All she wants is a little respect...

That's right!  Respect the Waffle of Insane Greatness...

Or the massive pile of cheesy eggs and Applewood bacon...

The potatoes are tossed with jalapenos that give them just enough heat to be exciting, but not so much you can't taste the rest of the meal.  The biscuits are also gargantuan.  Real cheddar cheese on the eggs is a plus.  Nothin' against American cheese, but sometimes you want the real thing.  And the bacon, oh my, the bacon.  Crunchy in consistency and rich in color, with a hint of happiness and love... Jim Gaffigan would be proud.

Aretha's has a cozy, friendly feel.  Make sure you have time to relax and enjoy a coffee or beer or a mixture of both, because the wait is long... but worth it!  - my mug shot courtesy of a good friend

Next time I fully intend to beat this guy's record (7 monster pancakes in 20 minutes), because these pancakes would totally be worth the pain...

One more thing! At the risk of sounding like a complete freak, I must say, bathrooms are very important to me... temperature, color, accents and hooks!  Golly, hooks are cheap and so many restrooms are sorely lacking a proper place to hang my purse.  Aretha's passed this test with flying colors!

Well, folks, as always, our annual Tennessee trip was embellished by delicious food with delightful friends. Can't wait to go back and eat pancakes until I can no longer move!

Happy Eating!

Tasty indeed...

Could this place possibly have picked a more appropriate name?  I submit that they could not.  Tasty's is the place to go in Fernandina for fresh, messy, sloppy, sauce-running-down-your-wrists burger!  And the fries...  I need a moment... 

ok, I'm back from my fry-dream.  As I was saying, the fries are delectable, delicious and demanding of a lot of napkins.  The place has a great diner feel to it and I love chilling at a picnic table outside.  We watched a storm roll in while feasting like burger kings and queens.  No, not the greasy fast food kind of "burger royalty". The "Fit for Queen Elizabeth's Jubilee" kind of meal.  

Here's where you go to order...

That's where we sat...

And here is what I gorged myself on...

Would you like a closeup?

These fries were incredible... I mean, LOOK at them! They should be outlawed.  I'm not kidding.  Well, maybe I'm kidding, because I would hate to have a criminal record because of french fries.  ANYWAY, what I particularly liked about these babies were the fact that they were Chili Cheese Fries without the chili.  Dusted in chili powder, they give the impression of chili without the soggy, greasy sauce.  The cheese is creamy and melty, but still allows the fries to maintain the perfect consistency... that fantastical realm between soft and crunchy.  Oh yeah, you know what I'm talkin' 'bout. 

I'm not ashamed, well, maybe a little ashamed, to say that I very literally had to cover them with a napkin to keep from hurting myself.  I really wanted to eat every last one and then bang on the door until they served me more.  

Which leads me to one more 'kudos' for Tasty's:  if the customers are coming, they keep cooking.  We arrived at 2:30 not knowing they closed at 2.  However, the very cheerful lady at the counter said that as long as the grill is hot, they keep 'em coming.  How cool is that?!  

My only complaint is that they are in Fernandina... and I'm not. 

Happy Eating!

Happiness is a warm cast iron skillet

So a couple of friends have been going on about how wonderful the Fried Chicken and Waffles are at Metro Diner here in Jacksonville.  And doggone it!  Now I have a hankerin’!  (With talk like that, you’d think I was from the South... oh wait! I am!)

Anyway, I found a simple recipe for Panko Fried Chicken from Eat, Drink, Man.  Pretty straight forward.  But since my waffle maker is still being held hostage (long story), my hubby whipped up a batch of his magically delicious pancakes.

Behold the transformation from naked tenderloins to golden-fried goodness, from blobs of lumpy batter to sun-shaped cakes of happiness. 



And thus was laid before us a feast of such glorious proportions, that we almost felt the need to pray 
twice. 

While it may appear that I had only three pancakes on my plate, I am ashamed, positively mortified, to tell you how many I ate.  And so I will not!   

Tchau!  Happy Eating!

Pork and pickles

http://instagr.am/p/JngrPiDjK3/

Trying to eat out less, so I whipped up this baby. Some pulled pork from the Publix deli, Wickles sweet & spicy pickles, bbq sauce and cheddar cheese. Nom nom pizzafest! Can I get a yum yum?

While I would prefer homemade dough, when you're pressed for time Publix's bakery pizza dough is an acceptable substitute. It rises beautifully. For the best results, toss the dough, brush it with olive oil and pop it in the oven for a few minutes.

Deeeeelicious!

Now that is one BOLD Bean!

My hubby and I just moved into the Riverside area again, after having been away for 4 years. While "away" was really only a couple of miles, it may as well been a hundred for what it felt.

An exciting new addition came to the neighborhood while we were away... Bold Bean Coffee Roasters! This place is coffee nirvana. The old brick building creates the perfect atmosphere for enjoying a brew...coffee or otherwise. They not only serve cups of joe, but have a selection on tap to appease any beer snob.  



The icing on the ambience cake is the music selection. From The Black Keys to Explosions in the Sky to Skynyrd (we had a good laugh when they skipped "Simple Man", but a few bars were played nonetheless), the tunes are diverse but appropriate for a drink with friends or cramming for a test. 



Oh! and one more thing before I move on to the drinks... the prices are GREAT! Gone are the days of the 4 dollar Starbuck latte.  Feast your eyes and eventually your tastebuds on these babies...

Spicy Chocolate Latte & Honey Latte

The Spicy Chocolate feels is sneaky.  The taste of cocoa lulls your tastebuds into a sense of warmth and safety and then WHAM! tiny spicy ninjas kick you in the throat.  It’s an intense and yes, BOLD experience.

The Honey Latte is wholly warm and cozy.  There are no spicy surprises, just a soft blanket of foamy happiness.

Let’s play I Spy... find the origami swan!!

Tchau!  Happy Eating!

A pancake to inspire

Breakfast is the most wonderfully magical meal.  The natural combination of sweet and savory is the perfect way to start any day.  I was recently inspired by my friend Meg to try a new (and incredibly easy) pancake: The Dutch Baby or German Pancake.  It’s quite simple to whip up and is perfect for 2.  Just follow the recipe and voila!  You have a beautiful conduit for all manner of toppings. 








I like the edges to be a little golden brown.



Topped with peaches soaked in hot maple syrup.  Sweet!

On my next adventure I intend to stuff this Baby with a tasty mixture of ricotta and cream cheese.  I can’t wait!

Cheers! Happy Eating!

A little monday boost

Breakfast of champions... greek yogurt, vanilla almond granola, honey and fresh strawberries.  Oh! And not to be forgotten... sunshine! (Inside is ok, because I'm not squinting)

Happy eating!