BANGKOK ANYONE?

Bangkok is half way around the world from Atlanta. It takes more then 24 hours to get there including ground time for layovers. We switched planes in Tokyo after 13 hours and had 7 more hours to Bangkok. It was worth it, Bangkok was awesome.
Chef was making the trip for business and we ask if we could meet him there. He said yes, so we did. We actually got there a few hours before he did. Since we were staying in the same hotel we had no problem finding him.
So if you are wondering what it may be like in Bangkok I will tell you what happened on our first trek out of the hotel.
We had decided to go to China Town first. Chef would be working most of the time starting the next day so we wanted to find good food and see some sites while we had some time together.
We leave the hotel and have our map and know we want to get on the underground train which will take us close to China town. We found the train station we needed on the map and it was just a few blocks from the hotel. No problem. Yea right. We get to the corner where the map shows us the station is, but just can’t spot it. We are standing on the corner, map in hand trying to figure it out when a young Thai lady ask what we are looking for.
So Stacey tells her and she explains where we are to go, then tells us she will walk us there. So off we go and I just know we are in for something, this woman must want something from us. My research has warned me about the scam artist. What I have read is Bangkok is a very safe city, the only thing to look out for is the scams. Locals trying to steer you to a particular destination so they can get a commission from the shop owners.
Well this young lady walked us to the train station, taught us how to use the ticket machine, showed us how to read the subway map and then using her own pass to get herself through the turnstile walked us right up to the door of the train we needed to get on for China Town. After we thanked her she smiled, said enjoy you visit in Bangkok and turned and left the station.
And that is how it was the whole trip. Nicest damn people in the world, great start to our stay in Bangkok.

George

For George it’s all about balance. You can see it in his distinct black and white coat he sports everyday. You can see it in the way he moves from bed to bed. first his then She Shes then Browns. You can see it in the way he pees and marks the yard. He so badly wants the balance right that he has peed everywhere in the backyard. Not one spot has not been peed on by George. Most spots many, many times. You can see it in the way he jumps on you and gets your cloths dirty and jumps on you again to get the other part of cloths dirty. As you can see below for George it’s all about balance.

VALENZA

We had never heard of the restaurant Valenza and Stacey didn’t know she had a distant cousin who was the chef at Valenza. Click on it and read about it.

We went the other night. It was Stacey and me and her sister and her BF. They were on their way from somewhere to somewhere else and had to go through Atl…and bla… bla… bla…

So Stacey makes RSVP for the four of us at Valenza and we had no idea what to expect. The last time I was in this situation it all turned out great. This time was the same.
The young lady who seated us asked which one of us was Matt’s cousin, both Stacey and her sister Sam spoke up.
Next thing ya know he, Matt the Chef, is at the table, he is serving a plate of cured meats along with some great cheese, bread that had been grilled, tomato’s that he made a jam from and some olives. All very, very good.

After he introduced himself and we all said hello, Matt ask if we wanted to order from the menu or if we wanted him to cook for us. Well, when the chef ask if “you want me to cook for you” it’s a no brainer.

After that plate they just kept coming. He sent out grilled calamari along with mussels in a white wine sauce.

Next we enjoyed scallops that had been grilled to perfection. Followed by homemade ravioli. This was one of the best dishes of the night. Two different fillings - one pork and one with butternut squash. Both busted wide open with brown butter, sage and pecans.

Rabbit on polenta with kalamata olives did not suck either.

He brought us three different desserts and like everything else that night - they were awesome. Matt came to the table and had a couple of beer and we tried to figure out how we were related.

It was great to meet a new relative and we look forward to feasting at his restaurant again. Soon.

chow

PIGS FISH AND BEDS

Some of my latest creations, all available at your local SOSOSOUTHERN retail store.

Goodmorning New Orleans

I have fallen in love with the place and to say “place” when talking about New Orleans is a mouth full. Cause that’s what it is all about “place”. And what makes “place” is a gumbo, pun intended, of people, food, drink, history, ect. I could go on and on when it comes to New Orleans and it sense of “place”.

To get an idea of what I’m talking about try doing this. Each morning when you go to your computer, or whenever you go to your computer to read the news paper or check out CNN or whatever it is you like to check out regularly on the Internet, start going to this site. I do almost every morning and I always find a good read. And being that it is the Food and Dining section of the Times Picayune I never find bad news. Give it a try and see if you don’t long to jump on an airplane just to go try a new restaurant or try the latest cocktail you just read about.

Peachtree Road Market opens for new season

Saturday was a beautiful day. The weather was great and it was the opening day of the Peachtree Road Market. The Peachtree Road Market is a food lovers dream come true. I was reading a post on another blog this a.m. about how good the Peachtree Road Market is and at the end someone posted a comment saying they liked to get 20 bucks from the ATM machine and spend it all at the Peachtree Road Market. I’m thinking that would only tease me, $20 bucks? are you kidding me. Hell Stacey spends that with one vendor.

Let me lay it out for you.

Bess is there and she owns Antico Mrecante. They sell some of the best cheese in the world. Bess has Italian cheese and she has cheese from Sweet Grass Dairy. If you don’t know Sweet Grass click on them and learn. The number of cheeses Bess sells are too many for me to write about, but off the top of my head the dolce Gorgonzola we got was excellent. The Tomini with herbs and pepper on top is excellent. Of course her Parmigiano is great. She has lot’s more and she has a retail shop. She shares a space with Via Elisa Pasta. Once again, if you don’t know about Via Elisa click on them and learn. The best fresh pasta in Atlanta. The best restaurants and Whole Foods use her products. It is available at the Peachtree Road Market every Saturday morning.

You can also stock up on fresh, as in made early each Saturday morning according to their signage, salsas, tortillas, guacamole and other Mexican specialties. Zocalo, a popular midtown restaurant is selling there product at the Peachtree Road Market again this year.

Hopes Garden sells Pesto. It is delicious. One is a regular pesto and one with jalapeno. Hopes Garden is a Mom Pop Daughter operation. Hope being the daughter, I bet she is about 13 years old. Click on them to learn more about them.

There are also many farmers at each market and lots of other vendors. Next week I will write about some of the other great products you can get there each Saturday morning. But my point is how great it is to go to one spot and get some of the best food in town. We always go home with an ice chest full. We go often because I sell my art and some furniture along side all these wonderful vendors. Like I said stay tune for more info about the Peachtree Road Market, but in the mean time I will see you there this Saturday.

BEAUTIFUL POBOY

If you go to Washington Rd. Seafood in East Point, Ga. this is what you can get for $4.29, tax included. Call me and I’ll meet you there.