Eggs and whatnot

First, I cooked some damn good eggs today with a tomato compote of sorts.

Tomato compote was very simple. I cut up about 12 small cherry tomatoes and de-seeded them. Next I took half of a yellow heirloom and de-seeded it and cut it up as well. I added about 3 cloves of garlic and tossed them in a small sautee pan, added about 1/2 teaspoon of EVOO, a pinch of salt and pepper and let it simmer for about 25 minutes.

Next I chopped up some fresh basil and added it to my eggs-- scrambled them up and topped them with the compote. Rustic Italian breakfast of sorts. (for lunch)

It was also very pretty (I of course didn't take any pictures) but the basil and the tomatoes make it a colorful meal. I think what woud have gone nicely with this would have been some maple syrup sweetened grits. I suppose everything can't always be perfect.

Creative in the kitchen

This morning I was whipping up my normal "herb eggs" that typically consists of, garlic that I have slightly simmered in olive oil, 2 full eggs and 1 egg white (mixed well) and a pinch of salt, pepper and thyme. I scramble them up, serve them with a side of fruit-- this past week fresh cherry's and I'm off to a good start.

Today I thought I would marry my 2 favorite ingredients...eggs and curry, and see what I would get. So I didn't use thyme (I'm out) and instead did a dash of curry and corriander. Voila'! They were, um...fine. BUT...if I had some chorizo, some hash browns and a side of Siracha it could possibly become the best breakfast ever.

The point of this post is that I enjoy cooking, I love trying new flavors but haven't been doing it much lately. If I cook anything I revert back to my same old shit...herb eggs, sweet potatoes, lemon curry chicken. Over and over again. Hopefully this summer will allow me some time to enjoy the farmers markets, eat fresh food and cook more often.

Cheers!

Thank you and goodbye to Red Bull Racing

I know, it's odd. I'm a NASCAR fan. I'm a well educated, hip hop loving, NYC living, book reading, 31 year old woman....who loves NASCAR.

Growing up on the weekends I did my fair share of playing outside, riding bikes, going to the community pool (in the non-peak sun damage times of the day...thanks crazy mom), going to Opryland, and playing sports. However, every weekend in our house there was always sports of some sort on the TV. Depending on the time of year it was NFL football, college football, college basketball, MLB, Golf, NBA, and also on Sunday's my dad (who controlled the remote on Sunday) would often times put on the NASCAR race. My father (VERY well educated, cinematographer, music lover, garden grower, etc) liked to watch NASCAR. I don't think he had a driver that he particularly pulled for or if he did I never knew.

I, on the other hand, loved Bill Elliot. I liked his nickname (AwesomeBill for Dawsonville) but mostly I liked him as a child because I was pretty sure he looked like a real life version of Ronald McDonald. As Bill got older and stopped winning and when I started college I stopped watching NASCAR. I can't tell you if my dad did as well as his home life changed too.

Not until 2009 had I thought about NASCAR since I moved out in 1998 but that was the year I started working for Red Bull. The next thing I know I had the opportunity to go to the 2010 spring race in Bristol, TN -- a track known for it running the fastest mile on earth. I was new the company but I knew this could be my only chance-- I asked if I could have 2 tickets and if I could bring my dad.

My relationship with my father has been pretty shaky since 1999-ish and I wasn't sure if he would even want to go-- a 5 hour drive, hotel night stay, the race and then driving back...it would be the most time we had spent together since before my parents divorced. To my surprise-- he wanted to go...and go we did.

We drove to Knoxville the night before the race, had dinner at some crappy chain restaurant and woke up bright and early to get to Bristol on Sunday. We had Hot Passes which allowed us access to the pits, the drivers, the haulers-- everything-- it was pretty cool, and I couldn't imagine spending it with anyone else. And since AwesomeBill wasn't racing any longer I had to find a new driver/team to pull for...insert Red Bull Racing. At the time it was manned by drivers Brian Vickers and Scott Speed and later Vickers and Kasey Kahne. We got to see both Speed and Vickers close up, interact with their crew and my dad, the constant photographer, was able to take pictures all day long. In fact, he became the official Red Bull photographer for the day as there were important guests that had forgotten their camera.

The race started and the sound was just unbelievable-- we were unprepared-- no headphones with scanners, no earplugs...no problem. We soaked it up. The sounds, the smells-- cars headed to the pits, watching a pit stop from 5 feet away, trying to stay out of the way of rolling tires-- the intensity of being in the pits was quite an adrenaline rush.

And from that day until right now, I've either watched or followed along via Twitter with every NASCAR race- cheering for Red Bull Racing. And so has my dad. I can't imagine he's been quite as involved as I have but I know he's been watching. He called to congratulate us on last weeks big win in Phoenix.

I don't know if I'll watch next year without Red Bull in the hunt. I'm sure I'll always cheer for Kasey and Brian in their future endeavors but mostly I have NASCAR to thank for one of the best weekends in some time with my dad.

Below are some pictures-- Mark Martin (my dad tried to act cool but he was totally enamored), my dad playing with his camera, and the pit crew helmets.

Cheers to Red Bull Racing. Cheers to NASCAR. Cheers all around.

.

Upstate New York...my new favorite place

Just finished my first ever collegiate trek through UNY and it was some sort of epic. Mostly I had amazing tour guides Andrei and Tim and the landscape was just gorgeous. It reminded me quite a bit of Alabama which made me yearn for more of the open land and sky that isn't blocked by uber tall buildings. I digress...let's talk food.

Like the complete idiot that I am I had never put Buffalo Wings and Buffalo, NY together...the genius of my brain never ceases to amaze me. So, I flew into Buffalo on Thursday morning and by the time lunch rolled around we were ready to check out Duff's. http://www.duffsfamouswings.ca/content/home/home.html

There are 2 famous Wing establishments in Buffalo-- Anchor Bar apparently invented the "Wing" and Duff's claims to have perfected it. Duff's claims that Medium= Hot, Medium Hot=Very Hot, and Hot= Very Very Hot. Not sure of what "hot" means in Buffalo we decided to go with Medium and you know what? They were ehhh...Medium Hot. But...they were tasty. Good flavor, crispy, and BIG!

I also was able to try some of Tim's "Beef on Weck" sandwich-- apparently another Buffalo traditional fare option. Tender roast beef served on a Kummelweck roll (a roll topped with copious amounts of Kosher salt and caraway seeds). The salt, caraway and beef really do mix well together but just too much salt for my taste.

Our next foodrageous stop was for dinner at Dinosaur BBQ in Rochester. http://www.dinosaurbarbque.com/ When Andrei said we were going to a BBQ place for dinner my response was : "You know I'm from the south, right?". He was pretty positive that Dinosaur could stand up to my high BBQ standards...and I have to admit, he was right.

First I had to try their Fried Green Tomatoes....the tomatoes themselves were super great with a really nice breading but they served it with a ranch dressing that was very overpowering and a little runny in consistency. I prefer a thicker remoulade.

Next I ordered the "Big Ass Pork Plate" with a side of mashed potatoes and a side salad. As most of my frequent readers know (all 2 of you), mashed potatoes are one of my favorite foods-- right up there with eggs. First- the pork-- it was damn good. Really nicely smoked, tender but yet not mushy as it can sometime be-- defined meat but not stringy. They top it with a homemade bbq sauce that was somewhat typical but flavorful. I was glad they didn't put too much sauce because I'm of the belief that too much sauce RUINS good BBQ.

The mashed potatoes were good- definitely homemade. Could have used a bit more black pepper but that's just my preference. I was able to try some of Tim's Mac & Cheese and it definitely didn't live up to expectations but Mac & Cheese is hard to do in mass and keep the quality.

While the food in UNY was great...the sky, scenery and company really made the trip. I tried to get a good picture of the sunset Friday night but it doesn't do it justice.

New things I love about New York

1. Blowouts. Did you know that women pay for other women (or gay men) to wash and blow dry their hair on day's like, oh I don't know, Tuesday? Turns out they are called "dry bars" and they specialize in blowouts. Sounds completely ridiculous right? WRONG. WRONG. WRONG. If I was rich I would get 2 blow outs a week and never wash my own hair. Since I'm not rich I'm going to settle for 2 a month. It's amazing how much better I feel after I just left the salon. My favorite (because it's close to work and cute) is http://hauteairsoho.com/. Check them out.

2. The High Line. I'm so pissed I found the High Line now that it's cold and not when I first got here in June. I foresee myself spending many an hour when spring comes with a book, a nice big water bottle full of water-grigio and people watching until the cows come home. http://www.thehighline.org/

3. Eataly. The first time I walked into Eataly I turned around and walked right back out; It was too much to take in. But now I've been a few times and feel like I own that place. It's my go-to for when I have guests in town--love the wine & cheese area and I also love the quick panini station. http://eatalyny.com/

4. Dance Class. Oh yes...I dance. Sometimes I even dance well. Back in Nashville my dance routine consisted of every Tuesday night from 6:15-7:15 but in NYC there's a dance class available pretty much any time of day at a couple different studios. Mostly the teachers are amazing but sometimes a little bitchy. Apparently my hip hop style isn't "tired and hungry" enough according to the instructor I take from the most...Bev Brown

(http://www.broadwaydancecenter.com/faculty/bios/brown_bev.shtml). Little does she know that pretty much 24/7 I'm both tired and hungry.

So these are 4 great things I'm digging about NYC right now. I could make a list double that of things I would trade in a heartbeat but I'm on this whole positivity kick so I'll spare you the whining.

Hoodies On, Hats Low

Check out my boys Freesol new video featuring Mr. Timberlake (if you're nasty). The best part...the Memphis scenery and some real jookin that can only be found in Mtown. Big shout out to my buddy Gavin (Total Savage) who is part of the alley crew and of course DJ Charlie White who has rocked many a Red Bull event!

http://youtu.be/HLgX7f-eFAo

Brucie...review.

Why would I leave the most amazing city in the world (Nashville) to come to NYC? Drumroll.......FOOD!

I've had some pretty amazing meals since I've been here but tonight I'm going to write about Brucie...a great little Italian inspired local haunt in Cobble Hill. http://www.brucienyc.com/

I wandered into Brucie one weekday evening after a long drive back into the city from some random work trip. I bellied up to the wooden, dimly lit bar and was greeted immediately by a warm smile of the bartender. I perused the menu and decided on an appetizer of marinated olives (duh) and a glass of Falanghina (yummy). The olives are part of their deli selection so they were brought right out from the display case. I rarely meet an olive I don't like and this was no different although I will say the marinade is quite strong so I can see someone with a more gentle pallet not enjoying the super strong taste.

For my entree I decided on the Tagliatelle pasta with a tomato butter sauce, brussels sprouts and homemade burrata. One word: Amazing. Three words: FRIED BRUSSELS SPROUTS. The dish came together so well with the crunch on the sprouts adding the perfect texture to the dish.

For dessert (did I mention one of the main reasons I took this job was to eat?)...I gave a try to the coffee ice cream with dark chocolate pieces. From my perch at the bar I was able to see the kitchen quite well and I saw what I thought was them prepping my ice cream, however, when I saw them dash it with olive oil I knew I was mistaken. WRONG. My ice cream arrives topped with not only chocolate but also olive oil & salt. OK...foodies....let's have a serious discussion here. I'm all for a little salty and sweet and the salt topping was a perfect addition but the olive oil...I'm not sold yet. I truly felt like the olive oil's strong (but delicious) flavor completely overshadowed the coffee flavor in the ice cream so all I ended up tasting was chocolate, salt, olive oil and a sweet cold cream of some sort. If the fine folks at Brucie happen to be 1 of the 6 people reading my blog perhaps they can take note of this....

My experience was pretty nice-- everyone there had a smile and didn't look at me weird for dining at the bar by myself. I give it 3 out of 4 stars.

Making my way....

I last wrote in January....so much for updating the blog on a regular basis. Just a few things have changed since I last wrote..you know, small stuff, like...I have a new job, moved to NYC, and left all of my friends, family and familiarity behind.

Today I write from my pretty bad ass apartment in Brooklyn-- I must give it up to the best broker in the world for finding it! Carroll Gardens is the neighborhood I call home and although the area is great it sure would be better with my buds.

I've had a visit from Lacey and some family friends and look forward to Wells and Carla's visit in September.

Mostly since I've moved I've been traveling...Boston, Italy, Philly, Boston (again), Jersey, Nashville (twice), Delaware (twice)...you get the point. I'll head back to Nashville in a few weeks for Labor day & Bryn's wedding!!

Here are some pictures from my first going away campout...a little grainy. After all was said & done I had about 5 going away parties...none better than the amazing going away brunch/ birthday party hosted by Bryn, Lacey and Cara. A day to remember indeed.

2010. Still not quite sure about you.

2010 has been an interesting year. In 2009 I lost three very special people. My godmother Martha, my aunt Dorna, and a very special co-worker from Athlon Sports, Bill Settle. So in that respect 2010 was much, much better.

2010 brought new additions for Lauren & Kyle with little Jane Ellen Mayhew and for Weg & Jon-- baby Aiden. It saw little miss Madden Thie turn 1 and Heather and Andrew are expecting for the first time-- and Michelle again!

But also in 2010 Nashville suffered a flood that left a good high school friend's home destroyed and our city underwater.

It brought engagements for my best friend in the whole world, Bryn and two of my very best's Susan and Christina. (all within 2 weeks) Big congrats to Daryl, Jarod, and John respectively for pinning down such amazing ladies! And a marriage for Mr. John Malvern Wells to a quite lovely lass Carla. And Lauren Simmons became Lauren Beem when she married Brian in a spectacle of a nigh

t in October.

I made a big change and said farewell to Nissan and hello to Red Bull which has been quite a ride/learning experience and a whole lot of fun. I moved into a new house and resumed

the joy of living alone. January hosted a voyage to NYC to celebrate Heather & Michelle's 30th birthday's. May saw a trip to Carrabelle with cousin's and aunt's. August brought Annual Holiday V6 -- a trip to Portland, OR. In October we voyaged to DC to get our sanity back and party with Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert. And now I sit writing from St. George, watching the angry ocean prepare for a storm.

The best part of 2010? Every morning I woke up the Earth greeted me with a

new day.

In 2011 I plan to do a few things differently.

1. Get healthier-- no seriously. 2010 would have been an amazing year if I had spent more time and energy caring about my health and fitness level. I purchased a bike that I'm so excited to ride all over the place and I have some weddings to fit into some lovely dresses for.

2. Keep listening to good music and seeking out local art.

3. Cook with local and organic foods.

If I can do those 3 things all else will fall into place, I'm sure of it.

A review. Jay-Z's book. Decoded.

Thanks to Lacey I left Nashville and headed to the beach with Jay-Z's new book: DECODED, in tow. I've been a big Hov fan for years although in retrospect don't have all of his albums (will have to work on that). The book reads very easily (finished in 4 days) and is a compilation of his life stories and a diagnosis of his lyrics.

The book is filled with cool pictures, art, and other eye-catching pages that help the flow of the book and enhance it's feel of a really nice professional book with the credibility of the streets- I bet Random House can't say that about too many of it's titles.

In the first few chapters I felt that Jay was dumbing down the explanation of his lyrics a little too much as it started to feel like the book was written for middle-class white people that make up a large portion of his fan base. But as the book progresses the lyrical diagnosis gets a little more in depth and seems less patronizing.

I have always respected Jay and his music and DECODED just pulled it all together for me and gave me additional insight into a hard-working, pretty damn smart man.

Curried shrimp pasta

My dad started making one of the best dishes I've ever had about 20 years ago and I have made a few tweaks to it through the years and crafted another nice version this evening on St. George Island. Here's how it goes...

In a saute pan combine:

- Juice of 1/2 lemon

- Salt & Pepper

- Pinch of Crushed red pepper

- 1 clove of fresh garlic chopped

- large pinch of French Thyme

- 2-4 teaspoons of curry powder (to taste)

- 1/2 cup of white wine

- tablespoon of butter

peel 20-25 medium size fresh shrimp (raw, not frozen) and place in pan on low/medium heat.

add 1/2 cup of water once shrimp have started cooking to loosen and dilute the sauce.

Boil pasta to al dente (I prefer fettuccine for this recipe)

Time your dish so shrimp and pasta are done at same time (about 7 minutes cooking for both). Drain the pasta and put in saute pan with shrimp and sauce. Combine so the pasta soaks up the sauce. Finish with a squeeze of lemon and fresh Parmesan cheese and voila.

This is the easiest recipe but the trick is the fresh seafood.

Pair with a lovely glass of white wine (or whatever you like). I prefer a Chardonnay to stand up to the heat that the Crushed Red Pepper adds.

Also best when paired with beach :).

Check this out. Seriously.

I'm not sure how old this is, but I came across this pretty amazing website this morning. It's a visual interpretation of Arcade Fire's song We Used to Wait. The site which is an interactive interpretation of the song is titled "The Wilderness Downtown". Here's the link: http://www.thewildernessdowntown.com/. The site allows you to become personally involved with the video by entering your childhood address and let the journey begin. I recommend closing all other open windows and programs.

Super cool stuff.

Best songs of 2010...in my opinion.

Let's set a few records straight. (Pun intended).
1. I started this blog thinking people cared what I thought about life, randomness, and stuff in general.
2. I'm now aware know that's not the case.
3.Today it lives as a tool to continuously help me with my writing.

Now that we done got that outta the way.

Below you will find my favorite songs from 2010. For the most part they were released this year or in some cases I found them this year...enjoy.

In the order I would place them on an album:

1. Love Everybody by: Shelly Fairchild, er, Shelly and the People, er, Ruby's Money....Shelly has gone through a couple of identities this year but is now safely, or it seems, grounded as Ruby's Money. I was introduced to her by a good friend about a year ago and am in love. What a great singer, songwriter, performer-- all in one. She sings soul with the energy of a twelve year old and the heart of a southern lady. Keep an eye out for her first album (as Ruby's Money) sooner than later.

2. Wild and Young by: American Bang, er Bang Bang Bang, er, Bang...you see a trend h

ere? I had the privilege to attend high school with 3 out of the 4 of these kids and they've been making music for as long as I can remember. Front man Jaren Johnston and I were in music class for years together-- when he played the drums and was a punk. Now he's the lead singer, and a punk. In a good way. This song embodies everything that a fun summer love song should. Roll the windows down, crank the stereo on full blast and drive and sing.

3. If I Die Young by: The Band Perry. I would be lying to myself if this song didn't ma

ke the list. The playcount on my Ipod would be a tell tale sign. This southern bred family group wrote a song that has the melody of a whippoorwill and the lyrics of a Keats poem. For some reason every time I hear it I think the group is from Scotland but I digress..."f

unny when you're dead how people start listening" (sure wish that was true).

4. Sail by: AWOLNATION. This song has been getting nice play in my head for a couple of

months but I was treated to a private show by the Red Bull Records recording artist acouple of weeks ago in Atlanta and must say it's even better live. Talk about a dark, catchy, vocally strong, electronically grounded little ditty. Blame it on my ADD Baby.

5. Kiss Me Again by: Jessica Lea Mayfield. Ok, I know this song didn't come out in 2010 but it's new to me and turns out this is my blog so there you go. I was introduced to Miss Mayfield when she came out and played with her brother and his band Cadillac Sky in their opening set for Mumford & Sons...she was one of the bright spots of their enjoyable set and her voice drew me in. Kiss Me Again is no different. It starts out just about right....You got me where you want me but I ain't all there.....isn't that the truth?

6. Opposite of Adults by: Chiddy Bang. Hip Hop made a valiant effort at a comeback this year thanks to some great new artists popping up, Chiddy Bang being one of them. I heard this track on a blog back in March and was like "um, why isn't this all over the radio?". Next I checked out the super dope video and I was a fan. I got my hands on their mixtape and it was OVER. Their most recent release includes a track with Q-TIP....and that's a rap fol

ks. Oh...and have a I mentioned the beyond sick MGMT sample on Opposite? Oh...and they were sampling La Roux before anyone knew who La Roux was. I'm done here.

7. Tighten Up by: The Black Keys. Yeah, yeah, yeah...I know, it's kool to like the Keys but I just can't help myself. I managed to get on stage with this duo at Wakarusa in June and was sold after then-- they make a HUGE sound for two and have really brought rock music back to just that. ROCK. And I'm appreciative. Big time.

8. If the Creek Don't Rise by: Dylan LeBlanc. I have this sensei of sorts that provides me with music insight-- I won't out him publicly as to keep my sources private, but he turned me on to Dylan in August (ish) and from that point I've been a fan. He played a packed show at the Basement as part of Next Big Nashville and I dragged my friend Susan and she was also sold. Other than this song sort of making you want to off yourself...I think it's real purty.

9. Runaway (the 9:00 version) by: Kanye West. Oh, Kanye. Thanks for coming back around. Thanks for making shit interesting and making interesting shit. Thanks for saying stuff no one else will (not even Gaga). Thanks for stealing the mic from Taylor Swift. Thanks for having one of the most visually interesting performances ever on the VMA's. I don't always like what he does but I like that someones is doing something. I'm all for anarchy but only if it's lead by Kanye. (she holds her head low and wallows in her own lack of revolution)

10. Wild as a Turkey by: Hayes Carll. In retrospect this is the one song I question on the list but I'll leave it on there. It's fun. It's quirky. And it's country as fuck. : "You say you'll never love me but the night ain't over yet...."

11. Colourless Colour by: La Roux. Oooh...what an album. So glad I was gifted a copy of this by my buddies at the Recording Academy in Memphis. This specific record jumps out at me for being the most complete song on the album-- serious yet dancey... pretty much my view on life.

12. Awake my Soul by: Mumford & Sons. I contemplated this list being their entire Sign No More album but that would have been boring and too easy. My music sensei also turned me on to Mumford after he saw them at Bonnaroo. I believe his email said: "I don't care what you're doing but drop EVERYTHING and go buy this album". At the time I was hungover in the Knoxville airport suffering from the drinking runs-- if I could have dropped everything I

certainly would have. I digress. Have you listened to this song? Have you danced around in circles with your arms flailing by your side looking up to the sky wondering if there's a God? If you haven't I strongly suggest it. Right now.

13. Uncharted by Sara Bareilles. I couldn't leave off a classically-poppy, bubble-gummy song by one of my favorite songstresses. Maybe it's that we have the same range, tempo,

and that I can just sing my little heart out to her music. Or maybe that we sound so much alike that when I hear her music it gives me hope of a music career? Or maybe I have a soft spot for pop? One thing I've learned throughout the years is that I don't have to apologize for my likes and dislikes.

Merry Christmas folks and Happy New Year.

The best and worst....Thanksgiving!

A day that is dedicated to giving thanks and over indulging in delicious food...this sounds just about perfect to me. This year, and since my mom passed away I have spent Thanksgiving in two places-- with my grandmother (mom's mum) and uncles, and with the Laiolo family (Bryn, Cara, Jana and Tone Def). I've been coming down from my food coma for a day or so and will officially declare 2 Thanksgiving's is just too much food so next year I'll probably just pick one.

I'm thrilled to write that I had the ability to eat some amazing food and will rank them is this order:

1. Granny's mashed potatoes
2. Cara's mashed potatoes
3. Bryn's deviled eggs
4. My Mac & Cheese
5. Cara's turkey
6. My blackberry cobbler

There were a million other great dishes (B's sweet potato casserole, Jana's dressing, Granny's turkey, etc) but I'll tip my hat to the ones above.

My grandmother has been making the best mashed potatoes since I can remember and they were my favorite food in the world until a few years ago (recently replaced by the egg). As she's aged and hasn't been able to cook much and my mashed potato consumption has decreased significantly but I suggested that we make them together this year so she could teach me....and boy did she.

First- she peels and boils the potatoes- and then she dumps only about half the water (she kept way more water than I would think necessary but Granny knows what she's doing). To that she adds a considerable amount of butter (1 stick for about 8 servings), a little bit of milk, salt and pepper AND THAT'S IT. No cream cheese, no cream, no parm, no nothing...turns out the trick is the starchy water-- and they were divine.

Cara also made great Pioneer Woman inspired mashed potatoes and the recipe can be found here:http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/11/delicious_creamy_mashed_potatoes/. She doesn't keep any of the starchy water which is why I think she feels the need to add other delicious calories to make the right texture but I'm telling you....not needed for greatness.

Bryn made a traditional deviled egg recipe that involved relish, pimentos, salt, pepper, mayo and mustard and they were super yummy but I've never been one to pass up ANY egg.

Growing up I had one bad experience with macaroni and cheese and it I couldn't eat them any longer...until I was about 25 and started to realize what I had been missing: CHEESE AND PASTA- TOGETHER. Really, how can it get any better than that?
My current recipe is pretty much on point and I have to give props to my girl Ronda Brown-Quarles for the base recipe but I've added some additions to kick it up a notch.
First you boil pasta- I prefer a mix of bow ties and elbow macaroni to give it some textural differences. After the pasta has boiled you drain it and then place it back in the pan you cooked them in and place it on the stove on low heat. And you start adding cheese...and lots of it. I add a mixture of pepper jack, mild and sharp cheddar, and American cheese. You could get fancier if you wanted but I don't see the need for a country Thanksgiving. I also add: 2 eggs, about a cup of milk, one shallot- diced very thin, salt & pepper, crushed red pepper flakes and mustard powder. Mix everything together and then put in a baking pan-- stick in the oven for 20 minutes on 350 and voila-- cheesy pasta perfection.

In the past Bryn and Cara's mom Jana has led the charge to tame the turkey but this year Cara stepped up to the plate and made that bird her bitch. She practiced the brining method on the bird-- I'll allow her to comment on the recipe for her brine but it was amazing!! Super tender, great flavor. Here's a video from the food network on how to brine a turkey: http://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/how-to-brine-a-turkey/58780.html.

Last but certainly not least- Blackberry Cobbler. It's both mine and my grandmother's favorite and cannot be beat! The best is that it's super simple and easy. First you take your blackberry's (either fresh or thawed & drained from frozen) and you add a cup of sugar and let them marinate in a separate bowl. I like to use 2.5 cups of blackberry's per 8 inch square pan. I also add the juice of 1 lemon to the blackberry and sugar mixture.

In another bowl I add flower, baking powder, melted butter, and milk and whisk until combined well. Once the blackberry's have gotten a nice syrup to them I pour the batter in the pan and then put the blackberries on top of them and bake for 40 minutes on 350 or until golden brown and the dough isn't jiggly any longer. PERFECTION. You can serve with vanilla ice cream or a fresh homemade whipped cream slightly sweetened (I like to use honey).

With all of that greatness comes some disappointments as well and this year they were all at my hands:

- canned green beans (which I'm religiously against but my grandmother loves)
- canned creamed corn (same excuse as above)
- Apple Brown Betty (this dessert actually turned out to be quite tasty but it was due to some last minute recipe changes and had I not acted on the fly this could have been a disaster.)

The bottom line is that Thanksgiving is a pretty amazing holiday. I'm personally thankful for so much in my life-- my family, my friends that have become my family, my good health, great job, and clear mind. Next year I'll do a better job of GIVING back to the community-- knowing how much I personally consumed makes me a little sick to my stomach (mentally and physically) as there are so many people that don't have the opportunities that I do. This makes me question my current level of community involvement and giving-- I've got to do better.

Signing off to go eat more leftovers,

E

And there it was...Zaytinya

I recently spent a weekend in DC to celebrate the Rally to Restore Sanity along with two of my dear friends, Cara and Lacey, and while we were there, well, we ate.

One of my good college buddies Emily lives in the city and made some recommendations for restaurants and on the top of her list was Zaytinya, a middle Eastern spot featuring small plates and big flavors....however, we couldn't come close to grabbing a reservation on this busy weekend so we thought we were out of luck. This was until we found ourselves wandering around the city on Friday afternoon; starving, feet hurting and cold. The next thing we know....we're standing right outside of Zaytinya-- and they're open-- FOR LUNCH! PERFECT.

We walk in, grab a table immediately and start our divine cuisine experience with lovely glasses of bubbly and white wine.

On the lunch menu there is a choice to do a 5 course tasting and we jumped on the opportunity to try as many dishes as possible. I can't remember exactly in what order we had what but here are some of the dishes we had: Hommus, Falafel, Fattoush, Garides Me Anitho, Kibbeh, Adana Kebab, Shish Taouk, and a heavenly dessert that consisted of the creamiest custard ever.

Each plate was phenomenal and the perfect portion-- enough for each of us to have 2-3 bites of every offering. The Garides Me Anitho were by far the table favorite-- shrimp that were sauteed in a dill, shallot, lemon and mustard seed sauce. This sauce was beyond anything I have ever tasted in regards to flavor just jumping around in my mouth. The acidity of the lemon paired with the earthiness of the mustard was a blissful marriage.

Thanks much to Emily for the great recommendation and of course to the amazing chef's and service at Zaytinya...it was the perfect way to start out a great weekend.

Hey guys. Here's RJD2's live set from Next Big Nashville....live at The Cannery.

Pretty funky stuff.

Pok Pok. The morning after.

For our last evening in Portland we ventured for a group dinner at a Thai restaurant that came highly recommended by friends, strangers, and food magazines alike...Pok Pok. Pok Pok was originally a mobile food cart in the Portland area until owner and head chef Andy Ricker decided to take the plunge and open up a part open air/part indoor seating restaurant in the front of his house. The dishes are still inexpensive (ranging from $5-11) and pack huge flavor but now can be enjoyed seated.

Cara was so thoughtful and arranged a reservation for our group of 10 at 8:45 our last night in Portland. After being seated we were treated to water flavored with Pandanus leaf which gave it a grassy flavor. We all ordered one round of beverages that ranged from a mango infused vodka speciality drink (mango infused vodka, lime juice, simple syrup, pressed coconut milk), to a Tamarind Whiskey Sour, to a Salted Plum creation.

Our server was very helpful and guided us through out meal with ease...3 dishes are usually enough for 2 people, he'll bring us some rice that goes well with our meal, we'll eat with our hands and a spoon and there will be no pad thai ordered. Got it.

Well, we managed to obey most of his instructions except for the abundance amount of food we ordered. The highlights are:

Kai Yaang: A small game hen that is stuffed with lemongrass, garlic, cilantro and pepper-- served with 2 dipping sauces. This hen was so tender and so flavorful that it melted in my mouth. I tore that bird apart in seconds.

Muu Paa Kham Waan: BOAR collar meat, rubbed with coriander root, garlic, and black pepper. Glazed with soy and sugar and grilled-- served with a chili-lime-garlic sauce and with a plate of frozen mustard greens to cleanse the pallet. I'll let Harbin's words sum up the experience with this dish: "That boar is so good I want to hit someone" Our server responds with: "Where are you guys from?" Us: "NASHVILLE BIOTCH". Ok, we didn't actually say the "biotch" part but that sure would have be hilarious.

Kaeng Hung Leh: Pork belly and pork shoulder that they stew in this pot of ginger, sugar, tamarind, turmeric, Burmese curry powder, and pickled garlic. I swear....this was like eating the best tasting comfort food on the planet. The meat was phenomenally tender...I mean, it couldn't have been more tender and stayed together. A definite table favorite.

Other dishes worth noting: some crazy spicy fish sauce wings, a poultry salad of sorts, a lovely prawn dish and a vermicelli noodle dish that was understated but still appreciated.

No better way to spend our last night than with an amazing dinner that didn't cost us an arm and a leg, great service and even better company.

Now...It's 7AM and my stomach is still recovering from the heat, bold flavors and the over indulgence but I'll deal with the after effect for a meal like that almost any day.

Don't know how you do the voodoo that you do...

Voodoo Donuts.....another Portland, Oregon staple. With donut names like the Maple Blazer Blunt, Marshall Matters, and Cock and Balls you know when entering such an establishment only the finest behavior is to be displayed. Nine of my rowdiest friends and I made a trip to Voodoo's original location in downtown Ptown to see the line snaking around the building...and then quickly made a trip across the river to Voodoo Donuts Too where the parking was ample and the donuts ready to eat!

We each ordered 2 donuts from the spinning case (the donuts currently available), found a place to park our haunches and got down to business. I ordered the original glazed, in my opinion a donut in its best form, and Chocolate Coconut. Both were delicious! My friend Harbin ordered the Blueberry Cake donut which was spectacular; very moist, flavorful, and tasted fresh!

I must have tasted over 10 donuts and they all were super yummy! Being from the south we have a couple of Krispy Kreme's in most cities (based in Winston-Salem, NC) and Voodoo definitely rivaled the KK but I'll take a hot glazed KK over any other donut, any day.

Biscuits. In Oregon.....eeeehhhh?

Every year a group of friends and I go on a vacation. We call it Annual Holiday. I'm writing this on the last night of our Sixth Annual, Annual Holiday or AHV6 as we like to call it. My location? Portland, Oregon. You see...we switch it up international and domestic and last year we visited Costa Rica so this year we picked a spot not nearly as hot as our home of Nashville, TN and a place where none of us had spent a considerable amount of time. During these holiday's we pretty regularly do two things: eat and drink. The first restaurant I'm going to cover is Pine State Biscuits.

Pine State can be found in North East Portland and boasts yummy biscuits and biscuit accoutrement like eggs, bacon, gravy, etc. Being from the south I question the PNW's ability to really comprehend the importance of the biscuit and exactly how to make the perfect biscuit. My questioning is for good reason.

We busted up (all ten of us) at Pine State on Thursday morning after a day of whitewater rafting and a night of wine and liquor beverages. I perused the menu online prior to our jaunt (we stayed in Lake Oswego) downtown and knew I was going to have the Moneyball.

A biscuit topped with sausage gravy and an over easy egg. (if you like it then you should have put an egg on it). The Moneyball was NOT bad but it did have 2 things pointing it in the wrong direction: 1. The biscuits are too dense. Not nearly fluffy enough. Probably not made with buttermilk. And definitely not made by my granny. 2. The sausage gravy was a bit too sweet.

Neither of these completely flawed the dish but I'm not ready to give Pine State Biscuits a crown.

Side Note: The do have a dish their called The Reggie Deluxe that consists of: Biscuit with fried chicken, fried egg, bacon, cheese and gravy...it's like whoa.

Side Note #2: The Collard Greens were actually "slap yo momma" good.

When I say "Chiddy" , You Say "Bang"

Music. One of the enjoyments that makes the world go round. It's right in there with water, food, dancing, laughing, loving, children, and MUSIC.

That being said...there's this new group I've been digging to and they call themselves Chiddy Bang. It's a 2 man show...the lyricist and head dude who goes by the name of Chiddy (first name actually Chidera), and the beat maker/drummer/producer who goes by Xaphoon Jones (real name Noah). For the remainder of this blog I will go by my DJ name, Whooty.

As a loyal Twitter follower of @realchiddy, I realize that of all places they are coming to Nashville and convince 2 of my best friends, Lacey (DJ AT-AT) and Cara to join me. We start the evening with dinner at Virago and then head to the new La Paz location for a margarita or 3. La Paz is now right down the road from Exit In...one of my favorite music venues in town.

The show is all-ages which I appreciate until we arrive and realize not only are we the oldest people there but we are fucking ancient compared to all the kiddos. Nevertheless we grab a brew and head to the back where we can take in the show, stay out of the childrens' way, and have plenty of room to bust a move ourselves.

Upon our arrival Donnis and his DJ are still up on stage doing their "thing" for the crowd and within seconds they have me moving to the beat. Next up...Chiddy. Noah sits down at the drum set and it's on. They do a short set that includes their current hit "Opposites of Adults" that has a killer MGMT sample from "Kids". The children in the crowd go nuts. Hold on....who is that??

A MC pops up on stage and turns out it's XV, a dude that was placed earlier on the bill that we missed. HE IS SICK. He's spitting so clearly that it reminds me of a young Q-Tip...killed it and made me wish I had passed on the margaritas and headed to the show a little sooner.

It wasn't a packed house but the crowd was hype. Props to the guys for putting on a good show for a small crowd-- and they played it like it was full-- that takes a bit of maturity. That being said, I heard their show the night before in Birmingham was less than stellar. Apparently Chiddy was blazed off his mind and the small crowd was less than impressed. Consistency. It's important.

These guys will be back. We'll hear them on the radio. Girls will love them. What I appreciate more than anything is young hip hoppers that are performing interesting music, talking about interesting topics, and not taking themselves too seriously.

DJ Whooty Out.