Author: foodsweatandbeers

Portlandia the Tour Does Durham

/ foodsweatandbeers / 8 Comments

Before you read any further, if you’re intending to see any of the last two showings of Portlandia: The Tour, STOP READING THIS POST IMMEDIATELY!!

Seriously.

Quit reading, or you’ll regret it.  That’s not a threat. It’s a promise.

Ok, hopefully that worked. If you’re still reading, know you’ve been warned.

Let’s get back to the task at hand…  Portlandia: The Tour came to Durham, NC last night. The moment the tickets for this show went on sale, I bought myself one. I didn’t know if I’d go with anyone, I didn’t know what else I was doing that night, I just knew that I’d be there, and I’d be laughing.

If you’re not aware, Portlandia (click here for some clips on Hulu, they’re worth a minute or two if you enjoy laughter and joy… do you?) is a fantastic television show on IFC which acts as a satirical look at the ridiculous residents of Portland. You know the ones, every town has them. Those too-hip-for-thou hipsters that shop at thrift stores, whose main mode of transportation is bicycling, and whose main food groups are cigarettes and coffee.  At least, that’s how they’re portrayed in Portlandia.

I love this show, and I feel like I’ve seen these “Portlandians” in many of my travels (most of the time in Carrboro, the hip artsy next-door neighbor of Chapel Hill). The best thing about Portlandia, though, is that they don’t mock these folks in a mean-spirited way. And Fred and Carrie both mentioned during the show last night that their inspiration for the characters comes a lot from pieces of their own personality.

portlandia

My fatal mistake before seeing this show, however, was that I’m just too curious for my own good. Unsure of what kind of format the show would be in, how long it would be, or what I could expect, I started searching online for reviews.

IDIOT!

I basically robbed myself of any and all elements of surprise, and kind of set myself up for the worst.  When you read the words of another (for instance, the under-enthused Dan Zak at the Washington Post), you can’t help but have your own expectations tainted with their thoughts.  And so a seed of doubt was planted…

I had a great seat, right in the center of the orchestra seating in the Carolina Theatre.  The venue was fantastic, in my opinion, offering reasonably comfortable seats AND bottles of (affordable!!) craft beer at the concession stand.  I nabbed a Ruthless Rye IPA (Sierra Nevada) and scampered back to my seat before the show started.

So smooth

The show started off with a little dialogue between Fred and Carrie relaying texts that the other had sent to each of them to the audience.  Hands down, the funniest line was from Fred to Carrie: “Your birth was not a birth at all, it was the death of all others.”

Cue raucous laughter.

They, along with their bandmates, played the show’s infamous “The Dream of the ’90s”, and even included a quick jab at Chapel Hill to rile up the crowd (which, ironically, included a TON of UNC students…)  Highlights of the rest of the show?

  • Durham recon discussion with John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats (a Durham local) and the audience, who piped in about their favorite biscuits, food trucks, coffee shops, restaurants, and record label. There was a great Bojangles vs. Biscuitville vs. Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen debate, which Sunrise dominated, and it relayed a lot of authentic Durham love.
  • A reading of the poetry penned by a 7-year old Freddy Armisen “Dracula sucks blood, and so do I.”  You can’t make this stuff up.
  • Fred’s father (also named Fred), a Durham resident, coming out on stage to recreate a photo from when the Armisen family ventured to London in Fred’s youth.
Smattered throughout the show were video clips from upcoming episodes of Portlandia. I found one vignette about an overzealous couple gearing up for a hike particularly hilarious ($5,200 is TOTALLY worth it when buying a handheld GPS…) and Barbara Streisand (thanks to Jay Dav for correcting me, I meant JUST Barbara, former partner of the feminist bookstore) makes a surprise visit to the Feminist bookstore and is quite hilarious.  If you’ve never watched the show, sorry if that doesn’t make sense.
If you have, you’re in for a treat.

Sneaky Phone pics are GREAT for lousy quality!!

The Q&A session at the end allowed for a solid amount of audience interaction, which I think Fred and Carrie do pretty well with.  I liked this part the most because, as it was unscripted and dependent on the questions from the audience, it was impossible to spoil the surprise (hell, I think even Carrie was a little surprised when one audience member requested her actual address in Portland… Creeper.)
I raised my own hand and requested the answers to the three questions that’d been asked to the Durham crowd, re: Portland.  Their answers?
Favorite Coffeeshop: Stumptown
Favorite Foodtruck: Fred couldn’t remember the exact name, but said it was a BBQ truck that did “pure BBQ goodness”  (Maybe Eclectic Eatery?)
Favorite Bar: Aalto Lounge
You know, just in case I head to Portland in the near future.  Other highlights included when Fred was asked if he was romantically in love with Carrie.  His response?

“Cacao to that.”  (Check out the Cacao clip for a better understanding.)

There was an off-key singalong at the end featuring more audience participation (whoda thunk that it’d be so tough to musically add the words “Durham North Carolina” to a tune?) and a few songs by the Zooey Deschanel lookalike in a Canadian tuxedo (denim on denim) who I later learned was Eleanor Friedberger of…. Eleanor Friedberger.  Definitely not hip enough to catch on that she was more than a musician I should’ve heard of by now.  Oh well.

I laughed at times.  At other times, I was thankful that my phone was smart enough to allow me to read Twitter.  Overall, I’m stoked I went, for about $40 (with taxes and Ticketmaster fees included in that price) it was a combination of a stand-up comedian, a mini-film festival, and a concert. I’ll take it. Carrie Brownstein is a fantastic example of a female musician/performer that has her shit together, and can hang with anyone. I think her style of humor throughout the whole show was what I connected to the most. Fred sometimes took it a little too far in any direction, and sometimes felt hokey, but together… that’s where they really shine.

All that being said, I’ll NEVER make the mistake of researching a live variety-show-esque performance like this pre-attendance.  I need more life-spoiler alerts.

Have you ever seen Portlandia?

What area near you is most like Portlandia (read: full of hipsters, hippies, scene kids, granola type folks… you know the ones)?

Six Pack Sunday: Happy Hour and Meaty Power

/ foodsweatandbeers / 13 Comments

It’s that kind of weekend.  You know the one, the kind where you spend so much time hanging with your family and pretending that there’s no such thing as the real world that time sort of escapes you. The kind when a Six Pack Sunday turns into a Six Pack Monday. I was in DC for my little sister’s volleyball tournament, and between the screaming and cheering, the eating, the drinking, and the driving around looking for parking, there was little time for the internet.

No worries, though, I’m back in action.

1. We Flying First Class….

G-L-A-M-O-R-O-U-S

I’m certain that when Fergalicious sang of the Glamorous (the flossy, flossy), this is what she had in mind.  For the first time since I officially achieved “A-List Status” with Southwest, my special boarding pass actually came in handy in the rarely-crowded RDU airport. Thank goodness, as I was running a little late after enjoying a pre-flight Bud Light Platinum.

Making it Platinum is first class too, right?

2. Meat, Meat, the Magical Fruit

Welcome Home, right?

Upon my arrival in Philly on Friday, I was greeted by a sight that anyone from the Philly area would consider magical.  Half a large, meaty cheesesteak complete with fried onions (and a glass of Pinot? Eh, I’m not gonna argue with that).

This was especially important considering my plan for the upcoming 40 day period of Lent.

I’m going pescatarian.  I’m giving up cows, pigs, and chicken as a slightly tougher challenge this Lent. It’s also going to help me embrace fish a little bit more, and require a little more planning than usual.  No worries, this isn’t some sort of permanent life-change, I have no qualms with meat-eating, and I’m not really doing this for serious religious reasons. Until Wednesday, all-you-can-(m)eat buffet.

3. Nocturnum Owl

Hip hip HOORAY!

My baby brother (who is 21 years old, about 6’3″, and made entirely out of muscles) also surprised me with a treat he picked up at the liquor store.  Delirium Nocturnum, from the folks at the un-pronouncable Brouwerij Huyghe.  I was hesitant, considering my less-than-stellar experience with let-down Delirium Tremens.  I had no reason to be nervous, though, with this fantastic brew.

Described by the brewery:

Initially, a very good mouthfeel of alcohol and softness. This is followed by an increasing bitterness, partially from the hop, but also from the roasted malt and chocolate malt. Towards the end a nice balance between bitterness, sour and sweet.

I thought it was extremely drinkable for a 8.5% ABV beer, and tasted a little bit like the sweetness of raisins.  It was smooth, dark, and lightly spiced.  Even my brother, who’s not a huge fan of craft beer and tends to sip on the college favorites of Bud Light, Natty Light, and ____ Light (whatevz) thought this one was delicious, and it was a great way to start our night in DC.

4. Matchbox Chinatown

Smoke and Fire, baby!

After a number of suggestions from friends on Facebook, Julie from Table for Two, and a bit of Yelping around, I convinced my family that we needed to hit up Matchbox for some pizza.

My choice? The Fire & Smoke:

fire roasted red peppers / spanish onions / chipotle pepper / tomato sauce / garlic puree / smoked gouda / fresh basil /(very spicy)

WOW! They were not kidding on the (Very spicy) note.  The smoked gouda cooled the whole pie down a little bit, but I wished that we had some parmesan cheese to help with that.  Even my mom, who loves all things picante, commented that her mouth was on fire.

We also got a pepperoni for my less-adventurous parents. It was also DELICIOUS with tiny, crispy pepperonis and loads of cheese.  Hard to go wrong with a classic.  THANKS to Julie and my friends on Facebook for the rec, loved it!

5. Oyster Happy Hour at the Sea Catch!

Chesapeake Bay and Chef's Creek!

I think that one of the things I like the most about bars NOT in North Carolina is the idea of Happy Hour (fact: Happy “Hours” are illegal in NC, and all drink specials must be offered from open to close). And at the Sea Catch in Georgetown had a great one, including 1/2 off beers, wines (that cost less than $9 a glass regularly), and well drinks AND dollar oysters on the half-shell (Including Chesapeake Bay and Chef’s Creek oysters).  What a DEAL! My mom and I stopped by before some shopping, and noshed on complimentary house made potato chips while waiting for my oysters.  There’s something that feels so luxurious drinking a cocktail and eating oysters at 5pm.  It doesn’t hurt when the bartender makes a quality cocktail.

6. Phone Stack Game

Stack City, chick

Have you heard of the phone stack game?

The premise is simple. To get folks to actually interact at dinner and stop tweeting, texting, etc, everyone stacks their phones in the middle of the table.  The first one to pull their cell phone out to check it has to pay for dinner/lunch/drinks.

Even though my little brother was technically the first to break protocol, my folks didn’t force him to foot the bill for all 9 of us at lunch (4 sibs, 2 parents, 2 significant others).  BUT I really like the idea of the game in theory (and could probably use the reminder to yank myself off the phone.)

Great weekend, and I still have another day left!  Thank goodness for those Presidents and their days.

She Likes Me, She REALLY Likes Me!!

/ foodsweatandbeers / 6 Comments

It shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone, but, most of the time, being a long-distance relationship is tough.  You miss your loved one, you wait anxiously for the next visit, you get confused over word choices in texts or emails, you have flights canceled, you might even be in different time zones.  No matter what the situation, LDRs often follow Murphy’s Law: “Anything that can go wrong will go wrong”.

A lot can get lost in those 400 miles... Including me!

I’m in the 3rd long distance year of a 4 year relationship, so I kind of feel like I’ve become accustomed to the ups and downs. You never really get used to saying goodbye, but you develop a slightly thicker skin (for me, that means not weeping for an hour and a half before he heads off, maybe limiting it to 20 minutes).

You know what else helps?

Romantic Valentine’s Day packages from someone else.  Especially if that someone knows the way to your heart:

You're reading that correctly, do not adjust your computer.

Bacon, toffee, and brownies (if you’re interested in ordering some, ask the baker!)

Cate from Running Foodie and Cate’s Bites packed me the most gorgeous, decadent Valentine’s Day package I could imagine.  It was part of Christina’s brain child: The Valentine’s Day Blogger Swap! Since my regular Valentine was stuck working in a lab, playing with rats and such all day, Cate thoughtfully sent me some goodies to make the day a lot less lonely.

JACKPOT!

I’ll admit, I snuck her a few hints, but she really took the idea and transformed a blogger swap package into a box of joy and rapture!

Cate included a Yuengling, her favorite beer, as she’s been stockpiling it in Boston, unable to get it unless she’s in PA!!  That already touched my heart (and, soon, my liver!)

She remembered my love of not smelling like a locker room and included coconut bath gel (Wish I’d opened it up before my shower!!)

She ALSO remembered my fondness for crazy flavor combinations, and treated me to these gems:

Worth their weight in gold!

Theo dark chocolate with coconut and Hachez featuring Mango Chili flavors.

Holy shit.

Sorry, literally couldn’t contain that expletive, because that was my exact reaction to seeing these two bars.  The hungry beast inside of me wanted to lash out and wolf the entire box in one gulp, but I practiced self control… in the sense that I ate only one bacon toffee brownie.  I’ll save the other two to share with my beau when I see him this weekend, I wouldn’t want him to get jealous of my new blogging friend, Cate, and all the love I have for her.

No need to be jealous, Ry, I still only have eyes for you.

My stomach, however… that belongs to Cate for a little while.

Food, Sweat, AND Beers! Solid Valentine’s Day.

/ foodsweatandbeers / 19 Comments

Oh, it is love.  Love of a day dedicated to love, and love of my friends, family, and studly boyf.  Bust mostly just love.

I apologize if your day was made sadder by my Debbie Downer post yesterday.  If you’re lucky, it really was the Most Depressing Valentine Story you read all day.  If not, you need to stop reading such sad stories on Valentine’s Day, seriously!  I tried to fill my day with productivity at work, listening to romantic songs or scenes from romantic movies, and a solid lady date.  But, really, I just tried to jam pack as much of the good stuff in as possible.  You know the stuff: Food, Sweat, and BEERS!!

Mission: Accomplished.

Food: 

Greenery!

A sublime spinach salad with black beans, avocado, yellow pepper, salsa, and cheese. Perfect lunch.

Homemade tastes much better

I DELIGHTED my office-mates with my white chocolate-covered strawberries that I whipped up on Monday night. The strawberries tasted much juicier than the ones that I recently had from some caterer.  Thus proving, yet again, that when something’s made with love, it’s gonna be dank.

Not'yo Nachos!

Spanky’s in Chapel Hill, the very first Chapel Hill restaurant I ever visited, delivered quality appetizers tonight for my lady-date with Melissa. The nachos were just the first course.  The quesadilla was so delicious that I didn’t even bother snapping a shot before wolfing down my share. What a feast!!

Sweat: 

Tonight’s Zumba class was a class of LOVE!

I got super sweaty, and my Garmin Connect even showered me with hearts my heart rate.  All the songs played featured love (or being sexy and knowing it….)  It was fantastic to get my sweat going.  If that hadn’t gotten my heart pumping, though, I’m sure that the last aspect of the night would’ve…

Beers:

Rose beers!

Not only did we get to enjoy a cask of Rustic Plow Farmhouse Saison from newcomer Haw River Farmhouse Ales, featuring rose hips and hibiscus petals, BUT that little number in the bottom right (by my OTHER hand) was a pint of Foothills‘ infamous Sexual Chocolate.

As described by the brewer:

A cocoa infused Imperial Stout – Opaque black in color with a dark brown head. Big chocolate aroma with notes of espresso, blackstrap molasses, dark sweet toffee and dark fruit. Smooth dark chocolate backbone with complex notes of coffee, dark toffee and dark fruit.

SRM: 70
IBU: 85
ABV: 9.75%

Translation? Delicious! This beer, like almost all my favorite winter warmers and chocolate beers and stouts and whatever, got better the longer it sat out.  If I ever ask you for chocolate in my life, I probably just mean a glass of this beer, served in a pint glass and let to rest for a little while. There was initially a sharp taste to it, almost like burned hot chocolate, but the longer I let it sit (and focused on my nachos), the more the taste smoothed out to a sweet, creamy chocolate taste.

Get this beer if you can.

All in all, considering my Valentine was over 400 miles away, it was an ideal Valentine’s Day. Hopefully, he thought so too, as I sent him a surprise pizza for his V-Day dinner.  I hope you felt the love as well.  And, if you’re like me, you wore your heart on your sleeve. Or maybe your chest.

to remove the giant black thing from my teeth)”]because I had a GIANT black thing in my teeth)”]Just make believe that I showed up to your door bearing love gifts. I’d be singing, too.  I’d make a GREAT singing telegram.

What was the best food you ate or drink you sipped on during V-day?

The Most Depressing Valentine Story You’ll Read All Day

/ foodsweatandbeers / 10 Comments

If you’re still reading this post after that uplifting title, I give you props.  I originally wrote most of this piece last year on tumblr (which is the hottest spot for dumping all your emotions on the internet), but would love to share it again with a little more, as my “readership” has changed drastically in the past year. Also, I am currently hopped up on all the chocolate that I melted and didn’t manage to ooze onto my strawberries, so what better way to spread this sugar high than an emotional post?

That's a fraction of the chocolate and berries that were consumed whilst whipping up my treats.

Ok, time for the feelings.

Once, when I was in fourth grade, I went to a small Quaker school in Delaware, in a class with about 14 other kids. They were all just 9-10 year old students, like myself, just looking for love in this crazy mixed up elementary school of ours (not really… but you get the idea).

It was Valentine’s day, 1996, and being the overzealous, overachieving, and over-emotional girl that I was am, I didn’t skimp on Valentines. I didn’t just mention to mom that I liked Power Rangers and expect her to pick up a few of these:

(click image for source)

Nope. I had a very mature vocabulary and a fantastic grasp of the notion of rhyming, so I decided I needed to go balls deep (though, at 9, I didn’t know that term, I think the concept is timeless.)

I bought real, grown-up sized cards and wrote individual couplets for each of my classmates.

On the scale of one to ten,
you reach the top, again and again!

Or….

Roses are red, the ocean is blue,
I’m lucky to have a friend like you!

You get the idea. No big deal, right, there were only 14 of them? I’m fairly certain they had little lions on the front of the card, and I worked really hard to make sure that my 9 year old handwriting looked its best…  In the morning, I was so excited to hand them out, and I made sure to put one in every other students’ box.

The saddest moment in the history of my personal Valentine’s Days is when I saw several of those cards, cards that I’d painstakingly planned, written out, sealed, and labeled, crumbled in the trashcan. I always complain that I don’t use the word crestfallen enough.  Here’s a primo opportunity to use it: I looked crestfallen.  Looking back, a shot of those cards would’ve made perfect instagram fodder.

Maybe they tossed them because I didn’t tack on some giant piece of candy (it was a fairly wealthy school district, the kind where full-size Kit Kat bars might show up on the mandatory classroom Valentines), or perhaps I just wasn’t very cool with the other kids.  That was actually more likely the case, as I found out later that I never totally fit in there.  Whatever the reason, it broke my tiny little fourth grade heart into a million pieces.

Imagine the dust created from crushing up an entire box of conversation hearts…

(Click image for source)

Well, it’s 15 years later, and I’ll be honest, I don’t think I’ll ever forget that day.

Luckily my negative emotions towards Valentine’s day have been replaced, instead, with a love of my friends (who are basically family), a love of my main squeeze, Ryan, and a love of my family (a special shout out to my brother, Somers, who turns 23 today!!)

Love that boy

Just keep in mind that the things you do in your life (not even necessarily on Vday, try EVERY day) resonate in people’s minds, no matter how trivial they seem at the time.  We’re not 9 years old anymore, but the human heart never really gets all that tough (in my experience).

Here’s my challenge to you: Try to do something today that someone will remember 15 years from now for how GREAT it made them feel!

And if any skinny little blonde girls stare up at you optimistically, holding out some sort of glitter encrusted construction paper with hope in their eyes and a big, dopey grin on their face, take that Valentine and put it somewhere she can see it.  Trust me, it’ll mean the world to her.

The Science of Wine

/ foodsweatandbeers / 8 Comments

After last night’s Six Pack Sunday post, you might start thinking I’m some sort of wine-o. Lucky for you, I barely know the difference between tannin and a tastevin (And the only reason I DO know the difference is because I just Googled “wine terminology“.)  That didn’t make last Thursday’s Science of Wine event at the Museum of Life and Science in Durham any less fun!

I had a blast at September’s Science of Beer event at the same venue and, as we were walking out of the building, I remember the folks mentioning a Science of Wine coming up in February.  Well, I waited patiently and my dreams came to fruition. [Note: I was trying to make some sort of wine/fruit pun there, but it just wasn’t happening. Imagine you just read something hilarious.]

I asked my beer buddy, Melissa, to join me for all the shenanigans of the night.  Sometimes I worry that you who don’t know me might assume that I have no other friends, as Melissa seems to be the only person that comes up regularly in my blog.  I promise, I have more than one friend (if you count my bathrobe as a friend.  Do you? Good, me too.)

Our other friends came to visit in their fancy Chirba Chirba dumpling truck!! Well, who are we to resist their Juicy Buns (especially after realizing that they sponsor one of Durham’s infamous Luchadoras, aptly named Juicy Buns herself!)

Juicy and Delicious!

After a little juicy appetizer, we were ready for the wine.

But really, we were just ready for the main event of the night, one of the biggest reasons we decided to go to the event at all!

Also juicy: Grapes!

The second we heard about the opportunity to squish our own grapes with our toes, we couldn’t resist the chance to live out all our I Love Lucy fantasies.  Though the “barrel” was a little smaller, the experience was just as joyous.

Total rapture

I even took some time from my uncontrollable laughter to pose!

Oh, hey eyes, thanks for un-squinting for a moment!

Melissa squishing those grapes!

I made Melissa go after me so as not to have to squish in anyone’s foot germs but my own (luckily, she had faith in my own feet, and happily obliged my wishes.)  After we got our fill of the fun in a tub, we washed our tootsies and started the night off right with a glass of wine and a side of edu-tainment.

Marsh-MALO!

We discussed the effect that malo-lactic fermentation can have on the mouthfeel of a wine (and why some malic acidic wines give you the mouthfeel of a sharp, tart fruit like an apple while others with more lactic acid taste smoother, like a GIANT marshmallow.)

Trader Joe’s did a cool exhibit where they described the regions that two wines that derived from the same grape came from (such as New Zealand vs. Germany) and guess, by taste, which was which.  Melissa and I decided to make a game of it.

Guess who won that face-off?

#1 stunner!

(it was me.)

Another total treat of the night?

DIY Coaster Creation Station!

Mine's the one on the right (I like turtles.)

This station, along with the DIY Wine Charm station, were great additions to the night.  It was an excellent way to sit back without any wine and just relax with some Modge Podge, scrapbooking scissors, and beads. Bonus? We all got to take home some very nifty crafts.  And I flipping LOVE crafts.

The most exciting aspect of the night (after the grape squishing, of course) was probably from the folks at The Wine Feed. Their exhibit was dangerous enough to require everyone to rock safety goggles (don’t worry, Ol’ Four Eyes here brought her own glasses!) There were sharp knives, swords, and BUBBLY!

En garde!

They showed off their fancy sabers, explained where you need to hit the bottle for maximum poppage, and blasted off a few tops.

Pop bottles!

This was a fantastic party trick that doesn’t actually require a fancy saber to do… I wonder if it works with bottles of Andre (mostly since that might be all I can afford for a practice or two…) The cool part about the sabering of a bottle is, because of the angle you hit it, the glass breaks AWAY from the wine itself, allowing you to pour it into a glass and drink it without lining your throat with shards of glass!

We started to get hungry and ventured over to the Reliable Cheese Company’s table for some wine and cheese pairing (ah, the sweetest pairing of all?!)

Heaven must be missing angels...

Stinky, sharp, creamy, nutty, buttery, sheep’s, goat’s, I couldn’t get enough.  They really put on a solid presentation, and now I must get out to the store…  They even have cheese classes if anyone’s trying to get their PhCheese (bahahaha.)

Our photographer at the end of the night didn’t really understand how to snap a shot of a pair of ladies, but I appreciated the effort of getting our last few moments at the event.

Beer buddies venturing into the world of wine!

We finished the night with the tasty treats served up by newcomer Baguettaboutit and Pie Pushers, always a favorite.

Pesto Chicken don't mind if I do!

Perfect accessory to soak up that vino!

Thanks to all the amazing vendors, vineyards, food trucks, and OF COURSE the museum for putting on another great event.

What do you think your favorite exhibit would’ve been? 

Six Pack Sunday: There’s ALWAYS Time for Wine

/ foodsweatandbeers / 15 Comments

The saddest Sundays are always the ones when you’re in a long distance relationship.  Normally, Sundays are the days of travel, the days of farewell, and the days of planning the next visit.  LUCKILY, I’ve already got plans to see Ryan next week so let’s focus on the past week. Because it seems like the theme was WINE (and lots of it.)  No worries, though, because every now and then, it’s good to mix up a Six Pack Sunday with a little wine.  No worries, craft beer continues to be my jam…  But hey, when in Rome Durham…

1. The Blind Side Wine

Ok, I thought (at first) it was the wine talking. And then I thought maybe it was just the Ole Miss cup.  But check this out.

Note the Ole Miss cup on the bottom left of the image!!

This was our wine tasting/aroma educator, Barbara, at the Science of Wine event at the Museum of Life & Science.  But I just checked it out.  And she looks JUST like Miss Sue from The Blind Side.

TWINS!!

Kathy Bates, you have a wine-o doppleganger and she’s teaching the wine lovers of the Triangle!!

2. Champagne Wishes and Caviar… Nightmares

Oh, you fancy, huh?

Know what goes well with a sparkling wine tasting?

CAVIAR!!

Well, at least, in my opinion.  It’s not something I normally enjoy (Mama isn’t made of money!) but for the fancy Sparkling Wine tasting that Ryan and I enjoyed for our four year anniversary celebration, it was the food pairing for wine #2.  It was also the first caviar Ryan had ever tried.

The verdict?

Bearded bite!

The man was not a fan.

Oh well, more for me.

3. Button, Button, Who’s got the button?

Do any of you celebrate the Summer of Riesling? (Only 129 days left for 2012!!)  Well, it’s one of my favorite things about summer…  And now, thanks to the folks at Six Plates, I’ve got the button to prove it!

Sweet collection

Don’t Fear the Riesling, y’all.

4. Just Call Me Lucy

There’ll be more on this later… But here’s a teaser.

This little piggy went to Sonoma.

5. Never Fail with Kale!

Romance corner: Let's get in it.

I was having a lousy day on Wednesday. You know what made it better?

KALE!

I’d never tried it before and I followed this recipe  for something quick and easy. SO GOOD!  Oh, and incredibly cheap. It was about 34 cents for more than a full serving.

Yes, Kale, I’ll be getting you all the time.

5. Classin’ Up the Joint

Our sparkling wine tasting was at the ever-swanky King’s Daughter Inn located in the heart of Durham.  The digs were luxurious, and I wished that I had the cash money to stay there for a romantic weekend instead of just an hour or two.  However, Ryan and I decided a better way to treat the Marcona almonds paired with Sparkling Wine #1 than just eating them…

Trying to ogle my gullet? Perfect opportunity.

That’s right, we played “catch the almond in your mouth” in a 4-star hotel.

Bingo

Don’t worry, we caught every single one.

6. Love Biscuits

Oh hot damn.

King’s Daughter Inn, you make one hell of a biscuit.

Reading this is making me salivate...

Honey & Cracked Pepper Biscuits, Bacon, & goat cheese?

AHHHH!!

AND Ryan tried (and LIKED goat cheese)!

This was the best decision I’ve had in a while, just saying.

Wine, you ain’t too shabby…. But, don’t worry Craft Beer, you’re still my Valentine.

XOXO

Ever done any fun wine events or tastings?

Favorite food to pair with wine?

Putting the FULL in Fullstreet Wings!

/ foodsweatandbeers / 14 Comments

I LOVE chicken.  I love it roasted, fried, grilled, slow-cooked, and slathered in sauces.

Perhaps my favorite style of chicken consumption is in wing-form.  Wings bring people together, they’re my favorite eats during sports events, and they are actually finger-lickin’ good.  As in I shamelessly lick my fingers every time I eat wings.  The only problem is that, more often than not, they’re deep-fried and loaded with a buttery sauce.  And while that doesn’t negate the tastiness at all (on the contrary), it does stop me from eating wings constantly.

Well, I might be in trouble.

Wing me, baby!

Look unto the works of Carmen from Full Street Wings Cafe, Durham’s newest gourmet chicken wing spot!

These  never-frozen chicken bits are grilled and, trust me, the pictures don’t do them justice.

All smiles, wings for miles!

Carmen Settles, owner and chef, invited a number of folks from the Durham area to show off her delightful drumettes and have a little meet and greet.  She was also spreading the word about her KickStarter campaign which, if you like wings, you should consider donating to… I just love KickStarter, it gives community members the chance to back local projects they’re passionate about and be part of the entrepreneurial process.  Exciting, no?

Just some of the good stuff.

Carmen set out all of her favorite flavors and what kind of wing-eater would I be if I didn’t try them all?

  • Naked (Okay, I lied, I didn’t try this one, but can imagine if it’s anything like the other, it’s a clean crisp and juicy chicken wing)
  • Garlic Herb & Parmesan – Our first wing, the Parmesan and garlic pair up perfectly for a savory, flavorful bite. Delicious.
  • Classic BBQ – Sweet and saucy, though, I’ll admit, it was not my favorite wing.  Not because it wasn’t tasty…. but because the others were beyond tasty.
  • Papi’s Original – A medium heat wing, these are the recipe that Carmen’s father started her off with, and she never looked back. Loved the spices without hitting you in the face with salt.
  • The Full Street – Carmen’s classic wing, these are the closest to a classic wing-heat as I think we tried, and I could eat a dozen. Crisp skin, plump chicken, with all the right spices.
  • Jerky – See that sexy and proud wing on the top of my pile in the picture above? That was the jerky. It was excellent! It was savory with a nice heat, though, obviously a very different flavor than the next one.
  • Just D*%# Hot – The heat on this one was a nice, slow burn. It was a nice “hot” flavor and avoided the gimmicky “THIS IS SO HOT YOU NEED TO SIGN A WAIVER AND MAN VS. FOOD WILL BE HERE IN 15 MINUTES!”  I love this.  I’d probably get a number of these if I were making a big order. I don’t even need blue cheese to cool my mouth down (though I bet it’d be great with some blue cheese!)
  • Honey Hot – Our surprise favorite. I never would’ve thought that the flavors of honey and spice would pair so nicely, mostly since I don’t consume honey all that often.  Honey + chicken + spicy = a sneaky heat that creeps up on your palate and rocks your tastebuds like a hurricane of flavor!  Definitely sucked the bone dry on this wing…

Hungry like the wolf!

I think the best part of this whole experience was the fact that, despite eating 7 large, juicy wings, I didn’t feel sluggish, stuffed, or sleepy after the dining experience. These wings filled me up, but didn’t weigh me down or have me craving the usual post-wing coma.

Seriously, if you have the chance, TRY THESE PUPPIES CHICKIES! And the next step to getting Carmen all around the Triangle is to check out her KickStarter and, if the spirit moves you, donate! Every little bit counts and pushes her closer to the goal of getting a trailer to bring her wings to the masses.

Do you like chicken wings? 

And what’s your favorite flavor of chicken wing sauce? (or, if you’re not a meat-eater, ever try those veggie friendly wingz? I wonder what those are like…)

My First Mixology Class at Spy Raleigh

/ foodsweatandbeers / 9 Comments

Even when the deck seems stacked against you, you can always mix something. -Josh from Spy Raleigh

And, just like that, I was introduced to the World of Mixology. You know me, I’m normally a beer gal. But, let’s be honest, a lady can’t live on beer alone (Well, actually, that might not be true… this guy did it for 46 days.)  But, every now and then, when I’m feeling adventurous, I like a good cocktail.

Lemon or Lemon Drop? Now you don't have to choose!

Unfortunately, my cocktail-drinking abilities are far greater than my cocktail-making abilities. When a Living Social deal popped up for a mixology class, I couldn’t pass it up! And before I knew it (read: this weekend), I was parking outside of Spy Raleigh and rushing in to secure myself a spot in the front row.  Thank goodness I did, because I got one of the last “good seats” at the bar.  Why was I so late?

Is this class BYOB?

I may have been the first lady to check out this Mixology class toting my own beers…  I couldn’t resist stopping at Tasty Beverage Co. across the street!!

Beers aside, though, it was time to get mixing. The bar featured a number of fancy liquors which were all wearing party hats!

All ready for the party!

Josh, our fearless leader, started off by explaining to us how a good cocktail should, like a fine wine (or fine craft beer!!), be experienced like a roller coaster of flavors. You taste one, then the next, and they all merge together in a beautiful, exciting experience for your mouth.  As he was regaling us with tales of mixing gone right, he whipped up a quick and dirty drink that I decided to name the Juicy Fruit (because he said it tasted just like JUICY FRUIT! I’m brilliant.)

Ingredients:

  • 3 Olives Bubble
  • Splash of Cranberry Juice
  • Splash of Ginger Ale
VOILA! And he was right as rain, it tasted like the brief-flavored gum of my childhood.

A whole juicy bunch!

We shared our favorite cocktails, as well as the experiences that made them so special.  I mentioned my Jalapeño Quencher from the Aqua Grill with my cousin on my trip to NYC!  I said that it was the perfect drink to pair with all the smooth, chilled oysters and creamy risotto.

Up next was a crowd pleaser: The Strawbasil Mojito!

Collins is my favorite cocktail glass

This drink, which should be poured into a tall, skinny Collins glass trades the traditional mint in a mojito for an earthier herb: basil! He showed us the importance of muddling and gave us the wise tip: when using fresh fruit, less is more! No reason for a fruit salad in your cocktail, and a little goes a long way.

Here's the recipe, if you're interested!

This light and fruity cocktail was delicious! He used organic fruits, twisted the lime to release the oils inside, and it was just what the doctor ordered.  If the doctor was a bartender.

Up next? A bourbon drink!

Normally, this would make me say BLECH! But when the drink looks like this…

So pretty!!

I tried to have an open mind, because even though Maker’s Mark makes me feel a little ill just saying it, this drink, the Blackberry Blueberry Blast (he said the blackberries at the store looked gross), looked promising. Bitters, blueberries, lime, and cranberry juice. What could go wrong?

Mmmm!

The answer is NOTHING!

This drink made me rethink the use of bourbon in cocktails.

The recipe for all you cocktail aficionados!

Though we didn’t get any real hands-on experience, I loved the idea of opening my mind to mixology, and (if I had a batch of adventurous friends) I’d totally try Josh’s advice, “If you’d like to really try out mixology, get all sorts of liquor and mixers and make a party out of it.”

Anyone wanna throw a party with me?

I swear, I'm a fun guest (despite hating board games)

We can bring party hats for all the liquor bottles. I think I could ask Josh at Spy where we could get some…

Have you ever tried mixology? 

What’s your favorite fancy cocktail? (YOU ARE FORBIDDEN FROM SAYING SODA + VODKA/RUM/WHISKEY/ETC)

 

 

The Eleven Things I Hate About You (or Me)

/ foodsweatandbeers / 21 Comments

As per usual, I was late to the party.  The tagging party, that is.

Emily over at Eating Chalk tagged me in one of those 11 things memes that’s circulating the internet/blog world. But since I’m late, and it’s not likely that anyone’s even interested in this anymore (and tagging someone this late would probably be a faux pas), I’m going to disobey all the rules.

I’ll start by NOT POSTING THE RULES!

My next move will be to not tag anyone else.  Chances are, by this time, you’ve already been tagged. But if you want me to tag you, you just say the word, and I’ll edit this post SO FAST no one will be the wiser.

The only focus of this post will be 11 things about myself that I don’t like.  Don’t worry, most of it is in jest.  But some will be things I’d like to change about myself.  No reason for a pity party, right?  Let’s get constructive with this criticism.

1. I struggle with self-control, mostly around good foods/drinks.

Uh oh. My kryptonite.

You know how “splurges” are supposed to be brief? And not an all-day/all-night thing?

Because I haven’t really recognized that concept yet.

2. I have a tendency to fall down a lot, and I bruise like a peach.

Just my two cuts I got the NIGHT before my mom's graduation party event.

I ooze class from every pore.

3. Due to an overly competitive side (and lousy hand-eye coordination), I tend to hate “fun” things like bowling, mini-golf, Jenga, or board games. I’m the worst party guest of all.

4. I live hundreds of miles from the people I love most. I hate that a lot.

Never enough time with ANY of them.

5. I make people (namely, Ryan) take pictures of all the ridiculous things I do.  Case in point: wisdom teeth removal. 

*Cue eyeroll*

6. I cry over EVERYTHING.

You name it, I’ve cried at it. Flash mobs. Hearing James Taylor’s “Carolina in My Mind”. Seeing dogs get extremely happy when their owners come back. Little kids holding hands. This commercial:

7. I’m an ugly crier.

I just watched that commercial.  And then I photographed my reaction.  It’s not gonna be pretty (avert your eyes if you’re sensitive).

I warned you.

(This is ACTUAL me ACTUALLY crying. Yeesh.)

8. I let the scale determine my mood.

That’s a tough one to admit, but, alas, it’s true. Yes, I’ve lost about 40 lbs. Yes, I’m healthier than I’ve ever been. But when I step on that scale and it’s not the number I want to see, I get down on myself.  It can potentially be a day- or week-ruiner.

That happened earlier today. I’m trying really hard to not let it ruin my upbeat mood.

9. I have developed quite the sweet tooth.

Note the unadulterated joy as I prepare to blow out a candle...

I blame graduation from college. And maybe a little living with my boyfriend, who fully supported my candy-addiction.  It’s the kind of characteristic you hate to love about him….  Mmmm. Candy. I try to replicate the feeling with fruits.  Sometimes it works.  Others…. not so much.

10. My feet are HUGE!

Is that a ski on your leg? Oh, no, wait, that's your foot.

Size 13 in female shoes, when they make them that big. This is really only an issue when attempting to buy fancy shoes, most of the time I can make due with men’s sneakers and flip flops.  Do they have a store for cross-dressing men that’s also semi-casual? And mostly flats?

11. I can live in a certain amount of squalor.  

And that’s really my current problem. Time to clean house, folks.

(BONUS 12. I only thought of Miley Cyrus when I wrote this title.)

Don’t hate me.