Homeward Bound: Day 8

My long lost beloved friend, Jen, and I at the Sweet Auburn Curbside Market- A must visit in the ATL!

I sit on the porch with a cuddly pup at my feet and a warm breeze through my hair and wonder what comes next. Traveling, no matter what distance, is always accompanied by a journey; a story; a new familiarity. I sense a renewed excitement for the unknown road ahead and look forward to the everlasting journey that is turning out to be my life. So thank you Atlanta, for your charming grace and endless hospitality, for your grits and shrimp and pimento cheese, for your sweaty days and comforting warm nights, and most of all, thank you Atlanta for nurturing our family to help them blossom and laugh so they may welcome us home at our next return.

Atlanta Day 5: North Georgia

A view of the Appalachian foothills in North Georgia, some of the most beautiful country I have ever visited.

Talullah Falls at Talullah Gorge in North Georgia, the site of my very first boiled peanut tasting and suspended bridge crossing.

The 251 steps down to and back up from the suspended bridge.

The Bridge.

Crane Creek Vineyards in North Georgia. A lovely setting to rest on our adventure day before heading back to Atlanta.

My beloved family! Well... some of them.

Atlanta Day 4: Blooms

A favorite orchid from the Atlanta Botanical Gardens Orchid House*.

Lily pods in the pond outside of the Botanical Garden culinary gardens and demonstration kitchen.

Shrimp and Grits from Rosebud**, one of the most delicious meals I've ever tasted in Atlanta- or, anywhere, really.

* http://www.atlantabotanicalgarden.org/

** http://www.rosebudatlanta.com/

Atlanta Day 3: The Chatahoochie and Her Forest

Wandering through the heavy serenity and inhaling fragrant breaths of moist air perfumed by oak, I am awed at the beauty of this place. We wind adjacent to the shore of the Chatahoochie River and listen for the squawks of geese bathing in its cool running waters. Eric and I marvel at our chance encounters with the many rock caves and plateaus that look like abandoned spaceships and imagine what it would be like to camp out in their cool, dark depths. It is such a treat to visit this National Park at Island Ford*, and fall back into a time when Georgia was hushed and uncluttered with people. To truly explore a place, is to know its calm as well as its commotion, and standing here sheltered by the mighty magnolias and oaks, I feel that we are one step closer to knowing Georgia.

* http://www.nps.gov/chat/

Atlanta Day 2: Family and Friends and Tapas, Oh My!

Roasted figs topped with bacon and herbed goat cheese and roasted spiced almonds

Today was a day of feasting. We awoke to the promise of a fulfilling southern breakfast at a jubilant little restaurant called The Flying Biscuit, a place not unknown to locals as evidenced by the 30 minute waiting list and hoards of satisfied people coming and going through the front door. Once our happy moment arrived, we slipped through the hungry crowds, weaved between brightly colored tables radiating cheerful chatter, and installed ourselves at a pleasant little table draped in a bright blue and pink floral oil cloth to the rear of the room. The menu was crammed with tempting treats and I went with the first to catch my eye: The Southern Scramble, which was a heavenly marriage of collard greens, caramelized onions, spicy eggs, and cheddar accompanied by a bowl of “creamy, dreamy grits” and a biscuit so tall and fluffy I almost thought that it would begin to fly! Naturally, I stuffed myself sick, but could find no morsel of remorse, for the food was so satisfying and delicious that to regret tasting even one bite would be unthinkable!

Cumin Chickpea Spread and Crostini with Tomato Jam

We returned to Chez Nightingale just in time to help my talented and beautiful sister-in-law, Lindsay, prepare her most exquisite menu for the tapas party later that evening. The Nightingale women bonded together in a cooking frenzy to braise, slice, dice, sauté, grill, taste, drink, and laugh over an infinite mess of splatters and spills that covered the kitchen from ceiling to floor. This scene is always the one I am most eager to meet during our visits to Atlanta- three determined and focused women learning about each other and becoming a closer family through cooking. Finally the dishes were topped with their final garnish and set on a most inviting table amidst sunflowers and candles and the invités swarmed around the feast like moths to a flame exhaling mmm’s and oooh’s between bites. They coddled their crostinis with cumin chickpea spread and tomato jam, Spanish meatballs in saffron sauce, rioja-braised chorizo, caramelized mushrooms, toasted spiced almonds, grilled summer vegetables, garlic prawns, and red or white sangria like precious treasures and nibbled them with such care and attention that we beamed with fulfillment at the compliment. By the end of the feast, all were drunk with joy (and sangria too!) and laughed together amidst the intoxicating aromas of sweet spices and food carefully prepared for the ones we love and make us whole.

Grilled Summer Vegetables and Spicey Garlic Prawns

Atlanta: Day 1

A thick blanket of fragrant humidity envelops my body in a familiar and comforting grasp; I happily find myself in a paradise where night’s cloak reveals the melodious treasure of a forest orchestra serenading me through pianos and fortes of chirps and hisses. This place vibrates with music and color; the dazzlement of my senses is only dampened by the heavy moisture that lingers on the air, compressing my soul in on itself like a heavy brick, a sensation not altogether unwelcome, for it permits me to look inward, for a change. To say that I feel, “in my element” here might be a gross understatement. All life seems to thrive here and so why should I be any different? I long to go out into the night and dance through the heavy sky, if only just for a moment to feel the temperature collision that arises between my naked skin and the sweet warm air. I feel like a flower on the verge of bloom; excited and trembling at the curiosity of my unknown fate. This is it. I am grateful for it. The future awaits.

Roasting In the Heat

My adoring hubby has been so supportive of my recent obsession with discovering more traditional Italian recipes, that he recently contributed to my ever-growing food library with a most wonderful book: The Italian Farmer's Table by Matthew Scialabba and Melissa Pellegrino, in which I discovered this surprising recipe for roasted veggies. I think I may have stumbled upon a new way of making my beloved Ratatouille- the vinaigre lends an especially delightful tang that is mellowed by the sweetness of the carrots and peppers. Eric and I let the veggies cool to room temp and ate this as a topping to toasted day-old baguette… YUMM! What a way to eat your veggies and roast in the heat!

Tomato Roasted Veggies- Adapted by me from The Italian Farmer's Table:

1 small eggplant, julienned (matchstick cut)

1 bell pepper of your choice, julienned

1 sliced onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

3-5 Tomatoes, puréed

Extra Virgin Olive Oil to coat veggies (~1/4 cup)

2 Tbs red Wine Vinaigre

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 cup chopped fresh basil

½ cup chopped parsley

1. Preheat the oven to 425 Fahrenheit

2. Toss the veggies with the olive oil, vinaigre, seasoning, and tomato purée and pour onto a sheet pan in an even level (for even cooking)

3. Roast until the liquid is all evaporated and the veggies are soft (40-75 minutes)

4. When done roasting, remove from the oven, and top with the chopped parsley, basil, additional seasoning (salt and pepper if needed), and drizzle of olive oil

5. Let cool to room temperature and serve over toasted bread, aside your morning omlet, or over pasta

Happy Eating!

Luv,

Andreya