Stay tuned...
Monday, February 28
Sunday, February 27
Saturday, February 26
St. George Island (1)
It was so nice to get away from the very cold weather and snowy roads for a little while! The weekend and school's mid-winter break gave us 5 days to enjoy a mini vacation on the barrier island of Florida, in the Gulf of Mexico.
St. George Island is known as the heart of Florida's Forgotten Coast. Located just off the coast of Apalachicola, the island's surrounding habitat is rich in preserved public lands. Its 22 miles of white sand beaches are some of the most serene and beautiful on the Gulf Coast!
My friend, Lynne, and I, with 4 boys stayed with Lynne's parents at this beautiful beach house. There’s a small commercial area in the center of the island with restaurants, shops and stores.
View from the deck off the bedroom
Lounging, swimming, hot tubbing, and roasting marshmallows for S'Mores,all happening here!
The boys enjoy going around on the island, where there're miles of bike path.
We visited this local business, Somtimes It's Hotter, a few times during our stay - to get fresh-baked breads, wines, hot sauces, cheese, and Jambalaya Seasonings. Great store!
A little wine tasting, before buying - every time :)
We picked up fresh seafood from 13 Mile Seafood Market, a local seafood retail in Apalachicola Bay. Fresh off-the-boat shrimps -- what could be better than this?
A heaven for seafood lovers!
A five-mile bridge connecting St. George Island to the mainland, crossing over Apalachicola Bay.
At the end of our first day on the island, we had a nice home-cooked meal, and a little birthday celebration for my son :)Tuesday, February 22
Saturday, February 12
RiverHouse Inn
I had a little birthday celebration with my besties on Friday. Lynne, Beth, and Kathy took me out to a nice dinner at the RiverHouse Inn. It was my first time there, but I had heard so much about it before. The restaurant is in a beautiful historic house on the river in downtown Williamston. Our table was by the fireplace in the bar area, overlooking the Red Cedar River. A great atmosphere, cozy with rich wood and high ceilings. Our dinner was delicious, everyone loves their dishes. Service was excellent - our server was very attentive and knowledgeable about food and wine on the menu.
Our wine: 2009 Bodega Enrique Foster IQUE Malbec.Characteristics: "Fresh picked wild strawberries, some Ceylon Cinnamon and a bit of strawberry hard candy on the nose. Really fresh and lively on the palate with the Strawberry party meeting the baking spice party. Good fresh acidity and mild tannic structure balance out the friendly clean finish." - wine tasting note by PC
Calamari Fries Appetizer - served with chipotle-lime-cilantro aioli.
Seafood LinguineShrimp, mussels, and scallops in spicy vodka sauce served over garlic and herbed linguine.
Lobster and Clam RisottoCreamy risotto with lobster, clams, bacon, shallots, and peas.
We shared a creme brulee and a (very big) slice of carrot cake for dessert. Both are wonderful. Food portion is very generous, each entree comes with a salad. Our meal ended with nice cups of coffee, a good conversation, and a great dining experience. We're planning on going back to enjoy their outdoor patio seatings by the river when it's warm out - hopefully soon.Friday, February 11
Dinner at Sansu
Hwe-dup-babAssorted sashimi and fresh vegetables over bed of rice,
served with side of spicy pepper sauce
Fried oyster appetizer
Beef KatsuCrispy battered beef served with a side of katsu sauce
Tuesday, February 8
Wednesday, February 2
Agedashi Tofu
Agedashi Tofu is Japanese fried tofu with a dashi-stock based sauce.
Dredge tofu piece lightly with corn starch. Then pan-fry in about 1/4" oil until golden brown. I don't deep-fry tofu cube as most recipes suggest, but it is cooked nicely brown and crispy on both sides.
Served in a hot broth made of soy sauce, mirin, and dashi broth (I use boiled water + dashi powder). Topped with finely chopped green onions and grated fresh ginger. You can also sprinkle on top with some bonito (dried fish) flakes.