Alabama is a large and beautiful state. One literally rolls into it traveling west from Atlanta on I-20 into that state's largest city, Birmingham. A former mill town, it's embraced with rounded mounds of mountains and leafy, green trees. Downtown sparkles with Frank Stitt's culinary wizardry at three restaurants, the mainstay being Highlands Cafe and Grill. There we supped on unforgettable fresh figs wrapped with thick slabs of smoked prosciutto nestled on savory beds of lightly mounted cream peppered with lemon zest and fresh mint. Also on the menu, succulent roasted peanut soup and a vegetable plate of garden fresh creamed corn, fried okra and eggplant gratin - all of which were heavenly testament both to Stitt's skill and the sweet bounty of Alabama's farmlands.
Fortified from the feast and time well-spent with good friends, the following day we set off for Tuscumbia, birthplace of Helen Keller and the virtual birthplace of Southern rock in neighboring Muscle Shoals.
A small town, I didn't anticipate such a large and animated market, but that's exactly what I found at the Spring Park Farmer's Market. Situated at the edges of a large, leafy park, its personality is reinforced by a carousel and the choo choo sounds of a little red train that runs through it.
Huge watermelons, bountiful tomatoes, ear-upon-ear of corn and bushel- upon-bushel of peaches weighed down tables. Quickly and eagerly, the large afternoon crowd of hungry locals lightened the tables' respective loads, as they filled their canvas bags with the goods. The town's mayor and his wife were there and it seemed everyone knew everyone. This market, unified by the able hands and ample spirit of farmers market manager Sherry Campbell, personifies the community spirit that makes shopping at farmers markets so much fun. It didn't hurt that nearly everyone wanted a book and that they loved the okra and tomato soup demo/tasting of the recipe featured in it. Many kindnesses were extended by all, including Debbie Malone, manager of fabulous Cold Water Books in beautiful downtown Tuscumbia, making it feel like a sweet home, indeed.
A hundred miles of picturesque farmland away, awaited Huntsville, home of NASA and the place of my notably less (than Helen, anyway)celebrated birth. The small and nascent Bridge Street Town Center Farmers Market hugs the edges of a gorgeous, upscale shopping center and community about 10 miles west of downtown Huntsville. Though it features just a handful of vendors, it rocks with the pulse of live, beautifully played music by a local vocalist and weekly cooking demonstrations. On this day, it was ratatouille and the mood was light. The farmer vendors next to my signing booth had also been at the Tuscumbia market and offered me all kinds of goodness, including a long, tall glass of cold lemonade and beautiful Tuscumbia tomatoes. As in Tuscumbia, the crowd was proud, friendly and so happy to be at their market. Many came by to visit and buy books.
The long trip home to Charleston was infused with feel-good memories of sweet home Alabama. The very next day, I had that anticipated tomato sandwich prepared with those sweet Tuscumbia babies. There couldn't be a more succulent way to close this delicious chapter from the Alabama book.
Spring Park Farmer's Market
Spring Park
Tuscumbia, AL
Thursday, 4 p.m.-7 p.m.
Bridge Street Town Center Farmers Market
Bridge Street Town Center
Huntsville, AL
Saturday, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
www.bridgestreethuntsville.com
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Back From the Road - New Local Book Signing Dates
Come celebrate Farmers Market Appreciation Week!
It seems like forever to me, but it's been six weeks since I've been home to sign books. It's going to be a hot, steamy few days, but I'm happy to be around to see local, smiling faces at my upcoming signings the next few days.
Tomorrow, 8/6, I'll be at the nearby Bluffton Farmers Market from 4 to 6 p.m., signing Southern Farmers Market Cookbook and handing out taste samples. The market is located at 40 Calhoun Street in Bluffton. For directions or more information on the market, please visit www.farmersmarketbluffton.com.
On Saturday, 8/8 (which also happens to be Roger Federer's birthday -yeah), look for me at the Charleston Farmers Market downtown at Marion Square. I'll be signing the book at the market's main information counter from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.
See y'all there!
The Five Guys Experience
Nobody, including me, likes a food snob.
All good food is good, including chain food. It's just that my chain experiences have, for the most part, left me wanting. So, despite all the rave reviews I've heard over the past year or so since Five Guys Famous Burgers and Fries opened in West Ashley, I've resisted the temptation to dig in. That was until last week when a friend told me she saw something on Twitter by FIG's venerable chef Mike Lata about how much he loved the place.
Turns out, he and the rest of the Five Guys "fanatics" (there is a page dedicated to them on the web site)are right. Eating here is an experience in fun and fabulous. A splash of red and white corralled with bushels of real Idaho potatoes, Five Guys feels at once 50's-retro and thoroughly modern. Sparkling clean, the center of action is the grill and fry station which operate like well-oiled (peanut oil only) machinery, while the guy at the register merrily calls out "patty" orders as they arise.
It's entirely systematic and delicious. Burgers are prepared with fresh (never frozen) beef and come "big" (two quarter pound patties, $4.49)or "little" (one quarter pound patty, $3.19)on a fresh, sturdy bun and hand-wrapped in aluminum foil. The extensive and free topping selections - from sauteed mushrooms to jalapeno peppers - gives a whole new meaning to the "special orders won't upset us" theme. Heck, even the celebrated fries can come dusted with salt or with Cajun seasoning.
The fries, which are literally fried to order from baskets that are stacked up near the fryer like so many stars waiting to shine, are epic. Skin-on slabs of Idaho deliciousness, they're delivered deliberately spilling out of their cup and steaming hot. Ketchup flows freely and easily into over-sized plastic ramekins (so unlike the too-little Wendy's variety) at the well-stocked and impeccably clean condiment counter. The likable quirky guy at the counter told me that the regular ($2.49) fry order feeds two, while the large ($3.99) feeds two to three people. That's a pretty accurate assessment, assuming these are pretty hungry folks. The portions are more than ample.
Release your inner food-snob and give Five Guys a try. It's one of the best burgers in town and the fries are unrivaled.
Five Guys Famous Burgers and Fries
1662 Savannah Highway, West Ashley
(843) 556-5489
and
1795 U.S. Highway 17 North, Suite 2, Mount Pleasant
(843) 881-4550
www.fiveguys.com
All good food is good, including chain food. It's just that my chain experiences have, for the most part, left me wanting. So, despite all the rave reviews I've heard over the past year or so since Five Guys Famous Burgers and Fries opened in West Ashley, I've resisted the temptation to dig in. That was until last week when a friend told me she saw something on Twitter by FIG's venerable chef Mike Lata about how much he loved the place.
Turns out, he and the rest of the Five Guys "fanatics" (there is a page dedicated to them on the web site)are right. Eating here is an experience in fun and fabulous. A splash of red and white corralled with bushels of real Idaho potatoes, Five Guys feels at once 50's-retro and thoroughly modern. Sparkling clean, the center of action is the grill and fry station which operate like well-oiled (peanut oil only) machinery, while the guy at the register merrily calls out "patty" orders as they arise.
It's entirely systematic and delicious. Burgers are prepared with fresh (never frozen) beef and come "big" (two quarter pound patties, $4.49)or "little" (one quarter pound patty, $3.19)on a fresh, sturdy bun and hand-wrapped in aluminum foil. The extensive and free topping selections - from sauteed mushrooms to jalapeno peppers - gives a whole new meaning to the "special orders won't upset us" theme. Heck, even the celebrated fries can come dusted with salt or with Cajun seasoning.
The fries, which are literally fried to order from baskets that are stacked up near the fryer like so many stars waiting to shine, are epic. Skin-on slabs of Idaho deliciousness, they're delivered deliberately spilling out of their cup and steaming hot. Ketchup flows freely and easily into over-sized plastic ramekins (so unlike the too-little Wendy's variety) at the well-stocked and impeccably clean condiment counter. The likable quirky guy at the counter told me that the regular ($2.49) fry order feeds two, while the large ($3.99) feeds two to three people. That's a pretty accurate assessment, assuming these are pretty hungry folks. The portions are more than ample.
Release your inner food-snob and give Five Guys a try. It's one of the best burgers in town and the fries are unrivaled.
Five Guys Famous Burgers and Fries
1662 Savannah Highway, West Ashley
(843) 556-5489
and
1795 U.S. Highway 17 North, Suite 2, Mount Pleasant
(843) 881-4550
www.fiveguys.com
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Atlanta's Farmers' Markets, Un-Earthed
Morningside is a picturesque neighborhood situated a few miles outside of downtown Atlanta, but it feels like an entirely different world. The hills roll, the streets teem with relaxed neighborhood energy and funky shops and eateries, and everyone, from the dogs, to the kids, to the adults, seems to be smiling.
Smack dab in the center of it all, in a tiny parking lot sandwiched between a restaurant and a bakery, is the Morningside Farmers' Market. Though it's small in size it's huge in heart; a veritable hot-bed of local and organic adulation. Established over a decade ago by one Ann Brewer, it is everything a farmers' market should be and spills over with the bounty of nearby Georgia farmland. Heirloom tomatoes, orange grape tomatoes, corn - the eye candy was impossible to resist from my busy little book signing table.
I was regretful I couldn't take all this wonderful stuff back to my own far-away kitchen, but will forever retain the memories of this market and its people.
Meanwhile, down a hill and a few turns and miles away, Piedmont Park is home to yet another farmers' market known as Green Market. Larger and longer than its Morningside neighbor, Green Market feels a tad more urban and more languid. People walked more slowly as they ambled along to shop and visit. Like Morningside, the weekly Saturday morning market hosts cooking demonstrations by local chefs.
Well done, Atlanta! I am told the Peachtree Market is another market wonder, but have not yet been.
Morningside Farmers' Market
1393 N. Highland Avenue
Atlanta, GA
www.morningsidemarket.com
Green Market
Piedmont Park
12th Street entrance
Atlanta, GA
www.piedmontpark.org
Smack dab in the center of it all, in a tiny parking lot sandwiched between a restaurant and a bakery, is the Morningside Farmers' Market. Though it's small in size it's huge in heart; a veritable hot-bed of local and organic adulation. Established over a decade ago by one Ann Brewer, it is everything a farmers' market should be and spills over with the bounty of nearby Georgia farmland. Heirloom tomatoes, orange grape tomatoes, corn - the eye candy was impossible to resist from my busy little book signing table.
I was regretful I couldn't take all this wonderful stuff back to my own far-away kitchen, but will forever retain the memories of this market and its people.
Meanwhile, down a hill and a few turns and miles away, Piedmont Park is home to yet another farmers' market known as Green Market. Larger and longer than its Morningside neighbor, Green Market feels a tad more urban and more languid. People walked more slowly as they ambled along to shop and visit. Like Morningside, the weekly Saturday morning market hosts cooking demonstrations by local chefs.
Well done, Atlanta! I am told the Peachtree Market is another market wonder, but have not yet been.
Morningside Farmers' Market
1393 N. Highland Avenue
Atlanta, GA
www.morningsidemarket.com
Green Market
Piedmont Park
12th Street entrance
Atlanta, GA
www.piedmontpark.org
Worth a Visit
A recent and unexplained quest for local taco-bests delivered me to the gates of Zia Taqueria yesterday. I'd been meaning to check it out ever since it emerged from the ashes of former fabulous Fez's locale next to the Terrace Theater on Maybank Highway, but have only just gotten around to doing so.
Cool and soothing, with quiet undertones of Fez's Moroccan look, golden yellow walls and Spanish tiles give Zia attractive Mexican airs. The menu is replete with enchiladas, tortas, tacos and sides with relatively gentle price points ($1.99 sides up to $12.99 platos)that pair with a nice selection of mixed drinks, beer and wine.
Tacos come on soft corn or flour tortillas and are amply portioned, but lack the flavor power of similar selections from nearby Taco Spot. The beef barbacoa, for example, had the tender texture-marks of slow cooking, but lacked the umph of spice and lime. The onion cilantro relish was barely discernible; a little more of this would be a welcome addition.
With easy and pleasant counter service and an accessible location, Zia's begs for a visit when you're in this neck of the woods and thirsty for a cool one and a tasty, if not show-stopping, taco.
Zia Taqueria
1956A Maybank Highway, James Island
(843) 406-8877
www.ZiaTaco.com
Cool and soothing, with quiet undertones of Fez's Moroccan look, golden yellow walls and Spanish tiles give Zia attractive Mexican airs. The menu is replete with enchiladas, tortas, tacos and sides with relatively gentle price points ($1.99 sides up to $12.99 platos)that pair with a nice selection of mixed drinks, beer and wine.
Tacos come on soft corn or flour tortillas and are amply portioned, but lack the flavor power of similar selections from nearby Taco Spot. The beef barbacoa, for example, had the tender texture-marks of slow cooking, but lacked the umph of spice and lime. The onion cilantro relish was barely discernible; a little more of this would be a welcome addition.
With easy and pleasant counter service and an accessible location, Zia's begs for a visit when you're in this neck of the woods and thirsty for a cool one and a tasty, if not show-stopping, taco.
Zia Taqueria
1956A Maybank Highway, James Island
(843) 406-8877
www.ZiaTaco.com
Monday, July 13, 2009
Farmers' Market Fun
Conducting a book "tour" without a press agent,with a little dog and heavy book boxes in tow during a hot Southern summer is less than sexy. In fact, it's darn hard work. However, the sense of general adventure and the joy of the farmers' markets and new cities I've been visiting, have made it all more than worth the while.
Last Friday, I was greeted at The Pee Dee State Farmers Market by Suzanne Galloway and her amiable staff at The Hobnob Gourmet. "Hobnob" is located in the bucolic and beautiful red barn, across the way from the sprawling open shed where produce and goods are sold by Pee Dee farmers. Suzanne put on quite the spread; zucchini toasts, butter bean bruschetta, and other recipes from Southern Farmers Market Cookbook, along with sweet tea and ice cold lemon water, to refresh her many guests. Most had come expressly for the signing and they were a well turned-out group! One man, a veritable foodie who referred to his wife as his "kitchen goddess," merrily shared some cannoli and cookies they had picked up in Philly on a road trip made purely for the purpose of buying them.
Tann Mann and I regretted leaving such a pleasant setting, not to mention such a gorgeous gourmet shop, but Wilmington, NC beckoned. I struggled to find a hotel, but ended up with a lovely room in the Hilton over-looking the Cape Fear River, which happens to be around the corner from The Riverfront Farmers' Market we were scheduled to visit the next morning.
A first time visit to both Wilmington and this vibrant market (headed by Farmers' Market Manager extraordinaire R.T. Jones)that just pulses with positive community energy while over-flowing with local produce and friendly farmers. Again, so many happy stories were told by the people that came by to look at and buy the book, it was impossible not to have a good time. One young lady bought a book for her fiance, another bought two for friends. The market is situated on the edge of the river, which provided welcome, lifting breezes and charming vistas. Children, dogs and smiles were everywhere I looked. This is a not-to-be-missed market. It's not surprising it's ranked the #1 community gathering place in town.
My last ten books were snapped up by one David Holden at Holden Brothers Farm Market in Shallotte, NC, just before the SC border on the return home. A roadside market selling produce grown on Holden's farm, the large shack was thronged with people hungrily snapping up fresh goods on a warm Saturday afternoon. As he pondered the book, the salty, time and weather-seasoned farmer flipped through it with his slightly grimy farmer's thumb, leaving a brownish,ingrained spot on the edge of the pages. Somehow, this seemed fitting and endearing, especially when he pulled $140 in cash out of his pocket and put it in my hands, even before he had the books! "That's allright, I trust you," he said. Having thought those days were gone forever, I smiled and went out to sign the books. When I returned with them, he turned and showed his daughter, proudly stating, "Look, honey, they're signed."
Sometimes life is just too sweet. Hope you get out to your local farmers market soon for a little taste from the same lovin'cup.
Pee Dee State Farmers Market/Hobnob Gourmet
2513 W. Lucas Street, Florence
www.pdfarmersmarket.sc.gov
Riverfront Farmers'Market
N. Water Street - Historic downtown Wilmington, NC
Riverfront
www.localharvest.org/farmers-market/M9307
Holden Brothers Farm Market
5600 Ocean Highway West
Shallotte, NC
(910-579-4500
Last Friday, I was greeted at The Pee Dee State Farmers Market by Suzanne Galloway and her amiable staff at The Hobnob Gourmet. "Hobnob" is located in the bucolic and beautiful red barn, across the way from the sprawling open shed where produce and goods are sold by Pee Dee farmers. Suzanne put on quite the spread; zucchini toasts, butter bean bruschetta, and other recipes from Southern Farmers Market Cookbook, along with sweet tea and ice cold lemon water, to refresh her many guests. Most had come expressly for the signing and they were a well turned-out group! One man, a veritable foodie who referred to his wife as his "kitchen goddess," merrily shared some cannoli and cookies they had picked up in Philly on a road trip made purely for the purpose of buying them.
Tann Mann and I regretted leaving such a pleasant setting, not to mention such a gorgeous gourmet shop, but Wilmington, NC beckoned. I struggled to find a hotel, but ended up with a lovely room in the Hilton over-looking the Cape Fear River, which happens to be around the corner from The Riverfront Farmers' Market we were scheduled to visit the next morning.
A first time visit to both Wilmington and this vibrant market (headed by Farmers' Market Manager extraordinaire R.T. Jones)that just pulses with positive community energy while over-flowing with local produce and friendly farmers. Again, so many happy stories were told by the people that came by to look at and buy the book, it was impossible not to have a good time. One young lady bought a book for her fiance, another bought two for friends. The market is situated on the edge of the river, which provided welcome, lifting breezes and charming vistas. Children, dogs and smiles were everywhere I looked. This is a not-to-be-missed market. It's not surprising it's ranked the #1 community gathering place in town.
My last ten books were snapped up by one David Holden at Holden Brothers Farm Market in Shallotte, NC, just before the SC border on the return home. A roadside market selling produce grown on Holden's farm, the large shack was thronged with people hungrily snapping up fresh goods on a warm Saturday afternoon. As he pondered the book, the salty, time and weather-seasoned farmer flipped through it with his slightly grimy farmer's thumb, leaving a brownish,ingrained spot on the edge of the pages. Somehow, this seemed fitting and endearing, especially when he pulled $140 in cash out of his pocket and put it in my hands, even before he had the books! "That's allright, I trust you," he said. Having thought those days were gone forever, I smiled and went out to sign the books. When I returned with them, he turned and showed his daughter, proudly stating, "Look, honey, they're signed."
Sometimes life is just too sweet. Hope you get out to your local farmers market soon for a little taste from the same lovin'cup.
Pee Dee State Farmers Market/Hobnob Gourmet
2513 W. Lucas Street, Florence
www.pdfarmersmarket.sc.gov
Riverfront Farmers'Market
N. Water Street - Historic downtown Wilmington, NC
Riverfront
www.localharvest.org/farmers-market/M9307
Holden Brothers Farm Market
5600 Ocean Highway West
Shallotte, NC
(910-579-4500
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Spot On!
Forget Taco Boy, Taco Spot's Jason Vaughn is Charleston's taco man.
The (two) Taco Boy restaurants deliver huge style and decor dividends, but I've always found the food to be relatively pedestrian and generic. Taco Spot's tacos, burritos, wraps, and quesadillas are packed with grown-up, sophisticated ingredients paired with a sense of contemplative playfulness. Here, blackened grouper or chicken meet a cayenne ranch dressing while blackened steak dances with hot, house made salsa.
Johnson & Wales graduate Jason Vaughn smoothly orchestrates this tempting taste temptest in a tiny open kitchen that wafts with the fresh scents of cilantro, chile, and garlic and pulses with the beat of hard rock tunes, imparting a decidedly masculine mood. A sunny paint pairing of green, yellow and a large orange "spot" logo set an inviting, albeit spartan, stage.
Dining is take-out or dine-in on one of the seven stools that line the open kitchen and impressive array of international hot sauce bottles or in one of the three tables in the small back-room.
A creamy house made queso dip ($1.49, 2 oz ramekin with chips) is dotted with the pungent house made salsa and a dollop of pureed fresh jalapeno. Rich and thick, it makes for a more than adequate starter, especially when the humble price is factored in. The restaurant boldly claims near the front door that it serves the best fish tacos in town, and I've got to admit, this is no exaggeration. Tacos are served either on a soft flour tortilla or a freshly fried corn tortilla; the grouper with cilantro aioli ($2.49) paired swimmingly on the fresh, flour tortilla. The fish could have been snared and filleted on the spot, it tasted that fresh, sweet and delicious. Topped with a crunchy tomato and cucumber pico and a dusting of clean-tasting cilantro, it was impeccable. I also sampled the seared steak and hot salsa taco ($2.49) which hit all the right notes, especially when tempered with a spot of cooling sour cream.
This taco sweet spot is located a stone's throw from Home Team BBQ in a small strip mall with convenient parking. Swing on by and give it a try!
The Taco Spot
1301 B Ashley River Road, West Ashley
(843) 225-7426
Mon.-Fri., 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m.
Sat., noon-9 p.m.
Closed daily from 4 to 5 p.m.
The (two) Taco Boy restaurants deliver huge style and decor dividends, but I've always found the food to be relatively pedestrian and generic. Taco Spot's tacos, burritos, wraps, and quesadillas are packed with grown-up, sophisticated ingredients paired with a sense of contemplative playfulness. Here, blackened grouper or chicken meet a cayenne ranch dressing while blackened steak dances with hot, house made salsa.
Johnson & Wales graduate Jason Vaughn smoothly orchestrates this tempting taste temptest in a tiny open kitchen that wafts with the fresh scents of cilantro, chile, and garlic and pulses with the beat of hard rock tunes, imparting a decidedly masculine mood. A sunny paint pairing of green, yellow and a large orange "spot" logo set an inviting, albeit spartan, stage.
Dining is take-out or dine-in on one of the seven stools that line the open kitchen and impressive array of international hot sauce bottles or in one of the three tables in the small back-room.
A creamy house made queso dip ($1.49, 2 oz ramekin with chips) is dotted with the pungent house made salsa and a dollop of pureed fresh jalapeno. Rich and thick, it makes for a more than adequate starter, especially when the humble price is factored in. The restaurant boldly claims near the front door that it serves the best fish tacos in town, and I've got to admit, this is no exaggeration. Tacos are served either on a soft flour tortilla or a freshly fried corn tortilla; the grouper with cilantro aioli ($2.49) paired swimmingly on the fresh, flour tortilla. The fish could have been snared and filleted on the spot, it tasted that fresh, sweet and delicious. Topped with a crunchy tomato and cucumber pico and a dusting of clean-tasting cilantro, it was impeccable. I also sampled the seared steak and hot salsa taco ($2.49) which hit all the right notes, especially when tempered with a spot of cooling sour cream.
This taco sweet spot is located a stone's throw from Home Team BBQ in a small strip mall with convenient parking. Swing on by and give it a try!
The Taco Spot
1301 B Ashley River Road, West Ashley
(843) 225-7426
Mon.-Fri., 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m.
Sat., noon-9 p.m.
Closed daily from 4 to 5 p.m.
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