Pork & Chicken Liver Pâté for less than $5 each
Mother Goose — We both preferred the delicate spice and creamy (almost buttery) consistency
Gurman — Fine, but, the chicken liver flavor was a bit strong and we weren’t fond of the oddly firm texture
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The Mr Stripey variety of tomatoes is easily identified by its beautiful mix of vibrant yellows and reds. But, more importantly, the taste is sugary sweet, rich with tomato flavor, incredibly juicy and it possesses a lovely firm (but, not too firm) texture. The only negative is an occasionally thick skin that appears somewhat at random. (Weather related? maybe)
Buford Highway Farmers Market
I know, I know… it’s the other way around. But, really Julia has to come first. I have fond memories of Julia Child wrestling a lobster into a pot, molesting an omlette, and dropping a crepe on the floor (or was it a pancake). She’d never miss a beat as she’d say something sweet & charming like, “Do as I say, not as I do.” I was too young to know what an icon she was when I first glimpsed reruns of this funny old cooking show that always made me laugh. Her easy smile and casual attitude made cooking appear to be a blast. I was never afraid of the kitchen. My fascination with the show had my mother encouraging me to enter baking contests from a very early age. My first cake (a two-layer lemon cake with lemon buttercream) was baked for a brownie competition. There is no doubt in my mind that my fearless attitude in the kitchen is courtesy of the great Julia Child. Afterall, you have to have the courage of your convictions. And, signing off with a musical lilt… “Bon Appetit”
Toscana, one of the varieties of Tuscan melons, is a real favorite of mine. When properly ripened, the flavor is intensely rich, sweet and has the taste of honey magnifying its already luscious melon characteristics. If only all cataloupes could taste this good…
Similar to gulab jamun, kala jamun are fried balls soaked in sugar syrup and rolled in coconut. Kala jamun have a bit more density, compared to the softer, lighter gulab jamun. Gokul Sweets makes malai jam by slicing one kala jamun in half to create a base. It is then iced with a rich cream fudge-like frosting. Other versions of malai jam sandwich two halves of gulab jamun or kala jamun with mawa (the reduced cream fudge shown in the photo above)
Pav Bhaji Dosa currently tops my list of favorite snack foods. Potato, a blend of vegetables and a masala spice blend fill this dosa. The incredibly rich and complex Bombay masala spice blend used in this dish combine sweet spices with savory. Creating a near perfect blend of sweet, savory and red pepper heat. This blend of spices are particularly addictive and the carb-rich pancake and potato filling add another comfort food element. Love it! Also Crave-worthy: Gokul Sweets
The spring dosa rolled with cabbage, carrots, pureed potato and other vegetables was the standout highlight of the meal. The vegetables were cooked thoroughly, but, maintained a bit of much-needed crunch to compliment the puree of spiced potatoes. This dish perfectly illustrates how easy it would be to be a vegetarian in the wonderful world of Indian food.
The flavors are a bit different than others we’ve tried. A sweet sauce dominates, but, dashes of spice add some needed heat. The samosa is filled almost exclusively with a mild puree of potatoes. This might not be my favorite version of samosa chaat. But, it is very satisfying and hearty.
We fell in love with these rich toasty balls of toasted whole wheat flour, butter, and white poppy seeds years ago. The full toasted, nutty flavor of the whole wheat flour really shines in this simple little treat. But, don’t be fooled, one of these intensely rich little balls will fill you up in a hurry. These are great paired with a cup of steaming hot masala tea in winter.
Gokul Sweets
The salmon was perfectly cooked, but, came on a rather wimpy hamburger bun. Even so, the bun was perfectly fresh, toasted and my honey loved it.
Why am I posting these God-Awful photos? I don’t know. You can’t really even make out the spicy shrimp sandwich in the background. But, the flavors of this sandwich are a great match to New Orleans style BBQ shrimp. And, I love this version of spicy shrimp in a baguette. The shrimp really are IN the baguette… no slicing has been done… the shrimp are stuffed in a hollowed out core down the middle. A blend of peppers spice up the butter. On first bite, the flavor is mild peppery spice and yummy buttery goodness. By the end of the sandwich, my mouth was nearing a simmer and my eyes were starting to water. Yes, a sandwich so good it made me cry! Seriously, I really did love it. Noteworthy App: Buffalo Oysters (no pictures, no great loss considering the poor quality of the two above). Six perfectly fried oysters are dished up charmingly in a ceramic escargot dish. Then, each oyster is drizzled with hot sauce and specks of blue cheese dot the top. The heat of the oysters melt the blue cheese and make this dish superior to standard wing shop fare. Stars of the Day: Buffalo Oysters and Spicy Shrimp in a baguette The Tavern @ Phipps Plaza
With a number of visits over the last few days, Fritti has delivered pizzas nearing perfection on every visit. Sadly, the one perfect pizza that we did consume stumbled into bad lighting. But, the above examples of near-perfection illustrate the point beautifully. Pictured above: Speck e Rucola, Ananas e Gorgonzola with aged balsamic, and Smoked (smoked cheeses, pancetta, & eggs) The quality of the dough is significantly superior to that of our previous visits. The visitor from Naples has clearly done his job. The quality of the dough is much improved, from the level of maturation for flavor development to the near-perfect baking times. The pizzas that we’ve consumed in the last few days are the best we’ve ever had the fortune to sample in the city of Atlanta. And, as the days go by, I’m confident that the quality of Fritti’s pizzas will continue to rise. While the pursuit for the perfect pizza in Atlanta will continue. I’m happy to report that Fritti has substantially risen the bar. And, Varasano’s will rise to this new challenge. I’m sure of it. Could news be better for Atlanta’s pizza lovers? I don’t think so. The Best Pizza in Atlanta? Current Favorite Brunch: Smoked Pizza with pancetta & eggs
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Malai Jam & Kala Jamun
