Author: gatorgirl.outoftheswamp@gmail.com

Carroll’s Sausage & Country Store – Ashburn, GA

If you have ever been traveling along Interstate 75 between Atlanta, Georgia and the Florida border you have probably passed Carroll’s Sausage and Country Store.

I had passed it many times and I finally decided to stop in. I just had to see what it was all about. The parking lot was packed with travelers just like me.

I was overwhelmed as soon as I walked in. There were candies, jerky, jams and jellies all up at the front for customers to grab. Toward the back of the shop were the deli counters. These cold cases were filled with steaks, pork chops, different styles of bacon, sausages, and a ton of meat sticks. They called the meat sticks “snack sticks”.

     

I got a few links of homemade sausages to put in the cooler I had in the car. This way I could grill them up when I got to my destination.

For the long drive I grabbed a few of the snack sticks. I figured those would be easy to munch on. I went with three different flavors.

  • Pepperoni – this was just a classic
  • Garlic Parmesan – these had a great garlic taste while the Parmesan flavor was very subtle.
  • Jalapeno with Pepper-jack Cheese – This was my favorite. The jalapeno made it slightly spicy and the cheese added even more heat but also a creamy texture. They really used a generous amount of cheese in each stick.

I also grabbed some beef jerky as a gift for a friend. I did not get to try any but my friend said it was wonderful.

Stopping at Carroll’s was the highlight of my drive. They had great snacks and surprises for you to take home. I will definitely be stopping for more snack sticks and sausage the next time I drive through. They are open 7 days a week

Check them out at www.carrollssausage.com

Enjoy!

T

Hollywood Brewing Company – Hollywood, FL

There is a brewery right on the beach in Hollywood, Florida called Hollywood Brewing Company. What better way to enjoy beer than at the beach.

They have a great painting on the wall that explains the beer making process. It is simple but gets the key points across.

I sampled a few of their beers but they were a little too hoppy and bitter for my liking. But if you are a fan of German style beer then they will be perfect for you.

 I went for one of their cocktails. The Victoria’s Lemonade sounded great. It was vodka, Sprite, and a splash of pomegranate juice. It was a refreshing taste that was not too sweet.

Naturally I had the munchies while I was enjoying my cocktail. I saw a pretzel on the menu. This freshly baked pretzel was covered in salt. It also came with a side of mustard. The mustard had a wonderful sweet taste. I enjoyed the pretzel but it was a little over cooked, so as it cooled down it got slightly harder.

There were these dumplings on the menu that caught my attention. There was not much of a description so I asked my bartender about them.

These were Russian style dumplings. The bite size pasta was stuffed with ground beef and lamb. They were boiled in a chicken broth. The broth added a salty taste to the pasta itself. The meat was tender and full of flavor. I was very surprised that these little dumplings were so savory.

Hollywood Brewing Company was a fun, little surprise along the beach. If you need to get out of the sun or work up an appetite after swimming, check them out. http://hollywood.beer/

Enjoy!

T

Fire – Winter Haven, FL

I have written about Fire Restaurant before. I was back in town and I wanted to stop by again.

To my surprise the entire restaurant had been remodeled and the menu had been slightly updated. What I remembered about the restaurant before was it was dark with rich wood beams and wood paneling on the wall. Now it has been brightened up with trendy gray paint, fresh decor on the walls, and cool updated light fixtures. It really was a transformation.

     

I was excited to try some of the new menu items. I started with the chicken noodle soup. The soup was a little thick; it reminded me of chicken and dumplings. The broth had a great savory taste. They include lots of fresh vegetables and noodles. Plus there are large pieces of fresh roasted chicken.

I also ordered the grilled shrimp skewers. My waitress mentioned that this was one of her favorite dishes. The shrimp had a sweet teriyaki glaze. It paired really well with the grilled taste of the shrimp.

The shrimp rested on top of a slaw salad made with cucumbers, red onion, and feta cheese. It was tossed in a Vidalia onion like dressing. The flavor was amazing. It was sweet overall and the feta cheese added a subtle tang. The cucumbers soaked up the sweet taste and added crunch.

They had a few flatbreads on the menu. The fig, prosciutto, and Gorgonzola cheese pizza sounded like an interesting combination. The fig added a sweetness, the prosciutto added the saltiness and the Gorgonzola added tanginess. When eaten all together it was a trifecta of flavor. They all worked off each other. The crust was super thin. It was a cracker like crust but still sweet. Because it was so thin, the pizza toppings took center stage without the crust taking over.

The changes at Fire are well worth another visit. Their new dishes were great. Check them out at www.thefirerestaurant.com

Enjoy!

T

House of Blues – Anaheim, CA

There are House of Blues in many major cities in the US. I recently went to one location in Anaheim, California not far from Disneyland.

As soon as I walked in I noticed this beautiful decorated column. It was covered in different beads and it blew me away.

     

Since I was there for an event they had a few food stations set up around the restaurant. The food choices were different dishes off their main menu.

They had this amazing jalapeno cheese cornbread. The cornbread itself was moist and the cheese added saltiness. The jalapenos (which were chopped up) added a slight amount of heat. The heat was subdued when I spread the creamy honey butter on top. The butter was so sweet that it almost made the cornbread a dessert.

They served some fantastic street tacos. They used fresh flour tortillas and loaded them up with chopped smoked chicken. Then they drizzled BBQ sauce across the top. They loaded up the taco with fresh pico de gallo, crispy shredded cabbage, and sour cream. The chicken was very tender and the BBQ sauce blended well with the sour cream. The tacos were very addicting.

The other fun part of the event was the mashed potato bar. They made really creamy mashed potatoes and served them in a martini glass. I had creamy queso poured over the potatoes. On top they added BBQ pulled pork. This added a sweet and smoky taste.

Then shredded cheese, fresh chopped tomatoes, and crispy bacon all covered the top of the pork. I loved that I was able to customize this to my liking. The cheese went really well with the BBQ which I normally do not see. The bacon added great crunch and the tomatoes added a hint of freshness.

Although I was there for an event, they really went all out on the food. The cornbread and the street tacos are on their regular menu so I would encourage everyone to try them. Check out their website at www.houseofblues.com

     

Also check and see when they have entertainment. It will make your visit even more fun.

Enjoy!

T

MIX – Anaheim, CA

Sometimes when I am traveling I do not get a chance to leave the hotel that I am staying at. In most cases the hotels have wonderful restaurants that I can try. MIX was one of those restaurants found inside the Hilton Anaheim in Anaheim, California.

     

Since it was just me having dinner they were able to seat me right away. I had a wonderful waitress, who was very attentive. She actually hung around and had a conversation with me about different things to see and do in Anaheim.

To quench my thirst I ordered an Arnold Palmer. For people who are not familiar with this drink it is a blend of ice tea and lemonade and it is named after one of the most famous golfers. I had never seen one made like this. They were able to get it layered perfectly.

I started off with the French onion soup. It had been a really long time since I have had a bowl. When my waitress brought out the bowl with the melted blanket of gruyere cheese on top, I could not wait to dive in.

Underneath all that cheese were sautéed onions that were caramelized to perfection. They were tender and sweet, which complemented the saltiness of the broth. Mixed with the onions were croutons that soaked up additional flavor from the broth and the cheese. The soup base was a blend of veal and chicken broth and topped odd with an accent of sherry.

For my main dish I ordered the Halibut. It was the chef’s special for the evening and it sounded delicious. The Halibut was extremely flaky and the skin was crispy around the edges.  The fish sat on top of tender couscous. I could taste accents of saffron throughout.

Also on top of the couscous was fresh broccolini and carrots.  The carrots were tender and still a little crispy. The broccolini was salty and buttery that made the leafy flowers very tasty.

The meal was the perfect end to the day. The food was good and the perfect serving size. It was nice to not feel overly stuffed at the end. If you are in the area of the Hilton Anaheim you should check out MIX.

www.hiltonhotels.com/Anaheim

Enjoy!

T

 

Two Henry’s Brewing Company – Plant City, FL

So inside Keel & Curley Winery, which I had previously written about, is a brewery called Two Henry’s Brewing Company.

They offer beer flight as well as cider flights. I went for a cider flight that allowed me to select five of their homemade ciders.

     

  • Elderberry – this was almost like a light fruit punch. It was sweet and full of flavor.
  • Mango – I could smell the mango as soon as I put the glass up to my nose. There was a sweetness that was throughout. It was very tropical in nature.
  • Pineapple – Since I love pineapple so much I knew I needed to try this. Overall it was slightly bubblier than the other ciders. This too was sweet and the pineapple taste was strong.
  • Strawberry – I could smell the strawberry. When I tasted it however, there was only an essence of strawberry. It was as if the apple cider was trying to push through.
  • Strawberry-Lime – This had a subtle sweet smell to it. The strawberry did not stand out. I actually thought I tasted banana, which is weird since there was no banana in the cider.

I also ordered the conch fritters to enjoy while sipping my cider flight.

They had a great crispy crust on the outside and soft and moist inside. There were large pieces of the actual conch mixed throughout the filling. It was a great complement to the cider.

If you like beer tastings or even interested in trying a cider flight, head over to Two Henry’s Brewing Company. Check out their menu at www.twohenrysbrewing.com

Enjoy!

T

Keel & Curley Winery – Plant City, FL

Florida has several wineries around the state. There is one not far off Interstate 4 as you are heading toward Tampa called Keel & Curley. I was excited to get to visit along with my sister.

They are much larger on the inside than what I was expecting. They have a full restaurant along with two large bars. We grabbed seats at the bar for more personal attention.

     

We both decided to do a wine tasting. This allowed us to try four of their homemade wines. We both decided to make two of our four choices different each other, that way we could each taste something different, basically six different wines.  We were just trying to maximize our experience.

My selections included:

     

  • Strawberry Riesling – this was sweet with a slight essence of strawberry, not overwhelming.
  • Tangerine Tango – I could taste the citrus when I first took a sip but there was a bitter aftertaste.
  • Key West Key Lime – This was the perfect name for a Florida wine. There were hints of coconut in the taste and scent. It was great for sipping. It almost had a tropical cocktail feel.
  • Black Raspberry – This had a sweet flavor with a slightly dry aftertaste.

There were two wines that my sister ordered that she let me try.

  • Sweet Blueberry – I could really taste the actual blueberries that they used in the wine. There was a slight tangy aftertaste.
  • Wildberry Pinot Noir – There was a sweetness to the wine but it did not linger. It was an interesting flavor.

While we were sampling all this wine, we did order something to munch on. The pretzels with beer cheese hit the spot. Three large pretzels came out with a little salt on top. There was a sweet taste to the dough. It almost seemed like they deep fried them to make the outside crispy. The cheese was creamy and there was only a hint of beer flavor.

We had a blast during our visit to Keel and Curley. It is a fun place to go for wine, food, and music. They also offer tours of the winery every hour. I did not get a chance to do that bu I plan on going back. Check them out at www.keelandcurleywinery.com

     

Enjoy!

T

3rd Anniversary

Today I am celebrating the 3rd anniversary of my food blog. I am so grateful for everyone who has encouraged me to travel and to write. I hope everyone is enjoying my adventures.

Enjoy!

T

Café Charlotte – Miami Beach, FL

I found a really cute Argentinian restaurant on a recent visit to Miami Beach. Café Charlotte offered up fresh made, authentic Argentinian dishes.

     

Since I wanted to try a few things on the menu the best option was their mixed platter. This allowed me to have four different things that were the perfect size.

First were the croquettes. These were ham and cheese. These were very similar to what I have had at tapas restaurants. The chopped up pieces of ham were blended in creamy potatoes and cheese.

The ham and cheese empanada was like a grilled ham and cheese sandwich wrapped up in dough. They used generous slices of ham and lots of creamy cheese. When the dough was fried up it melted the cheese so when I took a bite it oozed out.

The beef empanada was really interesting. They use steak that was chopped up and mixed with onions, potatoes, and chopped up hard boil eggs. It was not a combination I was expecting but I was pleasantly surprised. The fried dough that formed the empanada kept the savory juices locked inside.

The final item on the plate was a tequenos. This was actually a Venezuelan specialty. It is basically their version of a fried cheese stick. A dough (which reminded me of a wonton wrapper) was wrapped around a chunk of creamy cheese and then deep fried. The dough added a nice crunch to the cheese that you do not get with a traditional cheese stick. There was no dipping sauce but I did sprinkle a little hot sauce on it to add a little kick.

Café Charlotte is a nice little spot to get a bite to eat. While walking up and down the street they are a great stop to get out of the heat and enjoy some homemade dishes. Check them out at http://www.cafecharlottesouthbeach.com/

Enjoy!

T

Two Urban Licks – Atlanta, GA

There is a popular restaurant in Atlanta that was always booked solid when I tried to visit – Two Urban Licks. I was excited that during my last visit my group was able to get a reservation.

The restaurant was bustling with patrons and wait staff moving back and forth all over the place. While we waited for our table, we grabbed a drink from the bar. They had infused vodkas above the bar that looked refreshing. They also had several quirky named cocktails.

     

I went for the Peruvian Pirate. This concoction blended rum, key lime and Persian lime juices and Aji Amarillo chili simple syrup. This cocktail was not sweet at all, which is unusual for me to try since I tend to prefer sweeter drinks. There was some heat to the drink from the chili simple syrup. It was not overpowering it just gave a kick at the end.

When we were taken to our table, I was in awe of where our seat was. We were seated right in front of a huge “Living Wall”, which is a wall of fresh greenery plants.

There was also a waterfall that trickled all the way across the table. It had a kind of calming effect.

Once again since I was at dinner with a group of people, we ordered a bunch of appetizers for the entire table to share. We started off with a Caesar salad. The Romaine lettuce was still in large pieces so it made it a little difficult to share. They added a generous amount of Parmesan cheese and the spicy chili dressing on top. And a Caesar salad would not be complete without crunchy croutons.

The salmon chips were very impressive when they came out. The chips were a large homemade potato chip that was loaded with smoked salmon that was flaked apart. Drizzled on top were a chipotle cream cheese sauce, capers, and red onion. The sauce added creaminess and went surprisingly well with the smoky flavor of the salmon. The capers added saltiness while the red onions added crunch.

Up next was the shaved calamari. The calamari was lightly breaded and had a sweet and spicy taste. They served it with a wasabi aioli. The aioli had a interesting flavor, almost like horseradish, but I preferred the calamari plain.

The empanadas are a must try. These were not your typical empanadas. The pastry dough was stuffed with BBQ brisket. It was cut in half and topped with a garlic crema, feta cheese, and fresh pico de gallo.

The brisket filling was fantastic. It was tender, juicy, and full of flavor. It was truly the star! The pico de gallo and feta were nice additions but not necessary at all. The crema added an additional layer of flavor to the meat.

The hush puppies were not what I was expecting. These are not your typical hush puppies that come with fish and chips. These were made with ground up rock shrimp and pork belly that created a filling that had the texture of mashed potatoes. On top of the hush puppy was cabbage unagi and kimchi aioli. It was a pretty presentation.

I really did not eat the cabbage unagi. I focused on the hush puppies themselves. The filling was sweet and creamy. The outside breading added a crunchy texture. After tasting a few bites, I realized that these hush puppies were very similar to a potato croquet.

For my main dish I ordered the Halibut. The flaky piece of fish was seared so that the outside skin was crispy. The sauce they poured over it was a Thai chili miso butter. It added a rich taste that was both sweet and salty.

They also served a generous amount of fresh vegetables on the plate that included fresh baby bok choy, shishito peppers (not spicy at all), fairy tale eggplant (a small size eggplant) and baby corn. The bok choy tasted great with the miso butter. The peppers added crunch. The fairy tale eggplant was something new for me. They had a sweet, creamy taste and the skins were soft. The baby corn was just a fun addition.

Everything that I ate at Two Urban Licks was amazing. I am so glad I got to try a little bit of everything. It was a lot of food so I did not get to try dessert because I was so full. I highly recommend you check them out if you are in Atlanta. Visit their website at www.twourbanlicks.com

Enjoy!

T