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Saturday, June 28, 2014

War Amsterdam Eagle!




Life is full of BIG moments...the kind that alter it in such a way that things are never the same again.  You know what I mean: births, marriages, divorces, deaths....your child going off to college!  And the thing about those moments is, even the very happy ones can be bittersweet. Especially the ones that involve your children.  You want your children to grow up...perhaps not as fast as they want to, but it is the goal, nevertheless.  Even so, when those big moments arrive, there is a bit of sadness and trepidation.  You want to still be there to look after them, make sure no one is mistreating them, protect them and take them back home with you.  But, when your child is so very excited and you know he is about to do something that is so thrilling and wonderful, it takes a bit of the melancholy away.  So...that is where I am.

My oldest child and I headed to Auburn this past week to attend Camp War Eagle and get him registered for classes in the fall.  And, yes, I was a mixed bag of emotions...proud, sad, happy, thrilled, nervous, worried.  But the overriding emotion was one of excitement.  How could I not be when he was so excited and happy? The grin on his face could not have been any bigger and I was getting to share in his happiness.  There was no time to be sad.  We had wonderful, exciting things to do.  

While we were in Auburn, we met up with J.D.'s good friend, Rhett, and his mom, Loretta, and made plans to take the boys out for a nice dinner.  My friend, Susan, had recommended The Amsterdam Cafe a while back, so I suggested we try it out.  

The name Amsterdam threw me off a bit.  I walked in, curious to see if the menu would include Dutch treats like bitterballen and stamppot, and wondering what on earth I would order.  I was also not expecting for the entire restaurant to be decorated with pictures of Van Gogh.  In all my conjuring about the name Amsterdam, I did not once think about the great Dutch painter!  My favorite of all the paintings of the Dutch master was this whimsical painting of Auburn Van Gogh. Of course, Van Gogh was a Tiger fan! I know for sure this is an AUthentic painting!


Turns out, the idea for the name, Amsterdam, came from the restaurant founder's handmade Shulbok tables. What is a Shulbok table, you ask?  Never fear, I already researched that for you! Shulbok is apparently a game based on a traditional Dutch shuffleboard game called, Sjoelbak, which has been popular for several hundred years in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and England.  Who knew, right? The handcrafted American version of the Shulbok table traces it's roots back about twenty years to (drumroll, please) Auburn, Alabama's Amsterdam Cafe! Now that I know this, I am determined to learn how to play Shulbok!

As for the menu at Amsterdam... I encountered no hard to pronounce Dutch words or entrees. What I did find was a lot of interesting sounding possibilities and creative combinations of very familiar food items...rum salmon salad, pickles and oysters, pimento cheese crostini, lobster egg rolls...

So what did we order?  We started out with black-eyed pea hummus, which came with red and green bell peppers, cucumbers, assorted olives and lahvosh.  Now, normally, I am not an olive eater, but as I was eating the hummus, I kept thinking it needed a bit of salt and olive oil to perk it up.  I didn't want to start making adjustments since I was sharing the dish and I really wasn't sure if everyone else would appreciate my tampering with the hummus, so I just kept my thoughts and seasonings to myself.  But then it dawned on me...they served it with olives.  Olives are salty and olive oily!  I tried a bit of the hummus with an olive and ..tada!  It was perfect!  I guess that is why they serve it with olives! Sorry, but we were so hungry at this point I completely forgot to snap a picture!

For my entree, I noticed on the menu, a crabcake and avocado sandwich which had made the top 100 dishes in Alabama.  This was a no brainer for me!  The croissant was filled with a lump crab cake, sliced avocado, creole remoulade, and mango pico de gallo.  It was accompanied by homemade sweet potato chips.  It was yummy and filling.  I could only eat half the sandwich and my child, who normally will not touch an avocado, scarfed down the remaining half in two bites!  

This was after he had finished his Black and Bleu Rib-eye Sandwich with horseradish creme fraiche on a toasted hoagie roll.  He really enjoyed his sandwich, too!


Rhett ordered a pepperjack grilled chicken sandwich which looked delicious and must have been because he ate it all!  His sandwich also came with the sweet potato chips.  Both JD and Rhett had Caesar salads to go with their sandwiches.

Loretta ended up with an Amsterdam turkey wrap featuring smoked turkey breast, swiss cheese, cream cheese and lettuce rolled up in a softened lahvosh wrapper with honey mustard for dipping. She liked it a lot.



We were so relaxed and content after our meal that Loretta played a happy little tune on an Andy Warhol style piano she spotted just outside the restaurant.


As for the rest of Camp War Eagle, it was a huge success.  Loretta and I were thoroughly confused and exhausted.  The boys were also worn out, but in a really good way.  They got their fall class schedules completed and were able to get all the classes they wanted/needed.  In fact, they were having so much fun, Loretta and I left them in Auburn (with MY car) to attend some fraternity rush events.  They may never come home! War Eagle, everyone!

Three Friends and a Fork gives Amsterdam 3 heerlijk (delicious) Yums UP!







Amsterdam Cafe on Urbanspoon

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Scottsboro is a Hidden Gem, Y'all!




Scottsboro, AL...Someplace Special

Scottsboro's founder and namesake, Robert Thomas Scott 

RelayRides, a peer to peer car rental company interested in spreading the word about great local hotspots and services across the country has challenged us to write about a hidden gem in our area. The more we thought about it, the more we realized that Scottsboro, Alabama is a hidden gem all by itself. Located in Jackson County, the seventh largest Alabama county by size, twenty-sixth by population, Scottsboro is situated on the banks of the Tennessee River in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. It is sheltered by Sand Mountain to the east and south and the Cumberland Plateau to the north. With all the water and woodland surrounding this tiny north Alabama hamlet, it is an outdoor lover's paradise.  Hunting, fishing, water sports, caving, hiking, repelling, golfing, canoeing, kayaking, sky diving and camping activities abound year round.


The city owned Goosepond Colony Resort is a great place to find many outdoor activities. With 127 campsites, 11 cottages and a lodge, Goosepond serves as a great home base while visiting Scottsboro.

Cottages on the lake

                            

Goosepond also has two 18-hole golf courses for the golf enthusiasts in your group. Additionally, the resort features a civic center, a marina, a pavilion, an amphitheater, a swimming pool and walking trails.


            
                          
The Tennessee River provides lots of water entertainment.


Goosepond's fine dining restaurant, The Docks, serves delicious food at water's edge and has a full bar, lighted pier and live weekend entertainment.

Entrance to The Docks

Oyster Po'boy from the Docks.
Save room for key lime pie.


Scottsboro is also home to First Monday Trade Day.  Every month beginning on the Saturday before the first Monday of the month, vendors come from all over to sell antiques, plants, produce, farm equipment, and handmade crafts around the courthouse square.  While most of the First Mondays have dwindled in size, one is still a standout. The biggest trade day of the year is held on Labor Day Weekend and coincides with Scottsboro's Art in the Park, sponsored by the local Three Arts Club.  Each Labor Day Sunday, more than 150 artists and craftsmen sell their creations from booths set up under the shady trees of Scottsboro's King Caldwell Park. There are activities for all ages and lots of local food to sample.

Jackson County Courthouse

The history of Scottsboro is as complex and varied as the people who have called this valley home. Beginning with the early Cherokee people who lived here and were eventually driven west on the Trail of Tears as a result of the Indian Removal Act enacted during the presidential term of Andrew Jackson, the county's namesake, to the European settlers who claimed the land for themselves, and, finally, to the current residents, Scottsboro has been a reflection of our nation's history, both good and bad.

Jackson County was named after Andrew Jackson.  Not sure what Old Hickory would think about the way he is portrayed in this statue!
Russell Cave located just north of Scottsboro in Bridgeport, AL, gives a glimpse of what life would have been like for the early Native Americans who lived in this area. Early people would have also inhabited Cathedral Caverns just south of Scottsboro in Kennamer's Cove.  Cathedral Caverns is one of the most stunningly beautiful caves in the country and should not be missed.



Another cave of interest is the Sauta Cave National Wildlife Refuge, also known as Blowing Wind Cave.  This cave is home to about 250,000 endangered gray and Indiana bats.  It is a major maternity cave for the gray bats who go to the cave to give birth and nurse their young. At dusk, thousands of bats can be seen flying from the mouth of the cave to feast on mosquitoes and other insects.  The land surrounding the cave is home to the endangered Price's potato bean plant. This refuge protects one of only thirteen populations of the plant in the entire country, with all occurrences being in the states of Alabama, Tennessee and Kentucky.


                              
The entrance to Sauta Cave, home to thousands of bats.

In the 1930's, one of the most racially dividing and controversial episodes our country has ever known took place in Scottsboro.  The case of nine young black men falsely accused of rape by two white women was a pivotal time in our nation's civil rights legislation. The Scottsboro Boys' trials set legal precedents that continue to this day.  Visitors to Scottsboro can learn about the case and see where the first trials took place, before being relocated to Morgan County.


The courthouse has been renovated, but still stands in the same location as it did in the thirties when the trials were taking place and is just a few blocks from the The Scottsboro Boys Museum and Cultural Center. Harper Lee is said to have based her book, To Kill a Mockingbird, on the Scottsboro Boys' trials.

Scottsboro Boys Museum and Cultural Center
Across the street from the Courthouse sits Payne's Sandwich Shop and Soda Fountain, where visitors can grab a bite to eat and quench their thirst, much as visitors to Scottsboro would have done as the trials were taking place.  Payne's opened as a pharmacy in 1869 and is the oldest continuously operated business in Scottsboro.  One of the most unique dishes at Payne's is their "squished" hot dog topped with red slaw.  The hot dog is flattened before adding the slaw which has a spicy ketchup based dressing.  Red slaw is a very popular hot dog accompaniment in Jackson County. 
      
         
Payne's begin life in 1869 as a drug store.
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The soda fountain and lunch counter at Payne's


Payne's famous "squished" red slaw dog


                             
The Reubens at Payne's are delicious, too!



















On the opposite side of the square is the Variety Bake Shop.  Known simply as "The Bake Shop" by locals, this little establishment serves up delicious donuts, pastries, cookies, biscuits and other goodies.  Our personal favorites are the sausage pinwheels, tenderloin biscuits and chocolate covered glazed donuts.




The square is also home to several quaint shops worth checking out.  If a little more shopping is in order, the best, most unusual place to do that would be The Unclaimed Baggage Center just a few blocks from the town square and right down the road from the Scottsboro Boys Museum. Lost luggage from all over the country makes its way to Unclaimed Baggage, where shoppers can score a deal on everything from clothing to electronics and everything in between.  The annual ski sale is one of the biggest events in the county, with people setting up tents, lawn chairs and even hanging out in RV's to wait on the doors to open at 7:00 am.  All kinds of winter equipment from skis and snowboards to ski jackets and outerwear can be purchased for a fraction of their retail value.  And if you didn't fill up while you were at Payne's, you can grab a bite to eat at Unclaimed Baggage's own cafe, Cups. Chicken salad, salads, sandwiches and desserts are all on the menu.

Lost your airline luggage?  You might want to check here!





Scottsboro, a community rich in history, is mindful of its past, but not owned by it. The town continues to grow and change as new people move into the area and the population evolves. With all this area has to offer in terms of the land, the history, the people and the natural resources, Scottsboro truly is a "hidden gem".

The Docks on Urbanspoon Payne's on Urbanspoon Cups Cafe at Unclaimed Baggage Center on Urbanspoon Variety Bake Shop on Urbanspoon

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos...Olè!


We love slow cookers!  When you have been at work all day, there is nothing better than to come home to the delicious smells of something cooking in your kitchen.  Tonight we had some tacos with a creamy chicken filling courtesy of the slow cooker.  With only 5 ingredients plus toppings and tortillas, these tacos are a snap to throw together and you don't even have to thaw your frozen chicken beforehand.  This recipe is posted on our Facebook page, so head on over and you will be on the road to Dinner is Done! Just click the picture above to teleport you to the recipe and while you are there we would greatly appreciate some Facebook love, so give us a page like!  Thanks!

Saturday, June 7, 2014

A Weekend in Asheville





I'm just a little late...ok, a lot late, in writing about a really fun trip Luanne and I took to Asheville, NC.  I had to go because my children were running in a track meet there, so I talked Lu into coming with me.  We had such a good time catching up and spending time together.  While we were in Asheville, we managed to squeeze in some fun in addition to the track meet.  We toured the Biltmore Estate, which was built in the 1880's by George W. Vanderbilt, grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt.  The Biltmore mansion is huge and the grounds are immaculate.  Both Lu and I had visited before, but we were still amazed.  All seasons at Biltmore are beautiful. There is no bad time to visit, but this particular visit was in spring and the tulips on the grounds were in full bloom...absolutely gorgeous!
 


We ended up missing the tour of the home itself, because of the track meet. The meet was, after all, the reason we were on this excursion, so we had to go watch the boys run.  We did, however, get to eat lunch at the Stable Cafe on the grounds and we spent a lot of time exploring the greenhouses and nursery.  While I didn't get any pictures of our food at the Stable Cafe, I can tell you that our meal was delicious and the restaurant is beautiful. We sat in one of the booths in an old horse stall.  Very cool.  One of the best parts of our meal was the dessert sampler we shared.  We both agreed the Key lime coconut pie was exceptionally tasty.  



We also had fun taking the wine tasting tour at the Biltmore.  The Biltmore winery, started in 1971 by Cecil Vanderbilt, grandson of George W.,  is the most visited winery in the country and the wines produced there have won countless awards and medals. We enjoyed hearing the history of the winery, the Biltmore and the Vanderbilt family.

In addition, to roaming around the grounds of the Biltmore, we also made time to stroll the streets of downtown Asheville.  Asheville has an artsy, bohemian sort of personality and it is lovely sitting on the banks of the French Broad River and tucked into the backdrop of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains.  Asheville is home to one of the largest collections of Art Deco architecture outside of Miami. The only Catholic basilica in the state of North Carolina is located in Asheville.  Lu and I found the Basilica of St. Lawrence to be exceptionally beautiful.  It was designed and built in 1905 by a Spanish architect and has definite Spanish characteristics.  



We also happened to run into this nun in downtown Asheville.  She turned out not to be a she! In fact, "she" was part of a comedy bus tour.  We were wishing we had time to take that tour!




Since we were in town for three days, we did have time for a couple more meals before we left town and we also found the bar of our dreams.  Let me explain.  For dinner we chose a tiny little restaurant with a colorful attitude.  The name of this place that so captured out attention was, Salsa's.  Now if you know anything at all about me, it is that I have a weakness for salsa of almost any kind.  Give me a salsa bar and I'm in heaven.  No, that is still not the bar of our dreams previously mentioned.  I'll get to that later.  Anyway, back to Salsa's.  It was billed as a Caribbean/Mexican restaurant.  That is all it took for Lu and me.  We love Mexican food.  We love island food.  We love anything tropical.  How could we resist?  Salsa's was the perfect choice for us! We knew that when we squeezed inside the front door and found standing room only.  That's always a good sign, right?  The tables in the tiny establishment were squeezed tightly together and we watched platter after platter of delicious looking creations being carried to each table.  By the time we were seated, we were ravenous! 


We started with this delicious bowl of homemade chips and three yummy salsas.  It tasted even better than it looks.


Then we shared this outrageous combination of sea bass, plantains, sweet potatoes and beans.  The combination of fish, veggies and salsas was out of this world.  We had to resist picking up the bowl and licking it clean!


Now about that bar from heaven.  No, it is not what you are thinking.  This bar was totally CHOCOLATE!  I am not kidding! The French Broad Chocolate Lounge, named after the local river, is ahhhhmazing!  We walked through the door and our senses were overloaded with chocolate choices....chocolate candy, chocolate cakes, chocolate drinks, chocolate, well, you get the idea.  Think Bubba Gump but with chocolate.  This place was so good, we visited twice! Oh, and if the aroma of chocolate and the taste of chocolate weren't enough, there was a jazzy, bluesy little band to smooth out any stress that had not already been melted away by all the chocolate. Our trip to Asheville would have been totally worth it if we had only had time to visit the French Broad Chocolate Lounge.  


Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate...

And to drink?  Chocolate, of course!




On our last day, right before we left town, we stopped for one last meal.  This time, our restaurant of choice had a sweet, particularly southern sounding name...Tupelo Honey Cafe.  The cuisine at Tupelo Honey is best described as southern soul, but with an artsy, Asheville twist.  Do not go to Tupelo Honey if you are not hungry, because not only are the portions huge, they start you out with a big basket of delicious biscuits.



After fretting over the mouth watering selections on the menu, I finally settled on shrimp and grits. The grits were creamy with goat cheese, the shrimp fresh and the red pepper sauce spicy, sweet and tangy.  Altogether delicious.


Luanne could not resist the frisbee sized buttermilk sweet potato pancake topped with spiced pecans and whipped peach butter. Her pancake was accompanied by crispy maple peppered bacon.  That one pancake was enough to feed a family of four, but for those with extra large appetites, the Shoo-Mercy is a double stack.  I cannot imagine anyone being able to eat two of those giant pancakes. If you did, you would definitely be begging for mercy!



Our trip to Asheville was lots of fun and we left the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina vowing to return.  Next time we want Parker to join us.  Every place we visited in Asheville got three whole-hearted Yums UP! 

Salsa's Mexican Caribbean Food on Urbanspoon Stable Cafe on Urbanspoon Tupelo Honey Cafe on Urbanspoon French Broad Chocolate Lounge on Urbanspoon