CSA Tuesday #2 (on Sunday)

I know, I know. My CSA Tuesday got delayed by some time-sensitive reviews (don’t forget to vote for Hickory Tavern for best sports bar in the United States!). But I want first to give you a run down of the first week of the CSA:

I listed our food for the week in this post.

I did end up making this watermelon soup. It’s absolutely amazing, I love the sweet watermelon with the spicy flavor, and added quite a bit of Tabasco sauce. But it took up a small fraction of the watermelon. So, I invited some of the girls over to eat watermelon one afternoon and I juiced the rest. Watermelon juice is very refreshing, and has the added benefit of being very healthy. The strawberry-watermelon martinis that were made from some of the juice were probably not quite as healthy, however, but amazingly satisfying (my husband came up with the recipe, but stuck with a bourbon and coke for himself).

We were a little scared of the okra (and we had quite a lot), but it was awesome. We grilled it one night and had enough left over to try a recipe from this book by Madhur Jaffrey. We ended up making a recipe called “dry okra,” rather than the sweet and sour okra. It is basically just okra fried up with lots of spices, most of the onions, and lemon juice. If you have a ton of okra, and don’t know what to do with it, check out her book. Yum.

The red peppers I did end up roasting, but then I blended them with some of the garlic, which I also roasted, sautéed an onion, and tossed the red pepper sauce, onions and pasta together. It was terrific. I used to live in an area of the world where red peppers were as cheap as tomatoes, and I really miss making roasted red pepper pasta sauce.

The rest of the garlic, basil and the hot peppers were used as fillers in a few of those dishes (I still have a few hot peppers left) while the grapes and purple peppers were eaten raw as side items. The week was a success and we had a very delicious selection of food to choose from.  I was very excited to head to Atherton Mills Farmers Market on Tuesday and pick up our second box.

For CSA Tuesday #2 we received the following:

• Feta cheese
• A watermelon
• A green pepper
• Several purple peppers
• Three red peppers
• Several handfuls of okra
• Three onions
• One head of garlic
• A bag of grapes
• Three pears

Stay tuned for my week #2 rundown (on Tuesday this time, I promise)!

~Aurora

Review: A Shout-Out to the Hickory Tavern

A few days ago, I received an email about The Hickory Tavern, a bar in Charlotte that has been nominated for ESPN’s “Best Sports Bar in North America”?  Naturally, that piqued my interest, but I never write about a place that I haven’t tried, so I immediately called my husband and asked him if he would like to go try a sports bar that night for a review.  He enthusiastically agreed and we left soon after he came home from work.  There are several locations in Charlotte, and 13 locations around North Carolina and Spartanburg, SC.  We chose Ballentyne for practical reasons, though their next location, opening this fall in the Metropolitan, will be even more convenient. 

From the moment they opened the door to let us in, the Hickory Tavern staff were terrific.  The service was quick and the conversation was friendly.  In short, just what you want from a restaurant staff when you head out to watch the game. And you can certainly watch the game.  Hickory Tavern provides a generously spaced room with televisions surrounding the entire room.  It is clean and easy to watch whatever you want to watch (although we weren’t there on a packed night), and has plenty of entertainment for fans of all sport.

One thing that interested me most about Hickory Tavern was how kid friendly it was.  A nice big space, they have a wide selection on their kids menu that will appeal to even the most picky child.  Most kids meals ran around $5-$6.  Mine chose the chicken quesadilla and a side of mandarin oranges. The quesadilla is absolutely terrific: I may have to get that for myself next time (it is, thankfully, on the adult menu)!

We adults started with the thick-cut Tavern potato chips, the perfect appetizer.  They are served with “Mexi-Ranch dressing”, which reminded me of one of my favorite bar selections in Australia: chips (fries) and sweet chili sour cream.  There are plenty of other classic bar appetizers to choose from, like nachos, cheese sticks and chili to oysters and seared Ahi tuna. 

Both of us were in a hamburger sort of mood.  I chose the Hickory BBQ burger (applewood smoked bacon, jack and cheddar, lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles, BBQ sauce), while my husband went for the California burger (pepper jack, avocado, sautéed mushrooms, thousand island dressing, lettuce, tomatoes, onions).  We both ordered slightly pink, and were disappointed at how slightly “slightly” was (a function of regulations, not the bar).  The burger is enormous; we would have preferred more appetizers and a smaller main course, especially if we had been there long enough to watch a game.  I chose the vegetable of the day (zucchini and summer squash) as my side, while my husband went for the classic French fries.  Both were good, mine were better the next day.  I would have gone with the crab legs, but unfortunately they are not available this year.  I have to give them credit for not serving poor quality seafood, but I think the shrimp and grits are next on my list.

We were pleased with the beer selection, which is, like many good bars in Charlotte, quite extensive.  I ordered their “Discovery Beer of the Month”, the Chimay White Triple, and was surprised when I got the whole bottle (before I’ve only had a glass).  We happily split it – both of us are fans of Chimay anyway. 

And then there was dessert.  We went for the brownie sundae, our favorite family dessert, and it was great.  I enjoy chocolate chips in my brownie, and so often they are left out of restaurant brownies, but not here.  This was my son’s introduction to brownie sundaes, it did not disappoint. 

We had a great time, and we plan to support this North Carolina establishment, and vote for them every day until Monday.  If you want to vote for them, head to The Hickory Tavern website and click “Vote Here”.  If they win, they and their patrons will get a “Monday Night Football viewing experience” with ESPN.  Voting is open until 10AM on Monday, August 29.

In short, if you are looking for a great bar with good food to go watch that game.  Whatever game that is, Hickory Tavern is the place for you.  You can go with the boys, the girls, or even your family, for lunch or dinner and be assured of a good time.

~Aurora

The Hickory Tavern – Ballantyne location

12210 Copper Way, Suite 212

Charlotte, NC 28277

704-295-9009

Providence Cafe

While I was unsure what to order at Providence Café, I was highly impressed with the grilled tarragon-dijon salmon. Served with the perfect amount of spice, it boasts a marvelous flavor while not being overpowering. Combined with spinach infused risotto, the pairing is mouth-watering.

The parmesan encrusted flounder is an excellent choice for a mild fish. The breading gives a nice crunch and the leek risotto is creamy and packed with a punch. The large grilled asparagus finish off the dish nicely. The portion is ample and could be shared if in the mood for a light meal.

Topped with a delicious aioli sauce, the grilled angus burger was served to perfection. Oozing with flavor and hard to put down, you will be pleasantly surprised by the tenderness of this burger. My husband ordered this sandwich medium-well (which I generally deem overcooked), but the juiciness was unspoiled by the temperature of the burger.

The atmosphere is charming. Gray Leather booths with bronze nail heads line the windows with quaint wood tables in the middle. Natural plants paired with elegant white moldings and soft music keep the ambiance relaxing.



You will find a beautiful bar to your right as you enter.




The fresh daily homemade focaccia bread is spectacular. Topped with a light layer of rosemary and cheddar cheese the aroma is spectacular.

I know it will be difficult, but be sure not to overstuff yourself with the focaccia, as you must savor the fabulous desserts.

Coffee lovers must try the cappuccino ice cream pie. Who doesn’t like homemade coffee ice cream slathered in chocolate ganache and fresh whipped cream?




If chocolate is your vice then try “come to the dark side”. This dark chocolate cake filled with dark chocolate mousse and ganache is a rich,winning combination.




Offering live music as well as brunch, Providence Café is a definite Charlotte culinary gem. When you can, be sure to see for yourself.

~Stephanie

110 Perrin Place
Charlotte, NC 28207
(704) 376-2008
Open Mon-Thu 11am-10pm;
Fri-Sat 11am-11pm;
Sun 10am-10pm

Review: Growlers Pourhouse

As a food blogger, I love sites like Groupon and Living Social, which allow me to eat out without breaking the bank.  So one night, when my husband and I had the rare opportunity to go out on a date child-free, I went online, did a quick search of what we had available and decided to go to Growlers Pourhouse.  You may recall that we stopped by Growlers on our way to dinner at it’s sister restaurant, Crepe Cellar.  I had been craving some good craft beer and wanted to check them out again.  So off we went.

Growlers Pourhouse states on its website “What we’ve got is simple: Craft Beer and Beer Food”.  Nothing could be truer.  They have a small, yet terrific, rotating beer menu with a handful of beers which change often, so every time you go, you may find yourself with a new selection to chose from. 

The menu consists of snacks (popcorn, pretzel, nachos, soup and chili), five selections of chips and dip, two salads, oysters, shrimp, five sausages, four paninis and three desserts, along with a selection of six side items.  They also have a cheese and beer pairing that I want to try next time I find myself at Growlers (and there will be a next time.  Hopefully soon.).

It may not seem like much, but what they do, they do incredibly well.  We shared a sausage plate (two sausages and two sides) and had the bourbon beans and housemade potato chips with beer cheese.  We chose the beer brat with juniper berry kraut and the sweet Italian sausage with peppers and onions. Everything was perfection.  The brat and the sweet Italian sausage were both delicious, the bourbon beans were flavorful, and we ended up ordering a second order of chips and beer cheese, because we couldn’t quite stand the thought of being finished yet.  The star of the show, of course, is the beer.  We tried three different beers (I was driving, it was a celebration for my husband), all of which were interesting and all but one I would order again.

Growlers also hosts several events.  Their most recent event was a beer and oyster pairing (although among the very few things I don't eat are bivalves...).  Earlier this month they had a beer education event, which is much more to my personal taste (though give me a beer and cheese tasting any day).

As for the bar itself, it is very spacious, with a magnificent community table near the center of the room, which at second glance is a door with iron trimmings.  A few booths and the bar line the room.  I do wish there was more seating, it seems a bit sparse for a bar that must have a ton of overflow from the Crepe Cellar next door. 

But that is my only real complaint.  And that only because we had to wait a few minutes before we could both sit down and order food.  If you are looking for a good night out at the pub, with some good beers that you may not have had opportunity to try, be sure to head to Growlers Pourhouse.  Open until two in the morning every night but Sunday (when it closes at one), you can get food until midnight (11 on Sunday).  For beer lovers and beer foodies alike, it will provide exactly what you are looking for.

~Aurora

Growlers Pourhouse

3120 North Davidson Street

Charlotte, NC 28205

www.growlerspourhouse.com

704.910.6566

CSA Tuesday #1

I joined a CSA.  After two weeks of anticipation, I got my first box today, and I’m excited to share the box contents and my plans for the box for the next fifteen weeks!

CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture, and it is a great way for people to get good, fresh local produce weekly.  You buy a “share” in the produce, and you receive a (mostly) weekly box of food.  There are dairy, meat and vegetable CSAs available, you just have to do some searching.  It isn’t for everyone, and it isn’t financially practical unless you use all of the food.

Guest Blog: Food And Water Watch

A few weeks ago, the folks at Food and Water Watch emailed us with some information about their events near Charlotte.  I asked them if they wanted to write a blog post about the work that they are doing right now.

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Cargill made big news this week. On Thursday the company announced that it was recalling 36 million pounds of turkey meat. Already, at least 76 people have gotten sick from salmonella poisoning and 1 person has died from the outbreak. This isn’t the first time we’ve heard about a recall like this. Think back to the spinach recall on spinach, Skippy Peanut Butter recall, Smithfield Pork , and others– all in one year! .And what about all the pesticides on our food, GMO produce, and factory farms? These scares are getting a lot of people to question what we are eating and where our food comes from. Shouldn’t our food system allow us to make safe and healthy choices?

Winner: Cowfish Giveaway!

Apologies for being a couple of hours late!  But the numbers are in, and Random.org did it's job of picking random number 15.  So congratulations to Penny D!!!

We will be in touch with the winner soon, thank you all who participated.

We will have another giveaway soon, so keep your eyes out and join us again!

Review: Pasta and Provisions

In a nondescript storefront on Providence between Queens and Wendover, there is a small piece of Italy called Pasta and Provisions.  If you have recently moved into a new home in South Charlotte, you may know them from the pile of welcome coupons you so often receive.  If you’re thinking about throwing that coupon away, don’t.  It’s worth the visit.

It’s a bit difficult to navigate around the store, everything is close together, and it may take you a few minutes to get oriented, but once you have your food, it’s worth it. It is part deli, part grocery, part pasta store, with a wall devoted to wine.  It's not the place for food shopping on a budget, but the store has everything you'll need for a romantic meal, and much of it is specialty items.  You would certainly pay more for the same quality food at a restaurant.