Adventurous Eating: Beer, Bourbon, & BBQ Festival

So much food and so little time to blab about it. But this past Saturday’s Beer, Bourbon, & BBQ Festival is worth the gossip. 60 beers, 40 bourbons, and lots of barbecue – oh my! I was submerged in a pig pen, I mean a warehouse filled to the brim with more dark beer, bacon, and men than I could take down and it was wonderful.

I came hungry and I conquered – garlic bacon, maple bacon, pork sandwich with coleslaw, Dinosaur BBQ’s pulled pork with baked beans (DELISH!), chicken wings, ribs, corn bread, collard greens, and to finish caramelized popcorn. It was quite a day and the barbecue was only half of it.

30 beers beckoned me, I only like the dark ones. And dark they were from Brooklyn Breweries to Heartland Brewery I drank til my hearts content – which clearly didn’t amount to that much. But despite my intolerance for binge beer drinking, I did manage to come across two new Belgian Style favorites which happen to be on the lighter side… Goose Island’s Matilda and Palm Breweries Palm which were both well paired to the spicy barbecue.

Needless to say, the event was a success. How can you go wrong with beer, bourbon, and barbecue – even if you skip the bourbon?

Feast your eyes on these finger lickin’ event photos…..

Adventures in Late Night Eating: Silver Dollar Pancakes

After a wonderful evening of sipping cocktails and dancing up a storm, there’s nothing better to help you sleep than a nice hearty plate of silver dollar pancakes and bacon. And yes, at 2am, probably not the best thing to be eating but I just couldn’t supress the craving. So where did I go… MOONSTRUCK!

Sure, Moonstruck was packed to the brim with twenty somethings trying to prevent morning hangovers but so what? The satisfaction of late night eating is something that I just don’t think I could live without. And its a good thing I’m not the only one! My sister and my friend Allie joined me on our late night eating adventure to Moonstruck. And after giving the menu a QUICK once over, I decided to stick with my silver dollar pancakes and bacon. We also ordered cheddar cheese fries and a toasted corn muffin for Allie.

 

Naturally I ate it all… and I must say that their silver dollar pancakes are phenomenal. Now this isn’t just my 2am hunger speaking. Despite the hour or my blood alcohol level, I still have tremendous judgment when it comes to food. And last Sunday morning, Moonstruck was dishing out superb late night fare.

So please, do yourself a favor and try the silver dollars!

MOONSTRUCK

449 Third Avenue (at 31st street)

200 West 23rd Street (at 9th avenue)

250 E 58th St (at 2nd avenue)

Thanksgiving Sides: Mac & Cheese, Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallows, & Brussels Sprouts oh my!

Thanksgiving sides turn an ordinary Turkey dinner into a fabulous feast. And winter favorites like butternut squash, sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts and cranberries seem to be the most celebrated of the season. The vibrant colors of these seasonal delights paired with their rich textures and flavors contributes that warm holiday feeling Thanksgiving reminds us of.

Like the curious cook I am, I’ve been scouring the web for new Thanksgiving sides recipes on Bon Appetit, Cooking Light, the Food Network among others. Some of the more memorable Thanksgiving sides I’ve come across are:

Roasted Butternut Squash Polenta with Fried Sage

Bacon, Apple, & Fennel Stuffing

Sauteed Brussels Sprouts with Lemon & Pistachios

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Maple Cinnamon Sage Brown Butter

Cranberry-Apple Relish

For my Pre-Thanksgiving Dinner we served a few Thanksgiving sides that you will have the privilege of seeing first hand. All of the recipes will be uploaded tomorrow and next week so please check back for additional details and pictures.

Corinne’s Mac & Cheese

Jana’s Brussels Sprouts

Elissa’s Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallows

Sarah’s Stir Fried Broccoli with Almonds