New Age White

I must admit, it's rare that I choose a white wine over a red, but if the mood does strike- I'm a big fan of New Age white (no, I didn't mean to rhyme just then!). I tried New Age for the first time at Aubriana's during the Wilmington Wine and Beer walk and now it's my go-to white, especially in the summer.  What's really lovely about it is that it's just slightly effervescent (I call it mini champagne), refreshing, and a bit fruity/floral.  It's actually best served with a lime wedge, which cuts the sweetness a bit and brings out the bubbles!  Enjoy!

Tomato & Goat Cheese Bruschetta

Having a get together for Labor Day weekend?  Try making these Tomato and Goat Cheese Bruschetta; I promise they'll go fast!  I made them recently for a cookout and they disappeared in five minutes flat!  I absolutely love the Natures Way goat cheese I find at the farmers market, but if you don't live in Wilmington (or don't find yourself up at a reasonable hour to make it to the farmers market on Saturdays!), substitute a plain chèvre.  This is a perfect dish for showcasing ripe summer tomatoes.

Ingredients:
* 1 baguette, sliced on an angle
* 4 tbsp. olive oil
* 1 medium round of chèvre (about 5 oz)
* 2 ripe plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
* 1 tbsp. shallot, minced
* 1 tsp. garlic, minced
* 1 tbsp. basil, chopped
* 1/2 tsp. sugar
* salt/pepper
Preheat oven to 400. Spread sliced baguette pieces on a baking sheet and drizzle with 2-3 tbsp olive oil (just lightly coat).  Sprinkle salt and pepper over bread.   Toast for 5-8 minutes until golden.  Meanwhile, combine tomatoes (to seed the tomato, cut in half crosswise, then gently squeeze the tomato until the seeds fall out, being careful not to tear), shallot, garlic, basil, balsamic vinegar, sugar, and 1 tbsp. olive oil. Allow tomato mixture to rest at room temperature for 30 min.  Spread goat cheese onto toasts (after they've cooled slightly) and top with a spoonful of the tomato mixture.  Enjoy!

It's OK if you're crabby!

I just got back from an amazing weekend in Aurora, NC at the home of my friends Matt & Lindsey.  If you haven't heard of Aurora, it's on the Pamlico Sound about 2.5 hours north of Wilmington.  I had such a great weekend filled with sun, wine, and best of all- phenomenal food.  On Saturday we went crabbing (who knew all you had to do was throw a chicken leg in the water and the crabs come running?!) and caught the most amazing blue crabs.  The steamed crabs were delicious- sweet, buttery crabmeat inside perfectly seasoned shells.  Matt served these up alongside a traditional low country boil of shrimp, corn on the cob, potatoes, and sausage.  So tasty!

Here's Matt's secret recipe for perfect steamed crab:
* 10 blue crabs
* 1 c. Old Bay seasoning
* 4 tbsp. black pepper
* 2 tbsp. dry mustard
* 1 to 2 tbsp. cayenne pepper (to taste)
* 1 flat beer
* 1 c. white vinegar
Combine Old Bay, black pepper, dry mustard, and cayenne pepper in a bowl.  Rub this mixture onto the crabs until they're well coated.  Add beer and vinegar to the bottom of an outdoor cooking pot and bring to a boil.  Add crabs to the basket of the pot and steam until crabs are red in color.  Serve with melted butter.  Enjoy!

Farm Fresh

I love supporting local businesses when possible, and on top of that- I LOVE a good deal!  All of this fresh produce was only $9.50; can you believe all this loot?  I found it at Port City Produce, a stand near my house in Wilmington.

There's nothing worse than wasting food, so I use my produce as a centerpiece on my kitchen table so I don't forget about it. Most fruits and veggies are fine at room temperature, though if I don't use lemons or limes within a few days I transfer them to the fridge to store.  I use the produce as inspiration in my cooking; almost like a challenge- use it before you lose it! Enjoy!

Prickly Pear Margs!

Oh how I love a good ladies night!  Is there anything better?  My girlfriends and I get together every Thursday and though we've been mixing it up lately (Circa 1922 last week, the Kitchen two weeks ago), our standard go-to is K38.  Not only do they have spectacular Margs (Cantinarita anyone?) & Red Sangria, but hands down: best salsa in town.  Maybe the best salsa  ever. My absolute favorite is the prickly pear margarita (left) -isn't it stunning?  Not only is it delicious but the color is a show stopping pink!  I actually went so far as to order prickly pear cactus syrup online a while back so I could make them at home.  Here's how:

Combine 2 oz. white tequila, 1 oz. cointreau, juice of 1/2 lime, and 1 oz. prickly pear syrup in a shaker filled with ice.  Shake vigorously to combine.  Pour over ice (or blend!) and garnish with a lime.  This is great served with a sugared or salted rim.  Yum!