new options for following

hello friendly followers!

in an attempt to make following the blog easier,
i have added two new options that will make you aware of new posts.

you can choose to be notified via email
or you can subscribe using a feed reader.
heck, you can do both if you really want.

the options can be found on the menu bar to the left
just below the list of followers.
do take a moment to subscribe
and please share using the easy links below posts
for the various social networking sites that you participate in!

be prepared for quite a few updates
as i get ready to conquer my backlog of photos and recipes!!

- sarah

bacon WITH a cause

this upcoming saturday, which is may 12,
i will be participating in a 5K walk to raise money for
a very deserving family who is currently undergoing some serious hardship
because of a violent invasion of their home earlier this year.

please consider making a small donation to the cause
to support our team and the family!

any help you can provide is much appreciated!!

here is some information about the family.

here is where you can donate to our team.

the bbq is back!

it is still pretty chilly here in nc,
despite it being may!
however, we are back in the bbq
swing of things.
every chance we get, we are in the yard
with the grill flaming & smoking!
there will surely be more photos to come
as the season warms up!

smoking fresh bacon.
new flavor experimentation... bloody mary bacon!
image and bacon by sarah c baron

bob getting smokey & choppy with some smoked pork shoulder!
image by sarah c baron

rib cook-off... dry rub versus cheer wine sauce.
the winner: whomever got to suck the meat off of those bad boys!
image by sarah c baron

the tomahawk chop..
and the delicious stock the we make from the enormous bones!
image by sarah c baron

a rainbow of veggie flavor!
image by sarah c baron

oh canada!

so the end of march was a pretty exciting time for us...
we finally went on our ski vacation to canada!
i had never been to canada, so it was especially exciting for me.

we flew into vancouver and then drove two hours up
the sea-to-sky highway to the beautiful alpine village of whistler.
it was perhaps the most breath taking drive i have ever experienced!

shannon falls is visible from the sea-to-sky highway!
image by sarah c baron

whistler is a pretty amazing place... 

if you ski or snowboard, i highly recommend it. 

if you don't that is okay too.

there are enough shops and restaurants to keep you busy also.

they even allow non-skiers to take the gondola up to the top

of the mountains for sightseeing, photography, and, of course, eating!

the view from the top of the world...
i imagine this is what heaven looks like.
image by sarah c baron

i really enjoyed "skiing" the mountain.

(skiing is quotations marks because i am a beginner)

what i really loved, however, was the food scene.

they make pretty good wine in canada! who knew?!
our favorite was from the blue mountain vineyard in bc.
image by sarah c baron

the appetizer and bar menu at the firerock lounge was pretty great.
carpaccio was yummy and their afternoon fondue special really hit the spot.
image by sarah c baron

the belvedere ice room at the barefoot bistro gives vodka tastings in frigid temps.
don't worry, they give you huge parkas to wear!
image by sarah c baron

our favorite aprés ski was at the dubh linn irish pub,
which was located at the bottom of the slopes near the gondola to blackcomb.
the heated patio is a great place to enjoy some cider and poutine after skiing.
image by sarah c baron
 

on nights when we were too tired or sore to put clothes on and go out to eat
we stayed in and cooked up something tasty in our own little mini-kitchen!
the westin thought of almost everything!
image by sarah c baron

have i explained how good fries are when they are covered in gravy & cheese curd?!
poutine is a reason in itself to go to canada!
image by sarah c baron

after six fantastic days in whistler, we packed the car up

and headed back down to vancouver.

vancouver is an awesome city!! they have the ocean, the harbor,

the buildings, the mountains, the sky, the water, the shopping,

the parks, and the restaurants that you want in every vacation...

and it is all in one place!!

it seems cheesy & touristy,
but we had a great time at the revolving restaurant, top of vancouver.
we got to have a glass of champagne and really get a feel for the scope of the city!
image by sarah c baron

a view from the top of vancouver...
our hotel was over there somewhere!
image by sarah c baron

an afternoon cider to cool off and rest our feet!
we walked a lot!!
image by sarah c baron

beautiful totem poles in stanley park
image by sarah c baron

the television shows do not lie about "meat & bread".
seriously, do not miss the porchetta: salsa verde!!
image by sarah c baron

did i mention how much i love poutine?!
this fancy version with shallots and parsley from six acres was incredible!
image by sarah c baron

there were so many other amazing places to eat, shop, and hang out!

i couldn't possibly photograph and share every good meal, snack, or view

that we experienced in vancouver! however, if you plan on going,

give me a holla and i will recommend some more must-sees for you!

wish you were here!
cheesy, posy awesomeness by coast mountain photogaphy

the ellen cherry experience @ the sorting table on 7th

in uptown charlotte, between college & brevard, where the light rail ends,

is the seventh street public market.

when i was in college, this building housed a boutique grocery store.

today, though, it is home to a variety of colorful vendors

selling all sorts of tasty local foods and beverages!

one of my favorite shops to visit is the new,

sorting table on seventh.

this wine shop is owned by josh, a fun and quirky gentleman,

who is always happy to chat, show you around, 

make suggestions, and maybe,

just maybe, if you are really nice,

invite you to a wine tasting or special dinner!

a few weeks ago, we took josh up on one of those offers

and we were one of the privileged few lucky enough to partake

in the ellen cherry experience...

this just so happened to fall on the night before my birthday,

so it was a win-win for me!

the ellen cherry experience was, indeed, an experience!

that sunday night we were entertained by the vocal stylings

of baltimore's own, ellen cherry.

we were fed a huge meal of multiple courses

and josh paired the fare with both red and white wines...

for each course!!

if you ever get the chance to attend such an event,

don't think about it...

just do it! you will not be sorry!

be sure to visit ellen cherry on the internet

and stop by to see josh in person the time you are uptown!

the market transformed into an elegant, yet casual dinner setting
image by sarah c baron

creamy, warm mushroom soup with a yummy crostini
image by sarah c baron

the shrimp course
image by sarah c baron

lamb, lamb, lamb... the ragu is to die for!
image by sarah c baron

chocolate empanadas for dessert
image by sarah c baron

a varied and delicious wine selection
image by sarah c baron

host & chef obliging me
image by sarah c baron

tasty, tasty bubble... happy birthday to me!
(thanks so much, bobby!)
image by sarah c baron

the best pasta ever

a few years ago,
i was in philadelphia and i had, perhaps,
one of the most delicious pasta meals i have ever eaten...
it was a lardo filled ravioli with fava beans
at marc vetri's osteria!

normally, we think of pasta as a heavy meal,
but these were light, velvety pillows
of heavenly goodness!

since that meal, i have been trying to find
a way to duplicate that special pasta.
finally, i just searched for the recipe on the internet.
low and behold, it was there, floating in cyberspace!

the lovely blog of maria & christina, sisters running the kitchen,
led me to the details of the glorious recipe!
so thanks for that ladies. i am eternally grateful!


making fresh pasta is far easier than you might think it would be
and it really does taste so much better than something out of a box.
honestly, i am convinced it is somehow healthier
for you than the pre-made stuff!

the ingredients are probably things you already have in the pantry
and you don't need nearly as much equipment as you could use!
here is the lowdown for making
bob & sarah's version of marc vetri's pasta dough:

11/4  cups                     all purpose or 00 flour
1/3 cup + 11/2 tbls       semolina flour
9                                 large egg yolks (yup, 9!)
3-4 tbls                       water
1 tbls                          extra virgin olive oil

some people use a stand mixer for this,
but we just don't have one,
so we use good old fashioned "bob" power!
in a bowl, he combines the two flours
then adds the yolks, water, and oil,
mixing until it comes together.

he then turns it out onto a floured granite countertop
and kneads for about five minutes.
you know it is done when it is smooth,
not sticky, and goes back into shape after stretching.

we like to roll it into a ball,
wrap it in plastic,
and put it in the refrigerator to rest.
it should sit for at least 30 minutes,
but can stay in there safely for three or so days.

once the dough has rested and chilled,
it can be rolled out and made into any number of pasta types.
we have a manual pasta roller and just love the thin, long noodles!
they don't take very long to cook,
only about two or three minutes
in salted boiling water.

after removing it from the water,
it is up to you how you enjoy the deliciousness!
yesterday, for my birthday,
bob turned that lovely pasta into his famous
chicken parmigiana!

pasta, pasta, pasta
image by sarah c baron

bob's famous chicken parmigiana
image by sarah c baron

     

duke's bread... charlotte, nc (yum!)

i don't know if you charlotte locals are aware of this,
but there is an amazing bakery
cranking out spectacular bread in this town!

i came across duke's bread
while wandering the atherton mill saturday.

five bucks got me a fresh, warm
rosemary sea salt round.

it was so, so, so good!
i highly recommend it!

check out duke's bread at their website!!

back with, yup, you guessed it... more bacon!

i am back
and i am candying bacon!

we've got the recipes worked out pretty well
for the bacon itself.
although next time,
i am recording the specifics so we can duplicate
it perfectly with each batch!

the three favorites so far are
maple brown sugar,
chocolate & chili,
and, my personal fave,
roasted garlic & herb!

the candied version is a new experiment.
this first attempt was pretty darned decedent,
but i think i will be doing some tweaking to
make sure it stays crispy and not gooey.

i will keep you posted!!

"candied bacon"
image (and bacon) by sarah c baron

new bacon: an update

both curing pork bellies have been flipped for the first time.
this meat doesn't seem to be giving up its liquid as much or as quickly
as the first batch of bacon we made.
i am not sure why this is,
but it could be colder in the new refrigerator
or the belly could simply be leaner than before...
we did use a different butcher this time, after all.
we are also using kosher salt, as the recipe requires,
where as last time, we only had fine grain sea salt on hand.
either way, we are making progress
and both pork bellies smell fantastic!

our bacon after the first flip:
chocolate serrano on the left & roasted garlic herb on the right
image by sarah c baron

homemade bacon part deux

the kitchen is unpacked, 

the wine is chilling in the fridge, 

the garden is growing nicely...

so it must be time to make bacon again!!!

saturday morning we made a stop at the the atherton mill market.

for old school charlottean's, that is the refurbished warehouse complex 

near the train tracks at south boulevard and tremont.

it is a lovely, local fresh market with many vendors

selling all sorts of delicious fruits, meats, cheeses, and handicrafts.

we stopped by the windy hill farm table 

and they just so happened to have some fresh pork belly on hand!

windy hill is a local family farm that you just can't help but want to support...

the people are nice and the food is fresh.

we picked up three well-trimmed, one pound pieces of pig.

just down the sidewalk, still in the mill,

is the savory spice shop where we were able to purchase

curing salt, kosher salt, and some more spiciness for our bacon experiments.

this is another shop, i can certainly recommend.

again, nice people, over 400 spices, 

and if you have no idea what you are doing 

or what you are looking for, 

they let you taste everything!

this time, we thought we'd try a few different types of bacon.

fun bacon, if you will.

chocolate chili bacon &

roasted garlic and herb bacon are on the menu this week!

we kind of just made this stuff up, so it could be awesome of it could be horrible...

we'll find out next weekend!

here are some image of the process...

updates to follow!!

mmm... raw, uncured pork belly
from windy hill farm in new london, nc
image by sarah c baron

homemade curing mixture, dutch cocoa powder,
and dried, smoked serrano peppers
image by sarah c baron

belly, wrapped in curing mix,
blanketed in cocoa & chili
image by sarah c baron

every herb we could find...
parsley, basil, marjoram, thyme, rosemary, lavender, cilantro, mint, etc.
image by sarah c baron

wishing we had a full sized food processor
image by sarah c baron

belly rolled in curing mix, coated in
a glorious paste of herbs & roasted garlic
image by sarah c baron

surprisingly magical dining

earlier this month, bob & i were down in south florida for a family vacation.
the drive from sfl to clt is not a short one and a stop over is a requirement for such a trip.
somehow, i convinced him that a few days in the happiest place on earth might be fun.

it was fun...
and tasty!

when i was a kid, my family spent some time living in florida.

one of the perks of being a child in that state is that we used to visit disney world

on a pretty regular basis... the school even took us there for field trips!

i don't remember the food as anything stellar.

i can recall a lot of tomorrowland cafeteria-like lunches

consisting of weird pizza, standard hotdogs, and french fries that had clearly been frozen.

it was a different time then though and food was definitely different as well.

plus, i am sure that when feeding a family of five at disney prices,

gourmet meals were not on the top of my parents' list of priorities!

this month's adult trip to the disney theme parks was really quite

a different experience for me and mostly because of the food!

first, did you know that the magic kingdom is a dry principality?!

this isn't a huge deal...

we can go a day without a cocktail,

but some mornings really just beg for a bloody mary

and you have to leave the mk city limits to get one.

we took a lovely monorail ride out of the park to the polynesian resort for lunch.

after a quick glance at the menu, we chose the kona cafe.

i got a bloody mary to go with my bbq pork tacos (a great combo)... 

this was when i realized that we had the potential for a delicious weekend ahead of us!

they were so surprisingly good and bob's noodle bowl was just as yummy!

sweet pork tacos served with
smokey bacon slaw & hawaiian style mac salad
image by sarah c baron

noodle bowl with chicken & fresh veg
image by sarah c baron

later that night, after a nap and a shower,
we went to the restaurant in the dolphin hotel where we were staying.
there are a few celebrity chef places at disney and this one belongs to todd english...
blue zoo is very blue and seemingly underwater themed.
the menu had lots of seafood options.

i had come down with a sore throat, so food wasn't exactly what i was craving.
i went with an appetizer that would go down easily... and man did it!
i ordered the tuna tartar and it was spectacular!
the gorgeous fish was served with
a cool lime crema, freeze dried shriracha sauce and gelatinized miso pearls.
i savored each bite as long as i could and even managed to share a few with bob.
he ordered the filet which was served over creamy polenta
with a side of short ribs... i love meat with a side of meat!
i don't like short ribs, but these were phenomenal!
i probably ate more than my fair share (thanks, bobby).

dessert was a splurge, but who can pass up lemon meringue filled
with lemon custard and lemon ice cream and a glass of sparking pinot noir on the side?
not us!

melt in your mouth tuna tartar...
my favorite raw fish
image by sarah c baron

yup... meat with a side of meat!
filet served with short ribs over polenta
image by sarah c baron

lemony delight
image by sarah c baron

the next day we went to epcot center, which we had been looking forward to.

epcot is not a dry theme park...

this might explain why the world showcase doesn't open until eleven am 

and the whole park closes at nine pm! lushes!

after a morning riding through future world, we decided to head south for lunch.

we picked up a cider and a guinness in england outside the rose & crown pub for our walk.

we got distracted in the beautiful shops of france 

and morocco is lovely this time of year.

by the time we got japan, we were starving! it is a long trip, after all!

lunch at the hibachi style teppan edo is always fun because you get to freak out strangers!

i have a shellfish allergy, so they cooked my meal in the back kitchen,

(every disney restaurant was diligent about food allergy safety!)

but bob's steak and noodles were prepared with a show, right in front of us.

again, i was pleasantly surprised by the tasty, far from ordinary meal.

fun with food & strangers
image by sarah c baron

hibachi style chicken, noodles & veg
image by sarah c baron

after lunch, we slightly satisfied our real wanderlust

by sampling snacks and beverages from almost every country...

although i don't recall much about china!

prosecco in italy,

churros in mexico,

bier in germany,

tabouli in morocco &

molson in canada!

we settled on european for dinner and managed to get a table, sans reservation,

at bistro de paris in france.

although dinner was definitely good, i don't really remember what we ate.

between the view of the lake, fireworks and the bottle of champagne,

there was a whole lot going on!

overall, we had a fantastic time and,

much to my surprise, really enjoyed eating in the disney resorts!

it was, well...

magical!

fabulous fireworks at the magic kingdom
image by sarah c baron

if you like chicken...

well, gang...

i am back!!
and i have plenty of new food photographs
and yummy recommendations for your eating pleasure.

we are taking a step back in time just a few weeks...
before we relocated to charlotte,
we spent a few weeks in a "lovely" & tiny extended stay hotel.
on the weekends, we sent the pup to doggy daycare
for some much needed exercise
and we would go on little day trips to escape the cramped living quarters.

charlottesville is just a short drive from richmond, va.
it is a quick trip out I64 through some of the prettiest scenery...
farms, hills, wineries!!

i can highly recommend a stop at the beautiful keswick vineyards.
they have great wines, a wine club,
fantastic outdoor seating with views of the vineyards, and...
their tasting room opens at nine in the morning!
a glass of their wine on the patio is a wonderful way to begin the day!

keswick vineyards front yard view
image by sarah c baron

because we are members of the connoisseur's club,
we always stop in to the jefferson vineyards when we are in the area.
the tasting room is set on the top of a hill with a yard
filled with adirondack chairs to sit in, sip wine and look out over
thomas jefferson's old stomping grounds...
that man sure knew how to pick a spot!
the wine is tasty and they serve their pours in riedel glasses...
that you get to keep!

an outdoor area overlooking monticello
image by sarah c baron

bob enjoying the morning, wine and view
image by sarah c baron

pinot gris for breakfast
image by sarah c baron

despite all of the delicious wine,
my favorite part of any trip to the monticello trail
is eating lunch at the michie tavern.
it is a touristy little historic village type place.
they serve lunch buffet style with servers in period costumes
that come to your table to refill your plates as you wish.
the menu is limited, but what they do, they do well...
and they do fried chicken!!!
the fried chicken at miche tavern is the stuff of dreams.
it is crispy, juicy and unbelievably tasty!
you will wait in line in the heat or the cold outside
and tall folks will need to duck under low doorways,
but the chicken makes it all worth it!

seriously... go eat this chicken!
image by sarah c baron