming hotel in the continental U.S., meaning you get Vegas resort size without a smoky casino to walk through. A MUST is to simply take a long stroll—drink in hand—and tour the resort’s soaring atriums decked out with decorations, lights, lush vegetation and water features.

Upon arrival, and after registering for the conference, we had several hours to kill before meeting Russ’s coworker, David Greenspan and his lovely wife Lisa for an evening cocktail. A bit hungry, we settled on splitting some homemade guacamole and chips at the Solario Cantina, where you can enjoy bold Mexican flavors, their signature margaritas and more than 100 tequilas, conveniently located in the Garden Conservatory Atrium.

Solaria, at the slow time between lunch and dinner, was delightfully empty as we enjoyed our guac and chips on the patio with a view of the suspended garden walkway.

Newly sated, we walked off some of those calories with a jaw-dropping stroll trying to figure out the lay of the land. The vicinity is so vast, there are actually workers who’s sole job is to point clueless and dazed guests to their intended destinations. To enhance our navigation, we downloaded the Gaylord App which takes you, literally, step-by-step from wherever you are to exactly where you want to end up. (Printed site maps are also available.)

Time for that drink! Located in Garden Cascades Atrium, The Falls Bar & Lounge offers a tapas-style menu, wines, hand-crafted cocktails, bottled beer and chilled champagne in a breathtaking setting overlooking twin waterfalls, shown above. After which, at the appropriated time, we meandered up to Old Hickory Steakhouse, a nod to President Andrew Jackson’s nickname, and features 1855 Black Angus Beef seared to perfection, plus artisan cheeses and an extensive wine list in the Delta Atrium. (Have you noted this is the third atrium I mentioned? There are four total!)

Russ, David and Lisa smile as we wait for dinner to begin at Old Hickory.

Dinner started with a lovely bread basket brimming with crusty rolls and flatbreads. Lisa, who prefers a plant-based diet, chose the Shawarma-spiced Roasted Cauliflower with a coconut quinoa, romesco and mint chutney entrée. I was not ravenous at that point so I opted for a Jumbo Lump Crab Cake Starter which was accompanied by a lemon-basil remoulade and house pickled vegetables (and even had leftovers). From the Shareable Sides we unanimously agreed upon the to-die-for Roasted Mushrooms in a red-wine reduction and some perfectly cooked steamed Asparagus.

For the men, what’s a steakhouse if you don’t order steak? So they strapped on their macho swagger and both indulged in a he-man-sized Hermitage Selection 24-ounce Porterhouse Steak. Not for the faint of heart (or small appetite), these babies made a statement on the plate. However, Russ uncommonly admitted, it was too rare for his liking. And other than two rather bland looking cipollini onions, I felt the presentation lacked in visual appeal, especially at that price—like could they have tossed on some green herbs or something?

The following day while the men attended the conference, Lisa and I decided to take a walk by The Grand Ole Opry, shown below, and then do some shopping at the nearby mall, where some great bargains were to be had—although the purchases were taxed at a hefty 9.25% (7% state, 2.25% county).

Lisa and David, who arrived a day ahead of us, mentioned that they attended a moonshine-tasting experience at the Smith Creek Moonshine outlet right in the mall. So when we decided to do lunch at the Rainforest Café, practically next door, Lisa coaxed me into it.

Filled with some trepidation recalling not-so-pleasant memories of imbibing in moonshine decades ago, I put my hesitation aside—when in Rome, right? I was more than surprised how good they were! After sampling over a dozen tiny thimblefuls, this experience rated on the other end of the spectrum, so much so, that I bought a jar of the ever-so-smooth Coffee Smith Creek Moonshine (my personal fave), and I’m not even a coffee drinker!

The following night Russ and I were on our own for dinner and we decided you can’t be in Nashville without chowing down on some good old fashioned BBQ, which at the Opryland means Jack Daniels. (Speaking of Old Fashions, that became Russ’ signature drink on this vacay.)

It’s a sin not to start with fried chicken wings, right? Well, at least it felt that way to Russ, so we put in an order for their Habanero Jack Daniel’s Barbecue Sauce Wings which came plated on a small rimmed baking sheet (as did most other dishes). Frankly, while they were tasty enough, I prefer extra-crispy, spicy, dry-rubbed wings with a dipping sauce or two.

Not wanting a full-on dinner, I chose a bowl of JD’s Chicken Chili made with white beans, smoked chicken, tomatillo, green chili and a couple of jalapeño hush puppies added to the plate for good measure. Russ wasn’t going to be satisfied until he had the Smokehouse Favorite Hickory Smoked BBQ Pulled Pork meal. With this, he had a choice of two sides and opted for the typical combination of cole slaw and baked beans. My chili was quite good (although the temp could have been hotter), and Russ loved his!

My gal-pal Lisa had flown the coop back to Philly so I was on my own for lunch on the next day of the conference. For the past several, I had been eyeballing Cascades that sits in a dramatic atrium setting surrounded by soothing waterfalls, shown below. When they opened for lunch at 11:15, there was already an impressive line of people!

Craving something on the lighter side, it didn’t take me long to zero in on the Mediterranean Butter Lettuce salad plated with cucumber, olive tapenade, Parmigiano-Reggiano, crispy garbanzo beans, and lemon-oregano vinaigrette. It also comes with an add on choice of chicken, shrimp or salmon; I chose the latter. While it may not look like much, I told my husband later that it was likely one of the BEST salads I’ve ever eaten, and believe me, I’ve eaten more than my share, willingly of course 😉

That evening for dinner, with Lisa gone, David, Russ and I hopped a cab (what an experience that was) to Monell’s at the Manor near the airport. David had a hankering for fried chicken and heard this family-style restaurant was the place to go. A slow night when we arrived (it was on the earlier side), they seated us immediately at a long farm table with one other couple from Kentucky. There were already a couple of bowls filled with a broccoli salad and a cole slaw which we eagerly dug into. The other couple realized we may be first-timers and warned us to pace ourselves as there was a lot more to come.

Boy they weren’t kidding! On top of platters of fried chicken, we also received mashed potatoes, green beans, sweet potato mash, corn-fritter mash, biscuits with honey and jam, stuffed shells (rather odd I thought), and a large bowl of banana pudding with cookies for dessert. For beverages they serve sweet tea, lemonade or water. We did notice a few wine bottles for purchase at the hostess station, but not until on the way out as we waited for our Lyft driver.

Above is the grand foyer where we waited for our ride back to the resort. I didn’t take pictures of the food as the family-style serving didn’t really lend itself to doing so.

OK, family-style is generally not my cup of tea, and this was no exception. The food was good, not great in my opinion, and I just think there is so much waste, but according to locals, there are often long wait lines. (They also serve breakfast, lunch, and host weddings and other special catered events.) BTW, our Lyft driver raved about Monell’s, go figure.

The final day of the conference ended in the early afternoon so we arranged for late check out and waited for Julia to pick us up after she left work from Vanderbilt Medical Center. Now the real “Noshing in Nashville” would begin. Stay tuned for Part II coming soon…

I made a snap decision purchase at Costco not long ago when I saw boneless leg-of-lamb selling at a very reasonable price. Together The Mr. and I cut it down into 6 steaks and a 2-lb. package of cubes for future meals—the first of which was Italian-Style Braised Lamb Steaks. Here, an herby, tomato-rich base brings out the full flavor of the lamb.

Even after braising in the oven for nearly an hour, we felt the sauce was too thin. I placed the steaks in a covered container to stay warm and reduced the sauce on the stovetop for another 15-20 minutes for a thicker consistency. Then I nestled the lamb into the mixture for a few minutes more to warm through before serving.

You may think four red onions is a bit excessive, but they were sooo good and practically melted in our mouths. Plus we had leftovers (I made four steaks intentionly for another meal) and served the second round with green beans and cheesy polenta which was the perfect bed for those luscious onions and sauce.