Month: February 2020

Dripping Springs Distillery – Dripping Springs, TX

Just outside of Austin, I discovered a local distillery making vodkas, gin, and bourbon, called Dripping Springs.

I had arrived at the perfect time for one of their daily tastings. It was a great setting. The weather was perfect to sit out on their porch with picnic tables all set up for the tastings.

Our guide was fantastic. He explained everything about the process of making the vodka and gin. He was also funny and entertaining.

I am not a gin fan but the gin that Dripping Springs makes had a subtle taste. I had no idea that besides juniper, it also had hibiscus and cardamom in it as well.

The gin was very tasty in a bloody Mary that I was able to try there. The spiciness of the bloody Mary paired well with the earthy taste of the juniper.

For the vodkas, there was a traditional unflavored, which was smooth. It did not have any after burn feeling. They also sampled their Texas Orange Vodka. They used fresh, hand zested oranges to create the orange flavor. It was very refreshing.

They make all their vodka in 50-gallon batches, so each bottle is really special.

In between all the tastings I munched on fresh popped popcorn. The salty taste helped cleanse my palate.

The last thing I got to try was their 1876 bourbon whiskey. They used Texas corn and Oklahoma rye and blend it in aged barrels. They finish it off with Hill Country spring water. I could taste hints of vanilla and smoke from the barrel. It went down smooth and had a sweet after-taste.

 I was really entertained by the tour guide. He was extremely knowledgeable of what we were drinking, what the ingredients are, and the entire process of how it is made. I would recommend anyone stopping by to check them out.

Visit their website at www.drippingspringsdistilling.com

Enjoy!

T

Home Slice Pizza – Austin, TX

Austin may be the capital of Texas, but it is a college town at heart. And being a college town, I expected to find a pizza joint. What I did not expect to find was an authentic New York style pizza place. That is exactly what Home Slice Pizza is.

This place was packed. They have a main restaurant and a separate building for to-go orders or ordering pizza by the slice. That day I ended up visiting them twice.

The first time I went to the take-out building. The line was so long but it was worth it to get my slice of pepperoni pizza. The crust was thin and crispy. They had a generous amount of pepperoni and a ton of cheese. It was perfect to fill an empty belly.

I went back later that evening. This time I went inside the restaurant. I did get another slice of pepperoni.

It was fun sitting at the bar, watching them make pizzas. They were busy all night. They are definitely a hot spot.

If you are in Austin you must stop by Home Slice Pizza. They do make a great slice.

www.homeslicepizza.com

Enjoy!

T

Bucee’s – Texas

If you have ever driven on a major highway in Texas you would surly seen a sign or billboard for Bucee’s. Bucee’s is a truck stop on steroids. They have tons of gas pumps, car washes, and the cleanest bathrooms. And do not think I am making that up about the bathrooms, they even promote it.

What I love about Bucee’s is their food and snacks. They offer everything you would need for a long drive from Houston to San Antonio or Austin to Dallas.

If you like kolaches they have several to choose from. Both sweet and savory.

If you like beef jerky, then they have you covered. It is all fresh, just waiting for you. It is fresh in their cases, not pre-packaged.

When people think of Texas, BBQ comes to mind. In the center of each store is their BBQ pit. They are chopping up fresh brisket, pulled pork, and chicken. They even offer fresh smoked sausages on a stick. They make up sandwiches that are hot and ready for you to grab. I had a pulled pork BBQ sandwich that was delicious. It was smoky and sweet from the sauce.

They also have great cheese and meat trays that they pack up and are perfect for on the go travel. I really liked their summer sausage with cheddar and pepper-jack cheese. The summer sausage was full of peppery flavor.

Their snack mixes are also perfect for traveling. The spicy mix I picked up was not too hot. It had a nice blend of nuts, sesame sticks, and bagel chips. The bags are great for a car or airplane.

And if you have been in the car for a while, Bucee’s has an entire store inside where you can shop for souvenirs.

Bucee’s truly is an experience. It is like nothing I have seen before. During my trip to Texas I visited 4 different ones. Each one offered the same experience. If you are in Texas you must put Bucee’s on your list.

Check them out at www.buc-ees.com

Enjoy!

T

Kolaches – Houston, TX

20 years ago, when I moved to Texas, I was introduced to a pastry called Kolaches. These became a staple for any breakfast get together. And when I moved away from Texas it because impossible to find these specialties.

For those of you that are not familiar with what a kolache is, let me give you a quick history lesson. Back on the early 1800s, Texas welcomed settlers from Central Europe. As they settle the vast land, they introduced a pastry from their homeland called the kolache. This pastry started off as a sweet fruit filling. It later evolved to include savory fillings. There is everything from egg filled for breakfast to pizza filled for a fun afternoon snack.

Since I was visiting Texas for a few days, I decided to indulge on kolaches since it is next to impossible to find outside of the state. I thought it would be fun to write about the different places I went in one big blog post.

My first stop was at Shipley Do-Nuts. While their main focus is donuts, they do offer a few kolaches choices. I went for the ham and cheese. This is perfect for lunch time. They use slices of ham and American cheese. That is then placed inside of the bun. It is baked up till the bread is fluffy and the ham and cheese is hot. When I bit in the cheese was nice and melted. There was a nice saltiness that complemented the sweetness of the bread.

www.shipleydonuts.com

The next shop I visited was the Kolache Factory. This is my favorite place. They offer one of the largest assortments of kolaches. They have breakfast fillings which are perfect for the first thing in the morning. I went for the bacon, egg, and cheese. They scramble the eggs and mix in chunks of crispy bacon and creamy cheese. What I love most about their kolaches is the bread. It is a yeast roll that is a little dense. It holds up well to the more robust ingredients they use for fillings. The yeast flavor gives the bread an extra sweetness.

www.kolachefactory.com

My last stop was to a shop called Bucees. This place is amazing and I will be having a separate blog write up about Bucees. Rather than doing another savory kolache, I went for a dessert one here. This is the traditional kolache that came over from Central Europe, more specifically Czechoslovakia. It is very similar to a danish. I got the cherry filling. It was sweet with pieces of sour cherry throughout. The dough was slightly sour which went well with the cherries. They had other fruit fillings but cherry is my favorite.

www.buc-ees.com

I had such a fun time getting kolaches from Houston to San Antonio. I only hit 3 places but there are so many more places out there to try. I am going to have to do this again for sure. If you are in Texas check of these places. Each of them have several locations. I included links to each of their websites for everyone to visit.

Enjoy!

T

The Crab’s Claw Inn – Lavallette, NJ

I love going to New Jersey and having fresh seafood. My last visit I got  to go to a 40 year old restaurant called The Crab’s Claw Inn.

Inside did feel like an old Inn, one that you might find tucked away in the mountains, not near the beach. They had the fireplace going to help warm everyone up from the cold outside.

The table started off with a pitcher of sangrias. We went for the red. We also got it without ice so it would not get watered down. It was still cold when it came out so it still was refreshing. They used a dryer red wine so it was not overly sweet.

The crab dip was the first appetizer to arrive at the table. They used a generous amount of fresh crabmeat that was sweet. They blended it with cheddar cheese, horseradish, chives, and Old Bay seasoning. The seasoning and horseradish added a little spice but the creamy cheese calmed it down. I loved how much cheese they used. The crabmeat and cheese paired well together. They served tortilla chips on the side. They were perfect for scooping the dip and added the right amount of crunch.

The other appetizer that came out was the blackened tuna bites. They served large pieces of tuna. They were covered with blackening seasoning and cooked to the perfect medium. The seasoning gave the over bite a salty taste. It was balanced out by the creamy chipotle ranch sauce that they served on the side. The tuna was so tender I could tell how fresh it was.

My dinner came with a choice of soup or salad. I went for the Manhattan clam chowder. This is one of my favorite soups. The vegetable broth was loaded with fresh vegetables and nice chunks of potato. I love when soups have a lot of potatoes. It helps make the soup filling. The soup was also loaded with fresh tender clams. The soup had a great savory taste. It had a comforting feeling.

For my dinner I got the shrimp stuffed with crabmeat. They semi-butterflied the shrimp so that they could stuff the crabmeat mixture inside. The mixture reminded me of a crab cake. They used a lot of crab in the mixture as well.

They baked the shrimp in a little butter until the crab mixture became crispy on the outside. The shrimp were tender. I loved the crab. It was sweet and the filling added additional sweetness with a hint of savory from the spices. They also served some fresh carrots and a baked potato on the side to help make this a complete meal.

To finish off this wonderful dinner I ordered their homemade rice pudding for dessert. The pudding was creamy and sweet. It had a wonderful accent of cinnamon. They also topped it with a ton of fluffy whipped cream. Even the whipped cream had a sprinkle of cinnamon. It was delicious.

The food was fantastic at The Crab’s Claw Inn. I knew it had to be since they have been serving the area for 40 years. If you are in the area and wanting some fresh seafood, head on over.

Check out their menu at www.thecrabsclaw.com

Enjoy!

T

San Sebastian Winery – St. Augustine, FL

I love going to wineries when I travel. It gives me a chance to try something new. When I was visiting the beautiful city of St. Augustine I came across the San Sebastian Winery. I had arrived just in time for their winery tour, and to my surprise this tour and the tasting that followed was free.

The tour started off with a video talking about the history of the winery and how they were able to get a hybrid grape to grow in the Florida climate. I also learned that there is a native grape in Florida called the muscadine grape. They also have a sister winery in Central Florida where many of the grapes are grown.

After the video we took a quick walk through the tank room. Here they explained how many gallons of wine the metal tanks hold.

After the tour we headed downstairs to their tasting room. We were going to get to try pretty much everything they make. Our tour guide did a fantastic job describing the wines as we tasted. I tried the best I could to make notes about everything I tried. I ended up buying 6 bottles to take home.

Here are the wines I tired, all in order.

  • Pinot Grigio – this was not a sweet wine nor was it dry. I felt this was mild. It was recommended to enjoy this wine with some fresh Florida seafood.
  • Chardonnay – Now I am not usually a fan of Chardonnay because they tend to be really dry to me. I was willing to try this one. It was smooth and not that dry. I could see someone drinking this with a nice chicken dish.
  • Rosa – This was a sweet wine that is made with the native Florida muscadine grape. I felt this was perfect for sipping, no food is needed to enjoy this wine.
  • Cabernet Sauvignon – This is a very classic dry red wine. It did have some oak flavor. It had a great aftertaste. When I tasted this, I could see myself eating some pasta while enjoying a glass.
  • Vintner’s White – This was another sweet wine. It was sweeter than the Rosa. It had a fruity taste. It is recommended that this wine be drunk within 2-3 days after opening the bottle. This wine is also made with the Florida muscadine grape.
  • Vintner’s Red – This is the red version of the white wine I wrote about above. They make the red version from the Noble variety of the muscadine grape. They served this wine chilled. It would be perfect to make a sangria out of this wine.
  • Proprietor’s Reserve – This is a special blend of the Vintner’s Red and sherry. This is a true sipping wine that is sweet. It would be good after dinner with some cheese.
  • Cream Sherry – This is the perfect dessert wine. It had almost a caramel taste to it. It was recommended to enjoy this sherry with an assortment of cheeses. This is good for 8-10 months once it has been opened.
  • Ruby Port – The port I got to try had been aged 6 months. It was fresh and had a hint of nuttiness. It was light and the perfect dessert wine. This port is also good for 8-10 months once the bottle has been opened.
  • Blanc de Fleur – This is their sparkling wine. The create these by the traditional method called Methode Champenoise. This means that each bottle is fermented individually, aged and rotated by hand until it is ready to be sold. This bubbly wine was sweet and full of fruity flavor. It would be perfect for any special occasion.
  • Mulled Wine – This was a special treat right at the end. They have a blend of spices that include cinnamon and cloves that they let simmer in their Vintner’s Red wine. They do this until the flavors are amerced into the wine. The smell and the taste of the mulled wine feels like Christmas in a glass. It would be perfect to serve on a cold winter night. You can buy their bag of spices and make it with any red wine.

The wine tour and tasting was a fabulous experience. Now it was time to head upstairs to their roof top bar. There you can order some food, enjoy a cocktail or a bottle of wine, and look out over the city of St. Augustine.

I decided to order a sangria. They used the Vintner’s Red wine, chilled it and added some fresh slices of fruit. It was very refreshing and sweet. It was perfect for a warm Florida afternoon. My friend got a glass of port since he enjoyed it so much during the tasting. The roof top was a fun place to hang out. We left before the band arrived but I am sure everyone there had a blast.

If you are in St. Augustine and you enjoy wine, then stopping by San Sebastian Winery is a must. And the good thing is they can ship the wine to you.

Visit their website at www.sansebastianwinery.com

Enjoy!

T

The Conch House – St. Augustine, FL

Some friends of mine told me that I had to go eat at The Conch House when I was visiting St. Augustine. They said I would not be disappointed.

The restaurant is pretty big. They have tons indoor and outdoor seating. They also have these tiki hut tables that you can sit at for a better view of the water. When I visited it was really cold and windy outside, so I got a table inside.

To start out with I ordered a Bloody Mary. They had a basic one and then some specialty ones that almost put an entire meal on the glass. Since I was going to be ordering food, I did not want to fill up on the cocktail.

I could not come to a place called The Conch House and not order any conch. I settled on an order of the conch fritters. The fritters were amazing. They were full of pieces of conch. The breading had a sweet taste to it. They served a homemade key lime mustard sauce. It had a sweet and tangy flavor. It accented the conch fritter perfectly.

The other starter I got was the Banana Pepper Calamari. They coated the fresh calamari in a flour loaded with Cajun spices. This fried up crispy and had a wonderful spicy flavor. They sprinkled fresh parmesan cheese on top. They served on the side, banana peppers, red peppers, and scallions in a lemon garlic butter sauce.

The waitress recommended that the pepper mixture get poured over the calamari. This adds additional tangy flavor.

The restaurant has a bottle of sauce on their tables called Datil Pepper Sauce. This locally made sauce is very much like a cocktail sauce on steroids. It has the cocktail sauce base with additional seasonings blended in that gave it a sweet taste. It tasted fantastic with the calamari. To me this sauce would be good with anything.

For my main dish I ordered the Jamaican Jerk chicken. This was a bone-in quarter chicken. They baked this chicken and then covered it in a Jamaican jerk sauce. They served it with a pineapple salsa. The chicken was not as spicy as I was expecting, but it did have a hint of spice. The pineapple salsa added a sweetness to the spice. It was the perfect blend of sweet and heat.

The chicken also came with fresh fried plantains and coconut rice. The plantains were perfectly ripe, full of sweet flavor and a nice soft texture. The coconut rice had a wonderful subtle coconut taste. I ended up mixing some of the pineapple salsa into the rice to create a completely tropical dish.

I really enjoyed what I ordered at The Conch House. I also loved that Datil Pepper Sauce so much I bought a bottle for home.

If you are in St. Augustine or just driving through to get to Jacksonville, I recommend you make a stop. Check out their website and menu at www.conch-house.com

Enjoy!

T

Nineteen Sixty-One – Lakeland, FL

Downtown Lakeland is seeing growth of so many new bars and restaurants. Nineteen Sixty-One is one of the newest openings. They were originally located in a smaller location in Lakeland, but popularity has allowed them to expand and open downtown. They offer up a wonderful selection of Latin influenced dishes.

I visited them on a Sunday so that I could enjoy their brunch. And what goes best with brunch, bottomless mimosas. They offer a few different flavors. I enjoyed the traditional orange juice and then a few pineapple juices.

I started off with an order of the Croquetas de Jamon. These croquetas were filled with creamy mashed potatoes and a mixture of creamy Manchego cheese and Serrano ham. They placed a guava glaze on the plate. This added a sweet element to the salty croqueta. It was the perfect balance. I loved how creamy they were. The ham gave it an overall savory flavor.

For my meal I ordered the Torrejas. This is the Spanish version of French toast. They took Cuban bread and soaked it in a custard. After pan frying the slices of bread they covered each piece with roasted pineapples and warm honey.

This was no ordinary French toast. The dish overall was sweet, almost like a dessert. Whatever was in the custard, it really gave the bread amazing flavor. It was really good by itself. The honey just added additional sweetness. The pineapple was also sweet but did add a hint of tartness because of the acidic acid found in the pineapple.

The serving size was pretty big so you could share this with someone if you wanted to.

They have a great brunch menu that has traditional breakfast items as well as some hearty options. One dish that looked good was the Nashville hot chicken.  Many people were ordering this. I would be curious to try it and see how close it was to actual Nashville hot chicken.

I really enjoyed my brunch at Nineteen Sixty-One. I would definitely go back. I would also like to check out their roof top bar.

You can see their menu at www.nineteen61.com

Enjoy!

T