Hungry Times Two

The last great chestnut trees of the Southern Appalachians died off by the 1950s, but they're coming back with the help of Dolly Parton .  Yes, that's right.  Our Lady of Seviersville just put out a song on the American Chestnut Foundation (ACF) website. And what's this got to do with food?  Roasted chestnuts are a human treat and they're a valuable food source for wildlife as well .  That, plus the fact that chestnuts were often referred to as "Redwoods of the East" for their massive size and rot-resistant lumber.  Here's hoping the ACF will pull off the restoration of this valuable tree, some of which I hope to see on future hikes in the Appalachians.

Meatloaf.  Mashed potatoes.  Chicken soup. Anything sweet.  These are all comfort foods that we seek when we're cold, sad, stressed or otherwise unsettled.  I sought comfort food Tuesday night, as I'd found out my mom had a stroke on Monday.  The stroke was mild, and she's been in good hospital care this week, even walking around, reading books, and doing all sorts of other tests, proving she's still ticking. Still, as with anything "Sudden and Medical," the situation's got me a bit on edge, which brings me back to comfort foods. I was anxious Tuesday night and decided I needed to get OUT of the house, so Erin and I took a trip to Common Market , a most uncommon market in Plaza-Midwood .  Looking around for something sweet, I found two of my favorite things: chocolate milk and a cookie. Why have regular milk with a cookie when you can have chocolate milk ... mmm.  And keeping with the comfort theme, the chocolate milk was a drink-box - nothing turns ...

Our good friend Jim Garcia introduced us to Cubano's last weekend, so this post is dedicated to him and his Cuban heritage! This Cuban restaurant is on a side street in downtown Silver Spring, MD - not too far from the Metro station and Georgia Ave. bus lines, so it gets a bonus for transit-accessibility. Once you're there, make sure to try an appetizer of mariquitas , thin-sliced pieces of plantain, fried and then seasoned with a drizzling of olive oil, garlic, salt, and amazing flavor. Here's our plate of them, along with my knockout mojito. Next, we moved onto entrees. Erin had ropa vieja ("old clothes"), which is pulled beef stewed with tomatoes, onions, garlic and spices. I tried Masitas de Puerco Cuba Libre Crispy fried marinated morsels, properly dressed with gently sauteed onions (laziness = taken straight from menu!). As Jim advised, the pork chunks were fried, but surprisingly light and tasty - not typical fried-fried greasiness. Jim had ...

Earlier this week, Erin made beef curry and it featured spices that we received from my dad and sister last Christmas. They live in Augusta, Georgia, my hometown, which has a surpisingly large South Asian community and subsequent restaruants and even groceries. Dad and Molly, thanks so much for the collection of spices, plus the cookbook 660 Curries ! That's the fun thing about food and cooking gifts, they make you think about the gifter every time you use them. Thanks again Dad and Molly!

Erin would have gotten this for me at Wegman's a few weeks ago, but it goes against our whole "tacky Valentines" aversion. Still, what man wouldn't want chocolates in a tough-ass metal non-skid box?

Sometimes, when Scott leaves dirty dishes in the sink, or I forget to sweep the bathroom where my hair tends to shed, the HTT partnership undergoes a little difficulty. You know, we bitch each other out for a moment. And then go back to being the cheery lovebirds we're meant to be. One reason we're so compatible? We both love pig. Exhibit A: Scott picking through Tennessee-raised pork Exhibit B: Me sporting my fine new Piggy Wiggly t-shirt It's the little things in life that can bring people together...or it's the big, fat, tasty hogs, too. They're not so little. Hope everyone has a wonderful, peaceful MLK Jr. holiday .

Pumpkin pie: baked. Cranberry sauce: cooled. Stuffing: in the slow cooker. Turkey: just a few hot minutes 'til it gets popped in the oven. I have a feeling it'll be a tasty Thanksgiving dinner at Casa Adams. We hope wherever you are, you're well-fed and blessed. We thank you for reading, commenting, and supporting our endeavors - from blogging and beyond. Happy Thanksgiving!

Here's one mystifying, frustrating and yet occasionally beautiful thing about the Southern U.S. - change comes slowly. I find it even more beautiful when, after decade, some things don't change at all. By this I mean Gary's Barbecue , an institution I grew up on in the 1980s and 90s in the Piedmont region of North Carolina. Its provenance is China Grove, NC - a funky-named place between Kannapolis and Salisbury, and pretty much in the backwoods where somehow, someway, the subdivisions and ho-hum strip malls invading the greater Charlotte area haven't caught up with little China Grove. I hope they never do. I hope Gary's remains untainted by growth and development so it can continue as the best damn Lexington-style barbecue joint out in the middle of nowhere. Anytime pork on a bun comes up in conversation, Scott's probably learned by now to tune out my odes to Gary's glory, in the nearly nine years (!) we've discussed the finer points of barbecue. He grew...

Today marks our third anniversary! Scott and I were married April 21, 2007, on the steps of his family's beach house in Sullivan's Island, S.C. (The Lowcountry - what a great place to eat, by the way!) It's been real, that's for sure. We've hit highs and lows in three short years but there's no doubt that we're hungry for more.

Futons. Lamps. The unfortunately-named POÄNG chair. You thought Ikea was only about super modern/self-assembled/cheapo home furnishings? Well, " Börk , börk , börk !" to that, as the Swedish Chef would say. Above is the fare Scott and I enjoyed while perusing our local Ikea store, which is a mere 5 miles (!) up the road. Yes, that's a neon-greenish/yellow sponge cake, in a hue not seen since Members Only jackets, fanny packs, and jelly shoes ruled the fashion scene in, oh, 1986. The main course - Swedish Meatballs, served with mashed potatoes and a creamy gravy. Well, the Swedes don't know "gravy" - they call it a "sauce," bless their little Smörgåsbord -ed hearts. The plate also includes Lingonberries , which brings to mind my middle-school years of loving IHOP and always wanting the Boysenberry syrup for my pancakes. Lingonberries , Boysenberries...they taste about the same to me. Appearing to be half of a tennis ball drizzled in chocolate, ...