“It’s great for vegetables, yes, but it’s magic when it comes to grilling shrimp.”
Source: Made In’s Fry Pan Sold Out *Twice* Last Summer — but It’s Back in Stock for Grilling Season
Author: tango449
A guide to couscous: The history, different types and how to cook with it
A look at the history of couscous, how it’s made, the different types available and its culinary uses.
Source: A guide to couscous: The history, different types and how to cook with it
10 Things You’ve Gotta Know About Eggs
Lot 12 Public House Crushed It
Lot 12 Public House
117 Warren St.
Berkeley Springs, WV 25411
(304) 258-6264
https://lot12.com/
American | $$$
During a recent getaway trip to Berkeley Springs, West Virginia we were excited to try Lot 12 Public House. I had read good things about the restaurant and Chef Damian Heath. Our good fortune had us there the weekend Chef Damian and his wife Betsy reopened after closing for some months due to COVID.
The dinning room is cozy and has the feel of eating at a friend’s house.
It starts with wonderful homemade bread.
Our appetizer was this amazing Toasted Gnocchi with roasted garlic, sautéed mushrooms, and parmigiano-reggiano cheese. The gnocchi was perfect and paired nicely with the mushrooms and cheese.
A nice Intermezzo came in the form of this Guava Ginger Sorbet.
For my entrée I chose a Grilled NY Strip Steak with bacon scallion mashed potatoes, a shitake demi-glace, ramp butter, and chimichurri. The steak had a great sear and was cooked perfectly. The smooth potatoes and demi-glace were a great accompaniment for the steak.
For my side I continued my quest to order Mac & Cheese when ever it appears on a menu. This Smoked Gouda and Roasted Garlic Mac & Cheese was delectable. Don’t hesitate to order this.
My wife ordered a special of Baked Halibut with grilled shrimp and grits in a cream sauce. She said the fish was divine and cooked flawlessly. I enjoyed a bit of the shrimp and grits and found them like the wonderful dishes served in our Southern food Meccas like Charleston or Savannah.
For my dessert I had to try the Lavender Crème Brûlée. There was just a hint of the lavender giving it a delightful flavor.
My wife’s dessert was a simple House made Sorbet with fresh berries.
Chef Damian, a James Beard Foundation Awards 2012 semifinalist, and his wife Betsy opened Lot 12 Public House in 1999. It remains an upscale dinning destination in the northwest corner of West Virginia drawing local guests and diners from Maryland and Virginia. Berkeley Springs is a quaint town with plenty of history and worth an overnight stay if you can get reservations for dinner at Lot 12 Public House.
Culpeper Glory Days Grill – Fail
15295 Montanus Dr.
Culpeper, VA 22701
(540) 829-7133
https://www.glorydaysgrill.com/
American | $
On a recent Sunday drive we found our way to Culpeper, VA and decided to stop by Glory Days Gill for a late lunch.
I have had the Tortilla Soup at the Manassas location and loved it. The one here not so much. It was ok but not the same as the batch in Manassas.
I went with the crab cakes and was disappointed. They looked great but were mostly filler.
The golden rule of food photography is never take pictures of half eaten food, it’s not a good look. Crab cakes need filler to hold them together. Here there was little crab and mostly filler. The flavor came from the crispy panko, not crab.
If you find yourself at Glory Days you may want to pass on the crab cakes, they weren’t worth the money.
Instant Pot Eggs
Everything you ever wanted to know about instant pot eggs: how to make perfect hard, medium, and soft boiled eggs quickly every time.
Source: Instant Pot Eggs
How to embrace fennel and add its subtle sweetness to your cooking
Fennel can enhance your cooking in many ways, once you know how to use it.
Source: How to embrace fennel and add its subtle sweetness to your cooking
How to Really Use an Instant Pot and Other Multi-Cookers
An excellent article about Instant Pots from Serious Eats.
Source: How to Really Use an Instant Pot and Other Multi-Cookers | Serious Eats
Biscuits & Gravy | Basics with Babish
It is nearly impossible to turn down biscuits and gravy. Unless you are vegetarian, vegan, celiac, lactose intolerant, kosher, or have even a modicum of appreciation for or understanding of your basic human health. But they’re really, REALLY good!
Rocktown Kitchen is a Hit
Rocktown Kitchen
217 S. Liberty Street #101
Harrisonburg, Virginia 22801
540-217-2425
https://rocktownkitchen.com/
American | $
In the heart of Harrisonburg, VA, Rocktown Kitchen serves up quality scratch dishes that are delicious. Seating at the bar was closed and tables were spaced over 6 feet apart. Before being seated I could see a staff member giving our booth a serious cleaning. Staff and guests were all masked. We eat early to dine with minimal patrons. If we find a restaurant nearly half full, we will pass and try another day. We arrived around 4:30pm and only a couple of tables were occupied.
The wood and brick interior is simple and relaxing.
We usually have water or iced tea with dinner, I mention the tea here because it tasted like tea and not brown water made with one tea bag. Ordering iced tea shouldn’t be a crap shoot, but about 25% of the time I wish I had just asked for water.
My wife ordered the Meatloaf with Southern Style Green Beans, Mac & Cheese, and Tobacco Onion Rings. The green beans we cooked perfectly with just a slight crunch to them. The onion rings were great, thin, and breaded nicely. Not sure what the tobacco thing was all about but I would not hesitate to order them as a side. The meatloaf was perfect. It has a nice light mustard taste to it. The glaze was a tasty crisp caramelization that pared well with the mustard flavor.
For my entrée I chose the Grilled Pork Chop with Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes, Apple and Onion Chutney with a Red Wine BBQ sauce. My pork chop was bone in for extra flavor and moist. The chutney was scrumptious with just a few too many raisins for my taste. The sauce was delightful and a perfect complement to the chutney.
The Mac & Cheese side was simple but well done.
We split a Warm Sticky Toffee Cake that was moist and wonderful.
Our waitress was great and a number of staff members including the owner stopped by to check on us and clear the table. Since we ate early noise level was not a concern. This is our 3rd dinner in Harrisonburg a great college town. See my blog posts on Bella Luna Pizza and Joshua Wilton House.
If you are looking for a nice relaxing dinner consider Rocktown Kitchen, they have a great menu.
tango449eats 