The food page of the festival website proclaims, “Prepared by the Seasoned Chefs of Ware Shoals First Baptist Church” — no way we can resist a line like that! The 36th annual Catfish Feastival in Ware Shoals, SC features fried catfish and catfish stew, as well as fried and barbecued chicken and barbecued ribs. And that’s just what those seasoned Baptist church chefs will be offering. There’ll be other vendors there as well. The Feastival officially begins on Friday, May 27th but you can get a head start on the festivities as the carnival rides will be available Wednesday and Thursday nights. Continue reading
Month: May 2016 (Page 2 of 3)
Must Peter Luger’s Website Be Accessible to the Blind?
We admit our immediate reaction to the story was to look for The Onion‘s byline. But, no, it’s legit: Peter Luger, the iconic Brooklyn, NY steakhouse, is being sued by a blind woman who wanted to place an order (they ship uncooked steaks and more by mail) and could not because the website is not blind accessible. While reading The Daily News’ story, we learned a little about websites and the blind and came away not quite as certain about the just outcome as we were minutes earlier. Continue reading
Each year in Windsor, CT (a little bit north of Hartford) shad (the state fish of Connecticut) swim up the Connecticut and Farmington Rivers to lay their eggs in fresh water (similar to salmon). The people of Windsor observe this biological fact with their own annual event, the springtime Shad Derby Festival. The festival is really a series of sponsored events spread throughout the month of May (this year, from the 1st through the 21st). Some of the events that have already taken place include the Fishing Tournament, the Shad Derby Gala, and the Coronation Ball. Continue reading
Live Blues with a Side of World Class BBQ
We love outdoor blues festivals, for the music, yes, but also because many of them feature some form of barbecue on the menu as well — barbecue and blues go together like baseball and hot dogs. But very, very few can claim to serve some of the best barbecue in the country. That’s what you’ll find at tomorrow’s (May 21st 2016) Bob Sykes BBQ & Blues Festival in Bessemer, Alabama. Gates open at 11 a.m. and the music kicks off at 12:10 p.m. The forecast says 83 and no rain. Best of all, there’ll be plenty of local Bob Sykes pit-cooked pork. Find all the details here.
The 70th annual Strawberry Festival in Adairville, Kentucky began Saturday, and continues through next Saturday (March 21st 2016). Rides, crafts, and performances by local talent begin today, with live music, crafts, vendors, rides, and the opening of the Strawberry Shoppe (homemade strawberry ice cream, strawberry shortcake!) to follow tomorrow. Continue reading
Celebrate the Start of Ice Cream Season in Seattle
Chipotle Peanut Brittle. Double-Hop Caramel. Vegan Horchata. Durian, made with the fruit, not flavoring. Coffee floats and ice cream macarons. Those are just a few of the dozens of flavors and frozen concoctions you’ll have the opportunity to sample and purchase at Seattle’s first annual Ice Cream Festival, to be held this Sunday, May 22nd, from noon until 5 p.m. Continue reading
West Virginia Strawberry Festival, Buckhannon WV, May 14th through May 22nd 2016
Homemade ice cream and strawberry shortcake, plus homemade old-fashioned sugar cookies, at the Chapel Hill United Methodist Church; strawberry pancakes and sausage at the First United Methodist Church; rib eye steak sandwiches and strawberry shortcake presented by the 4-H on the Episcopal Church lawn; homemade strawberry shortcake offered by the ladies of the local American Legion. Yes, it’s time for the West Virginia Strawberry Festival in Buckhannon, which began Saturday and continues through Sunday, May 22nd. Continue reading
Great Fries Are Important, Too
We love top-notch burgers and dogs as much as anyone, and it’s not really going out on a limb to assert that quality French fries, preferably hand-cut from fresh potatoes, are an equally important factor in the burgers/dogs/fries formula. It’s not that uncommon for food savvy folks to praise the potatoes that come out of McDonald’s fryers, and we’ll concede that they aren’t bad (we don’t find them particularly praise-worthy either) but we’re talking about fried potatoes that can compete in the major leagues, several levels of quality above the fast food chain circuit. Continue reading
The name of this festival is really for historical significance and atmospherics as you are not likely to find actual poke salat (or sallet) at this or any of the other poke sallet festivals held in Southern communities. What is poke salat? You may know it as pokeweed. It has been treated as a vegetable in the rural South, much more so in the past than today. Only the young leaves are eaten, and they must be boiled well – some say in several changes of water. The plant is considered poisonous, particularly the root, stems, and berries. Continue reading
Lou Malnati’s Brings Real Deep Dish Pizza to Phoenix Today
When? Today. The time? 4 p.m. What? Lou Malnati brings real deep-dish Chicago pizza to Phoenix, AZ. You’ll find them in Uptown Plaza, near the Shake Shack, at 100 East Camelback Road. These pies are deep, which means they take a while to cook. Malnati’s doesn’t take reservations but you can place your order with the host when you arrive to get a head start on the process. This will be the first Malnati’s location beyond Illinois’ borders, and it is not a franchise operation. Five members of their management team have made the permanent move to Arizona to see this project succeed. Take a look a the video below to see the construction of a sausage deep dish.
Washington Post: A Hefty Ben’s Bashing
The chili at Ben’s Chili Bowl tastes burnt, a “one-note heat and salt lick,” the half-smoke “surrendered any juices it may have, long ago, had,” the bun is “soft, white and tasteless.” The chili half-smoke is proclaimed by Washington Post food writer Tom Sietsema, in a word, “awful.” Lemonade? “Ringer for a mix.” Burger? Would “taste of nothing” without cheese and ketchup. Lemon cake? “Equal parts sugar and artificial flavoring.” Does he like anything? Yes, the slaw, potato salad, and breakfast. Mr. Sietsema acknowledges the history, the significance, the nostalgia. The rest? Ouch!
Yinzers’ Cheesesteak Sammiches Better’n Philly?
USAToday’s 10Best poll to name Pennsylvania’s best cheesesteak took an unexpected turn, leaving Philly folks crying foul. Everyone knows the best cheesesteaks are found in Philadelphia, but 11 of the 20 cheesesteak candidates were from Philly, while only one came from Pittsburgh. With Philly residents splitting the vote eleven ways, Pittsburgh’s Groove Cheesesteak Co. came out on top. Said Brian Hickey of Philly Voice, “Pittsburgh cheats its way to victory .” Word is that second place finisher Dalessandro’s (of Philadelphia, of course) finished just a handful of votes behind Groove. Dal’s is the quintessential Philly steak joint. But how did Mama’s not make the top ten?
Did you know that Gonzales, Louisiana is the Jambalaya Capital of the World? That’s what they decided to start calling themselves in 1967, the idea being that, along with a brand new Jambalaya Festival, the self-proclaimed title would help make a name for the town. And, you know what? It worked! Continue reading
Jonathan Byrd’s of Greenwood IN Has Closed
Man, the bad news doesn’t stop: Jonathan Byrd’s of Greenwood IN closed its doors permanently this past Sunday. Two years ago, the owners sold the building and scaled back the former 400-seat cafeteria to a 50-seat restaurant. Now, the new owners of the building are planning to sell it, and Jonathan Byrd’s is preparing to open a new restaurant in Westfield, in the northern suburbs of Indy, for which they will need to train the employees of the Greenwood place. So they felt now was the time to close the Greenwood restaurant. The Westfield restaurant, which will open next month as part of a 400-acre sports campus, does not sound like it will be a cafeteria but they will, thank goodness, serve Jonathan Byrd’s famous fried chicken.
Call ’em mudbugs, crawdads, crawfish, or crayfish – doesn’t matter a bit, as long as there’s a steaming red mound of the boiled critters in front of you, preferably accompanied by plenty of ice-cold beer and a zydeco band. Is that how you want to spend your Memorial Day weekend? Then point your car towards northern Louisiana (Shreveport, to be precise) for at the 33rd annual Mudbug Madness. Continue reading
Alton Says Al’s Good, Johnnie’s Great
Gotta give Alton Brown credit — for a man born in L.A. and raised in Georgia to come to Chicago, do an Italian beef taste-off, and publicly proclaim a winner (albeit after he left the town, although presumably he would like to return one day) — well, it takes some nerve. His social media tally came up with two finalists: the local mini-chain Al’s, and Johnnie’s of Elmwood Park. Alton sat blindfolded before the two sandwiches and went back and forth with hearty bites from each. Continue reading
Omaha’s Bohemian Cafe Closing
We really hate to hear of a longtime restaurant classic closing its doors but we’ve long since learned that the only constant in life, especially restaurant life, is change. Which makes the 92-year run of Bohemian Cafe in Omaha, NE all the more extraordinary. That run will come to an end on September 24th, as an aging chef and staff, slowing business, and competition have combined to bring owner Terry Kapoun to his reluctant decision. Mr. Kapoun leaves open the possibility of a sale between now and September but it doesn’t sound promising. We’ll miss the kindly wait staff in old-world outfits as much as the liver dumpling soup and Czech-style sauerbraten.
Aunt Lucy of Kingston ON Shuttered After 69 Years
The long-time bastion of “normal food” in Kingston, Ontario, Aunt Lucy’s Dinner House, closed yesterday after 69 years of serving “time-tested recipes for that familiar taste of home.” In 1947, when the restaurant opened its doors for the first time, there really was an Aunt Lucy: Lucy Harper was the head cook and baker. The most recent owner, Bob Clark, purchased the restaurant in 2002. Mr. Clark passed away earlier this year. His nephew announced that the closing clears “the way for development of a new vision and future business opportunities,” in accordance with his uncle’s wishes. We are sorry to see Aunt Lucy go. See the LAF review of Aunt Lucy’s Dinner House.
?It’s the Most♪Wonderful Time♫Of the Year!
No, not THAT time of the year — we’re talking about opening day at Abbott’s Lobster in the Rough, in Noank CT. Hot steamers, clear chowder, hot lobster rolls and, best of all, steamed lobsters dunked in melted butter, enjoyed in the bright sunshine at a picnic table by the water, with a six-pack of cold microbrew from Universal Package Store up the street — it all began this past Friday. For those of us who do not live near the lobster shacks along the coast of Maine, Abbott’s is the best way we know of to usher in the spring and summer days. Here’s a look at this year’s opening day:
The Great WNY Foot-Long
Hot dogs generally run about six inches in length (though plenty of good ones — such as those in and around Troy, NY and Rhode Island — come in abbreviated two-bite sizes). But there’s something special about foot-longs. Yes, they’re basically two hot dogs long but, somehow, they’re much more than twice the fun (unless you are one of those party-poopers who recoil at the sight of culinary overstatement). Perhaps nowhere in America does the foot-long reign more supreme than in WNY (which is how residents of Western New York, in and around Buffalo, identify their home region). Continue reading
