Red Chile Crusted Filet Mignon with Ancho Chile Mushroom Sauce and Mac n 'Shrooms

In case you haven't already detected a theme, which points to my two favorite foods that I will almost invariably choose off of any menu or make for myself on a weekly basis: steak and mac and cheese. Steaks are the sole reason I could not ever be a vegetarian. Starting before I could really speak in full sentences, my mother introduced me to steak, and at that point it was the start of a lifelong love affair. From the thought of chimichurri hangar steaks to perfectly grilled bone-in rib-eyes to dry-aged prime filet mignon, my mouth waters and then the overwhelming craving commences. There is no option but to set on a quest for that perfect steak and satisfy the craving. 

On the other hand, there is my love of mac and cheese: the food on which I almost solely subsisted as a child. As I got older and my tastes became more refined, I realized the endless creations that take the name "mac and cheese", substituting the packet of powdered cheese from that beloved blue box for a wide range of cheeses and including other ingredients such as bacon, truffles, onions, peas, mushrooms....

My cravings for both of these adored foods often come about on the weekend, when I crave comfort and have the time to properly devote to such wonderful foods. Now in the colder months, this spicy steak and creamy mac and cheese are perfect to add spice and comfort to the season.

Red Chile Crusted Filet Mignon with Ancho Chile 

Mushroom Sauce

Recipe Courtesy of Bobby Flay

Ancho Chile Mushroom Sauce:

Ingredients: 

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 medium red onion, finely diced
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
• 2 cups red wine
• 1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 1/2 pound crimini mushrooms, stems removed and caps sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 1/2 pound portobello mushrooms, stems removed and caps slice 1/4-inch thick
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup ancho puree
• 2 tablespoons chipotle puree
• 2 tablespoons honey
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:

1. Cut all ingredients

Home grown chiles!

2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 3 minutes. 

3. Raise the heat to high. Add the wine and cook until dry (and drink a glass while this cooks off). 

4. Reduce the heat to medium, Add the mushrooms and cook until lightly browned and soft, and then add the stock. Raise the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes.

5. Whisk in the ancho puree and chipotle and cook for 5 minutes more. Add the honey and salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm until steaks are done.

Red Chile Crusted Steak:

Ingredients: 

• 2 tablespoons New Mexico red chile powder
• 1/4 teaspoon chile de arbol powder
• 1/2 teaspoon pasilla chile powder
• 1 tablespoon cracked black peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• Kosher salt
• 4 filet mignons, 1- to 1 1/2-inches thick (I actually think this recipe is better suited to use ribeyes or porterhouse steaks because the spice and flavor of the sauce overwhelms a filet, and the filet has such good flavor on its own.)

1. Combine all the ingredients together in a medium bowl, and dredge each steak on 1 side in the pepper mixture.  (You can do all of this prior to creating your sauce and let the steaks sit in the pepper crust while preparing the sauce.)

2. Brush a large saute pan or grill pan with oil and heat over high heat until almost smoking. 

3.  Cook for 1 minute on each side, until brown and crisp. Turn the meat over, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes more, until done to your liking.

4. Serve with the Ancho Chile Mushroom Sauce.

Please note: this is a spicy dish. I often put items up with spice, but this one is not for the tender taste-buds who find medium buffalo wings hot. 

Mac n 'Shrooms

Recipe adapted from Food Network

Ingredients:

• Kosher salt
• 1 pound mezzi rigatoni (I've also done this with large shells and it's awesome because the cheese sauce really pools in the shells)
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups skim milk
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground white pepper
• Freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound wild mushrooms, such as oyster or shiitake, stemmed and sliced
• 4 ounces cremini mushrooms,
• quartered
• 5 ounces of brie, rind removed, cubed 
• 5 ounces of Camembert, cubed
• 4 ounces pecorino cheese, grated 
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 9 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1/4 cup cooking water.

2. Chop and prepare all cheese and mushrooms.



3. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the flour with a wooden spoon to make a paste. Cook, stirring, until the paste puffs slightly, about 1 minute. 

4. Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking. Reduce the heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, until the sauce is creamy, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the nutmeg and ground white pepper and season with salt and pepper.

5. Heat 2 tablespoons butter and the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the mushrooms and cook until soft, about 8 minutes. Season with salt. Push to the side of the pan and repeat with the remaining mushrooms.

6. Reduce the heat under the sauce to low and whisk in both cheeses until smooth. Stir in the mushrooms and pasta and toss, adding the reserved cooking water as needed (because I use different cheeses than the original recipe, and in a slightly greater quantity, I've never had to add any pasta water).

7. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and toast until golden; then stir in the parsley. Divide the pasta among 8 small bowls. Garnish with the breadcrumb mixture. (I have also made a double batch of this for a holiday dinner and did it in a big pot and baked it in a large baking dish and it turned out just as well.)

This is a perfect, warming meal to make on a dreary weekend, when it's too cold to even walk three steps out of the door to hail a cab to go to dinner!

xoxo!

*K

Caramelized Onion, Gruyere and Bacon Spread (Cooking Light Approved!)

I found this recipe for caramelized onion, gruyere and bacon spread on Cooking Light, and my mind was blown....a dip that has bacon and gruyere, and it's CL approved?!? 

I made this dip a few weekends ago when Mom was in town. We had an early brunch, and I was showing Mom how to sous vide a beef tenderloin, so dinner wouldn't be ready until late that evening. We were spending the afternoon watching the Giants game, which of course requires a snack. My god, this is the perfect spread: it is a decadent and filling, virtually guilt free, and it cooks up beautifully. It is an excellent dish to make and take to a party or holiday dinner, and pairs very nicely with wine. I don't think this dish needs much selling, so without further ado...

Caramelized Onion, Gruyere and Bacon Spread

Recipe slightly adapted from Cooking Light
Yield: 6 servings 
Nutrition: 103 calories; 4.1 grams of fat; 11.6 grams of carbohydrates; 6 grams of sugar; 4.5 grams of protein

Ingredients:

• Cooking spray
• 3 1/2 cups chopped sweet yellow onion
• 2 ounces Gruyère cheese, shredded and divided
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, divided
• 1/3 cup fat free mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup fat-free sour cream
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled 
• 1 tablespoon of brown sugar (this is my variation from the original recipe. I how the brown sugar adds crispiness and depth to onions when they're caramelized)

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 425°. 

2. Cook bacon in skillet. 

Who doesn't love the sight and smell of bacon cooking?!?

3. Chop/shred all ingredients.

Yes, the extra block of gruyere became the "snacking cheese"

4. Pour out all bacon grease; then add onion and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar to the pan that still has a light coat of the bacon grease. Sauté  for 5 minutes over high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low; cook 20 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Cool slightly.

Aren't they pretty!

5. Reserve 2 tablespoons cheese and half of the chives. Combine remaining cheese, caramelized onion, 1 tablespoon chives, and the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. 

6. Transfer the mixture to three 8oz ramekins (or a 1-quart glass or ceramic baking dish) coated lightly with cooking spray. Sprinkle with reserved 2 tablespoons cheese and chives. Bake at 425° for 20 minutes, until browned and bubbly. 

Serve with a freshly toasted french baguette and a chilled bottle of a dry South African Chenin blanc or a champagne cocktail with pomegranate or cranberries for a festive touch. And certainly don't feel guilty if you eat two servings (it is only a bit over 200 calories!).

xoxo 

*K

A New Household Standard: Seafood Gratin

It is a greatly known fact that food excites me. I love researching new food, techniques, restaurants, and planning meals. After spending most of the weekend on the couch with Jason and the girls trying to get over  this cold I picked up in Europe, I decided to brighten up an otherwise rainy and dreary weekend by trying out Ina Garten's seafood gratin. I found the recipe while playing on the Food Network In the Kitchen app (totally worth the $1.99 to download). This recipe includes saffron, which I always really like in dishes at restaurants, but had never cooked with until last night. My god, this dish is amazing! It sounds and looks quite fancy. It was very easy to make, doesn't require much in the way of side dishes, and will definitely be served to future guests.

My very own saffron!

Recipe via Ina Garten

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup seafood stock 
• 1 cup heavy cream (I actually used light cream in an attempt to make this slightly healthier)
• 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons good white wine, divided
• 3 tablespoons tomato puree
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
• 8 ounces raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and cut in half crosswise
• 8 ounces raw halibut, cut into1-inch chunks
• 8 ounces cooked lobster meat, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cups julienned leeks, white and light green parts (2 large)
• 1 1/2 cups julienned carrots (3 carrots)
• 1 cup panko (Japanese dried bread crumbs)
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (2 cloves

Note: Since there were only two of us eating, I halved the recipe, which was the perfect amount. 

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place 4 individual gratin dishes on sheet pans. (If recipe is doubled serve it in a 14 by 9 1/4-inch oval gratin dish.)

2. Measure out and chop all ingredients. (I can see an easy way to ruin this dish by having to stop in the midst of cooking to chop or measure.)

Chopping board of seafood

3. Boil lobster tails: a good gauge for cooking lobster tails is to boil it (them) 1 minute per ounce of weight (ie: 4oz lobster tails should be boiled for 4 minutes); you don't multiply the time for additional lobster tails being cooked in the same pot.

For the sauce:
4. Combine the stock, cream, 1/2 cup of the wine, the tomato puree, and saffron in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil.

5. Lower the heat to medium and add the shrimp, and keep a steady stir so nothing sticks to the pan. After 3 minutes, use a slotted spoon to remove the shrimp to a bowl. 

6. Add the halibut to the stock for 3 minutes, until just cooked through, and remove to the same bowl. Add the cooked lobster to the bowl.

7. Continue to cook the sauce until reduced by half (about 12 minutes; if doing a half portion like I did, mine actually reduced very quickly--approximately 3-4 minutes, so keep a close eye on it), and again stir throughout the cooking time. 

8. Mash 1 tablespoon of the butter together with the flour. Whisk the butter mixture into the sauce along with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes (again, reduced portions will thicken much more quickly: mine did in about 1.5-2 minutes). Set aside.

I used my mortar and pestle to mix the butter and flour. 

Thickened Sauce (should be a similar thickness to a Hollandaise)

9. Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saute pan. Add the leeks and carrots and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, until softened. 

10. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of wine, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, until tender. Set aside.

11. Combine the panko, parmesan, parsley, tarragon, and garlic. Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and mix it into the crumbs until they're moistened.

12. Divide the seafood among the 4 gratin dishes. Place the vegetables on top of the seafood. Pour the sauce equally over the seafood and vegetables, and spoon the crumbs evenly on top. 

13. Bake for 20 minutes, until the top is browned and the sauce is bubbly. Serve hot.

I felt like this should have shining lights on it!

I served the seafood gratin with a simple spinach, arugula, and tomato salad, so as not to overpower the gratin, and with a nice French chardonnay. Add this dish to your repertoire, and you'll be sure to wow dinner guests! 

xoxo

*K 

Lean, Cream and Green Pasta

I have always been a big lover of vegetables, including the green ones, even as a child. However, I have not been able to get into the green juices that are all the rage these days, and prefer to stick to taking in my greens the good old fashion way: chewing them. Earlier this week, I had one of my cravings for greens, and had some time to spare, so I wandered through the gigantic grocery stores that exist in the south, playing on my Cooking Light app along the way, and ended up creating a pasta dish with plenty of greens and fresh herbs (grown by yours truly), and some prosciutto for that extra bang.

Lean, Cream and Green Pasta 

Recipe inspired by Cooking Light, but invented by yours truly 

Makes 6 servings

Nutrition: 387 calories; 9 grams fat; 54 grams carbs; 18 grams protein

Ingredients: 

• 12 ounces spinach fettuccine
• 1 bunch broccolini
• 1 bunch fresh spinach
• 4 green onion pencils
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 3/4 cup fat free ricotta cheese
• 4 tablespoons shredded pecorino-romano cheese
• Salt and Pepper
• 4 ounces prosciutto (FYI: if you happen to have the person at the deli tell you "I'm bad at math and science" when you ask for 4 ounces, it's easily converted to 0.25 pounds. Great American school systems strike again....sorry for the tangent)

Step 1: Roughly chop spinach and green onions. Finely chop thyme, dill, and rosemary.

Step 2: Start cooking pasta and steam broccolini. Saute garlic, two tablespoons olive oil, and one teaspoon of salt and pepper for about four minutes then add herbs and stir constantly for about two to three minutes to meld together flavors. Add spinach and cover with a lid, stirring occasionally. Once spinach has wilted, remove from heat and keep warm.

Step 3: As your pasta continues to cook, place ricotta cheese and pecorino-romano cheese in a food processor. Chop the prosciutto. 

Prosciutto: this was so hard for me and the little scavenger, er Annabelle, to resist eating

Step 4: Once your pasta has finished cooking, put 3/4 cup of the pasta water into the food processor with the two cheeses, and blend until smooth. 

Step 5: Toss sauce into pasta and mix in spinach and herb mixture. Separate out six servings of pasta and top each with prosciutto and a few broccolinis. 

Ta Da!
 (please note the almost finished Abita Pecan beer to get in the spirit of fall)

This dish was easy to make (chopping, boiling, and food processing) and provides a nutrient rich dinner, and tricks non-green eaters (ahem Jason) into eating greens! 

xoxo

*K

Guilt free eggs benedict for brunch!

Eggs Benedict, and all variations thereof, is one of my favorite brunch dishes, next to steak and eggs. However, it can be very high in fat (hence delicious). I found a Cooking Light recipe that gives the same scrumptious-ness without all of the fat! This recipe substitutes sabayon for Hollandaise, which eliminates the high fat content, without losing the creamy delicious taste of the Hollandaise. This recipe is quite easy to make (I made the entire thing in less than 30 minutes), but will totally wow guests for brunch :)

Spinach Benedict with Thyme Sabayon on a Bagel 

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light

Nutrition: 242 calories; 12 grams of fat Makes 4 servings (1 benedict each) or 2 servings with 2 eggs 

Sauce: 

• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons fat-free milk
• 1 tablespoon dry white wine (I used chardonnay)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (squeeze the juice from half of a lemon)
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 2 teaspoons butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Other Ingredients: 

1 Bagel (or English Muffin)

16 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon butter

4 eggs

Preparation: 

1. To prepare sauce, combine 1 egg, 2 tablespoons fat-free milk, 1 tablespoon dry white wine, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme in a sauce pan. Cook at medium-high heat until thick (about 9 minutes), stirring constantly with a whisk. Remove from heat. Add butter, 1 piece at a time, stirring with a whisk until thoroughly incorporated. Keep warm.

1. 2. Saute minced garlic and 1 teaspoon of butter; then add spinach, and cook until wilted (about 4 minutes).
2. 
   
3. 3. Toast bagel/English muffin. Keep warm.
4. 
   
5. 4. Add water to a large skillet, filling two-thirds full. Bring to a simmer. Add vinegar. Break each egg into a custard cup (or a soup ladle), and pour gently into pan. Cook 3 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Remove eggs from pan using a slotted spoon.
6.  
7. 5. Top each bagel (English muffin) with half with spinach, 2 eggs and sabayon. Garnish with salt and pepper and a sprig of fresh thyme. Serve immediately.

I hope you enjoy this guilt free delight at your next brunch gathering!

xoxo

*K

A Tale of Two Cities: Charlottesville and Charleston

So I'm not quite Charles Dickens, nor is this about London and Paris, or a war (you get the point), but it is about two delightful and charming cities I've visited recently.

Let's start with Charlottesville......Jason introduced me to Charlottesville, which is one of the most charming and wonderful cities. He went to law school at UVA, and therefore, he spent three glorious years there. We now take trips down (well up now) several times a year. Charlottesville has the university, great vineyards, hiking trails, really awesome restaurants and bars.

One of our three trips up to Cville in the past few months, we stayed at High Meadows Vineyard Inn, which is actually in a town called Scottsville that is about 15-20 minutes outside of Charlottesville. It was one of my first real experiences staying at a B&B besides the South Street Inn (also in Charlottesville), which we stay at often when visiting. (Side Note: South Street Inn is conveniently located a few blocks from the downtown mall and has AMAZING cookies!) We had a wonderful time at High Meadows.The house is a beautiful old home in many just happy colors (pinks, blues and yellows), and each room is themed. The breakfasts were amazing (including Belgian waffles one day and a scrumptious fritatta the next day). Nancy, the inn keeper was a charming lady and they had a pet peacock named Henry!

High Meadows Inn (picture by me)

Scottsville is a very small town, so when we got in Friday night, we enjoyed a late dinner at Horseshoe Bend Bistro in Scottsville. I had the steak au poivre, which I had no complaints about.  After listening to some live music, we found out the one cab company that existed in Scottsville was no longer operational, so we were going to walk the mile or so back to the B&B, but due to the fact that it was pretty late at this point and the road there was a windy road with no sidewalk or shoulder for that matter, the bartender very kindly stopped working for a few minutes so she could drive us back. Talk about southern hospitality! Needless to say, this one goes on the list of restaurants to revisit for that reason alone.

 

We spent Saturday afternoon watching the UVA v. UNC Lacrosse game. It was my first time watching lacrosse, but seemed pretty easy to understand enough to get into it, and the weather was quite perfect (as always). 

We discovered Citizen Burger, which is now a must-hit restaurant on all trips to Cville (and we have all three trips. The burgers are incredible (they have truffle parmesan fries and a truffled brioche), and they use local free-range beef, and have "red", "pink" or "no pink" for the temperature options, which is fantastic, since most people don't know what in the hell "medium rare" actually means. I would say this burger rivals a DuMont burger, which is one of the best burgers ever.  Other awesome things about Citizen is they have great beer selection and a good tv set-up at the bar for watching games, and it is conveniently located on the downtown mall with outdoor seating.

Annabelle and Jason brunching at Citizen

My handsome brunch date

Here are a few more restaurants in Charlottesville: 

• Mas Tapas: This is my favorite restaurant in Charlottesville. They update their menu daily, and there is nothing on the menu that won't wow your tastebuds (Bacon Wrapped Dates are incredible), and they have excellent sangria! I haven't been to Charlottesville without a trip to Mas. It's normally our first night restaurant and is great for large groups. They have a patio with heaters, so even on chilly nights it's still enjoyable. (Sadly I don't have any recent pictures from Mas....the food is normally inhaled).
•  The Local: farm-to-table style. Great food and really big and good for large groups. 

The Local: Steak Special with a cream sauce, asparagus and mashed potatoes

West Main: Steak and Eggs on a Bed of Grits

• West Main:  This is a good staple, and the food is always reliable. They also start serving brunch at 10:00am, which is great if you're an early riser and hungry for a good meal. 
• The Virginian: This is the restaurant where President Obama ate when he went to Charlottesville. It's owned by the same family that owns West Main, Citizen Burger, No. 3., and the Biltmore. It's also a dependable go to for southern food. 

The Virginian: Eggs Benedict with Creamed Spinach and Artichokes

Another wonderful thing about Charlottesville is that it is located with driving distance of many good wineries in the Monticello wine region. We always try to go to at least a few of them and end up taking home a few bottles of wine (and sometimes a case or even a wine club membership), and will likely spend several hours of an afternoon just sitting out on the lawn of one of them enjoying a bottle of wine and the beautiful views. Some of our favorites are Barboursville, King Family Vineyards (they have polo matches on the premises), Del Fosse, Cardinal Point, Keswick, Veritas.... (I could go on and on).

View at King Family Vineyards (photo by me)

The different vineyards make fabulous wedding venues (we've attended a couple at some of the aforementioned places). Here are a few pictures from Sujan and Steph's wedding on Memorial Day Weekend.

Us at Sujan and Steph's Wedding at Castle Hill Cider

The group with the newly married couple!

Caroline, Diem, Jason and me at the cocktail hour

Charlottesville also hosts the Foxfield Races in the fall and spring. The fall Foxfields is the family day and much more tame, whereas the spring one has quite the rowdy undergrad showing, but the undergrads are sectioned off into the orange section, so if you're not looking for to partake in something that could appear on a reality tv show and rival Snookie, then you can head over to the green and other sections with grad students and alumni, and still have a fantastic time with plenty of champagne and maybe a sighting or two of horses.

And now on to Charleston...I took my first trip to Charleston in May, and immediately fell in love with it. It is absolutely beautiful, historical, and best of all full of amazing restaurants (easily some of the best meals I've had). Here are just a handful of pictures I took during many walks around the city. There are plenty of walking tours or tours in horse drawn carriages, but I found it nice to wander around the city and create my own walking tour, which I enjoyed having more flexibility to see what I want and make detours as I pleased. Many of the houses and buildings have signs affixed to them explaining their significance, and there are many websites with do-it-yourself tours.

Beautiful old trees in White Point Garden

Murray Street houses near the battery
and right off  Charleston Harbor

Historical Houses on East Bay Street

For our first brunch of the weekend, we decided to take a stroll around the streets below Calhoun and see what we found. A high majority of the restaurants in the area are below Calhoun Street. We happened upon Poogan's Porch, and the wait seemed reasonable (we were told 15-30 minutes at 12:30, and only waited about 10 which was awesome considering it was prime brunch time on a Saturday). Poogan's Porch is one of Charleston's oldest culinary establishments housed in an old Victorian house built in 1888, so as you can imagine, the restaurant itself is built into the house, so there are many rooms on two floors that can accommodate various sized parties. Poogan's has an awesome brunch menu full of the richness of southern and low country cuisine, and a drink list that encourages good brunching. They start you off with these wonderfully fluffy and hot biscuits, which even Jason enjoyed even though he claims to not like biscuits. We also had the alligator bites to start, which had a good bit of cajun flavor (but not really spicy, at least by my standards) and were not chewy as some alligator can be if poorly prepared. For our main dishes, Jason and I almost always end up order the same thing, but because I wanted one of everything on the menu, we "compromised" (=Jason ordered one of the things I wanted so we could "share". Sharing does not happen with us and meals). Jason ordered the chicken and waffles, which were topped with a blueberry Texas Pete syrup; it was definitely good, but neither of us are big chicken and waffle lovers, and the spiciness was bit lacking for our tastes. I totally won this meal and got the pulled pork benedict, and holy hell was it fantastic! I will venture to say this is certainly one of the top five brunch dishes I've ever had. The chef smokes the pork on site, and adds a perfect barbecue sauce that has just the slightest vinegar taste to give it a bit of a bite, and then adds a poached egg and hollandaise. This dish should certainly be a staple in any restaurant with barbecue and brunch. As you can tell, I loved this restaurant, and it's reasonably priced ($9-15 plates, but the drinks are on par for large city cocktail prices).

Poogan's Porch Menu

Blueberry Vodka Sparkling Lemonade! Delish!!

Fried alligator bites with a spicy aioli 

Homemade Biscuit-Poogan's Porch

Something pink and sparkling...I had to have one :)

Pulled Pork Benedict....the best brunch dish ever!

Chicken and Waffles with a blueberry Texas Pete syrup

After spending the afternoon walking off brunch and exploring, we were in need of an afternoon snack and stopped by Peninsula Grill for steak tartare. I would highly recommend this place for late afternoon snacks off of the bar menu (because sparkling rose and tartare are reasonable snacks), and based on the bar snacks, I venture to say the dinner would be equally pleasing. It is also a good place to have a meal at the bar if eating alone, without being limited to solely bar-style food. They have a subtle influence of the local low country cuisine in their rich steak and lamb dishes.  The Peninsula Grill is attached to the Planters Inn, which is a very well known hotel.

Sparkling Rose at Peninsula Grill
(in my trend with pink sparkly things)

For brunch on Sunday, we went to Husk where we were without a reservation again but seated immediately up on the front porch. Sean Brock, former executive chef of McCrady's (another renowned Charleston restaurant focused around the postmodern gastronomy movement), is now the executive chef at Husk, and he focuses on using local heirloom ingredients, and changes the menu daily, which allows him to serve only the freshest, local, and inventive dishes. We started brunch with 28-ingredient bloody marys (and challenged the waiter to name all 28...he didn't quite get there), and house made pork sausages with pimento cheese and green tomatoes. The sausage was packed with flavor and complemented nicely by the creaminess of the pimento cheese (which is something I'm not a huge fan of, but it is ubiquitous in the Carolinas) and the tartness and juiciness of the tomatoes. Per usual, I ordered steak and eggs, except they served Wagyu beef (cooked rare) with a sunny side up egg, red wine jus, and sausage and confit potato hash. The steak was so tender that I didn't need a knife, and totally upped my standard for brunch steak and eggs. I have no recollection of what Jason ordered, because I was so consumed with my meal. We also had a side of cheese and grits, that came out with a nice thick crust of cheddar cheese on top and cheese baked into them. We ended brunch by trying Madiera, which came to be widely drank by colonists because of the lack of wine grapes in the region. Madiera is a fortified wine that is heated as high as 140 degrees Farenheit, and is quite sweet and found at many places in the area.

The Bar at Husk is also awesome. I stopped by as a break from exploration another day to have an afternoon cocktail. The mixologists have created some really refreshing and locally-inspired cocktails, and they have quite the extensive bourbon selection. I had heard that Husk was over-hyped, but my god, after our meal, I think it's worth every bit of hype, and I loved that the wait staff was so attentive and unpretentious.

Husk brunch menu

Front Porch at Husk

Breads with bourbon flavored salt and sesame seeds

House made pork sausages
with pimento cheese and green tomato

Wonderfully cheesy grits!

Wagyu Steak and Eggs

We had a few more meals in Charleston, and I neglected to take any pictures. While Jason was at conference dinner, I had dinner alone at Hall's' Chophouse, and had the best bone-in filet that I've ever eaten. In my gluttonous streak from the weekend, I also had sides of pepper jack creamed corn and lobster mac and cheese (and they were the "for the table" sides). This steakhouse is on par with Lugers, Delmonico's and Marc Joseph's in the city. They also have live music frequently; when I was there, it was a blind man who beautifully sang many of the classics from the 50s, which adds the olden days ambiance I love at steakhouses. Our last dinner in Charleston was at Cypress, which has typical low-country cuisine. We were limited to a pre-selected menu because we were dining with a large group from the conference, so I'm not sure we got to experience the range of the menu. We started with a lobster bisque, that was too salty for me, but lighter than most bisques, then had a delicious heirloom tomato salad, and steak diane with a truffle peppercorn cream that was very good. Although it wasn't my favorite, Cypress seems to be a local favorite, and they have an extensive wine selection. The interior of the building is a blend of the traditional architecture and exposed brick with modern fixtures and was really nicely done. As you can tell, I only tried a few restaurants in Charleston in the four days I spent there and would dare say that you would have to work very hard to get a less than an excellent meal.

In between meals, there is no shortage of things to do. There are quite a few museums including the Old Exchange Building and Provost Dungeon that hosted many notable historical figures; I couldn't resist going to tour an old dungeon! I did the tour, which was about 30 minutes and was really cool. I also spent a rainy morning at the Charleston Museum, which is America's oldest museum founded in 1773. There are also several beaches within half an hour from downtown Charleston including Folley Beach, Sullivan's Island, Kiawah Island, and Isle of Palms. I went to Sullivan's Beach, which is supposedly one of the more natural and less commercial beaches in the area. I was told by locals that Folley Beach was the place to go for more of a scene and beach party.  Additionally, there are also military and naval attractions in the area.  Charleston is definitely on my list of cities to get back to soon!