New Year's Resolutions for a Foodie

The Huffington Post made a few suggestions for New Year’s resolutions for foodies. Being a foodie myself, I have to admit that some of these would be pretty hard. Let’s discuss.

                                       Getty image via Huff Post Taste

1. I won't Instagram every single thing I eat.

I could handle not Instagraming and posting “everything” but I couldn’t cut it out completely. Foodies second me on this – uploading pictures is a great way to remember food and restaurants you enjoyed and want to recall later.

2. I won't pretend to understand all of Rene Redzepi's cookbook, "A Work in Progress."

I’ve never read it (uh oh, does that mean I’m not a real foodie…).

3. I won't ask the waiter a thousand questions I already know the answer to, and grill him on his responses, whatever they may be.

Hmm, I wouldn’t say I ever “grill” servers but I do enjoy hearing what they have to say about the food. I can halfway commit to this one.

4. I won't automatically praise something because it's "street food."

Yeah well, if you eat street food you automatically get cool points so I do need to brag about it. However, I can refrain from giving it credit for merely being street food – cause it’s not ALL good.

5. I won't forage.

Yeah, I definitely won’t be doing that living in the middle of a city. I might be able to find some acorns in the park.

6. I won't brew my own beer.

I think this should be left to the pros anyway.

7. Or my own kombucha.

Same. No desire to brew my own anything.

8. I won't claim things are "authentic" when I really have no idea.

What does “authentic” mean anyway? Isn’t that an opinion? I think I’m good with this one.

9. I won't invite my friends over and offer them homemade soda when all they really want is ALCOHOL.

I would never do that to my friends. Ever.

10. I won't think my food blog is special.

This doesn’t even deserve a comment. All food blogs are special J

11. I won't name drop April Bloomfield as if she's my best friend.

Yeah, no problem. Never met her.

12. I won't judge my friends for not ordering the bone marrow.

I will only judge if you’ve never tried it and aren’t willing to. If you’ve had it and don’t care for it then you are good.

13. I won't make my friends wait for hours to eat brunch somewhere trendy.

I will only do this is the food is REALLY worth it. Deal?

14. I won't hoard restaurant recommendations so I can get there first.

Most of my friends and family want me to try a restaurant first and let them know what I think before they go - so I think I can skip this one.

15. I won't needlessly try to pronounce foods in other accents.

Why would you quit doing that? It’s fun.

16. I will never "check in" anywhere ever again.

Wow, this is impossible. Plus I would lose all my Mayorships on Foursquare.

17. I won't take credit for "discovering" a new restaurant that I actually read about on someone's blog.

Well technically I “discovered” it on someone else’s blog so that still counts.

18. I won't pretend I know the first thing about wine.

But I DO know about wine. And I’m not a dick about it so I’m gonna skip this one too.

19. I won't hold everyone else up at the farmers' market because I want to know every purveyor's life story.

You can just keep walking. I love to hear stories of how people started their business.

20. I won't brag about all the cronuts I've eaten and then tell everyone how mediocre they are.

They are mediocre. But I promise I won’t brag about how many I’ve eaten.

 

                                                                   Getty image via Huff Post Taste

 

To my fellow foodies, which of these resolutions do you think you could handle?

Barbados continued...

I couldn’t squeeze all of Barbados in one post so here is an extension of my brief love affair with rum punch, island excursions, and delicious food. If this post inspires you to take a trip to the island, you should know that Barbados is hosting a Food & Wine Festival November 22-25, 2013. It should be a blast!

My recommendations for excursions on the island would definitely include St. Nicholas Abbey – a rum plantation built in the 1650’s. The tour starts off with rum punch and a brief movie from 1935 that explains the history of the plantation. With our palates wet from rum punch, we proceeded to a rum tasting of 10 and 15 year aged dark rum. “One of just four distilleries in Barbados, the Plantation has shunned mass production and complex mechanical systems in favor of the traditional distillation process that made Barbadian rum famous over 350 years ago.”  

 

Tipsy with rum, visitors are invited to walk the grounds which include the great house, several gardens, an old wind mill, and the rum distillery. 

 

 

  

One of my favorite places we stopped on our adventure outside the resort was Bathsheba beach on the eastern side of the island. Both sides of the island are breathtakingly majestic in their own ways as the jagged rocks and rough surf on the eastside strikingly contrast the calm clear waters on the westside.

We were walking along the beach and growing thirsty when we popped into Dina’s Diner for some rum punch (that’s right folks, more punch – when in Rome right?). This family-owned diner is a small white beach shack where patrons order at the counter and then sit outside at a table or on the grass to enjoy the view. The little diner seemed to be popular with both the locals and tourists.


It was very busy when we walked up – just a mother and daughter running the show. While we were waiting in line, I noticed the mother, Dina, had several drink orders at the counter. So I said “Hey, I used to be a waitress, want me to help?” She replied, “sure, take this tray to that large table over there.” So I proceeded to help Dina get over the rush and deliver drinks to thirsty tourists. It was too much fun! Needless to say my drinks were on-the-house the rest of the night.

On our last night on the island, our group took a recommendation from the concierge and headed to the Beach House. While the hostess set up a table for our large group, we were led over to their new bar addition – the Drift. Everyone in the group gushed praise as we entered and started ordering our drinks. The décor is elegant and comfortable with beachy tones of various shades of blue and green. The bar has oversized plush white couches that faced out toward the ocean with weathered wooden tables - perfect surroundings for the last evening in paradise.
 
After taking group photos on the balcony and sipping rum punch at the Drift, we were led to our gorgeous table positioned next to the crystal clear Caribbean water. Surrounded by flowing waterfalls and tropical décor we dined on a fusion of Caribbean and Mediterranean food as we watched the sun set on our last night on the beautiful island. Our appetizers included Crispy Pork Belly with sweat peas, mint puree, and vanilla reduction, Coconut Shrimp with spicy mango, and a Duo of Ceviche with cilantro and grapefruit infusion. For the main course we feasted on Grilled Grouper with sweet potato and pineapple salsa and the Catch of the Night – Grilled Barracuda.

Overall the evening was beautiful, the food was delicious, and the service was, as always in Barbados, above and beyond. Have you ever been to Barbados? What were your favorite places for food, wine, and fun?

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Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Pumpkin

It’s that time of year when people go bonkers over pumpkin flavored things. Cue the thousands of posts on instagram of pumpkin spice lattes #fall #pumpkin. You know what the real gold mine is? Adding bacon to anything pumpkin. Especially if you live in the south. Trust me, it will be a hit. (See here if you don't believe me.)

I’m not a crazy pumpkin fanatic but I do enjoy it every now and then – especially in the fall and winter. Here are my favorite ways to enjoy it.

In a soup.  Of course I would put thick cut bacon on top.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In a beer. Well, it’s not really pumpkin but the flavor is there. My favorite is UFO Pumpkin Beer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In a pie. I would also add hand-whipped cream and candied bacon to the top. Duh.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well, now I’ve made myself very hungry. What’s your favorite way to eat pumpkin?

Barbados Baby!

I’m fresh off the plane from Barbados and exited to share my top picks for restaurants and adventures. I was a bridesmaid in a wedding on the island and decided to stay a few extra days to explore.

The bride and groom chose one of the best restaurants on the ocean for the rehearsal dinner. Daphne’s has a beautiful view of the surf, located right on the sand, and serves a fusion of Italian and Caribbean cuisine. Our group sat on the patio eating an enchanting meal, listening to the waves, and drinking rum punch.

 

To start I had seared tuna with cucumber, sweet mustard dressing, and pink peppercorn. It was light and well-balanced, a great appetizer for dinner in the Caribbean.

 

I also had a bite of a friend’s buffalo mozzarella with eggplant, tomatoes, and prosciutto. This definitely tasted more on the Italian side and was delicious but a bit heavy. When you are going to be in a bathing suit most of your trip, you have to think about these kinds of things! Either way, both of these appetizers have my stamp of approval.

 

During the meal we had a few unexpected yet exciting visitors to our table! They must have been fearless to walk up to a crowd of hungry people waiting for their seafood.

 

For the main course I had the blackened Dorado. I don’t see this fish on a lot of menus so I was excited to order it. I love the subtle ways that the island’s influence makes its way in to each dish. Like how many of the plates were accompanied by pumpkin, sweet potato, or a Mediterranean salsa with fresh fruit.

 

For desert I had the chocolate and pumpkin tart. I tried to remind myself that I had to fit into a bridesmaid dress the next day, but the pumpkin got the better of me. I also tried iced berries with hot white chocolate sauce, and while both were decadent and delicious the creamy pumpkin has the gold star from me.

It was truly a magical evening. Cheers to the lovely couple for treating me to one of the best meals of my life!

You can believe the hype - 4th & Swift.

 

A few years ago I dined at 4th & Swift when it was a new restaurant and had not been back until recently. It wasn’t because I didn’t have a great experience the first time, but because every time I wanted to go, they were booked. This spot has become extremely popular in the last few years and most of my foodie friends have been there and returned with rave reviews.

Due to the popularity of the restaurant, I had pretty high expectations and of course was a bit worried that my expectations would not be met. I will go ahead and tell you, my worrying was all for naught. I was thoroughly impressed with the food, drinks, and service.

4th & Swift is known for  American cuisine with a focus on simple, fresh ingredients - and I definitely experienced this in the food and drink. As far as the atmosphere goes, the noise level was pleasant, the lighting perfect, and the seating was comfortable.  

To start the evening I ordered the Soothsayers Warning – loved the name, loved the drink. It had a great balance of flavors and was well executed. I would highly recommend having one of their unique specialty cocktails to start off your dining experience!

They also have an impressive wine list. We quite enjoyed the wine we had with our dinner.

For the first appetizer, we shared a plate of grilled artichokes. This dish was underwhelming but not bad. The second app made up for the previous one for sure – grilled Brussels sprouts, sliced granny smith apple, arugula, and cheese (I apologize I can’t remember what cheese it was since we devoured it so fast!).

My entrée stole the show, as usual. I always manage to order the best dish at the table. But I guess I shouldn’t be taking so much credit since I didn’t actually cook the dish myself. I had the delight of eating pan fried flounder with English peas and mushrooms. The flounder was cooked perfectly – crispy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside.

Needless to say, we will be back. That is if we can get a reservation!

To Swirl or Not to Swirl

Here's a bit of wine trivia to keep you on your toes.

 

What wines should be swirled in the glass before drinking them?

 

 

 

Answer: all wines. Swirling aerates a wine by mixing the smellable components with the air which gives the wine a more pronounced smell resulting in a more complex taste. Most people think they should only swirl reds, but champagnes, sparkling wines, and dessert wines can be gently swirled as well. Most restaurants and bars in the U.S. fill to the rim of the glass, making this aeration a bit more difficult.

 

So there you have it - swirling wine is not just for snobs - it's for everyone! Swirl away in confidence my friends. Cheers!

A Toast to Local Wine

Yes I know, it’s been a while since I’ve posted. I have been very busy eating food, drinking wine, and having fun. Now I am finally taking a pause to give you an update on food, wine, and fun in North Georgia. Right now I have in my hand a glass of Claret from Wolf Mountain Vineyards in Dahlonega…. mmm you got to taste this.

Last weekend I went winery hoping with my mother and a friend (our faithful DD) on the first warm weekend this Spring.  It was truly a blissful day… 68’ and sunny. Our first stop was Three Sisters Winery. We tasted several wines, some great and some… let’s say interesting.  Below are the notes from my favorites.

*Note – if you haven’t tasted North GA wine before, be prepared that it’s a bit harsher due to the hard soil and clay found in this wine region.

Cabernet Franc 2006 – Aged in French and American oak. Notes of cherry, oak, and spice. Dry full-bodied red. This bottle was aged perfectly. Out of all the wine I tasted that day, I bought only 4 bottles, and this was one of them.

Cynthiana – Called “The All American Grape” and is indigenous that region. This red wine was dry and full with notes of black cherry. It lacked in complexity and had a flat finish. Not bad overall but not worthy of a second round.

Blood Mountain Red – This wine is named after a popular mountain in North GA. I did not like this wine. It was soooo sweet. The reason I’m mentioning it is because it was served with Cheetos… which was awesome! Not awesome from a wino perspective because that’s just wrong – but from the fact that I love Cheetos and love their creativity with this. I could tell the pairing was very well received by others at the bar.

Next on the tour was Wolf Mountian Vineyards and was my favorite of the day. The best atmosphere and view by far. I literally teared up looking out over the mountains. Yeah, maybe it’s because I was several glasses in at this point but hey, it was such a humbling view.  

 

Blanc de Syrah Brut – Fantastic summer bubbles! This one of a kind brut is made from estate grown and pressed clusters of Syrah. It has the perfect balance of tart raspberry and sweet strawberry flavors with a crisp finish.

Claret 2010 – I LOVE this wine! Here’s why….Family eastate-grown reserve, dry red, aged in American and Hungarian oak. Blend of Cabernet (70%), Tannat (10%), and Malbec (20%). The Cab offers the robust tannins and black currant flavors. The Tannat is a grape I’ve only seen in N GA and I think adds to the dry finish. The Malbec adds a bit of berry and spice.

Our last stop was at Frogtown Cellars. I had visited this winery last fall and loved it just as much this time around. Frogtown was a close second to Wolf Mountain in my fave list. My notes from this winery are a bit fuzzy… it was the last stop on a long but joyous day of wine tasting. Bare with me. Below are my two favorites, I think.

Frogtown Propaganda 2008 – Delicious blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot.  

Frogtown NV Shotgun, Second Reload – Well balanced med-bodied red blend. I also really love the name. I’m not like a big gun advocate… but it’s pretty cool.

Well I’m sorry Frogtown was so brief but I promise it’s a beautiful winery with superb wine and well worth a visit from wherever you live.

Salud!

For more information on North GA wine and tours:  http://www.georgiawinetours.com/