Last Saturday we decided to checkout the University City Farmer's Market. The market is located at the Shoppes at University Place right by the Famous Toastery in University City. It happens on Saturdays May through October. Here you can have breakfast and shop around for all your produce needs for the week.
We started off our farmer's market visit with some coffee from the Drip Joint and a pastry from Manolo's. A perfect Saturday morning breakfast.
Back in September we tried out the new Charlotte restaurant Counter-. To read more about our initial experience see our post from September. We recently returned to see how things have changed and progressed over the last several months and were not disappointed! Covid protocols discussed in the last post are still occuring with socially distanced seating and temperature checks at the door.
Last time we went the menu was based on NC Terrior. This new menu was all around Fire and show cases food and music from different counties.
Upon reading about a new restaurant opening in Charlotte called Counter- by Chef Sam Hart my husband and I were immediately excited. Before Charlotte we lived in Chicago, so we know with Sam having trained there we were in for a treat. We spoke with Sam and found out more about Counter- and how the concept was not just about the food, but also to pair each course with music.
Recently we got a craving for oatmeal cookies. I thought there had to be a way to make them a bit more clean, but from experience I knew going the full on applesauce route wouldn't be the cookie I wanted. I tried out these ingredient combinations and couldn't be happier with the taste.
In April 2020 Del Frisco's Steakhouse hosted a cooking competition using a mystery box of ingredients. The ingredients were fresh corn, peanut butter, jalapenos, ground beef, and american cheese. Since Mary is allergic to peanut butter we used almond butter instead. We came up with these delicious cheeseburger empanadas with a nut butter crust and a corn aioli. You can also make the recipe a bit shorter by premaking the pickled jalapenos and aioli a day or two before.
I’m not sure the first time I had Pear Valley wine, but I do remember the first time it truly stuck out to me. I was drinking their Charbano. It had just enough body, just enough fruit, and just enough tannin. I was sold. At the time my parents were living in Central Coast California and had quickly come to love Pear Valley for their great value wines and family friendly atmosphere. My parents encouraged us to look at their wine club.
