Mid-Week Gaiety

I've worked with Phred for the past three years. He and I have been the only consistent fixture in my office for quite some time and we've done some phenomenal work together. But alas, Phred is leaving in two short weeks to go on to bigger and better things - teaching English in China followed by law school. With his impending departure, I insisted that he join me for Happy Hour and dinner at The Wine Bar.

This is Phred.

The Eats

So we ordered a couple glasses of wine - a white that escapes me for Phred and a Merlot for me (the happy hour special, which I regrettably pay less attention to than wine I order myself) - and after much deliberation, settled on our entrées: The Lamb and the Rainbow Trout.

The Lamb

Fig, prosciutto, fennel, olive

This was my first time trying lamb. I must admit I was a bit hesitant, but in the end I figure meat is meat is meat. Well, that and the fact that this is the national meat of New Zealand. Oh, and didn't God tell Moses to tell the Israelites, à la Pesach, to doused their doorposts with lamb's blood to avoid one of those pesky plagues? 

All things considered, this stuff has got to be good, right? So, bring on the rack of lamb. 

The flavor was mildly intense with a full texture. A bite of fig, fennel, prosciutto and lamb all together was simply divine. Balanced, sweet, savory, clean...delicious.

The Rainbow Trout

Heirloom squash, crab stuffed squash blossom

The trout was a nice contrast to the lamb. The flakey fish had a subtle, delicate flavor. I tend to prefer a heartier fish, but the trout was cooked so perfectly and the relish and sauces so greatly enhanced the whole experience, it was nothing but enjoyable. I can't decide which part of the dish I liked best - the sauces or crab stuffed squash blossom. I think the latter, only because crab is one of my favorite things to eat and it was what sold me on ordering this dish. 

Old Fashioned Cookouts

OFC Part I

There's nothing quite like doing things the old fashioned way. In this spirit, my friends, Teva & Kathleen, and I have brought back the days of yor. In June it was 1950's Old Fashioned Thanksgiving (my first turkey-ful Thanksgiving meal in 17 years, good riddance to tofurkey!) and this past Sunday was an Old Fashioned Cookout, circa 1960's. 

Kathleen and Teva preparing the grill

We made our way to the Spa State Park to throw some ribs, chicken and corn on the barbecue and enjoy a pitcher of homemade mojitos. 

So, there we were, a group of women exercising our right to grill and drink in a public park without the company of men. 

Or so we thought...

After a few short moments, we were literally surrounded by groups (yes, more than one) of intoxicated, lecherous men. For some reason (ah-hem, white male privilege), they thought it was perfectly appropriate to join us and not take no for an answer. Because, these three lovely women must have been there, all by their lonesome, for the sole purpose of meeting men, right? I mean, I'm not a militant, man-hating, lesbian feminist (well, maybe sometimes), but seriously? 

For our safety (and sanity), we were literally forced to pack up our partially cooked food and moved the festivities to another location. It was a sad reminder of the state of oppression. For those of you who don't think sexism and patriarchy still exist, let this be a lesson. It teaches us women to think that we can do anything alone without men ruining it.

Our uncooked food (Ribs with Teva's special rub and chicken)

OFC Part II

After moving to the (male-free) comfort of Teva and Kathleen's apartment, the festivities commenced. We finished food preparation and enjoyed a few glasses of extra-strength mojitos. 

For dessert, I brought some cupcakes from the new Spa City Cupcakes. Forgive me for not having photographic documentation. By the time we opened the pastry box, we were all several shots of rum into the evening, so it slipped my mind...next time. 

The cupcakes were ok. I will say, the frosting to cake ratio was perfect - about half and half. But the cake was a bit dry and didn't have too much flavor. I think one should be able to eat just the frosting, just the cake, or both together and be equally satisfied with any combination. I'd be willing to give it another try. Because in all fairness, this may not have been the best evening for valid assessment.

If you like celebrating yesteryear style, stay tuned for our Old Fashioned Springs Tour...

Another WB-less Sunday

Hattie's Restaurant

I must admit, I'm running a little behind. The summer has overcome me and I've been neglecting my duties. Most importantly, that The WB has officially opened 7 days a week starting this past Sunday (7/27), but the rainy Sunday prior (7/20), I ventured to Hattie's with Robin (my Technical Director) for the ultimate comfort meal.

Ok, so I do remember eating fried chicken as a child and really enjoying it and Robin wanted to join me as I relived the experience. Once he heard I was eating meat, he insisted on being the first to take me to Hattie's Restaurant. Yup, that's the Hattie's (Chef/Owner Jasper Alexander) that kicked Bobby Flay's ass in the Showdown!

The Eats

We met in the cozy courtyard of this historic restaurant and started our meal with a couple of Mojitos (I needed a mojito to redeem the disastrous beverage a local sports bar, 'Peabody's', called a 'mojito') and a bread basket with biscuits and cornbread. The mojito was refreshing and garnished superbly with mint, lime and sugar cane. The cornbread was alright, a little dry, and the biscuits were soft and buttery (read: heavenly).

Hattie's Famous Fried Chicken

They've used the same recipe 1938!

Entrées come with your choice of 2 sides. Both Robin and I ordered the Cucumber Salad, which was simply incredible and the Mashed Potatoes.

There was a lot of food - enough to enjoy some cold leftovers for lunch on Monday! There will definitely be a repeat performance...I'm thinking the Creole Jambalaya next...