Have you Hurd... Double Comfort is in the Short North, but they are long on Southern Charm

While it's true I was born and have spent more than a few years living north of the Mason-Dixon line, I also spent more than a handful of my formative years south of it.  More than long enough to develop an appreciation for what I consider to be the finer points of southern cooking.  I don't profess to know about all of it or even like every single thing I have tried, but I am a big fan of several staples - fried chicken, bacon (or sausage or ham or any combination thereof) gravy, country ham, buttermilk biscuits, grits, corn bread, fried green tomatoes, fried okra, fried chicken, chicken fried steak, and the list goes on...  It is one of the reasons I am thankful to work for a company with an office in Nashville, Tennessee.  If I am lucky, every once in awhile I get to travel there and eat my way across that town and back again.

Which means I am more than a little embarrassed to admit that Double Comfort has been in operations here in the Columbus area for over 8 months and today was my first visit.  Since they position themselves as a purveyor of all the great southern comforts - both food and drink...  I should have been camped out for opening day.  The good news is that they were willing to hang around this long and wait for me.  As usual, I took a few friends along for the ride.  And one of them didn't have to go back to work, so he was willing to sample a cocktail for the record.  Well, one cocktail for the record and one purely for his enjoyment.  -smile-

We expected the poutine
appetizer to be dressed with
fresh cheese curds too.  It was
decided that it was just fine
without them.

We worked the menu from top to bottom and side to side.  We tried the poutine appetizer, both white and dark meat chicken, the chicken and dumplings blue plate special, the jalapeno skillet corn bread, macaroni and cheese, country-style green beans, mashed potatoes, and (of course) the bacon gravy.  We were mildly surprised when we were handed our menus, as they differed substantially from what we had seen on their website.  I am not sure if that was because the menu had changed recently or if the dinner menu is online and we went for lunch?  Didn't slow us down too much, just a little hiccup.   I am not a connoisseur of Canadian cuisine (beyond the ubiquitous Canadian-style bacon).  Consequently, when my friend asked me whether it should include fresh cheese curds, I suggested asking our waitress.  She was kind enough to confirm that it did.  The poutine hit the table not long after the drinks and was generous enough share.   What came out from the kitchen was shoestring cut fried potatoes covered lovingly with the house-made bacon gravy and some minced green onions.  It tasted great, so our disappointment in the lack of cheese curds lasted for just a short while.  We had enough to keep us busy while we awaited our entrees.

I kept my order simple and opted for two fried chicken thighs and country style green beans with a side of gravy.  The fried chicken was perfectly seasoned and crispy on the outside and moist and juicy on the inside.  The breading had a pleasant kick to it.  Double Comfort calls it Memphis-style.  I find that most southern-style fried chicken has that same bit of spiciness in the breading.  Usually from black pepper or cayenne.  It doesn't even rise to what I would call medium heat, but if someone is sensitive to spicy food they may have issues with it.  The same could be said for the bacon gravy and country-style green beans.  Both had a spiciness/heat level similar to the chicken.  I loved it, but I am pretty sure my wife would be less enthused.  She is not a fan of any kind of pepper.  For me, this meal was a home run.  I regret having waited so long to try this place.  I may have found a new favorite comfort food restaurant.

Can't you just taste that crispy
fried goodness in your mind?

Can you call it southern style
without a side of cream gravy? 

Can't go wrong with country
style green beans.  Even they
had just a little kick.

Based on the adjectives being tossed about the table while we joyfully consumed the feast they set before us, I believe the feedback was universally positive.  While all likewise noted the common thread of spiciness in many of the offerings, all agreed it was pleasing to their palate and they looked forward to the next visit.  One member of our group even asked for some beignets to take back to the office, but then decided he didn't want them to get cold driving back to work... So we consumed them too...  Smaller than the ones I tried in NOLA, but every bit as good.  Double Comfort offers them with a caramel sauce (I skipped that) which my friends indicated had a faint bourbon flavor to it.  So maybe a bourbon flavored caramel sauce?  Whatever it was, I think they were considering drinking it straight out of the container rather than dipping the beignets in it.  That is how much they liked it.  I should mention that the Rusty Tractor cocktails were also a hit.

Southern-style jalapeno skillet corn bread.  This
should not be confused with Yankee corn bread
(aka Jiffy corn bread).  It is not the least bit sweet
or fluffy.  

The chicken and dumplings and side salad.  This
was the Wednesday blue plate special.

The crowd today was surprisingly light for lunch time, but the manager stopped by and let us know that she expected that trend to change once the weather warmed up.  Apparently the folks that work at the nearby insurance company (that shall remain nameless) can't handle a short walk in the cold.  Too bad for them.  If I worked within walking distance of Double Comfort, they would have a table with a brass plate engraved with my name on it, permanently reserved for me and whomever I drag to lunch on that day.  That is how often I would be there.  In order to maintain my stunning physique I would then have to leave my car at the office and run all the way home and all the way back to the office the next morning. -smile-  The decor inside felt like the inside of an old barn.  Accents of rough planks along with some interesting old photographs and other agrarian curiosities.  Just felt comfortable to the entire group.  Not a total shock, given their name.  The pace of the meal was not nearly quick enough for a normal lunch hour, but since this was our first visit I don't expect it will keep us from coming back.  Hopefully, it was just an isolated occurrence and things will move along more quickly next time.  I would like to keep them on my list for lunch or dinner. Perhaps even lunch and dinner someday...  mmmmmm.....  Now you're talking... -smile-

Loved this picture.  Reminds me of a tractor my
Dad owned when I was a little kid.  In fact, I
think my Uncle may still have it.  

www.doublecomfortrestaurant.com

Your Dining Scout and Shade Tree Chef,
Michael Hurd, aka Big Mike

Have you Hurd... When you overfill your muffin cups, one may come out looking like Jabba the Hut?

Most people who know me well understand my penchant for modestly enhancing true stories to improve their entertainment value for listeners.  My dedicated readership deserves no less when it comes to the tales of my kitchen exploits.  The recipes will all be totally accurate, it's just the tales that accompany the preparation the may not fit into the non-fiction section of the local library. Rather than say it is based on a true story, I would say it vaguely resembles some story that someone told that may or may not have been true at the time they told it, but was nonetheless quite entertaining and perhaps even somewhat believable.  Names, locations, and other details may have been changed to protect the innocent or just to make it a more interesting story for you.  Can you follow that?  No...  Good...  -wink,wink-

I was searching for something to do in the kitchen and I also needed to use up some crushed sweetened strawberries leftover from an ice cream sundae party at the office... I dug deep into the recipe archives and managed to locate something suitably alliterative for my purposes...  I could bake a large (double batch) of strawberry cream cheese muffins and could take them to work to share with the rest of the gang...  I would dub them MONDAY MUFFINS! (cue triumphant music) I thought originally MAGNIFICENT MONDAY MUFFINS (cue insanely triumphant music), but that seemed just a bit over the top.

Recipe Link:  http://www.food.com/recipe/cream-cheese-blueberry-muffins-26030

Given the quantity of strawberries I had on hand and the number of folks in the office a double batch (24 muffins, per the recipe) would be just about right.  It had been awhile since I prepared this recipe, so I forgot two important things.  First and foremost... My food processor isn't quite large enough for a double batch of these muffins.  Of course, it is close.  Sooooo...  I didn't realize it until very near the end when I could make a really serious mess transferring it into a larger bowl and finishing with a stirring spoon, but it was all in good fun.. Thankfully, I was able to clean up my mess before my wife came upstairs to see the kitchen disaster.  GOOD SAVE!  

The second thing I had forgotten is when the recipe says fill the muffin cups 3/4 full.. They really, really mean it, because any more than that results in muffins that escape the confines of the muffin cups like a high school science experiment gone wrong. And one turns out looking just a little like, well... Jabba the Hut...  Although I am curious if anyone else sees someone or something else in it besides that.  Feedback may be interesting.  In my defense, the recipe projected 12 muffins per batch and I doubled it.  If I was doing the math right, that would mean I should use 1/2 the batter for the first pan of muffins.  After filling the recommended 3/4 full, I realized I had way more than 1/2 the batter left and I went back and topped them off.  Oops.  Guess that warning about not topping off your tank at the gas station may also apply to topping off your muffins when baking.  I am still learning.  I recovered with the second and third pans of muffins and had 3 dozen at the end, so I think the dozen servings was off by half.  I suppose it is better that it makes extra than comes up short though.

The only modifications I made to the recipe was to use strawberries instead of blueberries and I  slightly reduced the sugar. This was to accommodate the strawberries being pre-sweetened.  I reduced by 1/4 cup for the double batch.  This recipe is listed with blueberries and is also good with raspberries too when they are in season.  If your food processor is a regular size model intended for home use, probably make one batch at a time and avoid the mess.

Look carefully at these muffins and tell me
what you see.  

Ever had a muffin Rorshach test?

They were a big hit at my office.  I am sure they will be at yours too.  Cheers to your own Monday Muffin party.  -smile-


Your Dining Scout and Shade Tree Chef,
Michael Hurd, aka Big Mike

Have you Hurd... Son of Thurman... Not Far from the Original...

It was a long hard slog, but I just about worked through all my birthday specials.  OK.. So maybe it wasn't really all that hard or long... Maybe it was more of a pleasurable saunter throw the section of the Yellow Pages entitled "My Favorite Restaurants."  A tough life, but someone has to lead it, right?  -sly grin-  One lingering coupon for Quaker Steak and Lube.  On the fence about hitting All-You-Can-Eat wing night before it expires.  The wings are still  good and the beer is still ice cold, but breaking even on AYCE feels more like a chore these days than a treat.  Perhaps I will visit another day later in the week and avoid the pressure of trying to eat more than half my age in wings.  Not sure what they are feeding the chickens these days, but I do recall a time when I could exceed my age in wings at The Lube.  Those days are long gone for me.  Hopefully, my readership doesn't think any less of me for it.

Even though I was done with my coupons, I still hadn't experienced my 'birthday meal' yet.  My wife told me I could pick whatever location I wanted.  Had to think for a good long time.  Finally settled on Son of Thurman in Delaware.  Phoned some friends to round out the group and set an early meal time on Sunday to avoid the crowds.  Fortunately, we found on street parking a little more than a block away from the restaurant.  Spring started on Friday, but the weather was feeling like winter hadn't quite let go yet.  We arrived at the front door at 11:30 am to mixed messages.  The hours of operation posted on the door indicated we needed to wait a half hour for opening, but the neon OPEN sign was lit.  As we stood on the street, jaws agape and wondering what to do... The hostess opened the door and informed us they were in fact already open and they just needed to update their hours on the sign.  She ushered us immediately to a table.  

Should have brought a good
knife.  I could've paid for our
dinner with a little bit of
peeled wall covering.   

Who would've thought there was so much
pent up desire to deface US Legal Tender.
Son of Thurman has tapped into a
local groundswell.  Upping the ante on those
souvenir penny presses for sure.

The dining room is considerably larger than the original Thurman Cafe, but has much the same feel.  I am sure that was intentional.  The menu felt very familiar too.  As we both recalled how ridiculously huge the burgers were, we skipped breakfast and didn't plan to have supper either.  The interior was papered with dollar bills that had been personalized by either patrons or employees and laminated over with scotch tape.  Good thing the Secretary of the Treasury never comes here for lunch.  The amount of defaced currency in the place might cause him to launch some sort of Federal investigation.  It would be a shame to put the brakes on this burgeoning culinary enterprise over a few signed George Washington's.  -smile-  

Did I mention that the onion
rings were breaded instead of
battered.  BIG PLUS with
the Dining Scout.

A plethora of pretzel bites with
plenty of honey mustard sauce
for dipping.  BIG PLUS with
young and old alike.

The waitress quickly introduced herself and took our drink orders and we also ordered an appetizer while we waited on the rest of our party to arrive.  The dining room had yet to fill up, but gauging by the number of staff buzzing about a crowd was definitely expected.  Rather than try to rattle off the list of rotating seasonal beers on tap, the waitress showed me the handwritten list.  Only one hard cider and it was Angry Orchard with hops.  The hops made it sound too much like beer and I opted for a bottle of McKenzie's Black Cherry hard cider instead.  EXCELLENT!  The basket of fries and onion rings arrived at the same time as my hard cider.  Both were perfectly crisp and golden brown.  The fries also had a light coating of season salt.  Impressive for being thick fresh cut fries.  Not sure what they do to get them so crisp.  Our friends filtered in and joined us and added some pretzel bites to the mix.  Salty and slightly crispy on the outside... Soft and chewy on the inside... and with a sweet honey mustard sauce.  A hit with the adults and their young daughter.  Chops to the kitchen crew on the starters.

The namesake burger.
Picture taken before I even
thought about taking the first
bite.  

The Son of a Bacon Burger.
I am not sure which is more
impressive, the burger or the
quantity of bacon.  

We moved quickly to the main event.  As big as the burgers are, it felt like were featured in a title bout.  Twelve ounces of ground beef covered with any manner of toppings.  I opted for the original Thurman Burger topped with ham, sauteed onions, mushrooms, provolone, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickle, and mayonnaise.  I skipped the bun, but did enjoy the chips - a nice crunchy kettle-style potato chip.  Not house-made, but still good.  The burger was cooked perfectly, but the large number of toppings all stacked on top of each other needed some help.  I don't think the ham ever touched the grill.  I think that would have made a world of difference in the cheese layer - which was just melted enough to be somewhat rubbery.  Not quite the ooey gooey goodness I love on a burger.  And this burger deserves no less.  Maybe I threw off the concoction by skipping the bun.  A hot grilled bun might have helped melt the cheese too. Either way, a moderate disappointment for me.  My wife thoroughly enjoyed the Son of a Bacon burger she ordered.  She brought half of it home, due to the sheer size of it.  I am betting that is a fairly common occurrence.  

Yes, even pepperoni pizza.
Isn't that what they call a
win, win, win?  Or
something like that.

Our friends split the ticket and tried both a burger and a pepperoni pizza.  I sneaked a slice of the pepperoni pizza - solely for the benefit of my readership, of course.  It was delicious.  It was a crispy thin crust with a respectable sauce, solid blend of cheeses, and plenty of pepperoni baked to a nice light brown.  Yum!  Almost good enough to make me skip the burger next time.  -wink-   The burgers are a mixed bag as far as sides, so you have to pay attention to the waitress when she asks if you are OK with your side.  She pointed out to us what side came with each burger we ordered.  If you weren't listening, you might be surprised to find chips on your plate instead of fries or vice-versa.  I am sure you have already figured out none of us had room for dessert.  The waitress brought us some carry out boxes and the bill promptly.  I am not sure if she could tell we were first-time customers for this location, but she took great care of us from start to finish.  

Getting an early start was a good call, as the dining room was full by the time we departed.  Another good meal with good friends.  A recurring theme with the Dining Scout and Shade Tree Chef.  I just needed them to help roll me out the door to the car.  -groan-  Look forward to coming back again soon.  Maybe next time we'll split a burger.  And we'll see about dessert. -big smile-

Your Dining Scout and Shade Tree Chef,
Michael Hurd, aka Big Mike


Son of Thurman, 5 N Sandusky Street
Delaware, OH  43015
http://sonofthurman.com/

Have you Hurd... No TV's = Reasonable Crowd During March Madness...

If I haven't mentioned before, I am a Purdue alumni.  Since my team was eliminated earlier in the tournament weekend, I had no particular interest in watching the latest tournament action over dinner on Saturday night.  Neither of us is particularly fond of the usual Saturday night crush of people either.  Thankfully, we landed a dinner invite with a small group of good friends to visit a local Mexican restaurant that didn't list sports TV viewing as one of it's central features.  Aside from that, I expect the Saturday night crowd would have been a bit crazier at 6:00 pm, given the Blue Agave's proximity to the Polaris Fashion Place.




We were the last to join the party, so the table was already secured and chips and salsa were all around.  The waiter immediately appeared and took everyone's drink order.  The margarita prices were reasonable for the weekend, so I had to sample a jumbo house margarita on the rocks.  They had a wide variety of flavors and others at our table were more daring and opted for a pitcher of frozen mango and a pitcher of watermelon on the rocks.    Judging by the others pleasant responses, the other flavors were a hit.  If I visit again, I may sample another flavor, but since this was my first time...  I had to go with the standard for comparison.The house margarita was good, but not great.  Certainly as good as most any I have had recently, but I miss the Meltdown Margaritas from Don Pablo's.  I know some people consider it sacrilege to mention a chain restaurant, but I have to give them chops for the margaritas.  The only other place I can think of where I have had one that good since Don Pablo's left town are Senor Antonio's in Lewis Center.

(Clockwise from top left) Mild,
Hot, and Salsa Verde.  Salsa
Verde Remains a mystery
as the Scout passed on it.

Enough about the drinks...  Back to the food...  The chips and salsa take a more colorful turn at Blue Agave with a trio of choices accompanying the chips- mild, hot, and salsa verde.  The waiter also offered queso.  We followed the lead of others in our party and set up some queso in addition to the salsa trio.  It was a good call.  Queso was excellent.  Not sure whether it was me or someone else that licked the bowl clean, but it was all gone.  I am sure the dishwasher made light work of it. Probably even wondered if it had really been used for anything.  -smirk-  I sort of dipped my toe in the waters with the hot salsa.  Thankfully, it wasn't super hot and the mild had good flavor too.  Is there such a thing as fashionably hot salsa?  I skipped the salsa verde.  Green salsa just isn't my bag, baby.  -smile-  The chips were plentiful, light and crunchy.  Only suggestion would be to hit them with some salt.  That didn't seem to hold back any others at the table, so maybe I am the only one that likes a salty chip.



I expected with the size of our party (8 plus a child), the speed of service might be a little slower than usual.  I was off-base on that.  Our waiter and the rest of his supporting cast kept things moving all night.  Drinks and food arrived at the table at breakneck speed.  It seemed like someone was always checking with us to see if we needed anything.  Made me wonder if somehow we ended up at the VIP table or something?  Not too likely they have heard I am a food blogger yet, so it couldn't be that they were trying to impress me to ensure a good write up...  Have I mentioned that I am a sucker for that?  -smile-  Hats off to the staff for first class service.

Why didn't I remember to substitute something
else for the rice?  It's not what you are thinking.
I only had one margarita.  And I let my sweetest
have a sip or two as well.  OR were you thinking

old age?  hmmmmm...

My wife and I don't normally order the same thing, but tonight we were in total sync.  We both enjoyed the Chimichangas Supremas.  You get a choice of chicken or beef tips. She elected one of each.  After she finished ordering, I told him I would have exactly the same thing.  I paused and looked skyward for a moment.  Whew!  No lightning bolt.  Life is good.  -smile-  When it arrived at the table, I mixed it all together and I tossed the last of the salsa in the mix too just for kicks.  That's just how I roll.  The tortillas were crisp and filled with a generous amount of meat (and other fillings) and blanketed with queso.  The beans and the mixed salad were a bright spot as they had more flavor and texture than many other places I have visited.  At some other Tex-Mex establishments (you know who you are), it feels like the beans are from a can and the lettuce is from a bag.  I don't think that is the case at the Blue Agave.  If I had thought about it, I would have skipped the rice.  Even still, we both enjoyed the food.  Much like the margaritas though... We found it was good, but not great.  If we received an invite to return in the future, we certainly wouldn't pass it up.  If we are choosing the location though, it's more likely we would go somewhere closer to home like Rancho Alegre.




So if you find yourself at the Polaris Fashion Place mall and hankering for Tex-Mex, head east on the Parkway to Blue Agave.  The folks there will take good care of you.  If you should happen to be in some other part of town, my bet is that you already have another favorite place that is closer.  No reason to drive out of your way to throw yourself headlong into the craziness that is Polaris unless it far exceeds your favorite neighborhood Tex-Mex.  Anything short of that will cause you to hate yourself in the morning.  Save the Blue Agave for when you are already sucked into Polaris' vortex of rampant consumerism or you get a chance invite from some good friends to join their already rockin' party.  Blue Agave is just far enough away from the throngs of shoppers to provide a welcome oasis and help you take the edge off before heading home.

www.blueagaveohio.com

Your Dining Scout and Shade Tree Chef,
Michael Hurd, aka Big Mike

  

Have you Hurd... I have been searching for something... Just remembered... A great local pizza joint...

I know for a lot of folks, Spring Break is vacation season.  A time to take time off work and spirit da youts away to some far-flung exotic (warm & sunny, entertainment filled) destination and re-energize for the push to the last day of school and endless days of summertime fun (for the kids anyway).  Since we don't have any children, it really turns into more of a stay-cation for us.  Spring Break provides ample opportunity to visit many places near the big college here in Columbus (that shall remain nameless) that will be less in demand while the students are away.  It seems this year, we knew when it was scheduled, but forgot until the last night to actually trip down to campus for any reason.  My 44 year-old brain isn't nearly as reliable as it once was.

Thankfully, my wife woke up this rainy Friday morning and remembered it was Spring Break.  She reminded me and we laid plans to hit Adriatico's after work for pizza.  If you can only make one stop before the hordes of crazy kids come back to town, that is as good a place as any.  Managed to scoop a couple friends and their daughter to join us which made for a fun five-some for dinner.  

Within these few pages
is the stuff of pizza dreams.

We arrived just before 6:00 pm and the place was nearly empty.  Found ample parking right in front and gladly dropped $1.50 into the meter for 2 hours of food and fellowship.  My wife and I were the advance team, so we texted to let the others know we had arrived and immediately secured a table near the door.  We ordered drinks and an appetizer and told them not to rush, since there wasn't much of a crowd pressing for seating.  They arrived at the same time as our bread sticks with garlic butter.  Piping, hot golden-brown braids of chewy baked dough with a generous side of garlic butter.  A half dozen of them was just enough of a warm up for our crew.  Knowing that the thick crust pizzas take awhile to bake, we asked the waitress to bring an individual cheese pizza for the youngest member of our party.  As three year-old's go, I have to say she may be the most patient and agreeable I have ever met.  Still didn't want to press our luck.  -smile-

Yummy braids of dough to
kick off the meal.

We attacked the bread sticks, and politely sent the waitress away twice while we pondered the endless list of toppings and negotiated our way to a Buckeye XL pizza on Sicilian (thick) crust.  We settled on half pepperoni/sausage/mushroom and the other half the legendary INFLATION FIGHTER.  Can't go wrong with pepperoni, sausage, ground beef, ham, green pepper, onion, mushrooms, green, and black olives.  I love green olives on pizza, but so many other places go overboard with them.  Adriatico's knows a good balance.  The perfect combination of all the critical elements.  Crust was just slightly crunchy on the edges and dense and chewy through the center underneath a better than average tomato sauce, respectable cheese blend and the aforementioned toppings.

I feel the consumer price
index falling with each
delicious bite.

Just because we couldn't
handle the 18 x 24 doesn't
mean you can't.

The waitress tried to steer us down from the Buckeye XL, but we were undeterred.  Perhaps we thought we could still eat like college students?  It's 18" x 24" she exclaimed.  No problem we shot back.  It will cover the entire table she intoned.  Just pull over another table we retorted.  She sighed like a Mother about to let her kids learn something the hard way and said OK, if you insist.  Indeed we did.  -smile-  As for actually walking our talk...  Not so much.  It will be good for leftovers.  That is what will help us sleep tonight.  Because we took a shellacking from that monstrous pizza.  I am not ashamed to say it was Buckeye XL - 1...  Dining Scout and the rest of his band - 0... -grinch-like scowl-

This is like an Easter egg in your
favorite video game.  I don't even
need to tell you what it means.
You will know instantly and
experience the same visceral reaction
 as your intrepid Dining Scout.

Good grub... Even better company...  Just ran out of steam.  Sign of old age?  Absolutely not!  Just wiser and bit more restrained.  -smile-  We packed our to go boxes and headed for the door.  The bill didn't leave too bad a dent in our collective wallet either.  By the time we walked out the door at 7:30 pm, it was clear "Adriatico's on Spring Break" is not a well-kept secret.  The joint was full to overflowing and a few desperate souls were eager for a table to open up.  I am sure they enjoyed it as much as we did.  Have at it, guys.  Just watch out for that Buckeye XL.  They should call it the Buster Douglas KO pizza.  It will knock you flat for sure.   -big smile-

A couple of  to go boxes...

Better make that four...  Stan
does not like to stack the
pizza in the to go box.
Does anyone besides me?

OK... Maybe three... 

www.adriaticososu.com

Your Dining Scout and Shade Tree Chef,

Michael Hurd, aka Big Mike

Have you Hurd... The Shade Tree Chef is back on the "meals on wheels" train and he found the caboose...

Upon returning home from the Hidden Haven/Rax pilgrimage, I put away my Dining Scout hat and put on my Shade Tree Chef apron and got busy in the kitchen.  This weekend was the final phase of the "meals on wheels" project and it was possibly the biggest gamble.  The menu for this week was a full slate of items I had never tested out on this crew.  Naturally, I was a little nervous.  Tried to pick things that fit with the prior two weeks.  Not exactly the same, but hopefully within a range of likability.  I would be dishing up loaded baked potato soup with shredded sharp cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon.  I had originally planned on buttermilk biscuits, but offered a late switch. I was going to be making a trip to Great Harvest bakery and ask if bakery fresh bread would be preferable and indeed it was.  One loaf of Farmhouse White Bread would go perfectly with the soup.  I added a jar of homemade strawberry freezer jam to complement the bread and some iced red velvet brownies for dessert.

I picked up the soup recipe from one of my wife's good friends and co-workers.  The original recipe called for low-sodium and low-fat ingredients, but I steered back to the regular versions on the first try.  Based on initial feedback, I stuck with my variation.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup  (I doubled the recipe for this project to make 12 - 16 generous servings)
45 Ounces Chicken Stock
30 Ounces Frozen Shredded Hash Brown Potatoes
1 Can Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
2 Tablespoons Minced Sweet Onion
1 Teaspoon Salt and Pepper
8 Ounces Cream Cheese, Softened at Room Temperature

Combine first 5 ingredients in 4 quart slow cooker and cook on low for 4 -  5 hours (or high for 3 - 4 hours).  Just prior to serving, cube cream cheese and drop into the soup and wait 10 - 15 minutes for it to melt.  Use a whisk or spoon to stir the cream cheese into the soup to thicken it.  Serve with shredded sharp cheddar, crumbled bacon, and diced green onions.  (I omitted the last item for this project, as I didn't think it would be a hit with this particular crew).  On occasion, I have used freshly shredded hash browns and they worked just as well as frozen.  I simply shredded an equal weight of fresh potatoes (after peeling).  You can use bacon crumbles and shredded cheese from the store if you wish, but I don't.  I prefer the flavor when I shred the cheese myself and also cook & crumble my favorite thick-sliced bacon.  That is what I did for this project too.

I didn't ask the folks at Great Harvest to disclose their recipe for the bread.  If you want to give it a try, stop by the Westerville location and ask for a rectangular loaf of Farmhouse White (unsliced).  Baked fresh daily.  There are plenty of other good things to try there.  Be sure to check the baking schedule before you go.  Some items are in high demand, so if shopping on Saturday you may want to place an order ahead of time.  That is what I did.  I missed out on a cinnamon ring for breakfast the prior Saturday after waiting in the long line at the BMV. (Happy Birthday... NOT!)  While I was on the phone with Great Harvest, I also asked them save me a loaf of Gouda Guinness Stout Bread to go with deep fried turkey and Alfredo potatoes on Saturday night for a family gathering. YUM!

The Red Velvet Brownies were also not an original creation of mine, but rather a Duncan Hines mix.  You can find them at just about any local grocery store, although prices vary widely ($2 - $5).  I followed the recipe for the 'fudgy' brownies and baked them in a non-stick coated 8 x 8 foil pan.  I love that Reynolds put the non-stick coating even on their disposable foil pans.  No need to use any spray oil.  My wife was kind enough to make the determination on when to remove them from the oven.  She is the brownie baker supreme.  Glad to defer to her judgement.  She also frosted them to perfection.  I snapped the lid on and packed them for delivery.  Everybody has to know their role.  -knowing grin-  

I snapped a few pictures just before loading it into the car.  Missed getting a picture of the soup.  I am sure you can imagine what it looked like... An oval shaped cauldron with a snap-down lid (to avoid spillage during transport) almost full to the brim with thick and creamy potato infused goodness just waiting to be showered with bacon and cheese and joyfully consumed.  Too bad this is the end of the project.  I am not sure what I am going to do with myself this weekend.  Anybody need a house cook?  -big smile-

http://greatharvestwesterville.com

Your Dining Scout and Shade Tree Chef,
Michael Hurd, aka Big Mike

A shot of the box, so you know
what to look for in the
baked goods aisle.

Crumbled Bacon?  Check!
Shredded Sharp Cheddar?  Check!
Strawberry Jam? Check!
Farmhouse White Bread? Check!

Red Velvet Brownies?  Check!
Icing free of fingerprints and other
marks that would indicate
pre-delivery sampling?  Check!

Have you Hurd... The Legend of Rax lives on...

After experiencing the full range of Old Man Winter's wicked sorcery these last several weeks, without even so much as an assist from Punxsutawney Phil, I am sure we weren't the only ones enjoying the brief window of warm sunny weather this past weekend.  I am sure you all had the exact same items on your 'to do list' as we did.  Clean up the back yard now that the snow is gone and the doggie mine field is exposed (my wife)...  Think about fertilizing the lawn (me)...  Think about pruning the apple tree (my wife).  Wonder if it is safe to put away the snow shovels and salt and clear a path to the lawn mower and rakes (both).  Clean and oil your favorite shotgun (my good friend RJ, on my behalf)...  Reload enough ammunition for a round of sporting clays (me)...  Call all your friends for a trip down to Hidden Haven Sporting Clays Preserve(me)...  Based on the scarcity of folks shooting on Sunday afternoon, I am thinking maybe that last one wasn't on everyone's list.  No worries.  We can't all be cool kids.  -smile-

Quite an impressive crew.  This was only half of our group.  The B team, made
up mostly of folks from another insurance company in Columbus (who shall
remain nameless) missed the photo op. Thanks to Jody, Jeff, Sharon, & the whole
Hidden Haven crew for a great day and more good times that we can remember.

The reason I felt compelled to make a trip so early in the clay target season was that I received an email earlier in the week from our good friend and fellow shooter, Jody Milligan.  She was letting everyone know that they had finally located a buyer for their home and the rest of the Hidden Haven sporting clays campus.  Unfortunately, the buyer did not intend to continue the business in its current form.  The last day to shoot sporting clays at Hidden Haven would be March 15.  I put a call out to the entire gang for one final lap around the course.  This also provided an opportunity for us to say thanks to the entire Hidden Haven family for the many years of fun they provided for our insurance industry shooting events.  Based on the timing of our visit and the lack of others on the course, I think we were quite possibly their last customers. -sniffle-  Doesn't feel quite as special as being the first customers, but we still would not have missed it in a million years. 

Since we were there saying goodbye to one favorite hangout, I thought it only appropriate to convene at another favorite location for some food and drink.  After busting a few caps, I convinced the gang we couldn't possibly go all the way back to Columbus without stopping at the Lancaster Rax.  Yes, that's right.  Rax Roast Beef is still available in some select areas of Ohio.  One of the many reasons a wise person might choose to live in this fine state.  You can bet your house on the fact that I will be dining at Rax if I pass anywhere within 50 miles of one.  You see... Nobody... And I mean nobody can make the BBC sandwich like Rax Roast Beef.  There is something in that cheese sauce that sets it apart from an otherwise crowded field.  The tender and juicy roast beef, corn dusted mini-sub roll, and thick cut bacon are great, but it is clearly the BBC sauce that is at the heart of one of my small handful of  addictions that survived the 80's.  Judging by the number of internet searches launched by people desperately seeking a replacement recipe for the BBC sauce, I appear to be a member of a rather sizable fan club.

In some ways, Rax Roast Beef is like that John Wayne character in the movie Big Jake.  All through the movie he introduces himself to people and they respond "I heard you were dead."  He responds with increasing agitation "Well, you heard WRONG."  -smile-  I suspect many of our dedicated readership may have thought Rax was gone too, just like "Big Jake."  Fortunately for us, Rax is likewise still alive and kicking.  Maybe not on every corner, but not on the other side of the planet either.  The closest locations in Central Ohio are in Bellefontaine (just off US-33) and Lancaster (Main Street, also close to US-33).  New locations will be opening soon in Washington Courthouse and Chillicothe.  Life just keeps getting better.  They do have a full menu available beyond the BBC and seasoned curly fries.  I just don't bother talking about that, since it isn't what draws me there like a moth to the flame.

I turned this around to conceal the cascade of
cheese sauce on the other side.  I feared
that the excitement it would generate
would be too much for some readers.

Judging by the chatter around the table and the smiles walking out...  It was worth the trip.  If you should pay a visit anytime soon, be sure to tell the folks at Rax thanks for taking us back to the 80's if even for a little while.


https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rax/52869006735

Your Dining Scout and Shade Tree Chef,
Michael Hurd, aka Big Mike

Have you Hurd.... I'm goin', I'm goin', I'm goin' back to Scali!

When I posed the question in an earlier post "when are we going back to Scali?"  I didn't really expect it would be quite so quickly as this.  I guess when you happen to be on your best behavior and several office birthdays happen in early March (including my own), this leads to some sort of celestial arrangement and POW a lunch invitation to SCALI RISTORANTE falls right out of the sky.  Not sure how life could get any better?  Great food, great company, maybe even go off the edge and have dessert with lunch...  At my age, dessert for lunch does count as edgy.  And did I mention the boss was buying?  -sly smile-

Just like always, that tantalizing aroma greeted us at the door.  Since they rotate the specials, it is never exactly the same.  Although it does elicit a common response.  Like Pavlov's dog, my mouth starts to water the instant that rarefied air fills my nostrils.  We were greeted like members of the family and seated immediately in the midst of the bustling Friday lunch crowd.  Our waitress stopped by to grab our drink order and hit us with the daily specials.  I didn't even notice that she left some fresh bread on the table, but everyone else must have as they started on it while we perused the menu.

It seemed like she wasn't even gone a moment and returned with drinks and we placed our orders.  Our salads must have sprouted wings in the kitchen they arrived so quickly.  Great that they respect that the pace matters at lunch time.  Even though the boss was with us, we did need want to get back to work in a reasonable amount of time. -earnest grin- At the risk of seeming repetitive, I stuck with my old favorite - the Italian salad.  Can't go wrong with a quality bed of greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, crumbled blue cheese, seasoned croutons, and Scali's house vinaigrette.  I am happy to report it was gone from the plate almost as nearly as quickly as it arrived at the table.  

Even though I do a lot of cooking at home, gravies and sauces are my downfall.  I keep saying I will sign up for a class somewhere and learn the finer points of this art that is clearly lost on me.  For now though, if I find a good sauce on the menu I am happy to let my tongue swim a few laps in it.  Today...  Mmmm...  As in Mmmmarsala...  As you might expect, Scali offers a splendid Vitello (Veal) Marsala.  Perhaps so tender and flavorful that it should be illegal at lunch time?  How can one be expected to focus on work after such an experience at noon time?  It is only through the support of a vast network of friends in the office and sheer intestinal fortitude that I was able to stay productive Friday afternoon.  Normally, I would pair this with some sort of pasta.  Scali affords that option, but I had a feeling that the dessert menu would feature something extra special.  So I opted for the spears of broccoli sauteed in olive oil and fresh sliced garlic.  Didn't have to lead any meetings Friday afternoon and that was a good thing.  Not sure others would have appreciated the garlic quite as much as I did.  -big smile-  

I thought about drinking the
sauce off the plate at the end,
 but ultimately did not.

Fresh slice garlic and olive
oil.  Broccoli makes sense
now, doesn't it?

Broccoli?  Yes, I was
surprised I ordered it too.
Wait until you see what
they cooked with it.  

The early restraint paid off handsomely.  One of the featured desserts was a frosted lemon cake with fresh berries.  And one of my lunchtime companions was kind enough to suggest we share it.  It was the perfect finish for a perfect lunch.  No candles on it, but we both felt the Happy Birthday love as we devoured it slowly, savoring every morsel.  The cake was light and airy with a nice balance of sweetness and tart lemon flavor.  I shouldn't even type this, but it makes a strong argument to replace red velvet as my favorite birthday cake.  Actually, it may be more of a comeback tour.  My Mom used to bake Pillsbury Lemon Streusel cake frequently for my birthday in my earlier years.  It was my all-time favorite at that stage.  That all came to an end when Pillsbury stopped making the mix for it and I was forced to switch.  -grimace-  If I ever run into that little dough boy, I will drag him out behind the wood pile and properly communicate my disappointment.  Lucky for him, Scali may have earned him a reprieve.  I can just order the lemon cake, close my eyes and pretend my childhood favorite is back in style.  Can't wait to get back...  Not to my childhood...  To Scali Ristorante.  

If you are on your best behavior and maybe you have a birthday coming up too... I look forward to seeing you there. -smile-    

This cake was so light and airy, I am
convinced it had absolutely no calories
whatsoever.  We even shared some with
the boss.  She was paying, after all.

www.scaliristorante.com

Your Dining Scout and Shade Tree Chef,

Michael Hurd, aka Big Mike

   

Have you Hurd... Sometimes the source of the invitation matters more than location, location, location...

In my short span of almost 44 years, I have eaten at more than a handful of establishments that would certainly never be my first choice.  Although I enjoy variety just as much as anyone and venture outside my comfort zone on occasion, there are some places that just never make it onto my restaurant bucket list.  They may not even make it onto my 'where to go when someone else is paying' list.  -smile-  It is not because they don't offer quality fare that lacks in creativity, but suffers from quite the opposite.  It is usually because the quality of the fare is so exceptional, I find the prices hard to swallow....  Or the creativity in the kitchen is on overload and I find that for my taste buds, it is just much too much...  In my experience, sensory overload doesn't always revolve around surround sound, high-def CGI, and magnificent staged pyrotechnics.  It can often come from what is brought to me on a fashionably presented white china plate.

I suffer from these same creative impulses myself when I am planning menus.  I try to do absolutely every great thing  I can think of simultaneously for only ten people.  Thankfully, I have a voice of reason that speaks to me.  Not inside my subconscious, but inside my household.  Her name is Beth.  Since we have been married for over 16 years, maybe she is inside my subconscious mind a good bit of the time too.  She frequently reviews my plans and utters the words (in a somewhat incredulous tone): "do you really think you need to do all of this?  Maybe you could pare it down a little.  Even go as far as reducing it by half?"  Knowing there is little point in arguing with her when I realize I am indeed in the wrong, I usually follow her sage advice and cut it down substantially.  Maybe I need to hire her out as a consultant to help others rein in their creative drive when it may have run amok?   Then I could quit my day job, get a food truck... And live happily ever after... No wait... This isn't the movies...  If it was, I would just yell at the writers and ask for a script change...

Tonight's dining destination was not my choice, but it was a good choice nonetheless.  I was invited to join a large group of associates from my firm that were in town for a few days of important meetings.  As I normally get to interact with them via email and on the occasional telephone call, I jumped at the chance for some face time with my extended work group.  No better way to build good working relationships than over some food and drink.  

Since I had never been to Sidebar 122 and I have particular tastes, I researched the menu in advance of the visit.  A good portion of the offerings were a bit edgy for me, but found there were some some winners in the mix too.  No need to snack before heading downtown.  -smile-  It never crossed my mind that given the size of the group, it might not be an 'order from the menu' type of affair and instead would be a robust selection of appetizers, pizzas, and salad.  You'd think this was my first rodeo.

Meatballs in the lead off
position...

Pizza and house salad to
round out the lineup.

I passed on the garlic shrimp
I love garlic, but not a fan of
seafood in general.

It was a generous array of offerings and a large crowd, but folks were a bit tentative at first.  While many made a beeline for the liquid refreshments, it took a few minutes for folks to figure out the score with the grub.  Some quiet inquiries amongst ourselves about whether this was just the first course or the main course for the evening?  Should I hit the food lightly or fill the plate?  At some point the ice was broken and food began to disappear almost faster than the service staff could replenish it.  

Chicken skewers waiting on
a resupply.  I never wait for
chicken, unless it's fried.

Actually remembered to
snap a pic before the first
bite.  Progress?

Beef empanadas are MIA too.
I took a pause for the cause
and waited for the refill.

I sampled a number of items...First, the meatballs which were oversize compared to most anywhere except for a good Italian restaurant....  Can't say for certain they were house-made, but they were exceptionally moist and tender.  Definitely not out of the freezer.  I ask one of the service staff and he confirmed the presence of veal in the recipe.  Not surprising.  They were served in an equally tasty tomato sauce.  Rolls were available if you wanted to make a sandwich with them.  I didn't.  The chicken skewers were suffering from a temporary supply shortage when I passed by, so rather than wait I moved on to the beef empanadas.  A flavorful shredded beef filling with a pleasant kick wrapped in a flaky pastry shell and baked golden brown.  There was a small bowl of sauce available for these, so I took a couple of spoonfuls of that too.  Not sure what it was, but YUM!    

This left just enough room on my plate for a small square of pizza and a serving of the house salad.  I took both even though I was not entirely sure of the ingredients.  I am not allergic to anything, thankfully.  If I don't like how it tastes, I just don't eat it all.  -grimace-  Wouldn't be the first time.  Just ask my Mother.  The pizza and salad were both delicious.  The crust on the pizza was thicker and chewier than similar ones I have tried at other establishments (big plus).  When it came to the salad, I will admit I am not a huge fan of balsamic dressing. I find it typically doesn't pack enough flavor for me. I like my greens just like anything else - well seasoned - and salad dressing is the seasoning.  If the dressing is bland, you might as well munch on a dry leaf of lettuce.  -blah-  The balsamic dressing at Sidebar had more flavor than any others I have tried.  Maybe not quite a home run, but a safe slide into third.  

In closing, the food was good.  The company was even better.  Atmosphere was old-school brick and with a touch of upscale.  Perhaps a bit on the loud side, but what party room isn't when you fill it with a large group of folks who like to carry on?  Probably my only disappointment was the lack of information on the food offerings.  There were signs indicating what the choices were, but not any key ingredients listed or an indication of what items were vegetarian selections or gluten-free.  If you didn't catch one of the service staff recharging the food stations that you could ask, you might be left to take your chances.  Or just go hungry.  That would be a shame in either case.

 Still not sure Sidebar is on my top ten list, but if I find myself downtown again and looking for something a little different than my usual, I may stop in again.  In the meantime, I can count myself lucky to have received the invitation to join the group tonight.
  

Sidebar122, 122 E. Main Street, Columbus   www.sidebarcolumbus.com   

Your Dining Scout and Shade Tree Chef,

Michael Hurd, aka Big Mike