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!

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!

Get your delicious on...

At Soup’s On!  


In Florida, we really only have two seasons: summer and pseudo-winter.  During the summer time, I often lay around my house with the AC cranking and the fans at full speed praying for clouds to offer some respite from the blazing sun.  I feel like a Morlock in those months, squinting and cringing in the harsh light.  


But pseudo-winter... now there’s a different story!  Scarves, sweaters, coats, boots, hats!  I love it all.  But most of all, I love the food.  Hot soup and sandwiches, chili, stew.  So to my utmost joy and exultation, I have discovered Soup’s On.  Granted it’s not cold outside just yet, but I’m counting down the days.  And while I’m at it, I’m enjoying some “made-fresh with local ingredients” soup from Soup’s On.


So far I’ve had the Carrot & Apple soup (I enjoyed it hot, but it can also be served cold); Wild Mushroom & Barley Soup with an open-faced Roasted Eggplant sandwich with goat cheese; and Apricot & Red Lentil Soup with a Portobello Mushroom sandwich. My hubby has twice supped happily on French Onion soup (he ate a whole pint the first time).

(Sorry some of the pictures are blurry and the food half-eaten... usually I’m too excited about the food to remember to take a picture until it’s too late)

Wild Mushroom & Barley with Roasted Eggplant

French Onion Soup with Tomato, Mozzarella & Basil Sandwich

Apricot & Red Lentil Soup and Portobello, Arugula & Pepper Jack Sandwich

Can’t forget the tea!  This was delightfully refreshing: Citronella Tea

No, not the stuff you put in candles to keep the bugs away.  But it is just delicious enough to chase the summer blues away. =)

Yum! Yum!  Happy Eating!  Tchau! Tchau!

The Good Dog

This is NOT your typical Oscar Mayer weiner. Reasonably priced and presented in an eclectic venue in the heart of Chattanooga, these dogs aren't just good; they're down right heavenly!

Our hungry bellies were enticed by the fact that there is no upcharge for a veggie dog instead of all-beef. So while my hubby enjoyed "The Topped Dog" - veggie dog, bright green sweet relish, onions, and yellow mustard - I savored "Weiss' New York Street Cart 'Dirty Water' Dog" - Bertman's brown, onion sauce, and kraut. And we easily split a large order of frites - that's "fries" for all you Good Dog virgins.

To make your frite-eating experience a little easier, they've excavated several holes in each table for your cone of fries to rest. Plunge your frites into dozens of different hot-sauces, mustards, even Curried Ketchup - tomatoes blended, but still slightly chunky, with curry. Frite-fully delicious!

From the kitchen to the bathroom - check out the nifty sign- The Good Dog has quickly become a Chattanooga tradition for my hubby and me!