A Nashville Day Trip

In an attempt to better observe and appreciate the greater region of which we live--the beautiful South--the day-trip has quickly become my favorite way to spend a weekend. The "tradition" kicked off in Oxford in January. We dined at Chef John Currence's City Grocery, ventured through Town Square and picked up a few novels and knick knacks along the way. Next weekend, I'll head back to Mississippi for a romantic evening at the Alluvian with Alex.

But this past Saturday, the tradition continued in Nashville. Though I had visited approximately a year ago, I treated the Tennessee capital like a blank canvas of culinary opportunity and observation. I was (happily) tasked with restaurant reservations for the twenty-hour stay--and with so many spots on my list, I quickly shifted the focus to all-things food. But are we surprised?

Lunch at Husk Nashville offered plenty o' biscuits, gorgeously presented shrimp and grits with a bright yellow egg yolk (top photo), a peanut butter french toast, and deviled eggs, among others. Their vegetable plate boasts macaroni and grits as two out of the four plates. Oh, the South. More details to come...

A stop at Bleubird's new Two Son, followed by shopping in Green Hills, pushed us into a dizzy spell of decaffeination. We ventured to the Frothy Monkey for honey lattés and a very memorable snickerdoodle cookie.

Our evening out was spent in the rediscovered neighborhood of Germantown (no, not Memphis' suburb). I couldn't decide between 5th & Taylor and Rolf & Daughters...so we decided on both. A very successful progressive dinner, if you will!

On the outdoor patio of 5th & Taylor, a sizable warehouse with striking artwork and hundreds of dripping candles, we were graced with beautiful breezy weather and cucumber vodka and beet gin gimlets. A unique fennel dip (think artichoke dip with a different green centerpiece) with toasted crostini served as our appetizer.

We walked a block to Rolf & Daughters, a cozier space with out-of-this-world flavor combinations. The dishes were described in ingredient lists, challenging our vocabularies and enlisting the help of Google and/or Wikipedia for the first few minutes of our meal. However, our waiter Pam pushed our palettes to new heights--squid ink and mushroom pastas, a broccoli with currant and anchovy, and a lamb sausage with navy beans, to name a few. All was impeccable, especially with the bottle of Italian Pinot Noir by our side.

Sunday morning, the Gulch introduced us to the nationally acclaimed Barista Parlor. The atmosphere was so fantastic -- quiet yet lively, busy yet focused. I ordered a bourbon vanilla latté with almond milk and purchased a few goods along the perimeter of the warehouse space.

Before long, it was time to eat lunch (How? I don't know). The new nearby Proper Bagel was beckoning us, even with its hour-long line. We couldn't have asked for better weather, better new friends in line, or better cream cheese samples. The nova sandwich on a spinach everything bagel did not disappoint--after all, the smoked salmon is flown in from Brooklyn. I got a few ruggelah and pumpernickel bagels to-go for Dad upon ordering at the counter. Had we had enough time, I would have ordered the avocado toast!

The surprisingly scenic drive back to Memphis posed so many ideas--so many concepts--of which I appreciated and would love to see in my own neighborhood. For now, I'll cherish the day trip. I'll be back soon, Nashville.

Want more? Check out my friend The Crazy Tourist's Top 25 Things to Do in Nashville!

A Gourmet Gift Guide for Your Valentine

Almost two weeks until we most of America publicly exclaims love for another in the form of a card, a bouquet or a chocolate. But please: I urge you to forego the stereotype. I believe in the marriage of form and function when it comes to gifting; especially when such gifts lead to memorable experiences and first-time opportunities. I find it most special when those experiences are handcrafted, adapted and shared in the kitchen or home. A marble board holds the latest batch of pound cake (which you only let yourself bake once a season), and a champagne bucket holds the celebratory toast in honor of a cherished accolade.

The following gifts seek not to fully satisfy your significant other (or yourself), but instead intend to motivate you to orchestrate those special moments -- whether in the form of a romantic dinner at home, a picnic on the lawn, or a hosted gathering with friends. Hover and click (or forward this blog post to him) if any catch your eye!

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featured image via style me pretty

Edible Memphis - Caramelizing

“Are you going to Caramelize that meal?” 

Time and time again, I’m asked how it all began. How “caramelized” became a verb for food writing instead of a culinary technique for…onions.

Like a recipe, the evolution of my food blog platform began three years ago with only two accountable ingredients: writing skills and a Kitchen Aid. I owe the first ingredient to both my father, whose rabbinical writing captivates even the most uninspired of souls, and my St. Mary’s high school English department, whose teachers meticulously instilled a balanced method of grammar and analytical learning. The Kitchen Aid, though it currently mismatches my townhome’s color palette, represented my first investment in a fulfilling and passionate niche of cooking.

I am not a graduate of cooking school, but I am a concierge of two contrasting yet aligning cities of old and new, innovative and historic. Austin, where my food-writing career began, is a laboratory of fast-paced, addictive creative and culinary production. The city introduced me to the vast field of dining and branding through a 150-member blogger alliance and an internship with lifestyle blogger Camille Styles. Memphis, where my food writing now evolves, invoked a challenge to re-energize my historic hometown with a new spin beyond barbecue and soul food. The city’s unmatched roots instill in me a force of motivation and innovation.

Read more of my story in the Winter Issue of Edible Memphis, available at the following locations:

387 Pantry 83 at Madison Hotel McEwen’s Cooper St 20/20 Church Health Center Whole Foods – Poplar Whole Foods – Germantown Lunchbox Eats Maximos on Broad City and State Curbside Casseroles Interim Restaurant Napa Café Memphis Botanic Garden All Public Libraries L’ecole Culinaire Renaissance Farms

Photos by Justin Fox Burks. Thanks again to Edible Memphis for the opportunity to share my story.

No-Filler Jumbo Crab Cakes

No filler? No problem. I'm fairly reluctant when I see crab cakes on a menu (with the exception of Clark's in Austin) for fear of disappointment in the crab-to-crumbs ratio. I seek excellence when it comes to a crab cake, as the sweet shellfish is immeasurably best when not tampered with too much. My version celebrates the crab with herbs and just enough fresh breadcrumbs to hold the cakes together. Serve atop an arugula salad or alongside roasted vegetables. No filler, but much satisfaction.

Makes 6 servings

2 pounds jumbo lump blue crab meat 1/2 cup mayonnaise 3 teaspoons seafood seasoning 6 scallions, finely chopped 3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped 2 large eggs Black pepper 4 tablespoons fine fresh bread crumbs Olive oil

1. Gently over the crabmeat to remove any shells, and set aside. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Mix together mayonnaise, seafood seasoning, scallions, basil, eggs, and salt and pepper. Pour mixture over the crabmeat gently mix together. Sprinkle bread crumbs over the crab and continue to mix. Divide mixture into 6 parts and mold cakes with your hands. Do not rinse hands between mixing and forming the cakes.

3. Refrigerate the cakes for 30 minutes. Then, paint the crab cakes with olive oil and sear on a griddle top until lightly golden brown on both sides. Carefully flip to ensure the crab cake do not fall apart.

4. Place the pan in the oven for approximately 5 minutes. Serve immediately with an aioli of your choice.

adapted from food network

An Oxford Day Trip

A last-minute offer to day trip to Oxford should truly never be turned down. The proximity bears no excuses, and the culinary and artistic offerings are outbeating many of its Deep South counterparts. In this case, the opportunity arose on a chilly, winter morning with an emptiness of college football but a richness of discovery and Southern comfort.

After picking up a cappuccino and croissant from Tart, some girlfriends and I hopped on i-55 for an hour or so ride into town, which welcomed a symmetry of trend and tradition. We zipped our coats and began a plentiful five-hour adventure.

If you know anything about me, you know that food begins and ends any trip. In our case, this was Chef John Currence's City Grocery to taste the winter lunch menu. A glass of dry Chenin Blanc washed down the panko and parmesan oyster gratin appetizer, beautifully familiar and innovative. Other appetizers that graced the table included a divine flash-fried brussels sprout with chorizo and a rich cup of andouille gumbo ya-ya. It was a phenomenal line-up--reminiscent of nearby cultural influences such as New Orleans' creole classics and Austin's Uchiko famed fried brussels sprouts. I was instantly nostalgic and impressed!

Entrées were posed in ultimate traditional fashion: famous shrimp and grits with garlicky mushrooms and Big Bad Bacon, and a soft-shell crab po boy loaded with bacon, romaine and roasted tomato aioli. Though dessert looked divine, we filled up too quickly on honey cornbread and, alas, left the historic dining room in pure satisfaction.

Afterward, we perused The Square, purchased novels from the famous Square Books store, and shopped at Vintage Tailor for apparel. Though I didn't find a chance to pop in, I recommend Amelia for curated knick knacks and gifts. If, for any reason, you miss Memphis during the four hours away, a new location of The Second Line has opened!

Where most do you recommend for my next day trip down South? Share your moments with #caramelizedtravels.

Triple Mushroom and Cipollini Gnocchi

With meetings and events and travels, I have hardly taken a breath to spend quality time over the stove, prepping and plating meals of my imagination. Thus, New Years Day posed my ultimate opportunity. I gathered gorgeous recipe rip-outs and jotted-down notes, ventured to the grocery and prepared five plates. No, they did not go together; yes, each was wonderful. My mother was my sous chef--I miss spending routine nights with her in the kitchen--and we had a few friends over to taste the large quantities of food. Among these dishes was a triple mushroom gnocchi, which requires attentive handling and extra time for caramelizing. Sure, a quick sauté will satisfy; though the extra thirty minutes yield naturally sweet undertones and a fragrant kitchen you'll never forget.

As I stood over the range with my wooden spoon that evening, oblivious to time or schedule, I realized the reason for Caramelized. The blog is about unleashing those extra moments--the commonly forgotten step or the seemingly unnecessary break--that bring out the most treasured moments (and meals, too). Time is precious. So, let's allow ourselves to spend extra time in that invigorating novel, or on that "never-ending" walking trail, or at that relative's home we're ready to escape. Who knows--the sweetest moments might arise from such extra focus. I'm confident they will.

Makes 6 servings

2 pounds mixed mushrooms, sliced into 1-inch pieces (I prefer baby bella, shiitake and trumpet) 1 pound cipollini onions, peeled and quartered 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 pound gnocchi 1 pound shrimp, sautéed in olive oil (optional, for main course topping) Kosher salt and pepper Italian parsley, to garnish Shaved parmesan, to garnish

1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and continuously toss until fragrant, approx. 30 seconds.

2. Add onions and mix, caramelizing for approximately 10-12 minutes. Onions should be translucent yet hold their shape.

3. Add butter and, upon melting, add mushrooms. Turn heat down to medium and toss occasionally, caramelizing mushrooms for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add gnocchi and cook for 3 minutes (or according to package instructions). Drain and add gnocchi to mushroom medley. Stir until gnocchi is golden brown and crisped, approx. 3 minutes. See image above for visual guidance.

5. To serve, plate gnocchi with shrimp, a sprinkle of parmesan and Italian parsley.