In My Kitchen ... August 2015

Tweet

After several months absence how lovely it is to be back contributing to In My Kitchen, hosted by the wonderful Celia at Fig Jam and Lime Cordial.

I have been very fortunate over these last few months to enjoy travelling the length and breadth of the USA with husband, John. What an adventure it was! Needless to say an important part of the adventure was dipping into diverse local food offerings.

Since I haven't been in my kitchen I'm sharing with you some of some of the food experiences I enjoyed.


On our first day in New York City we stumbled across The Pie Company Bakery - which makes the Best Apple Pie in New York according to Daily News, Best of New York. High praise indeed!

In need of resting our well walked feet we decided that we couldn't go past the Sour Cream Apple Walnut Pie. The delicious 5 inch pie was enormous - and more than enough to satisfy the two of us. We savoured every last crumb!

Located on 424 West 43 Street (between 9th and 10th avenues) NYC, it is well worth a visit!

If you love food then no visit to New York would be complete if you did not visit Eataly. Located in the Flatiron District it's a ridiculously busy, buzzing place where you can purchase the finest Italian ingredients as well as enjoy a fabulous meal or glass of wine. My photos do not even begin to capture it's atmosphere. Put this place on your foodie bucket list!

New York is famous for pizza, and on the recommendation of a friend we found ourselves at Vezzo Thin Crust Pizza on Lexington Street. John ordered the Meatlovers, while mine was the Parma. Both were superb! I'd go back tomorrow if it weren't so far!

On a glorious Saturday, together with thousands of other like minded people, we explored the incredible Chelsea Market. What a wonderful place! If only we hadn't already eaten, then like these people, we might have enjoyed the amazing lobster available at The Lobster Place. Next time!!!

Chalkboard menus provided wonderful insights into local cuisine. This cafe menu, at Nashville's Country Music Hall of Fame, featured a number of intriguing items I've not seen on Australian menus - fried catfish, fried grit cakes, fried okra ...  I did enjoy the catfish!

In Memphis we ate the best BBQ ribs I've tasted. Blues City Cafe is not only the place to go for great music - but they boast Beale Street's best BBQ ribs. We ordered a full rack, shared the succulent and tender meat that just fell off the bone - and sucked the bones! It was that good! I would love to be able to make these at home!

It was particularly hot the day we visited Oak Valley Plantation, Louisiana - the perfect reason to try one of their famous Mint Juleps! While it was very sweet, the bourbon packed a nice punch! Find the recipe here!

An evening cooking class held at the New Orleans School of Cooking was a treat! Chef Julie demonstrated a menu featuring the making, and eating, of Southern classics - Gumbo, Jambalaya, Bread Pudding with Whisky Sauce, and Pralines. Oh my, the food was so tasty we all went back for seconds! As an added bonus I now know the importance of, and how to prepare, a decent roux!

,

Whilst in New Orleans we had to try their famous beignets - more than once! I'm looking forward to trying to reproduce these for a special breakfast one day soon. Does anyone have a foolproof recipe that they would be willing to share?

A highlight of our visit to the fabulous Buffalo Bill Centre of the West in Cody, Wyoming, was hearing Ron Reed talk about the history of the chuck wagon and the role of the 'cookie' on cattle drives. Ron demonstrated the making of truly feather light Sourdough Cowboy Biscuits, and tasty Cowboy Beans. Both were cooked over coals in Dutch ovens. Believe me when I say, if all cookies cooked like Ron, those cowboys of old were very well fed! You, too, can watch Ron work his magic by clicking on the link for Cowboy Biscuits here, and Cowboy Beans here.

In Los Angeles we found the home of the best hamburgers and hot dogs we have ever eaten - and chilli chips to die for! Carneys, just doors down from the Andaz West Hollywood, where we were staying, is a restaurant uniquely located in two old Union Pacific railway cars - on Sunset Boulevard. Simply fabulous, and reasonably priced to boot! Get yourself there if you are ever in LA!

NB: I'd love their chilli recipe!

 I must confess that by the end of our trip I was longing for a home cooked meal, and fresh fruit and veggies fresh picked from the garden. Travel is wonderful - but there's no place like home!

Cheers!

Marian