Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Happy Holidays plus Dreidels and Dim Sum

Hi Everyone,
Just wanted to wish you all Happy Holidays and a very Happy New Year!
Hope the weather is nice, the friends and family are abundant, and of course, the food is delish!

If you are Jewish and between the ages of 22-39, I hope you will consider coming to Jews Around Memphis' first annual Dreidels and Dim Sum event tonight!
7:30 - 10:00pm, The Beauty Shop Restaurant
We'll have great appetizers, a live band, and a cash bar!

More details on the Temple Israel website (http://www.timemphis.org/about/jam.htm).

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Asian Deliciousness

If you haven't been to Germantown for lunch lately, you should get your tush there ASAP. Hidden in the Exeter Shopping Center nestled between the Dollar Tree and Lifeblood is a little Asian haven called "New Asia." Though the inside is very simple and never very crowded, they offer an amazing lunch special that is VERY tasty and includes a huge portion of food (every time I've been I take some home).

Yesterday my friend Jackie and I ventured over to our new favorite place and got the "string beans and beef "special. It's not your "normal" Americanized Chinese place. You get a nice little appetizer plate with a crispy spring roll, mini rab rangoon and a sweet biscuit, and your choice of soup (try the hot and sour soup!). A few minutes later (they're quick!), your piping hot main course appears. The beef is deliciously seasoned with LOTS of cracked black pepper and spices and is mixed with string beans, carrots, and onions. We got ours with a mountain of hot steamed rice. All this for only $5.95. They also have fresh seafood specials, and a variety of items that are far from "run of the mill." Try it out and let us know what you think!

New Asia is located in the Exeter Shopping Center (2075 Exeter Road #90, Germantown, TN)

Monday, December 22, 2008

In the beginning...there were biscuits and jam.

Hi, everyone!

Welcome to my blog. I'm trying something new and hoping to share it with you (sorry for the rhyme, I'll try not to do that too much). I have been thinking a lot about how I can combine my love of cooking, writing, and all things food, and I feel like this was a good place to start. So, here goes.

First, a little about me. I'm a 20-something self-proclaimed foodie, living and working in Memphis, TN (definitely not the culinary capital of America, but if you need a bar-b-que joint recommendation, I've got one for you).

Although it's not my day job, food is definitely my most prominent hobby. I love reading menus for fun and I usually fall asleep with a cookbook or food magazine on my lap. I am an emotional baker/cook....when I'm sad, I cook. When I'm happy or excited, I cook. When I'm bored...you guessed it. I'm definitely not an amazing cook, but I like to learn everything I can, get inspired, and try it. It took me a long time to get over my fear of failing in the kitchen, but I have, and now I try something even if it means falling on my face and starting over.

My favorite foods have something to do with brunch. There's nothing better than candied bacon with perfectly seasoned scrambled eggs and cheese grits. Or eggs Benedict topped with fried green tomatoes and a deceptively light hollandaise sauce. Or a challah french toast casserole with orange zest, brown sugar, and currants. You get the idea.

I'll be posting about restaurant discoveries, recipes that have worked well for me, and anything that tickles my food fancy. Hope you have a wonderful holiday season and until next time, happy eating!