The Scene

Jackson has a large appetite just waiting to be satisfied.

This past weekend Appetite for Jackson was the buzz around town. It was a free event featuring $5 plates from local restaurants, craft beer and area bands – a trifecta of fun benefiting the Craig Noone scholarship. And Andrew Zimmern was going to be there. Needless to say, I was pumped!

A Travel Channel television host and food personality, Andrew Zimmern has made a name for himself eating the bizarre and unknown, among other ventures. He was in town filming for a future show (Appetite for Life – I believe), getting a full taste of the South. My closest brush with his celebrity was being able to take a photo and observe as he expertly worked the crowd.

Entering the beautiful Art Garden at the Mississippi Museum of Art, the party was in full swing at four in the afternoon.

The event had drawn a remarkably large crowd on a somewhat blustery January day. There were extremely long lines (Disney World worthy) everywhere, for everything. I stood in three lines before giving up due to the wait and discovery they had run out of food. A long night laid ahead because after just over two hours vendors were running out of food left and right, they had at least four hours to go.

My husband wandered off in search of food and returned triumphantly holding two containers of sushi from the Wasabi Sushi and Bar booth. He rescued me from a minor hunger meltdown. I don’t know if it was the desperation or the eight hours since my last meal talking, but the sushi was wonderful.

Trying to hold out for the music but growing colder as the sun crept toward the horizon, we ended up walking to The Elite.

I love everything about this event and hope it returns next year with a vengeance, plus a few improvements. I’m no professional planner but a small flyer of the vendor booth layout, short line dividers, clearer details on the website and more food (and drink) would be extremely beneficial. Being the inaugural year, it has room to evolve. (I’d help!)

I’ve always been surprised at how few events are held downtown, despite the fact that Jackson is the biggest city in the state and the capital. Observing the high turn out and enthusiasm from this event alone, it’s clear the desire exists. Let’s hope Appetite for Jackson returns bigger and better next year, our stomachs are counting on it.

Appetite for Jackson
http://www.appetiteforjackson.com

The French 75 at French 75

When all else fails, have a cocktail.

If the city of New Orleans ever needed a new tagline, that could be a strong contender. Appropriate for a place where there are daiquiri bars with drive-thru windows. A city known for it’s passion of the never-ending party has an equally impressive number of bars, restaurants and signature drinks to indulge in.

Ever striving for the quintessential experience, I try and hit Crescent City landmarks on every annual trip with my mom. Thanks to the He Said/She Said NOLA blog, I can now cross #30 off the Only in New Orleans: The 100 Essential Experiences list.

Following a long day of shopping on Magazine street, po’boys at Parasols and a heart wrenching Saints football game at Pat O’Briens, we were dragging our feet but didn’t quite want to call it a day just yet. Meandering away from the loud, neon noise of Bourbon street we ducked down a dark street in search of a cocktail.

Adjacent to Arnaud’s restaurant, French 75 bar is the perfect quiet side-stop to sip on it’s namesake drink, the French 75. Having no knowledge of the actual ingredients,  it includes champagne which is all I needed to hear. It was delightful, bubbly and just sweet enough topped by a twist of lemon.

There are two window tables, mirrors lining the walls and a very polished, classy bar feel. We slowly savored our drinks with a cone of salty, warm gougères. The cocktails aren’t cheap, but in lieu of a beer on Bourbon I’d take a French 75 at French 75 any day.

To learn more about the French 75 cocktail, read the articles below:

• French 75 history and recipe: Esquire
• French 75, a little history and basic recipe: Gourmet magazine
• French 75 recipe: Epicurious

French 75
next to Arnaud’s restaurant
813 Rue Bienvilles
New Orleans, LA 70112
Phone 504-523-5433
http://www.arnaudsrestaurant.com/french-75/

1. Cooking Wild in Missouri cookbook
Unexpected gifts are the best kind. The other day a friend sent us a copy of Cooking Wild in Missouri, a cookbook focused on using seasonal, local ingredients and meats. Chronicling their adventures of hunting, gathering and scavenging to work their way through all the recipes, they started their own blog, Woods to Food. Read their stories of true woods to table meals.

2. Zoya nail polishes
While scanning the deal headlines in my feed reader, I saw a post advertising a code for two free Zoya nail polishes for the cost of shipping. Normally $8 a piece, I got polishes in Jem and Dea for $6.95, a total savings of $16. I love those bargain blogs.

3. Pinkberry
Torn between feeling crushed and relieved, the nearest Pinkberry is two and a half hours away. I could eat it every day especially after being easily swayed by the numerous so-called health benefits. We had it twice in the same day in New Orleans, it’s that delicious.

4. Appetite for Jackson
On Saturday, January 28 from 2-9 p.m. I’ll be at the Art Garden downtown eating great food, listening to live music and maybe even sipping on a beer. Andrew Zimmerman from the Travel Channel will be there. The proceeds benefit the Craig Noone Miracle League. Can I say awesome?

5. Mississippi Warrior Dash
I was suckered in by the pit of fire and the Nordic helmet. Jackson hosts Mississippi’s Warrior Dash on April 21, and you can find me sinking in a mud pit or hurling myself over a wall.

6. Australian Open
Although there never is a true winter in the South, at least not to this Northern girl, I am excited it’s warming up outside and tennis season is starting up again. And nothing is more motivating to get back on the court than watching a little of the Australian Open.

7. Thirty-One umbrella
One a snowy evening in January many years ago, I arrived in the United States from South Korea and was welcomed into my family. Each year my mom commemorates my “Coming to America” day with a thoughtful gift and this year it was a personalized umbrella. Timing was perfect because it poured the next day.

8. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling
Please go read this book by Mindy Kaling. She writes likes she’s having a conversation – a hilarious conversation – which is an amazing feat. Her story felt so familiar and I believe we could be friends. You’ll want to be her friend too. (If you’re not convinced, she’s the Indian girl on The Office who writes, produces and acts.)

9. Prima Donna’s Closet
In New Orleans I scored the best find at a consignment store, Prima Donna’s Closet. Hiding among the racks was a Banana Republic black blazer, similar to the one pictured above. An equal original is currently selling for $158, I paid $19.

10. Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
Everyone needs to read this book. The story is nearly unbelievable except that it’s very much true and Louis Zamperini lives on. Laura Hillenbrand masterfully narrates Zamperini’s childhood, Olympic running aspirations and survival through World War II. I stayed up until 1 a.m. on a work night to finish this book because it is riveting beginning to end.

Can’t get enough of my lengthy ramblings? Then visit my list page!

Avenue Inn Bed and Breakfast

Anyone who greets me with with a freshly baked cookie is a friend for life.

The Avenue Inn Bed and Breakfast innkeepers, Joe and Bebe, must have a lot of friends because that’s exactly how our stay began.

Having procrastinated on securing accommodations until after the holidays were over, I was in a panic because our annual mother/daughter New Orleans trip was two weeks away and nearly every establishment I checked was booked. Being new to the points/travel game, I started searching chain hotels in the French Quarter but found none less than $300 a night. Then I tried low balling bids on Priceline with no success.

Unwilling and unable to shell out a thousand dollars for a hotel, I focused my search on B&Bs. I remembered our positive stay at the Royal Street Courtyard Bed and Breakfast but unfortunately they were full. Luckily after combing through Tripadvisor, I came across a thread on New Orleans B&B and Inns and jotted down a list of possibilities after reading user reviews.

Comparing location, availability, amenities and cost narrowed my options to the Avenue Inn and Sully Mansion. They both had available rooms with two beds. Ready to ensure we had a place to stay and always looking for a deal, I was intrigued by the “Book it Now” offer under the Special Deals link on the Avenue Inn website. One short call later and we had a room.

I drove in Friday afternoon, picked my my mom from the airport and headed to Saint Charles in search of the Avenue Inn. Bebe called us a couple times to confirm our arrival and make sure we weren’t lost. There is no sign labeling the inn but it’s right next door to a New Orleans Hamburger and Seafood Co. restaurant.

During check-in, that’s when we were handed two warm, chocolate chip cookies and listened to Joe explain the house parameters. I felt bad for rushing him through his spiel, but we had reservations for Boucherie.

We stayed on the second floor in room #11 which has two double beds, a table, an armoire, vanity mirror and dresser, private bath, television, two walls of windows and plenty of space. The wireless internet is kind of slow, but it sufficed for being free.

The Avenue Inn is a great place to stay in New Orleans for many reasons, here are some of the highlights:

• Free parking! Park either on the street or in the on-site parking lot around the back. The alternatives are valet or a $30 per day fee at most places in or around the French Quarter, or scrambling for public parking at a slightly cheaper daily rate.
• The streetcar stops directly in front of the house. The streetcar system rocks, they run all the time and it’s cheap ($1.25 each ride or $5 for a daily pass). Learn more about New Orleans Street cars and visit the Regional Transit Authority website.
• Location, location, location. Being between Uptown and the Garden District, we walked ten minutes south and were on Magazine street. The French Quarter and Canal street is a 15-20 minute streetcar ride away.
• From 7-10 a.m. they offer a generous continental breakfast which includes items such as bagels, breads, a homemade baked good, pastries, cereal, yogurt, cheese, hard boiled eggs, biscotti, fruit, oatmeal, coffee and hot tea.
• Throughout the day (and night), you can grab free bottles of water and snacks such as cookies, animal crackers, an assortment of chips, raisins and fruit cups.
• The room was large, clean and reasonably priced – a bargain for New Orleans. The house is beautiful, quiet and has an outdoor patio.
• The inkeepers, Joe and Bebe! They are warm and accommodating without being intrusive.

In a previous life Joe and Bebe have years of corporate hospitality service behind them, which has complimented the ten or so years of running the B&B. Read about them on the website.

At one point Joe mentioned that a majority of the general public doesn’t even consider B&Bs when traveling, which I believe due to the number of rooms open when looking online. So, I kind of want to keep this a secret but our visit was wonderful and I highly recommend staying at the Avenue Inn.

Avenue Inn Bed and Breakfast
4125 Saint Charles Ave
New Orleans, LA 70115
Phone 504-269-2640
Toll Free 1-800-490-8542
http://www.avenueinnbb.com

What I’ve been up to…

Detoxing from our annual mother/daughter New Orleans trip and anticipating our return to the wonderful Avenue Inn Bed and Breakfast.

Mourning the Saints loss to the 49ers in the playoff game, especially that first quarter.

Editing hoards of photos from recent eats including Eslava’s Grill, Boucherie, Sucre, La Boulangerie, Parasol’s, El Gato Negro, Theo’s and Slim Goodies Diner.

Wishing for another French 75.

Thanking our service men and women after a repeat visit to the National World War II Museum, and recommending the book Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand to anyone and everyone.

Counting down the days until Mardi Gras!

Paris or Birmingham?

Won over by the pretty parks, fancy burgers and neighborhood haunts, Birmingham has charmed it’s way into my heart.

To conclude our weekend trip (yes, back in November) my friend and I went out for one final meal, which started out innocently enough. Two hours later we settled on a restaurant.

We had befriended a local couple, and per their recommendation, went to explore the downtown Five Points area. Stepping out of the car we encountered a handful of homeless men, but no trace of the lively crowd we were expecting on a Saturday night. Peeking into Surin West, we passed because they allegedly specialize in Thai food and sushi (doubtful). Retracing our steps we spotted Highlands Bar and Grill but we were under dressed and it looked overly busy.

Hopping back into the car we drove to Bottega, but found out both the restaurant and cafe were closed for a private party. Back in the saddle, we headed to Giuseppe’s Cafe & Espresso Bar because they’re the best kept secret in town (according to their website). Sadly we went in, got a table, glanced at the menus, opted out and moved on.

From there we headed back to Five Points, destination Highland Grill, but were sidetracked when discovering Chez Fonfon next door. It might have been easier to drive to Paris.

Having never been to France, I can only imagine that Chez Fonfon emulates the same cozy, intimate feeling as a bistro underneath the Eiffel tower. The lights were dim, the quarters close and wine bottles lined a wall.

While musing over our options we torn into a basket of bread and soaked in the glow. To begin, my friend and I split the Little gem bib salad with apples, tomme and tarragon-cider vinaigrette. It was a simply dressed salad, tangy from the dressing and sweet from the fruit.

Craving a healthy reprieve and saving room for dessert, I chose the salmon with lentils du Puy and niçoise olive butter for my entree. The generous portion of fish and lentils were perfectly cooked and complimented by the salty sharpness of the olives. My friend equally enjoyed the Coq au Vin which was tender and moist.

Reluctant to select just one, I settled on the Pear Almond tart for dessert but almost ordered the Chocolate Pot de Creme my friend had. Luckily, she’s the sharing type and let me scoop up a spoonful of the silky smooth rich chocolate mousse. Charmed by the flaky, buttery tart, I savored my dessert with a cappuccino leaving no crumb behind.

I imagine that the croque monsieur and steak frites are delightful, and wish I had room to taste the cheese plate. Chez Fonfon is as enchanting as Birmingham and a fairly inexpensive way to experience the allure of Paris. Just try to avoid the two hour tour to get there.

Chez Fonfon
2007 Eleventh Avenue South
Birmingham, AL 35205
Phone 205-939-3221
http://www.fonfonbham.com

Nom Nom Nom

The only thing unpalatable at Succotash is the art.

For Christmas we stayed in Mississippi, which means I went home to Kansas City for Thanksgiving. While in the Midwest, I had the rare luxury of spending one whole day with my little brother. We had a complete Joey and Janice-esque day of fun, except we actually like each other and neither of us have that annoying accent.

Having a shared passion for both eating and cooking, brunch was the natural choice to start the day. Moving beyond our usual First Watch family obsession, we decided to go somewhere new and ended up at Succotash.

Succotash is an eccentrically decorated diner, kitschy objects are strewn about and the chairs are painted a combination of Smurf and royal blue. You won’t be able to avoid an odd painting of a woman eating blood red soup dribbling from her mouth. The image is creepy, I was glad it was out of sight and hung upside down.

Now, this post might not be helpful because a over a month has passed. When reviewing their menu online, I noticed the dishes are different from what we ordered in the restaurant.

Succotash serves Cafe du Monde coffee but I chose to sip on a cappuccino while reading the three page menu.

I had a vegetarian version of the Kitchen Sink, but requested sausage gravy instead of mushroom gravy. My brother ordered a version of Eggs Benedict with crab meat; the only version online includes smoked salmon. To round out the meal we split a single blueberry pancake on the side.

Our eyes were bigger than our stomachs and the pancake was bigger than our heads.

I was presented a platter of home fries layered with spinach, vegetables, eggs, cheese and smothered with gravy. All of those vegetables felt deceptively healthy despite the gravy blanket. The Eggs Benedict featured a rich Hollandaise sauce covering a fresh mound of crab meat. Surprisingly, the spinach was raw in both dishes, simply an interesting decision. The blueberry pancake almost exceeded the edges of the plate, was perfectly sweet and golden brown.

While stuffing ourselves we caught up on life, marriage, culinary aspirations and talked a lot about nothing. We ate leisurely and I don’t know what was more delightful, brunch or spending time with my brother. The painting is another story.

Succotash
2601 Holmes Street
Kansas City, MO 64108
Phone 816-421-2807
http://www.succotashkc.com

Hats off to the New Year

Happy New Year!

Strange as it may seem with my love of lists, I’m not one for making new year’s resolutions, spinning ten ways in which 2012 will be the best year ever (!), or penning an extensive plan outlining detailed goals for the next 356 days on a parchment scroll.

As much as I appreciate fresh beginnings, I’m so over the holidays and am ready to get on with it already. There are are many things I hope to do, but mostly I am thankful to wake up each day and have a 24 hour reset button to try again.

I intend to eat more plants, more kale, more quinoa, more consciously, more wisely and less sugar, less refined flour, less meat and less mindlessly. As always, I’ll share beloved recipes, interesting information and stories along the way.

This morning we lingered over breakfast, watched the seasonally confused squirrels leap between trees and cooked up Pam Anderson’s perfect pancakes. (You know you’re a foodie when then mention of Pam Anderson brings to mind cookbooks rather than Baywatch.) While running, I ran out of miles before mentally thanking people who have impacted my life. And just like my dad would have, we ate black eyed peas to mark the new year.

So, hats off to 2012 – whatever it may bring – and let’s get on with it already!

If you’re interested or are part web geek like yours truly, I’ve listed two sets of 2011 statistics for Gidget Eats below.

2011 Posts With the Most Views

1. Disney’s Quick Service Dining Plan and my Food List
2. Oriental Supermarket and Mr. Chen’s Restaurant
3. Dishing John Wayne
4. Country Hopping at Epcot’s World Showcase
5. Cake Balls, a Pretty Investment
6. Gidget Eats Does Disney World
7. Chitlins, Aisle 13
8. Good Eats at The Magic Kingdom
9. Eating Overachieving at Hollywood Studios
10. Sombra Mexican Kitchen

Ten Amusing Keyword Search Terms – words people used to find my blog

1. what is chitlins – there is a lot of curiosity about chitlins, this is ironic because I’ve never cooked or eaten chitlins
2. cookie food truck – still a great idea if you ask me
3. what to eat before a half marathon – please don’t eat what I ate!
4. asian sensation festival food – I don’t know of one, this requires more research and a possible trip
5. chicken and rooster love – weird
6. pepe o’malley drink
7. i love being asian – don’t we all
8. asian tease – ewwww
9. asian midget – close but not quite
10. google gidget
11. should i go to ship island or orange beach – good question and hard to say, but I recommend both whole-heartedly

2011 Ornament

Ever since I can remember, my brother and I receive a new ornament from our parents each year for Christmas.

Our family tradition has endured, which has also expanded to include our spouses, and now I have quite a collection. Fittingly, the newest additions are a miniature El Camino for my husband and gingerbread baking scene for me. My mom hit the ornament jackpot.

Although the holidays are sometimes stressful and I miss my family, it’s heart warming to be able to look at our little tree proudly commemorating various moments and milestones. Even if our newlywed ornament still displays the stock photo.

This Christmas morning I made pancakes and sipped on a cappuccino (God bless the mukka) while we opened up packages from our stockings. In these small moments I am very thankful for our many blessings and the gift this seasons brings.

However you celebrate and whomever you’re with, may you have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

The Run Down

Santa better get out his stretchy pants.

In the spirit of the holidays, I demanded suggested we have a Christmas Cookie Exchange at my office.

You get to taste a large variety of cookies, take home a plateful for later and pick up a new recipe or two along the way. Some people aren’t experienced or frequent bakers, so I encouraged participation over baking from scratch because I would rather more people join the fun.

Having never organized a cookie exchange before, here are tips I learned:

Cookie Exchange Tips

• Bring a minimum of two dozen cookies to exchange with fellow participants.
• If possible, be creative and bake from scratch. If not, then take them out of the packaging and don’t tell us.
• Bring copies of the recipe to share.
• Label the cookies or place the recipe by them.
• To begin, have everyone take two cookies of each kind, then repeat as necessary.
• Transport your cookies in a container that you can refill with new cookies to take home. Otherwise the host can provide plastic bags or take away containers.
• Consider having a savory snack or vegetable tray to counter the sugar overload.
• It’s extra nice if you have beverages available such as coffee, water or maybe even milk.

My friends were kind enough to humor me, like they often do, and we had a fabulous cookie showcase to behold. Below are listed and pictured the ten cookies, including the recipe used unless otherwise noted.

Ten Recipes From Our Cookie Exchange

1. Amygdalota (Greek Almond Cookies): Elly Says Opa

2. Sweet and Salties
I couldn’t find an exact recipe, but Saltine Cracker Toffee from The Girl Who Ate Everything blog is a close relative.

3. Cranberry Cookies: Cooks.com

4. Sugar Cookies (no recipe given)
This Easy Sugar Cookie recipe from AllRecipes.com has over 2,000 reviews, it’s a safe bet that these are good.

5. Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (no recipe given)
Instead of dried cherries, you could substitute raisins in my Chocolate Cherry Heart Smart Cookies.

6. Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies: RecipeLand.com

7. Rolo Pretzel Turtles: Steamy Kitchen

8. Otis Spunkmeyer’s Chocolate Chip Cookies: Food.com

9. Mini Chocolate Whoopie Pies: Eat Drink Pretty
These were my contribution and not only were they adorable, but also very easy to make. Unlike the three day hoopla it took for Cake Balls, these were quite simple and fun. Did I also mention adorable?

10. Chocolate Squares
This recipe was written on an index card (love that), but this Gooey Butter Cake recipe from AllRecipes.com is similar if you use a chocolate cake mix. They arrived after the above photo was taken but are pictured below.

Do you love lists? Visit my Lists page! Do you love cookies? Visit my Recipes page!