Fervent Foodie

33 ways to eat Nutella

October 29, 2012 27 Comments

In retrospect, it’s kind of shocking. I mean, I’d heard of Nutella and seen a commercial or two, but I couldn’t wrap my mind around slathering chocolate on bread. Don’t get me wrong, I love chocolate and I can eat my weight in baguettes, no problem, but a chocolate sandwich just seemed gross and, frankly, un-American. To me, eating such an insane combination felt like cheating on good ole peanut butter and jelly. When I confessed my big secret–that I’d never EVER tried Nutella–my friend Vanessa, appalled and concerned, bestowed upon me a tub of Nutella the size of a baby walrus.

That day, I had my first Nutella experience: baked stuffed bananas loaded with peanut butter, chocolate chips, and a dollop of Nutella. It only took one bite to realize I’d been robbing myself of intense palate pleasure for the better part of three decades. Since that moment, I’ve been making up for lost time and searching for things to slather with the unworldly chocolate hazelnut spread. For the record, I checked the ingredients list and chocolate-candy-crack isn’t listed—just hazelnuts, skim milk, sugar, and cocoa. Nutella doesn’t even have artificial flavors or preservatives.

It tastes too good to be true.

Recipes

Slow Cooker Sundays: Three Bean Chili {recipe}

October 28, 2012 5 Comments

This post might be more appropriately titled “HOLY COW, I COOKED!”

After months of neglect, I dusted off the crockpot and kicked off the arrival of Fall, my favorite season of all, with a hearty chili recipe. What I like most about this chili, besides how tasty it is, is that it’s equally delicious with or without meat. Over the past six months or so, I’ve drastically reduced my meat consumption, a change that was (unintentionally) spurred by a sausage making class I attended. Since then, our food focus has shifted substantially, and meat now serves as more of a side dish than the main event.

Features

Eat local at Atherton Mill & Market — Charlotte, NC

October 24, 2012 3 Comments

Living in a city has its perks, and one of my favorite things about Charlotte is our local markets. During the week, I often stop into the 7th Street Public Market for lunch at Pure Pizza and to wander around the vendor booths (and drool over the wares). Another gem in Charlotte is Atherton Mill and Market, which is just outside of uptown in South End. This week, I stopped in for a visit and spent some time chatting with the folks at Atherton. Every time I visit the market, I’m surprised by just how much it has to offer–it’s so much more than fresh produce. It’s local foods, local farms, and local artisans. Where else can you find nuts roasted that very morning and bread made with local brewery starters?

Atherton Mill and Market

2104 South Blvd

Hours: Tuesday 10am-7pm, Wednesday – Friday: 10am-2pm, Saturday: 9am-2pm

Just for fun, here’s a list of 9 awesome things I found at the market:

#1 Simply Local – a retail grocery within Atherton Market that offers goods from local producers and farmers. This is where I nabbed the Big Spoon Roasters Peanut Pecan nut butter for my foodie penpal!

#2 Pickleville – kosher style pickles plus fresh salsa and Cajun creole food. My favorite is the HOT GARLIC pickle.

Restaurants

Restaurant Review Roundup: Mert’s Heart and Soul, Eddie’s, Baja Soul {Charlotte, NC}

October 19, 2012 2 Comments

In honor of FRIDAY (hallelujah!), here are three flash reviews of restaurants I’ve dined at this month:

MERT’S HEART AND SOUL: Serving southern soul, low county, and Gullah-inspired dishes, Mert’s has been a common stop for visitors in Charlotte for over ten years. When I hear “Mert’s,” I instantly think of their amazing cornbread: sweet, cakey loaves that arrive at the table hot from the oven with a side of softened butter. Inside the restaurant, the quirky southern soul decor creates a fun environment, and it is a perfect reflection of the food. Some of my favorite dishes at Mert’s are the mac and cheese and the Carolina chopped barbecue pork sandwich, which comes on a hearty potato roll. The banana pudding is infamous, and believe me it lives up to the hype. Don’t forget to save room for cake!

Giveaway

Charlotte Rock & Read 5K {giveaway}

October 15, 2012 6 Comments

As a kid I LOVED to read. My ideal Saturday was spent curled up in bed with a good Goosebumps book, followed a couple years later by marathon Fear Street sessions. Then I went to college, and my love of reading was overshadowed by the ominous presence of textbooks in my life. I managed to squeeze in the Harry Potter series toward the end of college, just before the CPA exam invaded my life, leaving in its wake an intense repulsion for books. I guess you could say I broke up with books for a few years. I didn’t really feel like I was missing out on anything until someone introduced me to the Twilight saga… and that old love came fluttering back ripping me away from that desolate bookless place. I never looked back. Next to work and home, the library is the place I visit most each week. Memoirs, books on cd, cookbooks, books about chefs, books about learning to cook, books about anything involving food whatsoever—all of them have a daily presence in my life now, and I can’t imagine how I survived without them.

Since moving to Charlotte, my love of the library has exploded. This could be due to their awesome iPhone app, or that I can walk there on my lunch break, or that when I tweet the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, they tweet back. (yes!)

Given this obsession, I’m very excited to participate in the 3rd annual Charlotte Rock & Read 5K on Saturday November 3rd. All proceeds for the race benefit the books and materials budget of Charlotte Mecklenburg Library. Besides the great cause, the Charlotte Rock & Read is an awesome race to run because there will be music at every mile and a festival at the finish line including FOOD and MIMOSAS!

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