Fall Style: Mulberry

This, my friends, is a mulberry.

It tastes kind of like a cross between a raspberry and a blackberry. It starts off this kind of bright pink and turns a pretty wine color towards the end. My parents have a giant mulberry tree, and it's cool to watch them change over the season.

Also, mulberry happens to be a really "in" color this fall, which is fantastic - it looks good on everyone, goes with a ton of other colors, and is great for early fall, late fall, winter, and even spring, so mulberry pieces can really carry your wardrobe this year.

Some great cardigans, colorful pants, comfy shoes, a top that says what we're all thinking about this election year, new nail polish, and a purse I bought at TJMaxx last week on total (amazing) impulse - here are some of my favorite mulberry pieces for fall!

Fall Style: Mulberry by historyandpearls featuring flat shoes

Memphis Nosh: Strano! Sicilian Kitchen & Bar

I don't think anyone is shocked when I say that I love eating out.

I love cooking too, but there's something so fun about going out, trying new foods, and spending time with friends.

Luckily for me, most of my friends love eating out too, or, even better, work at amazing restaurants and can tell you, repeatedly, that you should come eat at their place and describe, in excruciating detail, how good the food is.

Even MORE luckily for me, my friend Matt happens to be one of those friends and he works at Strano! Sicilian Kitchen & Bar. He finally got me to come out last week to Strano, which is in the heart of Cooper Young and you know what?

I'm so mad at him for not making me visit sooner.

(Just kidding Matt. Sort of.)

Strano opened a couple of years ago under owner and head chef Josh Steiner, who, according to his bio, grew up surrounded by Sicilian cooking and who later lived and studied in Sicily, and who worked at several other Cooper Young restaurants before opening Strano. He's also a really nice guy who is clearly passionate about food, quality ingredients, and being a part of the Cooper Young community. 

For example, Strano has gardens where they grow basil, mint, parsley, and other herbs for the restaurant. And you can tell!

I started with some wine while I looked over the menu - Strano has a large selection, and, maybe most impressively, they have a great variety of glasses to go with it. I got my Zolo Malbec, Cupcake Riesling, and a rosé (that I will never remember the name of even though I've had it 20 times) all in glasses that matched the wines I was drinking (thinner, thicker, smaller, larger, etc). Matt knows his stuff, and it's great to find a place, especially one that's not super fancy, that takes wine seriously.

I asked Matt what was good and he made a few suggestions, but first he brought this amazing bread and olive oil situation out.

The bread is baked fresh daily, and they make their own house blend olive oil - seriously, it's in a big wine bottle and they shake it up and pour it into a bowl and let you live all your dreams. It's got a ton of herbs, and the bread is warm and squishy on the inside but with a firm crust. 

 For an appetizer, I chose Grandma's Meatballs - "family recipe of meatballs in house made tomato sauce with melted mozzarella cheese and topped with shaved Parmesan" - and holy cow. They were the perfect blend of herbs (lots of rosemary, my favorite) and cheesy tomato goodness.

It's really dark in the restaurant, so I brightened this up a little so you could see that amazing texture on the sauce and bread - seriously, this is some of the best sauce I've ever had. I wanted a little more heat on the meatballs, but I want everything I eat to be spicier. You definitely can add some crushed red pepper for zing!

And, I found out, you can ADD MEATBALLS TO A PIZZA.

Do it.

Matt also wanted me to try a piece of bruschetta - it was also Taste of Cooper Young the night I was there, and they were carrying trays of bruschetta past me all night, so I didn't hesitate!

The kicker here? It's on that same bread, just toasted, but seriously, those are the freshest tomatoes and basil I've ever had in a restaurant. And the cheese?

GOAT CHEESE.

Aka the love of my life.

For my entree I got the most life-changing pasta I think I've ever eaten. Seriously, here are my notes from while I was eating (yes, I am that person):

Seriously. 

So this is the Chicken Florentine - prosciutto, buffalo mozzarella, lemon, garlic, angel hair, and charred broccoli.

I mean, I may have swooned a little.

My number one pet peeve with pasta is when it's overcooked, but this was perfectly al dente, with an amazing sauce (see above notes...), and some of the best prosciutto and chicken I've ever had.

But let's take a second to talk about the charred broccoli. I (of course) couldn't eat all this, so I took some home. Sloan took a bit and got some of the broccoli and said, swear to god, "I could eat this every day. What is this magical broccoli?"

So there you go.

Magical broccoli.

So there I am, eating my amazing pasta and my magical broccoli, getting fuller by the second, and Matt asks if I want dessert.

It's like he doesn't even know me.

This is...dear lord.

Have you ever had a perfect bit of food? My first bite of the dessert on the right (caramel bourbon pana cotta with a fudge sauce underneath and that gorgeous drizzle of hot caramel sauce on the right of the plate) was absolutely perfect. The amaretto tiramisu with almonds and strawberry on top wasn't far behind. And those little dollops at the bottom? Chocolate chip cannoli filling, and some of the best I've ever had at that.

I was sending pictures to a couple people while I was eating, and this is the convo my friend Kerry and I had about this dessert after I sent her the photo:

Sorry Sloan.

So basically Strano's food is amazing.

But more than that...it's just...nice.

Knowing the bartender (especially a bartender who won the Memphis Flyer Best Bartender 2 years ago!) certainly doesn't hurt, but from the chef down to the waitress who brought me that magical dessert to the people who came in for Taste of Cooper Young, everyone was just pleasant. And it's a cozy spot, with lots of great art and kind of a wine cellar - if your wine cellar was on a corner in a great neighborhood - kind of vibe.

(It wasn't hot that night, but I have mad respect for Memphis restaurants that have fans. #summerhater4eva)

Strano would be a great date night spot, a great bar to sit and read at (or watch sports - they do have a couple of tvs), or, and this is what I want to do, an awesome spot to get a group of friends together for a fun night of eating and drinking wine and people watching. The prices are reasonable, the portions are huge and delicious, the wine selection is impressive, and it's comfortable and welcoming.

Go see Matt and Chef Josh at Strano soon.

And send me pictures.

Or just invite me.

Actually, yeah, just invite me.

*I did receive discounted food since I was writing a review, but all opinions are mine and in no way influenced by an discounts, comps, or gifts.*

Style: Transitioning into Fall

It's finally happening. I woke up this morning and I was chilly, I needed a cardigan when I drove to work, and I'm not miserable outside. 

It's fall, y'all.

While I love decorative gourd season, crisp nights, fall festivals, baking, and basically being cozy all the time, it's sometimes hard to transition a summer wardrobe into a fall one, especially if, like me, you love color. I wear a lot of black and grey too, but I have a weakness for colorful dresses, in particular Lilly Pulitzer dresses. They're perfect for work, going out, or a casual shopping day or lunch. 

But they're...bright.

So how do you tone down the bright neon for fall, especially in a place where it's still sort of warm?

Here are some of my essentials!

Fall Transition by historyandpearls featuring pointy-toe flats

This dress is one of my favorites, the Lilly Pulitzer Marlowe Dress in Swept by the Tides. It's gorgeous, and perfect for basically every occasion, but it is NEON. And wearing a hot pink dress in October just feels...wrong.

One of my favorite ways to tone down color and make an outfit more "fall" is to add a cardigan - the Brookside Cardigan, also by Lilly, is a good choice, as is this 3/4 length sleeve navy cardigan from Maurices.

For a more casual look, adding a navy (or any color, I just love navy) vest is perfect. This one is from Crown & Ivy at Belk, and is so comfy.

I also love adding a men's pullover sweater for a look that straddles that line between comfy and preppy - it's a little oversized, but put it on and you've got a perfect sweater and "skirt" combo! Plus, H&M makes the best men's sweaters - so soft!

One of my favorite color combos is navy with cognac, and these Tommy Hilfiger boots (which I actually just got, ON SALE, at Rack Room) are so comfortable and perfect for a casual day or, with nice accessories, the office. This Fossil purse is currently on my "lusting" list - look at that beautiful color!

Finally, gold is absolutely my favorite neutral right now. How about a great gold flat - perfect for the office or errands - with a dress and cardigan? And this Phara necklace from Kendra Scott can be worn so many ways, it's definitely on my wish list!

Anyone else have any good tips for transitioning a wardrobe - especially a colorful one - to fall? 

Memphis Nosh: Maximo's on Broad

A few weeks ago I gathered some folks up to go to Maximo's on Broad, a fun little place on the currently revitalizing Broad Avenue. 

Plus, we really like brunch.

So let's start with the negative before we get to how delicious the food was.

I've never been so utterly ignored by another person as I was by one of the servers/hosts. A young woman with a nose ring and black hair did everything she could possibly do to keep from looking at us. It took another host coming over and asking if we needed help to even get out names on the list, and then I'm pretty sure the other host sat several other tables that got there after us. 

But after that, it was fine. So make sure you're okay with being really assertive to get a table, especially when it's busy!

They have a pretty extensive brunch menu, with lots of drink options.

Sloan got a Bloody Mary. One of my other friends did too. They said it was okay, but not nearly spicy or peppery enough.

I got the Brunch Burger, which, despite being a little overcooked (I like my meet to still moo a little) was really good. I would never have put ham on a burger but it's awesome!

I *think* this was the Heavenly French Toast. Whatever it was, it was good!

Sloan got The Kitchen Sink. Holy cow. 

This was probably my favorite thing anyone had. It was classic breakfast food but really really well done.  

Good mimosas - heavy on the champagne.

Overall I liked brunch at Maximo's. I've heard dinner is amazing, and they have a great wine selection I want to check out. Really good food, a pretty good price, and a nice atmosphere, so I would definitely go again if I'm over on Broad!

Recipe: Five Spice Chicken and Green Beans

If you can't tell, I've been all about easy recipes lately. 

Work is INSANE right now, which is great but tiring, and Sloan's is about the same.

Add in still unpacking, his daughter being here for the summer, the insane heat, plus trying to write that silly dissertation, and we've got a lot on our plates.

So when it's time to actually get something on a literal plate, I'm all about fast and easy and good - bonus points if I can take leftovers for lunch the next day.

This recipe ticks all those boxes, and is very budget friendly (and diet friendly if you aren't in a committed relationship with cheese like I am) as well.

Five Spice Chicken and Green Beans

serves 4, or 2 with leftovers for lunch

4-6 chicken thighs or breasts

2 packages frozen green beans

Five spice seasoning (I like this one from Simply Asia)

Garlic powder

Salt

Pepper

Crushed red pepper

Olive oil

1. Heat a large wok or saute pan (I have this wok and LOVE it) over medium high heat, add olive oil to coat the bottom - you may need to add more if the chicken sticks, but this is a good place to start

2. Cut chicken into bit size pieces, then sprinkle liberally with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and five spice

3. Add chicken to the pan when hot - you want to make sure the pan is very hot before you add the chicken so it gets a sear - and let sear for 1 minute

4. Place frozen green beans in microwave and cook for one minute less than suggested - if it says 6, do it for 5

5. After 1 minute, move chicken around the wok and add crushed red pepper to taste. Continuously move chicken, adding more olive oil if needed

6. When the green beans are done, take them out, drain any liquid, and toss them into the pan, stirring continuously

7. Add garlic powder, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, and five spice to taste while stirring, then let sit and sear for 1 minute

8. Turn off heat, give one last stir, and serve!

This is great alone, or with rice, and is super filling, healthy, budget friendly, and delicious. 

Enjoy!

Recipe: Lemon and Butter Shrimp Scampi

Need a SUPER fast, easy, and affordable dinner? 

This is it, my friends. 

When I got home from a work event last night at 8:30, I was starving. The word "shellfish" had been mentioned, and I wanted shrimp.

I always want butter and pasta, so the choice was easy. 

This is almost too easy to call it a recipe, but I hope you enjoy!

Lemon and Butter Shrimp Scampi

4 servings

1 stick of butter, plus 2 tablespoons

4 cloves garlic

A handful of dried parsley

1 lemon

30ish frozen shrimp - de-veined and peeled with the tails off

(I used half of one of the "salad size" frozen shrimp bags from Target - this is really adjustable)

1 lb linguine or fettucine pasta

1/2 cup shaved or shredded Parmesan

Garlic powder

Salt

Pepper

Cajun seasoning (optional)

Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

1. Start water boiling for pasta - when boiling, add pasta and boil according to package instructions until done.

2. In a small saucepan, melt 1 stick of butter. While it's melting, chop garlic and add to butter, then add dried parsley and juice of half the lemon. Simmer on low.

3. Put 1 tablespoon butter in a large saute pan (I like these from Rachel Ray) and throw in frozen shrimp. That's what makes this so fast - you don't even really have to thaw the shrimp.

4. Since the shrimp is frozen, it's going to produce some liquid. In 3-5 minutes, pull shrimp off the burner and drain the liquid in a colander. Put shrimp back in pan, add another tablespoon of butter, then add salt, pepper, garlic powder, and, if you like a little kick, Cajun seasoning to taste. Cook shrimp until pink in color and mostly opaque.

5. Drain pasta, then toss into pan with shrimp, turn pan to low. Pour on butter sauce and toss. Slice up the other half of the lemon very thinly and add to pan, along with parmesan. Toss and saute for an additional 1-2 minutes, then remove from heat and add chopped fresh parsley.

Then enjoy!

Taste the Rarity 2016 at Wiseacre Brewing

Anyone who knows me knows I love beer, especially when I get to try new and fun (and sometimes weird) things.

A couple of weekends ago, Sloan and I went to a beer festival at one of my favorite Memphis breweries, Wiseacre.

(Also, when I moved here in 2009, there were NO breweries except Ghost River, and definitely no tap rooms. Four for you, Memphis, you go Memphis.)

Wiseacre has a great tap room and a wide variety of beers - almost anyone can find something they like, and it's in a great location.

Their annual beer festival, Taste the Rarity, is a huge collection of breweries both local and from all over the country. While it's not as big as Cooper-Young Beer Fest, it's still got a lot of great beers, food trucks, and entertainment. For $50, you get entrance and a commemorative tasting glass.

I tried a LOT of beers, most of which are things I can't get here or can only get in really limited release. I did try the Wiseacre Unicornucopia, which wasn't totally my style, but it's a very good beer that I just didn't love. Mostly though, I focused on the beers that we don't get in Memphis.

(via Wiseacre's Twitter)

(Because I'm a t-shirt fiend, I did buy the awesome color-changing shirt. I have a problem.)

Sloan was all about Three Floyds from Munster, IN. Seriously, he talks about their beer a lot, and now I see why. Zombie Dust may be the best pale ale I've ever had.

I also loved Indeed Brewing out of Minneapolis. When I go to beer fests, I want to try the weirdest stuff people have - I can drink a normal beer any day, but of COURSE I want to try that Lavender Sunflower Honey Dates Honey Ale that you're calling LSD! Actually, as weird as it sounds, I would buy this one for sure. It was definitely all of those flavors, but I LOVE lavender, so I didn't mind - plus the people working the Indeed booth were super nice.

We decided after a bit of drinking and listening to the Grizzline that we needed some food. Luckily, my favorite food truck, Gourmade, was there! We split the Mambo No. 5, which is basically tater tots covered in mac and cheese, braised short rib, green onions, and angel tears.

Mambo No. 5 with LSD Honey Ale from Indeed.

While we were eating, we got to talking to another couple who are from Richmond. Turns out he is Jay Bayer, owner of Saison and a huge proponent of the Richmond local beer, wine, and food scene - so fun to talk to another person who has the same passions we do (including early American history and the history of food and drink)! He recommended we try the Richmond brewery he was there with, Hardywood Park, and they definitely did not disappoint!

I tried the Spirit Braid, a farmhouse style ale with citrus, and Sloan had the Foolery, a bourbon barrel aged milk stout (stouts just aren't my bag, but he loved it). Spirit Braid was insanely good - I could close my eyes and imagine I was sitting on a front porch somewhere with absolutely nothing to do all day. Perfect.

We tried several other beers, including ones from Sun King (the rudest people there, so I'm not going to link them, but decent beer), Haymarket, and 2nd Shift (a favorite of mine), but I had to go by my favorite brewery's booth at some point that day: Jackalope.

I fell in love with Jackalope a Cooper-Young Beer Fest last year, and they didn't disappoint at Taste the Rarity. Super nice people based out of Nashville, they're really willing to talk about their beers and events, which is fun when you're at an event like this. And believe it or not, they had something even stranger than the LSD from Indeed - Birthday Cake.

Birthday Cake was a wheat beer brewed with Jasmine tea and vanilla. They also had a personal favorite, Bearwalker, but I mean...birthday cake.

It tasted like cake. Like beer and cake and happiness all rolled into one glass.

My happy place.

Only two small gripes about the festival as a whole.

At $50 a ticket, we were surprised at how quickly most beers ran out. We stayed from 3:30ish until 5, and literally almost every booth was out of at least one beer. For a fest that goes from 3-7 that just seemed like poor planning. I think selling fewer tickets, even if that made them slightly more expensive, would be the way to go - it was super crowded, more so than is comfortable.

Second, and this is probably not even really a fair criticism, some of the vendors were really not very nice. It was hot, and there were some very drunk people, but you're here representing your brewery and the craft beer industry in general - be a little nicer.

Other than that, it was great! Definitely going back next year!