Austin, Texas
May 2, 2012My husband, Josh and I took a vacation to Austin, Texas at the end of March. In addition to hearing what a great town for music and art Austin is I was, as usual, most excited about the food possibilities! We had lots of good eats while we were down South, from the ever-talked-about food truck experience (we have a few in Ann Arbor now, too!), to tasty BBQ and some higher-end cuisine.
We had a few hit-and-miss experiences so I’ll highlight my favorites, in no particular order:
Gourdough’s
A raved about doughnut trailer just west of hip and artsy South Congress (SoCo) area. I read about this place when doing some pre-vacation foodie research and it was also recommended by boss’s Austin-local cousin.
The folks in this trailer make doughnuts with crazy, nostalgic, childhood-dream toppings. It’s basically a doughnut sundae topped with anything you can come up with, although they already have 23 pre-determined concoctions for the indecisive folks.
These confections are easily split between two people, and thankfully Josh and I chose wisely and did just that. We picked the Funky Money which is a freshly fried doughnut topped with grilled bananas, gobs of cream cheese icing and brown sugar. It was one of the best doughnuts I’ve ever had, but be warned that it’s extremely rich and not for the faint of heart!
Frank
Whether you’re a traditionalist or a sophisticated connoisseur when it comes to hot dogs and brats you’ll find an amazing selection of top-quality items to please at Frank in Austin.
We hit this place three times while we were in town for the week, it was that good! Plus, the atmosphere is cool and the staff are friendly. It felt like a neighborhood place for both townies and out-of-towners.
The first visit I had a brat on special that had a blackberry gastrique, goat cheese and crispy sage. I had them switch out the venison brat for their Jackalope which is a blend of antelope, rabbit and pork sausage. It was served on a fresh artisan bun and was amazing. The flavors really popped and the bright flavors of the berries, creaminess of the cheese and crisp herby bite of the sage made for great textural contrast and a rich taste.
My husband went the more traditional hot dog route and loved his too. We also split an order of their waffle fries with special house-bbq sauce on the side – delish! The only small disappointment that day was the chocolate chip and bacon cookie which turned out to be a mediocre cookie topped with crumbled bacon (rather than part of the cookie).
We went back the next day for a late lunch and I tried one of the regular menu choices, the Texilina. It’s a pork and beef brat with grilled coleslaw, mustard bbq sauce and white cheddar cheese. Another winner! A nice middle-ground between traditionalist and a more adventurous palette.
Bonus points! We came back in the evening for to hear a local band play and actually saw Zooey Deschanel hanging out there! I was too busy admiring her adorable dress and shoes to notice who it was until Josh poked me! New Girl is one of our favorite TV shows.
Second Bar & Kitchen
We had dinner here the first night we were in town. Very friendly, but sophisticated vibe with knowledgeable staff. It’s attached to the posh The Austonian hotel.
I bet this place is packed on Friday and Saturday nights. I’m glad we came in on a Sunday when it was almost full, but we didn’t have to wait for a table. There were enough people in the restaurant to know we had found a good place, but quiet enough to be able to enjoy the experience.
I found a new favorite beverage here, Crispin Natural Hard Apple Cider. It wasn’t too sweet, but was crisp and refreshing. This reminds me that I need to find a local store that carries it!
For dinner I had the roasted chicken breast with grilled corn “panzanella” consisting of citrus jus and sourdough. The chicken was succulent and cooked perfectly. It was seasoned well and every element of the dish came together. This was one of the best meals we ate Austin.
Malanga Tapas & Bar
There’s a fabulous tapas place in Chicago that we love so we’re always hoping to find the next great small-plate restaurant on our visits out of town. Malanga’s was a pretty good find.
The prices here were more than our favorite in Chicago, Cafe Iberico which is surprising, but the food was still very tasty. We split lamb chops, an antipasto platter and dessert.
The lamb chops were fabulous! The baby chops came medium-rare and were marinated in aged balsamic vinegar, honey, and olive oil. The side of basil-mint pesto and balsamic reduction was my favorite part!
The meat and cheese were a selection of 15 month old Spanish Serrano Ham, Pamplona Chorizo, Garrotxa with rosemary, and 6 month old Manchego cheeses, also very good.
For dessert we had the Mantecadas. It came out with a beautiful presentation, but the dish itself was underwhelming in flavor. It was described as ‘pastries stuffed with cream cheese and lightly topped with fresh strawberries and a strawberry reduction’, but we didn’t find much in the way of pastry and the strawberries weren’t very sweet.
Overall, we ate well in Austin and really enjoyed the trip overall. If you’re looking for some details on non-food places to go I can share those too, just give me a shout!
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Raspberry Baked Oatmeal
November 9, 2011
First off, I apologize for the long and unintended blogging hiatus. I stated a new job earlier this year and I forgot how much that can take out of you.
Before writing this post I’ve passed this recipe for baked oatmeal on to at least ten people so I knew that I needed to get it up on my blog for the rest of the world to enjoy.
The raspberry baked oatmeal is an adaptation of a Blackberry and Ginger Baked Oatmeal I found on Babble. I’ll admit that I made the Blackberry and Ginger version first and I love it even more than with raspberries. I tried to change things up when I couldn’t find decent blackberries in the store the one week, but this recipe is flexible and will work well no matter your favorite berry.
It’s great fresh out of the oven, bur reheats nicely in the microwave for about one minute or so. I make it on Sundays and put it in the fridge for an easy breakfast before work the rest of the week. It’s my new go to first meal of the day!
Baked Oatmeal with Raspberries
adapted from Babble
- 2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/4 – 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, plus more for top
- pinch ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups skim milk
- 1 egg
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- 3 large bananas
- 2 pints of fresh raspberries
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray an 8” square baking dish with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine the oats, sugar, ginger, baking powder, spices, and salt.
In a small bowl whisk together the milk, egg, and butter.
lice the bananas and layer on the bottom the prepared baking dish. Spread half of the berries over the bananas. Spoon the oat mixture over the top, and then pour in the milk mixture. Press the remaining berries into the oats, and sprinkle top with cinnamon.
Bake for 35 – 45 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes or refrigerate and reheat leftovers.
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Mud Hen Bars
September 18, 2011
I’d never had anything quite like a Mud Hen Bar before I made these after finding them on the Two Peas and Their Pod blog (which found the recipe on the Sunday Baker blog) . They’re a layered bar ‘cookie’, but have their own unique qualities compared to other varieties I’ve made or have eaten. Each of tier gives the dessert a mix of texture and flavor that I loved. The bottom layer is a lovely light yellow cake (Two Peas referred to it as a cookie base, but mine out very much like a cake). The middle layer consists of mini-marshmallows and chocolate chips to create a gooey center and the top is a brown sugar meringue which finishes the Mud Hen Bars with a nice crackle and almost caramel-like taste. There is some debate about where the name of these came from, but you’ll enjoy contemplating that while taking a bite of one of these!
Like Two Peas and Their Pod, I left out the nuts from the base layer. Find the recipe here.
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Lochart’s BBQ, Royal Oak, Michigan
August 27, 2011
The Detroit-area barbecue scene has gotten more competitive recently. My favorite barbecue place, Slows Bar BQ, in downtown Detroit (near the old Tiger’s Stadium) has been given a run for its money by Lochart’s BBQ .
Josh and I recently made a visit to this relative newcomer that opened last year in the hip, artsy town of Royal Oak, Michigan. It’s about a 45 minute trip from our home in Ypsilanti, but they did not disappoint. I would classify the interior of this restaurant as casual, modern industrial. With thick wood tables with natural splits to the exposed brick walls and stainless steel counters, open kitchen and large windows allowing light to pour inside.
The server was well versed on the menu and ready to help with any questions. He also brought out a nice complimentary jar of sweet and fiery pickle chips in a glass jar to start off our meals.
I ordered the Carolina Pulled Pork sandwich which came on a Kaiser roll with the signature Lochart’s signature barbecue sauce which was smokey sweet with a hint of spicy and topped with coleslaw. The meat was very tender and juicy and I loved the creaminess of the coleslaw as a compliment to the pork. I had my choice of a side and went for their classic mac and cheese which was creamy and had a nice cheesy quality, but still fell a bit short of Slows fantastically gooey, rich version. Josh also loved his go-to choice of a beef brisket sandwich as well.
We had really wanted to try dessert but couldn’t get past the fact that we were filled to the brim with barbecue goodness on this particular day. Sweet endings will have to wait until our next visit. The trick will be to decide on one amongst a lot of great choices, including: Pecan Pie, Berry Cobbler and Chocolate Dr. Pepper Cake.
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Michigan Sweet Corn
and Red Raspberry Ice Cream
August 15, 2011
In June, I ordered the recipe book, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home, from my favorite ice cream store based in Columbus, Ohio. The first recipe I tried was Salty Caramel, one of the top flavors I order when I’m in a Jeni’s store. The at-home version turned out very close to the original I love so much that I was excited to try more recipes from the book.
My second attempt was the Sweet Corn and Black Raspberry ice cream; a sweet corn ice cream base with black raspberry sauce swirled through. I’ve had this seasonal summer version in the Jeni’s shops before as well. It may sound odd to some, but trust me when I say that the sweet corn makes for great ice cream and you can really taste the milky sweetness of the corn.
I used fresh Michigan sweet corn, but was having trouble finding black raspberries so I opted to go with the traditional red raspberries. I knew that my version would lack the deep purple color, but the red raspberries would still give it a nice flavor.
The contrast of the slightly gooey, tart-sweet red raspberry sauce (it doesn’t fully freeze) with the creaminess and soft yellow color of the corn base is delicious. Even my husband, Josh, who rarely steers away from traditional flavors like chocolate, couldn’t get enough of this treat.
Michigan Sweet Corn
and Red Raspberry Ice Cream
Adapted from Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home,
for the Red Raspberry Sauce:
- 2 c. red raspberries
- 1 c. sugar
for the Sweet Corn Ice Cream:
- 1 ear Michigan sweet corn, husked
- 2 c. whole milk
- 1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. cornstarch
- 1 1/2 oz. reduced-fat cream cheese
- 1/4 tsp. fine sea salt
- 1 1/4 c. heavy cream
- 2/3 c. sugar
- 2 tbsp. light corn syrup
- Red Raspberry Sauce (see above)
Instructions:
- Make the sauce:
- Combine black raspberries and 1/2 cup sugar in a 1-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat, and cook, stirring, until thick, about 8 minutes; strain and chill.
- Make the ice cream:
- Prep:In a bowl, stir together 2 tbsp. of milk and the cornstarch and set aside. Slice kernels off cob of corn then ‘milk’ the cob by scraping it with the back of your knife to push the liquid into the bowl; reserve kernels and juice. Whisk the cream cheese and salt in a medium bowl until smooth. Fill a large bowl with ice water.
- Cook:
In a 4-qt saucepan combine the remaining milk, cream, sugar, corn and juices and corn syrup, bring to a boil over medium-high heat and boil for 4 minutes. Turn off the heat and strain the mixture through a sieve into a bowl to remove the solids. Return the mixture to the saucepan and slowly whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Return to a boil over medium-high heat until slightly thickened, stirring with a heat-proof spatula, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
- Chill:Slowly whisk the hot mixture into the cream cheese until smooth. Pour the mixture into a 1-gallon freezer bag, seal the bag and submerge in the ice water for 30 minutes or until mixture is cold, adding more ice as needed.
- Freeze:Pour the ice cream base into the frozen ice cream maker and freeze following manufacturer’s instructions. Alternate layers of raspberry sauce and ice cream into an air-tight storage container, beginning and ending with the sauce; don’t mix. Press a sheet of parchment paper against the ice cream surface and seal. Freeze at least 4 hours.
Category: Product Reviews | 2 Comments
Brunch at Grange, Ann Arbor, MI
July 17, 2011
One of the best brunch experiences I’ve had was on a recent visit to Grange Kitchen and Bar in Ann Arbor. It’s a sweet little space with an intimate atmosphere with a mix of contemporary and traditional with exposed brick walls, simply framed photos along the wall and antique furniture. They also put a focus on locally sourced ingredients.
The day Josh and I visited I was in the mood for something on the savory side. I asked our waiter for his opinion when deciding between the duck and potato hash and the shrimp and grits. He strongly recommended the duck hash. He indicated that although some places are hit or miss when it comes to preparing this bird Grange does an excellent job.
When our meals arrived I was very happy I followed our waiter’s recommendation. The duck was rich and moist and well flavored with a blend of herbs and a nice textural contrast to the crisp potatoes and sauce-like yoke from the sunny-side up egg when it broke. My dish came with a side of grilled toast, but I’ve never been one to enjoy dipping my toast in an egg dish. I asked if their might be some jam or jelly for it and was pleasantly surprised when the waiter came back with the chef’s recommendation of a side fresh rhubarb compote. It was a lovely sweet and tart accompaniment to the bread.
My husband chose to go with one of their signature brunch choices, a freshly ground burger with bacon jam, roasted garlic mayonnaise and topped with a fried egg. He said it was incredible. I took his word for it as 10am was a bit early in the day for me to think about a burger, even if it did include an egg.
The brunch prices at Grange are in the $10-$15 range which, given the quality of food and service is very fair. We’ve already made the easy decision to return to Grange for brunch.
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Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home
June 23, 2011
Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams in Columbus, Ohio is famous for their creative gourmet flavors and use of high quality local ingredients. I am a huge fan of the selection and make a point of stopping there often while my husband and I are in town visiting family. I’ve even blogged about Jeni’s in the past. That’s why I was thrilled to see the release of their new cookbook, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home, in mid-June. I pre-ordered a copy and received it a day before it’s ‘official’ in-store release.
Last weekend I attempted one of my top-five favorite Jeni’s flavors: Salty Caramel. I was a little intimidated because of a warning on the page about the technique used to create the caramel. I appreciate that they let me know that dry-heating the sugar (without any liquid) makes the process faster, but also more likely to burn the sugar so it requires a very close eye. Despite my reservations the recipe went smoothly thanks to the well written step-by-step instructions.
In general the Salty Caramel ice cream I made in my kitchen was very similar in taste to the shop version. It had rich buttery caramel overtones and subtle salty undertones that complement the sweetness perfectly. The only detail that I felt was missing from the book, were suggestions on the best types of storage containers. I used an air-tight plastic bowl with with fitted lid and I ran into a little bit of an icy texture on top after storing it in the freezer, even after letting it sit at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes before serving (as the book recommends). But, that has not stopped me from enjoying a dish of Salty Caramel goodness for the last several nights!
I was surprised that the book gave away so many of their signature recipes, but I’m also thrilled! I live three hours away from the closest Jeni’s so it’s not always easy to swing by for a scoop and the retailers in the area are a bit costly for a pint. Plus, the enjoyment of making it yourself cannot be replaced.
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Printed from the Everyday Foodie blog. © 2011 Karen McCullough