Charmed by Virginia
Before traveling in Virginia I never expected much from it, but while experiencing this grand old state I began to fall in love with the rich history, the beautiful landscapes, and the wonderful food there. On one particular stretch of road that delivered us to the restaurant Trummers on Main in the town of Clifton, […]
Maryland Blue Crabs Get Crackin’
If you live in the U.S. you may know your state bird, state flower, and even your state rock, but I’d bet you don’t know your state crustacean! Chances are your state doesn’t even have a state crustacean. But Maryland does–the blue crab! Eating blue crabs in Maryland is a great way to dive into […]
A Farm With a Mission
What is Shelburne Farms? Is it a magnificent castle nestled into the English countryside? Perhaps it is the grand manor of wealthy industry baron? Well, sort of! Shelburne Farms is a magnificent working farm in Vermont with an English inclination that was built in the early 1900’s by the prestigious Vanderbilt family. In addition to […]
Down and Dirty at Dinosaur
We walked into the original Dinosaur BBQ on the “dirty side” of downtown Syracuse–past the row of Harley motorcycles, through the blues pulsing over the speakers, and into the hardwood-smoke air. The kitchen bustled as the ragged team of cooks scooped pans of beans from the steam table, sliced cornbread fresh from the oven, and […]
Cast Away, On Put in Bay
What could be better than driving a golf cart around a beautiful island in the middle of summer? Driving a golf cart around a beautiful island in the middle of summer drinking wine, that’s what! Ok, we were not actually drinking wine while driving the cart–we didn’t have to! On South Bass Island, Ohio on […]
Lasagna, Hold the Meat
My sister Megan in Indianapolis, Indiana has been a vegetarian since we were young. As children, my mother and father were very supportive of this decision and cooked a veggie version of whatever we were having for dinner that evening. When staying with Megan and her husband Ben, Amanda and I decided to make vegetarian […]
Belgium via Broad Ripple
Mussels, beer, fries, and crepes are abound at Brugge Brassiere in Indianpolis, Indiana. It’s Belgium via Broad Ripple, the culturally diverse neighborhood that is home to many Colts football-friendly sports bars as well as many of the city’s best locally-owned restaurants. We made a special trip to Broad Ripple to eat at Brugge with Megan […]
Thai Spice Brings the Heat
Often the best restaurants have originated–or remain hidden–within a humble strip mall. The “hidden gem” gains a loyal local following despite an obscure location. Restaurant Thai Spice in Indianapolis, Indiana is such a restaurant. Upgraded from its “strip mall roots,” Thai Spice has recently moved to a larger freestanding building to accommodate the hungry demand […]
Father-Son Grill Team
During our stay in Michigan, we had two fantastic dinners cooked on the grill. The first meal emerged from the heat of our Uncle Lawry’s grill in Ann Arbor and the second meal came from his son (our cousin) Johnny’s grill in Detroit. We enjoyed spending some quality back-porch time with these two accomplished grillers […]
Progressive Town, Progressive Food
For as long a I can remember the food scene in Ann Arbor, Michigan has been grounded in hippy health-food culture. Vegetarian, vegan, health-conscious, and organic foods abound in co-ops and eateries all over town. One well-established restaurant that exemplifies conscientious consumption of food is The Earthen Jar–a vegetarian Indian buffet. More recently, Ann Arbor’s […]