Dinner at Lamberts

I’ve been waiting to eat at Lamberts for three years. And it was well worth the wait, though the meal got off to a rocky start with the appetizer. Before I even walked in the door I’d decided that I was going to start with the Crispy Wild Boar Ribs served with Honey & Sambal* Glaze & Daikon Slaw.

Dissecting a menu before you walk in the door is a fatal flaw because you have a lot more time to raise expectations. And for some reason, I expected these to be amazing. But they were so teeny tiny I could barely taste the meat, which meant I could also barely taste the sauce. And I hate when I can’t try a new sauce. So I grabbed a corn muffin and dipped it in. AMAZING! If only the ribs had been a little meatier…

Moving on to the main course. I had the Beef Brisket. My cousin had the Jalapeno Hot Links and we shared the Brussels Sprouts, Fried Okra, and the Green Chili Cheese Grits. My brisket was perfect – perfect as a conduit for the three unbelievable sauces brought to the table. The sauces were so delicious. One sweet, one mustard, one spicy – and when mixed together it created a tangy sauce with a kick. I tried to buy them to bring home but because they are made without preservatives (that’s usually a good thing!) I couldn’t swing it. It may be reason enough to move to Austin.

Lamberts is a BBQ spot. But the selection on the sides’ menu probably draws in almost as many herbivores as carnivores. As an omnivore, I wanted to try it all. You must get the grits. I’m writing a grits cookbook. I know grits. But never have I ever tasted grits quite like these. They were more chili than cheese and sweet with a hint of spice. Next week while on vacation I’m going to try to recreate this recipe. I’ll let you know how it turns out!

Day one in Austin was a success. I can’t wait to see how tonight’s dinner at La Condesa compares.

*For those who don’t know what Sambal is because I didn’t and had to turn to the Google. Here you go: A Sambal is a chili based sauce which is normally used as a condiment. Sambals are popular in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the southern Philippines and Sri Lanka, as well as in the Netherlands and in Suriname through Indonesian influence. It is typically made from a variety of peppers, although chili peppers are the most common. It is sometimes a substitute for fresh chilis. It can be extremely spicy for the uninitiated. Some ready-made sambals are available at exotic food markets or gourmet departments in supermarkets in many countries. (courtesy of Wikipedia)

Happy New Year!

I kicked off 2010 in proper form by hosting a Hair of the Dog Party. It was a great day shared with 30 (yes, 30 people in my one-bedroom apartment) of my favorite friends and involved an all afternoon Bloody Mary bar, snacks, and football followed by a Southern Dinner Buffet. Here is the menu:

Bloody Mary Bar
13 bottles of BM Mix (in six varieties)
Pickled Okra
Green Beans
Celery
Shrimp
Jalapenos
Pepperoncini
Limes
Olives
Vodka

Snacks
Red Pepper Relish w Cream Cheese - Fritos Scoops
Onion Dip - Homemade Potato Chips
White Pizza Dip
Cheese, Fruit and Charcuterie Platter
Veggies & Spinach Dip
Ricotta & Fig Tart
Puff Pastry Pick Ups

Dinner
Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder
Spicy Collards
Black Eyed Peas
Corn Casserole
Pineapple Casserole
White Cheddar Grits
Rice Stuffing

Dessert
Peppermint Brownies
Christmas Cookies
French Vanilla Cupcakes
Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce
Vanilla Ice Cream

Hands down the pineapple casserole was the crowd favorite as few hadn't even heard of such a thing. I forget that not everyone grew up having it at every family reunion and/or potluck. I tripled the recipe which was not smart. I should have made three batches separately and combined them at the end.

I was very ambitious and tried David Chang's Bo Ssam Pork recipe from the Momofuku cookbook. It was good, but no where close to the deliciousness I had at Momofuku Ssam Bar last month. And I should've tried to make it at least once before tripling it to feed 30 people. I also made his recipe for ginger scallion sauce which will forever be a staple in my fridge.

I'm really proud of three things. First, I've finally perfected my White Cheddar Grits recipe. Second, I made the best vanilla frosting I've ever eaten...if I do say so myself. Third, I may honestly have the best friends in the world. I feel so blessed to have been able to celebrate the start of a new year with such kind, smart, and talented people. And I have a feeling it's only going to get better from here!

New Year's Resolution

Happy New Year, y'all!

I could not let an entire year (actually I think it's been 18 months) pass without updating my blog and publicly stating that my resolution for 2010 is to finish my proposal and the first draft of my cookbook! The past two years have been overwhelming from both a career and personal perspective. I've still been doing as much cooking as possible, but I haven't had the time to do much writing. And this is a shame as I've had so many great things to share.

The bonus to my demanding workload is that it has taken me to amazing cities to enjoy many outstanding meals which I promise I'll share with you in the coming weeks. I've also been fortunate enough meet Bobby Flay, Thomas Keller and Dan Barber in his own kitchen at Blue Hill at Stone Barns. And I have the pleasure of going to the Cayman Islands in a few weeks to attend the Cayman Cookout where I'll get to meet Anthony Bourdain, Eric Ripert, David Chang, and my personal food hero - Grant Achatz. It's going to be a good year.

Brown Butter Grits

Brown Butter Grits
Originally uploaded by weezienyc.

I made this the other night for dinner. Try out this easy recipe:

Brown Butter grits
Serves 4

2 cups water
2 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1 cup white stone-ground grits
freshly ground pepper

Bring water, broth, 1 tablespoon butter, and salt to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Gradually stir in grits and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer grits for 30 minutes, stirring constantly.

Cut remaining butter into pieces and heat in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Stir the butter or swirl the pan so that the butter doesn't burn. Remove from heat when butter turns light brown and gives off a nutty aroma.

Pour grits into four individual ramekins and spoon brown butter evenly over grits.

Grizzley Peak Grits

Writing about making the squash blossoms on my last trip to California reminded me that I'd forgotten to post a recipe I concocted when I was out visiting my business partner in May. He lives in Berkeley up the hill on Grizzley Peak Dr - hence the name. In order to quickly whip up something to serve along side flank steak tacos for an impromptu Cinco de Mayo dinner, I raided his fridge for whatever I could find that could work. And here is the result:

Grizzley Peak Grits
Serves 4

2 cups water
2 cups whole milk
2 teaspoon salt
¼ cup butter
1 cup white stone-ground grits
3 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
6 ounces Manchego Cheese

Bring water, milk, 3 tablespoons butter, and salt to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Gradually stir in grits and bring to boil. Add remaining butter and jalapeno peppers. Reduce heat to low and simmer grits for 30-45 minutes, stirring constantly. Add cheese and continue to simmer until cheese has melted and grits are smooth. Serve immediately.

Stuffed Pattypan Squash

Pattypan Squash Blossoms
Originally uploaded by weezienyc.

I love summer. And one of the best things about summer is the fresh vegetables the season offers. Squash is my favorite and over the past few years I've found myself counting the days until Pattypan squash blossoms find their way in season. They are more firm and a little less sweet than yellow squash and are often served stuffed.

While I was in California a few weeks ago, I stumbled across the Berkeley Bowl, a local grocery store that puts Whole Foods and Trader Joe's to shame. The "Bowl" (as it is known to the locals) had the most amazing produce section I've ever seen. I discovered vegetables I'd of which I'd never even heard. But none of them mattered when I spotted the squash section. I found the largest squash blossoms I've ever seen - leaving plenty of room for stuffing with grits.

Since I was traveling and not staying in my own kitchen, I ended up making up this recipe on the fly based on what I knew I'd purchased earlier. And this is the result:

Pattypam Squash stuffed with Southwestern Grits
6-8 Pattypan squash
2 cups water
2 cups milk
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup yellow stone-ground grits
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup salsa
1 3/4 cups Pepper Jack cheese, shredded and divided


Preheat oven to 350°F.

Slice tops of squash, setting them aside. Place squash in boiling water for 10 -12 minutes until outer shell is tender. Remove from water and cool.

Bring water, 1 cup milk, 2 tablespoons butter, and salt to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in grits and return mixture to boil, whisking frequently. Reduce heat to low and simmer until grits are thick and all liquid is absorbed, whisking occasionally, about 20 minutes. Whisk in remaining cup of milk and continue to simmer for 10 minutes. Whisk in sour cream and simmer until very thick, stirring often, about 5 minutes longer. Stir in 1 ½ cup cheese and salsa. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

Hollow out cooled squash. Fill to top with grits mixture and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Place in a large casserole dish and bake for 15-20 minutes.
Serve immediately.

Back to the Charleston Trip: Magnolia's

While researching potential spots for my trip, I initially added Magnolia’s to my list of must-visit restaurants due to the multiple grits dishes on the menu and because it is owned my the same folks who own Cypress, my favorite restaurant, not only in Charleston, but in all of South Carolina.

Located at the site of the city’s original customs house, Magnolia’s strives to serve traditional “down south” dishes with a contemporary “uptown” presentation – a commitment well kept. Everything from the décor of the restaurant to the service is impeccably upscale and within minutes of stepping foot into the restaurant, I knew I’d made a good decision.

We started with a round of mimosas and mint juleps. The mint julep was by far the best one I’ve had since my friend’s Derby party in Atlanta in 2002. Five years without a good mint julep seems like forever – so I made sure we stayed long enough for me to have two.

While I wanted to order almost everything on the menu, we did a fairly good job of sticking to the task at hand – testing out grits. We passed on the Spicy Shrimp and Sausage over Grits because they were served with Tasso gravy, which I’d already had three times that day. But we ordered the remaining grits dishes including the Fried Green Tomatoes appetizer and the Shellfish over Grits entrée.

(sidenote: when we were waiting for our food, a table of five tourists were discussing the menu next to us. One of them asked what grits were. Another responded, “Have you ever eaten Cream of Wheat – you know the stuff they eat up north? Well, grits are like that.” I almost fell out of my chair!)


Fried Green Tomatoes
Originally uploaded by weezienyc.

The Fried Green Tomatoes appetizer, served over white cheddar and caramelized onion grits, country ham, and tomato chutney was impressive. The combination of the tangy tomato with subtle sweetness of the grits was one of the best I’ve experienced in my year of food "research.” This would be a perfect brunch dish, served with mimosas and mint julep spritzers (I don’t think ladies drink real mint juleps before 3 PM).


Seafood Grits at Magnolia's
Originally uploaded by weezienyc.

The Shellfish over Grits - sautéed shrimp, sea scallops, and lobster over creamy white grits with a lobster butter sauce and fried spinach was also delicious. It was creamy without being too rich and contained a generous amount of lobster and scallops. This is a recipe that I doubt I could recreate on my own as there were some flavors I just couldn't identify.

Magnolia’s Executive chef Don Drake has earned his place on my list of top five best chefs. The meal was amazing and I’d be delighted if the owners let me share a recipe or two with you in my book.

Grits Brulee Recipe

Grits Brulee!
Originally uploaded by weezienyc.

Grits Brulee Recipe
Serves 6

1 ½ cup vanilla soymilk
1 ½ cup water
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup quick grits
5 egg yolks
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup light brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bring soymilk, water, vanilla, and ½ cup sugar to a boil in a 3-quart saucepan. Stir in grits and reduce heat. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.

Whisk egg yolks, cream, and remaining sugar together in a medium bowl. Pour into grits and mix thoroughly. Spoon ½ cup servings into shallow baking ramekins.

Place ramekins into a 11x8 baking pan. Pour hot (not boiling) water into pans until it reaches half-way. Place baking pan in oven and bake for 45 minutes. Remove pan from oven and cool for 20 minutes. Once cool, remove individual dishes from pan and refrigerate for at least 3 and up to 24 hours.

15 minutes before desired serving time, remove dishes and crumble brown sugar in a thin layer, completely covering the tops of the desserts. Using a cooking torch, heat sugar until hardened. Serve immediately.

Grits Brulee

Last week after making the Mediterranean Grits dinner, my friend and I decided to experiment. We threw a grits twist into a creme brulee recipe, making three dishes - regular creme brulee, grits brulee, and grits brulee with a mixed berry preserve. It turned out well - except for the fact that we were cooking at another friend's house and couldn't find any vanilla AND that I was terrified of the cooking torch I bought to caramelize the tops of the desserts. Thanks to my friend, Erin, for manning the torch and to both Chris Watt and Erin for being fun and honest tasters.






Testing Desserts with Grits! from Weezie McS on Vimeo

Mediterranean Grits

Dinner
Originally uploaded by weezienyc.

I took a break from restaurant dining the other night and made this dish for my friends in Atlanta. This is an original recipe that I have been conceptualizing for a few weeks. I loved it and so did my guests, but I think it needed another subtle flavor. Test it out and let me know what to add.

Mediterranean Grits
Serves 8
4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cup white stone-ground grits
2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
8 oz. feta cheese
½ cup pine nuts
1 cup grape tomatoes, chopped

Bring broth, water, salt, and olive oil to a boil in a medium saucepan; gradually add grits, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer until thick (for about 45 minutes), stirring occasionally.

Stir in spinach – cook for 10 more minutes. Stir in cheese and serve topped with pine nuts and garnish with tomatoes.
................................

I served it with a balsamic pork loin and steamed summer veggies. It was a good combination. Oh and I almost forgot, we made Grits Brulee for dessert. More on that soon.

Loveless Cafe and Motel

Loveless Cafe
Originally uploaded by weezienyc.

I know I am really far behind on the posts from my trip to Charleston. But that is only because I’ve spent the past three weeks traveling around down south – eating and working on the cookbook. I’ve been in Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and now - I’m in Tennessee.

I’ve been in Nashville for the past two days doing a little work, a little touring around, and a lot of eating. Of all the places I’ve visited, the Loveless Café and Motel has been my best experience. The food was delicious, the people charming, and the atmosphere was truly authentic.

The Loveless Café and Motel opened in 1951, with the owners – Lon and Annie Loveless serving fried chicken and biscuits to passersby on Highway 100. Lon ran the motel, while Annie ran the kitchen. Today the kitchen takes up a greater part of the main house, where a variety of southern delicacies are freshly prepared for guests rotating through the 75 seat dining room from open to close.

I was told to order the “Famous” Loveless Breakfast, two eggs any style, country ham (which is cured, smoked and carved in the smoking house right next door), red-eye gravy, creamy grits, and fresh biscuits. I arrived at the café well after lunch-time, but for the purpose of “cookbook research” I ordered the breakfast. For the purpose of “wanting lunch food” (read: dying for homemade fried chicken), I also ordered the Fried Chicken platter with okra and squash casserole. The waitress thought I was crazy.


Loveless Breakfast
Originally uploaded by weezienyc.

The breakfast came out first. I cracked open one of the eggs, letting the yolk run. Then I cut a bite of ham, added a bite of egg, dipped it into the gravy, the egg yolk, then the grits for the perfect bite. It was delicious, yet I set the remaining plate aside and waited for the chicken.

Finally – the chicken arrived. The waitress looked to me and the full plate of breakfast on the table, shook her head, then set down what was the largest platter of food I’ve seen for one person. And I ate it all. Just kidding. I selected the leg from the four pieces in front of me and quickly bit into the best (and hottest) chicken I’ve had since my grandfather passed away (he made the world best fried chicken). While the chicken cooled, I tasted the squash casserole, which is the best I’ve ever had. EVER. And I've always thought I made the best squash casserole. The okra was okay, so I ate a few pieces and opted for another biscuit instead. I finished the chicken, asked for a box – not wanting to let even one bite go to waste, paid my bill (under $25, by the way) and left to explore the rest of the “motel”.


Loveless Cafe Store
Originally uploaded by weezienyc.

The motel rooms have been transformed into eclectic shops, including the Hams & Jam Country Market, Ruthie Cherry Fine Art Gallery, Trace Bikes, and more. I spent over an hour in the Hams & Jams store, flipping through old southern cookbooks and drooling over jars of homemade jams and fresh foods. If I'd had a bigger suitcase, I would've filled it up with jams and fried pies. Good thing they have a catalog AND you can buy some things online - http://www.hamsandjams.com/.

I spent so much time in the store that I'll have to save the tour of the other shops for next time.
I highly recommend a stop at the Loveless to anyone traveling through Tennessee. I will be back as soon as I can - dreaming about the chicken and squash casserole in the meantime.

Loveless Cafe
8400 Highway 100
Nashville, TN
Open 7AM - 9PM, Seven days a week

Shrimp and Grits

Grits tee in the Charleston Market
Originally uploaded by weezienyc.

As I’ve said before when I first moved to Manhattan, I was hard-pressed to find grits at all on the menus of the city’s restaurants. And finding a spot serving shrimp and grits was nearly impossible. Just as I would inquire to anyone that would listen as to where I could find grits in the city, I’d ask the self-proclaimed “foodies” that I encountered about finding a place serving shrimp and grits. Just as they would scoff at the thought of eating grits with dinner (or on purpose for that matter), the thought of eating grits with shrimp made my new non-southern (read: Yankee) friends act as if I’d suggested they eat dog food.

Shrimp and grits are as southern as Mint Juleps and Scarlett O’Hara. And turning one’s nose up at a southerner’s mention of them is almost as insulting as talking bad about their mama. So, it was only natural that my crusade for turning my new friends into grits evangelists involved serving them a variety of shrimp and grits entrees. Thus far, every naysayer to whom I’ve served them has loved them. And it goes without saying that I, in turn, have loved watching them eat shrimp and grits with a side of crow.

But shrimp and grits has come a long way over the past few years. What was once a quick and hearty breakfast staple for coastal fisherman, is now an en vogue entrée finding it’s way onto menus of restaurants across the country, including Manhattan. I know of least a half dozen restaurants in Manhattan featuring the dish on the menu, yet one has not truly lived until they’ve eaten shrimp and grits from the coastal Carolinas.

I’ve just returned from a week down South, which included a two-day tasting trip to Charleston. Shrimp and Grits is a classic Charleston entrée, so it’s hard to find a restaurant in the city that doesn’t include this dish on the menu. This made determining which places to visit a challenge and I spent weeks leading up to the trip researching locales and menus to put together an eating schedule. There were restaurants where I’d previously dined, and therefore knew they offered a treat for your taste buds, but didn’t make the list, simply because they are already widely publicized and I was looking for something unique. And there were spots that were added last minute or en route somewhere else based on a suggestion from a local. In the end, I sought out to dine at restaurants – some famous, some off the beaten path - that offered two things – shrimp and grits and an experience.

It was a delicious experience, from which I will share the highlights over the course of the next week. I ate in nine restaurants within a 36-hour period and ended up eating almost as many servings of fried green tomatoes as I did shrimp and grits. I tasted new flavors and found unique food combinations I’d never thought possible, all while spending two days in one of my most beloved southern towns.

Baked Cheese Grits

Low Country Boil
Originally uploaded by weezienyc.

I spent the weekend with friends off the gulf coast in florida. While shrimp and grits is my usual go-to meal for beach vacations, I decided to change it up. So I served low country boil with baked cheese grits instead. Delicious!

Baked Cheese Grits
Makes 8 servings
6 cups water
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
2 cups yellow stone ground grits
2 cups whole milk
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups Cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
3 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Bring water, 2 tablespoons butter, garlic, and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil in a 4-quart heavy pot. Slowly add grits, stirring constantly until they return to a boil. Reduce heat and gently simmer, stirring frequently for 20 minutes. Add 1 cup milk and continue to boil for 20 minutes.

Add butter, remaining 1 ¼ teaspoons salt, pepper, and cheese, stirring until butter and cheese are melted. Lightly beat eggs and milk, then stir into grits until combined.

Pour into an ungreased 8-inch square baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes until lightly browned.

Caprese Grits

Before
Originally uploaded by weezienyc.

A few weeks ago, I had some girlfriends over for dinner. In an effort not to let some fresh foods from the fridge - basil, Fresh mozzarella, and vine-ripe tomatoes - go to waste, I used them to create a new recipe which I'm calling Caprese Grits.

I was extremely pleased with how they turned out on the first attempt and served them with a London Broil and a Baby Arugula Salad.

Give this recipe a try and let me know your thoughts:

Caprese Grits
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 cup low-salt chicken broth
2 cups water
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 cup white stone ground grits
2/3 cups Mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil
1 egg, beaten
½ pound Fresh Mozzarella, sliced to ¼ inch thickness
1 cup tomatoes, chopped
¼ teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter four 10 oz. ramekins.

Bring broth, butter, and garlic to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in grits and return mixture to boil, whisking occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until grits are thick and almost all broth is absorbed, whisking frequently, about 30 minutes.

Whisk in cream and simmer 5 minutes, whisking occasionally. Whisk in remaining 1/4 cup cream and simmer until very thick, stirring often, about 5 minutes longer. Stir egg, shredded mozzarella, and basil until well-blended. Pour into prepared dishes.

Top each serving of grits with a slice of Fresh Mozzarella. Place individual dishes onto middle rack of oven and bake for 30 minutes. Place chopped tomatoes in a small bowl. Spinkle with salt and mix well, letting juices form while grits bake.

Remove dished from oven and top with tomatoes. Serve immediately.

Gorgonzola Grit Cakes

In a post a few weeks ago, I talked about the steps involved in getting recipes to a point where they pass the test and move onto the tasting round (which determines if they even make it into the book). With the more complicated ones, you sometimes have to try four or five times before reaching to a point where you are ready to show them off to the world…or in my case, my lovely friends who constantly volunteer as tasters.

In addition to being on the tasting team, some of my crew has taken on bigger tasks. Because she likes to help and wants me to finish this book before I’m old and grey, my dear friend, LF, took on the challenge of testing a recipe for Gorgonzola Grit Cakes last weekend.

This recipe was given to me by a co-worker who hadn’t tried it yet, but had it at this quaint little restaurant in Alabama and scoured the Internet to find it. I should’ve walked away at “haven’t tried it yet” because those are always the ones that take multiple tries before getting it right.

So here is a glimpse at the process. This is the recipe as I gave it to LF:

Gorgonzola Grit Cakes
Serves 6
3 cups water
1 cup stone-ground grits
1 teaspoon salt
3 oz. gorgonzola, crumbled
1 egg, beaten
Flour for dredging
2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Bring water to a boil. Add salt and grits and lower heat. Cook until thick, stirring constantly, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in egg and gorgonzola, stirring until cheese is melted and well combined.

Pour grits into 8" cake pan (round is better). Cool in pan and then refrigerate uncovered until completely set, at least an hour after cool.

With a 2-1/2" round cutter, carefully cut grits into 6 rounds and remove from pan. Dredge rounds in flour.

Heat oil in large skillet until hot. Pan-fry grit cakes until golden, about 2 minutes each side. Serve immediately.

NOTE: Make sure that the oil is hot enough before frying or the grits will begin to fall apart before browning.

And here is her feedback:

• Overall, I thought the flavor was great
• It would have been helpful to have a list of items needed (e.g. 8" cakepan, 2 1/2" round cutter) at the outset of the recipe. I had to read through to determine what I needed as I was making the recipe. I had neither, so I had to improvise which worked out fine.
• I would have liked to have known how long the recipe took from start to finish and if it was easy, medium or hard to make.
• It probably took me 1 1/2 hours total for the cook/chill/fry time. I would classify it as an easy recipe.
• It yielded 10 cakes, not the 6 the recipe states.
• My grits did not set after the hour in the fridge. They were hard to work with. Not sure if you can suggest longer fridge time or adding an ingredient to firm them up. They were hard to put in the frypan, flip and pull out.
• I left half of the batch in the fridge and fried them a few days later. They were a bit easier to work with, but still mushy.

So taking her feedback, I took this recipe into Round Two and made the following changes:


Gorgonzola Grit Cakes (Take Two)
• Cooked the grits for 25 minutes versus 15
• Added an extra egg and simmered the grits after adding the eggs and cheese an extra 5 minutes
• Poured the mixture into a square cake pan and sliced it into nine squares after letting it chill overnight
• Used 1/4 cup of olive oil to fry cakes, four minutes on each side

These changes were semi-successful, although I still didn't like the consistency of the final product. But they were tasty and would make a great addition to the Grits at Noon chapter of my book.

So, anyone up for taking a third stab or making some suggestions?

Rod's Rub and Roasted Garlic Grits

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I’ve been spending quite a lot of time in the tiny kitchen working on the cookbook. The process goes like this:

- begin with starting recipe
- cook recipe making adjustments
- edit recipe
- retest recipe
- edit recipe
- retest recipe, etc.

Once I’ve gotten a recipe to a place where it is ready for public debut, the tasting round begins, bringing with it another round of cooking. Not only am I working to publish a book of delightful and fully-tested grits recipes, I’m working to publish a book containing menus featuring Grits as the star. So along with every grits recipe in the book, one will find suggested recipes to round out the entire meal. And from where are those suggested recipes coming? My tiny kitchen, of course.

At least every two weeks, I invite over the members of the tasting team, consisting of 10-15 of my friends. There are five “super tasters” who play a larger role in getting this book published and then whomever can make it. These meals give me a chance to see my friends and my friends a chance to offer feedback on the grits recipes, as well as the meal with which they are paired.

A few weeks ago, I had a tasting. The same night I served the Grits and Cheese biscuits, I also served:

Carolina Shrimp and Grits appetizer
Sweet Mesquite Chicken Legs
Roasted Garlic Grits
Steamed Vegetables
Chocolate Cupcakes

This meal was so delicious that I almost forgot about how dry the biscuits were. I’m one of those cooks that doesn’t want to eat after cooking all day. But on that Sunday, there was a moment upon tasting the meal before serving it, that I actually considered shoving my guests out of the front door so I could sit down to a platter of chicken and a 2-quart saucepan of grits all to myself.

As you all know, grits are usually the stars of my meals. But this time, the Sweet Mesquite Chicken legs stole the show. They were delicious and, unfortunately, I can’t take the credit. All of the props go to Rod Brown, a friend of mine from Atlanta.

Rod loves to cook, especially southern cuisine and barbeque. When an Atlanta restaurateur learned of Rod’s passion for creating great barbeque, he asked him to design a custom dry rub for his new restaurant. The restaurant never opened, leaving Rod with three dry rub recipes without a home.

Luckily, Rod is married to my good friend Melanie, the most driven entrepreneur I know. Do you know what happens when a cook and an entrepreneur get married? A business is born – Rod’s Rub.


I’ve used all three varieties in various recipes over the past few weeks, and the Sweet Mesquite is hands down my favorite. It doesn’t hurt that it takes less than five minutes to prepare, compared to the hour is takes to make the grits.

Here are the recipes for the Sweet Mesquite Chicken Legs and the Roasted Garlic Grits. Make them together and let me know your thoughts:


Sweet Mesquite Chicken Legs
Serves 8

Two lbs Chicken Legs, approximately 15-16
Olive Oil (2 -3 tablespoons)
Rod’s Rub Sweet Mesquite variety

Place ½ of chicken in large Ziploc bag. Drizzle olive oil over chicken. Shake rub into bag and shake until well coated. Repeat with remaining chicken.

Place chicken in a baking dish and cook on 350 degrees for an hour, flipping the legs every 15 minutes.


Roasted Garlic Grits
Serves 8

4 large heads garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 quart vegetable broth
1 tablespoon salt
¼ cup unsalted butter
1 cup coarse, white stone-ground grits
1/4 cup half-and-half
1/3 cup Parmesan- Reggiano, grated


Slice off the bottom of garlic head, and separate the cloves, leaving the outer covering in place. Put the cloves in a shallow 8-inch square baking dish, and drizzle with olive oil.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes until the garlic is soft. Cool and remove the skins. In a food processor or blender, add garlic, salt, pepper and lemon juice. Process 30 seconds or until almost smooth, scraping sides occasionally. Set garlic mixture aside.

In a 3-quart saucepan, heat the vegetable stock over high heat until boiling. Add the salt and butter. Once butter has melted, slowly stir in the grits, and return to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer 45 minutes, whisking constantly until thickened.

Remove from heat. Stir in the garlic mixture, half-and-half and cheese until creamy. Return to heat and simmer on low for an additional 5 minutes. Serve immediately.


Mesquite Chicken and Roasted Garlic Grits
Originally uploaded by weezienyc.

Cooking in a closet

I’ve mentioned before that writing this cookbook has been a much larger undertaking than I anticipated. I had no clue how much time was required for the on-going research, business plan development, and the actual planning of the book. I spend at least 15 hours a week dedicated to the “business” and at least 30 hours a week writing/testing/editing/ recipes.

Lately, I feel like I’ve been living in my tiny Manhattan kitchen. I am either standing over the tiny stove, constantly whisking grits to ensure they don’t burn (sometimes I get distracted and this happens) or doing dishes in the tiny sink. I am a southerner and we have a tendency to exaggerate, but I’m not even kidding you when I tell you that everything about my kitchen is tiny.

The first house I can remember as a child had a small kitchen. My mama basically started her catering business in that kitchen. To this day my dad still can’t eat chicken salad because there was always chicken cooking on the stove and a Tupperware of chicken salad in the fridge. And, for a year, I seriously forgot that white bread was actually sold with crust.

As I think back on it, I am amazed that Mama was able to produce the entire menu for a wedding reception in such a small space. And now, I find myself amazed that I cook “tasting” meals for 15+, in what is basically a coat closet containing a stove and a sink.

This is where the magic happens!


Tiny Kitchen
Originally uploaded by weezienyc.

My search for grits in NYC

A very funny comment to Friday’s post prompted me to expand on how my move to NYC led to me writing a cookbook about grits!

Having spent my entire life living in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, one day, three years ago this southern girl decided to become a Manhattanite in order to get herself on the career fast track. It wasn’t long before I was in love with the city - the nightlife, the activity, the food - but winter rolled around I found myself a tad homesick. Winter in NYC was nothing like I’d ever experienced down south. What I thought was cold had just been a slight chill, and what I thought was a “winter” coat was actually just layer I was wearing under my “real” winter coat.

To get myself through what I call “my first real winter” where the days slipped away too quickly and the months dragged on too long, I set out for southern comfort food in this northern city. NYC is an eating town, offering a plethora of ethnic cuisine, but lacking in what I was looking for - gourmet southern. There are many southern restaurants in the city, but I was looking for something more than fried chicken and collards. Don’t get me wrong, Aunt Sylvia’s is delightful, as I’ve never had such delicious fried chicken (sorry Papa) and scrumptious collards in all of my life (sorry Nana), but I was looking for one thing in particular - grits!

And so I went on the hunt, making this search my own personal project. I was still relatively new to the city, so in an effort to help my cause, I began asking people - coworkers, clients, new friends, strangers on the subway - if they knew of a restaurant that served grits, only to receive responses ranging from confusion to disgust. My friend Dianne once said to me, “Ahh grits, I’ve heard of those things, never had them though, but I’ll try anything.” This was the more pleasant of the responses I received as most folks looked at me like I was totally crazy and they were completely grossed out at the thought. When I worked grits into a conversation, as I always did somehow, it was amazing to see facial expressions become twisted and disgusted, like someone had just handed them a stinky diaper.

At first I became offended at the reaction, but then learned to simply respond with a smile and say in my sweetest southern drawl, “Well, by the look on your face I can tell you’ve never really had grits.” This most often draws the response that they had tried them - at Waffle House (which I call “dirty grits”) or from an instant package in college (which, I agree, is pretty gross) - and didn’t like them. This reaction always led me to bet them that they’ll like mine...and they always do.

My search for tasty grits in the city eventually turned into my personal crusade to convert the non-grits fans (down south we call them Yankees) into grits evangelists, a movement resulting into me hosting many brunches - perfecting the preparation of creamy, butter grits (basic morning grits) and cheddar cheese grits. In general I love watching people eat food that I have prepared, but there was even more pleasure in watching folks eat “real grits” or “my grits” for the first time. After mastering the basics I began developing my own recipes, throwing dinner parties in my tiny Manhattan apartment, the menu always centered around my latest discovery. In was through these dinner parties and by search for my favorite comfort food that the idea for this cookbook was born. Hopefully, by tasting my recipes and hearing the stories behind them, these crazy New Yorkers will learn to speak my language.

Grits and More

I’m writing a cookbook on...take a guess? Give up? Grits...and More!

The inspiration for this book came from combined a love of grits and a feeling of total shock when I realized how many people claim to “hate grits” simply because they’ve never tasted good ones.

Taking on this project has been fun, but I wasn’t prepared for how difficult it would be. Cooking takes on a whole new level of complication when you are creating and testing recipes in order for someone else to prepare them. But I’m still having a good time and to add to the fun, I’ll be documenting my progress here on Grits and More!

Check back for updates, stories, and recipes!