9th ANNUAL "TASTE OF COASTAL CAROLINA"

Sherri Starr from Neuse Riverkeeper Foundation, asked me to post this information about Tuesday's fundraiser.  It should be a fun time and a great opportunity to taste food from the area restaurants.  

New Area Restaurants Add Exciting Tastes and Flavors

To The 9^th Annual “Taste of Coastal Carolina”

An exciting opportunity for local residents to taste the fabulous food from local area restaurants is coming up next week at the 9^th annual Taste of Coastal Carolina.  The event, on Tuesday, March 13^th from 6:00- 8:30 p.m., will be held at the Riverfront Convention Center in New Bern, to benefit the Neuse RIVERKEEPER Foundation.  Included in the ticket price is food from 29 of the best area restaurants including ten new New Bern area establishments. These ten are: Le Bistro Fine Dining and Art Gallery, Antonio’s, Baker’s Kitchen, Rebecca’s , Sam and Jenn’s Bella Cucina, Taylor’s Texas style BBQ, the Bethlehem Shop and Deli, The Break Away Bistro, Savage’s Wood-Burning Pizzeria, and The Wild Cupcake.  Each establishment brings a unique approach to dining in this town.  These restaurants join returning New Bern favorites The Flame, TaTa’s, Carolina Bagel, Flounders, The Hurricane, Annabelle’s, Friday 1890 Seafood, MJ’s Raw Bar, Say It With Cake, Kitchen on Trent, Christoph’s on the Water, Tina’s Sweetshop, Trent River Coffee, Persimmons, Ribeyes, El Cerro Grande, Sea Glass Café, the Harvey Mansion and 247 Craven.

Taylor’s Texas Style BBQ opened last spring.  A father and son partnership, the two bring a combination of their North Carolina and Texas roots to barbecue.  Rebecca’s Gourmet Café and Bakery, on Metcalf Street near the Palace, is owned by award-winning candy and sweet maker, Rebecca Clayton.  Her credentials include publications in Esquire Magazine, Southern Distinction and Atlanta Bride. Le Bistro opened last September in the space of a Catered Affair on Trent Road.  Executive Chef Christopher Maravelas combines good food with the ability to view local artists’ work.  Chris is also very active in “Chefs Move to Schools” a program in conjunction with the American Culinary Federation to promote healthy eating among our youth.  Chef Valerie Morse studied Culinary Arts at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, RI. A Boston native, she came to New Bern, NC with her family and young son, Antonio. She has worked in the restaurant industry for over 13 years now, and has worked at The Copley Marriott Hotel in downtown Boston, where she learned how to cook from people from all over the world. She now owns and manages Antonio's Restaurant, on Highway 70 East in James City, with her Sous Chef, Joshua Dunn. Becky Bengel, daughter of Alderman Sabrina Bengel, now manages the Baker’s Kitchen, formerly Baker’s Square, on Middle Street.  Where she is holding to their previous roots in great baked goods.   Bella Cucina, located on Trent Road in the former Pia’s features authentic Italian food.  Chef Sami, who is classically trained, hails from Milan, Italy, where he learned to make the cream sauces Milan is known for. He also spent time in Sicily learning to make their red sauce. After spending several years around the world working for hotel restaurants, Chef Sami went to New York and then came to New Bern.  The Bethlehem Shop and Deli is owned by Basma Hjouj. Since coming to the U.S. in 2004 from her native Palestine, she has introduced New Bern friends to Middle Eastern cuisine, especially food from Lebanon.  Last summer she opened her storefront where she offers food, featuring her baklava, as well as Mediterranean groceries and items. The BreakAway Bistro, housed in the former location of Nikola’s on Glenburnie Road, is the creation of owners  Amy Hayden and Ken Curtin. Savage’s Pizzeria, one of the newest restaurants to open on Trent Road offers New Bernians a taste of wood-fired New York pizza.  Doug and Pam Savage are the new owners.  The Wild Cupcake owned and operated by Nicole Costa.  Nicole has a home-based cupcakery with cupcakes in unique flavor combinations and has recently started branching out into party and wedding cakes.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.neuseriver.org or by calling Diane Baldwin at 252-637-7972.  Other ticket outlets include Harris Teeter, Mitchell Hardware and Cravin’ Wine.  Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at the door.

Proceeds from the Taste benefit the Neuse RIVERKEEPER Foundation. The mission of the NRF is to protect, restore and preserve the Neuse River basin through education, advocacy and enforcement, in order to provide clean water for drinking, recreation and enjoyment to the communities that it serves.   The Neuse RIVERKEEPER Foundation recently celebrated 30years of river research and protection. The Upper and Lower Neuse RIVERKEEPERS® work to advocate for and improve the water conditions for the citizens of North Carolina through investigation, education and public involvement. The Neuse River runs through eleven counties in North Carolina, encompassing over 6,000 square miles of watershed. The Neuse River Foundation maintains two offices, one at each end of the Neuse River: the Lower Neuse office is located in New Bern, NC and the Upper Neuse office is located in Raleigh, NC.

CLASSIC MEATLOAF

In this day of exotic flavors and extravagant recipes, sometimes it's nice to just go back to basics. Tried and true old-time recipes just can't be beat. Here's a recipe from Eddy Browning who writes a weekly column for the Sun Journal.  I adapted it slightly because the original recipe calls for 1/4 lb. each of ground pork and veal. Since both come pre-packaged in 1-lb. containers, I took out the veal, upped the pork to 1 lb., and upped the beef to 1-3/4 lb. Then I had to adjust the remaining ingredients, since the meatloaf was now using almost 3 lbs. of meat compared to 2 lbs. in Eddy's recipe.

If you like a zingy meatloaf, this is not it.  This is just an old-time meatloaf recipe from the past.  It makes great sandwiches, or so my hubby says.  I'm not a meatloaf lover and hardly ever touch it.

Classic Meatloaf
Adapted from Celia Shelton
Rating:  8 out of 10
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INGREDIENTS:
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups chopped onions (about 1 very large)
3 garlic cloves, grated or minced
3 large eggs
1 cup bread crumbs (I used a combo of whole wheat bread,, white bread and oyster crackers)
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
2/3 cup low-fat milk
3 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1-1/2 tsp. Tabasco (hot pepper sauce)
1-1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves
1-1/2 tsp. Morton kosher salt
3/4 tsp. black pepper
1-3/4 lb. ground beef (I used Harris Teeter Natural Beef, in the butcher case.)
1 lb. ground pork

Heat oven to 350F.  In medium skillet, Combine oil and onion over medium heat.  Cook 5 minutes, or till softened, stirring occasionally.  Add garlic; cook 30 seconds or till fragrant.  Place onions and garlic in large bowl; cool to room temperature.

Whisk eggs into onion mixture.  Stir in remaining ingredients; mix lightly by hand or with large fork until evenly blended.  Press into 9x5" loaf pan, or place free-form loaf in shallow baking pan.  To prevent glaze from dripping off pan during baking, mound meat in center with sloping sides.

In small bowl, prepare glaze:  Stir together 1/3 cup ketchup, 2 Tbsp. packed light brown sugar, 1 Tbsp. cider vinegar and 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard.  Brush 1/4 cup of the glaze over top of loaf.  Bake 45 minutes; remove pan from oven.  Brush top of loaf with remaining 1/4 cup glaze.  Bake an additional 15-20 minutes, or till meatloaf is firm and juices run clear.  Loosely cover with foil; let stand 15 minutes before slicing.  Yield:  8-10 servings

SAVAGE'S WOOD-BURNING PIZZERIA

How many pizzerias does New Bern have?  I've lost count, but it doesn't matter, because none of them are very exciting.  Until now.  Savage's pizza is the best I've tasted in New Bern.  The crust is thin and tender, the tomato sauce has nice flavor, and it's not overly salted or loaded with too much cheese.  I like mushrooms on my pie, and Savage's mushrooms are not rubbery like some.  I didn't ask, but they taste and look like they're freshly sliced and cooked.

A large pie with mushrooms

The owner/operator is Doug Savage, who grew up in Northern New Jersey where there are more good pizzas than bad.  He makes his own dough and tomato sauce.  All of the food at Savage's is freshly made daily.  Besides several kinds of pizzas (traditional cheese, Margherita, Hawaiian, White, Gluten-Free and The Big Savage) you can also get appetizers, hot and cold subs, wraps, jumbo wings, calzones, salads and ice cream.  Doug hopes to have beer and wine available soon.

The inside of Savage's is freshly decorated with an inviting interior.

Daily specials are written on a board placed at entry.

Co-owner and fiancee Pam Dawson, a native North Carolinian, works the front while Doug works the kitchen.

Doug and Pam together in the kitchen

Service is quick and friendly.  A traditional cheese medium (12") pie is $12.95, and a large (16") pie is $14.95.  Additional toppings are $1.50 each, and you can choose from pepperoni, Italian sausage, meatballs, ham, Genoa salami, extra cheese, mushrooms, peppers, onions, broccoli, black olives, spinach or pineapple.


Savage’s, located at 2116 Trent Road, is open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.  Phone (252) 672-0103

JENN-AIR RADIANT DOWNDRAFT COOKTOP ANYONE?

Jenn-Air Radiant Downdraft Cooktop, Model JED8430

We've converted to gas and are looking for a buyer for this beautiful cooktop.  It was installed September, 2006, and the original price was $1100.  It's in excellent condition and we will sell it for $295, or best offer.

Dimensions of cooktop are 22" x 29-3/4".  Minimum clearance required for downdraft is 17-1/2".  Detailed installation instructions are included with cooktop.  Read more about it here.

April 2014 update:  A few months after this posting, we sold the radiant cooktop to a charming engineer who lives in Atlanta.

OUR FIRST MEYER LEMON HARVEST

It's been a long wait -- almost two years -- since we bought our dwarf Meyer lemon tree at Lowe's.  It was small then, and we planted it in a smallish pot and placed it on our patio.  Last winter, it came inside our house.  By the time the winter was over, it needed to be repotted to a bigger container.  It was repotted again in early fall to yet another, larger, container and placed on a caddy with wheels.  We relocated the tree to just outside our garage doors, so that it could easily be wheeled inside during frigid weather.

Most of the first blooms fell off, as predicted, and others we picked off, leaving just two lemons for our first harvest.  As the lemons grew, they were dark green, then lighter green, then yellow, and finally orange-yellow.

  
The Meyer lemon tree is a cross between a Mandarin orange and a lemon, producing a sweeter, less-tart fruit that chefs and food enthusiasts love.  (Wal-Mart carries bags of Meyer lemons, and Harris Teeter carries the individually priced fruits at close to $1 each.)  Since Meyer lemon trees are a dwarf variety, they are perfect for container growing on a patio, or even inside the home in a sunny location.  They do require at least eight hours of sun daily, so location is critical, and care must be taken to not overwater them.   They can be planted in the ground in areas where winter weather is short and not severe, but they must be covered when temperatures dip below freezing.  Though the trees can reach 10-20 feet in height when fully grown, it is possible to keep them in containers if the trees are cut back once a year.

Our tree is completely covered with new blossoms now, some of which have already started to form fruit.
The intoxicating fragrance of the citrus blooms permeates the garage area, in a good way.   We're looking forward to a Meyer lemon meringue pie soon, hopefully by Memorial Day.

QUICK AND EASY CHICKEN SOUP WITH BEET GREENS AND TORTELLINI

I hope you're in the habit of buying fresh beets.  They are wonderful when they're roasted, and so easy to do.  Just cut the beets away from the beet greens, scrub, wrap in foil and bake at 400F for about 40 minutes, or till tender when pierced with a fork.  Peeled and sliced, they're a great addition to a tossed salad, and equally good as a snack.  But what about those greens? Don't throw them out.  Get more bang for your buck by using them just like spinach.  In fact, that's pretty much what they taste like because they are a "cousin" of spinach.

Previously, I made delicious Beet Green Spanokopita, froze them, and baked some to accompany this soup.

With my latest bunch of beet greens, I used the smaller leaves to add to salads and used the bigger leaves for this wonderful soup.  The tortellini is a critical component of this soup.  It provides the "comfort" texture and taste.  Since it's fresh pasta, it cooks in no time, along with the other ingredients.  The beets and tortellini were both purchased at Harris Teeter.

The beets may appear expensive, but when you consider that you are getting two vegetables in one, it suddenly looks like a bargain.

Try this soup soon, and it may become your go-to chicken soup for cold wintry weather.  And, P. S., you can purchase rotisserie chickens on Sunday at Harris Teeter for $4.99 for your Sunday meal.  Monday's leftovers can be used to make this soup.  How's that for smart shopping?

Quick and Easy Chicken Soup with Beet Greens and Tortellini
Rating:  9.5 out of 10
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INGREDIENTS:
1 Tbsp. margarine or canola oil

1/3 cup chopped sweet onion

1 large carrot, peeled, grated on large holes of box grater

1 celery stalk with leaves, sliced or chopped

About 3/4 tsp. salt, divided

3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

1-1/2 quarts Harris Teeter low-sodium chicken broth

1 cup water

2 cups fresh beet greens or spinach, chopped

¾ cup chopped or shredded cooked chicken

9 oz. pkg. of Harris Teeter fresh six-cheese tortellini

In 3-quart heavy pot, heat margarine, onion, carrot and celery over medium-high heat.  Cook 5 minutes, or till vegetables are softened.  Add 1/2 tsp. salt, parsley, broth and water.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 5 minutes.  Add beet greens (or spinach if using), chicken and tortellini.  Cook on medium low heat 5-6 minutes, or till pasta is tender.  Taste broth to adjust seasonings, adding up to an additional 1/4 tsp. of salt, if needed.  Yield:  4 servings

GREEK LEMON GARLIC CHICKEN WITH POTATOES

Ever since our dinner at Taverna Mythos in Morehead City, I've been dreaming about Greek food.  So when I found this recipe, I knew I had to try it.  It's a simple recipe with few ingredients and it goes together quickly.  Perfect for a cold winter's day, the potatoes and chicken are nicely flavored and provide a comfort-food meal that will warm your innards.  Adjust the garlic down if it's not your favorite, and the classic tastes of lemon and oregano will still make this dish uniquely Greek.

Greek Lemon Garlic Chicken with Potatoes
Adapted from about.com Greek Food
Rating:  8.5 out of 10
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INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
2 tsp. Morton kosher salt
1-1/2 tsp. Meditteranean oregano
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. grated fresh garlic
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 chicken, or two breast quarters, or two leg quarters
2 potatoes
1 onion, peeled, quartered
1/4 - 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

In gallon-size resealable plastic bag, combine lemon juice, zest, salt, oregano, pepper, garlic, oil and broth.  Transfer 1/4 cup of marinade to a quart-size resealable bag.  Add chicken to gallon-size bag.  Seal bag and  refrigerate for 1-8 hours.

When ready to cook, heat oven to 375F.  Peel and quarter potatoes and toss in quart-size bag with marinade.  Place chicken skin-side down in roasting pan with potatoes around chicken.  Add onion around potatoes.  Pour 1/4 cup broth and any remaining marinade from bags over chicken and potatoes.  Bake 15 minutes, then flip chicken to skin-side up and continue to cook another 20-25 minutes, or till chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165F and potatoes are tender.  If additional liquid is needed, add another 1/4 cup of broth.  Yield:  2 servings