Huntsville Restaurant Week & The Food Blogger Tour – #DineHSV

Fried Green Tomatoes via Grille 29It’s no surprise that the south contributes an eccentric flair to the culinary scene with its rich history and no shortage of immigrant influences. I simply couldn’t imagine my life without southern food or the hospitality for that matter and it comes without saying that Huntsville, Alabama wasn’t short on either. Last weekend I took a little three-day mini-vat down to our Nashville neighbor after being invited by the CVB to explore the food scene in their fare town.

This recent trip to Huntsville was different from what I remember of my last visit some 15 years ago when I was a young one, more than likely – I was being dragged by the parental units to visit extended family. But enough about me, you’re here to find out about the good stuff, like where to eat and what to do? There’s more than 50 local restaurants participating, each one offering a Restaurant Week special. Lunches are set at $5, $10, and $15, while dinners are set at $10, $20, and $30. So there’s no reason why you shouldn’t start meal-planning for the week!

Westin Huntsville - Huntsville, Alabama

First things first, I arrived at the Westin Huntsville Friday afternoon to be greeted with open arms and smiling faces. I arrived a few hours premature to the check-in time due to catching a flight straight to Huntsville from Charlotte, which is a story for another day, I digress. Any-who the staff gave me instruction to make myself comfortable in the lobby while they put the finishing touches on my room, which was more than okay with me since I had learned much about patience in the previous two days.

The room was standard in set-up but what set it apart was the view from all sides (assuming you love sunsets-rises & God’s country), the bed constructed of clouds and the chic shower/bath options. I did miss some of the amenities like a microwave and mini fridge because I love to store cold beverages when I travel and I have a mild addiction with reheating my coffee several times…whatchagonnado?! But I’m elated to tell you that the Westin is currently under-going renovation and the top floors will become a new concept called the Element, which will house some of those familiar home amenities that travelers enjoy!

The Westin staff definitely knew the way to my heart – I received a beautiful tray laden with chocolate truffles and blondie bites from their talented pastry chef & a bottle of Malbec to cap it all off. I was only seconds away from telling my wife, “we’re moving in.”

Later that day, we were off to eat at our first restaurant of the Food Blog Tour to kick off the Huntsville – Madison County Restaurant Week. I was excited to meet some of the other bloggers and get their take on the city’s burgeoning food scene and to see if there were other places off the beaten path that we should visit while in town?

Grille 29 - Roasted Cauliflower Soup

We arrived at Grille 29 located in the Village of Providence which has a rather laid back vibe about it and feels like one of those places the Baptist flood after church, you know what I’m talking’ about – the south y’all! We started the off with a delicious roasted cauliflower soup that I couldn’t stop eating because the texture blew me away. It was light and airy but creamy and rich – all of these things might not seem like they make sense but you have to try it for yourself. Each course complimented the last in a way that you didn’t want the food to stop coming and there’s very few restaurants I would say that about. The fried green tomatoes with pimento cheese studded with a hint of bleu cheese in it and layered with porky-goodness was a well executed offering of the staple adorned across southern menus. The desserts were nothing short of toe-curling pleasantries that you wanted to tuck into your pocket for later, specifically referring to the lemon-curd lava cake (yes, it’s a real thing and you want it!). The staff is excited about the food they serve and Executive Chef Cara knows her flavor combinations. Did I mention the 29 cent mimosas at brunch on Sundays! And the Restaurant Week starts August 12-21, so you want to add this gem to your stop.Lemon-Curd Lava Cake from Grille 29

 

Our next stop on the tour was a place that I could see myself frequenting on a regular basis based on the friendliness and eccentric nature of the restaurant alone. Its the kind of restaurant where you just stop by to say hi and leave with goodies for later just because they are that awesome! I’m talking about none other than the Toybox Bistro, a quirky little joint nestled into a strip of other small businesses including a little coffee/cupcake shop called SugarBelle where I nabbed some nitro coffee ‘for the win.’

Toybox Bistro

Toybox Bistro

You walk into the The Toybox Bistro and you’re not exactly sure what to think because it’s adorned in novelty comics, toys, board games and more. You may even be greeted by Darth Vader’s face while you sip your pale ale at the bar. This eccentric joint is the epitome of nerd-dom and that’s an awesome thing if you ask co-owner Michelle Timon. I thoroughly enjoyed speaking with Michelle and hearing about her desire to give back to the Huntsville community through creative culinary eats and the allowing of everyone to be themselves in the Bistro.

We sat down at the table that would soon be covered with red baskets of poutine (cheese curd and gravy covered fries) and deep-fried wickles (only the best pickle product in a jar you’ll find!).     I learned by this second stop that you have to pace yourself because more food is coming so its best to take your time and let the top button of your pants loose early. We were able to choose between two items for our entrée that would be featured on the restaurant week menu. The first being a PB & Yay Burger, yes a burger with peanut butter – but don’t worry, no jelly is involved; though I’m convinced their culinary is capable of working wonders after trying the burger laced with peanut buttery-goodness! I was under the impression that this stuff only appeared on Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives, not that someone in real-life was actually creating such things – well, it was divine, so you should order two, one for you and one for the one you love. The other option was Toybox’s version of a cordon bleu, a fried chicken sandwich with swiss cheese, sweet ham, and a bacon béchamel which was nothing short of heavenly comfort food amped up by the bacon béchamel. You’ll be elated to know that these items will grace the menu as permanent fixtures after restaurant week is over.

Beignet Cafe - Huntsville, Alabama

Our last stop for the food blogger tour was the Beignet Cafe, a little hole in the wall nestled into a shopping center in the northern area of the city. While the dirty grits, white corn grits with andouille sausage and chicken in a spicy tomato-based creole sauce, were rather tasty, the iced coffee made with Cafe Du Monde coffee and the fluffy perfection of the beignets stole my heart! I’ve never been to New Orleans but I believe in my heart that those pillows of sugary decadence do the originals justice! I’m still dusting powdered sugar off my clothes as we speak…or as I speak, should I say?! ;-] The service was phenomenal and the owner Denise was a gem, sharing with us her inspiration for the restaurant and taking fantastic care of us! You may also choose from a strawberry and feta grilled chicken salad, egg bake, or dirty grits – some options also come with a beignet but trust me, you’ll want to.Beignets from Beignet Cafe in Huntsville, AlabamaYou guys, there was so much to do and see that I won’t overwhelm you in this one post, so stay tuned for part two as my wife and I explored Huntsville a little more. These restaurants are a great start to your restaurant week dining options and you may check out the other bloggers posts below to see more mouth-watering captures of what we dined on!

Katie Actually http://www.katieactually.com/toybox-bistro/
Rocket City Mom http://www.rocketcitymom.com/kid-report-toybox-bistro/
Bo Williams http://bowilliams.com/2016/07/visiting-toy-box-bistro-for-huntsville-restaurant-week-2016/
Sweet T Makes Three http://www.sweettmakesthree.com/places-to-eat-in-huntsville-alabama/

A behind the scene shot for your life, because bloggers y’all!
Photo by the talented Sarah of The Jealous Crumpet. 

Food bloggers at Toybox Bistro for Huntsville Restaurant Week

Disclosure: I was invited to get a sneak peak of the Huntsville Restaurant Week participating locations as a guest of the Huntsville-Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau. All thoughts and experience opinions posted here are that of my own. Meals were provided as part of this experience.

Green Bean Delivery Service, Vegetable Soup & $15 Off Your First Order!

Green Bean Delivery Service, Nashville, TN, buy local, food blogger, food styling, chefs

Green Bean Delivery Service Nashville, TN, The Local Forkful Blog, Food Delivery Services, Nashville Food Bloggers            organic carrots, carrots, food styling, foodie, nashville tn, food blogger

Your local CSA’s are in full swing. Farmers can’t keep up with the Summer’s harvest as it sprouts from the soil thanks to Spring’s rain. And it’s one of my favorite time’s of year because produce is flowing freely and I can barely keep up with the veggies from farmers markets in the fridge before they go bad. That’s one of the reasons I’m happy to tell you about a food delivery service here in Nashville, Green Bean Delivery.

The Green Bean Delivery service approached me with the offer to receive a FREE bin of goodies from their selection of local/non-local produce and groceries. I couldn’t resist the opportunity because my wife and I work very busy schedules and its hard to go grocery shopping sometimes. So this just seemed like the perfect opportunity to try it out to see if it was something we’d be interested in doing more than once and we have. Check out the 5 reasons while you’ll love them from organic offerings to supporting local and fighting food insecurity. I enjoyed being able to receive items from Provence Breads, Hatcher Dairy and even some eggs from Willow Farms.

cremini mushrooms via Green Bean Delivery

Its super simple , and there’s no membership or enrollment fees which is a plus, it stinks to feel like you’re married to something that you don’t use often, like ‘gym memberships’…zing! But you go to the website, browse the shop and have a field day, though I won’t lie to you, it’s not cheap but the prices aren’t far off from what you’re paying at your local grocer and did I mention you don’t have to find a parking space or touch grocery carts covered in pink-eye!? You have to commit to minimal pricing packages like you’ll have to purchase $28 in veggies and produce before moving on to groceries and then it’s a minimum of $35 after that. They’re just encouraging you to ‘Eat Your Veggies’ and support our farmer friends, in which a lot of the vegetables are from their own farms in Indiana and Ohio.

You get the option to have your delivery scheduled for Monday or Thursday between noon and eight pm. I received my first box on a Thursday evening and I won’t lie, my emotions were that of a Christmas morning and the best part is that I knew the contents of the package because I chose them, so no returns here folks. I also picked some products that I wanted to try, so don’t forget to check out the discount section on their site too!

You can also opt to have it delivered to your office or pick it up at their warehouse near the airport. You can cancel or suspend your items in case you’re going out-of-town or maybe your schedule changes.

The weather was still cool when I first received this service, I didn’t want you to think I was completely crazy making hot soup in the summer time, not that there’s anything wrong with that! I would love to see more local options included in the selection because we love local here at The Local Forfkul and they also take requests for products you’d like to see in their options and will try to accommodate you. And because you guys are awesome and you read my bloggity blog, you will receive $15 off your first order, so #winning! The code is bc6lofo and it will expire three months from today.

This soup is very simple, it’s actually one-stop shop. I sautéed some onions until translucent, and then add the garlic. Allow that to cook until aromatic about two minutes. Add five cups of chicken broth, and add sliced some mushrooms and asparagus. I also threw in some kale and chickpeas I had in the fridge. Add a can of tomato puree, fresh thyme then salt and pepper to taste. I let that slow simmer for about 30 minutes until all the flavors began to come together. A little squeeze of fresh lemon doesn’t hurt if you have it. I hope you guys enjoy your Green Bean Delivery orders as much as I have! Here are a few links from some food blogging friends who also used the service!

Erin’s Food Files // Lesley Eats // Eat Drink Smile

Please comment below if you’ll try the service and what you might be cooking with your box of goodies! I want to hear all about!

rainbow chard, green bean delivery, nashville, tn

Southeastern Cuisine and The Asheville Wine & Food Festival!

 

The Local Forkful, Food Blogger, SponsorIn anticipation for the Asheville Wine & Food Festival we’ll be talking all things southern food today, and why not? It’s only an intricate part of our lives here in the south and since the arrival of spring the fields have come to life with sun-kissed produce for harvesting. The creak of  screen doors have begun singing, honey suckle is running wild, the crickets are demanding your attention and the smell of smoked meat is in the air. Southern cuisine is the heartbeat of the southeast United States.cornbread panzanella salad

 

When I hear the word ‘food’ the first thing that comes to mind is ‘southern food’. Not simply because it’s mainly what I know but because it’s what I love. It is what I grew up eating around the dinner table and what I will die eating around the dinner table. Southern food is so rich in history and influenced by so many cultures that in #essence, southern food is ‘our’ food. We, a collection of people from different parts of the world all contributing little pieces to create a bigger picture.

 

Southern food is an experience all on its own; the simplicity of preparation in combination with love and attention to detail is what brings it to life. My mother, grandmother and great-grandmother are my greatest southern #food influencers. The most prominent of these three being my great-grandmother, she lived for food and loved everything about it. Most of my childhood memories involve her in the kitchen telling me stories of when she was a child, and how they used everything they had available to make meals. She’d tell me that eating your vegetables wasn’t an option when she was growing up because the table would be filled with them and maybe some cornbread and meat if they were lucky. I remember how upset she would be when people did not finish their food.Gluten Free Biscuits, The Local Forkful, Asheville Food and Wine Festival

I believe resourcefulness is at the heart of southern food. It’s the art of using what is available according to the season and making the best dish out of minimal ingredients. It’s the preservation of food to make it last through the cold season. It’s a celebration of hard work, the joy of new friendships and the exhibition of affection for mankind. There is an excerpt from John Egerton’s book Southern Food that sums it up perfectly…

 

“Within the South itself, no other form of cultural expression, not even music, is as distinctly characteristic of the region as the spreading of a feast of native food and drink before a gathering of kin and friends.  For as long as there has been a South, and people who think of themselves as Southerners, food has been central to the region’s image, its personality, and its character.”

Southern Food

 

I honestly can’t imagine living anywhere else but the south, except Europe…because pastries, but even the French have their influence in the south (hello Louisiana!). But there’s something about cities like Nashville, Asheville, Memphis and Atlanta that make you excited about southern eats, not to mention the hole in the walls along the way and those boiled peanut stands dotting the sides of country back roads.

Roasted Beets, the local forkful, The Local Palate Magazine

 

The dining we experienced last spring in Asheville, NC is still clear on my palate as though it took place yesterday. The kale pekoras at Chai Pani, the fried green tomatoes and grits at The Early Girl Eatery and that gluten-free deconstructed s’mores dessert from Posana. And I won’t even get started on all that is French Broad Chocolates, that’s a whole blog post in itself if you’re familiar with my #chocolate addiction. I hope to see you at the Festival with me eating all the #southern goodness! You can find all the details here.