The Columbia Foodie

The New Columbia Foodie in Live!! Check Us Out!

2009-10-01T19:52:00.001-07:00

Check out the new and improved site www.columbiafoodie.com

Get Set For the Relaunch of the Columbia Foodie, It's Gonna Be Huge!!!

2009-09-26T06:27:00.000-07:00

Cellar on Greene this Week

2009-09-15T12:22:00.000-07:00

Tonight...Enjoy CHAMPAGNE TUESDAY half-price specials like $3 glasses of Clara C Prosecco, $4 glasses of Gruet Brut, $5 glasses of J. "Cuvee 20" Brut and a VERY SPECIAL offering of the famed Bollinger NV Champagne for only $10 a glass! Real Champagne drinkers will be all over that!

ALSO TONIGHT...join Mr. Michael Cramer anytime from 5-7 for a tasting of Washington State Reserve Wines for only $7! stop in anytime within the two hours and enjoy Hogue's Reserve Chardonnay & Cabernet Sauvignon, the amazing Cadaretta Syrah, and the incredible Whitman "Narcissa" Red Meritage! no reservations.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Enjoy our usual BEERFEST WEDNESDAY offerings of half-off any and all brews OR take a stab at a very special New Belgium Brewery Beer Flight for only $5! This flight features three of New Belgium's best brews in the ultra-popular Fat Tire Ale, their killer Mothership Wit Organic Wheat Ale, and the always delicious 1554 Black Ale!

ALSO ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT we'll kick off two fantastic Special Wine Flights! For only $6 enjoy a Chardonnays of the World Flight that features France's Larochette-Manciat "Morizottes", Australia's Wishing Tree, and Santa Barbara County's Three Saints Chardonnay!

Or dig into a Reserve Italian Wine Flight featuring the amazing Jermann Pinot Grigio, Rosa del Golfo's Primitivo and the newly released 2007 Dama Montepulciano for only $10! (both of these wine flights will also be offered on Thursday night)

THURSDAY NIGHT...it's another Pizza & Wine Night as you can enjoy any TWO PIZZAS and a BOTTLE OF WINE for only $25 total! Need I say more?

THIS WEEK'S SPECIALS enjoy three courses for only $19!
Add a personalized Wine Flight from any of our wines-by-the-glass for only $8 more with any three-course meal! All items are always available A La Carte

first course
-Carolina Shrimp Salad, dill, capers, artichokes, arugula salad, tapenade, grilled pita 7.
-Yellowfin Tuna Nachos, ponzu, watermelon-apple salsa, avocado cream, wontons 8.
-Summer Corn Bisque, lump crab, basil pesto 6.
-Mixed Green-Arugula Salad, roasted red pepper vinaigrette, cucumbe, tomato, manchego 7.
-Basil Hummus, roasted red peppers, italian olives, grilled pita, tapenade 6.
-Panko Crab Cake, corn coulis, arugula, basil pesto 8.

second course
-Pan Seared Scallops, parmesan creamed cauliflower, prosciutto, asparagus, arugula 12.
-Chile Rubbed Flat Iron Steak, applewood bacon-corn salsa, avocado cream, mashed potatoes, sauteed spinach & zucchini 13.
-Steak Roulade, apple-gorgonzola stuffed, wild berry bordelaise, mashed potatoes 13.
-Roasted Vegetable & Sweet Vidalia Onion stuffed Portobello Mushroom, parmesan creamed cauliflower, arugula, balsamic-truffle reduction 10.
-Citrus Seared Lake Victoria Perch, manchego-mushroom risotto, basil pesto 11.

third course
choose from any of the desserts on our regular menu!

Also don't forget to check out tomorrow's email that will include a MYSTERY CASE OF WINE featuring twelve fantastic value wines for only $95 TOTAL!

Terra to Host Wine Dinner With Lioco Winery, Wine & Spirits Magazine “2009 Winery of the Year,”

2009-09-13T15:45:00.000-07:00

Terra will host a wine dinner with guest Matt Licklider, co-founder (along with Kevin O’Connor, wine director at Spago-Beverly Hills) of Lioco Winery named Wine & Spirits Magazine “2009 Winery of the Year,” on Tuesday, September 15. The dinner will feature Lioco wines and the opportunity to buy bottles for a bargain price. Seating will be limited and advance tickets are available for $60.

“Columbia doesn’t often get a chance like this,” said Chef Mike Davis, who is delighted to bring Licklider to Terra from Lioco Winery’s wild vines in California. “We always have a great time at the wine dinners, but this will be a special night. Lioco wines have such unique flavors that frame our food at Terra so well. Each course’s pairing will be interesting.”

Chef Davis and Terra’s Certified Specialist of Wine, Howard Jarrett, have sung the praises of Lioco Winery for over a year, lauding its hands-on winemaking process and their wines’ unique flavor. He plans to accompany these rich, unfiltered wines with a delicious menu, with the signature Terra twist – using as many fresh, local ingredients as possible.

Terra is located just over the Gervais Street bridge at 100 State Street in West Columbia. To learn more about Terra, visit www.TerraSC.com or call (803) 791-3443. See what’s for dinner – follow Terra @TerraSC.

Granville's- The Best Meal in Columbia in a while

2009-09-06T09:02:00.000-07:00

This little nook that just opened in the space where Tiffany's Bakery used to be is truly fabulous. Granville's food is all local, organic, and exceptional. The atmosphere is minimalist with inviting lighting. The staff is nice, helpful, and they really believe and care about their work. But for me it was the quality of the food that made this place so memorable.

I had a salad with local butter beans, avocado, and greens that tasted sweet, earthy, and brimming with flavor. We also had a fish and chips with hand cut chips double fried for an added crisp coating. My father the had beef bourguignon. The flavors were impeccably close to the French dish that he fondly remembered from a visit to the country.

The prices are very inexpensive and the menu was short so that any ordering intimidation could be avoided. And if you recognize the name from the extraordinary caterers in Charleston, you'd be right on the money. These guys don't disappoint.

All and all (Best *****) (Price $$$$$)
Food ****
Service****
Atmosphere****
Drink List ****
$$$

Rosso

2009-09-06T08:41:00.000-07:00

If you haven't been to Rosso yet, it should definitely be on your short list of restaurants. I liked the food at Rosso because I didn't lay awake all night long with a stomach ache as I have after having over-indulged while dining at Friendly's. The sauces are lighter and generally do a better job of featuring the flavors of the main ingredients.

Although there have been reports that Rosso is somehow affilliated with the group that owns Mr. Friendly's, Solstice, and Cellar on Greene, I have been assured that there is no connection.

The decor of the restaurant is inviting, while not the usual Trattoria atmosphere that one might expect, it was eclectic, opulent and maybe even a little posh. We started off with prosciutto wrapped asparagus. Each bundle of asparagus was wrapped in hunks of cured ham. It was a bit bulky, hard to eat, and typical. The taste was fine but that's about the extent of it. Next, I had a sea bass special with creamy polenta. This was tasty. The fish was fresh, cooked perfectly and seasoned in a way not to overpower the delicate fish but to compliment it.

Our waitress lacked knowledge to say the least. She talked too much and said too little. She knew little about the largely Italian wine list and admitted to it. But the food was good and I'll give the service the benefit of the doubt until it happens twice.

Oh yeah, and price is right. Very fair in terms of wine and food.

All and all (Best *****) (Price $$$$$)
Food ***
Service**
Atmosphere****
Drink List ***
$$

Bring Your Appetite to Viva la Vista, Columbia’s Largest Block Party

2009-08-20T10:45:00.000-07:00

Viva la Vista, the second annual epicurean event in Columbia’s Congaree Vista, promises a full afternoon of tasting from the best restaurants in the Vista on Saturday, September 12, from 2:00 – 7:00 p.m.

At this year’s event, there will be no shortage of music. During Viva la Vista, two stages (one in the Liberty parking lot and another at Lincoln and Lady Streets) will feature several bands playing all afternoon. Viva la Vista has also joined forces with the popular Free Times Music Crawl, which kicks off at 7:00 p.m. and features several bands playing in venues around the Vista. Wristbands for the crawl will be sold during Viva la Vista. For more information on bands visit www.Free-Times.com.

“Who doesn’t love to sample different foods by great chefs and restaurants at lower prices? And with the wine tasting, beer tent and the local craft vendors we’ve added to the mix this year, and all of the music, there’s something for everyone at Viva la Vista,” said Deirdre Mardon, Director of the Vista Guild. “From sushi to steaks, taps to wine, we have it all. It’s a great afternoon and evening in the Vista with a block party feel.”

The Lincoln Street Canopy on both sides of Gervais Street will be lined with chefs preparing food and lots of tasty, affordable bites; family-friendly activities for visitors of all ages; and live music. Viva la Vista visitors this year will find crafts and goods offered by local vendors on Gervais Street, such as bottle cap art by local artist Marianne Huebner and Adluh Flour products – and more. Gervais & Vine Owner Kristian Niemi helped choose a sophisticated selection of wine for tasting.

Each restaurant will offer menu items ranging from one to five tokens. Tokens cost $1 each and will be available for purchase at several locations along Lincoln Street.

Sample menus include:

- Pimento-stuffed sausage with Adluh grits for $1 by 300 Senate
- Mini osso buco for $3 by Ristorante Divino
- Organic pizza by Z Pizza
- Ahi tuna with a balsamic glaze and wasabi crème fraiche for $4 by Sheraton Columbia Downtown hotel
- Kid-friendly candy apples for $2 and boiled peanuts for $3 by Cromer’s

There’s more! Also participating among the 27 restaurants are Gervias & Vine, Ruth’s Chris, Saki Tumi, Blue Marlin, the all-new Cupcake and many, many more.

Bring your children, bring your ID, bring your appetite. Plan for an afternoon of fun, great food at excellent prices and a full lineup of music.

For a complete list of participating restaurants and retailers, visit www.VivaLaVistaSC.com

For more menus, recipes or to schedule an interview, contact Riley Communications at (803) 227.0914 or info@rileycommunications.com.

Pawley's Front Porch - If you're hungover it's a dream come true

2009-08-18T07:09:00.000-07:00

Pawley's Front Porch is actually quite tasty all of the time but the reason I feel the need to add the hungover line is the largely fried menu. With fried pickles, onion rings, sweet potato fries, french fries, and fried green tomatoes, there are a wealth of deep fried choices on this abundent menu. Pawley's is known for their burgers, but I instead went for the pimento cheese and fried green tomato sandwich with french fries. This was only after the fried pickles which serves as our appetizers. Feeling up to my eyes in peanut oil, I thought why not top this heart attack on a plate meal off with a margarita?

The food was delicious however. While I over ordered with the best of them and probably should have attempted a marathon to compensate for the calorie intake, I did enjoy myself. The porch is large and airy though the view of Harden Street and Rite Aid across the street leaves little to be desired, we had a great time and will likely return.

The service and pleasant and the staff helpful though two margaritas deep, I 'm not sure how much I care.

All and all (Best *****) (Price $$$$$)
Food ***
Service****
Atmosphere***
Drink List ****
$$

This Week at Foxfire Grill

2009-08-18T04:33:00.001-07:00

Monday nights 1/2 price wine list!

Every Wednesday Live Jazz starting at 6:00-9:00PM along with 1/2 price Martinis,!

Friday night live acoustic with Will Ericson starting around 8:00PM "Until"

Saturday, Live Music outside on the plaza Starting at 6:30PM - 9:30PM We will serve Icy Cold beer want something different our servers will gladly bring it to you and allow you to listen to some great Music, how cool is that?
Inside playing in the Bar is Live Acoustic with Dustin Brown Starting at 8:30PM "Until"

News From Rosewood Market

2009-08-13T07:47:00.001-07:00

Reduce, Re-use, Recycle, Repeat!

Did you see the movie?

‘Food, Inc.’ offers troubling view of US food industry

Let us know what you thought! Email your comments about the film to

rosewoodmarket@gmail.com with “Food, Inc.” in the subject line.

Basil's Green Tip of the Month

Jane Hiller of the Sonoco Recycling Education Center will take CLEAN and STACKED yogurt cups for re-use in school projects. You may contact her at (803) 779-0608 or jane.hiller@sonoco.com. Mailing address: Jane Hiller, Sonoco Recycling Education Center, 1132 Idlewilde Blvd., Columbia, SC 29201.

Cell phone recycling report: My cell phone has been received and evaluated as being in the condition I claimed. A check should be forthcoming.

Lost and Found

We have a myriad of items being held at register 2 that our dear customers have left behind or dropped in the parking lot. Among the items are a set of Volkswagen keys, other misc. keys, phones, re-usable bags… If you are missing something please check with us to see if we have it!

Raw Milk Delivery Days

Milky Way Farm's Grade A Raw Jersey & Split Creek Farms Goat Milk upcoming deliveries will be on August 19th and on September 2nd usually in the mid-afternoon.

Due to the high demand for Raw Goat’s milk look for additional delivery dates soon!

Fresh Bread Delivery Schedule

Crumbs Bakery - Wednesday

Rising High – Monday & Friday

Nova’s Bakery – Monday & Friday

Heather’s Artisan Breads – Tuesday, Thursday, & Saturday

In-Store Local SC Produce – delicious and very fresh!

Wildflower Honey

Pecans

Eggs

Meat – Pork, Beef, Lamb, Chicken

Milk

Grits (Anson Mills and Joe Trapp’s)

Yellow Squash

Green Beans

Cucumbers

Blueberries

Blackberries

Tomatoes (Regular and Heirloom)

Watermelon

Figs

Cantaloupes

Okra

Peaches

Fresh, locally Shelled (grown in Florida) White-acre peas, Pink-eyed peas and Butterbeans!

In-Store Other Local SC Products

Palmetto Pepper Potions

Heather’s Bakery

Sweet Knee, baby natural care products

Grawnola (granola for raw food diet)

Bee Pollen

Carolina Plantation - Cow Peas, Aromatic Rice, Grits

Charleston Tea Plantation - American Classic Tea

Country Clear – Reverse Osmosis Bottled Water

Crispy Kat candy bars

Wellness

Thru August:

All NewChapter Products are 25% off (discount taken at the register)

New this month is NewChapter’s WHOLE Fish oil supplement – WHOLEmega – which is Nature’s Whole complement of sixteen Omegas, obtained from wild, sustainably caught Alaskan Salmon. These omega’s have numerous benefits for your health. Ask one of our knowledgeable Wellness staff for more information about this great product!

Grocery

Vidalia Onion Relish, Pickled Beans, and Pickled Beets--all homemade--from Yoder’s Country Kettle.

Non-Gluten and low-carb foods

Aged Parmesan Mini-crisps – no wheat, no sugar, no gluten!

GlutenFreeda’s pre-formed Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough $6.29

Sami’s Bakery – Low-carb 7 Grain Bread $6.19

Refrigerated/Frozen Items

Ciao Bella Gelato – Pistachio $4.99

Organic Prairie – Organic Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, 2lb pkg $20.99

Wholesoy – Soy Yogurt, Peach $1.39

Siggi’s Icelandic style non-fat yogurt $3.29

Great for Grilling! Halloumi Cheese!

Halloumi cheese is made from Sheep’s milk. It tastes similar to Feta but is milder. Marinate it in your favorite vinaigrette, skewer it, and pop it on the grill!

Looking for a new way to give your children probiotics? Try Next Generation’s Probiotic Cheese Sticks! They come in Mozzarella, Raw Milk Cheddar, and Raw Milk Colby varieties.

Local pasture-raised, grass-fed beef and lamb from Ovis Hill Farm. Try Boneless beef or lamb kabobs, or pick up a handy 4-pack of burger patties. No antibiotics and no added hormones.

Applegate Farms Organic Turkey Burgers – reg. $9.99 now on sale $8.59.

Deli

Start the weekend days right with Breakfast on Saturdays 9 – 11:30am and Brunch on Sundays 10 – 2pm

Make it easy on yourself, have your party or meeting catered by the Rosewood Deli!

Party and Sandwich Tray, Box Lunches, and full dinners available individually or family style. Call the Deli direct line (803-256-6410) for more details on how we can make great food for you and your guests.

Find the monthly deli menu at

http://rosewoodmarket.com/deli.pdf

New Products!

*Wonder Mill and Wonder Mill Junior – Get the freshest flour by milling your own grains and beans (as large as garbanzos)!

The Wonder Mill (electric) touts a patented surgical quality stainless steel, self-cleaning Microburst milling chamber with the advantages of old stone mills but none of the problems of gumming, jamming, or glazing. This power mill is able to grind over 100lbs of flour in an hour. ($259.95 which is $20 less than the manufacturer’s suggested retail price)

The Wonder Mill Junior (hand crank) has an easy, 10” long ergonomic turn arm & grip and is able to hold over 1 quart of grain. Texture adjustment allows you to obtain super fine flour or course cracked grains. The unit will clamp or bolt to surfaces up to 2” thick. ($219.95 which is $30 less than the manufacturer’s suggested retail price)

These mills are located in the produce area above the produce shelves so please ask for assistance to get one down. If you have questions, Nate in the produce area can help you or check out

http://www.9ghealthfoods.com/.

Pizza and Pinot at Terra

2009-08-09T23:43:00.001-07:00

Wednesday and ever Wednesday in August for Pizza and Pinot Night. We will offer one of our delicious Wood Fired Oven Pizzas and a glass of featured Pinot Noir for the ridiculous price of twelve dollars. Each week we will feature a different Pinot, you pick the Pizza. Tonight’s Feature Pinot is Cycles Gladiator.
Join us on Tuesday August 13th as we celebrate the beauty and the bounty of South Carolina with food from local farmers and food producers. We will be hosting a “Cocktail Party” style fund raiser for Slow Food Columbia with food from Five Leaves Farm, Little Creek Plantation and Anson Mills and wine from Spanish Vines. If you have not been to the Slow Food Columbia Website or Slow Food International, you may check out the following links: http://slowfoodcolumbia.blogspot.com/ and http://www.slowfood.com/
Tickets for this event are available through Slow Foods: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/76464
Be sure to call me immediately to purchase tickets for our August 18th Spanish Wine Dinner. This will be the first Spanish Wine Dinner that we have done, and as you probably know, these dinners always sell out quickly. Mike has been tasting mucho Spanish Wines and will have a menu tailor made to complement the wines and wines to compliment his creations. Es Verdad.

Local Trout, Cherry Romaine Salad, and Olive Oil Potato

2009-08-05T17:14:00.001-07:00

I made this last night for the husband. It's super delicious and easy to make. Because the quality of the trout was so good, you don't really have to do anything to it for the flavor to shine. Simply coat with olive oil, salt, pepper, and bread crumbs and you're good to go. Add local potatoes, romaine, and dried cherries and it becomes a meal.

Local Trout, Cherry Romaine Salad, and Traditional Potato

1 lb trout
1 tbsp olive oil
sea salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup bread crumbs

Directions

1. There are none, top the trout with the ingredients above. Cook skin side down for 8 minutes. Flip once in the last minute to seer the bread crumbs.

Cherry Salad

1 head local romaine, chopped
1/4 cup dried organic cherries
2 tbsp macadamian nuts
1/4 vidalia onion chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
the juice of half a lemon
sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Add all of the ingredients to the salad and toss.

Olive Oil Baked Potato

2 baked potatoes, washed
2 tbsp olive oil
sea salt and pepper to taste
1 dollop organic sour cream

Directions

1. Bake the potato for 55 minutes on 400 degrees.

2. Cut open and coat with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Dress with sour cream if you like.

The Local Bounty in San Fran

2009-08-02T20:37:00.000-07:00

Where have I been you ask? Trying out foods across the country of course! Check out the best and the brightest from this year's trip to San Francisco.

Scenes from the Ferry Building, the Mecca of amazing local producers in San Francisco and the Bay Area.

squash, kohlrabi (in the cabbage family), and Meyer lemons all grown at McEvoy Ranch. Read Buy Less Food! Try McEvoy Ranch's Five-Ingredient Masterpieces

The Tuesday farmer's market outside the Ferry Building. The Ferry Plaza Farmers Market is operated by the Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture (CUESA). The market is open on Tuesday and Saturday. Check out Green Eating: Take a Gastronomical Tour of San Francisco

Heirloom Caprese Made with Tomatoes From the Tomato Art Company

2009-08-02T10:14:00.000-07:00

These are some of the best heirlooms I've had and they are grown just up the road in Hendersonville, NC. The Tomato Art Company is owned by Hilda Rico Tipton Farms and you can get them locally at Earthfare.

Four Moons New Loyalty Program

2009-08-02T08:26:00.000-07:00

Diners and shoppers of Four Moons
restaurant and Wine and Gourmet are now able to earn points when they
dine or shop. Points earned are translated into gift certificates that can
be redeemed for meals, wine or gourmet items from the shop.

While loyalty programs are often found at grocery, airline, or hotel
chains, they are unusual for a fine dining restaurant and a wine and
gourmet shop. Four Moons Loyalty Club is the first of its kind in the
Midlands.

The program, announced by Four Moons Managing Partner Michael Tourville,
is Four Moons way of saying thank you to their loyal guests and customers,
particularly as Four Moons reaches its first anniversary. Tourville said,
“Not only is this our way of saying thank you, but with the impact of
the economy, many people are watching their wallets. Our Loyalty Club
essentially gives back part of what our patrons spend with us. So it
actually lessens what they spend. It’s almost like a discount.”

Solstice Leaves an Overwhelming Impression on South Carolina Open Table Diners

2009-08-02T08:25:00.001-07:00

Solstice Leaves an Overwhelming Impression on South Carolina Open Table Diners

New 2009 rankings have been released naming Solstice “Best Overall” Restaurant in South Carolina.

Columbia, SC, July 23, 2009 – Solstice Kitchen and Wine Bar located in Northeast Columbia topped several of the OpenTable.com Diner’s Choice Awards Lists. OpenTable updates and re-releases these rankings several times a year based on customer reviews.

Out of the 16 categories that restaurants are judged on, Solstice made the Top 10 on seven, including:

· #1 – Best Overall Restaurant
· #1 – Best Food
· #2 – Best Service
· #2 – Notable Wine List
· #2 – Most Booked 1000pt Restaurant
· #7 – Best Ambiance
· #9 – Hot Spot

Rosewood Market Update

2009-06-26T07:33:00.001-07:00

Come and get a great State Plate breakfast one last time here at the market and visit with your neighborhood family as they share your passion for eating locally and supporting local farmers and local grocery stores like us. We'll see you this Saturday, June 27th from 8am – Noon. This market features all SC products and a great breakfast in a festive setting--our parking lot and patio.

Go to www.stateplate.org/ for the new location.

Customer Loyalty Program- 5% off your purchases when you present your Loyalty card. Don't have a card yet? Ask for details at the register.
Although we have published "no exceptions" on our 5% Loyalty reward, there are a few. They are items that have such a small markup that we can’t afford further discount. Thanksgiving Turkeys, The State Plate on Farmer’s Market Saturday, Champion Juicers, and Benoit’s CDs are currently on the list. We hope you understand.

Raw Milk Delivery Days
Milky Way Farm's Grade A Raw Jersey Milk upcoming deliveries will be on July 8th and July 22nd, usually in the mid-afternoon.

Fresh Bread Delivery Schedule
Crumbs Bakery - Wednesday
Rising High – Monday & Friday
Nova’s Bakery – Monday & Friday
Heather’s Artisan Breads – Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday (NOTE: Heather’s deliveries will pause for two weeks summer break so no deliveries from June 13th thru June 25th. Normal delivery schedule resumes on June 27th.)
*On delivery day breads are usually available in the mid-afternoon.

Local SC Products – delicious and very fresh!
Peaches
Wildflower Honey
Pecans in shell
Eggs
Meat – Pork, Beef, Lamb, Chicken
Milk
Grits (Anson Mills)
Tomatoes
Yellow Squash
Green Beans
Cucumbers
Blueberries
Blackberries
We also have fresh shelled Butterbeans (grown in Florida, shelled in Columbia).

Wellness
Thru June:
25% OFF all CountryLife brand supplements
20% OFF Udo’s Oil Blend (liquids, all sizes) For more product and sports performance information go to http://oilthemachine.com/

We welcome Nicki Musick back to our own Wellness department staff. Nicki possesses a wealth of experience in holistic healing, natural skin care, and cosmetics. Come see Nicki on Friday and Sunday afternoons this summer!

Grocery
Penta water $2.99 per liter or $2.84 each in a case of 12 (plus your 5% Loyalty discount= $2.70 per bottle)
Knudsen can sodas – 6 pack – reg. $7.69 / sale $4.99
Newman’s cookies (chocolate, mint, vanilla, ginger) – reg. $5.19 / sale $4.39
Blue Diamond crackers – reg. $3.25 / sale $2.29

Non-Gluten and low-carb foods
Check out our full line of products

Refrigerated/Frozen Items
Check out our great variety of cheeses. All are hormone and antibiotic free.
New products this month are:
*Organic Valley Aged Vermont Cheddar, and Mona Lisa Aged Gouda (this is for those of you who have been missing the Vincent & Rembrandt.
Other popular cheeses:
*Next Generation Dairy, Organic Valley, and Heini’s Raw Cheeses.
*Mount Sterling Goat Cheese.
*Local Split Creek Farm Goat cheese.

Deli
Sunday Brunch:
Try our Sunday Brunch from 10-2pm. It is ideal for a relaxed Sunday morning either indoors or out. Our ingredients are the highest quality and locally sourced when possible. We can accommodate dietary preferences such as vegan, vegetarian or lower carb. New--waffles are now made to order. Please allow 3-4 extra minutes after you order.

Grab-N-Go:
*Lemon Basil Roasted Shrimp Salad
*Try the Shanghai Dumplings
*Great variety of sandwiches, wraps, and take-home entrées
*Rosewood’s own sauces, dressings, dips, and spreads!

Find the monthly deli menu at www.rosewoodmarket.com/deli.pdf

New Products!
Joe Trapp’s Yellow Grits and Corn Meal (later we’ll also have Red grits and Blue grits) – this is a certified SC Product, locally grown, locally ground. Un-enriched, whole kernel corn. Find this product on the cereal aisle. To learn more about this product check out http://yellowgrits.com/

Cooking Classes
Presented by Let's Cook Culinary Studio
Healthy Cooking with Catherine & Jeff - 1305 Assembly Street - Columbia, SC
June 2009 Special Presentation by Chef Jeff. Travels and Foods of Italy. TBA soon!
www.lets-cook@earthlink.net
or telephone (803.250.2569)

Presented by Columbia's Cooking Kitchen:
No classes listed for June.

Website links for additional information on cooking classes:

Healthy Cooking with Catherine- http://livewellwithcat.com/
OR http://www.letscookculinary.com
Celebration Center - http://celebrationcentersc.com/
Columbia’s Cooking - http://cpcp.sph.sc.edu/cooking/classes.htm

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA):
Pinckney's Produce - http://www.pinckneysproduce.com

Saturday Wine Tasting at Gourmet Shop

2009-06-11T09:45:00.000-07:00

Saturday Wine Tasting
June 13, 2:00-5:00pm
Melissa will be here to whet your whistle with a couple winners.

Piko Sauvignon Blanc '06
Three Rivers White '07
Chameleon Zinfandel '05
Alberti Cabernet Sauvignon '06

As always, just $1 at the door!!!

This Week at Cellar on Greene

2009-06-09T11:36:00.001-07:00

$24 Three-Course Menu with your own personalized Wine Flight...

first course

-Beef "Tataki" roasted red pepper, watermelon
-Marinated Beefsteak Tomato applewood bacon,
blue cheese, basil-strawberry puree
-Strawberry-Lobster Miso Soup sauteed veggies
-Mixed Green Salad tomato, manchego, bacon, shaved onion, red pepper vinaigrette, toasted almonds

second course
-Seared Scallops corona beans, chorizo sausage,
roasted jalapeno salsa, grape tomatoes
-Surf n Turf orange seared flat iron steak, lobster tail ceviche, bordelaise, applewood baocn, yukon gold chips
-Lime Seared Hawaiian Marlin watermelon gazpacho, avocado cream, scallop ceviche
-Braised Pork "Shingle", bacon-potato bread pudding, housemade bbq sauce, cilantro puree

third course
-Assorted Chocolate Truffles
-Undercooked Chocolate Cake, vanilla cream, berries, candied pecans
-Frozen Strawberry Tart, vanilla cream, chocolate mousse

"Drink" in the Cellar this week as we're offering lots of great HALF-PRICE WINES and now have
FAT TIRE NEW BELGIAN ALE!
Our half-price wines make it easy to drink great wine (for UNDER $15 a bottle in most cases) and Fat Tire is now availabe in the 22 oz. bottle for $8 each!

This Week's Tasting Schedule
& Wine-Events

Tonight and Every Tuesday Night...join us for Champagne Tuesday as we offer half-price glasses & bottles of Sparkling Wine, a Sparkling Tasting Flight, and lots more that "sparkles"!
This week's $3 and $4 selections include...
Domaine St. Vincent Brut NV New Mexico,
Banfi Brut NV Italy, Pol Clement Brut NV France,
Poema Cava NV Spain and Gruet Blanc de Noir NV New Mexico
As for this week's RESERVE bubblies,
how about some Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut for only $7 a glass or the amazing Billecart Salmon Brut Rose for only $10 a glass! That's half-off their normal prices, so drink up!

Solstice is proud to be currently ranked "Best Overall Restaurant"

2009-06-08T09:21:00.001-07:00

Solstice is proud to be currently ranked "Best Overall Restaurant" in South Carolina by Open Table, the nations largest on-line reservation system. Check it out at www.opentable.com!

We're also proud to announce that Solstice
will be featured in the August 2009 issues of both
Bon Appetit & Gourmet magazines!

Mondays really aren't too much fun are they?
It's like reality has hit you in the face and you've just got to sit there and take it until Friday rolls around.
And although we can't excuse you from your 9-5 responsibilities, we can excuse you from a trip to the grocery store and a messy Monday kitchen!
Here's just a few ways that Solstice can help make your Monday (and Tuesday-Thursday for that matter) a little more enjoyable!

Our weekly $25 Three-Course / $30 Four-Course Menu offers a wide selection of late Spring/early Summer dishes that you can piece together for a very impressive, cost-effective meal!
Simply click on
www.solsticekitchen.com/blog/
to check out This Week's Three & Four Course menus, this week's Burger Specials, and Monday & Tuesday Night's HALF-PRICE WINES!

Then on Wednesday, check out our blogsite once again to see what we're offering for our Big Steak/Big Red pairing special and our Big Fish/Big White pairing special!

Also don't forget that the Northeast's best Happy Hour happens right here at Solstice EVERY Monday-Saturday night from 5-7! From half-price appetizers and selections from our Bar Snacks Menu, to $2 off all glasses of wine, $1 off all beers, and NOW $2 OFF ALL Cocktails!

We've also just received our first delivery of FAT TIRE NEW BELGIAN ALE! This world-class, award-winning beer marks the arrival of one of the most celebrated American Brews in existence and we've got the 22oz. bottles for $8 beginning tonight!

Of course you can make reservations by calling us at 788-6966 or by going to www.solsticekitchen.com!
Or just walk-in anytime during the evening and our staff will get you seated as quickly as possible!

Conundrum, Coconut Risotto, and a Chocolate Eclipse at Four Moons

2009-05-29T07:12:00.000-07:00

I was impressed with Four Moons upon my first visit to this diamond in the rough, an unassuming Mecca in the midst of a strip mall. The restaurant has worked hard to please since its opening about a year ago. But this trip was in so many ways more impressive than the last. For starters, the menu has been minimized making it easier to read, easier to discern, and all and all a much better invitation to the epicurean pursuits of the restaurant.

We started off with a bottle of Conundrum, a delicious white table wine with floral hints of the tropics from Rutherford. It was even more gloriously memorable when paired with the raw tasting that came next. The sizable chunks of sashimi: Ahi, King Salmon, and Walu along with a nice portion of Tobikko Caviar could have swam off the plate they were so fresh, having just left the water a day beforehand.

Our salad course, a deconstructed Caprese salad was an innovative take on a mid-summer classic, but my least favorite course by far. The balsamic was reduced a bit too much so that the flavor overwhelmed the delicate tomato. But a tomato gelatin was the highlight of the dish, a feature that showed the Chef Charles Zeran was still having fun in the kitchen. The gelatin was colorless but after sinking my teeth into the atypical gel, my taste buds were clouted with an onslaught of fresh tomato.

But it was the main course that was the true show stopper. Perfectly prepared risotto, creamed to perfection, and loaded with butter poached lobster tail, seared sea scallops, grilled shrimp, and popcorn style fried langostinos. It was all piled on a cloud of risotto with sweet corn, purple potatoes, and asparagus, scented with coconut milk and lime. The rich factor was that of perfection, thick enough that you know it’s a thick creamy risotto, but not so much that you feel sick after the meal. It was as if each bite was a different gastronomical adventure.

We ended the meal with an ice wine from Niagara Falls to go with the much anticipated four phases of chocolate dessert. My favorite phase was a cold chocolate shot that tasted as if they had melted down a Godiva brownie into the form of a delightful dainty shot and paired with likely the best desert wine I’ve ever had the honor of slowly slurping down, it had wow factor.

All and all (Best *****) (Price $$$$$)
Food ****
Service*****
Atmosphere****
Drink List ****
$$$$

Hit Terra for the Preakness

2009-05-12T15:50:00.000-07:00

Enjoy a Saturday Afternoon on our patio celebrating the 134th running of the Preakness. Post Time is slated for a little after 6pm. We will be giving away Woodford Reserve Martini glass, while supplies last, with every Woodford purchase on the patio. As the wonderful local Asparagus from Ridge Springs Monetta are winding down this week, we have found local Strawberries from Lexington. Mike is using these wonderful strawberries in a Duo of Local Strawberries. This creation combines Fried Strawberry Turnovers with a house made Strawberry Milkshake Shot.
We have been so amazed at the positive response to the Crispy Veal Sweetbreads, that Mike is adding them to the Menu. We love them and obviously, a lot of you do to.
Returning to the menu is the French classic, Coq au Vin. A Red Wine Braised Wil-Moore Farms Chicken Leg with Mashed Potato and Wild Mushrooms. We are also seeing some beautiful Morel Mushrooms, look for Mike to be using them to compliment a dish.

All Local SC Farmer's Market at Rosewood

2009-05-12T15:48:00.000-07:00

All Local SC Farmer's Market!

Join us on May 23rd from 8am - Noon. http://www.stateplate.org/

In-Store Local SC Products
Yellow Squash
Wildflower Honey
Pecans
Eggs
Meats
Milk
Grits (Anson Mills)
Asparagus – season is ending – get it while supplies last!
Strawberries

Soft Shell Crabs at Solstice

2009-04-29T13:36:00.001-07:00

Chesapeake Bay Soft Shell Crabs!

This culinary treat won't be available much longer as the season generally only lasts around a month, so don't hesitate to get out at eat em' while you can!
We're offering them as either an Appetizer (one crab) or as an Entree (two crabs)
and serving them with a lobster meat-cucumber relish and tarragon-caper-dill tartar sauce.
Throw in some Byrd Mill Stone-ground Yellow Grits and Sauteed Spinach for the entree portion and you'll be a very happy person!

Also Tonight & Thursday Night we're offering our weekly BIG STEAK & BIG RED special!
Here's what it looks like this week!
"Solstice Grilled" Angus Ribeye
with butter poached lobster,
citrus-chive hollandaise,
buttermilk mashed potatoes
& preserved lemon sauteed spinach
paired with a glass of
Newton Claret, 2006 Napa Valley
for the grand total of $26 a person!
That's a $40 meal, for $26 if you're counting!

Veggie Loaded Organic Pizza - Serious Food Porn

2009-04-23T20:09:00.000-07:00

Yes it did really look like that, the pizza I mean. If you can make pizza like that at home why sh*t's name would you ever dial Pizza Hut? And the best part about pizza is that it's nothing more than a canvas for all your foodie desires. I loaded this one up with spinach, portobellas, carmelized onions, and goat cheese but there is truly no end to what you could decide. Pick up an organic whole wheat crust at Earth Fare or make your own on a pizza stone.

Veggie Loaded Organic Pizza

1 organic whole wheat pizza crust
1/2 cup organic vodka sauce (invest in the good stuff here)
1 cup baby portobellas, chopped and sauteed in olive oil and garlic
1/2 purple onion, julienned and carmelized in 2 tbsp local butter
2 yellow tomatoes, chopped
2 cup organic spinach, chopped, sauteed in olive oil and garlic
1 cup goat cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Top pizza crust with vodka sauce, veggies, and cheese. Take care to place evenly.

3. Bake for about ten minutes but really watch it carefully.

Lemon Scented Spoon Bread

2009-04-20T18:53:00.000-07:00

Lemon is likely one of my favorite flavors. In the summer months it might actually beat out chocolate, or maybe not. Anynow, it's tasty. For this recipe, don't use Meyer lemons because they are not quite tart enough. Make sure not to overcook the recipe either because most of the texture is a product of how long its baked. So don't fall victim to an overbaked spoon bread.

Lemon Scented Spoon Bread

3/4 cup organic whole wheat flour
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 organic eggs
1 cup organic sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
2 lemons
1 tbsp lemon rind

Directions

1. Sift the flours, baking soda, and baking powder.

2. Slowly beat the eggs and sugar.

3. Gradually add in oil and vanilla.

5. Add in flour and be sure not to over beat the mixture.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.

Organic Sweet Potato Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting

2009-04-19T09:52:00.000-07:00

I am currently finishing up my yoga teacher traning in Asheville and while I have always been a foodie (ie the blog) yoga absolutely changed my perspective on the matter. I cannot help but to judge nearly every ingredient that I put into my recipes and therein my body. But rigidity is never going to something to which my personality can commit, seriously I love yoga because it helps relax, right? So instead I have made simple substitutions, like using organic brown rice syrup inside of white sugar, because it doesn't effect blood sugar in the same way and it's a whole food, that comes from you guessed it, rice. I always make sure to use organic eggs and other dairy as well. I substituted whole wheat flour for half of the flour used and pureed sweet potatoes instead of all the oil. In the icing I used less sugar, partially for nutrition but mostly because I didn't want to overpower the muffin.

Organic Sweet Potato Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting

1 1/2 cups organic whole wheat flour
1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
4 organic eggs
1 cup organic sugar
1 1/4 cup organic brown rice syrup
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup organic sweet potato puree (1 cook boiled sweet potato and 1/4 cup water)
1 tsp vanilla
cream cheese icing (recipe to follow)

Directions

1. Sift the flours, baking soda, baking poder, cinnamon, and nutmeg together.

2. Slowly beat the eggs, sugar, and brown rice syrup together for about 2 minutes.

3. Gradually add in oil and sweet potato.

4. Add vanilla.

5. Add in flour and be sure not to over beat the mixture.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

7. Top with cream cheese icing, recipe to follow.

Super Quick Cream Cheese Icing

2 packages organic cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup organic or local butter, softened
1 cup sifted powdered sugar

Directions

1. Add ingredients to a bowl and beat until smooth.

2. Spread atop muffins.

Serves 12

Terra Ready For Spring

2009-04-16T13:42:00.001-07:00

Terra will officially open the patio this Friday night, April 17th, with our musical guest, Billy Sloan. Jim Le Blanc will join us on April 24th and 2 For the Road will be here May 1st. The musical entertainment will start at 7pm and run until around 10pm. Come enjoy a fantastic meal in Columbia’s best outdoor dining environment.

Celebrate the Masters at Solstice

2009-04-10T09:23:00.001-07:00

This weekend we've got some real treats for you!
First of all, we've just received our first batch of Live Soft Shell Crabs! These suckers are still kicking and look beautiful.
Second up are the Caw Caw Creek Farms Pork Chops and Pork Belly that we cut yesterday from a massive primal hunk of Caw Caw goodness!
Throw in some melt-in-your-mouth Corvina (a close relative to Sea Bass) a juicy Veal-Beef Tenderloin Meatloaf, a Lobster Grilled Cheese with Tomato Soup, Seared Scallops, Foie Gras and a very useful Weekend Wine Coupon that's on the bottom of this E-Mail, and you've got a great weekend at Solstice!

Heirloom Varieties at Finleaf

2009-04-09T11:21:00.001-07:00

Finleaf has four kinds of Tomatoes: Better Boys, Parks Whopper, Celebrity, Red Grape, & Yellow Pear! Also, we'll have Straightneck & Crookneck Squash &
Burpless, Slicing, & Bushpickle Cucumbers!

Tasting Event at Gourmet Shop

2009-04-09T10:12:00.001-07:00

Tasting Event – April 24, 7:00pm
Billecart-Salmon Champagne
Join us as we taste through an amazing selection from this 200 year-old Champagne House. Run now by the seventh generation of descendants, Billecart-Salmon produces extraordinary wines of “finesse, balance, and elegance” We will start with a crisp Italian Prosecco to get the night going and then on to the flight of five Billecart Selections. The wines include:

Flor Prosecco $18.99/btl
Brut Reserve NV $49.99/btl
Brut Rose NV $89.99/btl
1997 Brut Nicolas Francois $82.99/btl
1998 Cuvee Elizabeth Rose $169.99/btl
Demi-Sec NV $56.99/btl
Don't miss this night of amazing bubbles.
Limited Seating Available.

$25 in advance, $30.00 at the door
Reserve Online!

Earth Day at Rosewood

2009-04-09T08:22:00.000-07:00

Do something Fantastic quit wasting Plastic!

Rosewood Market's second anniversary edition Re-Useable tote bags (I Love Being (re)Used) will be given away to the first 500 customers on April 22nd. The store will open at 9am. One bag per customer.

See the article in the April 2009 edition of Natural awakenings, a publication displayed near the store's entrance for more information.

Customer Loyalty Program- 5% off your purchases when you present your Loyalty card. Don't have a card yet? Ask for details at the register.

Raw Milk Delivery Reminder
Milky Way Farm's Grade A Raw Jersey Milk upcoming deliveries will be on April 15 and 29th, and May 13th usually in the mid-afternoon.

Fresh Bread Delivery Schedule

Monday - Rising High & Nova's Bakery

Tuesday - Heather's Artisan Breads

Wednesday - Crumbs Bakery

Thursday - Heather's Artisan Breads

Friday - Rising High & Nova's Bakery

*Delivery day breads are usually available in the mid-afternoon.

Low Country Cajun Festival

2009-03-26T05:21:00.001-07:00

Laissez les bons temps rouler!

Celebrate Louisiana living and Charleston charm during the Lowcountry Cajun Festival at James Island County Park. Enjoy a full-day of Zydeco music, Cajun and Creole foods, children’s activities and all around ragin’ Cajun entertainment!

Full-bellied fun is what this festival is all about as local and regional chefs cook up a variety of mouth-watering foods. Savor the tastes of the South with authentic Cajun and Creole faire. Non-stop music throughout the day will keep your hips swingin’ and toes tappin’. No outside food or beverages allowed. Pets are not permitted.

Festival Hours

Noon-6pm

Tickets

Adults: $10

Children 12 and under and Gold Pass holders: Free

Food

Cajun & Creole Dishes
Boiled Crawfish

Etouffe

Jambalaya

Andouille Sausage

Alligator

Lowcountry Favorites
Seafood

BBQ

Funnel Cakes

Sno-Cones

Hot Dogs, etc.

Columbia International Festival

2009-03-26T05:19:00.000-07:00

South Carolina Fair Grounds

Taste!
(Saturday & Sunday Only)
Taste the culinary richness of dozens of nations -- from Baclava to Egg Rolls, and from Curry to Hot Dogs at the International Food Court

Tastes of Our State: Key Ingredients Visits SC

2009-03-26T05:18:00.001-07:00

From enjoying a bowl of she-crab soup to learning to make your grandmother's cornbread, South Carolina is undoubtedly a state where we cherish our connection to food. Many of us identify our culture with the foods we prepare, eat, and enjoy. A draw for tourists and residents alike, our culinary traditions are deeply ingrained and have helped to make South Carolina the place it is today.

You probably know by now that SCIway takes a road trip each month. What you may not have known is how important our lunch stop is to us. From small-town eateries to big-city bistros, we've been lucky to sample a smorgasbord of tastes throughout our state. So when John Singh, Elloree's town administrator, emailed us and mentioned that the Elloree Heritage Museum was hosting an exhibit called Key Ingredients: America By Food, our taste buds were intrigued.

The Egg Scramble Jamboree is set for April 1st through the 4th 2009.

2009-03-26T05:16:00.000-07:00

Come See Us!

Forms for the Festival are listed below:

Maps of Festival Locations

Egg Scramble Beach Blast

Festival Activities - TBA

Vendor Form : only Arts & Crafts available/No Food we are currently booked up! Make checks payable to the Darlington Chamber of Commerce.

DHEC Regulations

Vendor Map/Spot Location

Parade Form

Parade Route/Locations

Car Show Form

Beauty Pageant Flyer

3 Point Shoot Out Information

Unity Complex Show

IF YOU NEED MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CALL (843) 326-7304 AND ASK FOR VICTOR PIZZURRO, DEVELOPMENT & PLANNING DIRECTOR FOR THE TOWN OF LAMAR.

Get a Ride to Four Moons - It's Worth it With their Amazing Menu

2009-03-24T17:07:00.000-07:00

Leave the driving to us!!
Travel to Four Moons in style abroad our 12-passenger luxury Lunar Shuttle!

With stricter DUI laws and the growing need for alternative transportation, Four Moons launches the Lunar Shuttle, providing comfortable, safe, and stylish travel.

We offer round trip service to and from the moon, perfect for a special evening or just a night out for dinner and drinks with friends. Enjoy the comfort and convenience of chauffeur service coupled with an amazing dinner at the award-winning Four Moons.

We offer everything you need to have great times with friends and family!

Professional and prompt service
Plush leather seating
Chic interior design
Illuminating bar
Champagne flutes and other barware
Premier sound system and mood lighting
20” LCD flat screen satellite television
Call 803.531.1984 to reserve your ride to the moon on the Lunar Shuttle today!

DAILY and WEEKLY EVENTS

HAPPY HOUR at Phases Moon Bar
Tuesday-Friday from 5-7pm
Discounted beer prices and 25% off cocktails.

Phases Moon Bar is Calling ALL LADIES and PROFESSIONALS!!!
Tuesday is Professionals Night: Professionals get happy hour prices all night when a business card is presented and a chance to win lunch for 2 at Four Moons. At the end of the month, we will be drawing from the business cards and the lucky winner will be awarded lunch for 2.

Thursday Night is Ladies Night: Thursdays are all about the ladies!! Ladies enjoy happy hour prices all night long!!

Four Moons Lunch
Lunch available Tuesday - Friday 11:30am - 2:00pm
Starting at $5, our menu includes soups, salads, sandwiches, and entrees for quick lunchtime dining. We even have a kids menu with mini cheeseburgers, fries and pasta!

Some of the house favorites are...
Buffalo Buffalo Meatloaf Sandwich: Bison Meatloaf Finished with Buffalo Wing Sauce and Blue Cheese
on Grilled Texas Toast

Caprese Sandwich: Fresh Mozzarella, Tomatoes, Baby Mizuna Greens, Balsamic Reduction, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Sea Salt and Black Pepper on Toasted Semolina Bread

Click here for menu.

Phases Hall of Fame Beer Challenge
Won any awards lately… we didn’t think so!
Drink one of every beer and get inducted to the
Hall of Fame plus win a cool Phases treat!
Take the Challenge!!!

Friday Night Flights: Friday 4:30-6:30pm
Enjoy flights of specially selected red and white wines!

Rosewood Local Foodie News

2009-03-24T13:54:00.000-07:00

Raw Milk Delivery Reminder
Milky Way Farm's Grade A Raw Jersey Milk deliveries for April will be on
April 1,15 and 29th.

All Local SC Farmer's Market!

Join us on March 28th from 8am - Noon. http://www.stateplate.org/

In-Store Local SC Products

Sweet Kabocha Squash
Wildflower Honey
Pecans
Eggs
Meats
Milk
Grits (Anson Mills)
Coming soon... Asparagus and Strawberries!

I'm back local foodies!

2009-03-23T01:33:00.000-07:00

Sorry to be so MIA but it's been a huge month for me. I have been working vigorously on my writing business! I'm back in full swing with loads of food stuffs, so no worries!

All Local Farmers' Market

2009-03-23T01:32:00.000-07:00

The All-Local Farmers' Market will now operate all fourth Saturday markets at Rosewood Market and Deli on Rosewood Drive (at the corner of Rosewood Drive and Maple Street, across from Publix). Second Saturday markets will continue to operate at Gervais & Vine.

Columbia's All-Local Farmers' Market features all-natural and organic produce, beef, eggs, chicken, lamb, pork, grains, honey, flowers, and milk from South Carolina farmers. The market also boasts vendors with baked goods, award-winning hot sauces, goat milk soaps and lotions, dog treats, handmade items, and more. A State Plate breakfast is served until 10am.

Columbia's All-Local Famers' Market is held the 2nd Saturday of every month on the patio of Gervais & Vine (620-A Gervais Street) in the Vista, and the 4th Saturday of every month at new location Rosewood Market and Deli (2803 Rosewood Drive)

All-local Farmers Market hours of operation are 8am-12noon.

All-Farmer's Market Dates for Rosewood Market:
March 28
April 25

Learn to Go Raw at Earthfare in Columbia

2009-03-23T01:30:00.000-07:00

Raw Foods with Sharon Wright and Max Collins
03/26/09
Starts at 6:00 pm
Sharon Wright and Max Collins will be at Earth Fare on Thursday, March 26th, instructing a raw foods cooking class and lecture. Learn how to prepare wonderful raw food dishes and taste each item that Sharon makes! Max Collins will finish the class with a lecture on holistic living. This class will start at 6:00 pm and will last about 4 hours.The class is $25 and you must sign up and pay in advance to reserve your seat in the class. Please sign up in the “events” binder located at the front of the store near the giant chalkboard.

Upcoming Events at Let's Cook

2009-03-23T01:28:00.001-07:00

March 30 Book Signing " Stop Where the Parking Lot's Full" 5pm-8pm. Featuring South Carolina Restuarants.

May 14 Austrialian Wine and Food Pairing: $40 6:30pm
Limited seating. Special guest TBA. Hosted by Sam's Fine Wine and Spirits, LLC of Lexington.

Attention truffle lovers!

2009-03-23T01:27:00.001-07:00

Enjoy the National Truffle Fest Friday through Sunday in Asheville. Master chef Jules Pernell, of USC’s McCutchen House, will be one of the featured chefs in a cooking contest during the festival. Information/tickets: northamericantrufflefest.com

Upcoming classes at McCutchen House on the Horseshoe at USC:

Wine Tasting at Gervais and Vine

2009-03-23T01:23:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, March 24th at 6:30- BR Cohn Tasting hosted by Dan Cohn

BR Cohn, which was founded and is owned by Bruce Cohn, manager of the Doobie Brothers, is one of Sonoma Valley’s most acclaimed wineries AND one of the most fun to visit. You never know who will be there from the world of rock and roll, since everyone seems to drop in to visit with Bruce. For this tasting, Bruce’s brother, Dan, who is the national manager for the winery, will be on hand to present six of their wines, ranging from the Carneros Chardonnay all the way to the Olive Hill Cabernet! Since five of the wines are red, we’ll be pairing them with a Char-Grilled Angus Ribeye with Maitre d’Hotel Butter, Creamy Mashed Potatoes and Haricots Verts.

Cost is $39 and is already close to sold out. Call us at 799-VINE (8463) for reservations.

Restaurateurs Cater to a Growing Palette for Vegetarian Fare

2009-03-05T12:10:00.000-08:00

Over the past twenty years, attitudes towards vegetarians have changed dramatically. What used to be regarded as radical has now become mainstream. Restaurateurs are also beginning to cater not just to vegetarians, but to those that occasionally like to dine on vegetarian fare. Interest in veganism, vegetarianism that also excludes any animal products including dairy, is also on the rise.

According to the National Zogby Poll an estimated 4.8 million vegetarian adults are living in the U.S. But even more profound, the Vegetarian Resource Group found that 57 percent of the population "sometimes, often or always orders a vegetarian item when eating out."

As a result of this year's economic downturn restaurants that traditionally didn't cater to vegetarians will do whatever is necessary to stay afloat. The numbers are sending a larger message, in order to please customers, meat free food must to be more than bread and cheese.

Restaurant staffs are being versed in all the subtleties of both vegetarian diets and vegan diets. This includes the animal fats that foods are cooked in, the broths used in vegetable-based soups and stews and any dairy that could be hidden deep in complex recipes.

The motivations for decreasing meat consumption are as numerous as vegeburger varieties and include health reasons, concern for the animals and the environment, religious reasons and aversions to the taste. No matter the reason, with numbers like these, chefs have no choice but to extend their menu options to the garden variety.

At the Last Resort Bar and Grill in Athens, Georgia, the menu features an array of vegetarian options on its distinctively southern menu. The Athens hotspot features the grilled vegetable tower. The tower includes grilled eggplant, red peppers, zucchini, squash and carrots with Montrachet goat cheese. The menu also offers vegetarian patrons a grilled shitake-roma penne, black bean crepes and potato onion pancakes. Down the street at the off beat burger joint Clocked, patrons can feed their grease craving with the falafel burger, a deep fried bean patty stacked high with hummus, lettuce and tomato.

In Milwaukee, Chef Jan Kelly of Barossa Restaurant tackles vegetarian fare by adding inventive options to her completely organic menu. Her potato chipotle enchiladas would please vegetarians and meat eaters alike.

With so many vegetarian palettes to please even steak houses have begun to provide meatless menu options. At Ruth Chris Steak House, vegetarian fare can be just as substantial as a rib eye with their marinated Portobello mushrooms on garlic mashed potatoes, with grilled asparagus, broccoli, tomatoes and sizzling lemon butter.

Even famed fast food joints like Burger King and Fuddruckers are offering their loyal patrons vegetarian options. Burger King offers a vegeburger amid its array of beef burgers and Fuddruckers offers the Vegetarian Fuddwrapper containing rice, mozzarella cheese and grilled vegetables. Amongst other fast food restaurants, Taco Bell offers a host are meat free options including the bean tostada, pintos n' cheese, Mexican pizza, breakfast quesadilla and vegetarian fajita wrap.

Gone are the days where vegetarian food meant hamburger buns and side salads.
Restaurant owners across a wide spectrum of cuisines are recognizing and responding to a new found interest in vegetarian fare and consumers today have a much higher expectation for the taste of meatless meals. The principles of supply and demand will tell you that as vegetarians become more numerous so too will the offerings that they find at their favorite restaurants.

New Firefly Flavors at the Gourmet Shop

2009-03-05T12:03:00.000-08:00

New Flavors from Firefly!!!
South Carolina's own Firefly Distillery has just released 4 new flavors to compliment it's blockbuster Sweet Tea Vodka. Raspberry Tea, Lemon Tea, Mint Tea, and Peach Tea Vodka are the latest additions to the amazing line-up from this Wadmalaw Island based company. Liven up your next cocktail party with these southern themed treats. $19.99/750ml btl

Make Mardi Gras a National Holiday Drive

2009-02-26T10:05:00.000-08:00

Zatarain's is asking America to show their festival spirit with "Motion for Mardi Gras". Zatarain's "Motion for Mardi Gras" is a national petition for 100,000 online signatures asking Congress to proclaim the final day in Carnival season an official holiday.

To honor the spirit of the Crescent City and benefit the country’s hotbed of Mardi Gras merrymaking, Zatarain’s will also make a donation to the Rebuild Fund of the Greater New Orleans Foundation. Zatarain’s donation will help support GNOF’s housing and community revitalization activities in areas of the city still struggling to recover from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.

To learn more about this movement, please go to http://www.akamediainc.com/SMNR/mardigras.html

Here you can learn more about Motion for Mardi Gras, Zatarain's, as well as some fun facts and history behind the Mardi Gras celebration. Olivia Manning, mother of NFL Quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning, has offered up some of her favorite recipes to share in support of the cause.

An Epicurean Adventure at Home

2009-02-20T12:21:00.000-08:00

Food culture is historically built around availability, a factor that is even more evident in the rural portions of the globe. It used to be only the adventurous travelers that had the opportunity to feast on crocodile in Africa, squid in Panama, and Elk in Colorado, but today's foodie ethos means we no longer need to travel across the globe to sample exotic game. A bustling immigrant population and a keen epicurean curiosity means that you can find bizarre proteins right in your neighborhood.

Venturing to Ecuador is as easy as a trip to Así Es Mi Tierra in New York City. The tiny market sells cuy, a guinea-pig-like delicacy spit-roasted and served at the Ecuadoran table. You can find the little critters frozen, individually wrapped and ready for roasting. The taste is similar to that of a rabbit, and though difficult to accept for people in other countries who regard guinea pigs as pets, the cuy is a staple of Ecuadoran cuisine. They are called "cuy" for the sound they make cuy, cuy.

If cuy is entirely too daring to you, a more practical option, Ostrich has become a hot item on menus of late. It's originally found in Africa and parts of the Middle East but as the demand for the bird grows so too have Ostrich farms. Ostrich has a really rich and earthy taste similar to that of elk or venison. At Bourbon in Washington, DC, the ostrich burger has become a popular substitute for the hamburger because of it has a hearty flavor and very low fat content. Ostrich steaks are a great substitute for the meat and potatoes connoisseur trying to watch his or her diet.

Ostrich like venison, quail, elk, boar, rabbit, are becoming ever present on restaurant menus. Restaurants like Vintners Inn, in Santa Rosa, California feature exotic game nights where you can find a buffalo osso bucco risotto, a grilled antelope, or a braised loin of elk.

Like ostrich, kangaroo meat is a healthier option than that of beef and pork. This is really self evident when you think about the animal itself. The down under delight is available in a variety of cuts and is prepared in much the same way as other red meat. Because it's so low in fat, look for a chewy mess if you over cook it. If you like your beast charred look for something other than kangaroo. Most often it's seared in a skillet over high heat, and then finished at lower heat in the oven. Prime cuts can also be made into barbecue or included in stir fry dishes.

Interest in exotic fare is on the rise and according to Rich Flocchini, an owner of Sierra Meat Company in Reno, Nevada, his bison and venison sales have risen 15 percent to 20 percent on average. NickyUSA, an exotic game distributor in Portland, Oregon, expects sales to be about $3.5 million this year, up from $250,000 in 1990.

Our nation's taste buds are expanding faster than our horizons and it's not just the gourmet aristocracy that's taking the plunge. Today, it's curious patrons visiting corner ethnic stores, it's families heading to cultural festivals, and it’s dive joints showing up in the formerly dangerous parts of our nation's cities. Don't let your eyes be a barrier. If you must, close your eyes and dive in.

Wine Tastings at Gervais and Vine

2009-02-20T12:18:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, February 24th at 6:30-

Spanish Wine Tasting hosted by Judah Cannon of AdVintage The cost for this delicious trip to Spain is only $29 ($24 for Wine Club members and Wine Goddesses in their t-shirts). For reservations, call us at 799-VINE (8463).

Tuesday, March 3rd- South American Wine Tasting hosted by Patrick Madden of Ben Arnold

Tuesday, March 10th- French Wine Tasting featuring the wines of Martine’s Wines hosted by AdVintage

Tuesday, March 17th- Beer vs Wine Tasting

Chef Mike Stitt Author of Bottega Favorita coming to Terra!

2009-02-17T05:58:00.000-08:00

Renowned Chef Frank Stitt is making a special trip to Columbia to cook with Chef Mike Davis, a former sous chef of Chef Stitt’s and owner of Terra at 7:00 p.m. March 5 to celebrate the release of Stitt’s second cookbook, Bottega Favorita: A Southern Chef’s Love Affair with Italian Food.

Chef Stitt and Chef Davis are still mapping out the evening’s menu, but much like Terra’s crowd-pleasing wine dinners, there will be several courses with wine pairings. Chef Stitt will introduce each course, greet diners and, of course, sign copies of Bottega Favorita.

Tickets for the dinner are $125 each, which includes a five-course dinner with wine pairings and dessert at Terra, which has unbeatable views of the Columbia skyline, as well the cookbook signed by Chef Stitt (a $40 value). Couples who attend have the option of receiving one copy of the new cookbook and a copy of Chef Stitt’s previous cookbook, Southern Table. Due to limited seating, advanced reservations are required.

Chef Stitt, owner of Highlands Bar and Grill, Chez Fonfon and Bottega Restaurant and Café all in Birmingham, Ala., was awarded Best Chef of the Southeast by the James Beard Foundation and is known for incorporating favorite local, but rather humble Southern ingredients such as stone ground grits and country ham into his dishes. Bottega Favorita celebrates Chef Stitt’s love of Italian food and Southern food, a combination that his Bottega Restaurant and Café serves up every night.

In Stitt’s mind, the Italy and the American South share commonalities. Both native cuisines have a tradition of turning simple ingredients – ground corn, bitter greens, cured pork, the daily catch – into poetry on the plate.

Co-Founder of Whole Foods Speaking at USC

2009-02-17T05:43:00.000-08:00

The Moore School of Business cordially invites you to attend John Mackey’s presentation “Conscious Capitalism” at 8:00 a.m., Tuesday, February 24. The presentation will take place in Lumpkin Auditorium on the 8th floor of the Moore School of Business. A continental breakfast will be served starting at 7:30 a.m. Please register to attend: http://mooreschool.sc.edu/moore/FORMS/Event-Mackey.html.
John Mackey is co-founder and chief executive officer of Whole Foods Market, Inc., based in Austin, Texas. He is widely credited with helping fuel the rise of organic and natural food in the United States.

Mr. Mackey attributes the success of Whole Foods to his application of libertarian philosophies and free-market principles. He says he runs the company "with a conscience." Whole Foods is considered the first major grocery chain to adopt humane treatment standards for animals. Mackey says he gets "a sense of deep meaning and purpose" by helping others improve their quality of life with natural food.
Whole Foods Market, Inc., has more than 270 stores in North America and the United Kingdom. The company employs more than 54,000 people and in 2005 was one of only two Fortune 500 companies listed among the 25 “Best Companies to Work For.” Whole Foods has two stores in South Carolina – Greenville and Mount Pleasant.

Publicizing your Local Side

2009-02-10T06:51:00.001-08:00

Anthony Bourdain's tales of super chefdom in his best seller, Kitchen Confidential were more than a true depiction of the agony many impassioned chefs go through to find the best ingredients for their inspiring recipes. And it's always been this way. For years, chefs have argued with fish mongers at the early morning fish market over the highest quality tilapia and awoken in the wee hours of the morning just to get a crack at the best heirloom tomatoes at the farmers' market.

While local traditions are nothing new to chefs, our nation's growing interest in everything local means that these super chefs are beginning to publish where their ingredients come from, ensuring that their customers know the pains they take to find the highest quality local ingredients. And it’s a win-win for small farmers that depend on the support of their local gourmand institutions to thrive.

The sleekest menus now include a listing of the specific producers and farms from where each ingredient comes. In my home state of South Carolina, local cuisine has long been supported by insanely hard working small farmers and producers. But what has changed is the customer's interest in this old pursuit. At restaurants like Terra in Columbia you'd be hard pressed to find pork from anywhere other than renowned heritage pig farm Caw Caw Creek.

That’s a good thing, considering that Caw Caw Creek has been producing South Carolina's highest quality grass fed, heirloom pork for years. However, it's only been in the past ten years that restaurant patrons have been asking for it by name.

More patrons are starting to do their research and are now intent on learning about the best suppliers. An encrusted goat cheese salad is just not complete without Split Creek Farms Goat Cheese from Anderson, South Carolina. The farm won gold medals in three categories and was awarded first in four classes at the 2007 American Dairy Goat Association’s prestigious national cheese competition.

In San Francisco, if you want to make sure that your favorite hot spot is getting their shitakes from the Ferry Building Farmers' Market all you need to do is checkout the online listing on The Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture's (CUESA) website.

It's easier than ever to find out which restaurants use local, seasonal produce. Over 50 Bay Area chefs shop at the Ferry Plaza Farmers' Market to supply their restaurant kitchens with fresh regional food—food that is well-raised, well-selected, and delicious.

But the new foodie ethos isn't just reserved for the she she foodies that snub their noses at mass produced cheddar. Eco-chic consumers are opening their eyes to the overwhelming bounty of fresh ingredients right in their community. There's no longer a need to waste tons of fossil fuels hauling ingredients across the globe.

Additionally, individuals concerned about their health are turning to local and organic ingredients in an effort to get the most bang for their buck. Vegetables that have just been picked retain a lot more of their nutrients than those that have to be trucked 1,500 miles.

Local ingredients aren't new to chefs but as foodies become more sophisticated and begin to do their homework, writing it down is becoming all the rage. The consensus is that this local trend is a meaningful step in the right direction for farmers, chefs, and patrons alike.

Friendly's This Weekend

2009-02-06T12:57:00.000-08:00

From the Kitchen
-Blackened Duck Breast, brown sugar-bacon bbq sauce, blue cheese slaw
-Fried Blue Crab Raviolis, crab-parmesan "fondue", basil-almond pesto
-Low Country Seafood Cakes, herb aioli, dill pickle salsa, creamy grits
-Buttermilk Fried Carolina Flounder, crab-caper tartar sauce, orange-parsley gremolata, creamy grits, creole slaw
-Honey-Orange Glazed Pork Tenderloin, tempura fried shiitake mushrooms, spicy hoisin reduction, wasabi potato cake, sesame-soy cucumber salad
-Southwest Grilled Angus Ribeye, cumin-coriander ranchero sauce, grilled corn-green tomato mole', pepper jack cheese, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, creole slaw
-Cornmeal Seared Red Grouper, smoked salmon-cucumber "tartare", champagne-dill cream sauce, creamy grits, sautéed veggies
-Espresso Seared Yellowfin Tuna, balsamic marinated strawberies, goat cheese crème fraiche, candied pecans, balsamic-fig reduction, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, sautéed veggies
-Low Country Grilled Chopped Steak, ground beef tenderloin & ribeye, roasted tomato-basil pesto, caramelized onion-blue cheese demi glace, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, sautéed veggies

February is National Heart Month

2009-02-06T12:56:00.001-08:00

February is National Heart Month so Providence Heart & Vascular Institute will be offering two healthy cooking classes. Mediterranean Cooking, Feb. 11, will feature a discussion of heart disease by cardiologist Dr. Stanley Juk and a cooking demonstration by Patricia Moore-Pastides. Heart Healthy Soul Food, Feb. 25, will feature a talk by Providence registered dietitian Kay MacInnis and a cooking demonstration by registered dietitian Brooke Harmon. Classes will be held at the USC Kitchen, 915 Greene St. Cost: $15 per person. Register: (877) 256-5381

Drew Wellness Center, 2101 Walker Solomon Way, is offering a four-week Healthy Helpings cooking class. Members, $55; nonmembers, $65. Classes are 5:30-7 p.m. Feb. 11 through March 4. Register: (803) 545-3200

Adding Bling to your Margarita

2009-02-02T13:51:00.000-08:00

It's no secret that people often head to Latin restaurants as much for the margaritas as they do for they do for the cuisine. As Mexican and Latin cuisine has gotten more and more innovative, so too have the margaritas that patrons sip on alongside their meals.

Though tequila tends to remind many people of a hangover acquired after they were over served at dive Mexican dump in college, in reality, high quality tequila can be the cleanest alcohol on the market.

According to Tequila Aficionado Magazine, tequila is much more of a complex distilled beverage than most of us realize. It's made from the blue agave plant, which takes eight to 10 years to mature, and can only be harvested once. There are two kinds of tequila: 100 percent blue agave and "mixtos." Mixtos is distilled from a mixture of at least 60 percent blue agave and other sugars, which are typically less expensive and cause those memorable hangovers. The Tequila Regulatory Council supervises the quality of tequila and issues a certificate guaranteeing when a given product is 100 percent agave.

As people are starting become interested in higher quality tequila, restaurants are responding with inventive margaritas. At Mexico DF in San Francisco, patrons can sip on a prickly pear platino. The drink features prickly pear purée and Jose Cuervo platino served up.

The distinctively Latin menu at Café Atlantico in Washington, DC is known for some the most out of the box dishes DC has to offer and the signature cocktails list are no exception. The Salt and Lime Air margarita comes with a cloud of lightly salted foam on top. The Magic Mojito, a cotton candy deconstruction of a classic mojito and the Passion Fruit Martini, orange rum, passion fruit juice, ginger and a jalapeño infusion, while not made with tequila, leave much to the imagination.

Other imaginative cocktails include the Corazon Apasionado at Adobo Grill in Chicago. This 100 percent infused Tequila blanco cocktail is served up with Agavero and rose petal sorbet.

At the eclectic beach joint Taco Boy, in Folly Beach, South Carolina, the pineapple infused tequila margarita includes a special house concoction of pineapple, cinnamon, and vanilla infused Sauza Gold, orange juice and a splash of lime juice.

If you're looking to really blow it out, the La Suprema margarita at Rosa Mexicano in New York City features Patron 100 percent blue agave, Citronge Mexican orange liquor, fresh lime juice and Grand Marnier 100 (aged 25 years). The cost—a whopping $18 each.

Celebrated Mexican chefs like Rick Bayless owner of Frontera Grill in Chicago, specializing in contemporary regional Mexican cooking and the more elegant Topolobampo, a Mexican fine dining establishment, have begun to give Mexican and Latin American cuisine the recognition it deserves. It seems the sky is the limit for margaritas and other innovative cocktails. The refinement of Latin cuisine in the United States has opened the door for both creativity and a taste for higher-end tequila, a spirit formerly under recognized in our country.

Three Phases Dinners at Four Moons

2009-01-30T07:23:00.000-08:00

Food-lovers in the Midlands of South
Carolina have something to celebrate; the rise of Four Moons’ prix fixe
(fixed price) menu. Called the Three Phases Dinners, the menu offers guests
a selection of appetizers, entrees and desserts for $34-$38, depending on
the selected entrée. To keep diners coming back, the menu changes
frequently. Current items on the Three Phases menu are:

First Course (Choice of):
Day Boat Scallops • Peppered Balsamic Strawberries • Shrimp and Grits Entrée
(Choice of):
Oven Roasted Chicken Breast • Jumbo Lump Crab Cake • Pan Seared Salmon
Pepper Glazed Petite Beef Filet Dessert (Choice of):
Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée • Cranberry and Walnut Tart

Volunteer At an Organic Farm

2009-01-29T09:04:00.001-08:00

Go to the source of your food and see how it's grown.

I have a friend who works during the week as a counselor, a draining and sometimes truly disconcerting job. She works to heal impoverished children from horrible mental disorders and watches her funding constantly getting cut. But on the weekend she takes a vacation from it all. She does what she loves most and works on an organic farm and vineyard. She works vigorously to produce some of the best foods North Carolina has to offer on a fabulous organic farm and vineyard.

As a result, you've never met a greener eater. No, no she doesn't just get the recommended daily allowance of greens, she knows where every bite of food she eats comes from and how it was produced. Seem impossible? The nonprofit Organic Volunteers (www.GrowFood.org) hooks up volunteer ages 16 to 65 with an organic farm experience at 1,100 participating farms across every United States and Latin American country. Volunteers can also go to Australia, Italy, and many other countries.

Make a Cuban Spread at Home

2009-01-27T10:13:00.000-08:00

Sought after ethnic cuisine that you can make a home.

Recently ate a this fabulous whole in the wall, Café Habana, known for having the best Cuban sandwich at home. I, of course skipped the recommended items and went straight for the fried plantains and black beans and rice. I love fried plantains and have tried and failed to make them at home before. But this time I got it right. This starchier cousin of the banana can dry up pretty easily when you fry it, so great care has to be taken to ensure that they come out delicious.

While plantains most certainly have to travel a distance to get here, all of the other ingredients cover the offset in green eating. What's more, I love nothing more than to dip those friend delicacies into the black beans and rice and use them as a glorified shoveling device. Anyhow, this was easy and actually semi-healthy minus the overabundance of oil used for frying. Stop it, we all need a treat.

For the fried plantains:

2 large plantains, peeled and sliced thickly on an angle
½ cup vegetable oil
salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat the oil to medium heat in a large pan. Make sure all the plantains are evenly covered with the oil. Carefully add in the plantains.

2. Once they have begun to brown take them out of the oil. Take a fork and carefully smash them slightly. Add them back into the oil. This is a crucial step that keeps them moist.

3. Cook a few more minutes and place them on a paper towel to remove the excess oil.

For the slow cooker black beans and rice.

2 cups dried black beans
1 cup organic brown rice
1 white onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
1/4 cup olive oil
¼ cup vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp cracked pepper
4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water

Method:

1. Rinse the black beans and line the bottom of the slow cooker with them.

2. Cover with a layer of rice, then veggies, spices, and liquids.

3. Cook on low for about 4 hours and don't stir the ingredients until you're getting ready to serve it.

National Yoga Day Tomorrow at Amsa - Come By For Free Yoga

2009-01-23T09:55:00.000-08:00

While this is totally not food related, I'm a huge fan!

Day of FREE Yoga!
National Yoga Day Celebration, Saturday, January 24, 2009

Join us and thousands of friends across the country for Yoga Day USA, a history-making celebration where yogis, novices, couch potatoes, triathletes, young, old and everyone in between join together to stretch mind, body and spirit through the practice of yoga.

Amsa Yoga will be hosting a day of FREE Yoga on Saturday, January 24th!
Yoga Day Schedule*
8:00-9:00 Open Studio
9:00-9:45 Power Yoga - Heather
10:00-10:45 All Levels Flow Yoga - Brenda
11:00-11:45 Ashtanga Yoga - Kimberley
12:00-12:45 Yin and Flow Yoga - Kimberley
1:00-1:45 Partner Yoga - Kimberley and Pam
2:00-2:45 Gentle Yoga - Pam
3:00-3:45 Meditation - Pam
4:00-4:45 Yoga For Anxiety and Depression - Maxine Deutchendorf
5:00-5:45 Yin Yoga - Kimberley

*Please note that our 9:30 "Hot Yoga" Class and 11:15 "Yoga Basics" Class are cancelled on 1/24 but will return on Saturday, January 31s

Amsa Yoga, LLC
140 Pelham Drive, Woodhill Plaza
Columbia, SC 29209

Located at 140 Pelham Drive, conveniently located in Woodhill Plaza adjacent to the Target Shopping center on Garners Ferry Road (next to Eric's San Jose). The beautiful new studio space has a large Yoga room with warm, soothing colors, high ceilings and lots of natural light. We are just minutes from downtown and I-77 and have plenty of safe, free parking.

Farmers' Market Sat Jan 24th 2009‏

2009-01-21T06:12:00.000-08:00

sure to mark your calendar for this coming Saturday, January 24th for the All Local Farmers' Market hosted by Rosewood Market. Temperature is predicted to be around 60 degrees.

This is an opportunity to find some of the freshest foods and products available in Columbia and meet the people who make them.

Be sure to come early for best selection. Hours are 8am to noon this Saturday, January 24th at Rosewood Market, across from Publix on Rosewood Drive. For more information, call 530-3270

Breakfast is served from 8-11am and includes all local ingredients. Cost is $4.00 including coffee.

The following vendors are expected:

Asya's Organic Produce
Crooked Cedar Farm
Heritage Fields Farm
Eleazer Farm
Petite Crepe
Floral & Hardy Farm
Heather's Artisan Bakery
Anson Mills
Rachel's Wild Flour Confections
Becky's Soap Shoppe
Eubank Farm
Gervais & Vine Pies
Jersey Raw Milk
Wild Carolina Sustainable Seafood
Wil-Moore Farms
Busy Bee Honey
Pawmetto Pet Treats

A Brewskee For Youskee at Publick House

2009-01-20T13:16:00.000-08:00

Are you in need of a warm place to enjoy a brewskee? Don't fret, just because it's cold outside doesn't mean that you have to be hauled up at home. It was absolutely hilarious this morning watching my two puppies flip out at the sight of snow. As southern doggies they have never before seen the sight of the white stuff and they had absolutely no idea what to make of it. Barking at a tone I had never heard before they frolicked in the hardly sticking snow. But I digress, back to the beer. Last friday we partook in some delicious ales at the Publick House and it was a blast. I can think of no better place to plant it on a harsh winter's night. Don't drink to many however, because who knows the road conditions.

This Irish style pub has a strong following and is constantly packed. With pool, darts, and people watching you won't be bored. The selection of beer is great and the food is your typical, yet yummy barfare. I cannot really comment on the food as on this occasion I only sipped.

All and all (Best *****) (Price $$$$$)
Food n/a
Service***
Atmosphere***
Drink List ****
$

Top 3 Food Items to Make at Home

2009-01-14T10:06:00.001-08:00

With the economy seemingly headed in a downward spiral we're all looking for ways to save a little dough. Cutting your grocery list is a great way to cut costs. No, I'm not talking about returning to the days of ramen. I mean start making some of your essential items at home. It's better for you and it's better for the environment because you can control the ingredients you use. Think cleaner and greener in 2009.

1. Fresh Local Jam

1 pint local organic figs, chopped roughly (use whatever fruit is in season)
¼ cup sugar
The juice of 1 lemon

Directions

1. Heat a sauté pan over low heat and add the sugar.

2. Top with the lemon juice and slowly stir it as it turns into a syrup.

3. Add figs and slow cook over low heat until all the ingredients combine. Let it cook for about 10 minutes.

Serves 4

2. Homemade Hot Cocoa

1 tbsp organic cocoa powder
1 oz high quality dark chocolate bar
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp water
1 cup organic milk
Garnish with homemade whipped cream (recipe to follow)

Directions

1. Combine cocoa, sugar, and water in a small saucepan.

2. Heat on low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking.

3. After about 1 to 2 minutes, add milk. Mix it all together until it reaches your preferred temperature.

4. Garnish with whipped cream.

Whipped Cream

½ cup locally produced or organic heavy cream
1 tbsp raw sugar

Directions

1. Mix sugar with heavy cream.

2. Whip with an electric mixer until it holds its form and makes ridges. Don't go beyond that or it will turn into butter.

Use organic fair trade chocolate to ensure that your chocolate was produced in an ethical and environmentally friendly manner.

Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

2 cups white sugar
2 cups organic brown sugar
3 cups sifted organic flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 cups local butter
6 cups organic rolled oats
1 tsp vanilla
1 local, organic egg
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup raisins
½ cup organic chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine all the ingredients and store in a cool place. About 4 quarts.

3. Once you're ready to make the cookies, combine 2 cups of the pre-made mixture along with the vanilla, egg, nuts, raisins, and chocolate chips.

4. Drop onto a greased cookie sheet and bake for about 10 to 12 minutes. Until the edges are lightly brown.

Yield: 2 Dozen Cookies

Check out Local Harvest

2009-01-13T09:51:00.000-08:00

The farmers' market just a got a little more convenient. Shop online for all your favorite farmer's market goods with Local Harvest

Rosewood Market will be offering breakfast on Saturdays from 9--11:30

2009-01-08T12:48:00.000-08:00

The menu includes a plate of all local foods called The State Plate, which includes eggs, sausage links, and grits, all grown and produced in South Carolina. Cost is $4.00.

Also being served is fritatta (our breakfast quiche) with grits and sausage for $5.00

An assortment of muffins and biscuits will be available as well as toast, seasonal fruit, organic orange juice and choice of organic coffees.

Plenty of outdoor seating is available on the patio.

Sunday Brunch is served from 10am - 2pm.

Fondue Party at Earthfare

2009-01-08T12:45:00.000-08:00

On Friday, January 9th, there will be a chocolate fondue station set up inside the store in honor of January's Friend of Earth Fare, PAALS.

From 5-6:30 pm, enjoy wonderful chocolate dipped treats such as dark chocolate pretzels, chocolate dipped coffee spoons, sweet white and dark chocolate strawberries, and so much more! You will even be able to make your own " Dip Stick" with a variety of fresh, organic fruit and your choice of decadent white, milk, or dark chocolate! 100% of all proceeds will go directly to their organization! PAALS mission is to Enrich and empower children and adults with physical disabilities and social needs by training service animals and providing animal assisted educational and recreational activities. PAALS overall goal is to train assistance animals to help individuals with disabilities other than blindness or deafness. These animals can help with a vast array of tasks. Stay tuned for more events benefiting PAALS!

Succeed with 14 Carrot in the New Year!

2009-01-08T12:43:00.000-08:00

Discover new recipes

Sample New Foods

Thursday, Jan. 22, 2009 – 6:00 – 7:30 pm

Yes, here to help you learn new recipes and try new foods.
Bring your questions and will help answer !
Location: 14 Carrot Health Food Store –
5300 Sunset Blvd., Lexington, SC

Ample Food Sampling Meal while you Learn!
 $20.00 Per Person- Limited Seating, Sign Up at the Store!
Call 803-359-2920

Mary Jeanne O’Farrell, CNHP
Nutritional Coach, Personal Chef Healing Services
Eating Plan Specialist
macromary205@yahoo.com
www.Macromary.com
803.957.2315

Through her own personal breast cancer healing recovery, she has shared her knowledge of nutrition and quick and easy healthy whole foods cooking for over 20 years! She enjoys sharing her former restaurant recipes. She honors those that need to do the chemo and radiation treatments and works closely with those clients and their doctors in the process of their heal ing to expedite the whole
process.However, she knows that her own body would not be able to tolerate the medical treatments and with prayer and meditation was guided and directed to include
Macrobiotics and other ways of eating in her own healing plan, while at the same time, attempting to provide whole foods and whole food supplements to satisfy the cell.

Wine Tasting at Wine Styles

2009-01-08T12:41:00.001-08:00

5 - 8 pm
A great place to meet your friends or to make new ones.
$5/person, refunded with any purchase from the tasting lineup

New Deli and Ice Cream Shop Opens at Simply Savory

2009-01-08T12:34:00.000-08:00

The Menu looks really good:

Sandwiches

Soprano- Virginia ham, salami, provolone cheese
roasted red peppers, tomatoes, and camelized
onions, served on a toasted hoagie roll. ($6.95)

Spicy Ham and Cheese- sliced ham, cheddar cheese,
chipotle mayo and jalapenos on a toasted hoagie
roll. ($6.50)

The Birdie- Simply Savory's own famous chicken
salad, letttuce, and tomatoes served on a
croissant. ($6.50)

Southern Reuben- Turkey and corned beef, swiss
cheese, coleslaw, topped off with Russian dressing,
served on rye bread. ($6.95)

The Veggie- roasted vegetables, sun dried tomato
pesto and baby spinach on wheat bread. ($6.50)

Simply Savory Pimento Cheese Sandwich- Choice of
cheddar, pepper jack or gouda pimento cheese
served with toasted French bread points. ($6.50)

Sandwich Side Choices- Zapps Chips, Potato or Pasta Salad

Wraps Wrap Tortilla Choices- wheat, flour or spinach

Meat-A-Holic- ham, pastrami, bacon, grilled onions,
provolone cheese, topped off with a spicy horseradish
mustard sauce ($7.75)

Mediterranean- mesquite chicken breast , red
onions, black olives, lettuce, cucumber, tomato,
feta cheese, topped off with greek dressing
($6.75)

Caesar- mesquite chicken breast, lettuce, sweet
peppers, red onion, grated parmesan cheese, topped
off with a traditional caesar dressing ($6.50)

West Coast- roasted vegetables, mozzarella, mixed
greens and sun dried tomato pesto ($6.50)

East Coast- smoked turkey, cheddar cheese,
roasted red peppers, mixed greens, topped off with
honey mustard ($6.50)
Wrap Side Choices- Zapps Chips, Potato or Pasta Salad

Ice Cream and Beverages Served all day Monday-Saturday

Birthday Parties Bookings with Devine St. Fire Station
available on Saturdays for Ice Cream.
Private Store Bookings available upon special request.

Rose Sale at Gourmet Shop

2009-01-08T11:13:00.001-08:00

Rosé Sale
Take 10% off any 6 bottles or 15% off any case of Rosé. These varied and versatile wines make great pairings with a wide variety of foods.
Just a few gems:

Reg. Price 6 Btl Price Case Price
Bon Bon Shiraz Rosé '08 $10.99/btl $9.89/btl $9.34/btl
Croze Rosé of Cab Sauv '05 $16.99/btl $15.29/btl $14.44/btl
Miner Rosato '06 $21.99/btl $19.79/btl $18.69/btl
Ott Les Domaniers '07 $23.99/btl $21.59/btl $20.39/btl

Stop in to see the full selection. Mix and Match any Rosé in the store to get your discount!!!
(Sorry, Champagne is not included)

Rebounding From a Season of Over Indulgence

2009-01-06T13:51:00.000-08:00

After this the season of over indulgence you're likely feeling the bloat. That eggnog, sweet potato pie, green bean casserole, and mom's homemade sugar cookies have suddenly (or not so suddenly) attached to various parts of your body. But don't despair because eating tons of raw veggies and skipping the processed junk will clean you out in no time.

This week make my chipotle veggie tacos and get back into the swing of things.

Chipotle Veggie Tacos

4 whole wheat organic wraps
1 half cup alfalfa sprouts
2 avocados, slice into strips
2 Portabella mushrooms, sliced and sautéed
1 red pepper, sliced
1/2 cup cashew cheese, grated
8 oz already smoked firm tofu, cut into 2 inch pieces and sautéed in olive oil

Chipotle Dressing

1 tbsp organic mayo
1 tbsp organic olive oil
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
1 tbsp adobo sauce from chipotle peppers
¼ tsp chili powder
¼ tsp pepper

Method

1. Top the wrap with all the ingredients.

2. Throw all the dressing ingredients into a blender and blend.

3. Use a whisk to mix all the ingredients in the dressing and top the wrap with the dressing.

Serves 4.

Everyone wanting a fresh look at eating healthy & gourmet in the new year!

2009-01-06T11:40:00.000-08:00

What: Healthy Cooking Class with Catherine & Jeff
Where: Let's Cook Culinary Studio
1305 Assembly Street
When: This Saturday! 1/10/09
10am-12noon
To Sign up: call 803.250.2569

http://home.earthlink.net/~chefmello/letscook/id15.html

Menu- Class One
Appetizer: Edamame, Corn, & Sesame Radicchio Cups
Salad: Endive Salad with Citrus Dressing
Entrée: Baked Flounder with Miso Sauce with Gingered Basmati Rice
Dessert: Banana, Date, Chocolate Pie

Solstice Kitchen & Wine Bar - New Year New Menu

2009-01-05T09:01:00.000-08:00

The new year is now in full swing and for some of us, finding our "routine" and issuing a few "resolutions" are much-needed things.
Exercise more! Eat Better! Enjoy Life! The list of potential resolutions is endless.
But hopefully where your "routine" and "resolutions" are concerned, they'll add up to mean that you'll be visiting Solstice more than ever in 2009!

So to kick things off for week one of the new year we'll go back to our "roots" for this week's $25 Three-Course Menu as it features a Mr. Friendly's-esque "New Southern" theme. Here's the menu for tonight & Tuesday night...
first course

Seafood-Andouille Sausage Gumbo, white rice, cornbread croutons, green onions
Cornmeal Fried Green Tomatoes, gouda-red pepper pimento cheese, balsamic "ketchup"
Mixed Green Salad, pecans, dried cherries, basil, shaved fennel & onions, honey-thyme vinaigrette

Smoked Salmon Tartare & buckwheat blinis, horseradish cream, dill, capers, roasted garlic oil

second course
Pan Roasted Amberjack, prosciutto-artichoke relish, lobster-tarragon creamed corn, citrus-shallot beurre blanc, anson mills grits
Your choice of Herb-Garlic Grilled Pork Tenderloin or Chicken, tomato-bacon confit, balsamic-roasted tomato "ketchup", buttermilk mashed potatoes, tasso ham stewed green beans
Almond Crusted Mahi-Mahi, apple-pear chutney, citrus-shallot beurre blanc, anson mills grits, tasso ham stewed green beans
Roasted Tomato-Worcestershire Meatloaf, ground beef tenderloin, gouda-red pepper pimento cheese, wild mushroom bordelaise, buttermilk mashed potatoes, sauteed spinach

third course
Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake, chocolate sauce, strawberries, whipped cream
Pumpkin Cheesecake, caramel sauce, berries, whipped cream
Caramel-Pecan Fudgecake, raspberry sauce, whipped cream

Learn to Cook in the New Year - Take a Class

2009-01-05T08:55:00.001-08:00

Register online for classes at McCutchen House on the Horseshoe at USC. The spring schedule featuring Chef d’Jour, Carolina Cuisine and Wine classes has been posted at www.hrsm.sc.edu/mccutchen-house/news-events.html, or call (803) 777-8225 for more information.

Fresh Market, at 4840 Forest Drive, will feature a cooking demonstration with Chef Bonney Whitecross from 1-4 p.m. on Jan. 17. Whitecross will demonstrate how to prepare Lemon Chicken in a Garlic Herb Sauce. For more information, call (803) 782-9100.

Chef John Militello leads classes at Let’s Cook Culinary Studio at 1305 Assembly St., (803) 250-2569. For a schedule of classes and events: www.home.earthlink.net/~chefmello/letscook/index.html

World Beer Festival coming to Columbia

2009-01-05T08:51:00.000-08:00

Sorry it's been so long, just got back from a long jaunt and I'm ready to get back to business. More on the trip later on.

After a quick detox let's get back to biz, beer biz that is:

Jan 24 at the Convention Center - tickets are $40 dollars and session times will be from noon to 4 p.m. and 6-10 p.m.

The festival is presented by All About Beer Magazine and Green’s Discount Beverages. It will feature hundreds of beers from more than 100 breweries as well as food from local restaurants, sessions with industry experts and more. Local musicians will entertain as beer tasters — that’s you — sample ales, lagers and the hybrid beers in between.

The New Menu at Terra

2008-12-09T08:52:00.000-08:00

A new appetizer to the Menu is:

Chicken and Dumplin’s, consisting of braised and pulled Wil-Moore Farms Chicken Legs, Potato Gnocchi and Chantrelle Mushrooms

Also returning to the Appetizer Menu is:

Beet Carpaccio, made with Roasted Red and Golden Beets, Celery Root Remoulade , Pistachios and Orange Supremes

New to our Entrée Menu is:

Grilled Atlantic Salmon with Lentils du Puy, Roasted Beets, Broccolini with a Lemon-Caper Beurre Blanc

And, returning to the Menu:

Braised Beef Short Ribs with Anson Mills Polenta, Haricot Vert, Gremolata, Braising Jus

Upcoming Area Wine Tastings

2008-12-04T10:28:00.001-08:00

Gervais & Vine

620-A Gervais St., (803) 799-8463, gervine.com Tuesday: 6:30 p.m. Wines of Trinchero Family Estates hosted by Mike Echevarria of Trinchero. A two-course California Cuisine paired with wine. $29 ($24 for Wine Club members). Call for reservations 799-VINE (8463).

Nov. 20: Sixth annual Beaujolais Nouveau Release Party featuring food and wine from France. Details: 799-VINE (8463).

Vino 100

120 Sparkleberry Crossing, Columbia,(803) 699-9122, www.vino100columbia. Nov. 20: 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Third annual Beaujolais Nouveau celebration with traditional Thanksgiving foods and desserts. Get your wine event listed. Send an e-mail to food@thestate.com.

A Devine Evening Tonight!

2008-12-04T10:21:00.002-08:00

A Devine Evening holiday open house with over 30 participating merchants open their doors for a festive fun filled night. Tree light with mayor Coble at 6pm at the Devine Street fire station, free carrage rides from columbia carrage works, palmetto pipe band, sandlappers singers, a visit from Old Saint Nick and much more.

In addition, Charity auction for HArvest Hope Food Bank. Items Include autograph Hootie & the Blowfish poster, gift certificates from Diannes on Devine & Tranquil Moments Day Spa and much more. Bring the family for some free family fun.

More Info at doorsofdevine

Cellar on Greene—Undoubtedly a Welcomed Addition

2008-12-04T10:09:00.000-08:00

We all knew it was coming for a while and we patiently waited with baited breath when the Cellar on Greene blog went live. I cannot say that I am writing this after my first visit, because I have become a regular at this distinctly Columbia wine bar. Why is it distinctly Columbian (South Carolina not the country)? Well, first of all it's owned by Ricky Mollohan, you probably recognize his name if you're on the Mr. Friendly's email list. It's located directly next to Friendly's and across from the Salty Nut. What could be more Columbian than the Salty Nut?

Anyhow, back to the food. We started off with a flight of wines. With such a variety to choose from I advise finding someone else to hull you around after an evening at Cellar. Next, we had the house salad, a generous portion of well dressed greens atop (here's where it gets good) Haulome deep fried Greek cheese. If you have never had this, it's amazing! Next we had a well thought out cheese plate and the scallops. The rice that accompanied the scallops could have been a little better as it seemed a bit pre-made and sodium laden. The scallops were seared perfectly and loaded with sumptuous flavor.

For the most this place usually pleases. Good food, a nice atmosphere, and of course, a great selection of vino. What's more, it's in Five Points, not the Vista! Closer to my side of town!

All and all (Best *****) (Price $$$$$)
Food ***
Service****
Atmosphere**
Drink List ****
$$$

Sarabella's Wicked Chutney

2008-12-02T08:42:00.000-08:00

She's a former South Carolinian who's namesake was my nickname as a child. Anything called Sarabella MUST be delicious and it is. I topped a juicy pork tenderloin sandwich with this stuff and the husband found himself licking his fingers. Not good manners but a fabulous product.

It goes great with your cheese and summer sausage, as well as venison, quail, dove, duck, lamb, elk, wild boar, beef and pork tenderloin, turkey, ham, roasted chicken, catfish, fried shrimp, crawfish tails, and chicken tenders. The list goes on, just like the flavor.

Find it at already available at Gourmet Shop and Simply Savory.

Orangeburg Welcomes Haute Cuisine

2008-12-02T08:36:00.000-08:00

Check out Four Moons,

The resturant specializes in “Contemporary Artistic American Cuisine,” creating unique dishes with flair served by professionals in an engaging atmosphere. To enhance their experience, diners select distinctive wines from the 2,400 bottles and 500 label list which recently earned a 2008 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. Evenings begin in Phases Moon Bar where friends can meet for end-of-the-day drinks and tapas. Special events can be hosted in the Crescent Room. Four Moons is open Tuesdays through Saturdays for dinner from 5:30. Phases Moon Bar serves from 4:00 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Lunch is served Tuesday-Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Sunday brunch is served 11:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Reservations are accepted by phone at 803-531-1984 or through their website, FourMoons.com.

I haven't made the trip yet but I heard it was a worth its weight in gas money!

Tasting Event – Nouveau Celebration at Gourmet Shop

2008-11-19T13:46:00.000-08:00

Thursday, November 20, 3:00-6:00 PM
Join us to start the Holiday Season on Nouveau Release Day!!!
Because of its quick three-day fermentation before pressing, Beaujolais Nouveau misses the astringent tannins normally found in red wine. A quaffing wine, Beaujolais Nouveau is easy to drink, fruity and zesty and should be served slightly chilled. It can be measured a success merely by its existence, being the harbinger and the embodiment of the new vintage. They made wine; it was a good year! In 2008, nature smiled and it was. Expectations for quality are high!

$7.50 in advance $10.00 at the door
call
(803) 799-9463 for reservations or
Reserve Online!

Italian Four-Course Menu for Wednesday & Thursday night at Solstice

2008-11-19T12:12:00.001-08:00

first course
-Calamari "salad", white beans, citrus-fused evoo, roasted pepper salsa, mint vinaigrette
-Heirloom Tomato, basil & shaved parmesan Bruschetta with grilled foccacia, tomato-spinach pesto, balsamic-fig reduction
-Seared Pork Pate, raisins, figs, balsamic roasted squash, chive mustard, shaved asparagus
-White Wine sauteed Baby Clams linguine, roasted garlic & green peas-

second course
-Roasted Beet "Tartare", crab relish, candied leeks, lobster oil, white anchovies, basil
-Mixed Green Salad, pears, shaved fennel & onions, blue cheese, pecans, sundried cherry-balsamic vinaigrette
-Italian White Bean Soup, sage, parmesan, candied bacon, roasted garlic aioli

third course
-Beef Bolognese, penne pasta, wild mushroom-caramelized fennel ragout, tomato-chile marinara, parmesan, basil-black pepper gremolata
-Citrus Seared Mahi-Mahi & Shrimp Bouillabaise, italian olive-roasted red pepper "salad", roasted garlic aioli
-Roasted Garlic-Herb Grilled Pork Tenderloin, barolo caramelized onions, caper-almond brown butter, truffle-parmesan creamed cauliflower, sauteed green beans

fourth course
-Apple-Rosemary Crumble, roasted figs, honey, gorgonzola
-Gelato Duo, green tea gelato, pistachio gelato, mint-almond & grape salad
-Caramel-Pecan Fudgecake, amaretto caramel, berries, whipped cream

Check out Rosewood For Thanksgiving

2008-11-19T10:08:00.000-08:00

The foodie holiday of the season is just 12 days from now. Make sure you call or stop into the market to order a delicious Free-Range Turkey, Fresh or Frozen, Natural or Organic. The deadline for some pre-orders is Monday November 17th by 12pm, so reserve your bird today. Call the store 765-1083.

Also, not to be missed is our Deli's delicious Tofu Turkey and freshly made pies. You can feel the love with every savory or sweet morsel. Lots of great deli-made sides to go with your meal too, like mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes and fresh cranberry sauce. Call the Deli 256-6410.

We have great items to bundle together for a much appreciated basket to present to the host of your holiday dinner, or if visiting with family. Look throughout the market for deals on preserves, cake mixes, great olive oils, locally produced gourmet items and a lot more.

Everyone loves food!

Remember to always have your discount key tag with you when you come to the market.
You must have it present to receive your 5% savings. And if you're making a list, don't forget your totebags.

The All Local-Farmers' Market is Saturday, November 22nd. Pick up some great items from the locals, have a State Plate breakfast, and then shop our market for the rest.

Saturday Wine Tasting - Gourmet Shop

2008-11-13T13:13:00.000-08:00

Saturday Wine Tasting
November 15, 2:00-5:00pm
Kem will be in to sample four fantastic wines from Italy. Viva Italia!

Sartori Ferdi '06 $15.99/btl
Castello Montuato Vernaccia '07 $14.99/btl
San Luigi Chianti Classico '05 $13.99/btl
Fontanafredda Briccotondo '07 $15.99/btl

Get Holiday Ready With Chocolate Marshmallow Pie

2008-11-11T14:15:00.001-08:00

Even if you're not hosting Thanksgiving this year, you had better come up with a hostess gift that lets your host know how much you appreciate the work that they have done on this, the biggest foodie holiday of the year. With this recipe for Chocolate Marshmallow Pie I think you'll get your point across. Please thank my fabulous mother for providing this famously delectable recipe.

Chocolate Marshmallow Pie

1 pound marshmallows
½ German sweet chocolate (use a high quality chocolate)
¾ cup organic milk
½ pint organic whipped cream
½ tsp vanilla
Pre-made graham cracker crust

Directions

1. Put the marshmallows, chocolate, and milk in a double boiler until everything melts.

2. Set aside to cool.

3. When it's cooled add whipped cream and vanilla.

4. Turn into the pie crust and top with chocolate curls.

5. Chill for at least 2 hours.

Serves 8.

Tea Tasting at Finleaf Gallery

2008-10-23T13:44:00.000-07:00

Tea Tasting & African Safari

Tuesday, November 11th from 6 to 8 pm

Join us for a Safari through Peg's travels to Africa. She will share with us her most recent travels to Lewa Downs located in the heart of Kenya and to Lemu located on the coast.
We will have models wearing jewelry from local African artists, a tea tasting of Kericho Gold, and an unveiling of our new inventory.

Finleaf's favorite tea leaf reader, Jackie Breeland, will be with us swirling your future in a tea cup!

K Vintners with Merrit Olsen at Gourmet Shop

2008-10-23T06:26:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, November 5, 7:00pm

K Vintners with Merrit Olsen - Gourmet Shop

"K Vintners is where the larger-than-life Charles Smith presides. He is an innovator, marketing genius, outspoken, you name it – but above all the man is a brilliant winemaker who knows where all the great fruit is hidden. In a region where blending is the rule of thumb, he is the ultimate terrorist. Each wine reflects the vineyard from which it was produced but there is also a house style which lets you know immediately who made the wine." Jay Miller for the Wine Advocate

Wines to be tasted include, Kung Fu Girl Riesling, Holy Cow Chardonnay, K Viognier, Holy Cow Merlot, Chateau Smith Cabernet Sauvignon, Boom Boom Syrah and K Syrah.

$10.00 in advance, $12.50 at the door
call (803) 799-9463 for reservations or
Reserve Online!
Reservations suggested.

Whisky Tasting at Williams Brice

2008-10-22T13:04:00.000-07:00

Whisky Tasting at Williams Brice

As election season hastily winds down and stragglers begin to decide their final position, voters at the Great Whisky Debate on Monday at the Zone at Williams Brice Stadium had one more decision to make, what whisky would rain supreme.

This was no easy decision considering the strengths of the two whisky politicians, Simon Brooking and Bernie Lubbers. A "Whisky Debate" with questions ranging from "what makes you the better candidate" and "how will your whisky fix healthcare" soon ensued.

Lubbers, born and raised in Louisville, KY; the home of Bourbon, went first. Very well versed in the nuances of bourbon, he knew every detail about the distilling process and how to nose, sip, and taste the spirit. He taught the audience to identify the subtle nuances, such as color, age, and proof of Knob Creek and Basil Hayden. He was a convincing mascot for America’s native spirit and very entertaining.

Next was Brooking, a well-known expert on Scotch whisky, Brooking explained the art and science of distilling from the world’s foremost master distillers and blenders and then led the Scotch whisky tasting for Ardmore and Laphroaig Single Malt Scotches.

As an avid Scotch drinker, I was also pleasantly surprised with the Knob Creek. But in the end I was compelled to vote Scottish for the love of a fabulous small batch scotch called Laphroaig. (Or maybe it was the kilt)

When we entered the sometimes overwhelming Zone at Williams Brice, the husband and I didn't really know what we were getting into, but I can say that we were pleasantly surprised and thoroughly entertained the entire evening. We left with a new found appreciation for all things whisky.

If you're willing to spend a few more dollars, why not give these high end brands a try, you'll be glad did.

Cellar on Greene Now Open

2008-10-21T13:06:00.000-07:00

Tuesday Night they begin offering nightly wine-flights wine that allow you the opportunity to taste-and-compare three wines at once!

-a Bordeaux Varietals flight for $12 featuring Three Saints Merlot 2002 Santa Ynez Valley, H3 Cabernet Sauvignon from the Horse Heaven Hills of Washington, and La Font de Jeu 2005 Bordeaux, Cotes de Castillon

-a Three Pinot Noirs flight for $12 featuring featuring Laetitia 2006 Arroyo Grande Valley, Primarius 2006 Willamette Valley and Jargon 2006 California

-a Chardonnays of the World flight for $9 featuring Cousserges 2007 Vin de Pays France, Babcock 2006 Santa Maria Valley and Rainier Ridge Chardonnay 2005 Washington

-an Interesting Whites flight for $9 featuring Ken Forrester "Petit" Chenin Blanc 2007 South Africa, Hugues Beaulieu Picpoul de Pinet 2007 Languedoc and Vinum "White Elephant" Roussane/Viognier Blend 2007 California

ROSSO Trattoria Italia to open later this year

2008-10-20T11:04:00.001-07:00

Another member to the Gervais and Vine, Mr. Friendly's, and Solstice Family!

Have you been to the Gourmet Shop Lately?

2008-10-20T10:54:00.000-07:00

I have...How could I miss it? I just got an awesome Bodium French Press (for the same price as on Amazon). I've been French pressing my Guayaki Yerba Mate instead of coffee.

You've got to try this stuff. It gives you that coffee high without the anxiety and jitters. It's also organic and fair trade so you can give yourself a firm pat on the back, at least for now.

Also check out the book event:

On Nov. 1 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., The Gourmet Shop, 724 Saluda Ave., will host a reception for the release of the new national cookbook “Cooking with Les Dames d’Escoffier: At Home with the Women Who Shape the Way We Eat and Drink” with Charleston Dame Susan Fuller Slack There will be tastings of recipes from the book and discussion of food wisdom and culinary tips.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of each cookbook to benefit scholarships and educational programs for women in South Carolina who desire careers in the food, beverage and hospitality industries.

Smoothies - I love them!

2008-10-20T06:31:00.000-07:00

I eat them daily and they're and painless way to get some nutrition in the husband. I buy almond milk - i just love the stuff. It has tons of calcium and iron (I need as much as I can get). If you get the unsweetened variety it's like drinking air it's so calorie free. Here's the one I made this morning:

Stress Reducing Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

1 organic banana
1 tbsp organic peanut butter
3 oz. almond milk
empty a capsule of one Super B stress reducing supplement.

Blend and enjoy.

Don't feel like making them?

Earthfare has awesome smoothies, if you're gutsy I LOVE the Green Goddess with Spirulina.

Spirulina is a rich source of chlorophyll, which is SO good for you. It gives you tons of energy protein and iron, great for vegetarians.

Next Week's Wine Dinner at Terra

2008-10-17T07:16:00.000-07:00

photo: by Terra

The next wine dinner will be Tuesday, October 28th. Weather permitting; we will be dining on the patio.

Mike is creating a fantastic menu to go with the wonderful wines we have picked for the evening. They will post the menu on the website this weekend. We are in the process of contacting everyone on the reservation list and then, if there are a few openings, we will start on the stand by list.

If, you are on the list and don’t want to wait on our call, go ahead and contact us.

First of next week, we will be calling the standby list and offering a few reservation that have declined or cannot attend this dinner. If you are on the standby list and do not get in to this dinner, we will put you at the top of the list for our last dinner of the year. This dinner will be on Tuesday, November 18th.

Mustard Green Casserole

2008-10-16T12:59:00.000-07:00

For AWESOME greens check out Five Leaves Farm pictured above.

I try and love them, I do. I know they're loaded with calcium and iron. This I know. But they are so bitter, eating mustard greens raw gives me gag reflexes. This makes them a cook-friendly green to me. I threw together a recipe the other day that turned out delish and was mostly was made up of leftovers in the fridge. Give it a try.

The butternut squash was a fabulous addition to this recipe because of the texture and the sweet character and balance that it brought to the bitter greens.

Buy locally with and use this recipe as simply a canvas to work from. Sub what you will and pending extreme circumstances i.e. no cheese, eggs, or mustard greens, it should turn out just fine.

1 butternut squash, peeled, sliced and roasted with olive oil
1 cup local mustard greens, stems removed, chopped, and boiled
1 egg local free range
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup Bisquick (ok, I'm a hick)
1 1/4 cup organic milk
1 cup local sharp cheddar, shredded
Season with sea salt and pepper

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Line the pan with the butternut squash.
3. Top with greens and seasons.
4. In a separate bowl beat eggs, cornmeal, Bisquick, and milk.
5. Top the greens with the mixture.
6. Top everything with shredded cheese.
7. Bake for about 40 minutes.

Serves tons.

The Raw Movement Gains Momentum - The Sprout

2008-10-16T09:53:00.000-07:00

photo: The Sprout

It’s a labor of love for raw food enthusiasts that have made their inventive recipes available to the general public in raw food restaurants now dotting the map from New York to LA.

Today, you can even find a raw food joint in Charleston. The Sprout recently opened and has been providing raw cuisine to the Low Country for a year now. I love their zucchini hummus, made with zucchini instead of cooked chickpeas to work with your system instead of against it.

But what’s the raw food diet really about anyway? Today, it’s much more than just cut up fruits and vegetables. A raw food diet consists of sprouted grains, legumes, seeds, nuts, and of course, fruits and vegetables. All of the fruits and vegetables must be served raw or dehydrated. None of the seeds, nuts or sprouted grains can be heated either. Instead, they are soaked for long periods of time in order to soften them. To stay on track nutritionally, dieters eat tons of flax seed, dark leafy greens, nuts and seeds to get enough important nutrients like protein and iron.

The diet is said to heal and prevent diseases and many followers rave that it’s the only authentic fountain of youth. While it’s more than a diet, you are sure to lose a bunch of weight eliminating processed foods entirely.

“There’s a philosophy behind the diet,” says Jacob Seth Farror, Executive Chef of Blossoming Lotus in Portland. “Raw food devotees believe that when foods are heated to over 112 degrees digestive enzymes and nutrients begin to cook off. It’s a diet that takes some adjustment if you’re not used to eating a lot of fruits and vegetables.”

Farror has been serving up vegetarian and raw cuisine for the past ten years. He grew up in Montreal cooking with his vegetarian mother and was trained at the Natural Gourmet Institute in New York City. He’s cooked at restaurants all over the country, from New York to San Francisco before ending up in Portland.

With the help of a food dehydrator, a food processor and a vegetable spiralizer (used to make foe pasta with raw vegetables), you can come up with recipes that you wouldn’t expect on a raw food diet. Take the live breakfast parfait with layers of buckwheat granola, fruit and cashew nut crème or the live nachos made with spicy nacho chips, bell peppers, cashew cheese, cashew sour creme, scallions, avocado and tomato.

“I take nuts and seeds and grind them into a liquefied paste before dehydrating the mixture for about a day and a half to produce the consistency of nachos and granola,” says Farror.

Though Blossoming Lotus serves some vegetarian cuisine as well, it’s been a pioneer for the raw food movement by coming up with realistic takes on recipes to satisfy dieter cravings. Take for example the live pizza made with buckwheat crust, cashew cheese, live marinara and veggies.

Most recently, the restaurant signed with Penguin Books to write The Idiot’s Guide to Raw Food, amongst a slew of other cookbooks they’ve already published.
The raw food diet certainly requires a lot of commitment, but true followers believe that the pay-offs are well worth it and with restaurants like Blossoming Lotus, staying a track isn’t the struggle it once was.

McKenzie Church missing

2008-10-15T07:03:00.000-07:00

If you have a spare moment, please help us get the word out about McKenzie Church, missing since Saturday. McKenzie is the daughter of Greenville resident, and blogger, Geno Church.

Your blog posts, Tweets, and word of mouth is greatly appreciated as we all work towards McKenzie's safe return.

I hope you'll consider sharing this with your readers and friends in the South Carolina, North Carolina and Atlanta areas.

Tomato Pie - Check Out my Article on Planet Green

2008-10-14T11:47:00.000-07:00

I had this amazing recipe for tomato pie on the last USC football game courtesy of my friend Ginny and I cannot say enough good things about it. Check out my article on Planet Green and get the recipe.

Make a Truly Southern Tomato Pie

Spanish Experience Tasting/Dinner at Gervais & Vine

2008-10-13T08:46:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, October 21st at 6:30- Spain holds a place near and dear to my heart. While traveling throughout the vast and beautiful countryside in Spain a few years ago, I was able to taste a number of wines that were able to convey their sense of place (or terroir to the wine geeks out there) in just one sip.

Closing my eyes and focusing on the flavors and sensations happening on my palate, it was easy to sense exactly what kind of environment the grapes were grown in and how it spent its time once removed from the vine and vinified. It also didn’t suck that the food was simply amazing and the people were so friendly and eager to show off their country AND stuff me full of food. I highly recommend traveling to Spain, if you didn’t figure that out already. For this tasting, Casey and Judah will present six wines that are just as capable of transporting your tastebuds to the places they were conceived.

A crisp white from Rueda; a floral and peachy Albarino from Rias Baixas; a rose petal and red fruit Mencia; a rich, deep, dark fruited and smoky red from Ribera del Duero and more will be presented, along with some delicious food from Spain. For our part, we want you to experience the feeling of being in Spain as much as possible, so we’ll start you off with mixed Basque olives, marinated Manchego cheese and spiced almonds, along with a glass of Cava. For the whites, we’ll be serving Ensalada Andaluz, a salad of mixed greens with tomato vinaigrette, oranges, red onion and potatoes. For the reds, our take on Fricando; normally a slow-cooked beef roast with a rich wild mushroom sauce, we’ll be doing it with a grilled NY Strip smothered in a rich wild mushroom ragout over trinxat (the well-known Catalan dish of mashed potatoes laced with caramelized cabbage). Cost for this delicious trip to Spain is only $36 ($29 for Wine Club Members and Wine Goddesses who sport their Wine Goddess t-shirts). Call us at 799-VINE (8463) for reservations.

The Oktoberfest Dinner at Congaree Grill

2008-10-12T14:25:00.000-07:00

Tuesday night the husband and I hit up the Oktoberfest Beer Dinner at Congaree Grill. I've heard mixed reviews of this place but recently owner Thomas Price brought on a new chef, and far as I'm concerned, problem solved. The sign outside the door, similar to that of an outdated movie theater, does not do this place justice.

We started off with a premium Spaten beer. Effervescent in nature, light but flavorful it was a necessary start to the meal. Next was a brat on a bed of sauerkraut sautéed with apples and onions. The kraut was mild and delicious coupled with the sweet apples. It was paired with a Franzikaner Hefe Weise. This was my favorite of all the beers. Creamy and smooth it resembled a Hoegaarden type beer.

Next was the weiner schnitzel with German potato salad dressed in a warm bacon vinaigrette with fresh dill. The veil was masterfully prepared, lightly fried, perfectly crunchy, and well seasoned. The potato salad was excellent as well. It as paired with a Spaten Oktoberfest. Not my favorite, it was served rather warm, heavy, with a bit of a nut meg finish.

We finished with an apple pancake. It was certainly heavy but tasty and it was paired a memorable Spaten Optimator

I felt welcomed here and will certainly return to give the regular menu a try.

All and all (Best *****) (Price $$$$$)
Food ***
Service***
Atmosphere**
Drink List ***
$$$

Mediterranean Tea Room

2008-10-08T07:00:00.000-07:00

While it's conveniently located on Devine Street, it's the kind of place that you're likely to drive by. Unless of course you notice that the parking lot is constantly packed.

The atmosphere here is completely casual, in fact too much so if you ask me. While they do have a decent wine list, it's certainly a week day, get in get out sort of a place. But lingering is worth it because the food is pretty good.

I enjoyed the tabouli type salad packed with tons of parsley, olive oil, tomatoes, and cous cous and shared an appetizer sampler with tons of yummy homemade hummus, pita, and falafel, amongst other yummy treats. The falafel was nothing to write home about, but tolerable for a quick meal.

This is a great spot if you're:

A. A vegetarian

or

B. Trying not to blow it out both in terms of the waistline and the budget.

It's good food fast and worth stopping by.

All and all (Best *****) (Price $$$$$)
Food **
Service***
Atmosphere*
Drink List ***
$$