Fervent Foodie

Block & Grinder {Charlotte, NC–restaurant review}

March 19, 2013 7 Comments

Block & Grinder just opened in Charlotte, and its concept is unique: think full bar, wine shop, butcher counter, and restaurant all mashed into one location. The focus is on fresh ingredients, what the owners call a “back to basics” approach. Block & Grinder specializes in premium, all-natural meats and wild game. The meats are fresh and cut and ground in-house daily, giving patrons a “butcher block to grinder” experience. Even the corned beef and pastrami is brined, steamed, smoked, trimmed, and cut in-house.

Most seats in the restaurant offer a full view of the open kitchen, which is headed by executive chef Kent Graham (who previously served as chef for the Atlanta Braves). At any given time, you can see half a dozen cooks methodically knocking out orders as the line man calls them out.

Urbanspoon

St. Patrick’s Day Libations

March 13, 2013 No Comments

As a kid, my annual family trip to Daytona Beach, Florida always coincided with St. Patrick’s Day. Even though we don’t have a lick of Irish in us, we all made sure to pack a green outfit in our suitcases. Green socks, green shorts, green bobbly shamrock headbands–there was an unvoiced competition to be the greenest of them all.

I haven’t been to Daytona Beach since I was 15 years old, but this weekend the whole family is headed south, and we’ll be spending St. Patrick’s Day on the shores, just like the good ole days. I can tell you one thing, I will NOT be drinking any green beer.

If you’re like me and beer isn’t your preferred libation, you’re in luck—there’s arguably no better beverage to celebrate the Emerald Isle than Irish whiskey.

Head on over to the Urbanspoon blog to check out my festive beverage selections!

Features, Recipes

On the cover of Epicurean Charlotte Magazine!

March 11, 2013 14 Comments

Happy Monday, friends! I have some exciting news to share today… Drum roll, please! Several of the photos I recently shot for Napa On Providence were featured in the March/April 2013 issue of Epicurean Charlotte Magazine!

Including the magazine cover itself:

I never in a million years thought I’d walk by a newsstand and see something I created on the cover of a magazine. It’s simultaneously weird and exciting! I have big aspirations for 2013, and this magazine cover has revitalized my desire to pursue new food outlets in the coming months.

Also in the magazine, next to my delicious looking bean photo, is the chef’s recipe for Napa’s white beans and sausage. I haven’t cooked the beans myself, but I’ve eaten them, and they’re outstanding!

Restaurants, What I ate

Should I stay or should I go {the week in food}

March 5, 2013 9 Comments

I’ve been incredibly distracted the last couple of weeks, spending every breath of free time surfing Craigslist and property management company sites for a new apartment. It’s one of those life moments when I just wish someone would tell me what to do. Should I stay in my current rental and pay the (exorbitant) rent increase or move? And if I move, where? One bedroom or two? Is it safe? Can I walk to work? Does it get good light? Is street parking a deal breaker? Is shared laundry?! Where will I put my shoes? Is there a coffee shop within walking distance? What about good restaurants? Will my beloved green couch fit in the new rental? GAS STOVE!!!! Will my friends and family still come to visit???

It’s a lot to ponder.

With all this rental business looming overhead, I’ve been a stranger to my kitchen. You know what that means. It’s time for a little restaurant recap!

Let’s start with the Common Market hot mama panini–tomato, red onion, red pepper, spinach, Havarti, and mayo plus turkey–that I devoured right there in the parking lot.

No shame, this girl.

Recipes

Baked Shrimp with Fire-Roasted Tomatoes {recipe}

February 25, 2013 10 Comments

One of the perks of working in the city is having the world at your fingertips on your lunch break. When the clock hits noon, I like to hit the street. Often, I’ll swing through the library or take a stroll through the 7th St Public Market. When it’s warm, I find a nice table in the shade and read while I eat, and when it’s cold, I saddle up next to the fireplace at Carribou. There’s a grocery store just a few blocks away, and I’ve found squeezing my shopping into my lunch break to be not only productive but surprisingly liberating.

Last week, on a lunch-break grocery shopping spree, I picked up ingredients for this shrimp and tomato bake. It’s a low-stress meal that can easily be made after work or prepared the day before. (I find that recipes using canned tomatoes taste even better when they’ve had time to sit.) Shrimp, tomatoes, and a bit of cheese–it’s a dish built for carbohydrates. I recommend a crusty bread or a twirly noodle.

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