Our daughter Marleigh reminded us it was National Tequila Day! I was like "Yes! Drinks on a Monday night!" Not really, well, maybe...anyway we made margaritas. Marleigh made the pretty one in the photo above and stylized it with her plants which we are babysitting while she moves to New York.
Enjoy my friends!
Old Beach Farmers Market - 24 Sep 2016
Read MoreThe whole house smelled wonderful...
...I've had my spicy tomato sauce on the stove overnight.
Shelby said we need to go through the freezer and get rid of anything that's been hanging out in there too long. When it was around dinner time last night I thought I'd take a look and see what we had in there:
Bag of venison cut into stew meat.
Three clusters of snow crab legs.
Clam stock.
Two slices of pork loin (these will be marinating in some mojo this week.)
Bags of cheese rinds.
Frozen egg rolls that really need to be friend up soon.
Some prepared tomatoes from several months ago...
There is a bunch of other stuff in there but it would take up a couple of pages to list. There is even a bag of mystery meat labelled "Chayce". No worries, I can assure you our son Chayce is alive and well in Hawaii. He's even married now! Here's proof from a Facetime we did last month, he wanted instructions on how to cook steak and potatoes.
Ok, for dinner I didn't have time to thaw out much so the crabs legs are pretty much cooked already and will be easy to prep. I had a head of broccoli I wanted to try a recipe on so there's the green. Easy!
I figured while I was making dinner I might as well take out the frozen tomatoes get those simmering. Tomato sauce is easy to make and this bag of tomatoes, about 3 lbs. worth, have been neglected for so long.
Since I wasn't using the sauce last night I planned on letting it stew overnight. While I was awake I had it set on a low simmer, stirring occasionally and scraping the sides. Shelby was out and when she walked in she said, "Mmm...what's that?" Told her what the deal was and unfortunately there would be no tomato sauce eating on this night. At bedtime I add some extra water and set it on low, barely a bubble here and there, covered the pot (to halt reduction), and then went to sleep.
Woke up and like the title of the post says, the whole house smelled wonderful. Checked on the sauce, stirred it, uncovered it, and turned it back up to a very low simmer. I'll check on it later at lunchtime when I'm on break. Reason I'm cooking it for so long is to let the tomato flesh breakdown on its own. I'm stirring it to keep it from sticking to the pot and to help break up the tomatoes that way too. If I'm here to tend to the sauce I'll keep it uncovered to concentrate and thicken. I'll probably store it in the fridge and have it Thursday night, we're going to my mother's house for dinner tonight.
Here's my recipe so you can make this spicy sauce at home. You'll notice I put onion down as optional, but I always add onion to everything! Love them. I had to adjust the recipe a tad bit since I didn't use the 4 lbs. of tomatoes I usually use.
Spicy Tomato Sauce
Ingredients:
Before you Start:
Directions:
Another great day at the Old Beach Farmers Market, letting Jasper do his thing and hanging out with friends. A little Hashi and Breakfast in a Cup to top it all off too!
Read MoreSaturdays for me are busy days. Shelby, the saint that she is, lets me lose to run around town so I can document what's happening. This usually means breweries.
I know my page is called I Heart Food but to be honest when it comes to regular events, it's usually the breweries that are releasing a beer, throwing a festival, or inviting a food truck or two that draws me to a location. In this post I'm going to do a quick rundown on a typical Saturday for me. This happened on February 27th, which seems like a while ago, but time just flies by! (Read, I'm always behind...)
Fannie at bottleBOX
Melissa at bottleBOX
bottleBox
First stop of the day was bottleBOX! This great little shop has been open almost a year, but it has been doing great! I've known the owners for a while, so it's nice to swing by to see how thing are going. Fannie and Melissa were opening and Fannie had a little surprise - the twins! Little Craig looks just like CJ, serious.
Liberty Risk DIPA
CJ, also from bottleBOX, doing field work
Bold Mariner's Mike Stacks
I stopped by Bold Mariner Brewing next. They were releasing their first Double IPA; drink too many of them and you might lose your chances of liberty! It was a pretty good beer, especially being their first. Karnage Asada was on-site, I love their Kim-chos (kimchi nachos.)
Kevin Erskine, owner of Coelacanth
Coelacanth Brewing was the next stop. Kevin and company have done a great job since opening up. Their beers are are different and experiment in tweaking traditional styles. 905 Cafe & Grill were serving a pretty good She-Crab Soup. It was my first time trying any of their food, not bad! When I left the brewery I bumped into a group of Ghent Bar crawlers, love them or hate them, it was fun to watch them all bouncing around town.
I wanted to stop by O'Connor Brewing Co. real quick since I was in the area. The place was packed, as usual. I remember when they were in the spot on 25th St. It was tiny compared to the warehouse and it's hard to imagine them operating in such a small space now. Dan Pellegrino was on stage entertaining the crowd. The guy is super talented, check him out if you get the chance.
I didn't stay long at OBC because I wanted to hit one more spot before I headed home. I usually drive down Granby street or the surrounding area when I leave Norfolk, I like to see what's happening.
Rascal Roggenbier
Aaron and Christine Holley were there with the boss
Wasserhund Brewing Co. was the last top while I was out that day. It was the Rascal Roggenbier release day! Rye and spice with a tiny bit of banana, not bad! I had a pour then headed home.
Angus Ribeye
Well, I did make one more stop before home. I picked up some ribeye for Shelby and me. They cook fast and are delicious. I really needed something filling after running around all day.
It’s Virginia Beach Restaurant Week 2016! You have till Sunday to enjoy great specials at some of the area’s best eateries! We stopped by Fire & Vine for lunch, $12 gets you three course. I left happy :)
Image courtesy of Mace and Crown
I have been fortunate enough to be invited to join a panel of judges at my old Alma mater - Old Dominion University - to eat a lot of pizza. I'm talking 6-8 pizzas in four categories! I don't mean I'm actually going to eat 6-8 pizzas (maybe) but we'll have samples of each to determine what we thinks qualify and the king of pies! That rhymed!
I can't mention who the contestants are but when I follow up I'll give the skinny on who threw their hat in the ring.
Disclaimer: Your favorite pizza joint might be participating in the contest. Do not get upset, sometimes life is unfair.
Tom Kha Talay
Tom Kha is something I've been around my whole life - that's not the same thing as saying I've been eating it my whole life mind you. If you keep up with me and have read stuff I've written in the past, I wasn't into Thai food much when I was a kid. I do remember how the house would smell when my mother, who is Thai, was using the mortar and pestle to crush Thai Chilis, garlic, and lemongrass.
Delicious!
Those peppers though...the heat could kill you! Seriously. My mom would grow them by the acre and you better believe she was using them too. My first experience eating her beautiful food made me gun shy for years. Then before you know it, Shelby and I were married and off on our own. Boxes of Potato Au Gratin, cheap cuts and that nice Army E-4 pay had us on a affordable diet for years. I'm not knocking it, seriously. I go to Ollie's and pass the rows of boxed spuds, pasta, and Hamburger Helper and think about the good ole lean years. I wouldn't trade a minute of them.
I was talking about soup right?
Anyway...Tom Kha is good. You'll like it and I'm going to show you how to do it. The photo up top has seafood in it obviously. You can do that if you like, the seafood version of this dish is called Tom Kha Talay. Tom Kha is usually made with chicken though, that version (below) is called Tom Kha Gai.
Tom Kha Gai
The recipe I put together isn't so much different than most you'll find out there. It's primary components consist of this: Galangal, Kaffir Lime Leaves, Lemongrass and Coconut Milk.
Galangalangawhat?
Galangal has nothing to do with that M.I.A. song, it is a root known as the Thai ginger. You might see it sold in the stores as "Baby Thai Ginger" but please don't confuse it with ginger. Galangal and ginger taste totally different and if you make this soup without galangal it's not really Tom Kha (which translates into "galangal soup" basically.) That being said, you can make it with the ginger we're familiar with if you're in pinch, it just won't taste exactly as it should. It'll be still be good, but different. Galangal can be bought fresh or frozen in your local Asian market. Ask the someone behind the counter to help you out if you're having a hard time finding it.
Galangal
Let's make some soup! Here's what you need to make Tom Kha at home.
Ingredients:
Before You Start:
Directions:
This is pretty easy to make and after a couple of tries it'll be a breeze. We use leftover chicken sometimes, if we do it doesn't need boiling as long. Just lower the heat to a simmer, cook for the same amount of time as you would the raw. Continue to follow the directions.
Enjoy!
Shelby's workspace becomes Christmastown in our house
I am officially on vacation!
I look forward to Christmas time so I can take some time off the regular schedule to so some things I'd like to catch up on. Does that mean it will actually happen? Probably not as much as I like, but at least I should be able to do some of it.
First off, Christmas shopping needs to be knocked out. I think we're just about good, but there is always something that pops up last minute.
Second, I make dinner on Christmas Eve for my side of the family. I am notoriously slow when it comes to prep work. I'd like to get things done on time so we can eat and open presents without it being too late before everyone goes home.
Thrid, Christmas morning! This is usually Shelby, Marleigh, Chayce and myself, but this year we have Chayce's girlfriend with us too. It was nice for them to spend time together, we just had to make sure she was taken care of too - gifts, stocking, accommodations. Everything worked out fine. We go to Nana's house (Shelby's mother) for Christmas dinner later in the afternoon.
Fourth, the Ahearns visit from indiana the day after Christmas, Boxing Day!
The next week is chilling till New Years.
Hope everyone has a great holiday, be safe and have fun!
- George
Drink the District is following up their highly successful Hampton Roads Beer Fest at the Zoo with "Red, White & Brew", also at the Virginia Zoo, 13 June 2015. This Americana-themed craft beer and wine tasting event will feature 35 craft breweries, 18 wineries, domestic party water trucks, apple pie eating contests, a DJ and a special appearance and performance by former contestant on The Voice, Sam James.
There will be two sessions: 2:30-5:30 PM and 7:00-10:00.
Children are not permitted to the event and people are not allowed to jump into any of the cages with the animals (leave the tigers alone!)
The last event sold out quick so make sure you buy your tickets now! If you use the following link you will get you a $10 discount with your online purchase!
You can also use the coupon code "iheartfood" for a $10 discount.
Check out photos from the last Hampton Roads Drink the District event:
Tessa pulled images from the site to make this sweet collage.
When I first started to get into blogging and I mean actually starting one and sticking to it for the umpteenth time (seriously, I've been off and on the idea of online journals since about 2000) I searched for local blogs to follow. One of these was Our Beach Baby, a mommy blog based in Virginia Beach. It was nice seeing shots of Virginia Beach and creeping on someone's family. That sounded weird didn't it? Anyway...
Years later I actually met the woman who owned the blog - Tessa! We bumped into each other at Back Bay Brewing's tasting room at the Beach.
Oh, another thing about me, if we follow each other online I consider that an invitation to talk to you in person if I every see you in the wild. Keep that in mind when I'm in your face one day.
Tessa & me, it was hot outside!
It's always nice to meet someone you've kind of known online for years and finally get to talk face to face. Tessa was there with her husband and his co-workers for a little party. Everyone was having fun, being loud and drinking beer of course. It's a brewery tasting room. They doors were open to let in some air because Virginia summers get hot! I invited myself to take their photos and someone got one of me and Tessa together too :)
Not too long afterwards Tessa started another site called vbbasics.com. I think she said it was something she was messing around with for a while and wanted to put more time into it. She'll be splitting a lot of time between the two because she's having another baby! That'll bring extra content for Our Beach Baby!
Tessa contacted me recently and asked if I would do a little Q&A with her to which I argreed. I love those things, they're fun and my site doesn't really put a lot out there about me personally. So here it is, enjoy and please bookmark VB Basics while you're there!
Dole has set out to remind everyone that bananas aren't just for brown bag lunches or looking good in the fruit arrangements. “The Peel the Love" “Banana Cabana” Tour is traveling around the county in custom food trucks that will offer recipes, samples and even swag—t-shirts, sunglasses, etc... using Dole bananas and other fruit. They've also reached out to regional bloggers, like myself, to help put the word out. In the Virginia Beach/Norfolk area, they'll be visiting the following locations within the next few days:
If you're outside of the Hampton Roads area, they'll be stopping at these spots too:
The events are free and ID cards are not required to visit the NOB and Oceana cabana stops. Grilled, blended, sliced—however you might like them, delicious treats made from bananas will be available for visitors to try. You can grab a merch item if you bring by a receipt displaying a purchase of 3 lbs. of Dole bananas too! You' might possibly see a walking banana if you stop by the food truck—who wouldn't want to see a huge walking banana?
Dole selected cities that have shown to have a great appreciation for the yellow fruit when planning out stops on the Peel the Love tour. In all, 26 banana-loving cities will be visited by the Banana Cabana Memorial Day through Labor Day.
To help celebrate the banana, make a cold, refreshing smoothie using the recipes my wife and I use here at home. Click the photo below:
Follow this link for more information on Peel the Love
Here is the official blurb from Dole:
Peel the Love is a year-long Dole campaign that celebrates the fun, irreverence and whimsical side of bananas and other tropical fruit. The program includes everything from delicious new banana recipes, serving, pairing and entertaining tips.
About DOLE Bananas
DOLE® Bananas are the top-selling banana in America and the world — in both conventional and organic product categories. From its founding by James Drummond Dole, the company has built its reputation on a ceaseless commitment to quality. Today, the DOLE® brand stands for more than 150 years of quality produce — and the world’s largest supplier of fresh fruits and vegetables, including bananas. Dole strives to grow, produce, harvest, transport and distribute its bananas and other produce in the most environmentally and socially conscious way possible. Dole Fresh Fruit Company is based in Westlake Village, Calif.
About Dole Food Company, Inc.
Dole Food Company, Inc., with 2013 revenues from continuing operations of $4.5 billion, is one of the world’s largest producers and marketers of high-quality fresh fruit and fresh vegetables. Dole is an industry leader in many of the products it sells, as well as in nutrition education and research. For more information, please visit www.dole.com.
The Scout Guide for the Virginia Beach/Norfolk area wrote a post on I Heart Food yesterday. Shelby and I first seen a Scout Guide in Richmond and really liked the printed copy--glossy, great photography. The Scout Guide highlights people and shops in the area they cover, so it was nice to be featured in their blog.
Anne and Josh Hazard
It's funny how this all worked out. I was at Lynnhaven Pub to try the new batch of Bell's Hopslam for the year and while I was taking photos of my beer (you know I'm that guy who takes photos of his food) and the woman next to me asked what I was shooting for. I told her I had a local food blog and when I told her about I Heart Food she said she loved it and followed me in Instagram. Her name is Anne Hazard and she is the Editor of The Scout Guide for our area. She said she loved my work and wondered if I'd be interested in doing a Q&A.
Sure! Sounds like fun.
A little while later I was contacted by Cole Weaver, Social Media Director for TSG, who sent the questions you'll read in the blog post.
Check out the story here: We Heart George
Jie Yu, Malia, and Ben
Ben and Jie Yu Neidhart of B. United International, Inc. recently held a session at The Birch where they described their Connecticut operation—from international shipping, distribution, and specifically the budding craft beer scene in Italy. Their distribution company imports from all over the world and that night at The Birch was a celebration of Italian beers. Listed below are the breweries and the beers on tap for Italia Night:
Nora - Ginger Herb/Spice Ale and Al-Iksir – Belgian Dark Strong Ale
Chocarrubica – Carob Oatmeal Stout and Strada San Felice – Chestnut Ale
Rubus Lamponi – Raspberry Wild Ale
Verdi Zymatore – Granache Sour Chili Stout and My Blueberry Nightmare – Scotch Sour Blueberry Stout
TipoPils – German Style Pilsner and Nigredo – Hoppy Black Lager
Ben and Jie Yu handed out information on the breweries which included a little history, the stories brewer bios, and how the Italian breweries operate. It might be surprising to hear that the land known for millennia of wine making tradition has a very young craft beer scene. From what I've read from other sources it didn't start taking off till the 1990's. Today there are approximately 500 craft breweries in the old country.
It was nice going through the information Ben and Jie Yu passed around. Reading the stories behind each Italian brewery, the training/educational background of the brewers, and the passion behind why they dived into craft beer. Ben described the difference between cultured and wild yeasts used in beers and how introducing selected bacteria causes the sought after sour notes.
After the session ended Ben joined Jie Yu and Malia in sampling some of the beers The Birch had on tap. They invited me to sit with them and sample the line-up. I tried out the Verdi Zymatore Granache Sour Chili Stout and My Blueberry Nightmare, both are made with the same award winning Verdi Imperial Stout. Though they might have come from the same base, both beers had extremely different flavor profiles.
The Granache Chili was aged in Granache casks that were also used to age a chili mead. The imperial stout became a complex blend of lightly sweet and spicy tones that didn't overwhelm me, but I felt the chili in the back of my throat for sure. It had some weight, was sour and dark.
Even though it was made from the same stout base, the Blueberry Nightmare was very different from Granache Chili. Just as rich and darker, the intense fruit really came through with the tart.
I mentioned to them I was still trying to warm up to sours; I talked a little bit about the Duchesse De Bourgogne Shelby had ordered elsewhere. Jie Yu and Malia rattled off a few to see if I knew them and then we sampled some. I need some work on this but I'm getting there. We also talked about B. United and I found out Ben's father runs the distributor. They take their beer seriously and the effort that goes into moving this stuff from the far corners of the earth is respectable.
I enjoyed getting a little sampling of all the Italians (and a few extras) in addition to the one I bought. I stuck around to chat a little more, said my goodbyes, then I headed home.
Hit The Birch to and try some of this stuff before it's gone. Check out all the photos from the event here.
To read more about Italian craft beers try these links:
B. United's blog Nepenthiology has tons of great info
Italy's Craft Beer Awakening – The Beer Connoisseur Online
The Birch's Beer Education Wednesday cheat sheet on Zymatore
Shelby noticed a friend of hers, Angelique, hit a new restaurant in Virginia Beach called Metropolitan Oyster Exchange and she asked if I knew anything about it. I had no idea it was opening up; not that I know everything but I do try to keep up with the ins-and-outs of local food scene. I did a quick search and didn't find a whole lot about them. I did see that Patrick Evans-Hylton wrote a good article them in December on HamptonRoads.com.
I decided I'd shoot them a message and see if I could visit and check them out, maybe take some photos. Jason Etheredge, the General Manager, responded with an invite for me and Shelby to come by and participate in their soft opening the next day. Of course we accepted.
Jason Etheredge
If you're familiar with Virginia Beach, VA you might have heard of the now closed Coyote Cafe & Cantina off Laskin Rd.—that's where Metropolitan is located. The same shopping center as Eurasia and Vinyl Daze Records, Linkhorn Shoppes. The last restaurant in the space was Prime 103.
We headed out after work, parked and appeared to be the first ones in for the night. 6:00 PM sharp, I'm serious about food. We were greeted inside by our hostess Loralen and then Jason came over to introduce himself. He had Loralen work us into their seating system even though we were the first to arrive. They were trying to work out kinks in the process. We were asked to visit the bar while a table was set for us. I could see everyone in the restaurant running around, prepping for the evening, Jerry Bryan also came over to say “Hi.”
Jerry is the owner of the Metro and Coastal Grill off Great Neck Rd. He was very excited about getting people in the place and told us to make ourselves at home. Nice guy. Looking about the place I spied a Lab puppy named Connor being cute, super soft and fluffy. Who doesn't love puppies? We met Lou Lou behind the bar, she is the mixologist who was training the other bartenders, Matt and Matt (same names, that's great), how to make the house's signature drinks.
Jerry Bryan, Owner
There was a raw bar and a guy named Mike was back there shucking oysters for the half-shell trays. The oysters for that night all came from the waters off the Eastern Shore of Virginia. Jerry told us earlier he'll be importing oysters from the West Coast too, sounds like they'll have a good variety available.
While we were looking around, more people started to show up. Since it was a soft opening, most of the these were friends and acquaintances. The day before it was family night. The food being served was going to be the chefs going through a special menu and putting it out for the wait staff to serve. So whatever they made in the kitchen is what we would be eating. Sounded exciting!
The interior design was very nice, great lighting and signage throughout. The atmosphere was very relaxed, as intended by Jerry, he wanted a place that people could walk into and grab a great bite to eat. No reservations and sharing is encouraged. Casual. The floor was open and it was nice seeing the staff and patrons interact.
About the drinks. Lou Lou started us off with a classic cocktail "The Last Word". Her ambition for the Metro—the area in fact—includes making Chartreuse a staple in local drinks. Her Prohibition era drinks and modern concoctions are impressive; she makes her own syrups and mixers. Check out what she put together for us:
As for the food, amazing. Jason said the menu was being tweaked but if what we had foreshadows the regular offerings, then there are going to be a lot of happy diners in our town. Here's what we had:
During our dinner someone walked up to our table and asked if we were George and Shelby; turns out it was Tricia Bryan. Jerry and Tricia Bryan are neighbors with Angelique, who called the restaurant to tell Tricia we would be in that night (thanks Angelique!) We chatted a bit and I asked about the name of the Metro. Tricia told us that Jerry has been working with his executive chef Maureen “Mo” Cucchiaro for 24 years and when Metro was ramped up, Jerry wanted to tribute all of Mo's hard work over the years, so when he was figuring out a name he came up with M.O.E—Metropolitan Oyster Exchange. Of course it sounds swanky too.
We loved the food, feel, and service (Jefri took care of us) at Metro. A must try if you're ever in the area.
Take a look at some more of the food and drinks, and the Metro itself, by clicking here.
Metropolitan Oyster Exchange
972 Laskin Rd
757-222-2202
If you've watched the Food Network, you know Alton Brown. As the host of the award winning Good Eats and host of Iron Chef America, he is recognized as an authority of all things food.
In November, Alton Brown will be visiting the he Sandler Center for the Performing Arts in Virginia Beach, VA on his tour The Edible Inevitable. The audience can expect to hear Brown discuss Good Eats and the other shows he’s been a part of over the years. There will also be puppets, cooking demonstrations, and even sing-a-longs. The family friendly act is part interactive too; people in attendance have a chance to be asked to participate during certain segments of the show. Even if you aren't asked to jump on stage there are rumors of a “poncho zone” for those close enough to the stage.
Photo credit to David Allen
Audience members will get to know Brown like they haven’t before through his unique sense of humor and vast knowledge of cooking and entertaining in the 90-minute show. Tickets have been selling out when the show hits town; so if you want to go, buy your ticket early. Gold Circle tickets will be available too; these allow the ticket holder to attend a special VIP meeting with Alton Brown and receive an autographed 8x10 photo. the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts will host Alton Brown Sunday, November 10th and tickets can be purchased through the Sandler Center or Ticketmaster.
Neat fact: Did you know Alton Brown was Director of Photography for REM’s video The One I Love?
Shelby put together Chicken Satay tonight, one of my favorite meals. All I had to do was grill the chicken ;)
Chayce and I were out for a little bit last night and when we came back Shelby was finishing up something new in the house: Chicken Piccata. She recently discovered Cuisinart’s “Cook & Shoot" page after we bought a new Cuisinart blender. Basically, you look through the recipes customers have submitted over the years and if there isn’t a photo accompanying it, you cook the meal, shoot it and submit your photo. Each photo you send in puts you in a weekly drawing for a Cuisinart product. Neat.
It’s a good excuse to try out new recipes too. Shelby kicked it off here, so I guess it’s my turn next :)
Shelby’s recipe is an adapted version of one she found on Cuisinart’s page and William-Sonoma’s. She also added mushrooms because mushrooms are good with anything! The sauce was great, and I wish there was a gallon of it.
Chicken Piccata with Mushrooms
Ingedients
2 Chicken breasts, de-boned, skinless if preferred
Flour for dredging (salt, pepper, paprika)
2 tbsp Olive Oil
8 oz Mushrooms (sliced or whole)
2 tbsp capers
1/2 medium Onion, finely diced
1-2 Lemons, juiced
1/2 cup White Wine
1/2 cup Chicken Stock
2 tbsp butter
1-2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
You don’t have to, but most piccata recipes pound the chicken breasts to flatten and tenderize the meat.
Dredge the chicken breasts the flour mixture, then place in pan with heated olive oil. Cook both sides until browned and cooked through.
Place chicken to the side in a container wrapped with foil to keep warm.
Add a little more oil and brown your mushrooms; salt and pepper
Add the rest of the oil and toss in the pan your onion, capers, lemon juice, and wine, and broth. Bring to a low boil, stir and scrap pan to get the bits into your sauce.
Reduce heat to simmer and add butter, stir until melted. Add salt and pepper if desired. Garnish sauce with parsley and stir.
Slice chicken (or keep pieces whole), plate and dress with sauce.
