Review: Momma Goldberg's Deli

I want to like Momma Goldberg's Deli so badly I've given it three chances at three different locations: Tuscaloosa, Homewood, and Inverness. I need to like it because: 1) it is located 0.6 of a mile from my apartment, and 2) I might have to watch football there should my satellite dish move, oh say, 1/4 of an inch the wrong way.

Anything with 'deli' in the name suggests a Reuben to me. Yet, I expect and desire something a little more interesting than what I prepare for myself on any given Saturday.

Today I ordered the 3:00-7:00 Friday special for $5.39: a sandwich, chips, and a soda. The amount I paid correlated with what time I ordered (i.e., had I ordered at 3:05, I would have paid $3.05). Great! The sandwich was reasonably good, but only comparable to any basic chain sandwich shop. A big plus: Dr. Brown's beverages! I expect I will visit them again when there are time restraints and/or rainy weather.

Now for the less pleasant commentary: clean it up, Momma!
I will give the Tuscaloosa restaurant a break because I was there at the high traffic lunch hour.
Homewood? I didn't think I would be able to swallow my food because the place was so dirty (3:00 p.m. and only four customers).
Inverness was relatively clean except at their condiments and drinks area. Overflowing trash is a bit unappetizing.

Heidi Talks Corn

From May to September, sweet glorious corn is at its peak and graces the tables of most of us in the southern U.S. We eat corn sauteed, creamed, fried, boiled, in salads, in cornbread, and in pudding, among others.

(above) Heidi is seen here enjoying the last of summer's fresh corn.

Corn Connoisseur Heidi and the humans she owns live at The Highlands in Tuscaloosa. She prefers her corn left on the cob and grilled with just a little olive oil. Heidi is also quite fond of bell peppers, particularly the sweeter red and yellow varieties. While primarily a vegetarian, she is not so socially-conscious that she will refuse meat or a protein-based offering.

We turned to Bobby Flay of the Food Network for suggestions on grilling corn and then adapted it for Heidi:

Ingredients

•4 ears of corn, husked
•Olive oil
•Salt to taste (optional)

Directions
Lay the ears directly on the grill over very hot coals. Grill turning to brown them evenly, for 5 to 7 minutes. Season them to taste with olive oil and salt, if desired.

Or, she might want to consider an indoor grill pan. See my experiment and post here.
 
Thanks to Heidi for sharing her love of corn with us!

Recipe: Salmon with Corn and Tomato Salad

The corn at Pepper Place Market is gone for the season, but I have a favorite substitute: Del Monte Summer Crisp Whole Kernel Golden Sweet Corn. While some people frown on using canned corn, I have found this choice to be consistently sweet and crisp, better than any canned corn I have ever used.  There is very little liquid in the can, and I choose the no added salt so that I can control how much salt is added to the dish. Plus, it seems adding the kosher salt adds a fresh taste to it.

When I first tasted the corn and tomato salad for seasoning, I didn't think I was going to like it. Adding salmon to the mix, however, took the dish to a new level. Salmon makes most everything better, though, doesn't it?

SAUTEED SALMON WITH CORN AND TOMATO SALAD

Original recipe by Joey Altman, McClatchy News Service

Serves 4
Ingredients
4 salmon fillets, without skin
½ cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
Salt and pepper to taste
4 ears of corn, shucked and cut from the cob
¼ cup minced shallots
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
2 green onions, chopped
2 pounds heirloom tomatoes
½ cup basil leaves, torn into small pieces
Juice of 1 lemon

Directions
1) Heat a grill pan on medium high heat. Lightly oil the salmon and season with salt and pepper. Place salmon on heated pan and grill to desired doneness, about 5 minutes for medium.

2) Meanwhile, heat a saute pan over medium high heat. Place a few tablespoons of oil in the pan, then add the corn, shallots, jalapenos and green onions and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and cook for an additional minute.
3) Transfer the saute pan ingredients to a mixing bowl and add the basil, lemon juice and remaining oil. Toss and season to taste. Divide among four plates and place a grilled piece of salmon on top.

Note: I prepare my salmon by lightly brushing with olive oil and sprinkling with salt and ground black pepper. Place salmon in heated pan, flesh side down. Sear for 1-2 minutes on each side. Place in a 400-degree oven to continue cooking to desired doneness, usually 3-5 minutes.

A Very Berry Breakfast

My first big mistake every day is not eating breakfast; actually, I enjoy breakfast but not until around 10 a.m. and that is four hours into my day, two hours into my work day, and 10-12 hours without any fuel at all.

When I saw these wonderful berries on sale, I remembered an episode of Barefoot Contessa featuring Patricia Wells who prepared her Very Berry Fruit Salad.  Add these atop vanilla yogurt and you have a nutritious, more balanced breakfast and/or add granola for a little crunch.

Very Berry Fruit Salad

2004, Patricia Wells/Ina Garten

Ingredients

1 pint strawberries, hulled and cut in half

1 pint blueberries
1 pint raspberries
1 tablespoon good balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
Fresh mint, for garnish
Note: I added 1 pint of blackberries - they were on sale!
Directions
Place 6 glasses in the refrigerator.
In a large bowl, combine the berries, vinegar and sugar. Stir gently. Cover securely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Spoon the berries into the chilled glasses. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.

Note: These berries were so sweet that I used only 1/8 cup of sugar. Raspberry Vinegar may be substituted for Balsamic Vinegar.

TIP TO REMEMBER: People who eat breakfast are generally able to maintain a more ideal body weight. (one of many sources)

Recipe: Watermelon Gazpacho

From my previous post, I took the suggestions on choosing a watermelon to the grocery store yesterday - weight, inspection, field spot - and put them to the test.  When I cut it today, I heard that familiar pop! and I knew I had selected a good one. What do you think?

Here's a closer look at the "field spot" - dark yellow. This is a smaller and seedless variety, as I have to make sure I can carry it up a flight of stairs in 100-degree heat!

Watermelon Gazpacho

Recipe by Tyler Florence

Yield: 4 servings (yeah, right!)

Ingredients

•1 large tomato, pureed

•1/2 Serrano chile

•2 cups cubed fresh watermelon

•1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

•1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

•2 tablespoons minced red onion

•1/2 cucumber, seeded and minced

•2 tablespoons minced fresh dill, plus more for garnish

•Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

•1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions

In a blender, puree the tomato, chile, and 1/2 of the watermelon. Pour in the red wine vinegar and olive oil and pulse. Add the onion, cucumber and dill and season with salt and pepper. Puree until smooth. Pour into chilled bowls and sprinkle with dill, feta, and remaining watermelon. Serve.

I chose to leave my gazpacho chunky and the feta in a small dice. No need to eat puree until I have to:) 

Good balance of flavors, refreshing. It's filling. It's low-calorie. Nice light meal for an early dinner. Recommended.

Wonderful Watermelon

Remember when we spread newspapers across a picnic table and sliced a sweet, juicy watermelon? There was always the debate of which utensil was best to use - spoon, fork, knife?  The newspapers were wet with juice and black seeds fell directly on the table; it was the one time you were actually allowed to spit seeds across the yard.

Watermelon remains one of my favorite fruits and flavors. For health benefits, it is a good source of potassium, beta-carotene, lycopene, and Vitamin C, and it is mildly diuretic. At 92% water and 6% sugar, it is filling, yet low in calories (1 cup = 46 calories).

The question at the picnic table today is: do you know how to select a crisp but not crunchy, sweet, and juicy watermelon short of cutting it and tasting? Neither do I, but here are some suggestions to help us make that choice:

1) Pick it up and feel the weight. Remember it is greater than 90% water.

2) Give it a visual inspection. It should be of good proportions. Look for the "field spot", i.e., where it has been sitting on the ground. Look for a yellow or cream spot. The longer it sits on the ground, the darker the spot and the riper it should be. Watermelon does not ripen much after it is picked.

3) Avoid cuts, dents, or bruises, but not all flaws. Use common sense here but if there is a little evidence that insects have tried to get through the rind then that is nature's signal that it is ripe.

What about thumping? Everyone has an opinion on what to listen for when testing for ripeness. Many of us, however, are just going through the motions. Studying over one hundred melons, students at West Salem High School in Oregon discovered that the more sugar present, the longer a melon’s thump would resonate. Other scientists have found similar results (source: Wired Science).

Even with all this, choosing a ripe watermelon these days can be a crapshoot.

Once it is selected, though, my favorite way of eating watermelon is with a little salt.  However, one rainy afternoon I was flipping through the television channels and ran across what I thought was a fashion model talking about cooking. I later learned this fashionable woman and cook was Nigella Lawson. Her Watermelon, Feta, and Black Olive Salad recipe appears frequently on my table during the summer.

What's your favorite way to eat watermelon? Do you eat with a fork, knife, or spoon?

Watermelon Lovers

If It Is Saturday, It's Pepper Place Market

Many of you may be wondering if I am ever going to prepare a meal again. Yes, but in the summer I am all about cold foods, tomato sandwiches, and salads. Plus, I am back in Birmingham where there are so many wonderful restaurants.

After three Saturdays, I was finally able to land some garlic dill pickles from Seven Winds Kitchen; they were usually sold out, probably to a local restaurant. Check out what they have to offer (including the delicious Cheese Hooies).

The salsa was an impulse buy. My thought was I wasn't going to waste my sandwich tomatoes to make salsa! I chose the hot salsa from Spradin Farm in Vinemont, Alabama. Isn't VINEmont the perfect name?

The "Tomato Snob" sent her husband to man her booth today. I bought tomatoes, of course, and these Asian cucumbers selected for me by Tomato Snob's daughter. TS's husband thought he was responsible for all the work. If he was looking for sympathy, he didn't get much from the three women standing there!:)

After tasting these Asian cucumbers, I think she can also be called Cucumber Snob. Delicious! These are similar to the English cucumbers sold in local grocery stores for $1.99 each. Two things: 1) they taste better, and 2) they were three for $1.00!

To add icing on the cake or salt on the tomato, I met blogger and photographer, Virginia Jones, of Birmingham Daily Photo. She was as nice as her blog is lovely. She teaches classes, but after seeing her camera, I may need to wait before signing up. There are no better photographs of Birmingham and Paris than those found on her blog. Check it out!

Restaurant Review: Chuy's Restaurant

Located at The Summit in Birmingham is a new chain restaurant based in Austin Texas called Chuy's Restaurant. It is colorful and full of funky finds, such as old hubcaps and paintings (photos).

The menu features family recipes from southern Texas, New Mexico and towns along the Mexican border, including such inspired dishes as the Chika-Chicka Boom-Boom chicken and cheese enchilada ($8.99) and the Elvis Presley Memorial Combo with beef, chicken and cheese enchiladas, a taco and wings ($9.79).

Everything on the menu is less than $10, and it's all made fresh daily. Chuy's buys its green chiles from growers in Hatch, New Mexico, and hand-rolls its tortillas on site. (source)

The chips were lighter than I've had at similar restaurants and the salsa was a finer diced pico de gallo, just the way I personally like it. The guacamole was described by our server as a very simple recipe of avocados and pico de gallo; I thought it could have used more salt.

I ordered the Chuy's Special:  An authentic New Mexican recipe. Homemade blue corn tortillas stacked with freshly-roasted, hand-pulled chicken, cheese & Tomatillo sauce, topped with sour cream. (menu) The tortilla was soft, the chicken tender, and the Tomatillo sauce perfect. The dish was well-seasoned but not too spicy. The portions were huge! I am usually not a fan of the rice and beans, but these looked too good to resist. They were the best I've tasted.

I am tough on chains. The atmosphere was noisy but fun. I have only good things to say about the food. I still have one Texas Martini calling my name.

Watch as the Chuy's staff makes fresh tortillas each day:



5 out of 5

Meatless Monday

Meatless Monday is a non-profit initiative of The Monday Campaigns, in association with the Johns Hopkins’ Bloomberg School of Public Health. Our goal is to help reduce meat consumption 15% in order to improve personal health and the health of our planet.

Going meatless once a week may reduce your risk of chronic preventable conditions like cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. It can also help reduce your carbon footprint and save precious resources like fresh water and fossil fuel.

I'd like to take credit for finding and preparing this recipe but, alas, I didn't. A lovely woman with a large black floppy hat and a tiny piece of kale on her bottom lip stopped us as we were walking to the Pepper Place Market on Saturday. She told us about these kale chips, new to the market.

My friend and I headed to the booth with questions. After taste-testing, we both purchased two bags. Can I stop at just one? Well....they're not Lays, but they're not bad. It is like a crunchy piece of paper with a lot of salt has disintegrated in your mouth.

The company was It's R.A.W. or really.about.wellness (not to be mistaken with in the raw, as they were fully clothed). Flavors included southern ranch, nacho cheese, and olive oil and sea salt. Pricing: $2 for a 1-ounce bag. Sounds like a lot, doesn't it? However, dehydrated kale doesn't weigh very much, which made the nutrition information on the back look much better than at first glance. Kale provides good sources of vitamins A and C.

Southern Ranch Kale Chips

Serving size: 1 ounce

Calories: 77

Calories from fat: 38

Sodium: 363 mgs

Dietary fiber: 1 gram

Nacho Cheezee Kale Chips

Serving size: 1 ounce

Calories: 50

Calories from fat: 28

Sodium: 38 mgs

Dietary fiber: 1 gram

*nutrition data from package and attributed to http://www.nutritiondata.com/

This video shows you how to prepare these for yourself.

Happy and Healthy Eating!

Organic Harvest Market and Cafe

When a friend mentioned going to Organic Harvest during our shopping outing today in Hoover, I envisioned a store filled with rows of vitamin bottles, various tonics, candles, and incense. What a found was an extremely nice family-owned market full of beautiful produce and well-stocked shelves of organic items. Specifically, there was a large gluten-free dry foods section and a refrigerated section of gluten-free breads and muffins.

The cafe offered smoothies, soups, salads, sandwiches, baked goods, and vegetable juices, as well as gluten-free and dairy-free creations made daily. The staff was friendly and helpful.

I tend to be too suspicious and critical of markets outside mainstream grocery stores, but I will have to admit I found this to be a lovely and well-stocked alternative market. Plus, they played great music as do most Birmingham stores.

Recipe: Blueberry Salsa

Salsa is a lot like sorbet; I don't think it truly matters what the main ingredient is as long as you have the other ingredients to go with it. For salsa it could be tomato, mango, pineapple or, as seen here, blueberry; it is the combination of all the ingredients that make it the unique complement to any entree.

I served this with pork tenderloin (recipe). Allowed to sit and chill, the blueberries were juicer and more flavorful, and there was that familiar blend of heat, salt, and sweetness. I tried this with both the pork and Tostidos® Scoops. Either way, I recommend it.

Recipe: Blueberry Salsa

By Julie Foster, Norcross, Georgia, Southern Living, July 2005
Yield: ~ 3 cups

Ingredients
• 2 cups chopped fresh blueberries
• 1 cup whole fresh blueberries
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 seeded and minced jalapeño peppers
• 1/3 cup diced red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Preparation
Coarsely chop 2 cups fresh blueberries. Stir together chopped fresh blueberries, 1 cup whole blueberries, 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, 2 seeded and minced jalapeño peppers, 1/3 cup diced red bell pepper, 1/4 cup chopped onion, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt in a large bowl. Cover and chill until ready to serve.