I love local food. I always have; it’s how I grew up in the South.
I remember the hot Alabama sun streaming down my back as I ran through my Aunt Nelle and Uncle Honey’s Jackson, Alabama back yard, sweat dripping down my little knees as I scavenged for blueberries (which my favorite babysitter at the time, Karen, would carefully save for me and send me home with freezer bags full).
I kindly repayed the favor by being the *star* flower girl in her wedding (and by that I mean I braved layers of white polyester and got to sport a flower crown in her sister Kim’s wedding).
My husband Jake and I recently had the chance to attend a Spring dinner at one of our favorite Germantown spots, Butchertown Hall. His great friend Dan King reigns supreme over the beer selection at the restaurant and regularly blows us away with his beer knowledge (and ability with a wok).
Dan King, beer program curator for Butchertown Hall and several other restaurants
Jake took photos; I had the luxury of simply eating and enjoying the company of those around us. I’m constantly amazed at the kindness and warm hospitality of food lovers in Nashville. One precious dinner guest even invited us over to tour her garden and learn what made their kale grow so brilliantly. Love. That.
Each of the dinner courses was paired with a complimentary beer. Here’s where the magic happened: To be frank, I’m not much of a drinker. It takes me about an hour to down a glass of wine, and I don’t have enough experience to qualify what’s great and what’s not. I am moved more by the way the alcohol pairs with food, the way it affects flavor and heightens or softens the aftertaste of grilled meat or cheese.
But beer. Y’all, beer. Beer does wonders for food. Mainly because my limited beer knowledge stems from red Solo cup parties and outdoor barbecues, I didn’t know the depth to which it affected the sweetness of peaches a plancha and goat’s milk yogurt. But my favorite beer on the menu- Hecht Schlenkerla Oak Smoked Doppelbock- tasted like smoky bacon.
I may need to repeat myself. IT TASTED LIKE SMOKY BACON.
Oak Smoked Doppelbock is what happens when earthy barbecue, sweetness, bold richness, bitter notes and aged oak wood smoke form a happy dance train around your brain.
And that’s really what I remember most about the night. Smoked pork beer, food-loving comrades; genteel Southern conversation; gardening tips; and clinking glasses with people who like beer as much, as I am now discovering, as I do.
GUYS. This could be the most exciting Wednesday I’ve ever had.
Today, this morning, I am so excited to put our first Luv Cooks full-length video into the internet stratosphere!
Shout outs for this project are absolutely due to my incredible husband. He not only wrote the musical score for this whole series, he edited these videos late into the night, and arranged the clips just perfectly (he shows me love and grace in countless ways). Also shout out to friends of ours for lending invaluable opinions to the reviewing process! We couldn’t be prouder. I hope this first video will be a launching point for many, many more to come!
So, take this Wednesday, and be reminded of the fact that dreams DO come true. That things happen in our lives that are beyond our imagination or understanding. And for that, we take marshmallows, roll them sweet potatoes, pecans, and cornflakes, and bake their happy selves until they are lightly toasted. Let’s raise a gooey treat to the fact that life is good- and dreams are worth pursuing.
Luv y’all!
Sweet Potato Puffs
Sweet Potato Puffs by Faye House from The Nashville Cookbook
These easy sweet potato treats will be the hit of your next get-together! They take only a few minutes to throw together after you boil the sweet potatoes, and you get to use an immersion blender.
What You Will Need
4 large sweet potatoes (I like Plano Farms in Nashville; about 2.6 lbs)
4 tablespoons melted butter
4 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons heavy cream (I like JD Country Milk– their chocolate milk is LEGIT)
1 cup chopped pecans
5 cups cornflakes
Jumbo marshmallows (the big daddy kind- absolute biggest you can buy)
What You Will Do
Boil the sweet potatoes until they are tender. Preheat oven to 375 and spray a 9X13 baking pan with cooking spray.
Drain potatoes, then pour into a large bowl. Add the butter, sugar, heavy cream. Whip with an immersion blender until smooth. Wear large apron to guard against sweet potato splatters. Consider wearing a hair net because if, like me, you have long hair, it might end up on your ends.
Stir in pecans to the potatoes.
Pour cornflakes into a large bowl, then crush with your hands (#fun).
Dip jumbo marshmallows into the potato mixture, covering evenly. Now, roll the marshmallows in the cornflakes, then place into 9X13 baking pan.
Once the pan is full, bake for 15 minutes, or until the tops are toasty brown and the marshmallows have melted a bit. Enjoy immediately! (This is a now tater, not a later-tater!)
Hi all my amazing Luv Cooks readers! Have I told you lately HOW MUCH it means to me that you read these posts? You are cooking rock stars and to that I say, rock on friends, rock on.
Also, EXCITING news to share with you! As many of you know, I have been wanting to incorporate Luv Cooks video content for eons now. Pretty much what feels like a half century of my lifetime, which means I probably felt this way in about the time period Brooklyn was being filmed. Ok, back to the task at hand….
The official FIRST EPISODE of our Luv Cooks series is about to be arrive. That’s right- Southern recipes, straight from The Nashville Cookbook, live and on Luv Cooks You Tube!. Which means any time you are craving a dose of Luv Cooks kitchen shenanigans, you can tune in. Night or day. You get the picture.
So, here is our teaser video, getting you primed for this month’s recipe- which, if you like sweet potatoes, pecans, butter, and marshmallows, you are going to be over-the-moon about.
So check out the video, and I’d love to hear what else you’d like to see me cook! Luv y’all!
The Honeysuckle’s Gulf Grouper with Brown Butter Caper Emulsion
The Honeysuckle is sweet.
Here at Luv Cooks, you know that we are all about loving people well with food. And I hope that as we continue on our blog journey we will learn how to do that better, with more intention, and with better results. I also want to introduce you to places in Nashville- and across the world- that do this well. That treat you like family and are totally Luv Cooks style. The Honeysuckle is one of those places.
I had the privilege of joining several other amazing food bloggers here in Nashville Monday night for one of the best welcome dinners to the city I’ve had. As part of a complimentary press dinner (y’all, I felt so special) our group of bloggers was treated to a several course dinner introducing us to all the restaurant had to offer.
And now, allow me interrupt this review to say something. Y’all- they served us Southern vegetables. That were delicious, and charred, and popped alongside flavorful sauces. The brussels and carrots and okra and cauliflower were the highlight of my meal. I love, love when you are dining out and alongside more traditional fare they offer local, fresh options. Winning!
Gorgeous roasted cauliflower
As we ate, I learned that The Honeysuckle only uses direct source, “day-boat fish.” They dry age their steaks and cook their heirloom vegetables sous-vide style to keep things the most nutritious. Plus, their Executive Chef Josh Weekly is present at the restaurant (unlike some other places). Because they care about their customers and their experience, they make sure he is there. I think that shows some major Luv.
And the night really felt so warm; we were seated beside a crackling fireplace, snow fell softly outside, and tucked away in a corner we were served an array of Southern, heart-felt food. Oysters that were bright, almost floral; followed up by a beautiful charcuterie platter that was prepared in house (the tasso ham and fig preserves were my favorite). Then, then, the goat cheese shuffle was presented, drizzled with chive oil and served with wild mushrooms and charred tomato jam. The texture on these grits was superb, and the goat cheese kept the dish light, but satisfying.
Goat Cheese Grit Souffle
Soon after arrived their gorgeous charred vegetables- roasted heirloom carrot, charred okra, caramelized brussels-arrived. Oh, and the roasted cauliflower with chive oil and spicy red pepper aioli. The color on that dish was fantastic (see above).
The entrees were not to be missed; my seared salmon with sour mash succotash and bacon-sorghum glaze was flakey and slightly crispy on the outside from the caramelized sorghum. The succotash was spot-on and hit that warm/Southern comfort craving. The pan-fired gulf grouper, with braised leeks, wild mushrooms and spinach, and brown butter caper emulsion, was delicious as well. Really, you had me at brown butter.
Seared Salmon with Bacon-Sourghum Glaze
Plus, they do this really cool technique at The Honeysuckle where they can serve your choice of ahi tuna, filet mignon, or sliced scallops on a Himalayan salt stone heated to 700 degrees. This technique was lovely and now I want to own one and serve meats cooked on it to you at my house. #dreams
In addition the the seafood, they also offer chicken-fried chicken, shrimp and grits, and a wild mushroom meatloaf that I hear is not to be missed.
The meal was beautiful; our waiter was lovely, and he explained everything in detail to us. I felt at home, which I believe is the feeling the restaurant hoped to evoke from the beginning.
Spiced Apple Bundt Cake with Salted Caramel Sauce
And to bring a “sweet finish” to our meal, we were brought an array of desserts. The spiced apple bundt cake (above) was drizzled with a salted caramel sauce, but my favorite item, oh y’all, was the honey orange biscuit (you can see it on the platter below). The chocolate ganache was good, especially swirled in the lava salt sprinkled near it. But y’all. I had to ask our waiter Michael to send me home with an extra box of them. And because it was The Honeysuckle, and they are incredibly generous, they did.
Please order these sweet biscuits (above). They are so good.
So, the next time you are in Franklin (outside of Nashville), and you are looking for a wonderfully warm, fresh, generous, delicious dining experience- check out The Honeysuckle. I think your night will be sweeter because of it.
In my book, chocolate is one of the best ways to luv somebody.
I mean, as my friend Angela Roberts of Spinach Tiger blog recently said, “Chocolate is my favorite food group.” Agreed, whole heartedly, my friend.
And readers, have I told you lately? I LOVE YOU! So, here is my virtual love gift: chocolate cake.
This week’s recipe from The Nashville Cookbook is one of my favorite chocolate cakes I’ve made. If the title of the recipe wasn’t enough- I mean, who can resist “Wacky Cake?”- it involves ONE BOWL. One mixing bowl! Can you imagine? The chocolate cakes I’ve tried in the past involved layered steps of beating in liquids, egg shells, mayonnaise, chocolate batter all over my hands, flour in the crevices of my counter tops, and needless to mention, icing in my hair.
All this recipe requires is a quick sift of the dry ingredients; adding them to the wet ones in a mixer bowl; and a good beating for two minutes. Bake in oven. Viola! This recipe is simple, straightforward, reliable, and good.
***We interrupt this post for a historical fact. Gettin’ you educated!****
The reason why this cake is called “Wacky Cake” is because the traditional version allows you to sift, mix, and bake ingredients in the same pan. I like the mixer method this one uses because I am always concerned with cakes sticking to my pan, thus my love of greasing with shortening. This cake is also called “Three Hole” cake because you can potentially put the dry ingredients in your pan, make three holes, then fill those holes with your liquid mixture. Kids would LOVE this recipe too because it’s so easy and they get to dig in cake mix and make holes. You’re welcome.
Oh, and the recipe has ties to the Depression era because of it’s lack of butter and eggs (due to rationing). Our ancestors were so smart.
****Historical Fact Time Ended. You know, just loving you with some conversation starters this week.***
Also, in the spirit of all things fun and Luv Cooks, this cake is presented to you in honor of Valentine’s Day (it’s topped with cute pink chocolate balls for goodness sake). I know it will make anyone in your life who loves chocolate, eats cake, and loves you happy. And for those of you who are vanilla or strawberry people on Valentine’s Day, I apologize. This blog will probably not ever go in that direction. But we luv you anyway!!
Ok y’all- so saddle up those kids, your significant other, your dog- whoever you love on Valentine’s Day, have a BLAST, and make a wacky cake. Silly string not included.
Wacky Cake with Cocoa Fudge Frosting
This cake could not be easier. All you need is a mixing bowl, a few minutes of prep work, and you will be baking a light, chocolatey cake in no time.
What You Will Need:
For the cake:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup water
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla
For the Frosting:
1/2 pound powdered sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1/4 cup softened butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons water (plus more if needed)
1/4 cup (plus 1 tablespoon if needed) corn syrup
What You Will Do:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9-inch square baking pan.
Sift the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt together in a mixer bowl. Add your wet ingredients (oil, water, vinegar, and vanilla) and mix on medium speed for two minutes.
Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. The cake should also spring back when you touch it.
Allow to cool in the pan before you ice this beauty!
Now, make the icing:
Combine the sugar, cocoa, butter and vanilla in a mixing bowl until no lumps remain and things are looking smooth.
Pour the water and corn syrup in a small saucepan, and heat the mixture to simmering but don’t boil it (you want gentle bubbles to start forming, then take it immediately off the heat). Pour your warmed syrup mixture into the mixing bowl.
Beat the icing at a low speed until smooth and glossy. My icing wasn’t smooth and glossy at this point, it got a bit too thick. So I added one more tablespoon warm water and 1 more tablespoon corn syrup. If your icing is still thick, continue adding warm water and corn syrup until it loosens.
Now, frost the cake! You want to do this while the icing is warm, or it becomes hard to smooth.
There are a host of reasons I feel this way. It’s a fresh start to the year, my schedule seems to become slow enough to give time for some goal setting- but most of all, it’s this:
Jake strums on his guitar next to me. My desk is leans against a large window; I turn my head to the right and look out at the city where I’ve always dreamed of living. Cars rush past outside and their rhythm beats sweetly alongside the guitar riffs. This is the start of Nashville for me.
And the beginning of 2016 has been a sweet one. The start of life in a new space; living in a tiny one (#loftlivin’); and new friendships forming that I feel will be lifelong. Up until this moment, I have yet to experience feeling so at peace, so in that “right where I am supposed to be” position. Life is good.
And it’s funny how I feel already that I owe something to Nashville. The smiling faces, the creativity, and the overwhelming support to people pursuing their dreams; there’s something here that I want to jump into, be a part of, bless people with. And, fortunately for me, my sister gave me just the way to do it.
Cue video intro here!
The Nashville Cookbook: Recipes of the Cumberland Region is where this year begins. This book is a treasure trove of history, Southern tradition, recipes yet to be explored, all from a city I long to know more about. Written by the Nashville Area Home Economics Association in 1976, one of my favorite quotes in the book’s forward is “Food is essential for the nourishment of the body, and books are essential for the nourishment of the mind and the imagination. A good cookbook can meet both these essentials, and that is what the Nashville home economists have provided here.” It is a collection of the history of places- there are beautiful prints and historical pieces on the Maxwell House Hotel, the Parthenon, Fort Nashborough and places in the Cumberland Region. It is my introduction to Nashville as a city, as a food culture, from the point of it’s history and its fascinating, “zany”, carefully crafted recipes. As the opening pages state, “We wish the book to be a joy to read, to use, to savor, and to treasure!”
So this is where Luv Cooks lands. I will cook from these recipes, aiming to make them as authentically as I can. I will include local product, produce, meat, cheese- when I can and where I can- and hope that through this process I have the pleasure of meeting the people who are bringing these fantastic foods to our table.
I will also most likely offer my variations on the tried-and-true. This week’s recipe- such a warm, comforting start to a below freezing week in Nashville- already involves some tweaks, based off of cooking methods I have learned in styling. But I hope that each of these changes will bring something new, and helpful, to your table.
So, saddle up this year for a fantastic, fun, wild ride through a cookbook, written in 1976, full of Southern flair, ingredients, spice, and the joy of life that is wonderfully unique to Tennessee. Let’s eat!
This week’s purveyors:
Meat: Delicious, lean stew meat by KLD Farm (Their beef is 100% chemical free; grass fed and grain finished; contains no antibiotics or growth hormones; and is dry-aged for 14-18 days . In other words, deliciousness.)
Weekly tip: Quality Stew Meat + Relax with Some Soup
Gourmet Stew from The Nashville Cookbook
This beef stew is perfect for a cold winter night, and so simple to make. The hardest part is probably waiting for the meat to tenderize, which for me took a about 2 1/2 hours. The recipe in total takes about 3 1/2 hours, but I made mine on a lazy Sunday afternoon, and it was perfect.
What You Will Need:
2 lbs lean boneless stewing meat, cubed, and patted dry
10 ounces fresh green beans (the original recipe calls for 10 oz frozen, but I like fresh)
4 medium size tomatoes, diced (1 lb.) (recipe calls for 1 16 oz can as an option, but I went with fresh)
What You Will Do:
1. Heat a large dutch oven with 3 tablespoons butter on medium to medium-high heat (higher heat works better for browning).
2. Toss meat pieces with 1 tablespoon flour, and top with a few grinds per side of salt and pepper, to evenly coat all four sides of the beef.
3. Once the butter is bubbling, toss in the stew meat and brown on all sides.
4. Once the meat is sufficiently browned and crisp, add 3 1/2 cups water and 2 bay leaves.
5. Simmer on low to medium-low heat for 2-3 hours, or until your meat is tender. (I went for about 2 hours and 15 minutes before I started adding the veggies and spices).
6. Add 1 more cup hot water and the rest of your ingredients (hot sauce, salt, cloves, allspice, basil, potatoes, carrots, onions, green beans, and tomatoes).
7. Bring the stew to a new boil (I turned my heat up to medium-high) then reduce to a simmer on low to medium-low.
7. Continue to simmer the soup until all the vegetables are tender, about another 50-60 minutes.
8. Now, put on your stretchy pants, warm socks, and cozy up with a bowl of stew to an episode of Nashville. Enjoy.
