Tiffany Tastes

Downtown Snacking at the Peanut Shoppe

The Peanut Shoppe is a recent favorite of mine. Whenever I'm downtown during the day, I have to make a stop. The air even smells delicious on Main St. whenever you get close to the shop. Now, many people might hit up this downtown landmark for their fresh roasted nuts...

But, personally, I go for the popcorn. Owners Riddah and Ameera claim to have the best popcorn in town. (And, I'd have to agree)

My favorite is a combination of butter and caramel, popped fresh daily in-house. In addition to nuts and popcorn, the Peanut Shoppe also has a variety of candy, and they ship! You can purchase all goods by the pound (2 ounce minimum), and prices vary. You should check it out.

The Peanut Shoppe
24 South Main Street
Memphis, TN 38103
(901) 525-1115

Operating Hours
Monday-Saturday 10:00am-5:00pm

A Jewel in the Crown

A group of girlfriends and I decided to take advantage of a fabulous Groupon deal (winery tour, wine tasting, commemorative glass and a bottle of wine for $20) and check out the Crown Winery on a recent Friday evening. We didn't really know what to expect, but hey, if there was wine tasting involved, we were in.

What we actually got, was more than we bargained for. We started our evening with a brief tour of the vineyard.

Crown Winery and HRH Vineyards occupies some 65 acres. They grow 7 varieties of grapes which they use to craft 12 different wines.

Crown Winery is owned and operated by a lovely British gentleman named Pete and his wife Rita.

Pete was apparently a gas physicist before he decided to make wine. Just between you and me, I think this was an excellent career path for him to take. His explanations are scientific, but easily understood (and I now know why you'll never make a good pinot noir with grapes grown in TN) After the vineyard, we got to see the inner sanctum where the wine is made.

First of all, this place is spotless. Secondly, we got to sample wine-in-the-making (that is, wine straight from the barrels)

Pete didn't even get upset if we poured out something we didn't like.

We got to see all of the thinga-ma-bobs that Pete uses to bottle and package his wine.

And then we got to go to the wine bar and taste the good stuff from the bottles.

Then we purchased scads of wine, along with some sausage, cheese, chocolate and freshly made French bread and settled on the patio to hear the Bluesberry Jam Band and enjoy our spoils.

Crown Winery is less than 90 minutes from Memphis in quiet Humboldt, Tennessee and would make an excellent destination for one-day excursion. They also offer facility rentals for weddings, banquets and parties. Crown's wines range from super dry to tart and sweet; there's something for every palate. And there are hotels nearby, in case you don't want to make the trip back to Memphis after indulging. Make sure to take advantage of the live music on the patio every Friday this summer from 7 to 10 p.m. Also, call ahead to ensure that the vineyard hasn't been rented before you make your drive.

Crown Winery & HRH Vineyards
3638 East Mitchell Street
Humboldt, TN 38343
731-784-8100

Operating Hours
Tuesday-Saturday 11:00am-6:00pm
Friday (Wine Down - Summer Only) 7:00pm-10:00pm
Sunday 12:00pm-5:00pm

Elegantly Comforting

After reading posts by norococo and I Love Memphis, I knew that I had to try The Elegant Farmer. This formerly lunchtime-only oasis has been open about 6 weeks, and they're doing it up right. Casual, elegant, rustic decor and Southern-style food that is simple in presentation, but deceptively sophisticated in depth of flavor.

We started with the curry sweet potato soup and the caprese salad. Both are excellent appetizers for a warm summer day.

The soup was sweet and savory. I only wished that it had a little more heat. It was light and refreshing, and I didn't feel weighted down after eating it.

Now I consider myself a caprese purist, but I adore The Elegant Farmer's version. Thick slices of tomatoes topped with house-made ricotta, basil-pecan pesto and balsamic reduction. This was extremely delicious in it's simplicity.

I was shocked at the amount of food came with our entrees. At $10 apiece, the size and quality of these portions were an insane value.

During this meal, my mom chose the salmon patties which came with braised greens and mac n' cheese. The patties were more salmon than filler (which is always a plus). I'm not a good Southern girl, because I don't particular care for most greens, but I actually enjoyed these. There was a delicate sweetness and no hint of bitterness. The mac 'n cheese was the ever lovin' end! Made with penne and super creamy, rich and delicious. I could have eaten an entire bowl.

I chose picked the roast pork, cornbread pudding and the aforementioned braised greens. The boneless pork leg was not at all dry, unlike most I've encountered and the cornbread pudding was the perfect vehicle to absorb the au jus that puddled in the bottom of the dish.

Final Impressions: Portions are huge; we took a huge plate of leftovers home (which my husband devoured appreciatively). The quality of the food makes it easy to overlook small lapses in service (My mom never received her glass of wine, and one of the desserts recited by the server was unavailable). I'd tell you to go there, but judging by the crowd early on a Monday afternoon, the word is already out.

Editor's Note: The Elegant Farmer has expanded their hours to serve dinner and are no longer open on Mondays.

Tiffany's Favorite: The Caprese Salad
Tiff's Mom's Favorite: Salmon Patties

Tiffany's Rating :) :) :) out of :) :) :) :)

The Elegant Farmer
262 S. Highland St.
Memphis, TN 38111
(901) 324-2221

Average Appetizer Price: (dinner only) $8
Average Soup/Salad Price: $4-$10
Average Sandwich Price: (lunch only) $7-$9
Average Entree Price: (lunch) $8-$10 (dinner) $15-$18
A la Carte Sides: (lunch) $4 (dinner) $5

Operating Hours
Tuesday-Saturday: (lunch) 11:00am-2:30pm (dinner) starts at 5:30

A Delicious Breakfast (or Anytime) Option

I'm often inspired by recipes that I see on blogs, Facebook, or Twitter. A few weeks ago, local author and blogger, Jennifer Chandler, posted a recipe for Cheddar Cheese Biscuits with Honey-Baked Ham. Being a good Southern girl, I'm always on the lookout for a good biscuit, so I took this one to my kitchen.

It's amazing what cheese, butter and buttermilk can do for you.

 

Mix with flour, baking powder and a little love.

Roll it, pat it, mark it with a "B" ...

And put it in the oven for baby and me :)

Jennifer Chandler's Cheddar Cheese Biscuits with Honey Ham
Adapted below (slightly) for my tastes

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading
3/4 cups whole-wheat flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/2 cup cold buttermilk, shaken
1 large egg
1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese
1/4 grated gouda cheese (not smoked)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 pound honey-baked ham, sliced

To make the biscuits:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. With the mixer on low, add the butter and mix until coarse crumbs form, about 30 to 45 seconds.

Combine the buttermilk and egg in a small bowl and beat lightly with a fork. With the mixer on low, add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and mix only until moistened. Add the cheeses to the dough and mix only until roughly combined.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Knead gently until well combined, about 5 or 6 times. Pat out dough to 3/4-inch thickness. Using 3-inch-diameter cookie cutter, cut out biscuits. Gather scraps, pat out to 3/4-inch thickness and cut additional biscuits.

Place biscuits on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Brush the tops with the beaten egg. Bake until the tops are browned and the biscuits are cooked through, about 18 to 22 minutes.

To assemble the sandwiches:

Cut the ham slices into pieces slightly larger than the biscuits. Using a sharp bread knife, split the biscuits. Fill each biscuit with 1 or 2 pieces of the ham to make a sandwich. Serve warm or at room temperature.

  

Yummy...

If you haven't picked them up, you should definitely check out Jennifer Chandler's awesome cookbooks, Simply Suppers and Simply Salads, you should do it. Right now. And, be on look out for her newest venture, Simply Grilling, due out in early 2012. You can also follow Jennifer on Twitter and fan her on Facebook.