In recent years, blooms have leapt from garden to plate. The use of edible flowers at restaurants and bars has surged. For visual appeal, health benefits, and distinctive taste, rose, hibiscus, squash blossom, and many other petals are planted on menus across the country. Here are some of the budding chefs and venues that are increasing the everyday diner’s vocabulary and appetite for edible flowers.
What’s an American picnic, holiday gathering or family reunion without deviled eggs? The dish of boiled eggs sliced in half and stuffed with a yolk/mayonnaise filling has been an American staple for decades.But our love affair with deviled eggs wasn’t born in the New World. The dish’s origin dates back centuries to ancient Rome, Spain and other parts of Europe. Around the first century A.D., Romans enjoyed boiled eggs enhanced with spices, oil and wine. Spain began stuffing its eggs in the 13th century, adding flavors such as cilantro, pepper and a fermented fish sauce. Over the next few centuries stuffed egg fever spread across Europe, and what filled the boiled eggs ran the gamut from raisins to herbs.
Good tastes continue to expand in Tennessee. Here are just a few of the newest (and soon to open) places to eat and drink across the state.Sounds like an invitation to us!
Between Charleston, South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia, the Spanish moss-strewn, swampy stretch of the Lowcountry coast makes for a world-class road trip—especially if you love boiled shrimp, boiled peanuts, alligator sightings, humidity and the boondocks. You can complete the drive in about two hours if you resist pulling over at the numerous tempting stops. But what fun is that?
The Tennessee Music Highway, the stretch of Interstate 40 between Nashville and Memphis, is rich with music history, great places to eat, and it passes through and near some of the state’s significant Civil War battlegrounds. If you’re a history buff and hungry for some great Southern food, the route is a geographical (if not strictly chronological) tour through the history of some important Civil War sites.
It was so flaky, buttery and light I had to suppress a loud “mmm” sound and the urge to stash a couple more delicious biscuits in to my purse for later.The experience of eating these heavenly light brown rounds was enhanced by sitting on the elegant porch of Mississippi’s Biscuit Queen herself, Chef Regina Charboneau, in Natchez, the Biscuit Capital of the World.As a child of the South and a lifelong biscuit lover, I am saddened by the state of what most places call a biscuit—they’re too often dry, tasteless and a waste of butter. But in my passionate pursuit of biscuit perfection, I’ve been lucky enough to encounter a few gems. Here are five biscuits worth a road trip.
The spirits industry is booming and the number of distilleries across the U.S. is growing. The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States reported record spirits sales in 2017, with a four percent increase for a total of $26.2 billion. While the majority of American distilleries are male-owned, the number of women helming the stills is on the rise. Since March is National Women’s Month, we’re featuring seven women who are shaking up the status quo. Here, they share some of the highs and lows of their work.
You’ve probably heard the expression “working for peanuts.” Once considered animal fodder not fit for human consumption, the peanut is now a jewel in the crown of American culture and cuisine, and since March is National Peanut Month, we’re sharing the history of this tiny legume from “soup to nuts” as the saying goes.
Charlotte, North Carolina is a city where culinary artisans—chefs, bartenders, brewers, distillers, and other foodie pros—are collectively pushing forward the city’s taste offerings and reputation. Even better, many are doing it without compromising the commitment to health—for humans and for Mother Earth. Whether you’ve resolved to eat healthier in 2019 or simply want to savor incomparable flavor, there are lots of delicious reasons to visit this Southern city.
Farm-to-table dining is a term most popularly used to describe restaurants that source ingredients from local or regional producers—in such relationships, the executive chef proudly sources ingredients directly from food producers (from farmers to winemakers, ranchers to cheese makers, and so on). It’s an arrangement that can yield fresh results.
