East Passyunk Ave

Although we tend to consider Philadelphia a "small" city, there are still several neighborhoods that we have never explored. One of these is the "up and coming" stretch of Passyunk Avenue that cuts diagonally across South Philly to the east of Broad Street. Pronounced "Pash-yunk" by locals, this street extends through the Italian Market and is probably most famous for competing Philly cheesesteak shops: Pat's and Geno's.

With a free afternoon (with absolutely gorgeous weather to boot), A & I decided to take the subway down to our "starting point" of East Passyunk and walk/eat our way back towards the city. This may have been one of the best ideas we've had in awhile. Before we left, we picked out a few places we definitely had to hit up; because it was late morning when we started, we picked out places open for brunch. This prevented us from hitting up some of the fancier places, but we can save that for another trip.

As we turned onto Passyunk, we immediately spotted our first destination. The bright orange exterior of Cantina Los Caballitos is hard to miss. We were the first diners in for brunch, so we grabbed sunny window seats. The waitstaff was laid back and friendly, mostly young hipster types. We decided to order just one thing off the menu, which made for a difficult decision. We opted for the Torrejas ($7)- french toast made with sopapilla topped with a cinnamon infused maple syrup. This seemed like an original brunch item that would "represent" the type of food at Los Caballitos.



We were pleasantly surprised with the arrival of a big basket of fresh tortilla chips, served with generous helpings of two different types of salsa. The chips were crispy and perfectly salted, with many of them shaped to A's dipping standards: a slight curve to maximize salsa scoopage. The green salsa had the same flavor profile as guacamole, while the red had a decent kick- both very flavorful and a good snack to tide us over till our "entree" arrived.



The Torrejas was a very interesting take on french toast- the sopapilla base is a very dense Mexican pastry that is typically deep fried into more of a crunchy sweet bread. In this case, it very lightly soaked up egg, maintaining the sweet pastry flavor of the sopapilla. Sometimes french toast is overwhelmingly eggy, but that was not the case here. The texture was unique- more like a pancake or super fat tortilla. Powdered sugar and the cinnamon syrup gave a touch of sweetness.



We also order a side of chorizo ($3). The dish of spicy crumbled meat was repurposed as a tortilla chip topper- unbelievably delicious, especially with a dollop of salsa. A likened it to taco meat, but it had a couple extra dimensions of flavor than standard ground beef. We didn't finish either dish, allowing the first stop to just take the edge off our hunger. The rest of the menu looked interesting, dishes served to nearby diners looked delicious, and the prices/portions were hard to beat. It seems like a fun place to come for dinner with a large group.



Our next stop was practically right across the street. Green Aisle Grocery is a very unique neighborhood grocery store, stocking a carefully selected array of typical, and atypical, grocery items, as well as some prepared foods from well-known Philly restaurants. Brothers Adam and Andrew Erace have created a very cute, bright little shop that we wish was a little closer to our place! They recently announced that they were carrying sandwiches made by Tim McGinnis of previously discussed Spinal Tapas fame. One of Tim's ventures is named "American Meats & Provisions," whereby he makes all of his own meats- think herb-brined turkey and thick cut housemade ham. These meats then go into sandwiches to be sold at Green Aisle.



We snagged the very last sandwich in the refrigerated section- the Russian Lox ($10). This fit in well with our brunch eats, so I was happy. While it might seem a little steep for a simple sandwich, let me tell you, this was no simple sandwich. First off- it was huge. A & I found an unoccupied corner stoop and got to work. The sandwich was constructed strangely- somehow the "seam" of the sandwich was along the top. The vodka-cured lox filled the inside of the crusty, chewy baguette- its vivid pink color matched its intense flavor. The texture of the salmon was smooth and silky. Herb-y cream cheese, a caper spread, and bits of lemon added in all those delicious flavors associated with your typical bagel & lox. The quality of each ingredient created a sandwich that was out of this world.





We took a little food break and stopped at the Black & Brew for some much needed caffeine. I would love to try their Flour-Free Banana & Blueberry Pancakes, but our stomachs weren't up for another heavy dish. We sat in the very cheery and uniquely decorated coffee shop and enjoyed iced coffee (for A) and a double Americano (for me) while reading the newspaper. At this point I was a little high on delicious food and caffeine (BnB coffee packs a punch) and had a little euphoric "I love Philly" moment. The atmosphere on East Passyunk is just so super friendly and neighborhoodly, you can't help but feel like you belong there.





Our next stop was at a well-known East Passyunk institution, aptly named "The Pub on Passyunk East" or POPE for short (yay acronyms!). With a definite "hipster dive bar" atmosphere, we avoided the dim inside and snagged a sidewalk table- unfortunately surrounded by a few chain-smoking, sailor-mouthed, tattered-clothes- wearing groups. Slightly entertaining to listen to, but I could have done without the smoke bubble.



We made the best of it and enjoyed the sunshine. The brunch menu has most of the "standards" but we decided to try the Shrimp and Grits (a Southern classic). Unfortunately, our waitress informed us they were fresh out of shrimp, so we ordered the Trinity ($8)instead. Not expecting too much, we were pleasantly surprised (again!) to be served a very beautifully arranged plate of food. Crisp Granny Smith apple, juicy Bosc pear, and a few pieces of chewy pita bread were served alongside three different dips. The first was my favorite- a very thick, rich goat cheese well complemented by bits of mint and chopped walnuts. Slathered on a sweet and sour piece of apple, this was amazing. A's favorite was the scoop of hummus. Incredibly heavy on the tahini, the hummus was thick and creamy and full of flavor. The third dip was a salty mix of chopped olives with a very Mediterranean feel. Sort of like a tapenade but with a rougher chop on the olives.



We were pretty full at this point and debated continuing our journey through the Italian Market. We decided against it, and broke off from East Passyunk and headed toward home. With a bit of luck, we ran smack into Isgro, a well-known Italian pastry shop in the midst of many delicious looking Italian restaurants.



I've heard that Isgro's sells the best cannolli in Philly (obviously up for debate), but A & I each ordered a pastry to top off our culinary adventure with something sweet. I chose the apple turnover and A ordered the carrot cake ($6.90 for both). Wrapped up in a cute white box reminiscent of most Italian bakeries, these pastries didn't make it but a block down the road before we pulled them out. The turnover was chock full of sweet cinnamon apples, the pastry was flaky and topped with those large sugar crystals that dissolve in your mouth. A little bit of heaven for sure. The carrot cake had lots of raisins and walnuts and was layered with a cream cheese frosting. Rich and spicy, the cake had many visible shreds of carrots (making it healthy, right?).







A & I were overwhelmingly pleased with our venture through South Philly. Lots of good food, cute neighborhood restaurants and shops, and plenty of reasons to go back. What neighborhood should we explore next?

Cantina Los Caballitos
1651 E. Passyunk Ave

Green Aisle Grocery
1618 E. Passyunk Ave

Black N Brew
1523 E. Passyunk Ave

Pub on Passyunk East
1501 E. Passyunk Ave

Isgro Pasticceria
1009 Christian Street

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"The Compleat Sandwich"

On our recent trip to Florida, I found myself reading an interesting article in Southwest Airline's Spirit Magazine (you know, that magazine in the seat pocket in front of you). The magazine featured a series of stories and tips surrounding (as you know) one of our favorite food items- the sandwich. They posed the sandwich as an American icon, and focused on each component and how to maximize the deliciousness of your overall sandwich through each one. At the end of the articles, they offered a challenge: create your own sandwich and enter it in a contest to win a trip to New York City. I've never entered a food contest, but I think it's about time- plus, how hard is it to make a sandwich?

The contest does have some guidelines: don't try to go too crazy- more isn't necessarily better, focus on fresh, local, seasonal ingredients, and be aware of your "sandwich architecture." I've never really thought about my sandwiches as structures or buildings before, but I actually did learn some helpful hints.

1) If you want toasted bread, only toast a single side and use this facing in. This prevents painful cuts or scrapes in your mouth, and allows for both crunchy AND soft textures from your bread. It also helps maintain the structure of the sandwich and prevents sogginess.

2) "Insulate" your sandwich with your spread of choice. This adds another layer of protection for the bread-- wet sandwiches really are the worst.

3) Be careful when choosing the lettuce for your sandwich (if applicable). Are you looking for a lot of crunch? Try romaine or iceberg. Do you want a soft cushion? Go for Bibb or butter lettuce. Looking for additional flavor? Try watercress or arugula.

4) If there is a primary star ingredient, really make it shine. Don't be skimpy with the "meat" of the sandwich (even if it's not meat!)



Keeping these tips and tricks in mind, I set out to create my own original sandwich. J has an obsession with goat cheese, and recently purchased goat Brie, which became the starting point for my creation. Brie is an underrated cheese for sandwiches, and the goat factor adds an extra dimension of flavor. Brie is a perfect cheese counterpart for sweets, so as an additional spread, I chose cherry preserves. The preserves compliment the sharper goat flavor, and also help to keep everything moist. Another classic combination I had in mind was turkey and cranberry sauce- some of the best sandwiches are created out of these leftovers the day after Thanksgiving. With cherry preserves acting as a mock cranberry sauce, I wanted savory turkey to prevent the sandwich from becoming dessert. I chose arugula as the final component to create some volume and add it's unique peppery bite.

To me, bread is THE key to making a good sandwich. For this creation, I dreamed of using thick slices of fresh olive oil-rosemary bread, drizzled with olive oil and grilled (only on one side!). This bread would not only serve as a perfect exterior, it would also add its own burst of flavor. Sadly, this bread of my dreams was not to be found. I was faced with several other options, and eventually chose pumpernickel. A good pumpernickel bread has a deep, sweet flavor that- while not ideal- is not going to take a backseat. My goal was to have the bread play a large role in the sandwich, and pumpernickel would have to step in as the understudy.. if you will.



I sliced the bread into large, thick pieces- almost an inch thick. I don't mess around. Being careful to remember Spirit's advice, I chose to toast one side of each slice of bread. As my dad pointed out when I made this suggestion to him, "My toaster toasts both sides," I used a pan for the job. I spread sweet, salted butter on both slices and heated them in the pan for 2-3 minutes. No burnt edges here, just enough to melt the butter and crisp up the bread.

Next, I took advantage of the hot bread to help the cheese spreading process. However, Brie needs to be at room temperature or it won't spread well, even with a warm spreading surface. The Brie also acts to "insulate" the bread against the much moister jam, which was the next addition. Then, I added the arugula. This lettuce can be kind of a mess- tons of tiny pieces and little stems can explode out of your sandwich. I thought carefully about this problem and decided to add it directly on top of the jam to help anchor the pile of greens down. On the other side, I applied two large slices of roasted turkey, which contained the impending mess by creating a bit of a dome over it. Top with your second slice of bread (toasted side in!) and slice in half.



I was a little disappointed that I couldn't create my dream sandwich (rosemary bread, where ARE you?), but the pumpernickel actually ended up being very enjoyable. It was crispy, but didn't cut my mouth (seriously, this is usually a problem for me), and was extremely dense and flavorful. The Brie and the jam paired together perfectly, oozing a bit of cheesy sweetness into each bite. The turkey was roasted with a number of spices (including rosemary), adding to the flavor profile, and while providing the literal meat for the sandwich, didn't overwhelm the other components. This is not your typical turkey sandwich!



It was fun to make my own creation, based on ingredients and combinations that I prefer. I doubt I'll win the contest, but I am still taking away some helpful sandwich hints that I'm sure I will use forever. So a question for our readers: Any sandwich creations you have in mind?

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CSA Fall Edition: Vegan Quesadillas

Our CSA has been a blessing this summer, providing us with tons of delicious veggies each week. We shared with you the contents of a typical spring share and discussed the plethora of tomatoes we received in many of our summer shares, but now as we move into fall, we are seeing the shift in seasons reflected in our CSA contents.

Last week, we received:

1 bunch rainbow kale
1 bunch herbs (sorrel)
2 Delicata squash
1 bag Roma tomatoes (1 lb)
1 bag onions (2 lb)
1 8 oz package of baby portobella mushrooms
1 bag red potatoes (2 lb)
1 bag jalapeno peppers (1/4 lb)



Quite a lot of delicious, completely organic food! We are still seeing the last of summer's tomatoes, but are also seeing more classic fall vegetables- squash, potatoes, and kale. For some reason seeing the combination of kale and mushrooms reminded me of a dinner I made last year and have often thought about since. I'm not one to repeat recipes often, but I knew I wanted to recreate this and share it with you. Unfortunately, the actual combination is swiss chard and mushrooms, so it required several non-CSA purchases, but the end result was completely worth it. Don't let the vegan-ness of this scare you- it's chock full of flavor and very hearty.

Sweet Potato, Chard, and Mushroom Quesadillas (original recipe found here)

1 sweet potato (medium), peeled and diced into chunks
1 large chipotle pepper in adobo, minced + 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
15 ounce can kidney beans (or any bean of your choice) rinsed and drained
2 large garlic cloves, minced
10-12 ounces of baby portabella mushrooms, chopped
1.5 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 bunch chard, rinsed
2-4 whole wheat tortillas (depending on your hunger level and size of the tortilla; Trader Joe's makes the best whole wheat tortillas I've ever come across)



These quesadillas have three main components, each needing to be prepared separately. However, it all comes together in about 15 minutes! To start, place your peeled, diced sweet potato in a medium, microwave safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a small towel, microwave on high for 4-5 minutes. At this point it should be mashable, if not, nuke it for another minute or two. Add the can of beans, the chipotle pepper and sauce, and season with salt and pepper. Using a potato masher or a large fork, mash everything and stir to combine. The potato should be fully mashed; the beans need not be. Also, a note on chipotle peppers. They come in a small can, and you literally only want to use one. Very spicy and very flavorful. If a recipe calls for ONE pepper, please do not think that this means one entire can. Transfer the remaining peppers and sauce into a small Tupperware or baggie and freeze; for later meals, just scrape out what you need.



While the sweet potato is cooking, prepare the chard. Rinse the leaves well, then cut or tear the leaves off of the stems; discard stems. Tear or slice the leaves into smaller pieces. Heat a pot, coat with cooking spray and add your chard. Add about 1/4 cup of liquid- either vegetable broth or water- to help the steaming process, and cover. Chard cooks quickly, so really only needs a couple of minutes in the steam bath. When it's fully wilted, you may need to dump off the remaining liquid-- I poured it off and then lightly squeezed the chard to make sure it wasn't super juicy (nobody wants a soggy quesadilla).





Onto the third component! In a skillet, heat some olive oil, then add your chopped mushrooms and garlic. I also seasoned these with salt and pepper, but not necessary. Once the garlic is softened and your mushrooms are well cooked, it's time to assemble and heat the quesadilla. I moved the mushrooms to a plate and reutilized the same skillet. Start with your tortilla, then glob on some of the sweet potato mixture. The recipe is actually intended to feed two, but I was able to make four meals out of it-- two quesadillas and two burritos. Whatever works for you. Make a good bed of sweet potato on one half of the tortilla, then layer on the chard. Finally, top with the sauteed mushrooms, cover with the opposing side of the tortilla, and transfer to the pan. Heat for 3-4 minutes per side, to crisp up the tortilla and heat everything through.







You can serve these with sour cream (non-vegan alert!), but we actually love them plain. The chipotle flavor is pretty intense, and really works well with the earthy sweet potato and beans. Each bite has a variety of textures all working together- the chewy tortilla, the creamy sweet potato and the soft mushrooms all form a delicious, filling meal that is even better the next day. It's perfect for a fall or winter dinner (plus all of the ingredients are produced at this time of the year!), comes together amazingly fast, and you won't miss the meat- I promise.

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Barbuzzo

I have been waiting to write this post for a very long time. "But Barbuzzo just opened!" you might say. Yes, but this restaurant has been in the works for what seems like years. A & I have been fans of the 13th Street monopoly run by partners Valarie Safran and Marcie Turney for quite awhile now. Lolita was one of our very first favorite places to eat back when we were wee undergrads; we've purchased a number of gifts at Verde; our mom loves the decor that fills Open House; I'm a fan of the unique Marcie Blaine chocolates; and even met my boyfriends mom for the first time over dinner at Bindi. I've been preemptively drooling ever since this duo announced a new Mediterranean venture.

A & I snagged a somewhat early reservation on Friday evening, though the restaurant certainly never reached capacity during our meal. The very skinny, deep building is arranged with a bar and long kitchen-viewing counter along one side and tables pushed up against the opposite wall. This leaves a somewhat narrow aisle for hostesses, waitresses, bussers, and diners to navigate. Providing us with our own bottle of chilled tap water cut down on the need for water refreshment traffic. We were seated next to two sweet yet slightly nosy Jersey women- the close quarters had us sharing conversations and at one point, even food. Our table was also near the bar, which gave us the pleasure of listening to an obnoxious screechy-laughed lady who had too many glasses of wine.

However, we didn't let the atmosphere ruin our appetites. A started her meal with the "Pig Popcorn" ($5). Hopefully no one orders this expecting actual popcorn, because it is deep-fried pig skin. This was an annual treat from our childhood memory bank, as we always stopped to get a piping hot piece at a country fair in Northern Georgia. Barbuzzo's rendition was a little more classy. Tons of crunch (almost a bit too hard) and delicious smoky flavor, with the accompanying aioli providing a creamy kick of horseradish. A great snack to start with.



I really wanted to try the roasted marrow bones (still never tried marrow!) but A wasn't really feeling it, so I chose the chicken liver and foie gras mousse ($7)- still adventurous enough to keep me happy. This ended up being a real highlight of our meal. The mousse was incredibly dense, incredibly rich, and incredibly satisfying. The sweet tartness of the dried cherries added an extra dimension to the flavor. My one complaint? The bread was too toasted. I really would have liked some lightly toasted French bread instead of a dried up cracker. But really.. I'm being picky. The creamy, meaty mousse was so good I probably would have eaten it with a piece of cardboard.




The bread snafu was immediately remedied by the arrival of our vegetable board ($13). This long wooden plank offered up some soft, buttery grilled bread with the the perfect touch of toastiness. Unfortunately, this delicious bread was the star of the show. There were four different piles of cold seasonal vegetable "salads"; mushrooms, snap peas and white beans, sauteed eggplant, and a radish and beet concoction certainly provided an interesting assortment of vegetables. However, I think the fact that this dish is served cold made it easy to pick apart. The mushrooms were a little rubbery, the eggplant a little soggy, the snap peas a little stringy. Radishes and beets are too mild to pair together, at least in my opinion. If these veggies were served immediately after cooking, I think they would be terrific.



The dishes were coursed out well- at this point we had a little break to breathe, chat about the food, and anticipate our entrees. A's choice- the bucatini ($13)- was certainly worth anticipating. This thick housemade pasta was out of this world. Denser than your typical spaghetti, with an almost doughy bite, it was every pasta lover's dream (and I typically dislike pasta...). The sauce was sweet yet spicy, with a touch of lightly steamed escarole and a sprinkle of buttery burrata cheese. An additional depth to the sauce was provided by a little hunk of slow-cooked pork shoulder. While we wished there was a little more of the meat, it provided a hearty flavor that was much enjoyed. A and I compared the quality of the dish to that of our pasta experience at Vetri's Amis, with the added bonus of a bigger portion (totally sharable!) for the same price.



I opted to choose from the pizza section of the menu. The huge wood-burning oven gave a smoky-tinged bonfire aroma to the entire restaurant, and this was very well captured in the capricciosa pizza ($14). The dough was thinly spread, yet still maintained a chewy thicker outer crust (a pizza requirement in our household). The toppings were well chosen and incredibly high-quality- sweet San Marzano tomatoes, little piles of thinly shaved prosciutto, the perfect quantity of smoked mozzarella, soft bits of artichoke, and zesty, salty olives. Though we still think Zavino sells our favorite, Barbuzzo certainly knows what they're doing in the pizza department. A few leftover slices made for a great next-day snack.




I also had to try a side of the roasted brussels ($6). These seem to be a popular menu item, and I've enjoyed delicious renditions at both Sampan and Varga. Barbuzzo has a refreshing take on the dish- not overly cooked, with a good bit of crunch and a lot of that super fresh vegetable flavor- good for counteracting pasta and pizza. Some housemade pancetta, shaved caciocavallo cheese (like a mild parm), and a little crusty breadcrumb cap made the dish well worth the price. Again, great use of top-notch ingredients created something deliciously simple yet totally luxurious.



The dessert menu didn't have anything that screamed "you must eat me NOW!" so we topped of our dinner across the street at Capogiro. We spent quite awhile reminiscing about the meal and trying to decide what dish was our favorite. Narrowing it down to the bucatini and the mousse, perhaps we'll have to go back and have a second round trial to decide the real winner. Absolutely 100% without a doubt we recommend this restaurant- probably not good for first dates (a little loud) or big groups (a little cramped) but absolutely perfect for anyone craving a delicious meal with Italian influences.

Barbuzzo
110 S. 13th Street

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Southern Hospitality at Supper

One of the problems with keeping up to date with restaurant news and activities is the constant barrage of delicious looking (or sounding) foods that we read about daily. We have our ongoing "list" of restaurants we need to try, and a somewhat shorter list of recipes we'd like to make. On graduate student budgets, we definitely use the majority of our spending money for food- either groceries or meals out. We try to save by making our own meals throughout the week, which allows a splurge or two on the weekends. However, special menus and good deals at many restaurants happen on weekdays, so we very often miss out on them. Thanks to the Philadelphia court system, I acquired a little extra money in exchange for spending 6 days as a juror (did you know for the first three days of your service, they give you a whopping $9/day?). I knew I wanted to spend it on a special meal, and before long, one came along.

Supper is one of my favorite restaurants in the city- a beautiful space, delicious foods, light portions, and a great staff. I wrote about their brunch previously, but every meal I have had there has been top notch. One of my Philly food dreams is to eat at one of their Sunday Suppers, a themed meal that occurs just once per month-- and always looks beyond delicious. I had my eye on this month's Sunday Supper, but the restaurant added an additional special menu that J and I agreed would be even better. For this one-time-only-meal, Supper was teaming up with a chef from Kentucky, Edward Lee of 610 Magnolia to provide a fixed price dinner ($38/person). Granted, I've never heard of him or his restaurant, but knowing the high standards of Supper, and the theme of "Southern Hospitality," I knew it would be good.

The meal happened on a Tuesday, providing a special treat mid-week. Supper's Twitter feed warned us of a busy restaurant- a totally sold out meal. However, when we arrived at 7, the time the dinner was listed to begin, it was fairly quiet-- apparently reservations were available for any time that evening. The meal began with bread service and a glass of lemonade. I'm not sure whether the bread was part of the Southern theme (walnut raisin?) but the lemonade brought us straight back to Southern country fairs. Served in a Mason jar, it was cold and sour- way more lemon than sugar, which allows for a much more refreshing drink.



The first course was listed as "Pig's Feet and Wasabi Griddle Cakes," which sounds quite bizarre but was actually a bit plain. Two small cornmeal based pancakes, with a bit of a smoky, spicy flavor, were topped with an herb salad and a drizzle of lemon-chili sauce. The cakes had no sign of meat-- we've had pig trotters before, and loved them, so I was a little disappointed that the soft flavorful meat wasn't more apparent. The herb salad consisted of leaves of basil, mint, and perhaps a few other herbs, and was just "so-so." I personally don't like the overwhelming flavor of straight, fresh herbs.



There were two options for the entree, so naturally we each selected one of them and then tried both. I started with the Maple Brined Pork, which was NOT what was originally advertised online. Perhaps this irks me more than it should, but I would have preferred the "Crispy Pork Shoulder" that was promised me. The meat was extremely soft and moist, both indications of a long brining process. It had a slight sweet flavor from the maple syrup, which was well complemented by the whole grain mustard sauce served alongside it. It was a fairly small piece of meat, but enough to share and still be satisfied, particularly as a part of a multi-course meal.



The second entree sounded amazing. Kentucky Fried Skate Wing, or "KFSW" for short (doesn't quite have the KFC ring to it). J began with this entree, and was struggling a bit to tackle it. Typically, skate wing is served off the bone, as a thin layer of meat. In this case, the skate wing was whole- basically two filets of skate on either side of a rack of bones. Thankfully the bones are large enough to not cause your classic case of accidental fish bone choking, and easy to pull out of the meat. It was also very easy to simply scrape the meat off of the rack of bones. Unfortunately, skate is a very moist meat, and it didn't take particularly well to the frying process. The outer shell of fried batter was thin and rather unflavorful, adding little to the mild skate. It was served with sweet pickles and some crispy fried sage- both delicious but meager, and the promise of hot sauce fell a bit flat. This dish was completely original, and props to Supper and their guest chef for attempting it, but definitely could have used a bit of tweaking.



The entree was accompanied by three sides, served family style for us to share. All were riffs on classic Southern dishes- grits, collards, and tomato-bean salad. The grits were the absolute best grits I've ever had- they tasted like sweet cornbread. They were topped with fresh purple corn, which provided a wonderful texture contrast to the creamy grits, and a few crumbles of smoky bacon. Southern perfection. The collards were braised to the point of buttery softness, but were on the sweet side. We prefer our collards "savory," but these were still good. They were mixed with spicy, crunchy pecans and a few slices of soft peach- did these go through the braising process too? They seemed a bit off. The tomato and pole bean salad was the freshest of the three sides, a simple salad of sliced heirloom tomatoes and a relative of the green bean tossed with a basil vinaigrette, much like a thin version of pesto. Eating out of the family style dish was a little bit awkward, but we made it work.



We were expecting a chilled cantaloupe soup for dessert, but another menu change had us intrigued. We did receive a take on this soup as a sort of "intermezzo" between our entree and dessert, a tiny cup of thin cantaloupe syrup surrounding fresh raspberries and mint leaves. It was good, and of course I always appreciate a little "extra," but I'm glad that the real dessert option consisted of something even better.



Waffles may not seem like a classic dessert, but in the South, you can eat waffles for pretty much any meal (waffles and fried chicken, anyone?). A soft, sweet Belgian-style waffle was studded with pecans, drizzled with a sorghum syrup, and topped with a scoop of buttermilk ice cream. This style of syrup is also very Southern- not as sweet as maple syrup, with a strong flavor of molasses. It was the perfect accompaniment, pure food genius in my opinion. This dessert only got better when we tasted the ice cream- it basically tasted like cold, sweet butter. There was none of the sourness often associated with buttermilk, and melted into the waffle, it was a little bit of heaven.



As we waited for our check, we noticed another table being served a little something extra-- we weren't totally sure what it was, but I was sad that we hadn't received one! (Note: you might wonder how I even desired another bite of food after all of this. The lovely thing about Supper is the perfectly portioned dishes- plenty for you to get a good taste of each component, but not nearly enough to make you unbutton your pants. We left feeling satisfied, not full.) As the waiter delivered our check, he also brought these jealousy-inducing treats: tiny red velvet cupcakes topped with a cream cheese icing. Two delightful bites of fluffy flavorful cake and a smooth, sweet icing (our personal favorite flavor!); a delicious surprise, and a perfect ending to the meal.



As we left the restaurant, the owner/chef Mitch Prensky personally thanked us for attending the dinner, and his wife was often seen checking in with many of the tables. This personal touch was much appreciated, and yet another reminder of why we love Supper. Overall, we agreed that it wasn't the best meal we've ever had- too many small problems- but for a one-time meal, it is quite understandable. A restaurant typically serves the same dishes night after night, and throwing the kitchen for a loop must be a difficult endeavor. The highlights of the meal certainly left me with pleasant memories, and I'm happy to have spent my "hard-earned" money on this meal.

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The Top

A & I are ridiculously spoiled when it comes to eating well- as this blog has hopefully pointed out, Philly has some darn good food. On the increasingly rare chance we make the trek back to our hometown- Gainesville, FL- we like to poke fun at our parents and friends who are stuck with very few options on the fine-dining front.

Because we were home for pre-wedding festivities, a slew of girls convened at one of the bride-to-be's favorite restaurants. The Top is located in "downtown" Gainesville and attracts a mostly young, hipster crowd- it's dark, a little crowded, the decorations are questionable, and the music can get pretty loud. Because we had such a big group, we ended up claiming a couple of tables on the newly opened back patio, allowing us to actually hear each other talk.



The Top advertises itself (I use the term advertise loosely, as the place uses a MySpace page for online publicity) as a casual, American restaurant with influences from the South and the Southwest. It also has many, many vegetarian and vegan options which seems fitting for its demographic. As they are most well-known for two of their appetizers, our table ordered both to share: corn nuggets and sweet potato fries.

Oh, corn nuggets ($4.95). Your crispy outside and sweet creamed corn inside make such a delightful combination. We were really unsure about how these are actually made, and I can only imagine it involves blobbing creamed corn into a bowl of batter and then throwing the whole mess into the deep fryer... yet still producing an evenly coated, not-too-greasy product full of piping hot, creamy crunchy corn. These little nuggets of joy came with a garlic ranch type dip but really, there was no need. Side note: the menu claims these are "world-famous in Gainesville," which is just amusing.



Although we eat meat regularly, A and I are always curious to try vegetarian protein sources, so we also ordered some buffalo tempeh ($6.25). We like wings, and hot sauce, and fried stuff, and these were no exception. Though eating this was much less work-intensive than eating real buffalo wings, the firm texture of the tempeh was surprisingly meat-like. The typical accompaniments of celery, carrots, and bleu cheese dressing helped offset the fire in our mouths. This dish also had us Googling tempeh- as a less-processed form of soy protein, we'd love to cook with this in the future.



I was craving some veggies, so I opted for a salad as my entree ($8.95). The Top has all the standard types of salads: Caesar, spinach, etc. I would like to see a little more creativity in this category, but "The Top" salad was pretty good. Mixed greens, some cranberries, pecans and feta, as well as a few peppers to add crunch. However, what made this regular salad great was the addition of another Top favorite: pecan crusted tofu. Three huge slabs of soft and creamy tofu lightly coated in a pecan crust- probably some of the best tofu I have ever eaten. Perfectly cooked with tons of flavor- quite impressive for a protein that has a bad rap for negligible taste and bad texture.

Outside seating=flash necessary=shiny tofu!

A chose from the sandwich portion of the menu, which has many delicious sounding options- way more exciting than the salads. The Portobello Pesto Melt ($8.95) was served panini-style on a pressed and toasty ciabatta roll. Meaty chunks of mushrooms, peppers, a thick slather of pesto, and a goat cheese spread culminated in a stellar vegetarian sandwich. The layers of ingredients melded together in a perfect combination of essential sandwich elements. The generous side of sweet potato fries are some of the best we've ever had (two "bests" at one restaurant... in Gainesville??)- just exactly how you want your sweet potato fries to be- soft yet slightly crispy sticks of sweet potato. Deee-licious.



While we do joke that G'ville has no good restaurants, it does have a few redeeming options- The Top being one of them. Not quite my favorite type of atmosphere, but the food was consistently solid- no complaints here. The back patio would be a better option come fall, though the industrial sized fans helped us beat the sticky summer heat.

The Top
130 N. Main Street
Gainesville, FL

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Peanut Butter Jelly Time

Now that I hope you have that annoyingly funny song stuck in your head, we can move on to the real focus for today: Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars. As "gourmet" as I like to eat, simply put, there really is nothing like a good peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Classic, unpretentious, just two pieces of soft white bread filled with creamy (our preference over crunchy) peanut butter and sweet, sticky jelly. Really, anything with peanut butter is good by me (we usually have two or more containers of various nut butters open at any given time, and we're lucky if they last a week).

Many years ago, we sampled a delicious dessert based on this oh-so-popular sandwich at a potluck dinner, and thankfully, J was smart enough to ask for the recipe. Barefoot Contessa herself was behind the addicting peanut butter and jelly bars that we have since wanted to recreate. However, it is difficult to make an extremely rich dessert and justify keeping it around the house until it is gone (unless it's snowing outside, of course). This past weekend, we were invited to attend a bridal shower in honor of one of our very best friends, and asked to bring a dish to share. We debated many items but finally settled on the PB&J bars... really, four years of dreaming about them was long enough. As the bridal shower was taking place in Gainesville, we had the pleasure of using our parents kitchen (and all of the memory evoking baking apparatuses (apparati?): hello, big yellow mixing bowl and old wooden spoon!)

Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1.5 cups sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 cups (18 oz; a small jar) creamy peanut butter (recommended: the fake kind)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1.5 tsp. kosher salt
1.5 cups (18 oz; a small jar) jelly or jam
2/3 cups peanuts (we used honey roasted), chopped

Preheat the oven to 350. Prepare your baking pan, a 9 by 13" cake pan. The directions from the website linked above were very vague, so we did a little research to better understand what we needed to do. Basically, you want to line the pan with parchment paper. However, if you just stick the paper in, it doesn't stay put very well. To aid the process, butter or grease the pan, bottom and sides, and then smooth the paper onto the now sticky surface until it fully lines the pan. Then, butter the top of the parchment paper (the whole thing, bottom and sides) and coat with flour. If you aren't too concerned about the appearance of your bars, you could skip the parchment paper and butter and flour the pan itself. However, the parchment paper makes it very easy to remove the bars for the last bit of cooling without ruining them.



The recipe also calls for the following mixing to be done using an electric stand mixer. Our parents don't have one, and we considered using a hand held electric mixer, but in the end used old-fashioned "elbow grease." Cream the butter and sugar together until it is a smooth light yellow (delicious) mess. Add the vanilla, the eggs, and the peanut butter, and mix until everything is incorporated well-- it takes a few minutes. Ina Garten (is that really her name?) recommends Skippy peanut butter, but we couldn't bring ourselves to do that-- we wanted to use organic, pure peanut butter but the price difference had us choosing Publix brand regular creamy peanut butter (Note: Peanut butter really should be peanuts and salt, nothing else. But perhaps we are nut butter snobs).



Oh, yeahhh.

In another small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In small batches, add the flour to the butter mixture, stirring to combine after each addition. Your dough is now done! Spread approximately 2/3rds of the mix into the prepared pan, using spoons, spatulas, butter knives, and fingers to create a smooth, even surface.



Then, spread your jelly or jam on top of this layer. We chose Polaner's grape jelly (with fiber! Yeah, nutrition!)- we typically eat apricot jam, but wanted a dark color to be visible against the brown bar base, and the recipe suggested raspberry (which may have made a more "sophisticated" bar), but we wanted the classic of all classics- grape. We used a bit less than the recommended amount- a jar is only 15.5 ounces instead of the requested 18, but it worked out fine.



After spreading on the jelly, take the remaining dough and place small pinches/balls/blobs of dough all over the jelly. It doesn't have to be pretty, or perfect, but it should be fairly well covered when you're done. The baking process will settle these blobs down a bit, but not completely. Finally, sprinkle the peanuts over the top (or leave them out if you wish), and bake at 350 for 40 minutes, or until golden brown.




Allow to cool, and then lift onto a smooth surface using the parchment paper as "handles." Cut into bar size pieces- the recipe states that it yields 24 bars, but these would be pretty large bars (about 2" by 3.5"). We cut each of the suggested bars in half, allowing many more pieces of peanut butter and jelly delight.



The final outcome: delicious. As desserts go, these aren't too sweet, but in this case, it works well as it allows the peanut butter flavor to really shine. The base of the bar is a bit like peanut butter fudge- dense with just a bit of crumble. The jelly flavor is present, but does take a back seat to the peanut butter, and the chunks of dough and peanuts on top are a little crunchy. My mom wondered what they would be like with crunchy peanut butter- I am sure just as delicious, if that's your thing. I highly recommend taking the path we chose, and making these if you have an event or a large group to disperse them among, because you may or may not want to consume the entire pan yourself.

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