Strano Sicilian Kitchen And Bar (Memphis)

When a new restaurant opens in Cooper Young, I add it to the top of my must-visit list. But when an old friend opens a new restaurant in Cooper Young, I go running. Josh Steiner and his friendly staff have turned the "cursed" corner of the foodie intersection into a lunch and dinner hot spot, all due to the creative execution behind Strano Sicilian Kitchen and Bar. Opened just a few weeks ago to the public, the Italian kitchen is innovative and impressive, especially for a chef/owner my age!

Chef Josh immediately greeted us with a warm smile and hug. His genuine passion and grit were obvious as he explained the inspirations behind his rich menu. I requested that Josh pick out his favorites for us to try, adding a mystery approach to the "classic casual" dining experience. Immediately, he told us to order the following: fried olives, fennel all' arancia salad, grilled swordfish, and rack of lamb.

After ordering, you will be offered a complimentary choice of one of five bread options -- pizza bread, that is -- with infused lemon olive oil. I never, ever turn down bread and butter; but this unique starter immediately set Strano apart from any other Italian restaurant in the city. Fortunately (or unfortunately), the bread was addicting.

The olives were simply awesome. Super crisp and crunchy. I usually associate "fried" with grease, but this wasn't the case in the least. Plus, I am a huge olive fan, so the tang of a piping hot, cheese-stuffed green olive was fantastic. I wish I could replicate this finger food for a party!

The fennel and orange salad literally shaped the restaurant, according to Chef Josh. While there's a lot going on on the plate, each ingredient represents a Sicilian flavor component that has driven Josh to his culinary success today. See those unrecognizable yellow discs on top of the spring mix? Well, those are drops of olive oil, which have been transformed into solid discs on Chef's "anti-griddle." I watched the magic happen back in the kitchen -- liquids are cooled into a frozen solid consistency, which then reverses into a melt-in-your-mouth experience as soon as you take a bite. My mind is still blown over that artistry!

And holy moly, those lamb chops. The plate was sprawling with color and technique. The five lamb chops were plump and juicy with a sweet balsamic glaze. I was so into that glaze, that it became my new dipping sauce for the pizza bread. The grilled vegetables (from squash and zucchini to asparagus and a dome-smoked artichoke heart) were beautifully overwhelming. My mom and I couldn't manage to finish this plate, even together. So, while expensive on the menu, the size of these dishes were well worth the price.

The swordfish completely contrasted the lamb chops, which I found to be a nice juxtaposition on our table. A simple bed of housemade tagliatelle (my favorite pasta shape) was tossed in white wine, olive oil, lemon, and caper. The sizzling swordfish steak, lightly charred and seasoned with black pepper, was a lovely portion. I enjoyed (almost) every bite of this modest, clean plate.

And a surprise almond tiramisu to finish off the night? Yes please. Josh's spin on the classic was as sweet as it was innovative. Almond brittle pop rocks covered the top layer; and yes, the pop rock effect actually worked! Again, mind blowing.

Chef Josh's effort and culinary technique shine through every single plate. I look forward to sharing many more experiences in Strano -- I've got to try the famous Sicilian pizzas and paninis for lunch on the patio. Thank you, Josh, for showing Memphis that anything is possible with grit and passion!

Asparagus Goat Cheese Salad

The summer rain has been getting to me these days. . . perhaps it's because I cannot seem to find the motivation to venture outside and try restaurants, which cause more angst than enjoyment on stormy nights. However, the weather has excused me to cook more at home -- the kitchen is a luxury I once took for granted. I love the time inside more and more each day. This salad recipe was created a few nights ago when in search of a green salad to kick off a hearty lamb chop dinner. The combination of leafy vegetables, sweet crunchy nuts, and melt-in-your-mouth cheese is rich and utterly fantastic. For an entree portion, I recommend a grilled piece of salmon.

Stay dry if you are in rainy weather as well. The sun better come out soon . . . I'm ready to picnic!

Makes 4-6 servings

30 asparagus spears, washed and trimmed 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 bag mixed greens 1 cup candied pecans 4 ounces honey goat cheese 1/4 cup orange juice 1 teaspoon sugar 1 tablespoon white wine 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard Salt and pepper

1. Mix together asparagus with 1 teaspoon olive oil, salt and pepper. Heat in a large skillet over medium high heat until lightly charred and tender crisp. Set aside.

2. Combine orange juice and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low for 5 minutes.

3. Combine wine, lemon juice, mustard, salt, and pepper. While whisking, gradually add 5 tablespoons olive oil. Stir in orange juice mix.

4. Mix greens with vinaigrette and divide among plates. Top each plate with asparagus, pecans and crumbled goat cheese.

Six Cookbooks You Need This Summer

Happy weekend! Having just completed my list of birthday wishes for the upcoming year, number four stands of utmost importance: "Open the cookbooks on my shelf and actually cook recipes from them." It's time to use my shelf beyond decorative purposes, my friends. So, I have decided that if Pinterest did not exist (imagine that...), these six cookbooks would fill your plates plenty for months to come. From healthy Italian pestos and vegetarian dishes to fresh baked breads and cheese boards, you'll love the assortment among this group of mine.

I hope you choose to add these to your cookbook collection, but please, please share your favorite books in the comments! I'm always looking to add to the bookshelf.

1. CHEESE OBSESSION :: If cheese is your best friend (my hand is up), this book will be your other. This author thinks out of the box, conjuring up tips for the perfect cheese plate and 100 original recipes using the beloved ingredient.

2. EVERYDAY ITALIAN :: Giada's classic has been a staple of mine for almost a decade. You'll enjoy the lightness of her pestos and pastas without feeling too stuffed. The appetizers are perfect for parties. Every time I open this, I smile thinking of the time I met Giada in person!!

3. AUSTIN TRAILER FOOD DIARIES :: I received this book as a gift and absolutely love its funky spirit from page to page. Plus, there's a recipe for delicacies from some of my most coveted Austin food trucks, including Torchy's and Mighty Cone.

4. PLENTY :: This gorgeous, gorgeous read has some of the most beautiful photography I have ever seen. All recipes are vegetarian with a creative disposition along every line. I've tried the cover recipe, eggplant with buttermilk sauce, but I cannot wait to dive into more over the course of the summer.

5. THE MODEL BAKERY COOKBOOK :: I traveled to Model Bakery during my incredible Napa trip last fall, and I couldn't bear to leave without the cookbook under my arm. I've shared the infamous chocolate chunk cookies, a crowd pleaser in itself.

6. TReatS ::  My closest friends gifted me this adorable book at last month's Cocktails for Caramelized. You'll instantly drool over not only the recipes, but the packaging for delicious gifts! Aren't the donuts on the cover just precious? A sweet tooth is required as soon as you open the first page.

P.S. The darling, antique-ish spoon stand, a well-used gift, can serve as a plate stand or a cookbook stand! I highly recommend one. There are too many times where I have tainted the pages of my favorite books with smeared sticky fingerprints in an attempt to rediscover the recipe at hand.

Noble Sandwich Co. (Austin)

In an effort to eat more healthily during a mid-day lunch outing, I tend to steer clear of heavy sandwiches and, instead, choose a salad. A gorgeous salad ignites the feeling of, "Yes Cara! You ate your veggies and do not need to feel guilty....until dinner!" But obviously, there are few exceptions to this choice of mine. I have a fairly high standard of sandwich options that beat the leafy lunch while avoiding pangs of guilt.

Meet the Noble Sandwich Company.

High-quality ingredients, fresh breads and rich flavor combinations inspire this restaurant's attempt at mastering the art of sandwich making. I believe these guys have it pretty down pat. The 15-person line out the door of the Burnet location proves this true...wouldn't you say?

Jennifer and I ordered with much deliberation (as always), and we found ourselves waiting in an adorable picnic table area on the back patio. We sipped Topo Chicos in the sunshine, anticipating our sandwiches and hoping they were worth it. It = calories.

My Knuckle Sandwich arrived on a lightly toasted hoagie, piled with roast beef, horseradish, caramelized onions, and cheddar. I accidentally ignored the au jus on the side, which would have basically identified this sandwich as a glorified Philly Cheesesteak. Much better than most cheesesteaks, obviously.

Jennifer's Thai Chicken sandwich was ideal for the non-red-meat persona. The flavor was bold. The bread was toasty and fluffy. The jalapeño cabbage slaw (which I ordered separately as a side) provided crunch and color. Both of us would have substituted the potato chip side, had we known they came with our sandwiches. I've heard their housemade fresh pickles are a winner!

Friends, here me out: Save the salad for another day and bite into a Noble Sandwich. It's well worth it; in fact, you'll feel more guilty for missing out on the indulgent opportunity.

Twenty Two Birthday Wishes

I turned twenty-two one week ago (woohoo!), and I find myself constantly contemplating on what I want to achieve this upcoming year. Since I am a writer, I've found it easiest to lay out my thoughts in a list. With a new post-college chapter ahead of me (although I'm still in denial), this post comprises of wishes and resolutions, if you will, that I want and need for personal fulfillment. They are in no particular order, and I would love to hear any advice you might have for my (or your) year ahead...

1. Make my bed, every single morning. My commencement speech at UT-Austin graduation taught me to do so. Take twenty minutes and watch it yourself. 2. Wear more color. 3. Read the newspaper. 4. Open the cookbooks on my shelf and actually cook recipes from them -- I need a break from Pinterest. 5. Visit Chicago. And Houston. And Dallas. And New Orleans. And wherever my college friends will guide me. 6. Call my grandparents more often. They're too important. 7. Host a dinner party in my new apartment that involves a lot of wine and a lot of cheese. 8. Splurge on (or dream about) a new bag. 9. Diversify my wine palette beyond a favorite glass of Chardonnay.

10. Start running again -- that time I ran a half marathon seems way too distant ago... 11. Purchase new lingerie -- enough of the oversized sorority t-shirts in my drawer. 12. Learn Photoshop proficiently. 13. Get a facial every three months. And wear sunscreen more often. 14. Use my KitchenAid rather than just as a display piece. 15. Collaborate more with bloggers, professionals, industry influencers, etc. 16. Buy a bar cart and style it with swanky cocktail accessories. Then serve to friends for a happy hour. 17. Surprise my boyfriend when he leasts expects it -- because he's been way too good at surprises lately! 18. Try a pilates class. Even if my aunt is an instructor, I've never done it.

19. Take a spontaneous road trip to the beach. 20. Eat an apple a day -- pink ladies are my new best friends. 21. Plant an herb garden. 22. Make a picnic at least once a season.

images via man-boss | love my dress | the trotter girl | featured image via pink patisserie

Tennessee Brewery Untapped (Memphis)

If you haven't heard the hype, I don't exactly know where you've been hiding. The current scene at the historic Tennessee Brewery in Downtown Memphis has quickly become the most sought after spot for socializing, drinking Tennessee's finest grains, and joining a movement for the city's future. You can feel the spirit as soon as you enter the arch, filled with an untouched, untapped sense of soul that permeates throughout the buzzing courtyard.

Growing up in Memphis, I am used to running into at least one person I know at any restaurant, coffee shop or event. But besides the motley crew who joined me for the memorable afternoon -- Alex, Ben, Ellory, Jordan, Stephanie, Caroline, Hannah -- I didn't know a soul. And yet, the sense of warmth and community was at an all-time high. The twenty-minute rainstorm didn't kill the atmosphere, but rather created an indoor party with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra quartet strumming in the center. The space relayed a neat juxtaposition of old and new -- classical live melodies, old soul, and aged brick walls (whose tiny gaps revealed mini waterfalls from the rain) against revitalized attitudes and innovative thinkers such as restauranteur-entrepreneur Taylor Berger (below).

In a short paragraph, here's what Tennessee Brewery Untapped is all about. The historic brewery, built in the 1850s, closed one hundred years later and literally sat until this April. A threat to tear down the building prompted a group of masterminds to hold an experiment -- "previtalization," if you will -- which involves six weekends of live music, beer from breweries across Tennessee, food trucks, and a hope for financial and social interest to bring the Brewery back permanently. We now only have one weekend left, and Untapped seems to be working! Heck, there's even a viral letter to Memphian Justin Timberlake begging him to invest and #bringbreweryback.

I absolutely loved enjoying the space; the Truck Stop food truck smelled delicious, even though I was full from an earlier brunch at Café Eclectic. My friends and I took turns signing the wall, which asked what would bring us back to the Brewery...besides the beer. The mass of attendees' ideas is a clear indication of Untapped's impact.

Don't worry. I only double fist for Untapped.

Go, go, go this upcoming weekend -- it's your last chance to join the Untapped movement and "invest in good times," a piece of graffiti art on the exterior entrance and driver of this one-of-a-kind opportunity!