Belly Up to the Bar With Bendy and Her Friendies!!! Button Pics & New Thread Started!

[Tink rules]

Michelle ... your aunt works at Sonoma and can't get a discount???

I have to ask her again... but then again any discount would negate the amount for shipping from South Jersey up to here... Maybe I'm just not her favorite niece...

 

[TigerKat]

Hope everyone is enjoying the long weekend! We're doing our grilling today...Grilled chicken with roasted garlic and oregano vinaigrette, grilled steaks with chimichurri sauce, black bean, corn and mango salad and Mesa grill potato salad.....and Bendy/Emeril's Sangria.......

 

[Briarmom]

We're back from Switzerland!
I tell ya, there is something about that country I love.

We had a view of the Matterhorn right outside on our balcony. It was scrumptious.

We had some Absinthe. It was not scrumptious.

 

[oybolshoi]

I thought I would share a delightful meal I had this past week while at a conference in Lynchburg, VA. This town is in the middle of nowhere, but they have some pretty good spots for dining!

We ate at Main Street Eatery

and I was adventurous enough to try all his specials for the night. I also drank an unmemorable Pinot Grigio (Zemmer 06, Cortina, Italy). It was cold and wet and crisp, which was enough for me that evening.

Appetizer: Roasted Beet Salad with Poached Pears, Belgian Endive, Toasted Walnuts, Maytag Bleu Cheese, Organic Greens and a Bleu Cheese-Yogurt Dressing. (I could have eaten two of these and been happy.)

Entree: Sauteed Diver Sea Scallops, topped with Asparagus and Crab Imperial, served on a grilled portabella mushroom with mixed greens and a balsamic reduction. (OMG)

Dessert: Cognac Creme Brulee (perfectly done... 'nuff said)

This is a little gem of a place with fabulous German/Swiss chef/owners. I would honestly consider the 3 hour drive to eat there again!

YUM YUM YUM! I especially like the sound of Cognac Creme Brulee ... and those scallops, too!

Hope everyone is enjoying the long weekend! We're doing our grilling today...Grilled chicken with roasted garlic and oregano vinaigrette, grilled steaks with chimichurri sauce, black bean, corn and mango salad and Mesa grill potato salad.....and Bendy/Emeril's Sangria.......

Sounds great Kathy ... take some pictures if that sangria doesn't incapacitate you.

We're back from Switzerland!
I tell ya, there is something about that country I love.

We had a view of the Matterhorn right outside on our balcony. It was scrumptious.

We had some Absinthe. It was not scrumptious.

We have a bottle of absinthe that we ordered from a merchant in Spain many years ago when it was still illegal in the US. Aside from wondering at the effectiveness of US Customs when the bottle showed up at our house a mere two weeks after we placed the order, we couldn't help but think that our ancestors who enjoyed absinthe so much must have had no tastebuds whatsoever because the stuff is vile ... even with extra sugar.

 

[PNO4TE]

Kathy - your dinner tonight sounds wonderful!

 

[DisneyMom5]

I haven't checked-in in a while. How's everyone doing? It's actually warm here in MI after a late spring freeze (brrrrr.)

It's only a month until I have to make my ADRs for our Sept. Free Dining trip.
No signature 2 credit ADRs, as it will be us, and our 7 kids.

Here's the plan - I'm open to constructive criticism and/or menu item suggestions. [We won't be park hopping much for most of the first 5 days because we're spending time with John's non-parkhopping sister.]

Day 1) Breakfast - Crystal Palace, before park opening

Dinner - 'Ohana (new for us),
--probably early so we can go back to the park for closing, OR watch the fireworks from the beach.

Day 2) Biergarten for lunch,
--before hopping to DHS (SIL is waterparking that day)

Day 3) Dinner - Tutto Italia (new for us)

Day 4) DHS counter services (not thrilled with the restaurants here.)

Day 5) This is my ???? day.
Lunch in or near MK - looking at the Plaza or LTT (both new for us).

Dinner - Park Fare (new)- late seating after MK closes for MNSSHP.
[And thus the problem of not eating too much for lunch. Hmmmm...]

Day 6) AK - Tusker House (new), lunch.
This will be the first Sat. of F & W. DH and I plan on having a date night cruising the booths for dinner. (suggestions needed.)

Day 7) Rose and Crown - Dinner

Day 8) Le Cellier - Lunch before hopping to MK for our last night.

So, there it is. Any and all suggestions, hints, or whatever accepted.

 

[oybolshoi]

Hi DisneyMom of many in Michigan!

If you're not crazy about the counter service in the studios why not chow at Sci-Fi? As long as you stick with simple foods there (burgers, fries, sandwiches) I think you'll get pretty decent food and the atmosphere is cheesy fun. Unless of course you've been there and don't like it ... in which case you should just ignore me.

On your lunch day at the MK I'd suggest you stick with the Plaza ... LTT serves a heavier lunch while the Plaza is really just sandwiches and ice cream. It's small though, so be sure you have that ADR.

As for your F&W date night, I think you'll have a lot of fun, just be prepared for the crowds ... it gets quite busy on Saturday evenings and the waits at the booths can be a little long. Recalling what you've said about your hubby, be sure to stop at the Sam Adams booth where he can probably choose from something on the order of 10 Sam Adams brews.

Share all the samples you purchase so that you can try more ... that's what Jay and I do, and it works really well for us.

Hope that helps a little.

 

[oybolshoi]

We had a great time last night at The Scottish Arms! Dylan and Jen joined us - his birthday is the same day as our anniversary, so we wanted to give him his giftie early.

Anyway, the food was surprisingly good, the wait staff was great, and the atmosphere was dark and pub-like ... the restaurant is housed in an historic building in the Central West End so there's lots of ornate, dark woodwork and they still have the old tin ceiling tiles too. Very cool!

And we were total pigs ...

a cheese plate
a highland sampler platter
duck for Jay
scallops for me
mushroom / spinach pastie for Jen
shepherds pie for Dylan
bread pudding and a creme brulee sampler for dessert with a scotch flight
and some tasty scotch ales

I admit to being skeptical before we got there but this place is a true hidden gem.

 

[kabuki]

Happy Memorial Day everyone .. For some reason I only get updates about this post every week and a 1/2 so I feel anti-social!

Just wanted to check in and say hello - we have been grilling all weekend -lamb on the rotisserie! (YUM!) and getting ready for the 4th of July! We have the 2nd largest parade in San Diego go right by our house and Jason is a 4th of July kind of guy. I will take pictures and show when it all happens..we even have Darth Vader in the parade!

 

[oybolshoi]

Happy Memorial Day everyone .. For some reason I only get updates about this post every week and a 1/2 so I feel anti-social!

Just wanted to check in and say hello - we have been grilling all weekend -lamb on the rotisserie! (YUM!) and getting ready for the 4th of July! We have the 2nd largest parade in San Diego go right by our house and Jason is a 4th of July kind of guy. I will take pictures and show when it all happens..we even have Darth Vader in the parade!

Hi Chelsi!

I don't know why the updates don't go out more often ... I never get an email about updates so I just try to check whenever I can.

Darth Vader in a 4th of July of parade? Awesome! Does he wear a red, white, and blue cape?

 

[kabuki]

Hi Chelsi!

I don't know why the updates don't go out more often ... I never get an email about updates so I just try to check whenever I can.

Darth Vader in a 4th of July of parade? Awesome! Does he wear a red, white, and blue cape?

Hey I got an update quick!

NO! He should have Red White and Blue on but then he is a lot shorter then what I imagined Darth Vader to be so I think we have a fake!
We have lots of Start Wars people and it's the only day it ever seems to get over 100 here so I guess they suffer for their craft!
If you ever find your self our way come on by! It's good old fashioned home town fun. We have pools blown up in the front yard, squirt guns, and this year I got smart - I wont be up at 4 am cooking breakfast for everyone! We are having a local Mexican restaurant cater!

 

[Hedy]

Hi all! I'm making my way over here. I'm Heather, 25. I'm a vegetarian who likes to have culinary delusions of grandeur. My first F&W trip is coming up in 5 months, and I'm excited!

 

[oybolshoi]

Hi all! I'm making my way over here. I'm Heather, 25. I'm a vegetarian who likes to have culinary delusions of grandeur. My first F&W trip is coming up in 5 months, and I'm excited!

Hedy!!! Thanks for stopping by ... lots of fun stuff happening here so don't be a stranger!

When are your food & wine dates?

I've got a list going but I think I need to update it again and re-post it for all to see.

 

[shovan]

Hi y'all! I haven't checked in ages, due to feeling crappy most of the time. I apologize to all for not keeping up.

I had to tell y'all about the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience Grand Tasting. We hadn't really planned on going because planning just hasn't been in the cards lately. But I was feeling good on Saturday and so we said WTH let's do it.

I apologize for not having any pics! My camera batteries died with my 1st shot.

It was held in the Superdome. The set-up very similar to PFTS with high & low tables dispersed throughout. They had quite a few of our really good rests. Galatoire's, Mila, Rest. August, Ralph's on the Park, etc.. Overall the wines were of very good quality & plenty of it. So much so it all blurs together. The one disappointment was the food serving sizes, some were just a little dollop of food. It was hard to get enough to eat to keep from getting totally plastered. I have to say that N'awlins does know how to throw a party. They ended the festivities with a full size marching band, Mardi Gras Indians and mini-floats. Then there was a concert from Bonerama.

Overall we really enjoyed & would do it again. We chatted with other guests, most of who had come to town for the event & everyone seemed quite pleased. I did feel a lot like our Bendy with bottomless pit, as we were walking out, we decided to head to the French Quarter in search of more food.

 

[oybolshoi]

Hi y'all! I haven't checked in ages, due to feeling crappy most of the time. I apologize to all for not keeping up.

no apologies necessary - just happy to hear from you and hope that you get some relief soon!

I had to tell y'all about the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience Grand Tasting. We hadn't really planned on going because planning just hasn't been in the cards lately. But I was feeling good on Saturday and so we said WTH let's do it.

I apologize for not having any pics! My camera batteries died with my 1st shot.

It was held in the Superdome. The set-up very similar to PFTS with high & low tables dispersed throughout. They had quite a few of our really good rests. Galatoire's, Mila, Rest. August, Ralph's on the Park, etc.. Overall the wines were of very good quality & plenty of it. So much so it all blurs together. The one disappointment was the food serving sizes, some were just a little dollop of food. It was hard to get enough to eat to keep from getting totally plastered. I have to say that N'awlins does know how to throw a party. They ended the festivities with a full size marching band, Mardi Gras Indians and mini-floats. Then there was a concert from Bonerama.

Overall we really enjoyed & would do it again. We chatted with other guests, most of who had come to town for the event & everyone seemed quite pleased. I did feel a lot like our Bendy with bottomless pit, as we were walking out, we decided to head to the French Quarter in search of more food.

It sounds wonderful even if they were a bit stingy with the food portions. Is this something that is held annually or was this a one-time thing? If it's an annual event then Jay and I will need to add it to our ever-expanding list (and waste-lines ... ) of fooodie events to attend. And we want to come back to NOLA anyway, so this is just extra incentive.

 

[PNO4TE]

Hi y'all! I haven't checked in ages, due to feeling crappy most of the time. I apologize to all for not keeping up.

I had to tell y'all about the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience Grand Tasting. We hadn't really planned on going because planning just hasn't been in the cards lately. But I was feeling good on Saturday and so we said WTH let's do it.

I apologize for not having any pics! My camera batteries died with my 1st shot.

It was held in the Superdome. The set-up very similar to PFTS with high & low tables dispersed throughout. They had quite a few of our really good rests. Galatoire's, Mila, Rest. August, Ralph's on the Park, etc.. Overall the wines were of very good quality & plenty of it. So much so it all blurs together. The one disappointment was the food serving sizes, some were just a little dollop of food. It was hard to get enough to eat to keep from getting totally plastered. I have to say that N'awlins does know how to throw a party. They ended the festivities with a full size marching band, Mardi Gras Indians and mini-floats. Then there was a concert from Bonerama.

Overall we really enjoyed & would do it again. We chatted with other guests, most of who had come to town for the event & everyone seemed quite pleased. I did feel a lot like our Bendy with bottomless pit, as we were walking out, we decided to head to the French Quarter in search of more food.

So nice to see you! I hope you continue to heal.

Your F&W foray sounds yummy. Out of curiosity, and trying not to appear crass... what was the cost per person? I would love to try something like that in the future!

 

[BriarRosie]

Well it's been a while since I have said hello.

Hello!

Ahem.

I've had a decent Memorial Day. I went to my best friend's 40th birthday party last night and had lots of good food and drink. Today, it's ribs, corn on the cob, and chocolate eclairs for dessert!

Last week, I made guacamole again, and my own baked tortilla chips from whole wheat tortillas. If anyone wants to know how I made it, it's not the "exact science"..

One lime....squeeze the juice into a large bowl. Enough for a couple Tbsp.
3 ripe avocados....mash 'em up in large bowl with the lime juice.
Red onion....Small dice about a quarter of a large onion, enough to really blend in well with the avocados.
Kosher salt.....a couple large pinches (to taste)
Tomatillo.....recent addition to my recipe! Small dice that up for more added texture and flavor.
Cilantro....totally optional. For me, I made it for those who "hate" cilantro. I totally minced up enough to be about a Tbsp of it, almost to a paste consistency to really blend in. If you're making it for those who like cilantro, add more to taste. I would have added more if I were not making it to please the cilantro "haters".

That's it! You can also dice in some jalapenos or toss in some Tabasco, but again, I was making it mild for people who aren't big on heat.

For the tortillas, I sprayed a pan and the tortillas with cooking spray, sprinkling a little salt on them. I don't remember which heat setting I used, but I kept an eye on them to make sure they browned, not burned. I wasn't crazy about them, but my mother loved them.

I use fresh veggies as dipping agents in lieu of chips, as well.

Hope everyone has a nice holiday.

 

[Hedy]

Hedy!!! Thanks for stopping by ... lots of fun stuff happening here so don't be a stranger!

When are your food & wine dates?

I've got a list going but I think I need to update it again and re-post it for all to see.

10/23-10/29. At present I'm starting at Pop and ending at WL, but it may change.

 

[oybolshoi]

Here are a few pictures from our snackfest on Saturday night ...

Our cheese selections for the evening ... Top left ear: Cypress Grove Lamb Chopper (sheep's milk); Top right ear: Danish Blue; Middle of the plate: Jasper Hill Farms Cheddar

More cheese, anyone?

And it goes without saying that we had to purchase some of my favorite: Fromager de Affinois!

Best cheese, evah!

Gooey, spreadable cheese innards ... YUM!

We had a loaf of fresh Italian bread to smear the fromager over, and munched on crackers and pears with the other cheeses.

We tried a sample of this on a whim, mainly because I thought Jay would like it, and ended up buying a pound: Annie Gunn's housemade Summer Sausage stuffed with cheddar cheese and jalapenos. I was pleasantly surprised by just how good this was - spicy but not unbearably so, it leaves a nice sense of heat on the tongue after swallowing. Excellent!

Sausages!

And how could we pass up the first four-pack of Strongbow that we'd seen in Stinktown since returning from WDW last October?! This really hit the spot Saturday night.

That's cider, fella!

 

[kabuki]

Hi y'all! I haven't checked in ages, due to feeling crappy most of the time. I apologize to all for not keeping up.

I had to tell y'all about the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience Grand Tasting. We hadn't really planned on going because planning just hasn't been in the cards lately. But I was feeling good on Saturday and so we said WTH let's do it.

Shovan! Hope you continue to feel better!!!! Thanks for the info on the Grand Ex. Jason and I keep thinking of heading out to do this BUT just think of all the food I want to eat coming to your town we always think a festival might be a waist. Your report has us thinking again!

10/23-10/29. At present I'm starting at Pop and ending at WL, but it may change.

Hello Hedy!!!!

Well it's been a while since I have said hello.

Hello!

Ahem.

I just had to say HELLLLLO LORI! and do you know what food made Bree sick?

Here are a few pictures from our snackfest on Saturday night ...

Our cheese selections for the evening ... Top left ear: Cypress Grove Lamb Chopper (sheep's milk); Top right ear: Danish Blue; Middle of the plate: Jasper Hill Farms Cheddar

More cheese, anyone?

And it goes without saying that we had to purchase some of my favorite: Fromager de Affinois!

Best cheese, evah!

Gooey, spreadable cheese innards ... YUM!

We had a loaf of fresh Italian bread to smear the fromager over, and munched on crackers and pears with the other cheeses.

We tried a sample of this on a whim, mainly because I thought Jay would like it, and ended up buying a pound: Annie Gunn's housemade Summer Sausage stuffed with cheddar cheese and jalapenos. I was pleasantly surprised by just how good this was - spicy but not unbearably so, it leaves a nice sense of heat on the tongue after swallowing. Excellent!

Sausages!

And how could we pass up the first four-pack of Strongbow that we'd seen in Stinktown since returning from WDW last October?! This really hit the spot Saturday night.

That's cider, fella!

Two thumbs up for all but a BIG happy smile for the Strongbow!!!!!!!!!