A Caramelized Conversation with The Everyday Adventurer

Meet Austin's most precious sisters, Lindsey and Haley Chandler, who just launched an Austin lifestyle blog that brings dream vacation inspirations and mindsets to an everyday reality. I continuously find myself scrolling through their jaw-dropping photographs, taken in cities from Santorini to San Fransisco. It doesn't hurt that Lindsey and Haley work in travel marketing and boutique styling, respectively, so their transition from day job to blog "play" is seamless in form and fashion. I was so honored to be featured for my gazpacho recipe earlier this month, so I just had to bring them on Caramelized. Thank you for joining me, ladies!

Your most unforgettable restaurant experience?

LINDSEY: A beachside meal at Parador La Huella in Jose Ignacio, Uruguay. My friend and I had been on a business trip to Montevideo and rented a car to go out to the coast for the weekend. The sandy floors and fresh seafood were divine.

HALEY: I also have to go with a beachside meal, but this time in Mykonos, Greece. I really got on a mussel kick at the time, and these mussels, steamed in a white wine and Dijon mustard sauce, were the best I had ever tasted. With a crystal clear water view, I also enjoyed an authentic Greek salad and what I am convinced is the world’s best calamari.

What inspired you to start blogging?

Prompted by our recent move to Austin and a brand new apartment, we felt inspired to share our mutual love of style, travel and food. Living together allows for ultimate convenience when bouncing new blog ideas with one another.

What do you love most about Austin?

The never-ending list of must-try restaurants, and the ability to hop on a hiking trail in less than twenty minutes while still living in the heart of downtown.

How do you add sweet touches to everyday experiences?

It's the little things that make life sweeter. . .we listen to feel-good music in the office, plan healthy meals ahead of time for a post-work creative outlet, and always grab a few minutes outside for fresh air.

Let us in on your daily routine.

LINDSEY: My day begins early with an overdose of coffee. I work in travel marketing, so my work days are filled with content creation, campaign tracking and launching, and client meetings. It's really nice to know that I'm the playmaker of a client's next awaited vacation!

HALEY: My mornings actually begin even earlier than Lindsey’s since I enjoy watching the news with a cup of coffee in hand. I am about to begin a new job at an upscale Austin boutique, so I will spend work hours styling clients and adding merchandise to the store. Lately, Lindsey and I unwind our evening ritual with a glass of wine while cooking dinner. If the sun is still up after working on blog content, we love to walk around Lady Bird Lake.

Your next dream destination or adventure?

Again, almost impossible to choose! We’ve been dreaming up either Italy and Croatia or Italy and Austria next year.

Felicia Suzanne's Lunch (Memphis)

Felicia Willet and I go way, way back. She's the culinary goddess of Memphis and one of the first chefs who captured my teenage attention beyond the television screen. I spent my sixteenth birthday dining in the Felicia Suzanne kitchen and remember the private meal's spacial intimacy and flavor intensity almost perfectly. I became infatuated with the restaurant's behind-the-scenes perspective and, clearly, have never turned back.

Felicia then cooked my high school graduation dinner at my home, making my favorite short rib grilled cheese and peppermint ice cream mini ice cream sandwiches like no one's business (healthy, I know).

And now, I live directly next door to Felicia's magical Memphis-meets-New Orleans restaurant and patio. Could it be more perfect? I think not.

I have dined at Felicia Suzanne's countless times without taking the appropriate photographs. I cannot stand to scroll through my Critiques page anymore without seeing her name under the "Memphis" category, so here is a taste of the Southern kitchen. I plan to step back into Felicia's fairly soon and taste/photograph some house favorites. But for now, I will discuss my favorite Friday lunch items that keep me going back. Besides the 25 cent dirty martinis.

1. SHORT RIB GRILLED CHEESE. I am not afraid to claim this sandwich as a top 10 dish I have ever and will ever taste. Tender short ribs on the inside and melted, toasted cheese on the outside. That's right; there's a generous sprinkle of cheese in between the bread, but the outside Sweetwater cheddar cheese kicks this up so many notches.

2. GUMBO. Did you know that Felicia trained under Emeril Lagasse, to whom I attribute my pretend cooking shows as a little kid? She clearly learned his gumbo secrets, because the andouille sausage and chicken roux is legitimate. Felicia's country gumbo is much more savory than a seafood gumbo, but it's well-rounded, especially with a dollup of (not too creamy) potato salad right in the middle.

3. FSR SALAD + FRIED OYSTERS. The oysters are plump and piping hot, melting blue cheese underneath. The tartness of the muscadine grapes inspired me to buy my own crate at the Memphis Farmers Market last weekend, where I ran into Felicia herself selling her precious Flo's line (homemade bread and butter pickles, you guys). Oh, and her cornbread croutons make sourdough croutons look defeated and flavorless. Hers are crispy and slightly crumbly in the center. And sweet. . .just like every touch in her Downtown Memphis restaurant.

Sweet Potato Hash (Two Ways)

Have you jumped on the #bestovers bandwagon yet? I have been following sites such as Food52 and Love & Lemons on Instagram (as should you), and the creative spins on "leftovers" truly blow me away. When I tried out a simple sweet potato hash with Zoe last week for dinner -- because, let's face it, who has the patience to watch a potato bake in the oven while your stomach is grumbling -- I also envisioned a fancied hash brown version with a crispy fried egg. I can't decide which preparation I prefer; but the good news? You can enjoy both. For breakfast. And dinner.

Any #bestovers ideas from your kitchen? Send them my way!

Makes 4 servings

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed 2 ears of corn kernels 2 tablespoons butter Salt and black pepper, to taste 1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, minced

1. Melt butter in a cast iron skillet on medium-medium high heat. Add sweet potatoes and corn.

2. Sauté until roasted and potatoes are soft yet crispy, about 15-20 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and parsley.

3. For dinner, serve alongside your protein of choice and vegetable. For breakfast, prepare one egg over-easy and serve over hash.

ECCO on Overton Park (Memphis)

A lovely little restaurant arrived in Midtown recently; and once I read that Memphis Magazine named the tuscan bean salad a top ten dish of the year, the image would not escape my ever-growing list of cravings. I became even more captivated by the new concept when I discovered its overtaking of the once-renowned sidewalk café, Fresh Slices, the ultimate weekend hangout of my good 'ole high school days. Seriously, what a transformation! The space was 100% gutted, and the originally dark, cracked wood walls are now lined with elegant pastoral paintings by local artists.

The tuscan bean salad set a standard of rustic simplicity, taking me back to my Italian travels in every spoonful. I asked for no red onion, which (in my opinion) elevated the smooth texture and highlighted the tones of olive oil and lemon. A chilled glass of white wine is an imperative with this starter.

This short rib, tender enough to fall apart with a fork, sat atop a subtle mashed cauliflower that would outdo the traditional carb-loaded mashed potato any day of the week. The carrots were nothin' special, but the red wine sauce naturally strung every component together.

Y'all know how I feel about pasta, porcinis, and parmesan. The three, while rightfully sumptuous in their own right, create a tasteful combination that I frankly could not live without. The porcini handmade ravioli, delicate and savory, was taken up a notch by the browned butter and snowfall of parmesan shavings. Divine.

The salad special hit a home run, and I hate to spend detail on a temporary menu offering that may not be around when you visit...But I must. The proscuitto-wrapped figs (which provide the best balance between sweet and salty) and haricot verts paired nicely with a housemade balsamic drizzle and bell pepper medley. The chef here clearly knows what he's doing, and I can't wait to come back.

An Apartment Tour

The apartment, at last, feels like a home. And I'm ready to share it with you. Thank goodness for my interior design expert of a mother, because I struggled to transition my dish presentation and food lifestyle shots to a bare floor plan. I guess my defeated attempts at decision-making are to blame, but enterting a furniture store overwhelmed my innocent self, whose only line to verbalize was, "Everything is just so pretty!" With a foundation of rustic neutrals and added modern pops of mirrored and lucite materials, my and Zoe's apartment has finally come together. Scroll through the photo tour, and feel free to click on the links of my decor details!

paper straws | jigger | strainer | decanter | bar cart

rose bottle stopper | martini shaker | bar cart | rabbit wine opener | cocktail book

sisal rug | x-stools | lucite table | fur throw | wood tray

yellow kitchenaid

drop-leaf table

mirrored nightstand | linen duvet | terai folding chair (not pictured)

Gazpacho (Featured on The Everyday Adventurer)

Last week, the Cuisinart was calling my name. . .or maybe it was the "five days left of summer" alarm going off in the back of my mind. Alas, such a calling inspired an entire day in my new kitchen with Haim Pandora station in the background and bowls and spoons in every direction.

Coincidentally, I had just been in touch with sisters Lindsey and Haley of The Everyday Adventurer, a new Austin-based lifestyle blog with a focus similar to that of Caramelized -- celebrating everyday experiences, whether a new destination or a new stylish outfit. I couldn't have been more excited to be on their blog to share my latest gazpacho recipe, which is super simple and summer-ific. Please do not let the fact that the tomatoes are pureed intimidate you -- it's a faster process than standing and dicing one at a time.

Click here for the recipe instructions and a little Q&A. Thanks for having me, Lindsey & Haley!