While I know you're all waiting for a recap of this weekend's craziness, I simply can't post that recap without pictures. So while I am waiting, I'll fill you in on what I'll be doing on August 7th and August 14th, respectively:
For those of you who don't recognize #2, that is classic crooner Michael Buble, otherwise known as my boyfriend. Dear Lord Baby Jesus, thank you for allowing me to live in a major market!
Now I promised myself that this blog would not solely revolve around food. I promised that to you as well, my faithful handful of readers. (It is fair, after all, to say that you are faithful after just one posting, no?) The truth of the matter is, sometimes good posts are hard to find; so before I forget the lusciousness of the recipe I just concocted, I just had to post for the enjoyment of my regular Soupies. I should also note that I don't often cook from recipes; rather I create things as I go. If I must use a recipe, it's begrudgingly so, and I usually morph to match my own tastes. Growing up in Illinois, one comes to appreciate the merits of a fine ear of corn. I spent many a summer evening on my family's screened-in porch watching fireflies and munching ear after ear. Props to my mom who taught me how to identify that perfect cob: peel back the husk and peek under the silk; if the kernels are plump and crisp, you have a champ. Sadly, since we've been in Atlanta, I've had some trouble finding the same quality of fresh corn that I was accustomed to in the Midwest. But I digress -- Atlanta, being the metropolitan city she is, offers a fine alternative at our local Trader Joe's. TJ's was one of the places I was most eager to visit upon our arrival in A-Town. As much as I love Kansas City, this was one store that KC is undoubtedly missing. $2 wine, artisan cheeses, fine coffees... a foodie's delight! Interestingly enough, they also offer a respectable selection of frozen vegetables, one of which happens to be organic corn. That corn is what made my dish tonight so perfectly fresh and crisp. So, without further adieu, I will post my recipe for a little something I like to call "Farmers Market Saute." I apologize for the absence of pictures here; my camera is on assignment in England. 8 large shrimp 1 T. olive oil 1/2 t. red pepper flakes 1/4 orange pepper, diced 1/4 red pepper, diced 1/2 vidalia onion, diced 1/2 c. frozen corn kernels 1/4 c frozen edamame (shelled, not in pod) 1/4 c. baby portabella mushrooms, sliced 1 clove garlic, minced 2 T. pine nuts 1/2 t. thyme 1/2 t. italian seasoning salt & pepper to taste Garlic Expressions salad dressing Warm olive oil in skillet with red pepper flakes & garlic. Add shrimp and season with italian seasoning, thyme, salt and pepper. Saute for 2 minutes, then add onion and diced orange and red pepper. Saute for another 2-3 minutes, then add frozen corn, edamame, pine nuts and mushrooms. Saute for another 5-7 minutes until veggies are softened, but still crunchy. Serve in a bowl and season to taste with salt & pepper; top with garlic expressions salad dressing. For those of you looking for a little more excitement in these posts, never fear! A certain group of ladies is descending on Hotlanta this weekend, and I'm sure there will be a story to tell. I know you wait with baited breath...
Welcome to Blog Soup! I've contemplated starting a blog for awhile, but could never decide on the topic... hence the title Blog Soup. Get ready to serve yourself a great big heapin' spoonful. There are so many tasty morsels out there I'd like to write about, so how could I be expected to pick just one! Expect this blog to offer a smattering of topics -- newlywed adventures, restaurant reviews, fun things to do in Atlanta, travel stories, life in the advertising and radio industry, the list goes on! For this first post, I will review one of the two restaurants we patronized this weekend in Atlanta. We (being the husband and I) just moved to the ATL three weeks ago, and one of the things I'm most excited about is the restaurant selection here. From soup to nuts (pun intended), Atlanta has it all. So much in fact that I've had to make a list of all the restaurants I'd like to try and post it on the fridge just so I can keep track of my culinary cravings. This weekend we sampled two particularly scrumptious eateries: The Flying Biscuit in Midtown and Fritti in Inman Park. Before I delve into the review, let me just discuss our location in Atlanta: we live in an intown neighborhood with over 60 restaurants within 3 miles. To say that this makes my heart go pitter patter is an understatement. Expect restaurant reviews to be somewhat of a mainstay in Blog Soup, as eating out is one of my favorite pastimes. Saturday morning presented itself quite warmly, and seeing as Mr. Soup and I had some serious storage unit organization to tend to later in the afternoon, we figured we best start off with a solid meal in our tummies. The Flying Biscuit is one of the most popular breakfast spots in Hotlanta, so curious me wanted to know exactly why. After our 45 minute wait and several pulls off the coffee decanter on the sidewalk, we were seated in the charmingly bright, cozy dining room. All of the windows were open to the street... and they were so large that any reasonably sized human could easily walk through them. Essentially, we were enjoying breakfast in an open air dining room... and if you ask me, the only thing better than dining out is dining alfresco. The stage was set for the ideal breakfast. You know you've found a great eatery when you'd like to order, oh, I don't know, about 12 items off of the menu. Let's see, the two eggs on black bean cakes with tomatillo salsa and sour cream look good. But then there's the two scrambled eggs with smoked salmon and dill cream cheese. Oh and what about the shrimp & white cheddar grits? Decisions decisions. Within a thirty second time frame, I decided that I would have the High Flyer and that this would definitely not be my last visit to the Flying Biscuit. Our swift server welcomed us and took our order, and before I knew it we were on the brink of breakfast bliss. Indeed, after my first few bites, I knew I'd have to come back. The High Flyer was the perfect combination of all things breakfast: Two basted eggs; a fluffy biscuit with a crisp outside and flaky, layered inside; cranberry apple butter and honey; one organic oatmeal pancake topped with warm peach compote; and finally, the most delectable white cheddar cheese grits I've ever had. Now I'm a Yankee through and through and not even close to a grit fan, but these grits had me leaving the restaurant wanting to hit up our local Publix for a bag of the small broken grains of corn and a big block of high quality white cheddar. Add a little salt and pepper, and you're in Southern heaven. Ice this breakfast cake with the fact that The Flying Biscuit serves fizzy mango mimosas, and I think the cafe has a permanent convert in me. Thank you, Atlanta, for your most warm culinary welcome. Thanks to you, my butt will need to get to the gym twice as often!
