Food/Travel/Nature/Cooking/Culture
Really enjoying the wonderful weather this weekend in North Carolina! Never tire of the views from my patio or on the waterway!
Also got some great shots of one of our friendly, neighborhood pelicans today. From take off to touchdown!
Hope everyone is out there beating the crowds on this official last weekend before the madness!
Wrightsville Beach is practically empty!
And now to my patio for brunch with hubby and a guest!
Whenever I return to the D.C. area, chances are that I will be visiting a restaurant of Jose Andres. They are dear to my heart and always spectacular. Today’s Mother’s Day dinner was no different.
A wonderful cheese plate to begin….
Aceitunas de Ferran Adria….a tribute to the original molecular gastronomist/best chef in the world……liquid olives…
Tortilla de patatas…. the classic Spanish tortilla…
Flamenquines….a pork roll stuffed with cheese and deep fried…..wonderful!
Finally, my favorite of the evening…Puntillitas de Cadiz…. Baby squid and beans in a green sauce topped with a fried egg…estupendos!!
Although I neglected to photograph our dessert, please trust me and order the cold berry soup with blue cheese ice cream….it is no less worthy of a pic…just forgot because I was too busy enjoying the great flavor combination.
Truly a DC gem! #IFWTWA
Sightseeeing today in Tuscon alllowed us to enjoy Sentinel Peak and Mission San Xavier del Bac..Fantastic desert vegetation and beautiful views of the mountains surrounding the city. You will not be disapppointed by these two attractions which are both free to the public! Enjoy!
Sentinel Peak, Tuscon, AZ.
Entry to Mission San Xavier del Bac…
This mission is the oldest mission in the U.S…..
The beautiful gardens surrounding the mission contain many species of cacti…
Just fascinating…
For a food blogger, there’s nothing better than discovering a gem in a city you’re visiting. For me, it’s especiaally exciting to find a diner that serves up a fresh, fast breakfast and doesn’t gouge you with their prices. My father’s family were in the restaurant biz for many years, and I have learned to appreciate those early morning warriors who bring us a tasty breakfast on the cheap. Frank’s/Francisco’s is such a place. $1.75 breakfast before 9:00am!!!!
Homemade habanero chili hotsauce and all! Not to be missed if you are an early riser. Get there if you can!
Another gem in town is Poco and Mom’s. Sharing an unassuming space with a gym and an art gallery. The top notch cheery staff at Poco’s will not steer you wrong. Enjoy chips and housemade salsa before your breakfast comes, if you wish…but be advised that the food comes out so fast you will barely have time for one dip into the rich, smoky pot!
Get anything you order with the housemade Hatch Chile sauce over the top and you will discover why these chiles are so beloved in Tuscon. We ordered eggs with chile rellenos and machaca (shredded dried beef) scrambled eggs, both with the Hatch Chile sauce. Refries accompany both, as do fresh warm tortillas.
If you leave Poco and Mom’s hungry it’s nobody’s fault but your own!!
Something about Arizona puts a spell on me. The vistas are beautiful…yes…
But it’s more than the beauty…..I feel good here….I feel well here….I feel a sense of calm here…..
I cannot explain it….but I LOVE it!
And, I’ve discovered some pretty awesome eats here in Tuscon……
Let me tell you that name is no mere boast! This chef is a master at combining fresh ingredients and ideas with classic techniques like roasting braising and souvieing. In a space that doubles as a carry out gourmet/wine market, Feast breaks all the conventions expected in a fine dining establishment. The wine list is extensive, but trust me and try a cocktail before dinner.
I tried Opiate of the People. Dare I say it was one of my top three favorites!
For starters my companion and I decided to try the braised rabbit and bacon in a whole grain mustard cream sauce over fried green tomatoes and an appetizer sized fried chicken liver salad that was a revelation. The livers sat atop frisée greens with sliced fingerling potatoes and candied kumquats sat like jewels alongside the livers. Simply wonderful!
Our entrees brought even more surprises. Roasted octopus and pork in a deep,smoky,rich paprika sauce with cannelini beans and spinach and paper thin slices of Spanish chorizo. We wanted to lick the bowl!
My grilled duck breast was perfectly cooked to medium as I requested, and the mashed minted peas and cantelope with a Parmesan tuille with a drizzle of truffle vinaigrette provided the unexpected taste explosion I was hoping for.
For dessert, we wanted something light to share so we ordered a wonderfully buoyant pavlova floating on a lake of green tea creme anglaise. A scattering of edible petals, berries and candied almonds completes the symphony.
Pretty, good, peaceful, beautiful……Arizona
Jason Vines, getting ready to speak to an Organizational Behaviors class at University of Arizona…
April 27th is my lucky day! It is a beautiful, dry and slightly breezy spring day in Coastal North Carolina. We are out on the boat again and have come across a pod of porpoises on the intracoastal waterway!
If we had lingered, we could have watched them for another 10 minutes! There were at least 6 and they were really enjoying themselves! Really fun!
A couple of busy months for the continuing book tour for What Did Jesus Drive? Crisis PR in Cars, Computers and Christianity by Jason H. Vines.
April 21st we are at San Jose State University for a speech and book signing. If you happen to be in the area, stop by.
April 29, Jason will be speaking to a class at University of Arizona in Tuscon. A book signing will follow.
Hoping to visit San Antonio in mid-May as well. Details to follow…
May 27-31 will find Jason at the Book Expo America in New York City, to be followed by Book Con…we will be at both! Look for the Waldorf Publishing booth to meet the author!
What Did Jesus Drive? will come out in hardcover in November.
Finally, a second book is in the works….find out more at the BEA….
Despite the nasty business of politics, residents of the Washington, D.C. area still feel sense of renewal each Spring at Cherry Blossom time.
I hope you enjoy these pics of this yearly spring festival!
Now….don’t you feel better?
Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!
On this blessed day we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ with good food, good company and great thankfulness that Jesus Christ laid down His life for us, his unworthy people. And by His death, He conquered our death and gave us all a chance at life eternal. I am humbled.
Our family had a small gathering in D.C. with two of our three children. A wonderful dinner was enjoyed by all.
Greek Salad..
Roast leg of lamb and potatoes..
Skordalia and Greek wines….
Spanikotiropita,, tiropita, tsoureki, pita bread…..
Amen..Amen..Amen….
Betzabroad...My personal recipe for tasting our big, fat, wonderful world 