It's back, and bigger than before! The Memphis Indie Holiday Market will take place at Memphis' "happy place," also known as Muddy's Midtown, on Saturday, December 12 from 11-5 p.m. While I'm not usually an advocate of last-minute shopping, I urge you to hold off until that date. The MIHM will be your one-stop shop for all things holiday, and the 30-vendor list will be revealed soon right here on Caramelized!
Mark your calendars and make your lists. It's going to be wonderful.
A refashioned laudromat, gracefully posed as Launderette, defines creative opportunity. Though neighborhood restaurants such as LaV and Qui boast top-charted menus and interior finishes, the repurposing of an existing structure (once used to clean clothes) adds an unmatched charm and modish mood.
The hot neighborhood cafe with a cleverly eclectic menu, new to East Austin this year, jumped to the top of my friends' "must try" list upon our return to the beloved capital of Texas. We booked the community table an upwards of six weeks in advance for the Saturday night climax of our reunion weekend. And from birthday cake ice cream sandwich bites (with candles, of course) to craft cocktails and worldly cuisine, our meal at Launderette was no short of exceptional.
Our table of ten essentially covered the entire menu -- every bite knocked it out of the park. Our initial complaint of small portion size turned quickly into a blessing when we were essentially rolled out of the restaurant at 10:30 p.m.
The crowd favorite was debatable; I would attest that the toast duo (reminiscent of ABC Kitchen in NYC) of crab and soft egg were undeniably awesome. The crab toast was topped with avocado and fennel aioli on semolina bread. The soft egg toast (my personal favorite) holds asparagus, tallegio, truffle vinaigrette, and bottarga.
The creamy burrata appetizer also stole the hearts of many with its cashew and black mission fig medley and brown butter base. The accompanying grilled bread was so simple yet so satisfying. A few ordered the burrata for an entreé, simply because one bite wasn't enough.
Starters were stronger than entreés, in my opinion, though the housemade bucatini with shrimp and uni corn butter that I shared with a friend was richly rewarding. Sticky brussels sprouts almost challenged Uchiko's world-famous rendition, and the roasted cauliflower with mustard vinaigrette was wildly addictive.
Of course, we ended with the whimsical birthday cake ice cream sandwiches. I am so grateful I do not live in close proximity to this dessert, which could succeed on its own as a business. The cookie layer reminds me of childhood nights during which I'd sneak a bite of raw dough before placing on the baking sheet; the vanilla ice cream is speckled with colorful baby sprinkles. It's a true delight.
A creative rut: the topic that miraculously appeared on Camille Styles yesterday morning after a week of utter impediments: My to-do list got longer, my distractions got the best of me, and my time simply ran out. Here we are, one week from the retail world's official holiday season, and I am muddling through scribbles of ideas and unfinished business.
In the article, artist Alyson Fox writes:
"In a condensed form: It happens to everyone and just be grateful that you get to try over and over. It’s all part of the process. If you focus on being grateful for your ideas, passion and support in times of a block, it helps move things along. Advice I have given to fellow creatives and friends is this: eat good chocolate, write letters to significant people (not e-mails or texts), organize, purge and cook something new."
And then, I remember. I remind myself: I do not have to mimic the gorgeous pins in my Pinterest feed, nor do I have the capacity to do so. So instead, I will just embrace the grind and be grateful for the creative process. I'll embrace the late-night food prep work required just to squeeze time for a photograph by the window at 7 a.m. before work. I'll embrace the inspiration for my coveted future Caramelized office, which does not yet have a desk and currently involves a nightstand with a recycled kitchen chair. I'll (try to) embrace the notion that I cannot expect myself to execute every feat.
Enjoy your weekend; embrace the grind.
(featured image via local milk)
Since the unexpectedly warmer temperatures are not naturally permeating onto my autumn dinner plate, I turned instead to my new Le Creuset dutch oven for seasonal inspiration. I first used the new ceramic centerpiece for a to-die-for eggplant parmesan. But last night called for a simpler method: slice, stir, simmer, and spin. In one hour total (with maybe five minutes of hands-on action), a smooth carrot ginger soup was ready to serve...after a few photos, of course.
Grab your bushy-topped farmers' market carrots and a bottle of raw, unfiltered Nature Nate's honey for this vegetarian, slightly sweet and spicy delight. And make sure to share your own Nature Nate’s honey creations on social media using @naturenates and #honeymakesitbetter!
Makes 4 servings
2 tablespoons olive oil 2 medium sweet onion, sliced 2 ounces fresh ginger, coarsely chopped and crushed 26 ounces water 3 cups raw grated carrots 2 tablespoon Nature Nate's honey Juice of 1 lemon 2 teaspoons salt 10 twists of ground black pepper
1. Heat olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, approximately 4 minutes.
2. Add ginger and continue to cook, approximately 8 minutes.
3. Add water, carrot, honey, lemon, salt and pepper to the pot and bring to a boil. Immediately turn down heat to a simmer for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally.
4. Remove from heat and allow to slightly cool. Pour soup into a blender and pulse until smooth. Serve hot with a drizzle of honey.
This post is in partnership with Nature Nate’s. Thank you for being supportive of my sponsors!
After this weekend's epic Memphis Tigers victory over Ole Miss, I can't help but feel the spirit of football season...Even on a Monday morning! Enjoy my latest Health + Fitness Magazine article on guilt-free tailgate fare. With these recipes in mind, the weekend will arrive in no time.
I have intentionally taken five days following the James Beard Celebrity Chef Tour to let the mesmerizing moments and tastes and sights sink in. It was truly an honor to not only sit amongst such beautiful, appreciative Memphis company, but also to stand in the kitchen with top chefs and mentors of our country's food landscape.
Though the wine glass count per table topped almost 75, and the amount of foie gras arguably confused Tennessee for France, the entire evening's James Beard experience could be stripped down to one word: refinement.
Cultured elegance and pure creativity poured out of the hearts of the seven participating chefs and onto the plates of the 180 attendees. They were not about boasting skill sets over one another; they were about sharing and honoring the culinary insights James Beard had directly and indirectly passed onto them.
Jeff, our James Beard Foundation host for the evening, opened the sit-down dinner with the captivating storytelling of James Beard's culinary legacy. Immediately following Beard's 1985 death in Manhattan, Wolfgang Puck cooked in Beard's kitchen for a party of twelve to celebrate the chef's life and lasting impact. To this day, chefs nationwide prepare out-of-this-world cuisine in the James Beard House. Memphis is lucky enough to have been selected as a Celebrity Chef Tour stop, during which chefs road trip to provide a matched dining experience to the original in Manhattan.
The Memphis Zoo was an optimal and unexpected location for the dinner; in fact, it's the first zoo in history to ever host a James Beard dinner. Weather could not have been more wonderful for an outdoor cocktail hour and sea lion show. The rustic Teton Trek dinner site was gorgeously decorated with warm linens and gold flatware.
Memphis' Chefs Andy Ticer, Michael Hudman, Kelly English and Phillip Ashley Rix knocked it out of the park, and they were joined by Atlanta's Steven Sutterfield, Oxford's John Currence, and New York's Michael Ginor.
Chef Steven Sutterfield, whose kind personality complements his insanely talented work with the South's seasonal vegetables, magically turned a first flavor of fall--the delicata squash--into candy. New York Chef Michael Ginor's foie gras with brandied pickled quince and champagne brought me back to sparkly summer evenings in Paris in 2013.
Chefs Andy and Michael prepared a dainty ditalini pasta by hand with Southern lady peas and an inimitable broth. Shaved muscadine grapes studded the top of each plate for a punch of sweetness. I'm a sucker for all pastas, but this pasta...Oh man.
Chef John Currence's explanation of his sausage-stuffed quail over sweet potato epitomizes the union of cooking and community. Chef devoted each component of his dish to another chef in the room: The sausage's texture taken after Currence's first bite of Andy and Michael's meatballs at Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen; the action of stuffing thanks to Chef Kelly English, who brilliantly stuffs everything; the pure sweet potato inspired by Satterfield's "insanely subtle things with vegetables." I agreed with Currence's remark that "there is no better justice to and interpretation of Italian food than Andy and Mikey."
That explanataion, to me, defines community and the reason we're all in the kitchen in the first place. Thank you, Chef Currence, for sharing the meaning of sharing.
I was lucky enough to stand in the prep line for Chef Kelly English's Lebanese-rubbed lamb; I watched the other chefs work to make English's plate look off-the-charts. Chef Andy Ticer spread the pureed cauliflower, while Chef Phillip Ashley Rix carefully placed each piece of lamb atop the base. It was a beautiful sight and, of course, made the first bite even more delicious. I'm refreshed by Chef Kelly's ability to show his well-rounded abilities, though he's known around here as the Creole master. I'll never forget his Asian-inspired dish at a Hog & Hominy fundraiser dinner. English proves over and over again that his work never settles; it's always evolving.
I realize I have yet to mention the wine pairings and libations, which consistently wowed every guest, my favorite being a special, limited edition Pinot Noir alongside Currence's quail. Mixologist Nick Talarico of Memphis' Andrew Michael trifecta prepared cocktails with herbs and fine liquors and gorgeous presentation.
The evening served as a collective toast to refinement; a proof that James Beard's original ideas are still thoughtfully impacting kitchens nationwide...even the Memphis Zoo's.