Salt Factory in downtown Roswell

Are you familiar with the term “gastropub?”  With the nature of my work, I’ve been reading a lot of restaurant reviews and “where to eat” articles in a nice variety of different cities.  More and more frequently, the word “gastropub” keeps popping up.  I know “gastro” is the greek root for the word “stomach” and “pub”, that’s short for “public house”…a intimately set place in the neighborhood that people go to get a drink and a bite to eat.  But where did this new combo word come from?

As it turns out, the term “gastropub” was born during the mid 90’s when some genius british chef’s realized that there was a market for pubs that served a quality of food slightly higher than the typical fish and chips (or burger and fries in the States) to a somewhat more upscale clientele.  In general, the menu of a modern gastropub is much more expansive than a typical pub.

In the Roswell area, the Salt Factory (952 Canton St.)  in downtown Roswell is a great example of a gastropub.  It has a elegantly quaint setting that may have you thinking your drinking your pint at common British watering hole, but one look at the menu and you’ll know that what your about to eat will be anything but ordinary.  Ironically, one of the most popular items on the menu happens to be their “Bleu Burger”….which is pretty much a glorified bacon cheeseburger with a little chow chow on the side.  Check them out next time you get hungry!

Honey Chicken Kabobs

Directions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together oil, honey, soy sauce, and pepper. Before adding chicken, reserve a small amount of marinade to brush onto kabobs while cooking. Place the chicken, garlic, onions and peppers in the bowl, and marinate in the refrigerator at least 2 hours (the longer the better).
2. Preheat the grill for high heat.
3. Drain marinade from the chicken and vegetables, and discard marinade. Thread chicken and vegetables alternately onto the skewers.
4. Lightly oil the grill grate. Place the skewers on the grill. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until chicken juices run clear. Turn and brush with reserved marinade frequently.

Credit: AllRecipes.com

Try BB’S Bagels & Diner. You’ll love it.

There is nothing better in the morning for breakfast a fresh, lightly toasted New York-style bagel with a generous smear of cream cheese and lox.  My personal preference is the “everything” bagel.  It has sesame seeds, poppy seeds, salt and onion bits baked on top.  Anyway, before I start getting hungry, let me get back to the purpose of this blog post.  It’s to tell all you Rosemont neighbors about the best bagel shop in the Roswell-Alpharetta area.

BB’s Bagels & Diner (770 McFarland Parkway, Alpharetta, 770-475-1818), owned and operated by New York transplants Eddie and Anna Siino, are probably a step above any other bagel that you may find in the entire metro Atlanta area.  And from a bagel aficionado such as myself, that is saying a lot.  Getting a bagel just right takes skill.  It can’t be too tough, it can’t be too soft.  And it has to just the right amount of shine and chewiness.  Trust me, BB’s knows how it should be done.  And the cream cheese schmear…just right.  Not too little, not too much.

Expect to find all of the classic bagel flavors, such as salt, sesame, and pumpernickel.  But also check out some of the unique flavors, like “chocolate chip” and “french toast”.  Drop by and give them a try when you get a chance, and stop back here to let me know what you think.

(Photo Credit: mukluk)

The best I ever had…

National Fried Chicken Day is today, July 6.  You’d be amazed at the stuff you learn when surfing the web.  At least I know what thing…what I’ll be eating for dinner tonight.  I mean, I just wouldn’t feel right if I didn’t celebrate the holiday this week and partake in the devouring of the golden brown goodness.

I remember the best fried chicken I ever had.  Back in high school, I took a road trip with a friend when we went to visit his girlfriend in NYC.  We were invited to eat dinner with her family and her mother made the BEST fried chicken I ever tasted.  Talk about fried perfectly…this was it!  I still have dreams about that fried chicken until this day.  And that was more than 15 years ago!

So, my friends at Rosemont, who do you say has the best fried chicken in Roswell?  Could it be Greenwoods (1087 Green Street) honey dipped chicken?  How about Pollo Campero (609 Holcolmb Bridge Road) with its latin twist?  O r maybe it’s just good ol’ Popeyes (my fave).  What say you?

(Photo Credit: arndog)

3 healthy snacks for you to munch on at work

For those of us who work in offices or at desks all day long, let’s face it, one of the toughest things to do is to not “over-snack.”  Seriously, I can’t tell you how hard it is for me not to hit up the vending machines in our break room every hour.  Those 75 cent candy bars, chips and cookies can not only start to eat a hole in your pocket, but also your diet.  And you’re not going to burn off too many calories typing.

So while you may be enticed to grab the Honey Buns, Snickers (my personal fave), Doritos and Nutter Butters, you should consider munching on some of these tasty snacks I have listed here.  Let me know what you think!

1. Nature Valley Sweet & Salty Nut Granola Bars

Whether almonds or peanuts are your thing, these tasty bars give you the satisfaction of a candy bar without all of the guilt.  They’re only 170 calories and they are made of all-natural ingredients, have no trans fat and no cholesterol.  They’re also packed with protein (4 grams per bar), which keeps you full.

2. Ants on a Log

This popular kiddie snack isn’t just for kids.  The classic version is celery, peanut butter and raisins but there are a few variations you can try if you’d like to switch it up.  Try “Ants on a Snowy Log” by using cream cheese instead of peanut butter or “Ants on a Slip ‘n Slide” by adding honey to the original recipe.  Very yummy!

3. Rice Cakes

If you’re not worried about carbs, rice cakes are great because they are low in fat and calories, but high in texture.  They actually make you feel like you’re eating something. Quaker’s got a wide variety of rice snacks.  One of the more popular versions, Caramel Corn, is only 50 calories per cake, gluten free and contains 5 grams of whole grain.

Buckhead Diner’s Yellow Corn Muffins

Wow!  I think I just struck the equivalent of gold in the culinary world.  Have you ever had the Yellow Corn Muffin’s at Buckhead Diner?  They are, for lack of a better word, “the bomb”.  I remember first having them last year when we took my niece there for dinner when she came into town.  The corn and onions mixed with the sweet muffin is a killer combination.

Well, I was looking through AccessAtlanta today and as luck would have it, Buchkead Diner has shared the recipe.   Try it out and let me know what you think.  I’m planning on making them this week.  Just have to figure out what to cook with them.

Buckhead Diner’s Yellow Corn Muffins

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 cups fresh yellow corn (about 3 ears)
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
• 4 green onions, finely sliced
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups yellow cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 3 cups buttermilk
• 1/4 cup ( 1/2 stick) butter, melted

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter two standard muffin tins.
   In a skillet over medium heat, add oil. Saute corn, jalapeno and green onion until softened. Set aside.
2. In a bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, baking soda, sugar and salt. Set aside. In a separate bowl, beat eggs. Add buttermilk and butter and stir to combine. Add to the dry ingredients and gently combine. Add reserved corn mixture and stir to combine.
3. Fill muffin tins about 2/3 full. Bake the muffins for 20 to 25 minutes or until just golden and a toothpick, when inserted, comes out clean.

The Dunwoody Beer Festival: Hops For Hope

Get ready for the return of the Dunwoody Beer Festival, Saturday, May 15th at the Perimeter Mall Parking Lot (4400 Ashford-Dunwoody Rd.). In its ninth year, the Dunwoody Beer Festival hosts a combination of over 150 beers, malt beverages, and liquors from countries all over the world. The party runs from 2 pm to 7 pm and tickets are $35 the day of the festival. One great party for one great cause.

All proceeds benefit Camp Twin Lakes, a not-for-profit organization that offers year-round recreational, therapeutic, and educational programs for children facing serious illnesses and other physical, emotional and life challenges. With its network of partners, Camp Twin Lakes provides life-changing experiences for thousands of children each year at its state-of-the-art, fully accessible facility, located on 500 acres in Rutledge, Georgia, and at other locations throughout the state.

Personally, I can’t think of a better reason to knock back a couple pints.  Hope to see you there!

Sausage Mushroom Quiche

My daughter, who just turned five this past February, is graduating from Pre-K this month.  I’m sure all of you fathers out there can understand what a proud moment that is.  Well, my mother-in-law is coming down from New York for the “ceremony” (yep, video camera is ready to go) and staying for a few days.  Whenever she comes down, she makes this DELICIOUS  breakfast quiche that I can never get enough of.  I thought of it today when I was scheduling her airport pickup in my calendar.  Here is a similar recipe I found online.  Enjoy!

Sausage Mushroom Quiche

Ingredients:

• 1 pound small fresh button mushrooms
• 1 pound ground pork breakfast sausage
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 3 eggs 1 cup half-and-half cream
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 (9 inch) unbaked 9 inch pie crust

 Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Prepare the mushrooms by snipping off the stems. Cut in half if large.
2. Crumble the sausage in a large skillet, add the mushrooms, cook on medium-high heat until the meat and mushrooms are lightly browned and all the liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated. Drain off the grease. Add the parsley.
3. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, adding the cream, cheese and salt. Pour into the mushroom/sausage mixture; blending well. Pour mixture into the pie shell.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until crust is well browned and the filling is set. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 612 | Total Fat: 50.3g | Cholesterol: 179mg

Craving sushi?

Do you  ever get cravings for certain types of food?  If you get the craving for sushi and you’re not sure where to go, I think we’ve got the answer…

Tanaka Japanese Restaurant

11235 Alpharetta Hwy
Ste 122
Roswell, GA 30076

(770) 740-1488

They’ve received great reviews on Yelp.com.  Here is what one reviewer had to say…

It’s nice to see that the northside has a good sushi spot to hit up without needing to venture ITP.

I had spicy tuna, a tempura roll, and a veggie roll. All three were very fresh and well put together. The flavors in each were delicious, and the spicy tuna was truly spicy throughout. Love it! And those tuna rolls were HUGE. Definitely get your money’s worth! Too often restaurants skimp on the fish in the rolls… not here. My taste buds were so happy to be that well treated.

While I did not try my friends’ orders, everything looked very fresh and delicious. In fact, every plate was empty by the end. Even I who can barely eat 3 rolls before feeling full scarfed down nearly 15 of them. Trust me, it’s amazing. Really.

If you know of any other great sushi spots around Rosemont, please drop a comment and let us know!

In-Season Produce: Zucchini Yogurt Multigrain Muffins

We now know that buying in-season fruits and vegetables, particularly produce that has been grown locally, is better for our environment (and probably our taste buds and bodies too).  But it also provides an exciting opportunity to try new foods and to experiment with seasonal recipes!

Check out this recipe for Zucchini Yogurt Multigrain Muffins.  If you make it, shoot a picture of your finished dish and upload it to the Rosemont Facebook page.  Anyone interested in having a community cooking contest?

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 207 | Total Fat: 7.6g | Cholesterol: 27mg

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