Eat Local Challenge Day 27

Another 12th South Farmers Market breakfast. (Now that I finally have a chance to eat breakfast.)





Egg white omelet made with local eggs and stuffed with goat cheese, and Great Harvest bread smothered in Martha Stamps' blackberry preserves. With a side of Bongo Java joe.

Happy Saturday, all!

UPDATE: I don't recommend egg whites and goat cheese. I used it because I had it but I don't like it. I'm gonna eat it because I don't want to waste it, but I'm not really going to enjoy it. Breakfast fail.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Brunch for a Bunch

Last weekend, I had friends in town from Birmingham. No strangers to the Art of Dining Well, they were excited to see which restaurants I led them to. And I was excited to show off my city again.

Friday night we met for Happy Hour in the Yazoo Taproom. I'd taken the brewery tour before but never just had a drink in the taproom. Overflowing with suds and twenty- and thirty-somethings all gathered to kick off their weekends, we had a hard time working our to the front of the room and finding a table. The one we did find was not cleaned off so we had to drink with caution to avoid setting our elbows in spilled beer. But the atmosphere was fun and the beer was good. And Justice even bought a growler to enjoy his Yazoo the next week.

For dinner, we walked down the sidewalk to Urban Flats, not exactly local but fun and enjoyable nonetheless. We topped off the night with mojitos from The Greenhouse, a literal greenhouse-turned-bar in Green Hills that boasts introducing mojitos to Music City. At $9 a pop, they are definitely an indulgence, but a delicious one at that. I'm fairly certain they grow their own mint and serve up the rum-based concoction in a mason jar.

The next day, we breakfasted at Fido, went to the Tomato Arts Fest, and toured the Andy Warhol exhibit at the Frist.

Sunday morning's brunch was probably one of the highlights of the weekend for me. We were ready to go early, so I had to find somewhere that started serving at 10. That nixed Tin Angel, 55 South, and Bosco's. With my usual spots out of the question, I did a quick Urban Spoon search for other options and was reminded of the Copper Kettle's brunch buffet.

Both locations (Granny White across the street from Lipscomb University and Downtown on Hermitage Ave.) serve Sunday brunch beginning at 10 a.m. Downtown starts serving at 9 on Titans Sundays. I chose to take them Downtown for the view.

The buffet is a little pricey ($16.95 for adults) but it's all you can eat, and if you choose wisely, you can have fruits and cheeses, main courses, pastries, and desserts all in one sitting. I tried a little bit of everything but didn't notice the bread pudding until the very end, when I was too full to enjoy it. We tried everything from cream puffs to caprese salads, to eggs Benedict (yes! eggs Benedict on the buffet!) to roast beef to bacon, hashbrown casserole, and biscuits & gravy. Wow, I'm getting hungry again just remembering it all.

Coffee, teas, and juices were offered with unlimited refills. Though our waiter did not offer mimosas or Bloody Marys, the restaurant did have a liquor shelf, so we probably should have just asked. While the total with tip was bordering on $20, but we ate and ate and ate. I didn't need to eat again until 7:30 because I was so full all day. I justified it by thinking if we had gone anywhere else, I'd ordered something like an omelet and a side dish, a coffee, and a breakfast cocktail, it probably would've been the same price. And the best part of a buffet is there is something that appeals to everyone!

If you have in-town company, need to entertain the in-laws or parents, or just want something to break your usual Sunday morning routine, I highly recommend checking out the buffet at Copper Kettle. Enjoy!

Eat Local Challenge Day 17

Today is Wednesday, which means yesterday was Tuesday, which means I stocked up on fresh veggies from the 12th South Farmers Market. I made connections with a few of the vendors, including The Goat Cheese Man and Foxy Baking Co., who groaned in disappointment at herself for not having any zucchini bread to offer me. (On my first trip to the market, during Week 1 of the challenge, I bought a mini loaf of her fresh-baked zucchini bread. As a lover of all things “autumn spicey” or pumpkin-flavored, which this loaf hinted at, I couldn’t wait for my next trip to the market to get another. I even posted about it on her Facebook page. Then I got sick and had to miss a market day, so by the time I approached the Foxy tent yesterday, I was ready. 

Then she groaned. Then she told me zucchini is almost out of season. Then I got sad. Then I realized, why stop with zucchini bread? So I bought an adorable 5” bacon-and-onion quiche. I figured the portion would be just right for my breakfast for the next day or so. Delicious! Enough to be filling but light enough not to weigh me down so early in the morning. 

Tonight, I had a meeting at Panera, which I do not count as “local” so I drank some coffee and anxiously awaited coming home to my produce.

I had bought a 2 (or was it 4?) oz. serving of fettuccine noodles from Alfresco Pasta, freshly-made, flash-frozen, whole-wheat pasta. Only $2 for 1 serving, which made 2 portions for me. The frozen noodles did cook quickly (only 3-4 minutes) but were too long; I like to break my noodles up to take smaller bites. 

Pasta from Alfresco Pasta

I cooked the noodles and added yellow squash, eggplant, bell pepper and purple onion and topped it off with goat cheese feta, all from the market. I think my meal would’ve been better with fresh garlic but I used what I had. I also think it needed a fresh caprese salad to finish it off, but overall, not a bad dinner (and leftover lunch the next day!). 

Fettuccine with local veggies and feta, with a glass of Malbec.

I liked the noodles because they really did taste fresh and “wheaty” without the stiff almost corrugated feeling of most dried whole wheat pasta. $2 for 2 servings isn’t bad, but the same price gets you a lot more dried noodles...an eat local conundrum.

Why haven’t I been going to the market all summer? This could’ve been great! Well, now I know, and now I can start to build relationships and can continue to take advantage of this until winter, when I’ll go back to eating leftover Thanksgiving casseroles my grandma sends home with me. Maybe I’ll look into a winter CSA, but I bet it’s chock full of cabbage which i can’t stand. :p

Until next time, buon apetito!

Eat Local Challenge Day 3

Yesterday, I visited the 12th South Farmers Market. This evening it was the Local Summer Night Fair at Whole Foods in Green Hills. Thanks to my friend Christian for shopping with me and encouraging me to make it out to Whole Foods tonight! I stocked up on tomatoes, yellow squash, and goat cheese at the 12th South market. Tonight I came home with fresh basil (a gift from one of the vendors), blackberries that I've already eaten almost all of, ballerina cucumbers, peaches 'n' cream corn, and a fresh hot pepper. On first glance, none of it goes together. And other than using the corn and pepper to make some salsa, I have no plans for the rest of it.

I had planned to come home and roast the squash, tomatoes, and some red potatoes I bought inside Whole Foods. But, by the time I got home, it was late, I was really hot, and I was too hungry to wait for veggies to be roasted. So I heated up a leftover burger, topped it with some sliced cheddar, and whipped up my own Greek salad with the tomato, cuke, basil, and goat milk feta.

Homemade Greek salad with only local ingredients

When I visited Greece about five summers ago, Greek salads like this were our comfort foods in a strange, hot land. Tonight's was no different. I am now full, refreshed, and proudly supporting my local farmers. Day 3 of the Eat Local Challenge goes down as a success!

Eat Local Challenge Day 1

Last week, I accepted the Eat Local Challenge, created by Nashville farmers marketer, Mary. In this challenge, Mary encouraged participants to "eat locally" during the month of August, meaning buying food that is sourced from only as far away as 150 miles. Her goal is to support the local economy and engage the community in local farmers markets, while examining our dependence on oil for transporting food.

Mary has started a support group of sorts on Facebook and has asked participants to document their struggles, discoveries, recipes, etc. And so, I will be documenting mine here, where I am already writing about eating.

Today at lunch, I posted this on Twitter: To begin my version of the #eatlocalchallenge I am eating things in my fridge that are gonna go bad. 


So that is what I did, because I figure it is just as wasteful to throw things away as it is to truck them in from across the country. Tomorrow, I plan to hit up the 12 South Farmers Market for a few more items to mix in with the rest of my leftovers, and Wednesday I want to go to the Local Summer Night Fair at Whole Foods to stock up on more local goodies.

Hopefully, by the end of the week I'll be well on my way to discovering what the "Eat Local Challenge" is really all about!

Up for a Challenge?

A fellow Nashville-area food-blog writer & Twitterer has thrown down the proverbial gauntlet when she challenged her community (both on-land and online) to dedicate themselves to eating local during the entire month of August. Why? Well, to support our local economy and reduce our dependence on oil, of course!

Mary's dare, appropriately dubbed the Eat Local Challenge, encourages participants to devote one month to eating only food that originated within 150 miles of their location.

Her rules are simple: shop at farmers' markets, fruit stands, or the local section of your grocery store, striving to only buy 10% of your groceries from the actual grocery store. She adds that this 10% should be organic when possible and something not available at farmers' markets, like sugar. And, if you can't cook at home, eat at a locally-owned restaurant serving locally-grown food.

This challenge intrigues me. As you know, this blog has opened my eyes to all the locally-owned restaurant options in town, and I'm drawn to those that choose to serve Middle Tennessee food. I also enjoy farmers' markets and love that several are popping up all over town. (12th South, 100 Oaks, Woodbine, and Vanderbilt are just a few in my vicinity.)  Mary also encourages those accepting her challenge to document the process, the obstacles, the struggles, and the rewards. I already document when I eat at locally-owned restaurants, so I've got that part down.

So here it is: I'm thinking of accepting this challenge. As I type, my mind has already started thinking of places to go for some basics like bread and coffee. But then I start to question. What would I eat for breakfast? Locally grown eggs? Toast? What about the peanut butter and Nutella currently occupying the shelves in my pantry? Where would I get milk?

I also wonder if I would have time for this, as I feel like it would take extra effort to plan my shopping trips. But the benefit could be huge! I would supporting small business owners, reducing my carbon footprint (unless I have to drive further to markets, in which case I could see it being counter-productive).

Also, what would the cost of this undertaking be? In theory, I think it would save me money, as fruits and veggies that don't have to be shipped from California or Florida are naturally going to be less expensive. But would I have to pay more for hand-made pasta at Lazzaroli's or the cow I'm going to have to milk?

Now I want to know: what do you think? Would you support me if I embarked on this adventure? Would you join me and accept the Eat Local Challenge for yourself?

Two for the Price of One

Any spendthrift or savvy socialite knows the best way to get more bang out of your evening out is to hit up 2-4-1 specials. This week, I've had the chance to partake in two trendy hotspots' hot deals.

For anyone living west of the River, Tuesday night means Mafiaoza's. This 12th South staple offers BOGO pizza slices and beer all day every Tuesday  until closing time (well, the beer specials stop at 9--gotta be safe, right?). Anything you can pile on a pizza or pull from a tap can be yours for a low, low price. Well, actually the low price depends on how many toppings you choose. I had 2 slices of Mafiaoza's New York-style stone oven pizza topped with fresh basil, black olives, chopped prosciutto, and gooey mozzarella for just $5 and change. Add in a round of Blue Moon from the iconic Mason jars, and my Tuesday night was complete for less than $10. Plus, the slices were so big they took up the entire plate, and had I not had a such a lackluster lunch I could have easily saved one slice for the next day. (Wanna talk about being a spendthrift?)

I will say, the noise and crowd levels can get pretty high the closer the hour hand get to 12, so a quiet, romantic evening this is not. But if you're in the mood to hang out with some friends and get good food and beer for the same price as a meal at any chain restaurant, head on down to the bustling 12th South neighborhood for this Nashville favorite.

And when Wednesday rolls around and you are still looking for a great deal and a little less chaos, please check out Taco Mamacita, the anchor of the Edgehill Village area (between Belmont University and Music Row). Once a struggling strip of entrepreneurial ventures, Edgehill Village seems to have blossomed in the 6-8 months since Taco Mamacita took over the space formerly occupied by Rosario's. If you could classify a taco as "upscale" or "trendy" that's what you'll find here. Tacos are sold individually for about $4 each or as part a plate with your choice of side. (I'm partial to the sweet potato fries myself, but a friend recently introduced me to the Mexican street corn, which is also delicious.) Perhaps my favorite taco is the Memphis, an unexpected combination of flour tortilla, cole slaw, and pulled pork drenched in a tangy BBQ sauce. I also like Baja fish taco and the vegetarian jerk, if you're looking to complete your platter.

Unfortunately, the tacos are not twofers, but the margaritas certainly are! For $7, you get your choice of the Elvez or El Camino margaritas (pretty standard formula for the former, add a splash of OJ and you get the latter) in a 24oz. glass served over crushed ice. Yum! Also unfortunately, T.M.'s popular Skinny Margarita is not included in the special, but really, if you're gonna have pizza and beer one night and tacos and margs the next, does the skinny version really make that much difference?

Another trendy spot for the vaguely descriptive "young professionals sector", I recommend arriving early to secure both good parking and a good seat. We arrived tonight around 6 and nabbed a table outside in the shade, under a fan, and were glad to have a place to sit when the crowds started lining up down the sidewalk. On a night like this you can have as much or as little to eat or drink as you want and still come away with a bargain.

Oh, and for those of you who haven't been to Taco Mamacita in several weeks--yes, they do have their beer license now and can serve several beers on tap and many domestic and imports by the bottle. Yazoo's Dos Perros makes a nice compliment to a taco.

Next week, when you're planning your dinner menu, consider one of these Belmont-area nightspots. You won't regret it!

The End Notes:

• Good bargains are worth planning your calendar around
• Great for after-work drinks and dinner with friends, but arrive early to avoid ridiculously long wait-times.
• Anything goes as far as attire, so there should be no excuse not to visit (unless you don't like crowds and noise. Then maybe visit on another day.)

Burgers & Fries & Brownies--Oh my!

I have already professed my love for The Frothy Monkey, one of several 12th South coffee shops. Imagine my delight when the same folks decided to open a restaurant on the same street!

Dubbed Burger Up! this eatery takes a local and responsible spin on the traditional burger joint. Everything is locally grown, raised, produced, etc., which the environmentalist in me loves. The benefit is tri-fold: one--diners are supporting local farmers, two--diners are eating healthier options, and three--the food just tastes better because it doesn't have to be chocked full of preservatives or shipped halfway around the world before it hits your plate.

Since opening at the beginning of May (yep, they opened in the middle of The Flood), this neighborhood joint has seen an influx of customers not likely to recede anytime soon. The daily drink specials feature creative twists on classic cocktails, while the food offers fresh and fanciful spins on old favorites. Craving a good ole fashioned cheeseburger? Why not make that house-made pimiento cheese instead of a slice of cheddar? A fan of the mushroom and Swiss? Burger Up uses cremini mushrooms and gruyere cheese. I don't even eat mushrooms and I was tempted to order this one. For those not in favor of beef, there's also a chicken breast burger, a N'awlins-style poboy, and a fueling quinoa option.

Overwhelmed by choices, I settled for the lamb burger because I was feeling adventurous. Topped with wilted arugula, boursin cheese (again, yum!), and an interesting peppermint dijon mustard, which actually complimented the lamb and spicy lettuce quite well, this was a delicious choice. I learned I am not so much a fan of lamb in burger form (it's a consistency thing) but the flavor was great. Accompanied by homemade fries that were perfectly crisp and not too greasy, this was a meal to savor.

Apparently, though, the wait staff does not want you to savor your meal. The busboys did not approve of my slow eating habits  and kept trying to take my plate away. In the end, they gave up and I had to eat dessert on top of the burger remnants, a restaurant pet peeve of mine.

And that brings me to dessert. There are several sinful options on the menu, including a bread pudding made of Krispy Kremes and drenched in Grand Marnier and a tiramisu made of s'mores. I, however, wasted no time in ordering the Olive & Sinclair Chocolate & Peanut Butter Brownie a la mode. If you've not yet tried Nashville's Olive & Sinclair chocolate, whip out a 5 spot and get ye immediately to any number of local vendors (Frothy Monkey, The Green Wagon, David Kidd Booksellers, even the Adventure Science Center!) and try a bar. Yes, it's an indulgence but it's worth every bite and penny.

This brownie was no exception. Dark and decadent, this generous-sized brownie was laced with real peanut butter so thick it honestly stuck to the roof of my mouth. Oh. My. Goodness. If you visit Burger Up (which I recommend you do) please save room for dessert. I'm sure you won't regret it. And if you need another opinion, read this tantalizing article echoing my sentiments.

The End Notes:

• Locally raised, healthy alternative to your average burger joint.
• Delicious drink specials and even more delicious desserts.
• Slow wait staff, so bring your appetite and your patience.
• Get in line early; this tiny establishment fills up quickly!
• Good for family, friends, after-work dinners, b'day parties, out-of-towners. Let's face it, it's just good!

Salmon on Tap

My mother's favorite restaurant in Nashville thus far is the 12th South Taproom & Grill, which she stumbled upon quite by accident. A year ago, she was in town for a conference and wanted to go "somewhere that my friends and I would go all the time." So of course I thought of Mafioza's. (I do love beer in those mason jars!) Unfortunately, it was a Monday, the place was closed, and being tired, hungry, and not that in favor of an adventure, we settled on the 12th South Taproom if only because the parking lots are adjacent. Having heretofore only patroned this 12th South neighborhood joint for the bar aspect of "bar & grill" I wasn't really sure what we would be getting in to, but Mom was game, so off we went.

With too many beers on tap to name (think of a scaled-down version of The Flying Saucer) and live music almost nightly, it's a fun place to hang out in the evenings. The menu, though, is not too shabby. The food always tastes fresh, the specials change daily, and there is a little something for everyone. Not your typical deep-fried pub grub. And it was on this menu that Mom found "the best salmon she has ever had."

Literally, she claims to think about this dish (she ordered the Grilled Salmon with a side of parmesan mashed potatoes and a baby green salad) all the time. Sometimes I wonder if it's not the impetus behind her decision to come visit me! When she and Dad came for my birthday this summer, of course we visited 12th South Taproom for the salmon (which she had added to the entree-sized baby green salad in the heat of June).

So it only seemed appropriate that when she and two of our best friends (second family?) cooked up a weekend visit, the trio of Alabamians barely had time to set down their monogrammed duffel bags before we all piled back in the Volvo and headed to 12th Ave. South.

As is Mom's modus operandi, she knew what she would order without looking at the menu. The rest of us, of course, took forever to make a decision. But I think that as in part because the waiter took forever in taking our order. He was one of those haughty types that wrote nothing down--which drives me crazy!--but he did get our order delivered accurately if not at all quickly. 

I ordered the pulled pork sandwich (remember, I do love pork!) with pasta salad, which I used to like until I stopped eating mushrooms. This bow-tie pasta with fresh basil, cubed squash, zucchini, and tomatoes, and fresh feta. Delicious, save for the mushrooms. Melanie ordered an avocado BLT with gouda mac (yum!) and Alisa got a jalepeno patty melt. Both orders typified their personalities. 

Everyone enjoyed their meals (and yes, Mom got her salmon fix!) but we hated the length of time we had to sit and wait. Wait for our order to be taken, wait for our food, wait for the check. It was much too long for a Saturday lunch. By the time we were finished, we hardly had time to shop til we dropped. 

The End Notes:

• While I will go back with Mom next time she visits, because its doubtful I'll have a choice, I think I'll save future visits to 12th South Taproom for good beer, live music, and the open-air patio seating.
• If your parents are visiting, and like to grab a beer with you, bring them here in the evening. If you're meeting friends for a casual night out, come here. For Saturday lunch, I'd find somewhere else. 

Why I love The Frothy Monkey

1. Consistently delicious coffee. Granted, I only drink mine black or with steamed milk au lait-style, but I have never had a disappointing cup at this 12th South java joint. (Plus, they serve all "drink in" orders in earth-friendly ceramic coffee mugs.)

2. Melt-in-your-mouth house-made baked goods. Most of The Frothy Monkey's food is made in-house, using local ingredients, and all of their baked goods are made fresh daily. It truly makes a difference. The blueberry scone with orange curd I treated myself to last Saturday morning was better than most desserts I've had recently. Yum!

3. Community-conscious business model. From their newly-launched web site: "Where possible, we use local ingredients fostering conscientious consumerism." The store features Thistle Farms products, benefiting the women of Magdalene, coffee from local roasters, and fair trade imports. The Monkey not only recognizes the importance of supporting the community, but also building and communicating with the community. That leads to #4...

4. The Frothy Monkey tweets! Follow them here: http://twitter.com/frothymonkey

5. Coffee with a side of air travel. I love that The Frothy Monkey participates in American Airlines's AAdvantage Dining Program! Basically, you register your credit/debit card and when you spend money at certain restaurants, you earn frequent flyer miles. A coffee and scone earned me 17 miles. No, it's not going to get me out to Seattle, but eventually all those cups of coffee will add up and save me money on a plane ticket. 

The End Notes:

• When you find yourself anywhere near the 12th South vicinity, go to The Frothy Monkey. They now serve dinner, in addition to breakfast and lunch, and all the prices seem pretty reasonable (read: less than $10), and they've extended their hours til 9 p.m. No matter the hour or the craving you have, head on over to the Monkey to try something. Anything. Everything?

Rumour has it you can speak easy here

I realized recently that as many times as I have gone out in the year-and-a-half since I moved to this town, I continue to frequent the same 5-7 places I first visited as a Nashville Newbie. I realized there are many gems that I am overlooking because I continue to stick with what I know. 

Last week, I branched out and tried somewhere new. I started the night at a place I've always wanted to try and ended in my comfort zone, one of my standard go-to guarantees for a good night out. 

When I encountered yet another wait that bordered on an hour at Whiskey Kitchen (seriously, what is it with the long waits these days?), we opted for The Patterson House, one of those paragons of Nashville nightlife that I had been dying to try for myself. And I finally made it behind that infamous blue curtain. 

While I won't try to compete with this guy's blog, I will say that it was intimate and romantic in an I-feel-like-I-belong-in-the-pages-of-great-American-literature kind of way. (Maybe that has something to do with the fantasy my brother and I have always shared that if we'd been in our early 20s during the Roarin' '20s, we would have been flappers and party-goers and our family would have been the owners of a speakeasy, or illicit alcohol at the very least...)

I will also add that my Manhattan included a flaming orange rind and was one of the smoothest drinks I've ever been served. (The Patterson House lists the cocktails on their menu in order from lightest/easiest to drink to heaviest. The Manhattan made the bottom of the bourbon list!) But the food menu left a little to be desired at this point in the evening, so we ventured to my mainstay--Rumours Wine & Art Bar. (We were craving an artisan cheese plate, and I do love the Drunken Goat that Rumours serves up!)

Tucked cozily into the 12th South neighborhood, Rumours evokes an air of trendiness without trying to hard. At least, I feel that way; others may disagree. But I always feel comfortable there, which cannot be said about every wine bar. With specials that change daily and staples that remain constant, it's easy to find any number of tempting dishes to accompany a glass or 3 from the decent-sized wine list. The prices are relatively manageable (although I have gotten myself into some trouble there before!)

In addition to the cheese, I ordered my other mainstay--the shrimp & grits. Served in a cocktail glass and topped with a balsamic dressing, it was the first meal I ordered at Rumour's East location and the only one I've ordered since. We finished with a slice of Elvis cake (banana nut cake with peanut butter and cream cheese frosting--yum!) which were compliments of the waiter for some reason I'm still unsure of but didn't question because who really wants to turn down Elvis cake?

I'm wondering why I always write these posts at night; now I am hungry but it's time for bed. Maybe I can continue to venture out this weekend or revisit another local favorite I haven't seen for awhile. I'm open to suggestions!

Buon appetito, y'all!