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The French find beautiful ways to say the simplest things! Instead of our ‘son-in-law’, you know, the man your daughter married, they say mon beau fils, literally, my beautiful son! 
Merci Ben, mon beau fils, for sharing a link to food author Michael Pollan’s website describing a few of his “new food rules.” Looks like his series ‘Cooked‘ is worth watching as well! 
After a 9 hour drive from a -4 degree morning in Wisconsin, we arrived in Nashville to a balmy 21 degree evening where the hotel bellman bemoaned the cold winter weather.
The warm, bright atmosphere of Henrietta Red, a small plates spot in Nashville’s Germantown neighborhood was the perfect way to end the day. The place was bustling without a crowded feeling. A large marble top table in the center of the dining room served as an open station for table settings which helped the servers keep the small plate system running.
A Moscow Mule with two slices of fresh candied ginger was just what I needed to settle my slightly queasy stomach – a victim of the long drive.
The restaurant features a full Raw Bar with over a dozen varieties of Oysters and Clams with colorful names and origins like Saucy Lady Shells, Apalachicola FL; Murder Point, Irvington Alabama; Summerstone, Lilliwaup WA; and Mookie Blues, Damariscotta ME.
HR features an open kitchen with a wood-fired oven surrounded with handpainted decorative tiles. Wood Roasted Oysters may tempt you, if you’re not in the mood for raw. Try the Dill, Mustard Butter with thyme breadcrumbs or the Green Curry and pair it with the Sunchoke Salad, which features Honey Crisp Apple, Sunflower Seeds & Sprouts with Parmeasan and Lemon. The apples were so sliced paper thin and I could swear the chef added small raw fingerling potatoes to balance the fruit’s tartness. 
A Rabibit Cassoulet with White Runner Beans, Rabbit Confit, Pancetta, Chicken Sausage and Herbed Breadcrumb the and Braised Lamb with Beluga Lentils, Swiss Chard, Smoked Castleventrano, Olive, Labna, Corriander and Mint were hearty and well portioned winter courses.
A modern small plates spot like Henrietta Red, named in honor of Chef Julia Sullivan’s grandparents Carolina low-country hospitality, fits right into a big food town like Nashville Tennessee.
The 100 Foot Journey is an appropriate title of a film that brought close friends a little closer. I’ve long been a fan of a good food movie.The list probably began when I read Like Water for Chocolate, and then enjoyed the film because it stayed so true to the short but sweet little novel. Then came, Big Night which we saw on New Year’s Eve, because we must have known it was going to be pretty special! That sets me off on a tangent, there is Mostly Martha, Tortilla Soup, Babette’s Feast, Eat Drink Man Woman, and Chocolat. What others have I missed?
So when a friend mentioned having her own little “foodie-movie” fest, she recommended that Chef and The 100 Foot Journey be added to my list. That’s all it took for me to think up an excuse to create a movie night around one of my favorite cuisines: Indian! I’m lucky to know a group of intrepid food lovers and they signed on right away.
The concept was simple. Place a carry-out order from a good Indian restaurant and watch The 100 Foot Journey after the feast. It didn’t hurt that I’m learning French and the film is set in Provence (although the script was dumbed down and Anglicized to the point where the French speaking locals would say “Hello” instead of “Bonjour” to each other!) Mon dieu!
So here’s a look at what we shared from TAVA a gem of a place in Morton Grove, Illinois.
Appetizers
Momo – stuffed, steamed dumplings seasoned with Himalayan herbs and spices served with an exotic Nepalese sauce
Calamari Bhaji – tender calamari and chopped onions tossed in a chickpea, rice and corn-flour batter, lightly fried in canola oil and served with chutney
Entrees
Tava Fish Tandoori – fresh, tender morsels of catfish marianated with signature spice blend, and roasted to perfection in a tandoor
Samundri Mixed Grill – salmon, catfish and whitefish marinated in yogurt sauce, roasted in a clay oven, served with roasted onions, fresh bell peppers, tomoatoes and spicy chili peppers
Lamb Curry – Fresh tender boneless lamb cooked with traditional mughalai spices, onion and saffron.
Family Dinner for 4 – Tandoori chicken (6 pieces of dark meat) or Tandoori Vegetables, Chicken Makhani, Chicken Tikka Masala or Chana Saag, Dal Makhani or Dal Tadka, Peas Pulao
Steamed Basmati Rice & Bread Basket – Plyazi Kulcha, Paneer Kulcha, Roti, Garlic Naan, and Plain Naan
Desserts
Desi Kheer – fragrant, traditional rice pubbing with raisins and almonds
Carrot Halwa – homemade carrot pudding cooked with cashew and almond, served hot
We just returned from a whirlwind week in God’s country. I have to say that I’m glad we waited until now to see Grand Tetons and Yellowstone…because each of us appreciated it so fully. I feel sorry for atheists of the world….you can’t possibly not believe that God had everything to do with the spectacular beauty that we witnessed (in every direction!!).
Our first two nights were spent in a 2 br condo in West Yellowstone…great location, close to the park. Then next 2 nights we moved south to Jackson Lake Lodge on Jackson Lake in the Grand Teton Natl Park. We toured as much of Yellowstone as we could on the 4th of July. On one stop after seeing Old Faithful geyser, we pulled over to enjoy the scenery of the mountains and the Yellowstone river, and lo and behold this beautiful bald eagle soars over the river right below us…all four of us just looked at each other and had an emotional moment of silence, just being thankful for this amazing country of ours.
All day Sunday and a good part of Monday were spent touring Yellowstone’s magnificent scenes AND animals…including a mother grizzly and her 2 cubs…several bison (2 very close up!)…elk, mule deer, prong horn sheep….Julia and Dylan would go wild every time we saw any wildlife… and we saw plenty! We headed to Grand Tetons to take in Jackson Lake, Jenny Lake (we can’t help but be drawn to lakes after growing up with Wisconsin and Michigan lakes in our lives)…absolutely stunning views.
We thought about taking a raft trip on the Snake River, but decided to do that next year instead. So we took a dinner boat tour on Jackson Lake overlooking the Tetons last Tues. night. The guide told us some great stories about the area and then we boated over to Elk Island, disembarked, walked over to picnic tables set up by a campfire and had a cowboy dinner of grilled steaks and lake trout, corn on the cob, roasted potatoes, cowgirl beans, fresh salad, biscuits and apple cobbler for dessert, yummy!! Then we hiked up a trail on the island to an overlook of sunset on the lake.
If you haven’t had the pleasure of seeing these wonders of our America, do. You will not be disappointed!
Family history comes in many forms. The recipes we find, save, and share become a part of a family’s legacy and it seems appropriate to write about the recipe collections of two wonderful cooks and loving mothers on Mother’s Day. The first time I had Grandma Pizel’s cookies was at a concert at the Petrillo Band Shell in Grant Park. There, she brought us a classic picnic supper with fried chicken, cucumber sandwiches, strawberry rhubarb pie and these salty-sweet cookies. Evelyn Pizel was my mother-in-law Carol’s mom. Both of these ladies were natural-born cooks.
I recently went searching for this cookie recipe to bring to a friend’s Bridal Shower. Part of the fun at the shower was centered around the saying, “Life’s short, eat dessert first!” And so we did!
I found Carol’s recipe in a sky-blue binder titled “Menu for the Holidays – Seasoned Greetings” ~ compiled by Peggy Master 12/83. Grandma P’s was in a classic dark green metal recipe box. Checking both, it surprised me to see two versions of the same cookie. I decided to make both since they vary quite a bit. I have a favorite, but will never tell! I offer them here for you to compare and enjoy. One important caveat – both ladies put the single pecan half in the center of the cookie, even though Carol’s recipe calls for chopped nuts. She did it like her mom always did!
Eveyln Pizel’s Potato Chip Cookie 1/2 lb. butter 1/2 c sugar 1 t. vanila (sic) 1 3/4 c flour Pecans in center Unbuttered cooky (sic) sheet 350 degree 20 min.
Carol’s Potato Chip Cookie 1 cup shortening 1 cup white sugar 1 cup brown sugar 2 eggs 2 cups crushed potato chips 2 cups flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. salt 1 cup chopped nuts Cream shortening, add sugar & eggs & beat well. Add remaining ingredients. Bake 12 – 15 minutes on ungreased cookie sheet at 350 D.
Over the Top: Bern’s Steak House, Tampa FL
The “circuses” in bread & circuses restaurant reviews was undoubtedly coined for Bern’s Steak House. Bern’s is a unique, dining experience with a good dose of sensory overload. The Bern’s experience comes complete with an invitation to tour the entire bustling kitchen during serving hours at a place that can accommodate 350 guests. This behind-the-scenes view reveals an operation that runs like a well-oiled, clean machine. Imagine suddenly standing in the middle of a Broadway musical number and you are the only one who doesn’t dance! This place is choreographed down to the smallest detail, and no one misses a step.
Bern’s can boast of many things and here are a few highlights; eight dining rooms, the largest wine list in the world, and a wine-barrel themed dessert room. Owners Bern and Gert Laxer were definitely ahead of their time when it comes to farm-to-table by owning a farm which grows many of the vegetables served in house! The rest of the long list of things that make Bern’s special can be found here! Bern’s Steak House 1208 South Howard Avenue Tampa, Florida 33606
Under the Radar: Cafe Largo, Largo FL 
And now, for something completely different. Think, small French circuses and breads from heaven! Cafe Largo is quite, bright and elegant. The food is superb and Chef Dominique Christini and son Sebastien are amiably creating, teaching and sharing their wonderful love of food, wine and hospitality. Cooking classes and special events are offered regularly.
A February Wine Pairing Dinner
Diver Scallops, dusted with alone flour & citrus beurre blanc ~ Paired with St Pierre de Mejans, Luberon white
Pheasant Consomme en Croute infused with Madeira
Veal Medallion and Rie de Veau ~ Paired with Cote de Nuits Village (Evening Land) 2010
Fromage & Salad ~ Paired with Chateau La Liguiere Fougeres 2006
Rasperry and White Chocolate Mousse ~ Paired with Muscate de Beaumes de Venise 2012
Cafe Largo 12551 Indian Rocks Road #18 Largo, Florida 33774
Mon ami, Jan was surprised I had not read A Year In Provence after she visited our new/old farmhouse in the Kettle Moraine region of southeast Wisconsin. Chronicling the first year which author Peter Mayle and wife Jennie owned and restored a rustic, two hundred year mas (farmhouse) in Provence, you’ll be treated to a colorful and quietly detailed vision of the new homeowner’s trials and joys. Situated at the foot of the Luberon Mountains between the villages of Menerbes and Bonnieux and within the boundaries of a 247,000 acre national park, the property offered the Mayles a bold lifestyle change from their native England. It was both sanctuary and a work in progress on six acres of vineyards.
From crowded, clogged roads in summer, with hilarious descriptions of French driving technique, to depictions of wine-enfused games of boules, to a detailed account of a Grande Course de Chevres (Great Goat Race) through the streets of Bonnieux.
So apropos to my view of the typical NYE scene, the author begins his tale,
“The year began with lunch. We have always found that New Year’s Eve, with its eleventh-hour excesses and doomed resolutions, is a dismal occasion for all the forced jollity and midnight toasts and kisses. And so, when we heard that over in the vilage of Lacoste, a few miles away, the proprietor of Le Simiane was offering a six course lunch with pink champagne to his amiable clientele, it seemed like a much more cheerful way to start the next twelve months.”
Food & Restaurants
Vineyards/Caves
People
The Year’s highlights
And so the Mayle’s year closes and I fret that I may be approaching the same feelings as I look around our place.
“There comes a time in the restoration of an old house when the desire to see it finished threatens all of those noble aesthetic intentions to see it finished properly.”
Bonne Année mes amis!
Fifth Avenue in San Diego. The beating heart of tourism in a city with a siren’s call to tourists and conventioneers. First time staying in SD, first time eating there. Sunday night found us walking up 5th. Sights, sounds, and yes smells. Some delicious, some not so much. The lack of rain may be to blame for a distinctly pungent aroma in doorways and vestibules where the street folk and the colorful play. Ask Mark about his idea for street sanitation. There’s a patent in the works.
Lovely and inviting nonetheless, we walk up one side of the street checking out menus and being invited in to a table by hosts and hostesses as the early dining crowd saunters along. Italian? Too heavy and traditional. Can you say “Spagetti Factory?” Irish? Yeh, so have a pint and something fried.
Florent was a standout in the crowd. Clean fresh decor. Light modern menu. Could this be the one? No, its early. Its only Sunday night and there are so many sirens calling.
We cross 5th and start down the street. This time, we mean it. Searsucker was a standout. Clean rustic decor. Light modern menu. This was the one. And it was very good.
But this review is about Florent.
Fast forward to Friday. Hotel check-out but flight isn’t until 7 and its a sunny, mild day in San Diego! Feeling peckish long after a delicious breakfast at Cafe 222 – but this review is about Florent!
One last walk in the Gaslamp District. The lovely, fresh decor, the light modern menu. The siren’s call can’t be ignored. We drop in at the silvery, sleek, stylish bar and feel at ease. Our bartender (see a prior epr post “Always listen to a good bartender”), chats about the Del Mar races which are opening that week, and about his east-coast roots. Oh and food. It’s 3:30 and there is some confusion about what time happy hour starts, what time the dinner specials start. What’s going on here? “Oh this place just opened last week.”, he says. “It was a soft opening.” “The Chef is Rich Sweeney, he was on Top Chef. And, oh by the way, he’s here, if you’d like to meet him.”
We are excited. Top Chef is one of my guilty pleasures. Except I’m not guilty because if I’ve ever cooked or prepared any food for you in the last 5 years, you’ve benefited from my watching Top Chef. I’ll confess to being a little guilty that I now might actually use the term “cheftestant.”
Rich Sweeney was gracious, engaging and proud of his new venture, Florent. It’s open air, flirty vibe upstairs contrasts with the club jailhouse decor downstairs. The 3 p.m. scene is certainly not going to be the same as the 3 a.m. scene. Let’s let that be someone else’s review. So what did we order off the Happy Hour Menu?
Jicama Sticks – togarashi sea salt, micro cilantro, sriracha aioli – my only recommendation – thinner jicama please!
Vanilla Bourbon Pork Belly Salad – crispy pork belly, argula, vanilla bourbon vinaigrette, gorgonzola, chorizo cornbread croutons, grilled corn, citrus segments
Boudin Blanc – celery root puree, plum buerre blanc, micro celery – I confess I had no idea this a weisswurst! I ordered based on the celery root, plum buerre blanc alone!
Crispy Brussels Sprouts – spanish cured chorizo, asian chili sauce, micro cilantro
Blood Orange Panna Cotta – gone in a flash of two competing spoons. Sometimes sharing the dessert is just dumb.
And what’s a little ironic? The chef at Searsucker, Brian Malarkey, also a Top Cheftestant!
Can we pick ’em or what?
