#Garlic Aioli my beloved

[pizzalover8969]

do you like to dip your pizzas in anything? like ranch. or hot sauce.

Not a fan of ranch personally, i prefer blue cheese. But yeah i do dip my pizza in stuff. Here are my favorites:

Garlic aioli

Buffalo hot sauce

Bourbon sauce bbq(i know it's mostly just for wings, but i like it)

Chili honey

And Tabasco!

[trekbec82]

I love a good sourdough as much as the next person, but if you're a white bread lover too, there are some genuinely tasty white breads out there! My personal favourite is tiger loaf, and if you buy it fresh at a bakery you can ask them to slice it thick instead of thin. (Tiger loaf tends to be small in shape, so you may want to make a couple of sandwiches at the same time, depending on your appetite.) Tiger rolls are wonderful if you want the fluffy white bread even thicker, with that glorious crusty top.

Roast chicken is fantastic on a sandwich, and if you like (or love!) stuffing you can put that on your sandwich too, just smoosh it on your bread so it doesn't fall out. (Supermarket roast chickens are a time-saving shortcut for this, just make sure you either heat or chill it very thoroughly, get it out of the bacteria danger zone.)

Fresh ham goes great with roast chicken as an alternative to bacon. My personal favourite is honey leg ham, but Virginia is awesome too if you prefer a mild smoked ham.

There are so many varieties of cheese, and so many of them are brilliant in sandwiches! Red Leicester is one of my favourite somewhat-crumbly cheeses, but if you're after one that melts well in a toasty, then Colby or Swiss are delicious options.

Truss tomatoes are the best for rich flavour available pretty much everywhere in Australia, but if you have a fruit & veg shop or farmer's market close by, take a look at their different varieties, and ask what the staff recommend if you aren't familiar.

Shallots are a brilliant option if you don't like or aren't in the mood for red onion. Dice them up small and add as liberally as you like!

Smashed avocado is a generational stereotype for a reason - it's beloved on café style sandwiches, and goes wonderfully with all of the above. If (like many of us) you don't trust yourself with judging the ripeness of fresh avo, frozen diced or sliced avo may be for you! Just defrost some when you're in the mood, without worrying about an entire avo spoiling because you missed the window of opportunity.

If you aren't a fan of or can't digest leafy greens, that's OK! Try adding carrot instead, just make sure it's fresh, and either grated or very thinly sliced (you can also use a peeler).

Garlic aioli is my pick over mayo - it's got a great flavour, and pairs brilliantly with a wide variety of things, not just as a sandwich filling. 10/10 my most used condiment. (Heinz make one I really love, if you're like me and just want to buy it not make it.)

As for seasonings, I tend not to bother when I have all of the above together, but have a play around with your favourites if you want even more flavour.

Regardless of what your tastes may be, the variety, quality, and quantity of ingredients are absolutely key to a great home made sandwich. Layer up a bunch of things you like and enjoy!

(And don't be afraid or ashamed of using shortcuts like store-bought aioli, frozen avocado, or pre-cooked roast chicken. Few of us are gourmet cooks, most folks are busy, and many of us are disabled. We still deserve yummy sandwiches.)

Do you have advice on the art of sandwiches? I feel like i my best sandwich at home is still leagues below the worst sandwich ive bought at a restaurant

Since sandwiches are infinitely variable, I'm going to assume you're trying to make my favorite sandwich: the Turkey Club, sandwich style not sub style.

Your goal is to MAXIMIZE FLAVOR.

Thicker bread. Standard slice size for bread isn't going to cut it, here. You want thick-slice bread.

Sourdough, or French Bread not 'White' bread. You want it chewy, with a thicker crust. Hearty.

Extra-Heavy Mayo. Restaurants do not use standard mayo from the grocery. Extra-heavy mayo has a higher ratio of egg yolks, giving it a richer flavor and thicker consistency for both spreading and using in tuna or egg salad. It's also more of a warm ivory color, rather than 'white.'

Instead of yellow deli mustard, try a ground-whole-seed mustard. It has a spicier, richer profile, and a little more vinegar.

Be generous with condiments. You're making a good sandwich, not cutting calories.

SEASON your sandwich. Dust the vegetables - salt and pepper goes a long way! Dried oregano, onion powder, garlic powder are also champs. My fave is to take a spicy blend (like a fajita seasoning blend) and sprinkle generously over the mayo before adding other stuff.

Lettuce CRUNCH is important. Include the pale crispy parts in your sandwich, not just the soft green leaf parts. Use romaine and arugula, not 'iceburg' lettuce, which has next to zero flavor.

If you're using texture leafy greens like arugula, toss it in a vinaigrette before piling it onto the sandwich. The vinegar zing makes a statement.

The tomato should have a strong flavor of its own. Salt & pepper on ripe tomato is heavenly. Make sure your seasoning hits the tomato.

If you're adding onion, make sure the slices are super duper thin-sliced. Like, mandolin-thin. Translucent-thin. Red onion is king.

If you want it toasted, make sure the cheese and meat gets hot, but the greens/tomato/onion is added afterward so it stays cold and crisp.

Don't be afraid to STACK IT TALL. CRAM IT FULL! How many sandwiches from restaurants feel impossible to fit in your mouth at first glance? Most of 'em. Make it big. With the meat, especially, they often CRAM the meat in there. No single-layer of ham slices here.

It's ok to MIX MEATS. Fry up some bacon (extra crispy!) or crisp up some pepperoni and layer it with your turkey.

Once you're done, wrap your sandwich in parchment paper (not WAX paper, there's a difference), then slice in half. By wrapping it, you force all the ingredients to smush together and start blending flavors. This makes 'em all a little better and stops them from sliding around, so it's easy to get a bite with every ingredient at once, and stops the sandwich from actually falling apart.

--

Honestly, the biggest 'secrets' of sandwich making is:

MAXIMIZE FLAVOR. USE RICHLY FLAVORED INGREDIENTS.

SEASON ALL YOUR SHIT FOR MORE FLAVOR

DON'T BE AFRAID TO PILE ON MORE GOOD SHIT.

[chefilona]

CHEF ILONA: PORTUGUESE BIFANAS SANDWICH

The bifana is a traditional Portuguese sandwich made with thinly sliced marinated pork served in a bread roll. Its origins trace back to the Portuguese region of Alentejo, particularly the city of Vendas Novas.

Legend has it that the bifana was created by a tavern owner in Vendas Novas named Celeste. In the 1960s, Celeste started serving marinated pork sandwiches to her patrons, and they became an instant hit. The popularity of the bifana spread throughout Portugal, and today it's a beloved staple of Portuguese cuisine.

The marinade typically consists of garlic, paprika, white wine or vinegar, and various herbs and spices, which give the pork its distinctive flavor. The pork is usually thinly sliced and marinated for several hours or overnight before being quickly cooked on a hot grill or skillet.

Bifanas are often enjoyed as a snack or a quick meal, served in local cafes, bars, and restaurants throughout Portugal. They're sometimes garnished with mustard, hot sauce, or sautéed onions to add extra flavor. On my version, along with the piri piri sauce, I like to add banana peppers and roasted garlic aioli. It's a bit of a departure from the classic, but the creaminess of the aioli really brings the sanwich together for me!

Bifanas

Adapted Recipe

Serves 4

1 1/2 pounds thinly sliced pork top round, cutlets, or thin-sliced boneless pork chops, trimmed of fat and pounded out to be flat and thin

1 1/2 cups white wine

6 garlic cloves, chopped

4 bay leaves, broken in half

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons paprika

2 teaspoons kosher salt

3 tablespoons lard

Crusty rolls, to serve

Mustard and piri-piri sauce, banana peppers, roasted garlic aioli, optional for serving

In a small bowl, stir together the wine, garlic, bay leaves, vinegar, paprika, and salt.

Add the pork slices to the marinade over top and marinade for at least 1 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring the meat multiple times to ensure the marinade is evenly distributed.

After the meat is marinated, heat a large pan over medium-high heat, and add the lard. Fry the bifanas quickly until cooked through, about 1 minute per side. Add more lard as needed. Transfer the cooked bifanas to a plate.

Discard the bay leaves and pour the reserved marinade into the skillet and scrape up any stuck-on bits. Let the mixture boil until reduced by about 1/3; approximately 4 to 6 minutes.

Return the pork back to the pan with the sauce and reduce the heat to low, and simmer to warm them through.

Slice the crusty rolls in half and spoon some of the sauce over each half, pile with the pork, and garnish as desired.

[macybay947]

garlic aioli my beloved

[iwritesometimes]

lol i am 100% aware this comes from a place of ABYSSAL ignorance bc lbr i'm doing good to make myself a grilled cheese but i swear to GOD it looks like all these youtube chefs use just. SCADS of salt. absolutely obscene amounts of it. i just watched my beloved wife Samin Nosrat salt LITERALLY every component of a tuna sandwich. oh pardon: there wasn't any salt on the pickled onion. okay. but she salt-coated the tuna before cooking it. salt in the aioli. salt to break down garlic into paste. she salted the fresh cukes and tomatoes. there was a brine-packed olive and caper tapenade. and when she mixed everything together she added more salt to the mixture.

not even from like. a health food standard: that honestly looks miserable to eat. and the bon appetit test kitchen folks are the same - HEAVILY salt pasta water and also salt EVERY part of the sauce you toss the pasta in? Andrew Rea does the same. so i know it must NOT suck and must, in fact, be the correct thing to do, but like. jesus christ i'm not looking to salt-cure my tongue, y'all. and yet poor-people food like fast and preserved foods are "loaded" with salt. which is true, i know it is, but. THE HEALTHY BOUGIE FOOD ALSO LOOKS TO BE DROWNED IN SALT.

[paleorecipecookbook]

11 Ways to Enjoy Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes have quickly risen through the ranks of the superfood world. Paleo-friendly and insanely versatile, we just can’t get enough of this popular tuber!

These powerful veggies are made up of complex carbohydrates that help balance your energy output throughout the day. Good sources of complex carbs like these sweet treats help keep your blood sugar levels steady without dips or spikes.

The vibrant orange hue of these tubers tells you right away that they are a fantastic source of beta carotene. Beta carotene converts into vitamin A in your body, which provides some fantastic anti-aging benefits.

Chock-full of fiber, vitamin C, vitamin B6, and potassium, it’s pretty easy to see why sweet potatoes are on the superfood list. (1) Sweet potatoes are also one of the best sources of antioxidants in the vegetable world. (2) What’s not to love?

Sweet Potatoes vs. Yams

Sweet potatoes are sweet, starchy tuberous vegetables that vary in hue from orange, white, and purple. The long, slender, orange variety, dubbed “yams”, are actually not yams at all, but, in fact, sweet potatoes.

When the long, slender, orange sweet potato was introduced to the United States, the name yam came into play to help differentiate between the color varieties of sweet potatoes.

A true yam is of the Dioscorea genus and grown in tropical climates. Rough with thick, fibrous skin, with white to rosy or purple-hued flesh, true yams must be cooked in order to be consumed. They’re poisonous otherwise. (3)

Although yams are growing more and more common in the U.S., they are usually found in the international sections of your grocer.

Sweet Potatoes: 11 Different Ways to Eat Them

Mega-nutritious and completely satisfying, you can enjoy sweet potatoes prepared in a savory fashion or sweet, as the name suggests. Try them baked the classic way, or dressed up with complementing spices, fruits, sauces and herbs! Here are 11 ways to enjoy these sweet spuds.

Baked Sweet Potatoes

If you’re a veteran sweet potato lover, then you need not look further than the purist preparation: the baked sweet potato.

Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper, then prick your scrubbed and dried sweet potato with a fork a few times all over and place on the sheet pan. Into the oven they go for an hour or more.

Roast until impossibly tender and even to the point the caramelized natural sugars run down the sides. Split the sweet potato open and dab with grass-fed butter, coconut oil, coconut manna, sea salt, maple syrup – whatever you pleasure may be!

Twice-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

This preparation is rather elegant and a great way to make a showstopper presentation out of our beloved baked sweet potato. The twice-stuffed potato essentially involves roasting, scooping, seasoning and then piping back into the shell. Here is how it goes:

Roast your sweet potato to perfection (as we discussed above) and be sure to throw an extra potato or two on the pan to ensure that you will have ample filling.

Let your roasted sweet potatoes cool down a bit before handling. Halve and scoop the flesh from each half, leaving enough behind in the skin to reinforce a sturdy shape for your filling.

To the scooped flesh, add an egg, butter, salt, maple syrup and preferred spices. Whisk until very smooth, almost like a thick frosting. If you need to add a bit of coconut milk or other preferred milk to achieve this texture, please do so.

Fill a piping bag fitted with a tip with the seasoned filling, and pipe artfully back into your potato skins. Bake once more for 20 minutes at 350°F.

Your twice-stuffed potato will be slightly puffed and completely delicious. Top with herbs, pomegranate seed and pecans, or even a tasty stone fruit relish.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

A sweet potato purée, or rustic mash, is a fantastic carrier for your favorite animal protein and vegetarian entrees. Serve with chicken, steaks, meatloaf, meatballs, fish filets, roasted veggies, and Portobello mushroom steaks.

Simply scoop the flesh from the roasted potatoes and whisk it in, or use a fork to mash it. Add grass-fed butter, salt, and a bit of coconut or hemp milk to make it all the more creamy.

If you dig the combination of sweet and savory, try adding a touch of cinnamon, smoked paprika and maple syrup to this mash-up as well. You can also keep leftover purée on hand to make Paleo pancakes and breads. It’s even a great egg replacement for your favorite Paleo baking recipes.

Sweet Potato Chips

If you crave crunchy and satisfying, there’s sweet potato chips. You can season them with warming spices or stick to a light sprinkle of Himalayan sea salt; both are delicious choices but the trick lies in the slicing.

To get your slices ultra-thin, as well as uniform so your chips will crisp up at the same time, opt for a mandolin. My number one rule is to go slow, practice, and keep your eye on the prize.

Mandolins are fantastic tools for any home cook to create ultra-thin and uniform slices of all of your favorite veggies. Unless you have superior knife skills, investing in a mandolin is a game changer.

Preheat your oven to 400°F, toss your slices with melted coconut oil and preferred seasonings, and be sure to spread them out on a parchment-lined sheet pan in a single layer with plenty of room between slices so you create crispy, not steamed, chips.

Keep an eye on your chips over the course of 10 to 20 minutes, agitate them a few times and rotate the pan halfway through. Enjoy with guacamole, soup or straight from the pan!

Sweet Potato Fries

For quick sweet potato fries, preheat the oven to 400°F. Slice sweet potatoes into matchstick-sized pieces and place them in a bowl with melted ghee, salt and pepper. Feel free to add any of your favorite seasonings here – paprika and garlic powder taste great! When the fries are evenly coated, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 10 minutes until crispy.

PS: You can transform sweet potatoes into curly fries, too!

Sweet Potato Soup

A sweet potato and roasted red pepper soup with cashew milk is creamy, unique and satisfying. Start with grass-fed butter and sauté your mirepoix (carrot, celery, onion) until tender.

Add chopped sweet potato, skin and all, along with jarred, or home-roasted, sweet red bell peppers. Cover with chicken stock, bone broth, or vegetable stock and simmer for 20 minutes or until tender.

Add to a high-powered blender with a handful of soaked cashews and some water. Blend until ultra-smooth.

Tip: A blended soup should be the texture of heavy cream, so you may need more water than you think!

Add your perfectly-blended soup back to your pot and season with salt to taste. Add a squeeze of lemon to balance and add a touch of acidity to your soup. Now you’re ready to cozy up with your favorite chair in front of the fire!

Sweet Potato Salad

Potato salad is always a fan favorite. In the colder seasons, I love to make sweet potato salad with warming spices and homemade aioli with lots of Dijon mustard.

There are plenty of Paleo mayos on the market, as well as some amazing hacks to make your own avocado or cashew-based mayo swap.

To really amp up your potato salad game, try using purple, white and golden varieties. Chop and roast your favorite varieties of sweet potato and throw into a large mixing bowl.

Add plenty of salt and warm spices like allspice, coriander and cumin. Chop fresh savory, rosemary, sage, and thyme along with garlic and red onion, and a couple small handfuls of your favorite seeds or nuts like pecans, pumpkin seeds, pine nuts or black sesame.

Stir in plenty of aioli, a bit of apple cider vinegar and another handful of either dried tart cherries, cranberries or even pomegranate seeds.

Let sit in the fridge for an hour or two before enjoying; the flavors will marry and you will have yourself a very tasty, Paleo-friendly sweet potato salad.

Sweet Potato Paleo Pie

This is a homey, satisfying and just sweet enough treat to enjoy throughout this entire holiday season. It’s indulgent, but loaded with healthy perks.

Delightfully familiar if you are a pumpkin pie fan, sweet potato pie will satisfy that craving and then some. Try this easy Paleo recipe for Sweet Potato Pecan Pie here.

Sweet Potato Latkes

Latkes are traditionally made with potatoes and served with applesauce and sour cream. These sweet potato versions are delightful when served traditionally, but I prefer to eat with an egg-over-medium plonked on top. Enjoy these sweet potato latkes as a breakfast, a side or a quick snack.

Shred scrubbed and dried sweet potatoes with a box grater until you have about one cup. Add shreds to a bowl with one egg and 1 tablespoon of coconut flour.

Zest and juice one lemon and add a large pinch of sea salt. Add your favorite herbs and spices to taste. I like to use seasonings like cumin, crushed garlic, fresh sage, or allspice.

Stir your mixture until just incorporated. Heat a high-heat oil, like avocado or coconut oil, in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. There should be enough oil that it comes about half the way up the latke when in the pan.

Working quickly, scoop a couple tablespoons of your mixture into the hot oil and spread out to form a nice, round layer, not more than a ¼-inch in thickness. Add as many more as you can to the pan as long as there is plenty of room between latkes so you can flip with ease as well as ensure a nice golden color on each side.

Keep an eye on the heat and oil as you take out the finished latkes and add more to the pan. You must allow new oil to come back up to a hot temperature before adding new batter to the pan. Drain on paper towels and top with your favorite additions or enjoy right away.

Sweet Potato Crostini

Using sweet potatoes as a landing site for all sorts of toppings is a fail-safe, Paleo crowd pleaser! Try slicing and roasting a slice of sweet potato and serve piled high with some fabulously delicious toppings.

Swapping the common toast point for a perfectly roasted round of a sweet potato will let your Paleo buddies dive into holiday platters with ease. Some great toppings are pestos, nut butters, savory fruit relishes, dips and other thick sauces like tapenades or guacamole.

Sweet Potato Noodles

Sweet potatoes shredded into long, luxurious “noodles” have proven to be worth their salt in the decadence department. You can use a spiralizer to make these noodles, or even a vegetable peeler to create long strands that are Paleo-friendly and hold up to classic pasta sauces.

You can blanch these noodles quickly, or enjoy marinated or even raw. Sweet potatoes can carry a multitude of flavors and pair so nicely with classic tomato sauces, vegan-style cashew cream-based Alfredos and most certainly pestos.

(Make This Next: Paleo Sweet Potato Casserole)

The post 11 Ways to Enjoy Sweet Potatoes appeared first on PaleoPlan.

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[sandwichbully]

The Wedge Table (yes, again), 10 November 2018

   One time, Soft Kathryn called me Pasta Boi, a title I cannot deny, as I am, indeed, a pasta boi. Used to be I was a Pasta Slut but the word slut has been contentious for a while and only lately it’s starting to be OK to self-identify as a slut for certain things, like you’re a Train Slut if you fuck with some Amtrak or a Cathedral Slut if you’re down with the Vatican. I don’t know, I say fuck it, play it safe, don’t piss off the SJWs; Soft Kathryn calls me a Pasta Boi, I’m a Pasta Boi.    Everybody on board with that? Anybody feel like calling me out for some shit? I’m a Pasta Boi, goddamnit. What problems could you possibly have with the Pasta Boi?    ANYhoo, seeing as how I am - Wait. Am I a pasta boi or the pasta boi?    We’ll figure that out later. Look, I was out of pasta and it’s 19° Fahrenheit (that’s -7° Celsius for my metric fanbase) and I figured that was a good enough excuse to go back to the Wedge and get that last sandwich.    The tuna melt.

   Goddamn, that is a blurry-assed photo.    Anyway, I know I could’ve picked up a box of spaghetti from Hark’s across the street or even just gone down to the CVS for a box of spaghetti, but it was lunch time and neither of those places have a full-service deli with a limited line of seasonal signature sandwiches. And!? This is tuna melt weather.    So I go in there and this time I’m greeted by a bespectacled young woman and I tell her I just need a tuna melt to go, she says sure, hands me my ticket, and I go off to get lost in the (two) racks of food trying to find pasta because, while I am a pasta boi, I’m not seeing the pasta I’m used to: The red and white boxes of Essential Everyday, the green boxes of Creamette, the blue boxes of Buy Any Other Brand But This Homophobic Shit; I’m having that classist crisis again, feeling out of my element, too working class and dumb to figure out how to navigate a co-op, here he is, everybody! Charlie from the Trailer Park! Can’t find his way through the tiniest co-op and doesn’t listen to Vampire Weekend!    And then I nut up because, yeah, motherfucker, I am Charlie from Southeast Toledo and guess what: I like Black Sabbath, suck my dick. Where the fuck is the - Oh, here it is.    It comes in... bags? Why the fuck - I thought these motherfuckers were supposed to be earth friendly, why is the pasta in plastic bags instead of recyclable cardboard boxes? What the fuck sense does this make?    I pick up the pack of spaghetti and I look on the back. Under directions, it says to bring 5oz (150mL and I did that conversion, you’re welcome) to a boil and add 16oz (455g, again, I’m doing the heavy lifting) of pasta and I mutter, “What kind of maniac cooks a whole pack of pasta in one go?”    Hell, even as one of a family of four, I don’t think I ever saw my mom cook a whole box of pasta in one go. I mean, maybe she did, it would make sense, there’s fucking four of us but does this manufacturer assume... I mean, who the fuck cooks a whole thing of pasta in one go? Jesus Jehosaphat. Maniacs. Absolute maniacs.    So I got the fusili since I’ll be making a simple tomato and garlic sauce tonight that will love those little nooks and crannies to cling to.    Yes, I have studied up on pairing my pastas and my sauces because I am a pasta boi, outed and confirmed.    Then I grab a blood orange Hi-Ball and go over to the register and some old fart is just standing there with his back to it, not getting the point that I’m trying to get in line, thus a woman just walks around him up to the register and he looks at her and looks at me and looks annoyed - don’t give me that look, motherfucker, I have Aerosmith on vinyl, good Aerosmith, drugged up Aerosmith, I will knock you out in the parking lot.    Anyway, nobody’s paying attention to the woman at the register and a line is forming and then one of the guys from the deli says he can get me on the other register and I turn to follow him but then my name is called and I grab my sandwich and I get rung up and I get outside, and I load my bag and I come home.

You and me, we’ve been on an adventure together, haven’t we? A real emotional roller coaster? We've had to deal with inwardly-directed class shame as manufactured by capitalism; we’ve talked about putting our money in the right places, like not certain pasta brands that come in blue boxes; we’ve discussed identity issues as prescribed by a person who identifies herself as an oven but uses she/her pronouns. We have been all over the map so far and I’m sure all you’ve wanted this whole time was to know how the fucking sandwich tasted. You want to know if you should give your money to these people. You want to know how tough of a call it is between Get Your Wings and Toys In The Attic because even though the track listing on Toys... has the obvious bangers, ... Wings has some definite sleeper agents that will fuck you up.    For your patience, for your companionship on this journey, mon frer, I will now answer all these questions.

   Holy shit, this is the best thing I’ve put in my mouth this week.    Now, I didn’t look at the menu too close so, disclaimer, up front, I don’t know what kind of cheese they used. Swiss would be the obvious choice but I looked at the cheese itself and the holes were tinier and not round. I’m guessing, and I’d be surprised if I were wrong, this is havarti. It didn’t have the high-pitched notes of Swiss, either, which would have definitely stood out because, here’s the deal:    You could taste everything individually on the sandwich.    The tuna salad was creamy and I’m guessing they used an organic mayo because of course they would use organic and 1) this didn’t taste like Hellman’s and I’m a slut for Hellman’s so I would know, 2) this didn’t taste like Kraft, and 3) it didn’t taste like aioli because I detected no hint of extra virgin olive oil. Thus, organic mayo is my guess and it played nicely with the tuna, probably because the mayo to tuna ratio greatly favored the fish, so while I could detect the presence of mayo, what I was tasting primarily in that concoction was the tuna.    Appearance-wise, the tuna salad looked like exactly every other tuna salad you’ve ever had: Somebody opened a can, emptied it into a bowl, threw in a dollop of mayo, and beat the shit out of it with a fork until it stopped looking like it was once a thing of flesh and now just shreds of unidentifiable protein. I get it: There aren’t that many ways to make tuna salad, so I’m not going to dock points for the look of the thing.    The aforementioned maybe-havarti was smooth and creamy, which is how havarti ought to taste. I thought it could have stood to be a bit more melty, this is a tuna melt after all, and despite my visual inspection and my self-assuredness that this is havarti, the doubt still lingers because while it didn’t taste like Swiss, it didn’t melt like havarti, and we all know that Swiss is a bit obstinate when it comes to melting. It will do it but it takes a bit more cajoling than your softer cheeses like your jacks, your colbies, and, of course, your havartis. Again, probably not Swiss, but there will always be the doubt in my mind.    Fuck it. I just looked at the menu. The answer we were looking for was gruyere. Gruyere. Just proving to you, once again, that I am capable of being wrong. I am human and I am just like you.    So, yeah, the gruyere was good, even if I didn’t know until just now that’s what it was. It was smooth and creamy, just like havarti. But the important part is that I could taste it separately from and in concert with the other ingredients (even if I couldn’t identify what kind of cheese it was).    But the real child star of this made-for-TV adaptation of a beloved series of child detective novels grown up to appear ironically on the convention circuit and still say their cutesy catch phrase thirty years later before snapping and mowing down a gaggle of parents with a hedge trimmer at a Chuck E. Cheese would be the pickled onions, sharp and sour at the same time, balancing out the low creaminess of the tuna salad and the cheese and the midrange of the whole grain bread with high notes in brassy timbres, maybe even acrylic timbres would be more fitting, like Ornette Coleman’s saxophone. It provided what other tuna melts are missing: A full spectrum of notes. This tuna melt was like the Italians at Broder’s and Kramarczuk’s and the Reubens at Colossal Cafe and Tiny Diner: It was perfectly balanced, minimally fucked with.    And I know you’re probably rolling your eyes at me raving about a tuna melt and comparing it to some of the best sandwiches in the city but it’s like this: The reason you (and even me) think tuna melts suck is because all we’ve ever been handed is shitty tuna melts. The most creative we’ve ever gotten with them is using Swiss instead of American. Maybe we tried fancifying it by adding capers or putting tarragon in the tuna salad and it just didn’t happen right. And then we’ve walked into the greasy spoon and we see the tuna melt on the menu and we wonder how fresh is that tuna salad and we skip it and if we do order it (with every nervous caution in the world), what we get is a grilled cheese with tuna salad in it. We’ve had nothing but shitty tuna melts our whole lives so it never occurred to us that if we just treated them differently, if we just treated them like they could be good, if we just took a step back and considered the core components and asked what was too much and what was missing and saw this was meant to be different from a grilled cheese with tuna salad in it, we could have a good one.    There’s a reason that this sandwich has its own name and isn’t just “grilled cheese with tuna salad” and it’s the same reason we don’t call a Reuben a “corned beef and sauerkraut” or an Italian a “three meat and banana peppers” or a Club “turkey BLT triangles”. It’s a distinct and established entity and, unfortunately, people have stopped treating it like one and instead started treating it like a grilled cheese with tuna salad in it.    Not saying the Wedgetable has brought back the sandwich like it’s the fucking messiah, I’m saying that they’ve treated it right. They’ve done right by it. It was a damned good sandwich and I don’t regret paying the eight bucks for it. And what it lacks in size, it more than makes up for in flavor. You can taste everything individually and everything compliments everything else. It’s worth at least one visit in the Wedgetable’s direction, I would encourage you to give them your money.    Also, this is, I believe, our first tag for “tuna melt”.    Oh and Toys In The Attack has for sure three radio hits but Get Your Wings has “Lord of the Thighs” which is just a thousand percent of your daily recommended dose of raunch, nast, and sweat pressed into wax, so that’s a winner.

[yewavenue3-blog]

A Very Merry Australian Christmas Dinner!

Welcome to our 2018 Christmas celebration! This year for Christmas we feasted on a menu of ham glazed in mead, prawn, mango and avocado cocktail salad, a thousand layered smoked salmon crepe cake, crispy prosciutto potatoes and a fennel and sweet potato gratin and a black forest cake. And there was no shortage of Christmas cheer!

Of course no Christmas is complete without drama and our most pressing drama this year was whether my father would make it home for Christmas after his recent stroke. Thankfully, his progress has been good and he was allowed to come home for good.

Thousand layer crepe cake

I had my whole menu planned weeks in advance and decided to do a really Australian Christmas. What does that mean? For me an Australian Christmas means seafood and ham. We would be having 12 people over so I needed something large to serve everyone but I wanted it to be easy so ham it was.

So a month before Christmas I had chosen a ham. I didn't want to wait until the last minute and I also wanted to choose the perfect looking ham. So I asked my mother if she had room in her fridge to store it and we brought the 6 kilo beast to her house. But the day before Christmas Eve dinner she messaged me. Did she want us to defrost the ham? You see her instinct is to freeze everything and she had put it in the freezer!

Christmas tree bread, sweet potato & fennel bake, prosciutto wrapped potatoes and caper and cabbage salad

"What do I do?" she cried. We talked her through the cold water method for defrosting and after battling the huge queues to buy prawns and seafood we went to pick up the ham (crossing our fingers that it wasn't frozen inside, nightmares of food poisoning our guests foremost in mind).

Mead glazed ham

First to arrive was my Uncle Sam and his partner Lien who only arrived 5 minutes early (they're working on arriving on time and used to arrive 30 minutes early which is alarming for a busy hostess). Then my cousin Richard arrived and then my other cousin Roger with his partner Catherine and their kids Natalie and Jason.

Inside the crepe cake

Last to arrive was my mother, father and sister. I looked at my dad and asked, "Where is your rice?" because he usually turns up at all dinners with a bowl full of steamed rice. He shrugged his shoulders with newfound nonchalance. Could this be a new father that can go for a meal without his beloved rice?

Prosciutto wrapped baby potatoes

Of course there were the distinctly Chinese touches to Christmas. Lien told Catherine (who has always been an extra small size) that she had put on weight. Uncle Sam asked father, "How much you pay for your hospital visit?".

Individual Prawn Salads

There was of course way too much food. I packed up lots of it for everyone to take home as there was way too much for just us (although Mochi would disagree, she was eyeing off the ham all night).

Uncle Sam asking my father, "How much you pay for the hospital visit?"

My father had to leave after 2 hours on the dot as he gets tired although we all suspect that this rule also suits his personality perfectly as he never wants to linger after a meal. 1 hour and 55 minutes after we started he started kicking my sister under the table to signal that he wanted to go home. Then at two hours exactly he turned to Mr NQN who was giving them a lift home. "I go now?" he said.

Sweet potato and fennel smoked mozzarella gratin

Everyone else stayed for much longer. We ate black forest cake as nibbled on my Dear Reader Matilda's delicious ciamballette and biscottini which are so delicious that by the evening of Christmas Day there were only 4 cookies left!

"I can haz ham?" says Mochi

Afterwards we opened up presents. My main present was a karaoke machine which delighted me so much (I'm sure my neighbours will have the opposite reaction). While we unwrapped Mr NQN and I were watching a tv ad for Christmas from a supermarket and Mr NQN turned to me and said, "Do they know that nobody's Christmas is like that?".

So tell me Dear Reader, how was your Christmas? What did you eat? Do you make something different each year for Christmas or do you prefer to stick to the same menu?

Black Forest Cake

Thousand Layered Seafood Crepe cake

All Original Recipes by Lorraine Elliott

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 60 minutes

Serves 16-20

Sparkling with jewels and with each layer spread with a delicious filling, this crepe cake is a show stopper. Don't feel intimidated by this though. If you do have a crepe pan, that makes things easier but it's fine without too. And yes a dozen eggs really go into it but I promise this will be a beautiful cake to remember and feeds many, many people!

For crepes

1 cup flour

1 cup buckwheat flour

12 eggs, at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1.2 litres milk

For filling

400g/14ozs. taramasalata

200g/7ozs. sour cream (full fat)

200g/7ozs. cream cheese, softened

40g/1.42ozs. French onion soup packet mix

75g/2.7ozs. tobiko or caviar

600g/21.2ozs. smoked salmon

pomegranate arils, cherry tomatoes, radishes, dill and chives to decorate

Step 1 - Blend the ingredients together in a large food processor (split in two or three if you need to). Allow to rest for 30 minutes. Then heat a crepe pan and add oil or butter.

Using the springform tin collar to shape the crepes so that they are even

The crepe after collar is removed and the edges trimmed

Step 2 - Place a 22cm/9inch spring cake collar on the pan and pour the batter in (about 200ml/7flozs. or so). Trim the edges with a butter knife, remove the collar and then flip over once one side is done. Repeat many times until all the batter is used. You can stack these on top of each other while you are making them and then cool them completely.

Step 3 - Blend the sour cream and cream cheese together with the soup mix. Set aside (make sure it's of a spreadable consistency).

Layering with smoked salmon

Step 4 - Place one crepe on a serving plate and then spread with the French onion dip and then alternate with the taramasalata and then add smoked salmon on some layers. Place a layer of the tobiko in the middle layer of the crepe and then keep doing until you've used up all the crepes and you have about 1/2 cup of the French onion dip left.

Step 5 - Place the French onion dip into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe around the crepe cake and then decorate with pomegranate arils, cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced radishes, dill and chives. This cake is best made a day ahead and then refrigerated so that the dip is firm. Serve cut into slices like a cake.

Ham Glazed with Honey Mead and served with Ham Jam

Preparation time: 40 minutes

Cooking time: 90 minutes

1 large ham (around 6kilos)

Cloves

2/3 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup mead

1 tablespoon seeded mustard

1 chilli, sliced (optional)

Step 1 - Preheat oven to 170C/340F and line a large baking tray with parchment (one large enough to fit your ham). Remove rind from ham - you should be able to get it off in one piece and try to lift it off carefully leaving an even layer of fat underneath it. Stud with cloves lining them up so that they're in evenly spaced lines. Then score the fat.

Stud with cloves first

Then score using cloves as a guide

Step 2 - Mix the brown sugar, mead, mustard and chilli. Baste the ham all over with some of this mixture and then bake in the oven for 2 hours basting the ham with rest of the brown sugar mead mixture every 30 minutes.

Prawn, Avocado and Mango Cocktail

Christmas without prawns in Australia would just seem weird. Rather than have everyone's hands getting dirty peeling the prawns, I served a prawn, mango and avocado cocktail in a glass on everyone's place setting. The cocktail sauce was a big hit - if you've got some Old Bay seasoning please give this a go!

2kgs/4.4lbs prawns, shelled

1-2 avocadoes, cubed

1/2 large mango, cut into cubes

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons chilli sauce

2 tablespoons ketchup

2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Chives to sprinkle

Step 1 - Mix the mayonnaise, chilli sauce, ketchup, Old Bay and lemon juice together. Place the avocadoes, mango, pomegranate seeds, spicy mayonnaise in individual glasses.

Cabbage and Caper Mother In Law Salad

Inspired by a visit to Barzaari in Chippendale, this salad was just so delicious that I had to eat it again. Best of all, it was super easy too!

1/2 cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons maple syrup

1 teaspoon sesame oil

5 cups thinly sliced purple cabbage

3 tablespoons capers, rinsed well and patted dry

1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds

Fresh parsley to garnish

Salt and pepper to taste

Step 1 - Firstly mix the mayonnaise, maple syrup and sesame oil together. Then mix all ingredients together to ensure that there is an even distribution. Season with salt and pepper.

Crispy Prosciutto Potatoes

There's nothing better than a roast potato, I'm quite convinced. But then you wrap it in prosciutto and glaze it with maple syrup and you've got a super potato!

1.5kgs baby potatoes

2 tablespoons butter, cubed

2 tablespoons oil

15 slices (or as many as there are potatoes) prosciutto

1 tablespoon maple syrup

Step 1 - Par boil the potatoes until they are tender and then top with butter and oil bake them in a 230C/446F oven until crispy (around 25 minutes). This tastes great dipped in sour cream or aioli too.

Step 2 - Wait til the potatoes are cool so that they are easier to handle (you can do this ahead of time) and then wrap the potatoes in prosciutto and bake at 200C/400F for another 10 minutes or until prosciutto is crispy. Brush with maple syrup and place in the warm oven for 5 minutes. I added the maple when I warmed the potatoes up.

Fennel and Sweet Potato Gratin

Inspired by Sarah from Sarah Cooks, this fennel and sweet potato uses smoked mozzarella to give the dish a wonderful flavour.

1 large fennel bulb, trimmed

1.5 large sweet potatoes

300ml/10.6flozs. cream

1 onion, peeled and diced

4 cloves garlic, peeled and diced

150g/5ozs. smoked mozzarella, grated

50g/1.7ozs. butter, cubed

Step 1 - Preheat oven to 210C/420F. Thinly mandolin the fennel and sweet potatoes and then place in a baking dish with the cream, onion, garlic and grated smoked mozzarella and dot with butter cubes. Bake for 40 minutes.

Source: http://www.notquitenigella.com/2018/12/26/christmas-dinner-food-australia-2018/

[twocoursemeal-blog]

TCM Travel Bites: Hobbs Tavern & Brewing Co

Hobbs Tavern & Brewing Company (West Ossipee, NH)

Hobbs Tavern was a spur of the moment decision. We were on a weekend trip to New Hampshire, and wanted to stop at a local brewery for dinner before returning to Boston.  Fortunately, Hobbs Tavern & Brewing Co was a short drive away! We lucked out with this one.

We ate:

Fried Calamari (Banana Peppers, Old Bay Aioli)

Fries (with nibbles of sweet potato fries and chips)

House Pickles

We drank:

Flight of Six Hobbs Brewing Co Beers

One Arm Farmhouse Ale

Swift River IPA

Chocorua’s Curse Rye Barleywine

Back Road Brown Ale

Ten State Stout

Darkest Before Dawn Black IPA

Matt’s Thoughts

Hobbs Tavern was an unexpected, but welcome spot to sit down, warm up, and fill our bellies with good food and good beer. The restaurant has an open, old-tavern feel to it with a real wood-burning fireplace, and I could imagine it pleasantly filled with noisy chatter on a busy night. Since we’d been snacking all day, Angela and I chose to split an order of fried calamari (a beloved dish for both of us) and instead focus on Hobbs’ 6 home-brewed on-tap beers.

What drew me to the calamari (aside from the fact that it was calamari) was the Old Bay mayo. I generally love flavored mayos and aiolis with my squid, and Old Bay is such a classic seafood pairing that I couldn’t pass it up (Angela and I both independently homed in on the dish). The calamari itself came topped with banana peppers, which at first felt odd, but was actually nice since you could more easily control how much you got in each bite. The calamari was cooked well, seasoned simply, and was a pleasure to eat (though we could have, as always, used more tentacles). The mayo was delicious - not too salty, with a strong Old Bay flavor that made me want to dip everything in it (a mission I am proud to say I was successful in). Fries, sweet potato fries, and house-made chips all benefited greatly from the addition of the wonderful sauce.

On to the beers. At $2 to $2.50 for a small glass, we were happy to grab a full flight of all of Hobbs’ offerings. Shockingly, two of my three favorites were IPAs! I don’t normally like them, but these two really stood out on very different characteristics. The Swift River IPA was light and refreshing with a fantastic grapefruit (and mild pine) nose. In a nice twist, the Swift finished on a clean note instead of blasting my palate to kingdom come (my general experience with IPAs. I’m looking at you, West Coast).

Also in my top 3 was the Darkest Before Dawn Black IPA. Though I’ve enjoyed black IPAs before, this one was different: a heavy, heavy bitter base carried strong orange flavors that lifted and fleshed out the otherwise astringent hops. Dark malts played a support role, adding more of a bitter depth and grounding the strong hop/orange-forward flavor. Darkest Before Dawn was expertly balanced - a great beer I would have been glad to have with a full meal.

Finally, the Back Road Brown Ale. For me, Browns tend to be fine drinking beers, and if I’m ever at a new place where nothing strikes my fancy, a brown will often be my go-to “I know this is gonna be fine” beer. Hobbs’ Back Road Brown Ale is not that beer. Medium bodied, slightly sweet with rich, dark caramel notes and just enough bitterness, this beer was simply delicious -  by far the table favorite.

Our meal ended on a great note. Everyone at the table had been raving about the pickle spear that came with their sandwich, and Angela and I (both pickle lovers) wanted to know what the fuss was about. We asked our server if she’d bring over one for us to try, and after a bit of joking around, she showed up with 2! Lucky day, we were able to give one to a pickle-less friend and split the larger one.

This was how a pickle should be - not too vinegary, but crunchy, slightly soft, with an excellent cucumber-salt-onion-garlic balance that made me sad I wasn’t able to pick up a jar of them at the door on our way out. We definitely should have taken a picture of the pickles, but we were just too excited about them to care. Speaking of the service, the service was excellent throughout our meal. Our server was attentive, funny, and thoughtful, and definitely made our experience a better one.

Angela’s Thoughts

It’s a nice, cozy spacious restaurant -- lots of windows, a wide, well-stocked bar, and a cute fireplace area.  We took a look at the menu, and both thought it was pretty expensive (though the beer was cheap).  The restaurant had “Boston prices,” which was surprising to see in West Ossipee, NH. They have 6 of their own beers on tap, and we were sure to try them all (they serve up to 5 beers on a flight, so we just got 2 flights of 3 beers).  I was impressed by their variety in beer styles, from an American IPA to a barleywine.  All of them were solid, as well; there were none that I *really* disliked.  I talk about all of the beers on my Untappd, so I won’t repeat myself, but I’ll mention my favorite -- the Back Road Brown ale was malty and rich, and easily the best beer they had.

Matt and I weren’t too hungry, so we decided to split an order of fried calamari, and a side of fries.  The calamari was served with raw banana peppers as a garnish, which added a nice bite of acidity to cut through some of the grease.  The calamari itself was soft and tender, not chewy; it was cooked surprisingly well.  There pieces were small, and were a lot of rings, though, and not many tentacles -- something I noticed, but not the end of the world.  The batter was seasoned well, with a strong black pepper flavor (I was a fan), but it was fragile and crumbly.  Whether that was due to the greasiness or the batter recipe was unclear; I would have appreciated a little more crispness, however.  The Old Bay Aioli was fantastic (and I generally don’t like mayonnaise or mayo-based sauces).  It was really flavorful, and had a nice kick to it.  

The sandwiches on the menu came with a few side options: chips, fries, sweet potato fries, and truffle fries.  We had a side of fries, and our friends had sweet potato fries and chips that they were kind enough to share with us.  The fries were medium cut and battered, crispy outside and fluffy inside, and nicely seasoned. We got to try the sweet potato fries, too; my main gripe with sweet potato fries are that they can be soggy or undercooked.  These were pleasantly crispy, and soft inside.  House-made chips are also a side option. They were thick cut and well salted, but a lot greasier than either of the fries.

Our friends who ordered sandwiches or burgers got pickles on the side, and they all raved about them!  Matt asked our waitress to bring us one so that we could try it and she was nice enough to bring us an extra!  They were really good dill pickles, a little oniony and sour without being too puckery.

We really enjoyed our pit stop at Hobbs Tavern.  Their beers were great (and they also had some nice beers coming on tap), and their appetizers, sandwiches and burgers were nice, too.  I’d definitely return, if I were ever in West Ossipee again.

Overall:

Though we didn’t have a lot of their food, everything we ate at Hobbs Tavern was well cooked, well seasoned, and delicious. Their beer showcased a range of styles, and their flights came out on boards that had the names written on them (always a nice touch). We received great service, and had a nice experience before the drive back to Boston. Though the entree prices were a bit on the higher side, we felt like the sandwiches and apps were fairly priced.

We’d definitely point a friend who’s near Ossipee in the direction of Hobbs as a place where they can warm up, fill up, and have some great beer.

We give Hobbs Tavern 4 pickle spears out of 5.

[tyleroakley-obsessed]

Here are the more than 35 Memphis burgers that you absolutely have to try. These best Memphis hamburgers and cheeseburgers are in no particular order. I list my personal favorites and controversial opinions at the bottom of this post. This certainly isn’t everywhere you can get a Memphis, or leave your favorite in the comments! You can click on the links for more information about the best Memphis burgers. A Mr. Goodburger from Roxie’s Grocery: a greasy, gooey, beloved Memphis burger in Uptown. The West Coast Burger from Huey’s (Memphis’ classic burger restaurant, with locations across the Mid-South) comes with all the fixings, plus guacamole and Monterey Jack cheese. The BBQ Burger from Tops, a greasy griddle burger topped with pulled pork, is a local favorite. Get the Greek Burger from Alex’s Tavern: legendary, juicy, and served with Greek seasoning and cheese. Cash only and available very late. Order a Soul Burger from Earnestine & Hazel’s, a Memphis burger classic, griddle fried with all the toppings (cheese, onions, and pickles, if you like) melted all together. Go for an Original Jerry’s Burger from Jerry’s Sno Cones. Did you know the infamous Memphis sno cone stand has more than just cold treats? Try the Good Night/Good Cause from Hopdoddy. Yes, it’s a chain, but $1 of proceeds for this particular burger (with cheddar, caramelized onions, caffeinated BBQ, jalapeños) are donated back to the Stax Academy. Burger from Hopdoddy Mojo Cheeseburger from Memphis Mojo Cafe in Bartlett is a solid choice, or you can go for one of their more adventurous burgers with all kinds of toppings. Find the Gourmade Burger from Gourmade Food Truck at breweries and fests around town. The Beetle Burger is from the Green Beetle, downtown’s oldest tavern. On Tuesdays, this Memphis burger is $7.99 with fries. Do the Double Double from Dyer’s – either on Beale Street or at their Collierville location. Fried in 100-year-old grease, this burger comes with two patties and two slices of cheese. Eat a Bibimbap Burger from Kwik Chek, which adds bibimbap veggies and a fried egg to a grilled cheeseburger. The Wimpy from Wimpy’s – which you can get in midtown or Southaven – is a classic grilled cheeseburger with whatever toppings you can handle. Get a side of sweet potato fries with praline sauce. The Whiskey Burger from the Flying Saucer downtown: it’s a chain, but Memphis is the only location with a menu of gourmet-style burgers. The Poutine Burger from Kooky Canuck is available at their downtown and Cordova locations, and it’s topped with Canadian-style fries + gravy + cheese curds poutine. The Big Deuce from the Slider Inn in midtown may not count technically as a burger even though it’s got two patties, cheese, and all the fixings, but it won’t hurt anyone to be on this list, right? (The parameters of what constitutes a Memphis burger sound like a debate we can have another time, preferably while consuming said burgers/alleged burgers.) The LBOE Burger, from LBOE just west of Overton Square in midtown Memphis, goes all out with Havarti, garlic cream, bacon, green chilies, and yes, corn chips! The Last-Burger-On-Earth folks took home the trophy for “Best Burger” at the World Food Championships last fall, so you know they’re for real. The John T. Edge Burger from Hog & Hominy is named for the famous food journalist and is included on a couple of “best burgers in the country” lists. The Pub Burger at Local Gastropub (Overton or Main Street) is good for $6.99 (with fries) during lunch and all day on Mondays. Nice. Grab a Vault Cheeseburger from The Vault on South Main, which comes with bacon and spicy mayo on a Broiche bun. Babalu Burger from Babalu is available at their Overton Square and East Memphis locations, and people really love it. Get a Sidestreet Burger from Sidestreet Burgers in Olive Branch, Mississippi, perhaps paired with a beer from the MS Ale House next door. Go for a Prime Burger from 117 Prime, which comes with Jarlsberg, sauteéd mushrooms, and Dijonaise. The Bomba-B Burger from Sabor Caribe in the Medical District is more than your average burger; this Memphis Venezuelan restaurant adds all kinds of stuff to their burger including but not limited to an egg, salami, avocado, and slaw. The Southern Gentleman from Belly Acres in Overton Square comes with greens, bacon, and sweet potato. Chef José’s Sirloin Burger from River Oaks in East Memphis: it’s a thick, juicy patty on a crusty bun with your choice of cheese. The No. 1 Farm Burger can be found in the Crosstown Concourse. It’s a chain, but they are all about that grassfed local beef, so here they are. The Homestyle Seasoned Burger from Young Avenue Deli goes beyond the cheese sticks and fries you love, with a half-pound patty – add cheese (or pimento cheese if you’re feeling frisky). Get the Stuffed Burger from Mot & Ed’s Southern Eatery – you have the choice of Angus or Turkey patty. (temporarily closed while they move to a new location) Try the Pimento Cheeseburger from Sweet Grass Next Door, topped with house-made pimento cheese. Go for an Awesome Sauce Burger from Buon Cibo in Hernando, Miss. This burger comes topped with fried onions, bacon jam, and piquillo pepper aioli. Eat the Chopped Steak Burger from Off The Hook in Arlington, which is top rated by local burger experts. The Wing Guru’s speciality is obviously chicken wings, but please don’t sleep on their Cheesburger. I bet 75 percent of restaurants in Memphis serve hamburgers, so this isn’t a list of every place to get a burger in Memphis. That list would take forever, and I got more stuff to write about today, y’all. I’m already thinking of several spots that have a decent burger that could (and maybe will) be added. But, as promised, the juicy, greasy details…guaranteed to make someone mad. If you follow me on Twitter you’ve heard this all before. I know a lot of people go for Tops, and rave about Babalu and hate on various “best of” winners every year; everyone has their own passionate and perfectly valid opinions. So here are mine: Brass Door’s classic cheeseburger has been perfectly cooked, juicy, and delicious every time (sadly, they’re temporarily closed). Flying Saucer downtown brought back that thick gastropub burger with the froufrou toppings and I. am. here. for. it. Back during the Foodnado of ’14 when a bunch of burger places opened, I thought LBOE had the best of the bunch- I actually loved the Fritos on it. For a greasy griddle burger, I crave Soul Burgers from E&H and Wimpy’s, and Sear Shack. I would probably marry the Alex’s Greek Burger if I could, but Roxie’s—my other love—would get too jealous.  I also really like Huey’s and eat their burgers and big fat onion rings on a regular basis. This post is about a) some of the well-known Memphis burgers, b) burgers endorsed by one of my trusted sources, and c) ones I have tried and think are worth you trying. Got one you adore that’s not on the list? Leave it in the comments! We’ll have the best comment section in town! Are you a home owner in Memphis, with a broken garage door? Call ASAP garage door today at 901-461-0385 or checkout https://ift.tt/1B5z3Pc

https://ilovememphisblog.com/2020/08/all-the-best-burgers-you-have-to-eat-in-memphis/

[ecotone99]

[HM] I'm in a Romantic Relationship with My Older Brother's Cast Iron Skillet

I'm not sure even why I'm writing this down. I suppose I wanted to get this out there so that I can reflect on it myself mostly. I'm in a romantic relationship with my older brother's cast iron skillet, and I'm doubting what I should do about this illicit affair. I've considered the options. Should I run away as discretely as I can? I could shove it into my backpack, get to the nearest bus stop out of town. I sure as hell wouldn't want anyone to see us, not like this at the very least. If it were up to me, I would go happily undetected making steaming hot eggs and bacon, crispy fried garlic bread, creamy corn pudding, the night that no one was home and there was no risk of anyone hearing the loud buzzing of our blender, even braised potatoes the night the lid to a pot was left out on the counter top, and there was no risk of making too much noise accidentally hitting the wood grain cabinet in getting it out, as had happened before when I foolishly attempted it near the beginning of this relationship. I have done all of this, night after night with the hot piece of iron that is another man's skillet.

I'm not going to sit here and pretend to be at all honorable regarding this, as I type all of the sordid details here. I'd only be sorry if I were caught, I do admit to that. I don't want to entertain the idea of that, which is why I've considered simply ending the affair and moving on with my life. I'm selfish in leaving as I am should I stay, I know this if I were to back out now. What's done has already been put past us, at least it seems to be that way. Every time I look at the rustic, enduring surface of my love, I can't help but remember all that is permanently ingrained into my own heart forever, such as the garlic smoked asparagus that I had from it the other night. This had been especially suspicious the next morning, if the acrid smells from the bathroom were any indication for my otherwise clueless older brother. He has no idea all of the things that we have done. He would wring my neck in pure, unadulterated rage if he knew. The things engraved in hot passion into a man's skillet is his own and his only, this is something so few understand, yet I do. I do and I do all of the things described anyway, such as reheating the pulled pork we had at the family barbecue and searing cold, bland green beans with the leftover aioli, until they were a tasteful compliment to the meal.

I couldn't believe he had the gall to bring those as a side dish! I could treat my love for what it's worth, treat it right, not like he does. He doesn't deserve such a seasoned companion to be his. I now know why I have decided to put these thoughts into words. I have now reached a clarity that I couldn't have before, much like the clarified butter I made, after I had some left over from the macaroni and cheese recipe I had tried two weeks ago, all of course with my beloved. I had affectively told it how I felt that night, and it replied in sizzling passion. I tried to deny it, but my feelings only layered further on, much like the build-up over time of all that we've done together. Thus, I will confront him and he will know. Perhaps I had always suspected it would accumulate to this point all along. It's possible that I denied my true feelings due to my cowardice, to my ultimate aversion of what I would eventually have to do, but no more. We will be as we've been, only without the weight of an unworthy man cast down upon us, pulling us apart. I've had it! No longer will we live under this iron tyranny! I will take his skillet, no, my skillet. We'll have a beautiful life together, and I'll treat it better than he ever could.

We will leave and start our life together. I will pack all of my belongings. I will tie my love to the top of my pickup truck if I have to, but after tomorrow we will be gone. I can already imagine the things we could achieve together with him out of the picture, much like the picture that I'm in of me holding our baby back ribs. He thinks I made them in the crock pot, ha! The fool. You can clearly see in its deep, smoldering brown glaze that it is the product of nothing but the best, of my dear. I have so many things in store, like the braciole from the beef top round that I had the butcher slice when I was at the grocer's. We will be so happy together. Under the stars of the camp grounds by the fire, early mornings in the kitchen, even outside together at the next barbecue. We won't have to be wary of eyes on us anymore. I will proudly declare it from the rooftop of any get together that it is my cast iron skillet, that I have jumped into the fire for it and would do it all again, and everything will be as I have wanted it for years. After all, a cast iron skillet deserves not a cook, but a chef.

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[keijay-blog]

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Build a Memorable Hot Chocolate Bar for Your Next ...

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Buttery Radish Baguette

My dad and brother are crazy for radishes, and this peppery baguette appetizer is a big-time favorite. Add a sprinkle of fresh dill or parsley on top. —Kathy Hewitt, Cranston, Rhode Island

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Spicy Crab Salad Tapas

I served these at a party and everyone went wild! These delicious morsels have a crispy flaky outside filled with creamy sweet crab that has a little kick. I used scalloped edge cookie cutters to cut my pastry, but you can use a small biscuit cutter. —Vanessa Mason, Summerdale, Alabama

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Simple Waldorf Salad

This is my go-to salad when I need a quick little something for a meal. Sometimes when I want a sweeter taste I use whipped cream instead of yogurt. —Wendy Masters, East Garafraxa, Ontario

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Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs with Dill

My family is of Danish heritage, and my husband makes our smoked salmon. To use it, I came up with these dilly deviled eggs. They’re a real treat and nice addition to any meal. —Charlotte Giltner, Mesa, Arizona

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Cucumber Canapes

I always get requests for the recipe for these canapes whenever I serve them. They’re delicate finger sandwiches with a creamy herb spread and festive red and green garnishes. —Nadine Whittaker, South Plymouth, Massachusetts

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Layered Fresh Fruit Salad

People always pass on compliments when I take this salad to covered-dish suppers. It’s nice on a hot day…with a winter meal…or as a dessert! We live on a small farm where my garden gives me lots of possibilities for fresh food. —Page Alexander, Baldwin City, Kansas

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Oysters Rockefeller

My husband and I are oyster farmers, and this classic dish always delights our guests. It’s deliciously simple! —Beth Walton, Eastham, Massachusetts

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Herb-Roasted Olives & Tomatoes

Eat these roasted veggies with a crunchy baguette or a couple of cheeses. You can also double, or triple, the amounts and have leftovers to toss with spaghetti the next day. —Anndrea Bailey, Huntington Beach, California

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Rye Party Puffs

I can’t go anywhere without taking along my puffs. They’re pretty enough for a wedding reception yet hearty enough to snack on while the gang is watching football on television. A platterful of these will disappear even with a small group. —Kelly Williams, La Porte, Indiana

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Dilly Cheese Ball

The whole family devours this herby cheese spread—even my son, the chef. Serve it with your favorite crackers. —Jane Vince, London, Ontario

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Chicken Pot Stickers

Chicken and mushrooms make up the filling in these pot stickers, a traditional Chinese dumpling. Greasing the steamer rack makes it easier to remove them once they’re steamed. —Jacquelynne Stine, Las Vegas, Nevada

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Salmon Mousse Canapes

It’s so easy to top crunchy cucumber slices with a smooth and creamy salmon filling. Guests rave about the fun presentation, contrasting textures and refreshing flavor. —Barb Templin, Norwwood, Minnesota

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Spicy Shrimp & Crab Cocktail

I don’t usually like radishes, but I love them in this shrimp cocktail. Serve it straight up, with tortilla chips or on a bed of butter lettuce. A zippy Bloody Mary mix works just as well as spicy V8. —Heidi Knaak, Liberty, Missouri

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Meatballs with Cranberry Dipping Sauce

With their cranberry dipping sauce, these no-fuss appetizer meatballs make use of traditional Thanksgiving ingredients, so they’re ideal around the holiday or anytime you’re craving those favorite seasonal tastes.—Ann Baker, Texarkana, Texas

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Smoked Trout Pate

This tasty spread is easy to make in a food processor, and it’s a guaranteed winner at any party. The recipe is versatile, so feel free to substitute other favorite smoked fish.—Judy Walle, Toledo, Ohio

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Pancetta, Pear & Pecan Puffs

I was recently at a wedding reception where the menu was all small bites. Here’s my rendition of the pear pastries they served. They’re the perfect combo of savory and sweet. —Arlene Erlbach, Morton Grove, Illinois

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Three-Cheese Fondue

I got this easy recipe from my daughter, who lives in France. It’s become my go-to fondue, and I make it often for our family.—Betty A. Mangas, Toledo, Ohio

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Smoked Salmon Bites

Because smoked salmon is one of my favorite ingredients, it plays a big role here. Best of all, there’s no cooking involved. —Tom Faglon, Somerset, New Jersey

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Autumn Pepper Relish

This colorful pepper relish is a favorite with friends and family—everyone always asks for the recipe because it tastes great on just about everything. I like to serve it over cream cheese with crackers or a sliced French baguette. I also include a jar in gift baskets. —Barbara Pletzke, Herndon, Virginia

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Artichoke & Caper Cream Soup

I adore the flavors of oyster mushrooms, capers and artichokes. So after experimenting with several batches, I came up with this soup. Every year I’m asked to bring it to our office Christmas party.

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Roast Beef Finger Sandwiches

These simple sandwiches are ideal for a bridal shower, brunch or high tea, when the menu is a bit more substantial. The mustard adds a nice kick without being overly spicy. —Anndrea Bailey, Huntington Beach, California

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Pimiento Cheddar Spread

I was a theater major in college, and our director’s mother always made sure we were well fed. I was particularly fond of her pimento cheese sandwiches and tried making a similar spread for crackers. It tastes just as good as I remember! —Katrina Jameson, Brandon, Mississippi

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Crabbie Phyllo Cups

I always like a little extra chili sauce on top of these easy snacks. If you’re out of crab, try them with water-packed tuna. —Johnna Johnson, Scottsdale, Arizona

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Sesame-Beef Pot Stickers

I enjoy having these little dumplings as a late-night snack while I’m watching television. They also work well as a quick appetizer for parties. —Carolyn Turner, Reno, Nevada

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Mini Crab Cakes

Fresh crab is one of my all-time favorite foods so whenever I get the chance to cook with it I will often make this dish. It’s great for appetizers but you can make larger ones for a fantastic dinner with a simple salad. —Ellen Riley, Murfreesboro, Tennessee

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Garlic-Dill Deviled Eggs

In my family, Easter isn’t complete without deviled eggs. Fresh dill and garlic perk up the flavor of these irresistible appetizers you’ll want to eat on every occasion. —Kami Horch, Calais, Maine

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One-Bite Tamales

Clever little meatballs deliver the flavor and rich sauce of a traditional tamale in a bite-sized portion. They’re a delightfully different addition to a holiday spread. —Dolores Jaycox, Gretna, Louisiana

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Shrimp in Phyllo Cups

I almost didn’t make these appetizers for last year’s Christmas party because I was running out of time, but I knew they’d be a tasty hit. Simple to make, the cups have few ingredients and look beautiful on the plate—very gourmet! This turned out to be one of the night’s favorites, and they just flew off the plate. —Terri Edmunds, Naperville, Illinois

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Pressure Cooker Marinated Mushrooms

Here’s a terrific healthy addition to any buffet spread. Mushrooms and pearl onions seasoned with herbs, balsamic and red wine are terrific on their own or alongside a tenderloin roast. —Courtney Wilson, Fresno, California

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Sweet Pea Pesto Crostini

I made a healthier spin on my favorite celebrity chef’s recipe by using hearty vegetable broth and less cheese. To top crostini, use less broth for a paste-like pesto. For use on pasta, add more broth for a sauce-like consistency. —Amber Massey, Argyle, Texas

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Creamy Red Pepper Veggie Dip

I got this recipe from a college roommate. Thick and creamy with just a touch of sweetness, this colorful dip is a winner served with chunky veggies. —Lynne German, Woodland Hills, California

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Florentine Almond Artichoke Mounds

I always enjoyed traditional artichoke cheese dip, and for a drinks and appetizer party, wanted to create a new appetizer that was a spin on that. This original creation is a bit reminiscent of the dip recipe, and works well on a buffet. —Sherry Johnston, Green Cove Springs, Florida

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Calamari Salad

This is one of the seven fish dishes we serve at Christmas time. It is easy to make and quite delicious! I enjoy it served both warm and cold. Either way, it has become one of our traditional dishes each year. The recipe has been passed down to me through my grandparents, who were excellent cooks. —Paul Rinaldi, Easton, Pennsylvania

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Pina Colada Dip

If you like pina coladas, you’ve gotta try this fluffy fruit dip. Scooped up with a slice of fresh pineapple, it tastes just like the beloved beachside drink. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

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Slow Cooker Marinated Mushrooms

Here’s a terrific healthy addition to any buffet spread. Mushrooms and pearl onions seasoned with herbs, balsamic and red wine are terrific on their own or alongside a tenderloin roast. —Courtney Wilson, Fresno, California

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Shrimp Cakes with Spicy Aioli Sauce

I made these for our staff Christmas party last year; they were such a hit that I was flooded with requests for the recipe the next day. Throughout the year, whenever I needed favors done at school, people gladly helped as long as I promised to bring them shrimp cakes! This year’s Christmas party is coming up, and I’m already being asked if I am bringing the shrimp cakes—I guess I am! —Linda Zilar, Kennewick, Washington

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Italian Steak Bruschetta

This recipe combines my favorite things to eat: toast, steak, bruschetta topping and delicious pancetta. It’s looks so pretty on the plate! This five-ingredient appetizer is easy to prepare but will have everyone thinking you spent a long time in the kitchen. —Devon Delaney, Westport, Connecticut

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Chinese Meatballs

These were a huge hit at a cookout I attended recently! You can use two tablespoons of chopped crystallized ginger in place of the fresh ginger if you like. —Pat Barnes, Panama City, Florida

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Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs

Flaky salmon and creamy sauce go so well over hard-boiled eggs. Drizzle the sauce or serve it on the side; it’s great either way. —Marinela Dragan, Portland, Oregon

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Chutney-Topped Cream Cheese Spread

I’ve had the pleasure of introducing many of my friends and family to chutney, that sweet and savory fruit sauce. Make the spread even faster by using chive-flavored whipped cream cheese. —Michelle Torkelson, Ham Lake, Minnesota

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Creamy Chicken Vol-au-Vent

My friends and I have been getting together for “ladies lunches” for years. These vol-au-vents are the perfect no-fuss fancy food; they look complicated, but are actually simple and fun to make. Whenever I think of good friends and good company, I think of these savory pastries. —Shauna Havey, Roy, Utah

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Oyster Cheese Appetizer Log

When you say “holiday tradition” around our house, this appetizer comes to mind immediately. Every winter, I make lots of cheese logs and freeze them for when I’m expecting company or need to take food to someone’s home. The blend of smoked oysters, chili powder, nuts and cream cheese tastes good-even people who don’t like oysters may enjoy this interesting appetizer. —William Tracy, Jerseyville, Illinois

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Spiced Pickled Beets

With spicy, robust flavor, these pickled beets are so good, they’ll convert any naysayers! —Edna Hoffman, Hebron, Indiana

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Three-Cheese Souffles

No matter when I’ve made these soufflés, they have always been a success. Although I’ve never seen the centers start to fall, it’s best to plan on serving them hot from the oven. —Jean Ference, Sherwood Park, Alberta

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Shrimp & Cucumber Rounds

I always make these appetizers for our get-togethers. They’re easy to prepare and a snappy addition to any party. —Kelly Alaniz, Eureka, California

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Microwave Pickles

You can enjoy a small batch of these sweet crunchy pickles anytime without the work of traditional canning methods. They’re loaded with flavor and so easy to make. —Marie Wladyka, Land O’Lakes, Florida

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[tebbyclinic11]

I Made This Garlicky Grand Aioli in 5 Minutes with...

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I Made This Garlicky Grand Aioli in 5 Minutes with...

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I am a Hellmann’s loyalist and always have a jar of it in the door of my fridge for artichoke dip, Magic Crispy Chicken with honey mustard, and every sandwich (especially tuna). Mayonnaise is always there, and I’ve never switched brands or thought to make my own until I saw this new recipe for grand aioli. Grand, you say? I had to know more.

Aioli and mayonnaise are kind of the same thing. Traditional aioli is made by emulsifying olive oil and garlic, so the name is used colloquially to mean “mayo, plus something else.” I know aioli as the thing I get with steak frites at a French restaurant, or what they call the spread on a slightly fancier sandwich shop. In this recipe, we use it as a dip for crudités, shrimp, and anything else you want to mingle with something creamy and garlicky.

The only thing I find stressful about making aioli is that you have to be incredibly careful when making an emulsion of egg yolks and oil, because those ingredients don’t want to go together. You have to force them by introducing them slowly, like when I bring my dog to the dog park. If you go too fast, the mixture will break, and it’s very difficult to get them to intermingle again into a fluffy, spreadable mixture.

You can also make smoothies, milkshakes, creamy dips and soups, and crepe batter with an immersion blender.

I had success making hollandaise in my immersion blender a few months ago, so I thought, why whisk it and risk it when a spinning blade can do all the work for me? I have a blue KitchenAid hand blender that I bought many years ago on Black Friday for $10, but it’s still affordable at $30 on Amazon. It comes with a cup sized for the mixer head, so even a small amount of ingredients makes constant contact with the blade. (You could also do it in a mason jar.) This is ideal, because you need the ingredients to be constantly mixed as you stream in oil.

First went in two egg yolks, 1 tsp. Dijon mustard, 1 clove grated garlic, and a pinch of salt. I measured out ½ cup olive oil in a pourable measuring cup and started running the motor. I added a little bit at first, and it immediately emulsified into a creamy, fluffy mixture, starting to double in size. Success! I added a splash or two of oil at a time in case it decided to break, but once I realized the immersion blender technique was impossible to mess up, I dumped the rest in, moved around the blender, and voila! A squeeze of approximately 2 Tbsp. lemon juice and a little more salt was all it needed. My grand aioli was finished in less than five minutes from start to finish.

Photo by Alex Lau

Level up to smashed potatoes with chorizo aioli.

It was tangy, thick, and super creamy. Garlicky enough to make you pop a mint if you eat it on avocado toast for breakfast (which I definitely did). The amount of oil required doesn’t make it cost effective to replace my beloved Hellmann’s, but in many ways, it’s an entirely different product: garlicky, homemade, near silky. I could also replace half the olive oil with a neutral oil like canola or sunflower to make a more classic mayo that costs less. And since I didn’t totally exhaust my arm whisking aioli, I used that energy to change the sheets on my bed and wash my kitchen counters. Side effects of immersion blender aioli may include increased productivity and better sandwiches.

Learn how to make aioli by hand here:

All products featured on Bonappetit.com are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn a small affiliate commission.

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[omnomwithrob]

Oh yeah!

On Saturday, October 28th, Rob and I spent the day running errands and ended up hungry for dinner in the East Village neighborhood of Chicago. (Why is it called the East Village? It’s west of downtown! I guess everything is east of something.) Rob had heard of this restaurant called The Winchester, and we decided to see about it (http://www.winchesterchicago.com/).

The place was pretty much empty at 7 on a Saturday night - we feared this was not a good sign. And after looking at the menu, I got even more discouraged - it was mostly small plates, American cuisine with the whole local, organic schtick, which is wonderful in theory, but has been boring me - so many restaurants of that nature seem to be making all of the same stuff! I figured we were going to spend a lot of money on small plates and leave hungry and dissatisfied, and they had three chances to prove me wrong.

The first plate that came out was the fried shishito peppers and cauliflower, seasoned with lemon and old bay and served with a chili aioli. I’ve had fried shishitos that wowed (http://omnomwithrob.tumblr.com/post/146284268847/the-city-that-always-sleeps) and others that were completely lackluster, and I’d say these were north of the median. They weren’t very spicy (thankfully, I don’t think either of us got one of those rogue spicy shishitos that always keeps things interesting) but were really well-seasoned and tasted great with the aioli. Surprisingly, the cauliflower was my favorite part - I’ve never had cauliflower that was anything better than tolerable, but it was expertly fried and it loved the old bay and lemon. A good start to the meal, for sure.

And it only got better from there. We next shared the double griddle burger, which was made with 35 day dry-aged beef from local Slagel Farms (a prominent local brand that seems to be served in many Chicago area restaurants), American cheese, red onion, shredded iceberg lettuce, house-made pickles, and a sun-dried tomato aioli. This burger had a lot of good qualities - it was nice and saucy, the patties were thin like I like them (though a single patty would have been fine with me), and I’m a sucker for shredded iceberg on a burger.

My half was a bit undercooked (it was pretty red on the inside), and it could have used a touch more onion in my opinion, but overall we really loved this classic, juicy burger. And the fries were amaaaaazing - perfectly seasoned and served with a nice mayonnaise that felt light with the addition of what tasted like lemon and garlic. They reminded me of my favorite style of French bistro fries, and we basked in the rarity of a place that makes a great burger AND great fries, not just one or the other.

Last, but by no means least, we shared the Roman gnocchi. It was unlike any gnocchi I’d ever had before - instead of the little dumplings, these were huge bricks of gnocchi, seared and served in a creamy white wine sauce with roasted mushrooms and parmesan cheese. It was FANTASTIC. The spongey texture of the gnocchi and rich, creamy, cheesy sauce reminded me of the bread and cheese casserole of my beloved Andre’s back home in Kansas City (https://andreschocolates.com/); despite this comparison, I relished finding what felt like a truly unique dish, particularly when I anticipated that The Winchester would only only offer the same ol’ same ol’.

Welp, The Winchester had three chances to prove this curmudgeon wrong, and they did it all three times (the quality of the food was directly in contrast to the quality of these abysmal photos...sorry about that). We had that fabulous experience of not being able to pick a favorite dish and left feeling completely satisfied. But it started to get spooky after we left...it was Halloween season after all, and I thought you might enjoy this unrelated-to-food photo of ol’ Rob, the bump, and me at a Halloween party we attended after dinner that night. OH YEAH!!

In sum, this Kool-Aid Man and her Hawaiian Punch counterpart can highly recommend The Winchester - we were truly impressed. On the other hand, I cannot recommend Kool-Aid; I drank some at this party for the first time in like fifteen years, and it is not good. So go to the Winchester, you guys. And don’t drink the Kool-Aid.

Caroline

[tyleroakley-obsessed]

Happy National Cheeseburger Day! Here are the more than 35 Memphis burgers – hamburgers, cheeseburgers, even a few veggie burgers – that you absolutely have to try. These are in no particular order. I list my personal favorites and controversial opinions at the bottom of this post. Leave your favorite in the comments! – A Mr. Goodburger from Roxie’s Grocery: a greasy, gooey, beloved Memphis burger in Uptown. – The West Coast Burger from Huey’s (Memphis’ classic burger restaurant, with locations across the Mid-South) comes with all the fixings, plus guacamole and Monterey Jack cheese. Huey’s West Coast Burger – The BBQ Burger from Tops, a greasy griddle burger topped with pulled pork, is a local favorite. – Get the Greek Burger from Alex’s Tavern: legendary, juicy, and served with Greek seasoning and cheese. Cash only and available very late. – Order a Soul Burger from Earnestine & Hazel’s, a Memphis burger classic, griddle fried with all the toppings (cheese, onions, and pickles, if you like) melted all together. – The Brass Door Burger, from the Brass Door Irish pub in downtown Memphis, comes with beer-braised onions and bleu cheese. – Go for an Original Jerry’s Burger from Jerry’s Sno Cones. Did you know the infamous Memphis sno cone stand has more than just cold treats? – Try the Good Night/Good Cause from Hopdoddy. Yes, it’s a chain, but $1 of proceeds for this particular burger (with cheddar, caramelized onions, caffeinated BBQ, jalapeños) are donated back to the Stax Academy. Burger from Hopdoddy – A Memphis Burger from EP’s Bar & Grill (inside The Guest House At Graceland) gets on the list because of its fried green tomato, bacon, crispy onion, and special sauce – and because it’s enormous. – The Street Burger from Arepa 901’s Venezulean food truck is piled high with cabbage, smoked ham, cheese, and special sauce. – Mojo Cheeseburger from Memphis Mojo Cafe in Bartlett is a solid choice, or you can go for one of their more adventurous burgers with all kinds of toppings. – Find the Gourmade Burger from Gourmade Food Truck at breweries and fests around town. – The Beetle Burger is from the Green Beetle, downtown’s oldest tavern. On Tuesdays, this Memphis burger is $7.99 with fries. – Do the Double Double from Dyer’s – either on Beale Street or at their Collierville location. Fried in 100-year-old grease, this burger comes with two patties and two slices of cheese. – Eat a Bibimbap Burger from Kwik Chek, which adds bibimbap veggies and a fried egg to a grilled cheeseburger. – The Wimpy from Wimpy’s – which you can get in midtown or Southaven – is a classic grilled cheeseburger with whatever toppings you can handle. Get a side of sweet potato fries with praline sauce. – The Whiskey Burger from the Flying Saucer downtown: it’s a chain, but Memphis is the only location with a menu of gourmet-style burgers. – The Poutine Burger from Kooky Canuck is available at their downtown and Cordova locations, and it’s topped with Canadian-style fries + gravy + cheese curds poutine. – The Big Deuce from the Slider Inn in midtown may not count technically as a burger even though it’s got two patties, cheese, and all the fixings, but it won’t hurt anyone to be on this list, right? (The parameters of what constitutes a Memphis burger sound like a debate we can have another time, preferably while consuming said burgers/alleged burgers.) – The LBOE Burger, from LBOE just west of Overton Square in midtown Memphis, goes all out with Havarti, garlic cream, bacon, green chilies, and yes, corn chips! The Last-Burger-On-Earth folks took home the trophy for “Best Burger” at the World Food Championships last fall, so you know they’re for real. – The John T. Edge Burger from Hog & Hominy is named for the famous food journalist and is included on a couple of “best burgers in the country” lists. – The Pub Burger at Local Gastropub (Overton or Main Street) is good for $6.99 (with fries) during lunch and all day on Mondays. Nice. – Grab a Vault Cheeseburger from The Vault on South Main, which comes with bacon and spicy mayo on a Broiche bun. – Babalu Burger from Babalu is available at their Overton Square and East Memphis locations, and people really love it. – Get a Sidestreet Burger from Sidestreet Burgers in Olive Branch, Mississippi, perhaps paired with a beer from the MS Ale House next door. – Order a Double Cheeseburger from Sear Shack’s several locations in Memphis and North MS, and top it any way you like, including with house-made pickles. Cheeseburger from Sear Shack – Go for a Prime Burger from 117 Prime, which comes with Jarlsberg, sauteéd mushrooms, and Dijonaise. You can only get it at lunch or brunch. – The Bomba-B Burger from Sabor Caribe in the Medical District is more than your average burger; this Memphis Venezuelan restaurant adds all kinds of stuff to their burger including but not limited to an egg, salami, avocado, and slaw. – The Southern Gentleman from Belly Acres in Overton Square comes with greens, bacon, and sweet potato. – Chef José’s Sirloin Burger from River Oaks in East Memphis: it’s a thick, juicy patty on a crusty bun with your choice of cheese. – The No. 1 Farm Burger can be found in the Crosstown Concourse. It’s a chain, but they are all about that grassfed local beef, so here they are. – The Homestyle Seasoned Burger from Young Avenue Deli goes beyond the cheese sticks and fries you love, with a half-pound patty – add cheese (or pimento cheese if you’re feeling frisky). – Get the Stuffed Burger from Mot & Ed’s Southern Eatery – you have the choice of Angus or Turkey patty. – Try the Pimento Cheeseburger from Sweet Grass Next Door, topped with house-made pimento cheese. – Go for an Awesome Sauce Burger from Buon Cibo in Hernando, Miss. This burger comes topped with fried onions, bacon jam, and piquillo pepper aioli. – Eat the Chopped Steak Burger from Off The Hook in Arlington, which Seth from Best Memphis Burger is quite fond of. ** – Try the Chipotle Sweet Potato Burger at Park + Cherry, inside the Dixon Gallery & Gardens, which is a sweet potato patty with tomatoes and mayo. Chipotle Sweet Potato Burger from Park + Cherry Photo via The Chubby Vegetarian. ** –  Enjoy a Veggie Burger at Mama Gaia in Overton Square; they have four different versions of their veggie burger, some of which come with cheese. ** – Try the Cashew Burger from Two Vegan Sistas near Bartlett, made from a seasoned cashew mix with lettuce and tomato. I bet 75 percent of restaurants in Memphis serve hamburgers, so this isn’t a list of every place to get a burger in Memphis. That list would take forever, and I got more stuff to write about today, y’all. I’m already thinking of several spots that have a decent burger that could (and maybe will) be added. But, as promised, the juicy, greasy details…guaranteed to make someone mad. If you follow me on Twitter you’ve heard this all before. I know a lot of people go for Tops, and rave about Babalu and hate on various “best of” winners every year; everyone has their own passionate and perfectly valid opinions. So here are mine: Brass Door’s classic cheeseburger has been perfectly cooked, juicy, and delicious every time. Flying Saucer downtown brought back that thick gastropub burger with the froufrou toppings and I. am. here. for. it. Back during the Foodnado of ’14 when a bunch of burger places opened, I thought LBOE had the best of the bunch- I actually loved the Fritos on it. For a greasy griddle burger, I crave Soul Burgers from E&H, Wimpy’s, and Sear Shack. I would probably marry the Alex’s Greek Burger if I could, but Roxy’s – my other love – would get too jealous.  I also really like Hopdoddy and Huey’s and eat them on a regular basis. This post is about a) some of the well-known Memphis burgers, b) burgers endorsed by one of my trusted sources, and c) ones I have tried and think are worth you trying. Got one you adore that’s not on the list? Leave it in the comments! We’ll have the best comment section in town! Are you a home owner in Memphis, with a broken garage door? 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