Dining Out Asheville, NC, The Stable Cafe at the Biltmore Estate

We recently visited the Biltmore Estate. Unfortunately, on the day we visited there was a daylong deluge of rain.  We toured the Estate, which was absolutely stunning and overwhelming! The details of the architecture and design for the time period in which it was built is truly amazing.

We chose to have lunch on the grounds at the adjacent Stable Cafe. Yes, this restaurant is set in what was originally the Estate's horse stable.  The dining area is bright and airy and the converted stalls hold cozy booths.  Here are some of the pictures I took from our booth in the dining room.

The menu features house-smoked meats, Carolina BBQ, grilled burgers, salads, and a variety of sandwiches.

We started with a Blackberry Lemonade $4.25.  They struck the perfect balance of tart and sweet with this lemonade.  The best part? When only half finished with the glass a new glass was delivered to the table without having to be requested. We'll talk more about the service in a bit.

We reviewed the tantalizing choices on the menu.  Did we want a sandwich? A burger? A BISON burger? How about one of those fresh salads?  Then, at almost the same time, we both spied The Stable Cafe Sampler.  Smoked baby back ribs, smoked pulled pork, roasted chicken, bacon bourbon baked beans, corn on the cob, potato salad, coleslaw, brown sugar BBQ sauce, served with Stable's sweet pickles.  Plate for one $19.95 -- Feast for two $34.95.  We chose the Feast for Two and eagerly awaited the delivery to the table!

Here's the entire Feast which as you can tell was a great deal of food for two people.  However, we had no problem cleaning the platter! The ribs were fall off the bone tender with a nice smokey flavor. The pulled pork, sadly and surprisingly, was the weak link on the platter. It had a very dry texture as if it had been shredded a while before our meal. Even the addition of the sauce didn't save the pulled pork.

The corn on the cob was a tad mushy for my taste. The beans lacked a lot of bacon OR bourbon flavor but were good nonetheless.  The pickles were divine!

We both gave thumbs up to the potato salad and the cole slaw.  The potato salad had large chunks of red potatoes and was nicely seasoned. The cole slaw had the perfect amount of dressing. 

Now to the star of the Feast!  The roasted chicken. Any time you smoke or roast chicken, you run the risk of it being dry and tasteless. This half a chicken was perfectly cooked, tender, and moist. Amazing! As much as I love pork BBQ, I would have swapped the ribs and pulled pork in a second for more of this chicken.  Kudos to the person in charge of the chicken roasting! You are a MASTER!

We had no room for dessert which could have been our choice of Carrot Cake Cheesecake, Hazelnut Raspberry Torte, Double Fudge Chocolate Cake, Warm Bacon-Maple Bread Pudding, or key lime, peanut butter pie, or Dutch apple pie served with homemade vanilla bean ice cream.

The day we visited the Estate was very crowded with dripping wet guests. The servers and food runners were not overwhelmed, even with many diners. The food was promptly delivered to the table, our drinks were quickly refilled.

All in all, I'd give The Stable Cafe an 8/10.

Dining out: Asheville, NC, Cúrate

We recently traveled to Asheville, NC, to visit the Biltmore Estate. I had been encouraged by a friend not to miss the opportunity to dine at Cúrate in downtown Asheville.  Please click on the link to learn more about this fantastic restaurant and Chef Katie Button.  Cúrate is a Spanish Tapas Bar which features "small plates."  You won't find chicken fingers, ranch dressing, or a salad bar here. What you will discover is the adventure of trying small portions of many types of food that may be foreign to you. 

The building was originally a bus depot in the 1920s.  There is an open kitchen which dominates one side of the restaurant where patrons at the bar watch the frenetic line cooks preparing one delicious dish after another.

On the opposite side of the restaurant are a 40-foot marble bar and the area where the Spanish cured hams are sliced where diners can watch.  More on those hams later.

From Cúrate's menu:  Cúrate is a proud ambassador of Cinco Jotas Iberico products in the U.S.  Obtained from acorn-fed, 100% Iberico-breed pigs, we're excited to introduce you to the unforgettable flavor.

Our server, Hernandez, was perfection. We told him we were excited to try anything and everything but weren't sure where to begin. He suggested we let him take us on a "Taste of Spain" and he would prepare a sampling menu for us to enjoy.  We happily agreed, and he asked several questions regarding our likes, dislikes, allergies, and just how hungry we were! 

We knew we wanted to start our meal with sangria, so he suggested the following:

Sangria Rojo:  A fresh and fruity blend of Garnacha and Tempranillo, macerated for several weeks with citrus, stone, and red fruits with spices.  $6.00  This was my choice, and it was slightly sweet, but tart and paired well with all the menu items we were offered.

Sangria Cava:  Perelada cava, salignac cognac, Tanqueray gin, triple sec, and fruit.  $8.00  Sweet Harold's gin of choice is Tanqueray, so he gave this cocktail two thumbs up.

Now we get to enjoy the first of our small plates for the appetizer portion.

The Iberico hams are offered singly, with a selection of all three, or a charcuterie board with cheese.

We chose the selection with all three cured hams.

Here are the descriptions of the hams left to right:

Jamon Iberico de Bellota.  From Cinco Jotas, hand-cut 100% pure Iberico pigs, from the Jambugo region, acorn fattened and free range, giving it a unique and exceptionally nutty flavor. 

Paleta Iberica de Bellota.  From Cinco Jotas, the shoulder cut from the same famous 100% pure Iberico piggs from Jabugo.

Jamon Serrano Fermin from the white pigs from Salamanca

These were all incredibly flavorful, and it would be difficult to select my favorite. If pressed, I would choose the one on the far right, Sweet Harold's choice was the far left, and we both enjoyed the middle selection. Tiny crispy breadsticks were served alongside. The meat was sliced paper thin, and we had fun comparing the different flavors and textures. You could definitely tell the difference in each. $28.00

I've never met a blue cheese I didn't like.  Until this one.  And I didn't like this one at all.  I LOVED it.  Cabrales blue cheese is made with cow's milk, and this version literally melted in your mouth. It was so smooth and creamy and eaten along with the Iberico ham selection, it was a marriage made in tapas heaven. $4.00

Next, we had tomato bread. This isn't just a piece of bread with diced tomatoes on top.  From their cookbook: "In Catalonia, every Spanish meal starts with pan con tomate:  toast with olive oil, garlic, and of course tomato. It can be eaten alone with a glass of wine or served as part of an appetizer board that includes charcuterie, anchovies, and cheese. 

Our version was a toasted baguette, topped with ripe tomatoes, garlic, a good extra virgin olive oil, and fleur de sel. The Manchego cheese slices are a must to eat along with this bread. (Tomato Bread $7.00 / Manchego $3.00)

And now we're going to enjoy the main course(s).  Pincho Moruno is marinated lamb skewers.  With this dish, the flavors of the Moors are the star:  cilantro, parsley, garlic lemon, garam masala, thyme, sweet paprika, and arbol chiles.  The lamb was cooked perfectly. The sauce was flavorful and full of warm heat. $14.00

Now let's talk about those homemade cucumber-onion pickles! The sour crunch of the pickles cuts through the richness of the lamb and the marinade.  I could have eaten a plate of these!

Served with the lamb skewers was the Pimentos de Piquillo $9.00.  Again, a perfect pairing of sweetness to offset the richness of the lamb.  These delicious sweet red peppers are wood fire roasted and then peeled.  Did I mention they are stuffed with goat cheese?  

If this meal wasn't fantastic enough, we're going to have another version of the Iberico ham.  Yes, we inhaled the appetizer version, but here it makes a presentation as the main course. Grilled to perfection with fresh rosemary and thyme.  $22.00  This was one of my favorite dishes of the night.

Served alongside the grilled Iberico was Setas al Jerez which is a variety of sauteed mushrooms with a splash of sherry $10.  The different types of mushrooms, each with a different texture, made this side dish perfection.

Finally, we have reached the desserts!

Sweet Harold chose the Tarte de Queso $9.00.  This is a burnt basque cheesecake with a roasted strawberry tempranillo compote, and sheep's cheese whipped cream.  Let's go through this step by step.  The cheesecake itself would have been one of the best I've ever eaten. If you're not familiar with Tempranillo, it's a black grape variety widely grown to make a full-bodied red wine it is native Spain.  Add that to the roasted strawberry compote....oh my.  And if you've never had a sheep's cheese whipped cream, well, it's not that sweet which is just what the richness of this cheese is waiting for.  Everything came together in one delicious bite.

I chose the Brazo de Gitano $8.00.  The picture is deceiving as this beautiful dessert was served in a bowl, not a plate. This is an almond and goat cheese roulade with torched meringue, with a browned butter thyme crumble, lemon curd and blueberry sorbet.

The almond and goat cheese roulade would have been a fantastic dessert on its own. The beads of lemon curd offset the sweetness of the roulade. The butter thyme crumble added a wonderful texture to the dish. The blueberry sorbet should be packaged and sold nationwide! The meringue was spooned around the edge of the bowl and then torched. Oh, my goodness.  So many layers of flavors and textures. This was the perfect ending of a fantastic meal.

There are so many other menu options that I wish we could have tried.  But you can only eat so much at one sitting!  Sauteed shrimp with sliced garlic, patatas bravas Galician style octopus, house-made sausage, roasted clams, paella.....the extensive list is mouthwatering.

Our dining experience lasted a little over two hours.  We never felt rushed. Hernandez was spot on perfection with is service.  Just as we would finish one dish and sit back in contentment, the next course was presented.

As you can see from the pictures, extreme care is given to the attention to detail of each dish. Beautiful presentation from one course to the next.  

We had such a memorable meal and can't wait to return to Asheville to try more of their excellent tapas.

Dining Out on the Outer Banks: Buxton Munch Company, Buxton, NC

We arrived in Buxton, NC around noon, went for a visit at the Cape Hatteras lighthouse and decided to grab some lunch. We spied the Buxton Munch Company in a small strip mall and decided to give them a try.

Read this paragraph carefully.  Lolly didn't follow directions and was called out on it immediately. We walked through the first door to see a stop sign poster with the words "Do not seat yourself or go to the bar. Wait to be seated."  There was another door, so I assumed I was to open it and tell the hostess that we needed a table for two.  However, I didn't read the OTHER sign which instructed patrons to remain in the first waiting area until time to be seated. When I opened the second door, I was asked was I there to place a go order.  I answered no that we needed a table for two. The hostess/owner/manager (?) replied that since we didn't follow the instructions and came on in and didn't wait, she assumed we were there to place a to-go order.  OOPS!  We turned and went back through the glass door and waited until she cleaned a table and came back for us.  So, if you go, WAIT at the second door.  Do NOT go in until they come and get you.  Don't make my mistake.  😊 The same lady informed us that they had been VERY busy, had crowds waiting down the sidewalk earlier, and everyone was still trying to clear their heads from the rush.  I told her that was a great problem to have! 

The decor is eclectic, funky, hippish, colorful, and fun.

After we were seated, service was prompt and professional. Our server offered suggestions as it was Taco Tuesday and we were tempted to try some of the taco offerings which are served as "assemble your own."

I am continuing to pledge to try as many crab dishes as possible on this Outer Banks adventure.  The menu stated that the Crabby Pattie sandwich has been a favorite for years. It's served on a Kaiser roll with lettuce, tomato, with tartar and cocktail sauce served on the side. 

The crab cake WAS large and nicely seasoned and grilled perfectly. As you can see from the picture there are large pieces of crab meat. For me, the Kaiser roll was too much bread for the sandwich. The bread took away from the goodness of the crab cake. So, halfway through I ditched the bun and just enjoy the taste of the crab. The sandwich was served with tortilla chips.

Sweet Harold spied flounder on the menu and his decision was made! Here's his fried flounder basket served with fries and tortilla chips. The fish was very freshly fried and served deliciously hot! For Sweet Harold's taste, the breading was a little too thick and crunchy. Of course, breading is a matter of individual preference. But he felt the breading overpowered the sweetness of the fish.

Our two lunches, a tea, and a soft drink came to right at $30.00.  It's a neat place to hang out and enjoy a nice lunch.  Just remember to follow the rules!  😊

Fiesta Deviled Eggs with Jalapenos

Our second appetizer option for the Cinco de Mayo meal! These are not your typical run of the mill deviled eggs.  These little bites of goodness have a splash of pickled jalapeno liquid mixed into the filling and are then topped with chili powder instead of paprika! I added a little diced fresh jalapeno to half of the plate for those who wanted a little more heat.

PLUS, these eggs were cooked in the Instant Pot. The Instant Pot is the BEST method I have ever used to cook hard boiled eggs. They are actually cooked on the "steam" setting and come out perfect every single time and peeling them is a breeze.  The entire shell simply slips off the egg.  These were done in a flash!

This recipe will make one dozen deviled eggs.

8 eggs

1 cup water

1/4 - 1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 T. yellow mustard

1 T. dill relish

1/2 pickled jalapeno liquid

chili powder and diced fresh jalapenos for garnishing

You can prepare the eggs on the stove top OR follow this recipe for the Instant Pot method.

Place trivet into bottom of the Instant Pot. Add one cup water. Place eggs onto the trivet.  Place cover onto Instant Pot and lock into place.  Set the pressure release to sealing.

Set cooker on steam setting and set for 8 minutes.  When the 8 minutes are up, do a quick release of steam and, using tongs, place cooked eggs into a bowl of ice water.  Let cool for a minute or two and remove shells.

Slice eggs in half lengthwise.  Place 12 whites onto egg plate.  Place the yolks and the two extra eggs into a medium bowl.  Mash with a fork or a pastry cutter into whites and yolks are blended together. 

Stir in mayonnaise, mustard, relish, jalapeno liquid and mix until thoroughly combined.

Using a small spoon, fill the egg whites on the plate.  Top with chili powder and diced jalapenos.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Queso Fundido with Chorizo and Jalapeno

I couldn't decide between two appetizers for our Cinco de Mayo Meal. This ooey gooey cheesy cast iron pan filled with delicious goodness was a hit! It's so very simple to prepare and you can make as much or as little as you need for your number of guests.

8 oz. Mexican Chorizo 

A blend of the following shredded cheeses:  Mozzarella, Monterrey Jack and Oaxaca

diced jalapenos

chopped cilantro for garnishing

In a medium skillet, brown chorizo until cooked through. Remove chorizo from skillet and drain on a paper towel lined plate.  Set aside.  It will take about 5 - 6 minutes to cook the chorizo.

Finely shred your choice of cheeses and place on a cast iron fajita pan as shown above or in an ovenproof safe dish. You can make individual servings or a community bowl!

Place under a broiler for 3 - 4 minutes until cheese has melted and begins to brown. Remove from oven and divide the browned chorizo on the individual servings or spoon on top of the browned cheese in the casserole dish.

Garnish with diced jalapenos and cilantro if desired.  Serve with flour tortillas or corn tortilla chips

Around Lolly's Table: Cinco de Mayo 2019

For this year's celebration, I decided to have a taco bar with grilled steak, chicken, and shrimp along with slow cooker chipotle pulled pork.

For the dining table, bright and festive Fiestaware placemats and napkins were a perfect choice. One of my favorite dinnerware place settings is Pfaltzgraff Sedona.  Aren't those plates and salad plates great for a Cinco de Mayo dinner?

These galvanized taco holders were purchased through a fundraiser at the grandchildren's school.  Aren't they great? Such a smart idea to hold those tacos instead of them lying flat on your plate and all the delicious toppings spilled out of the shell.

This is one of my favorite little thrift store finds.  It's ancient, and it was in the place of honor on the table!

I'm going to throw in a picture of "Around Lolly's Table" food table for good measure!  There will be more blog posts with the recipes of some of these goodies in the next few days.

Shrimp and Basil Stir Fry

For this recipe, you could choose to serve as an appetizer course as I did above, or use smaller shrimp and serve over rice or pasta and divide the shrimp to make main dish servings.

These were extra large, head-on shrimp that we had brought by from a trip to the Gulf and had stored in the freezer for afternoons such as this!

There were only 9 shrimp to a pound, so this was an ample amount to have for an appetizer course for the two of us.  Fresh basil from my potted plants on the deck.  The fresh basil adds an amazing flavor and aroma to the shrimp!

3 Fresno or jalapeno peppers, coarsely chopped

6 garlic cloves, smashed

1/4 cup sugar

2 T. fish sauce

1 t. kosher salt

4 T. vegetable oil, divided

1 lb. large shrimp peeled and deveined

2 cups basil leaves

lime wedges

cooked rice or pasta (if desired for the main course)

Blend peppers, garlic, sugar, fish sauce, salt, and 3 T. oil in a blender until smooth.  Transfer marinade to a medium bowl; add shrimp and toss to coat.  Let sit 10 minutes.

Heat remaining 1 T. oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat.  Working in batches if needed to avoid crowding the pan, transfer shrimp to skillet leaving marinade behind, and cook until deeply browned around the edges and flesh is opaque, about1 minutes per side.

Remove pan from heat and add basil; toss vigorsouly until basil is wilted.

Transfer shrimp mixture to plates.  Serve with lime wedges alongside.

From Bon Appetit May 2019

Around Lolly's Table: Easter 2019

I hope all of you have had a wonderful Easter. This year I chose a pastel color scheme for our table setting. I started with a textured khaki table cloth and covered it with a vintage lace table cloth.

Woven rattan chargers and wood grain cutlery worked well with the plaid pattern of the place settings.

Belk had these gorgeous light pink and ecru and light blue and ecru place settings on sale at 70% off!  What a steal! I brought out my favorite crystal for this special meal. Ecru napkins and gold napkin rings complete the table. I absolute love the details on the bowls.

Aren't the salt and pepper shakers cute? They are the perfect match for the place settings and were on sale as well!

My dear friend sent me this lovely flower arrangement and as soon as they were delivered, I knew they were going to be the centerpiece for our table!

A few vintage Easter bunnies and two small bird nests with robin's egg blue eggs and the table was complete!

Marsala Chicken with Creamy Tomato Pasta

Here's another recipe courtesy of Publix. While the chicken is browning, boil the noodles and while the chicken simmers in the sauce, complete the pasta. Dinner will be on the table in a flash!

I love portabella mushrooms, and the sauce with the chicken was sublime. I would never have thought to add goat cheese into hot pasta to make a sauce, but we really enjoyed the texture and flavor of the pasta side with the chicken.

Marsala Chicken
1 medium sweet onion 
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup flour
1 t. kosher salt, divided
1/2 t. pepper
3 T. olive oil, divided
2 T. unsalted butter, divided
8 oz. fresh pre-sliced baby portabellas
1 T, fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped 
1/2 cup Marsala wine (or chicken stock)
1/2 cup no-salt-added chicken stock (or broth)
2 T. balsamic glaze

Cut onion into slices, then cut rings in half (1/2 cup). Lay chicken flat; slice horizontally through the center of chicken, then cut in half if needed to make 4 cutlets. Place flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper in a shallow dish (or zip-top bag). Dip chicken in flour (coating both sides); shake off any excess flour (wash hands).

Preheat large sauté pan on medium-high 2–3 minutes. Place 2 tablespoons oil and 1 tablespoon butter in the pan to melt, then add chicken; cook 2–3 minutes on each side or until well browned. Remove chicken from pan.

Reduce heat to medium-low. Place remaining 1 tablespoon each oil and butter in the same pan, then stir in mushrooms, onions, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook 6–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until mushrooms and onions have softened. Chop parsley.

Stir into the pan: wine, stock, and glaze. Return chicken to pan; simmer 3–4 minutes or until sauce thickens and chicken is 165°F. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve sauce over chicken.

Creamy Tomato Pasta

3 1/2 cups no-salt-added chicken stock (or broth)
2 cups water

12 oz. linguine pasta

1 (14.5-oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, well drained

4 oz. goat (or ricotta) cheese 

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3 cups baby spinach (or arugula)

Bring stock and water to a boil for pasta. Break pasta in half (for easier preparation) and place in boiling stock mixture; cook 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Drain tomatoes.

Stir cheeses into pasta until blended. Add tomatoes and spinach; stir until spinach wilts. Serve.

Southwest Beef Taco Salad

Another Publix recipe winner!  I adapted the recipe slightly by leaving the tortilla chips whole instead of crushing them. Also, instead of plating each serving separately, I layered everything in a huge serving bowl and let everyone serve themselves.  Either way is perfectly fine.

If you want to use a can of your favorite flavor of Rotel tomatoes instead of salsa (which I did), the end result is just as delicious.

12 - 16 oz. lean ground beef 

2 T. taco seasoning

1 lime, for juice

1 (15.5-oz) can reduced-sodium black beans, drained

3/4 cup medium salsa or 1 can of Rotel tomatoes

1 (10-oz) package frozen chopped spinach (thawed)

2 romaine hearts, coarsely chopped

1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

2 cups baked tortilla chips, crushed

3/4 cup diced red onions

1/4 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend

Preheat large, nonstick sauté pan 2–3 minutes on medium-high. Place beef and seasoning in pan; cook 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until no pink remains. Squeeze lime for juice (1 tablespoon). Drain beans.

Add salsa, beans, spinach, and lime juice to pan, then stir to blend; cook 4–5 minutes or until spinach is tender. Remove pan from heat and set aside to cool. Chop romaine and cilantro (1/2 cup). Crush tortilla chips.

Divide romaine in a pile on each serving plate; top with even amounts crushed tortilla chips and beef mixture (about 1 cup), then sprinkle with onions, cheese, and cilantro. Serve immediately.

From Publix Apron recipes