Nurturing my inner... eat out, then eat in

I got to visit a friend in Annapolis recently.  If you've never been, you really should put it on your list of must see towns.  Lots of little shops by the water.  Quaint streets to walk along.  Oh, and if you happen to be there in the morning, you'll have to stop and have brunch at Miss Shirley's.

Side window.

It was a super crisp, clear day with plenty of sunshine.

Front entrance. Still winter. Craggly tree.

The menu was huge!  Like, overwhelming.  I wanted about 10 things at first glance.  It went up from there the more I studied it.

Extensive. Love that kind of offering.

Tell you what I finally wrestled down to the best option for me in my "what if I never get back here again in my life" thinking mode: Trio of Breakfast Sliders.

Sliders served with Scrambled Eggs:

- One with White Cheddar & Slow-Roasted Carolina Pulled Pork
- One with White Cheddar & Applewood-Smoked Bacon
- One with Goat Cheese, Spinach & Roasted Red Pepper

All on Mini Challah Rolls & choice of Shredded Potato & Onion Hash Browns or Savory Grits with Diced Bacon.

The presentation was just perfect. It's fun
to line things up on long, rectangular plates.

One quick snap of a booth before the three of us rolled our round, overstuffed selves out of there.  (I might note we started with the fried green tomatoes which were delicious and my two skinny friends can eat me under the table like you wouldn't believe unless you watched them.)

Dark, rich browns.

I'm totally going to buy rolls and make these little breakfast trios at home! I bought mini challah rolls at Wegmans to make chicken sandwiches not long ago, but if you're in Connecticut, I bet you can find them at a Jewish bakery.  (Of course now I want to learn to make challah at home.)  As you know, I share my restaurant trips with you, so though you may not get to the same places, hopefully what I dined on inspires you to make something similar in your own kitchen. Thus, I provide you with much detail. (Not that you're going to repaint your dining room to match the pictures... though you could...)

Nurturing my inner... many fish in the sea

Unhealthy option coming up next.  Get ready for it.  Though you may turn your nose up at me, there are just times to just dive into the local fare.  (No matter how deep fried, artery clogging and against your usual personal philosophy it is.)  And to let your family choose the place you have lunch, so no one fights.  Who is to say your genetically realted kinfolk like to eat as wholesome as you do?  (I've never said it, that's for sure.)  Carbs with a side of carbs?  Follow the leader.  Why yes, and I'll take that with some coleslaw as well.

Lenny & Joe's Fish Tale in Madison, CT.  They have a satellite one in Westbrook, but that's just for take out.  We wanted to sit down inside, so Madison was it.

Looks like a house from the outside.

This place was HOPPIN'!!  People were everywhere.  It was super fast paced.  Order and move on or be crushed!  After I ordered and set my coat down at the table, then and only then did I sneek up to get a shot of the board.  (Before people hurt me.  New Englanders aren't so forgiving when you get in the way of them and their lunch.)  But I couldn't have snapped it any closer because it was wall to wall people.  So they clearly are doing something right to draw these crowds.  They must make a pretty penny.

I hardly had time to read the boards. Glad my
family told me what they normally order so I
was prepared ahead of time.

This, my friends, is what you might think of as low brow food, but not to me.  I grew up in these parts.  Things served on Chinet or paper plates were more the norm than you might believe.  Fancy presentation is less important than great food.  No need for artistic design when you're having a simple, yet tasty, fish fry.  Just pile it up on a disposable plate and be happy.

So I got the fried scallops, which is my go to for this type of food genre.  INCREDIBLE!  Oh yes.  I say that without reservation, coupled with nary a bit of guilt.  (Because I don't do this often.)  And though this portion size was well past my normal capacity, I could not leave one tender, lightly fried, sweet scallop behind.  (I didn't make it through all the fries though.  One can only do so much no matter how ambitious one wants to be.)  I might also have to note that no one in my family was willing to split a plate, which I would have been fine with.  The scallops were not heavy, nor greasy.  Just crispy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside.

Let's be honest, they were SO good, I probably 
wouldn't share the next time I go either!

Texas has its Tex Mex, California has its fresh fruit and New England has its fried fish.  Can't help where I was born.  I can only make the best of it... by supporting my local restaurants.

And on a random note, here is another Connecticut institution: The Wiffle Ball Factory.  You always wondered where they were made.  (Or possibly IF they were still made.)  Now you can rest easy.



A childhood favorite factory.



Leave it to me to find some odd, and inedible, thing to throw into a food posting.  Guess I like to surprise you.  You just think you know me.

Nurturing my inner... plan b is plan a

You may think Plan B is always the second choice, but in this case, it was the first.  Lunch before some shopping.  Need to build up strength before hitting the ever exhausting mall.  Plan B Burger Bar, in Milford, CT.  It's actually the corner shop in a swankified, upscale, strip mall that also has stores like Banana Republic and Whole Foods.

Boy, was it cold that day. Tell you what.

Inside was a chalkboard with the specials and draft beers.  I like the way they took a lot of time to use different colors and fonts.  Quite artistic.

Would be fun to frame a chalkboard in your
house to advertise kitchen specials.

While we waited for our table, I noticed some unusual (for several reasons) artwork on the wall.  It was a characterized standing bull made from different colored faux animal fur.  And he was drinking a glass of red wine.  (Um, okay, why not.)  To each his own creativity.

Gotta give them points for odd use of
texture and unusual technique.

I seem to have an obsession with wall coverings and lights in restaurants.  (Nope, no explanation for this that I can find from investigating my childhood.)  This place had a steely grey tin ceiling and industrial, exposed bulb light and wire creations.  The theme was silver, grey and black for a back drop of neutrals and then a big pop of dark red for contrast on the walls.  I dug the restrained palate.  Colors were very deep and complementary to the surroundings.  Masculine, but inviting.


If you liked an industrial theme in your house,
these lights would be so cool for a kitchen!

 The three of us split the lobster "sliders," which really were a single lobster roll cut into three pieces.  A good tummy tantalizer.  The other two ordered full-sized burgers, which you tell your waiter your preference for one of two options: pink or no pink.  They use only superior quality, natural, never frozen, daily ground, in house beef.  (And maintain a sustainable disposition in general.)  I got the mini cheeseburgers.  We all ordered different starchy sides so we could try the tots, Parmesan fries and the sweet potatoes.  All delish.  My mini burgers were a big hit with my mom too, as she traded me some of her burger for one of mine.  This is not an unusual practice of ours.  Thank goodness I'm not possessive in nature.  (Though food does tend to bring out the selfish two year old in me. Mine, mine, MINE!!!)

Stack 'em up! A tower of baby burgers inside
a sea of tater tots. (Food can be poetry.)

If you have a mind, and a taste, for bourbon, they make boutique, small batches. Sounds like fun, if you're into that sort of stuff.  I've never had a glass of bourbon and probably would have just to try it if it hadn't been noon when we were dining.  (And if my mommy wasn't there to give me a hard time.  She does that.  Like I'm still 14.)

I think anything artisan made is amazing.  Shows true craftsmanship and care as long as people still hand down old traditions and care more about making a small amount of high quality product instead of giant vats of cheapy junk.  I raise my glass to you, the keepers of processes from days long ago!  (Though at the time, my glass was only filled with iced tea.)

Nurturing my inner... dark and decorative

Online coupons are great, but there is one thing you have to remember after you buy them - to use them before they expire.  A friend was telling me about this place that she had gone to in New York and they had one in DC, but her coupon was due to expire on Monday.  This conversation took place on a Saturday, but she was booked all weekend.  Though Monday was a work night for both of us and getting into DC isn't always the easiest thing to do, I had to think about it for a minute.  Then I said, "Come on, let's go!  Heck, we're young(ish) and it's nice out."  Into the city we went to the Buddha-Bar.  And we were SO fortunate that night.  No traffic on 66 going in, easy to get to and we found a parking lot straight down the main strip and just across the street for $8.00.  No street parking stress for us!

Dark outside.

While I'm not crazy about a giant buddha (or any other statue) staring at me when I'm dining, it was quite a swanky place.  Rich Asian decor.  And about nearly pitch black.  My camera was unable to get you the real interior very well, so you'll have to check it out on the website or in person yourself.  (Where your eyes can adjust better than my camera.)

And dark inside.

The bar we passed on the way to the dining room was swanky.  Lanterns for lights.  Very high quality fixtures and accents.

Seems very NY meets Hong Kong.

Moving on from the weirdo, enormous, golden statues and on to the food.  We started off with the mini pan fried dumplings and the spring rolls.  Deliciously crispy and chewy, and the sauces were terrific.  Nice little fresh garnish as well.  Micro greens!

Mini apps to share. (Only because I was forced
to or I could have eaten them all myself.)

For the main entree, I went with sushi.  But not sushi like I've had anywhere else.  The roll with the eel on top was delicate and just a little sweet.  But in front of that was quite a unique thing.  It was rice that had been deep fried until crunchy, topped with fresh crab and edamame.  I have never had crunchy rice like that before.  (Which of course is why I had to try it!)

I often go for something that I've never seen
anywhere else.

The presentation of the food was truly artistic.  With delicious flavors to match.  And going into DC made for one super fun weekday evening.  Mondays are the way to go!  (If there is no rain, no snow, no accidents, no protesters, no construction, no special events...)

Before we departed, I hit the little girls' room.  And I took a picture of the wall inside the stall because they were covered with giant crocodile leather wallpaper.  Just had to show you or you wouldn't have believed me!

Attention to detail for sure.

Yes, I did just take you into the bathroom of this restaurant.  Wouldn't want you to miss out on every decorative detail.  Dining is of course about the food, but the ambiance of your surroundings really adds to the overall experience.  (Well, maybe not the bathroom ambiance as much, but you have to admit, that was pretty interesting.)

Nurturing my inner... on tap

Sometimes, you just want a beer.  And some beer accompanying food.  This place came on a recommendation.  Dogfish Ale House, Falls Church, VA.

Simple brick exterior.

It looked just like I would have thought an ale house would look.  Rustic.  Exposed brick.

Dig the lamps.

Walls full of this and that.

Quite the collection.

And nothing says, "I just ran several miles earlier in the day and need a refreshing beer," like... on tap beer.  I went with the pumpkin ale which was in season at the time.  It was a rich, amber color.  Wonderful taste.

Smooth. Solid, crisp taste.

And then there should always be weird artwork on the wall.  Something to glance at while my order came up.

Painting on the wall. Like right on the brick.

If you thought I'd go for just beer, you would clearly have never read my blog before.  I went with the crispy fish & chips.  Gosh, the cod was so flaky and moist, covered by a delicate, crisp batter.  The remoulade was a perfect accompaniment, along with the crisp, cool coleslaw.

Thin pieces of fish. That's the right way
to do it.

There are a bunch more sandwiches and entrees that I want to try, it was so hard to choose just one, so I have to go back another time.  Also, lots more seasonal micro brews to check out.  Having good beer can only be made better when it has good food to go with it.  This is probably not news to the beer lovers out there.

Nurturing my inner... all the way from UK

Yesterday while hanging out, one of my friends mentioned a place she wanted to try.  She said, it's called Pure Pasty, in Vienna, Va.  And it had traditional British pasties.  (Not pastRies.)  I said, "Now wait a minute.  I went there last September."  I thought for sure I had blogged about it.  But I couldn't find my posting.  (I keep a detailed spreadsheet, so I can do easy searches.  Right, NERD.)  Try as I might, I can't figure out how I missed writing this one out for you.  Oh well, better late than never.

The shop took a little effort to find.  There are these service roads in Vienna that hide clusters of quaint little storefronts in every nook.

It's kind of in a side alley.

You actually step down to enter the shop.  It's tiny, but it's a specialty store.  I like when there is a focus to do a few things really well instead of many things just average.  A large menu doesn't always equate to an amazing experience.

 

Jars and cans of imported goods from the
United Kingdom.

Sidle up to the glass container and see all the lovely trays of fresh out of the oven baked goods.  Okay, so I didn't know what half of them were, but I'm adventurous.  And I studied the menu.  If you're going to try something new, it's best to do some research ahead of time and prepare yourself.

Drinks to the left. I went in the early afternoon
so they were sold out of some types.
A popular place.

So what is a pasty?  It is a meat and veggie stuffed hand pie with a flaky crust.  The crust is traditional and had a historical purpose.  (Which I always share with you to make us all seem smarter around the water cooler at work.)  It was created many years ago as food for miners who had toxic chemicals on their hands.  So they would eat the pie up to the sturdy crust and then safely discard that.  (Right, no way we'd be throwing away that delicious crust today!  Hopefully most of us aren't miners or handling toxins every day while having lunch.  If you do fit that profile, I'm afraid you must forgo the crust for your own safety.)

Warm, golden brown.

I decided to try a more traditional one and then something with a little fusion bent.  The first was Chicken Provencial: Cage-free chicken, leeks, potatoes, cream and herbs de provence.

Reminds me of a chicken pot pie.

Each pie is made with a pastry code or cut out shape on top, so they know what's what when they come out of the oven.  It was good.  Not overly flavorful, but more delicate with herbs and sturdy with the other ingredients.

Secret code, check. I know what's inside you!

The next one I tried was the Cornish Masala: Cage-free chicken, green peppers, onions, Indian spices in a curry sauce.

I love Indian spices. They are so aromatic.

This one had a stronger flavor due to the curry.  I ate half of each instead of just one whole pie.  Because I like variety.  I brought them home though, as seating is very limited at the shop.

Stick to your ribs food.

As a special note, they had a bunch of kinds of British candy by the cash register.  I happen to be particularly fond of the Crunchie, which is chocolate covered honeycomb, and they had it.

It's fun to buy candy with strange names
and odd flavors.

Since I was in Vienna, I made a second stop that day to another place with a flag outside.  *Bonus info for you*  To an old time favorite: Nielsen's Frozen Custard.  It's not British at all.  Very American.

Historic exterior. Like an ice cream parlor
on old Main Street, USA.

They make two flavors of custard: vanilla and chocolate.  But you can add in so many things.  They make sundaes with toppings or concretes where they blend it all up.  The combinations are a plenty and you'll never get bored.

Busy, busy dippers beneath the menu board.

I went with a good old stand by of my own: chocolate custard with marshmallow topping.  Oh gosh.  So densely creamy.  Custard has a soft, luscious consistency.  And as I recall, it was pretty warm that day in September.  I believe I ate half of it before I drove home.


That's my car behind it. I had to get you a shot
before it melted anymore and I dove in.

It was a fun trip for me to scout out a place for a food item I had never heard of, never mind tasted before.  I'm always up for any food adventure.  Now I know what a pasty is!  In case the Queen should ever ask me.  Knowing there also was a great custard place a few doors down just happened to be terrific planning on my part.  (My research doesn't seem so silly now, does it?)  So do your homework.  You'll be glad you did.  (Speaking of, I'd better go back and catch up on mine.  Hope I didn't miss anyting else from that far back!)

Nurturing my inner... tea with mum

Almost every morning I go into the office, I have a cup of tea.  Nothing fancy.  Just a French Vanilla tea bag with a Demera raw sugar cube.  It's warm, reliable and often the calm before the day's storm.  In the end, it's just a beverage though.  And I prefer a lasting experience.

In the couple of months before my holiday trip home, mom kept talking about a tea shop she heard about on the small main street on the way to the bank.  The bank that the tellers used to give us lollipops with my parents' paycheck deposits in the tube shootie-uppie vacuum thingie.  (Is there a real name for that?)  I was able to take her when I was home last month.  (Really, when do I ever say no when food is involved.)  Tea with Tracy, in Seymour, CT.

A shot down main street around noon.

The varieties of teas available is like nothing else I've ever seen.  Dozens.  Caf, decaf and cocoas.  How can one decide?  (Pressure from your mother, that's how.)

Unparalleled options.

The menu was on the table with a little holiday decor.  Tea for whatever number in your party included, for each patron, your choice of scone, sandwich and dessert.

Evergreens and sparkles always say holidays.

The owners worked there with their daughters and all came to greet us throughout the time we spent there.  Everyone was so friendly in this family affair.  In that light, I too was there with some of my family - mom and my cousin.  We all ordered different teas as expected.  You get your very own little teapot of brew for yourself.  As we waited for our tea, I looked around.

View back toward the kitchen and the shelves
that hold all the teapots and cups.

They had about six cloth covered tables that fit 3-4 people each, but can be put together in arrangements to fit larger parties.  Which is what happened shortly after we arrived, so I'm glad we got a table when we did.  The whole place was full soon enough.  And after devouring the food, I could see why.

Nice windows with sunlight. Christmas tree!

At the entrance, they have shelves stocked with imported, top quality English teas and cocoas for purchase.  How great to know that the tea you had there is likely available to take home with you!  I've never seen a bigger, better selection at any other tea shop I've ever been to.

Almost impossible to choose less than three.
This was only one well-stocked case. They
had more in another cabinet and on a shelf.

In just a wee bit of time passing, our hot teapots were set before us with the instructions that they needed to steep for another few minutes to be of optimum perfection.  Good tea brewing is no careless task.  I think that's why so many Americans don't love tea.  They make low quality tea way too weak and flat.  It's meant to be deep and smooth, which you can only get out of higher quality teas.

Mismatched cups and pots. Love it! Adds to
the "tea at a friend's house" cozy ambiance.

You should take your time when you are enjoying afternoon tea, yet it wasn't but a quick spell of chatting later that out came our three-tiered dispenser of treats.  Both savory and sweet.

Look at my gorgeous pumpkin tea in its cup.

The top plate had scones and clotted cream.  Mom got cranberry orange and my cousin and I chose chocolate chip.  They told us these were Australian style scones because that's the kind the owner's mother used to make.  They are a little more like an Irish soda bread and flatter than what I've experienced as English scones.  Bumpy and chewy.

The middle plate had sandwiches on our choice of white or wheat.  Egg salad, chicken salad and cranberry brie were our choices.  These sandwiches were delish.  Fresh bread, cold ingredients.  No crusts!  Such pampering.  I felt like the Queen.  (For an hour.)



Could you ask for more? Sure,
some dessert!

The bottom plate held all the desserts.  It was so difficult to decide on the sweets, but we finally went with the things everyone could share - apple torte, banana bread and this absolutely over the top, incredible, wish I had some right now, Swedish white brownie made with almonds.  It was a crusty, chewy, light, amaretto-flavored dream.  (Secret family recipe.)

Swedish almond brownie on the right.

They also had some cupcakes and cookies made with flavors of the season that they change up every few months.  For a small place, they really offered variety and quality befitting of a much larger restaurant.

I'm glad to see more small businesses open and rejuvenate main streets of small towns.  I'll be going back to support them and see what delicious things they come up with next!  If you're going to the bank in Seymour, you should definitely stop in and have some tea and that amazing almond cake.

Nurturing my inner... roadside shack

Are you ready for this?  No you are not.  You have no idea what I'm going to do.  I'm going to bend the time space continuum and take you back, way, way back... to November.  Of 2011.  Times were busy then and I have some real catching up to do with you.

I went to Orlando, FL with my mom in early November and one thing that was on our list was perhaps a lesser known sea delicacy to most: stone crab claws.  Their season is only from Oct to May.  We had arrived just in time for them, yet still a little early in the season start.  So it took some doing to find a restaurant that had them that day.  Lucky for us, we asked the guys who ran the airboat ride we had just gone on where to find them and they had just the "restaurant" for us.  (After calling three places.)  Ms. Apple's Crab Shack.

Yes, that is a retail fish market.

At this moment you may be noticing this wasn't exactly a restaurant.  (The word shack should have given that away.)  It was a roadside fish market, just over the bridge.  When we first walked in there were lots of tanks holding all kinds of live Maryland blue crabs in different sizes and price points.  Which you could get steamed right there for lunch or dinner.  As we worked our way to the back, I found the treasure for which we had traversed so far for.  (I think it was 12 miles from the St. John's River.)

There they are!

The price was amazing!  They were $11.99 per pound.  Oh yes!  When I got back to Virginia I checked out the grocery stores that carried them and they were $24.99 a pound!  So don't knock the shacks.  Plus, when you get in season local specialties, you can really get a great deal.

The stone crab claws were already cooked.  Another little known fact about stone crab is that any reputable place doesn't freeze them because they don't hold up well.  So cooked up fresh is what you get, settled in on a cool bed of ice and sold super fast.  We got a bit over a pound.  As an added convenience, they asked us if we wanted them to par crack the claws for us.  If you ever saw a stone crab claw, they are like Teflon-coated, cast iron super hero crustaceans with a thick shell.  Let your fish mongers do the work for you.  While wearing proper eye gear.  Then grab your plastic bag and garlic butter sauce and saunter your way out back to the picnic tables with the hammers bolted to the tables.  High class.  (That sign in the back is for the restrooms.)

Casual dining. But there were palm trees.

Once we disinfected our hands and prepped the table with proper germ barriers, we were ready to relax and eat.

Never has such great food been delivered in
such a low cost plastic baggie.

Let me show you the view from our picnic tables, to upclass the whole outdoor experience.

Puffy clouds. Rippling water.

Back to eating.  Claw and garlic butter sauce.  You may be thinking what's the big deal?  Crab is crab and it all tastes the same.  Tut tut, not so.  Stone crab claws are big and the meat is so sweet.  Truly incomparable to any other sea creature.

This wasn't even the largest size claw available.
Some were ginormous!

They were delicious and gone all too fast.  I could have eaten twice as much.  But then how would I fit in ice cream?

Now, two more random Florida things.  1.) I had my first churro at Disney outside of my first in person Cirque du Soleil show "La Nouba."  (Absolutely amazing show if you ever get to see it.  Those people defy all laws of physics.)  A churro, by the way, is a Mexican fried dough stick and the one I chose had Bavarian cream inside.  Oooh.  Double treat.  ('Cause in America, we crank it up a level.  Keeps the insurance companies in business.)

Covered in cinnamon & sugar.

2.) After our airboat ride, I held a 15 lb alligator.  Why you ask?  Because it was there.  And the slightly crazy airboat driver offered it up to me.  Who can say no to the chance to hold an amphibian that normally you can't in the wild because it will snap your arm in half with its jaws of death.  (Thank goodness for that sturdy rubber band and the fact that it was only a toddler.)

Take that other boat patrons who
didn't have the guts to hold
Hollywood. Wimps!

Orlando was a fun trip!  Nice weather.  Great attractions.  Good food.  Weird places to eat.  Strange exotic animals to hold.  Just when you think you know a place, it's so much more.  Ask the locals.  Visit the real Florida.