Sunshine Smoothie

It's Friday. Thank goodness. I'm heading soon to Josephine House for a girls' lunch before I spend the afternoon in as much sunshine as my mind can handle. Trying Qui tonight for dinner...looking forward to sharing that experience with you. Until then, I've been dying to share my new favorite smoothie recipe! I crafted the drink for Camille Styles' Bottoms Up series last week with the new in-season staples in mind: mango and papaya. 

Check out the full post here, or view the recipe below ::

sunshine smoothie

1 cup fresh papaya
2 cups frozen cubed mango
Few sprigs of mint
2 cups coconut water
Juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon honey
Pinch of sea salt

1. Cut the papaya into cubes and place in blender. Add mango, a few mint leaves, coconut water, lime juice, honey, and salt.

2. Blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and garnish with a sprig of mint.

photo by jessi afshin

The Fold (Little Rock)

A trendy new Little Rock spot had caught my eye during my last visit in December, so I was dying to go this past weekend with Alex after an early arrival from Austin. I am a sucker for spectacular graphic design and interiors, so The Fold's botañas and bar immediately drew me in. Its food and drinks matched the expertise branding, challenging most of the Tex-Mex spots I've experienced in Austin. Austin, you better watch out...!

The clean-lined, modern garage hosts a full bar and funky menu of tacos, burritos, tortas, and the works. The guacamole is prepared made-to-order with a sprinkle of cotija, and the light queso's ground bison addition quickly became a necessity upon each crispy tortilla chip.

Our cocktails were equally refreshing, especially my blood orange margarita on the rocks with a salty rim and sweet sip. Alex's bloody mary scored, too, especially due to the pickled array across the jar. Speaking of jar, how cute are those mason jars? I am such a fan!

Alex's chicken burrito completely wowed me; my immediate reaction was, "I'm ordering this next time." The sweet tomatillo salsa, fresh black beans and avocado were placed throughout the perfectly folded tortilla, which welcomed the fork and knife rather than messy hands and surroundings. While only a tiny detail, I loved the chili powder rimmed lime wedge on the edge of the plate. When squeezing the time atop tacos and burritos, the chili powder infuses in the juice to coat entrées with a mindful kick.

Per the waitress' recommendation, I ordereed a Tejas taco and a Puerco Verde taco on corn tortillas. The Tejas reminded me vividly of TacoDeli's Cowboy taco (a true Austin favorite), so I was happy. The crispy shredded pork on the Puerco Verde was seasoned well; I wish I had asked to hold the raw onions. My portions were lovely, and I left feeling excited for the next trip to Little Rock -- this will indeed be the first stop, once again.

Barley Swine (Austin)

Texas Monthly was spot-on: Barley Swine is none other than a "culinary odyssey." The low-key, dimly lit room hosts a full house on a nightly basis, providing thirteen shared courses for diners ranging from curious, casual hipsters to sophisticated wine connoisseurs. It's no wonder diners from every background, (even GQ two years ago) find the restaurant a winner. Oh, and their Chef was just nominated as a James Beard finalist. Pretty impressive!

red snapper, strawberry, black truffle

In light of the recent GQ article on the recent trend of "egotarian" cuisine (with a shout out to Trois Mec), I could not help but recognize writer Alan Richman's blunt observation during my own dining experience, that "almost every aspect of this new style of cooking, from its conceptualization to its preparation to its presentation, is about coddling the chef, not the customer. The job of the customer is to eat what's placed before him, and then applaud."

Obviously, I made a reservation at Barley Swine to taste and test the magical creations of Bryce Gilmore, who portrayed pure focus and raw talent from behind the bar at which I sat and admired for three hours. And, yes, I applauded. Barley Swine is surely not for everyone, but I arrived expecting an adventure...and I received one. If you're not looking for that type of dining experience, then no need to venture South. Bari and I will never forget the highlights of this thirteen-course meal together, however!

soft egg, sweet potato, bluefoot mushroom

The soy-infused soft egg (two above) was brilliant, creating a marbelized surface with a soy sauce yolk that held together a crispy sweet potato nest. Its whimsical presentation was the best I had seen all night. I also was surprisingly a huge fan of the slightly sweet braised rabbit with hay mousse and turnips. The red snapper crudo third course (first photo) remained my absolute favorite through the remainder of the evening.

biscuit, orange marmalade, bacon

Besides the pricey pre-fixe figure (which jumped $10 pp since last month), the only setback I identified was the menu's lack of fluidity. My tastebuds seemed confused when jumping from a Southern-style biscuit and bacon plate to a Greek-style lamb with yogurt and then an Asian-style duck and broccoli with a miso soup "drink" on the side. All delicious, but I wish the menu's order had told a true story beyond Chef's random selection of local ingredients. Despite the hefty bill (with a big tip for Lance, the most fantastic waiter/bartender I've had in months), I left feeling amused and impressed.

It was worth it.

cobia, dashi, turnip

Spring Pea and Proscuitto Crostini

Happy Monday! A sunny, dreamy weekend at the horse races with my boyfriend -- my spring dress finally liberated from the closet, my Bloody Mary and bet in hand -- prompted this springtime staple. For a party of one, go "tartine" style by spooning the English pea spread on a large toasted slice of bread. For a gathering of many, use a slender baguette to create bite-sized appetizers when sliced on the diagonal. You can't skip out on the mint garnish, which screams "Hello Spring!" in every bite. It's fabulous. Enjoy, and don't forget to soak up a few rays of sunshine this afternoon...

spring pea & proscuitto crostini

Makes 6 small servings

1 demi French baguette, sliced on the diagonal

6 thin slices proscuitto

1 cup steamed English peas

1 teaspoon mint, coursely chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

Sea salt and black pepper

1. Brush baguette slices with olive oil and toast until golden brown.

2. Gently mash peas with a fork and add 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper. Place peas on each crostini, and garnish with a slice of proscuitto and sprinkle of mint! Serve warm.

adapted from martha stewart

Hatchery Box Honey Spring Carrots

Snail mail is unmistakably one of my favorite things in the world. Its tangible satisfaction etches on my memory like a ballpoint pen on fine paper (which I rarely see these days). The usual cardboard package excites me for the remainder of the day upon which I receive it; so you can imagine my feelings of elation when seeing a bright red box on my doorstep.

Oh yes, Hatchery had finally arrived.

This month's ingredients touched destinations across the country, from New Orleans and Atlanta to Brooklyn and Vermont. It's impossible to pick a favorite due to the purposefully multi-varied flavors and textures for recipe enhancement. But I did quickly find the jalapeño garlic olive oil (top right) from family-owned Calivirgin in Lodi, CA to become a true cooking essential. The unfiltered, bold flavor is just enough to upgrade a filet of tilapia or a vegetable medley.

A quick overview of the other culinary goodies...

• Strawberry Chipotle Jam from Potlicker Kitchen (you'll love the smoky undertones)
• Sweet and Smoky Sauce from Causey's BBQ (sweetened with molasses and brown sugar)
• Ohia Lehua Honey from Big Island Bees (see recipe below!!)
• Original Blend Spice Rub from Ole Man's 
• Fuego Salsa from La Fundidora

The delicate and uniquely creamy Big Island Bees honey is made from an exclusively Hawaiian Lehua blossom. With spring's suddenly sweet entrance and the iconic Easter holiday right around the corner, I thought I'd sweeten up a symbol of the new season (rainbow ones, in fact!) with simple instruction and unforgettable taste. One teaspoon of this essential Hatchery ingredient will provide the ultimate complement to any picnic, Easter feast, or spring dinner party.

Oh, and if you're feeling generous - or anxious to treat yourself - gift with my newest favorite foodie essential!

honey glazed rainbow carrots

Makes 2 servings

8 rainbow carrots, trimmed and peeled

1 teaspoon Big Island Bees Ohia Lehua Honey

1/2 teaspoon rosemary

1 teaspoon olive oil

Sea salt and black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Add all toppings to a small bowl and heat in the microwave for 15 seconds to melt honey.

2. Place carrots evenly on baking sheet and brush honey glaze on each carrot with a pastry brush. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring carrots once half-way through baking. Serve immediately.

*This post was in partnership with Hatchery. Thank you for being supportive of my sponsors!

The Peached Tortilla (Austin)

When I got "peached" for the first time at Icon.me's launch party last February, I was instantly hooked onto the unique concept of Austin's must-try food truck, the Peached Tortilla.  Since starting with one food truck less than four years ago, the Peached Tortilla has acquired a huge fan base, grown a thriving catering business (led by the lovely Hope Furst), and hosted fabulous pop up dinners with local Austin vendors. They recently crafted Snoop Dog’s favorite breakfast sandwich before his SXSW performance earlier this month in Austin!

Business Development Director Hope Furst, who has quickly become a great friend in the Austin food scene, invited me to the Tuesday night truck stop at Draught House (it's parked every Tuesday from 6-9 p.m.!). We shared the infamous bacon jam fries with fried egg (above) over hilarious conversation, where I learned fascinating news about the Peached Tortilla's newest brick-and-mortar restaurant venture.

The Southern-Asian-Texan fusion influence is evident in every facet of owner Eric Silverstein's concept. Born in Tokyo, raised in Atlanta, and now thriving in Texas, Eric chose a name that honors the iconic Georgia peach and Austin-coveted staple. I'm a huge fan of the creative blend of Southern fare and Asian ingredients.

Now, onto the street food. Above is the glorious combo of a BBQ brisket slider (braised for four hours) with apple slaw and roasted peach BBQ sauce, and the Bahn Mi taco on corn with pickled carrot, sriracha mayo and cilantro. I mean...can it get any better than that? Nope. Most of these orders are versatile, if you prefer slider or taco or bowl.

The tasty pad thai taco spoons the traditional noodle dish into a warm corn tortilla with an irresistible garnish of crushed peanut and lime. I don't think I'll ever appreciate traditional pad thai again. How have we never been served this peanut goodness in taco form?!

Keep up with the two trucks' whereabouts here, but don't miss the Tuesday night hangouts off Medical Parkway and 38th street this Spring. Get excited for the Burnet brick-and-mortar location to open this October. It'll feature the street food fare as specials, but the dinner only and craft cocktail service will kick the cuisine style up a notch for the ultimate date night or bar spot.

And thank you again, Hope, for the hospitality!