danapop

I don’t like food & drink reviews. Don’t enjoy reading them, or writing them. It’s all so subjective, I think, unless you have a really remarkable palate. I tend to gravitate towards much bigger picture trend pieces focusing on what the rest of the country is doing. Right now though, there’s a marriage of sorts with those two notions that is happening right in my own backyard.

Dynamic Dish is a restaurant in Atlanta owned and operated by David Sweeney. His philosophy in the kitchen is so on par with this national food movement (see Food, Inc; read Michael Pollan and Eric Schlosser’s books, if you haven’t already) where David is taking great care with the ideological food choices he makes not only with his restaurant, but in his life. His story connects everything from the land to the body (and every dot in between).

David only uses what he needs and certainly didn’t open Dynamic Dish as ginormous restaurant complete with a bored hostess standing around wearing a headset handing you a vibrating pager with blinking red lights to inform you your table’s ready. This is a quiet space, serving simple food that allows fresh, local ingredients to be the voice.

I do hope you enjoy my conversation with David as much as I did having it and stick with the length of the interview. I found myself hesitant to censor this piece by shortening it, he speaks so well about so much. We cover everything from the local food moment to the comparison of food as an outfit when used in peak season – sexy! Bon appetit! Oh, I should mention, they (Bon Appetit) know a good thing when they see it too, as they featured Dynamic Dish earlier this year. Here’s to feeding our mind, body, and soul…for many years to come.

(more…)

Summer is the season for ice cream. Since I only recently unearthed my old-fashioned ice-cream maker; I thought I’d start slow this year by making a classic ice cream flavor.

But the online recipes I found with herb (lavender and basil) and heat (jalapeno and ginger) additions were really over the top.  I’m a fairly straight-forward gal when it comes to the cream…not totally plain vanilla by any stretch, but a combo of vanilla and chocolate taken up a notch by something crunchy is my number one choice.

This recipe for French Vanilla with Toasted Hazelnuts & Nutella Ice Cream (or as I like to call it, Howdy Hazelnut) is a sort of rip from the Hazelnut Chip served at the almighty Graeter’s (alas, this flavor is no longer on its seasonal menu). It’s a stretch to say my version even comes close to competing with this Cincy institution’s pint, but, it’ll do on a sweaty, summer day when you’re dying for a cone.

Sweet (cold) dreams.
(more…)

Just before I started danapop, I was working as a publicist, mostly doing press surrounding restaurant openings. In the course of that work, I discovered a fantastic food blog called Orangette – written by Molly Wizenberg – and it got me…the way she writes about food is extraordinary.

And then, I read Ms. Wizenberg’s (a.k.a. Orangette) book A Homemade Life and found out there were quite a few eerie parallels in our lives. We both lost our fathers suddenly while in our early twenties, both got engaged to the loves of our lives after about a year of dating, twins run in her family as they do in mine (her mother is a twin, I’m a twin), she was raised in Oklahoma City – my parents grew up there and met during high school, married and settled there before my dad joined the Army. It’s sort of uncanny.

So I look at the arrival of Orangette in my life as a turning point; the point where I took the jump. And for that I’ll always be grateful to her – for showing me that it could be as simple as just writing what you want and being true to who you are. I got a chance to interview Molly in between her book tour stops. The Q&A follows…

(more…)

Courtesy of Gourmet.com | Photograph by Romulo Yanes

Food trends can take on mythical qualities. They are the place where a child’s simple pop rocks suddenly find themselves serving as a key ingredient in a high-end restaurant’s signature dessert.

While I am not exactly qualified to predict or analyze such trends, I am however, a consumer, and I know what I notice. If 2008 was the year of the pig, the cow is handily pushing it aside to take center stage in 2009. Specifically, the burger… lately, everywhere I turn its burgers, burgers, and more burgers. From gourmet ones made from Kobe beef, to mini versions overtaking appetizer menus (don’t let the word slider fool you) to Padma selling (out) greasy Carl’s Jr. versions.

Now, the hamburger concept isn’t new (it originated in the late 18th century), but the gourmet craze is. Here’s the flipping truth about burgers and the dining outposts that have put them on the trend map. But, chew slowly my friend, as yesterday’s tapas makes way for today’s gastropub.
(more…)

Photograph by Greg Nesbit | gregnesbit.com

I’m off to Seattle and Vancouver this week.  My friend, Emily Gold, has graciously agreed to man the danapop post in my absence. I cannot think of anyone more qualified to write this week’s food & drink. You can continue to follow Emily on her blogspot. While you’re there, check out a piece I posted on her site about Atlanta life.

Business resumes as usual next week. And I assure you, I’ll return loaded with stories and posts…bi-annual family vacation…enough said. You can also follow my travels on twitter @ danapops.

xoox,
dp

So Many Teas, So Little Time

Tea has been on my mind lately. Not only because I have a cup nearly every morning and every afternoon, but because it’s one of those food products that has been around for ages yet quietly flies under the radar. Tea is a single-origin product, expressing the terroir of a region. Just as with wine grapes, there is a certain romance at envisioning tea grown on Lover’s Leap Estate, at an altitude of so many feet, lovingly picked by hand, and spread on huge screens to dry beneath the Indian sun. A vision, I know, but surely one you’d want to drink every morning.

(more…)

This past winter my husband and I became obsessed with the Animal Planet show: Jockeys – a documentary/reality program following the lives of seven jockeys at the Santa Anita racetrack in Arcadia, California. Both the visuals and the storyline were fascinating. Plus, I can openly admit I have a crush on Mike Smith despite the high probability that I’m taller than him.

So to honor Jockeys and the Run for the Roses at Churchill Down’s tomorrow, this week’s food & drink is Kentucky Derby inspired…complete with two Southern favorites – mint juleps and derby pie. First, derby pie – one of my favorite desserts,  it combines chocolate and nuts (I’d eat those two things in combo with anything) in a flaky crust.

And then there’s the mint julep. Both of my sisters make nice ones from when they attended college in the Blue Grass State – so dignified sounding, but I assure you, they likely were sipping the juleps out of plastic Solo cups instead of the traditional monogrammed silver tumbler. What truck drivers they are; honestly, I can’t take them anywhere.

I often daydream about what I’d name a horse if I ever had one, whether or not he or she was derby material – Magellan’s Map, Bordeaux Binge and Piñata are solid contenders. No question, if I ever win the lottery, I’m buying a horse. It’s on the list just after the in-ground swimming pool and my own in-home Pilates studio.

For now, my money is on Dunkirk.
(more…)

name⋅sake [neym-seyk]  noun
1. a person named after another.
2. a person having the same name as another.

I recently attended a work event where they served a number of  California reds from a winery called Angeline. I have a good friend named Angeline and so I became giddy at the idea of hosting a party where I’d pair my guests with their namesake wine – or show up at the next party with a semi-original hostess gift.

Do you have a namesake wine? I do – and of course in typical “Dana” fashion, cheap, it’s not – Dean and Deluca tout it for $295 a bottle…not exactly economy friendly…eek! But perhaps, someday, it will be “I just gave birth – bring me that bottle or else” or “The Simon & Schuster book deal just came through with an embarrassingly large advance” friendly.

(more…)

My older sister is a fantastic baker. It’s likely the scientist in her – all that precise measuring and exactness that really suits her. She doesn’t bake as much as she used to (what with the full-time career, two children under the age of 4, and a husband who often travels for work) but I remember her pre-children weekend routine. She used to whip up a few goodies to sell at the local outdoor farmer’s market. The top sellers were her homemade granola, dog treats, and these granola bars.

They are chewy, gooey and good without all the extra additives and gunk in those packaged kinds. Perfect for day hikes, long car rides, or simply a healthy snack, sure to tide you over without all the guilt. My sister’s version uses raisins, but I subbed in dried cherries because I love the combo of dark chocolate and cherries. But you can use whatever you wish.
(more…)

When we go to the beach, we generally indulge in cocktails. At home, I’m more of a wine drinker, but when sun, surf, and sand are involved, I want something a bit more refreshing…so, of course a good margarita is in order. I love my husband’s version, so that’s this week’s drink recipe.

And because those beach towns function on 2 for 1drink specials, I’ve included another grown-up thirst quencher. This one is for the Madras…a delicious cocktail that combines ingredients you likely already have stocked in your vacay fridge…

A million thanks to my Madras testers…my mom and the Lindas who enjoyed the drink while on their girlfriend getaway!
(more…)

Spring is a funny season. It’s hopeful, fresh and new, yet, sometimes I find myself clinging onto the wintry comforts of day’s past. This week’s food & drink combines those two ideas. The cleanness of the season, paired with something homey and warm of month’s past. But, both bubbly and good.

Macaroni & cheese is the little black dress of food. It can be dressed up or dressed down according to the occasion. I’ve lived in Atlanta for almost a decade now. And one thing I learned early on, here in the South, they take their macaroni & cheese VERY seriously and you certainly should have a recipe for one in your repertoire regardless of geography. Mine is an adaptation of a recipe I found years ago in Real Simple magazine. I’ve tweaked and altered it enough times now, for it to be called my own. It’s always a hit – a cinch to make and one of those dishes that makes me happy when I serve it because it usually means any of the following – someone just had a baby, I’m cooking for a crowd (which I love), or I’m going out of town and need to leave something in the fridge so my husband doesn’t eat burritos for 72 hours straight.
(more…)

I love to entertain. But, several people close to me have made mention that I sometimes bite off more than I can chew in the preparation department. Meaning, I take on too much from scratch and turn into Chris Farley’s Gap girl screaming, “lay off me, I’m starving!” about half an hour before guests arrive.

Needless to say, it’s always a good thing when I stumble across something to help me out with the hosting duties that isn’t just step one – open the box, step two – dump the box contents into a bowl. That’s why I adore Bella Cucina products. From herb infused olive oils to pastas, sauces and even sweets, Bella Cucina Founder & CEO Alisa Barry takes easy entertaining to a whole new level. But, no fear – she doesn’t skimp on quality, taste, or the appearance of you being an amazing hostess.

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Alisa. Here’s the Q & A.
(more…)

Photo Courtesy of Moore Farms

I relish the art of cooking and so do most of my friends and family. Maybe partly because my mother baked actual, real-live homemade bread once a week, and dished out a hot, nutritious breakfast everyday – no Pop Tarts at our house.

That said – I could do better. I get in food ruts. In the winter I subsist on a daily bowl of oats cooked in skim milk with a handful of dried cherries, apricots and walnuts – then, come summer, Greek yogurt stands in for the oats, fresh berries for the dried fruit. Wholesome and good for you? Yes. Exciting? No.

But, there are three books helping me change all that…

What these books have in common is an emphasis on moderation, balance, the notion of quality vs. quantity, the responsibility we all have in the hierarchy of the food chain and they all make a great case for NOT dieting.
(more…)

For my birthday this year, I received a chocolate bar. Not just any chocolate bar that you blindly rip off the wrapper and scarf down like Charlie searching for his golden ticket entry into Willy Wonka’s factory. Nope. This was a bar worth savoring. The flavor so distinct and pure it was only enhanced when I closed my eyes and made moaning noises.

It made me feel like I’d never really tasted chocolate…gone is the day when a Dove, Hershey’s, Cadbury or Ghirardelli will do. After all, if you’re going to indulge why not make it count and taste the most rich and phenomenal thing you can? Enter Taza Chocolate.

I recently had the privilege of an interview with Taza Chocolate partner Larry Slotnick. Here’s the Q & A.

(more…)

One of my oldest friends back home has a lethal punch recipe passed down to her by her mother. My friend always serves it at Holiday parties and whether I drink it with her and the girls back home or make it where I live now, it makes me think of family and longtime friends. It’s the perfect thing to serve if you’re hosting anything on New Year’s Eve. And like most good recipes, you can really vary it any way you like – adding or omitting ingredients, making it your own. A forward thinking tip – stock up on frozen hashbrowns, a block of cheese, eggs and Excedrin for the next day…

Cheers!

(more…)

These are the perfect cookies to leave out for Santa. They won’t kill his waistline, as they are adapted from Cooking Light and made with just one egg white and less butter than usual cookie recipes (admittedly, my version ups the ante on chocolate chips, it is the holiday season, after all). I love the addition of dried cherries in what would otherwise be just a plain ol’ chocolate chip cookie.

I do have to give most of the credit for these gems to my older sister, since I was introduced to the recipe years ago, when we baked them together at her house.

Whatever holiday it is that you are celebrating this season, I do hope it is filled with loads of joy, laughter, and cheer.

(more…)