A Must Have: Mary Macs Tea Room, ATL

Consider my mind blown.

As a "Foodie" I have become conditioned to proundly flaunt my flair for finding new,  quirky,  and just plain fancy cuisine.  But, on my recent trip to Atlanta, I had an epiphany.  That epiphany was Mary Mac's Tea Room.

I have been to Mary Mac's before.
On this visit as I took in the moments captured in the plethora of pictures displayed on the walls I realized that simplicity and heart felt cooking is the new novelty.  Every thing about this place shows the love and attention that is poured into every Arnold Palmer,  smothered chicken,  and Cobbler without a banner that reads "SOUL FOOD".

So whats my favorite dish? I live for the roasted Turkey (or pork) with cornbread stuffing,  tomato pie, and collard greens. My favorite thing about it is how much they didn't try to reinvent the wheel,  but that they handled the most humble ingredients with so much care that they were transformed into a memory of yesteryear.  A memory of my Nana's hot water bread, aunt Rose's dumplin's, and grandma's oxtail stew. Whenever im in Atlanta this place is a must!

Charlotte's Best Deals: City Smoke

This weekend I had the pleasure of visiting one of Charlotte, NC's newer uptown establishments, City Smoke. I have visited twice before, and while every visit was friendly and the food was great, it was something about this last time that was OUTSTANDING! That something was the Shrimp and Grits. They were absolutely DELICIOUS. For new comers to the South, "Shrimp n' Grits" are a long standing tradition that are a staple in areas like the Low Country of South Carolina. Traditionally, shrimp and some sort of pork (sausage or bacon) are cooked with spices and butter in a light sauce, then served over a steaming plate of creamy grits. Some may add the "trinity" while cooking, and others choose the garnish with scallions at the end.  But City Smoke has broken the rules.
(1)The dish was served in a small metal mixing bowl (the theme is rustic barbecue).
(2)The grits were rich and creamy, yet loose
(3) The entire dish was swimming in the most delicious seafood and tomato broth I have ever tasted in my LIFE!!

Yes...I said swimming. If you are used to shrimp and grits this may sound odd, but this is the best version I've had yet. And the cherry on top...it was only 14.00, and that was one of the more expensive entrees.

My vote is in:

CITY SMOKE IS ONE OF THE BEST DEALS IN CHARLOTTE!!!

Brazz Carvery and Steakhouse: YESSSS

SO...

It's been awhile, but I haven't stopped eating and cooking. I'll be catching up on that soon. What I'm writing tonight is a review on a GREAT steakhouse located on "The Green" between College and Tryon in Uptown Charlotte. The name is Brazz...short, sweet, and to the point, yet modern and fresh. The restaurant follows the same format itself. We were seated immediately to a nice comfortable booth with dim lighting and excellent music. The colors were bright and cheerful, yet subdued by the laid back atmosphere. While the Decor was nice, the center piece was the cold bar. Everything from Capicola  and smoked salmon, to balsamic marinated asparagus, all meticulously arranged into an edible display of art.

Our service was excellent! Since we ordered the Rodizio the food kept coming right on time (which can be hard to do in that style of service). And the house made Sangria...BEAUTIFUL and ADDICTIVE!!!! I definitely give Brazz an A+

What's your favorite Brazilian steakhouse??

Warm Up With...Italian Wedding Soup

 FINIRE DI MANGIARE!!!  

Since the weather is turning so quickly, I decided to try a recipe to warm me up. This Italian Wedding Soup recipe comes from Giada DeLaurentis via Foodnetwork.com I can honestly say I've never had anything but the Campbell's soup version...but I'm sure this one is good either way. SUBSTITUTIONS: Instead of Escarole, I used frozen spinach, and in the broth I used the rind from a left over piece of Parmesan.

Italian Wedding Soup

• 1 small onion, grated
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 slice fresh white bread, crust trimmed, bread torn into small pieces
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 8 ounces ground beef
• 8 ounces ground pork
• Freshly ground black pepper

Soup:

• 12 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 pound curly endive, coarsely chopped (1 pound of escarole would be a good substitution)
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for garnish
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

To make the meatballs: Stir the first 6 ingredients in a large bowl to blend. Stir in the cheese, beef and pork. Using 1 1/2 teaspoons for each, shape the meat mixture into 1-inch-diameter meatballs. Place on a baking sheet.

To make the soup: Bring the broth to a boil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and curly endive and simmer until the meatballs are cooked through and the curly endive is tender, about 8 minutes. Whisk the eggs and cheese in a medium bowl to blend. Stir the soup in a circular motion. Gradually drizzle the egg mixture into the moving broth, stirring gently with a fork to form thin stands of egg, about 1 minute. Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/italian-wedding-soup-recipe/index.html

Please, Allow Me to Introduce Myself...

Hi!

My name is Shavon and I am in LOVE with food! Everything from shopping an finding new ingredients, to cooking and eating it. I LOVE IT ALL!

After many years of expressing my passion for food on deaf on blatantly uninterested ears I have decided to turn where many other over-enthusiasts of other areas (crochet, duck calling, etc..) have gone to find their brethren...the internet. Pintrest is a bit "stay at home mom-ish" for me, so blogging it is!

It isn't good until I make this face ;)

I'm 24, and I have background in Marketing and Business Admin, but I am currently working in HR/ Business process outsourcing, but somehow I still can't keep my mind off food. So please, share recipes  comment, tell me if my recipes are horrible, or if they're the best you ever had. THANK YOU FOR VISITING :)