By: Megan Foster
If you’re looking to beat Sacramento’s heat in the company of a cool drink and some of the choicest house-made charcuterie around, head to Block Butcher Bar in Midtown. Snuggled next to LowBrau on 20th and K streets and under the same ownership, Block Butcher Bar offers up a range of cool cured meats, pickled goodies and fresh local cheeses to complement whatever brew you’re drinking (or holding to your forehead), whether it’s one of the dozens of bourbons, scotches or whiskeys showcased on the wall, a microbrew or a summer-appropriate cocktail. “Just Beet It” is my personal favorite. Featuring a mix of beet juice, lemon, balsamic vinegar, mint, dark rum and bitters, this ruby-colored little gem will have you revived and attempting Michael Jackson dance routines with your friends in no time.
Perfect for a day when consuming hot food sounds unappetizing, the charcuterie options at Block are a welcome divergence. Varied, sophisticated and substantial, don’t confuse these plates with appetizers, as one order can easily make a full meal with generous samplings of three, six or 12 different kinds of cured meats. While you’re enjoying the eclectic protein offerings, your understanding of pickle-appropriate foods will be stretched also, with surprises like pickled cherries and assorted garden vegetables.
Once it’s dark and you’re ready to risk venturing outdoors again (and since you likely bee-lined it from the simmering street to the bar upon entry) don’t forget to look under the glass counter in the foyer. Here you’ll find a wide selection of cured meats and artisan cheeses to take home, from familiar brands like Cowgirl Creamery to new discoveries like Bleating Heart goat cheese. Upon review you’ll be tempted to take home one of everything, and maybe that’s not such a bad idea, since you’ll get to clutch those refrigerated delights to your chest as you make the warm walk to your car.
Block Butcher Bar
1050 20th Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
916.706.2636
National Donut Day
By: Stephanie Rudy
June isn’t known for its abundance of holidays. No three-day weekends to look forward to, no fireworks, no pumpkin carving and certainly no Turducken. But, before you discredit the month altogether, are you familiar with the significant holiday that falls on June 6th? That’s right, it’s National Donut Day.
Yes, I could have gone out and bought a box of donuts from down the street. Instead, I opted to make my OWN donuts – donut cakes. At eight inches round, these donut cakes are sure to impress (and feed) all in your home or office.
Ingredients –
(Recipe makes two)
-Two donut-shaped cake pans
-1 box of Funfetti cake mix (my favorite – although you can use vanilla, chocolate, whatever you like)
-1 container of pink vanilla frosting (or frosting of your choice)
-Sprinkles (the more the merrier – seriously)
Directions –
Prepare cake mix per instructions on the box (note: you’ll likely need eggs, vegetable oil and water). Pour prepared cake mix into both donut pans. Bake your cakes according to box directions. Remove from oven, and let cool. When cool, scoop a ½ – ¾ cup of frosting into a measuring pitcher. Microwave pitcher for 10-12 seconds until frosting is JUST barely warm and slightly pourable (do not over-microwave into separated runny liquid – it’s not pretty). Slowly pour frosting over your two donut cakes and sprinkle immediately.
2014 Food Trends
What do Sriracha, Ginger, and Gluten-Free products have in common? (Don’t worry, it’s not a daringly obscure recipe combining them.)
In fact, the three are among the top food trends for 2014, finding their way into trendy restaurant dishes, Pinterest recipes and flying off grocery store shelves. Haven’t tried them yet? Here are some tasty ideas to get you started:
- Explore the surprisingly delicious world of “Gluten-Free” with top notch baking mixes. My personal favorite is King Arthur Flour’s Gluten Free Muffin Mix. Toss in some blueberries and you’re in heaven! Seriously.
- Kick up the heat by adding Sriracha to mac n’ cheese or mix it in a bloody mary.
- Add some fresh ginger to baked fries or salmon for a zesty flavor combo.
New Pizza Joint Gallops into Midtown
Have you ever been on a cleanse? You know, the kind where you have to give up tasty things like bread and alcohol? Well I did one of those for the last two weeks and felt very proud of myself for not cheating or complaining too much. So naturally, as soon as the cleanse ended, I felt the need to celebrate with a meal of gluten and an adult beverage. And, what better way to make a deprived belly happy than with some pizza and a glass of wine?
Lately I’ve been hearing buzz about Trick Pony Pizza, the new wood-fired pizza restaurant that has taken over the former home of Tuli Bistro on 21st and S Streets, so I decided to go check it out.
They just opened within the last two weeks, and are still in the process of getting some menu items in stock, which makes for an initial menu that is small but mighty. My dining companion and I were particularly hungry (see “cleanse” above), so decided to get two pizzas, (the Margherita and the Chef’s Special) a Caesar Salad, and a carafe of Barbera to share. Trick Pony prides itself on sourcing ingredients from local purveyors and growers, such as the local tomatoes used in the sauce and local Barbera from Amador County’s Andis Wines and the quality shows.
Here are my thoughts on the food:
Wordless Wednesday: Farmer’s Market in Embrun, France
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