A "paleta" is a Mexican fresh fruit and cream pop from Michoacán, Mexico. It's similar to a popsicle - but fresher. 
   

Paletas Betty has been making Mexican ice and cream pops since 2010, so they know a thing or two.



In addition to the paletas, they offer fruit salads, fruit drinks and cold brew coffee. 



Paletas come in a number of flavors: mocha (coffee and chocolate), Mexican hot chocolate (cinnamon and chocolate), arroz con leche (rice and cinnamon), and the one that caught my eye: fresca con crema - strawberries & cream. 



Side note: I think this photo of Josh & Kaitee is album cover worthy. 



I think ice cold desserts are necessary in a place like Arizona, because everything feels like it's on fire all the time. So the desserts help cool things down. And these paletas hit the spot. It was so cool and sweet and refreshing. The creamy ones are a bit more decadent, but still fresh. I also love that these have some chunks of fruit so the texture adds a little something-something.



Grade: A

Voted as the best donuts in Atlanta, Sublime Doughnuts was at the top of my list to try when I visited the city. They are known for their Atlanta pride in topping a number of lists for best donuts not only in the city, but the country.



I couldn't pass up trying a few out. I started with the chocolate frosted "A" Town cream donut. Plus a s'mores doughnut, of course, Oreo, Red Velvet and more. while the fruit stuffed donuts fit my personal preference more, these donuts were creative and sweet and fun. They do have some adventurous flavors as well, and I would love to try those next time. It's tough to dislike a decent donut; even though they're not my main thing, I won't turn down a sweet treat. And these were as sweet as any, and just as tasty.



Grade: A

El Charro Café offers a wide variety of Northern Mexican and Tucson-style Mexican dishes, from enchiladas to tamales to mini chimis, and their insanely delicious food has been hailed by everyone from Bon Appetit to the NY Times to Nation’s Restaurant News, which named it one of America’s 50 most iconic restaurants, according to their website.



"Established in 1922, El Charro Café of Tucson, Arizona is The Nation's Oldest Mexican Restaurant in continuous operation by the same family. Featuring traditional Northern Mexico-Sonoran style and innovative Tucson-style Mexican Food, El Charro Café is truly as Gourmet Magazine wrote: "A Taste Explosion". With a large array of award winning hand-crafted recipes based on Sonoran and Local ingredients, El Charro Café is a passage to Tucson's Culinary History that has been won the dining icon acclaim from all over the world. The word “Charro” is “a name given to the peasants of the province of Salamanca.” This word was adapted in 1857 and applied in Mexico to good, able horsemen, recognized by the costume or uniform they wear, especially the high-crowned, wide brimmed hat."



I went here, though, because it is known as the birthplace of the chimichanga. They have a few locations, and I ended up at the "Oro Valley" one, which was pretty spacious with giant windows that let in all sorts of light.



"Our Legendary Tia Monica Flin, is well-known as “The Inventor of The Chimichanga.” While frying her now famous El Charro ground beef tacos, she accidentally dropped a burro into the frying pan and when the oil splashed up she was about to lash out a common Spanish cuss word starting with “Ch” but because she was amongst her young nieces and nephews, changed it to “Chimichanga”, the equivalent of “thingamajig.” Thankfully for all of us, Monica was a controlled and creative cuss."



The chips and salsa to me were like most others - but not super oily-fried; they seemed fresher. I opted for a Carne Seca chimichanga, which means a dried beef. It comes with chunky pico salsa, arroz sonora and beans. "Chimichanga style" is essentially just deep-frying the burrito. 



It was great! The burrito was flavorful and the texture was on point. It was not soggy or too crunchy - just a perfectly lightly chewy bite. The interior was equally as good - moist, great seasoning and an all-around delicious bite. The pico added some freshness; the rice was great; and I even didn't mind the beans. 



Grade: A

I made a nice little trip out to Sissonville to try the Husson's location there.



No, I don't think there is all the much different from one location to another. But do I love checking off a list? Yes. And, considering Husson's Pizza is a local pizza franchise in the Metro Valley area, it's a small list, and they're all relatively close.



I did, however, change it up from pizza or cheese sticks and went with a meatball sub this time. It's one of my favorite comfort foods, and I wanted to see how Husson's stacked up.



I was pleasantly surprised! If you're a weirdo like me who doesn't really want your bread toasted - just warmed - the key here is to ask for "lite bake," which gets it just how I want it. Warm, melty cheese - but not a crunchy bread. The meatballs are decent, and the sauce is decent. I think I may add even more cheese next time, but it's a solid meal to satisfy that meatball sub craving.



Grade: B

Cookin' for Comfort is a brand-new event from the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern West Virginia that pits two local chefs against one another in a competition to elevate their favorite childhood meal - all while helping raise funds for the nonprofit. 



Held this evening, this incredible event featured Chef Paul Smith, a James Beard semifinalist and chef at 1010 Bridge, and Chef John Wright, formerly of Bridge Road Bistro and current co-owner of The Pitch in Kanawha City cooking in the kitchen at the Ronald McDonald House, and I was fortunate to be one of the judges alongside Steven Keith, the Food Guy, and Chris Miller, of Dutch Miller.



What is the Ronald McDonald House, you may ask? "Since 1985, RMHC of Southern West Virginia has been providing housing, support, and community so families with sick children can stay together. That is 38 years of making a tremendous impact on the lives of pediatric patients and their families in Southern West Virginia. Your support is a vital part of helping us deliver comfort and care to children and their families."



This event has a few different layers. First, folks can purchase tickets to the event, which included hors d'oeuvres, an open bar and a gift bag. Some of those delicious snacks included 1010 Bridge favorites like: potato souffles (one of my favorite bites in all of town), cheeseburger sliders (a la McDonald's sauce), pimento cheese cups, chips, bacon-covered dates, cupcakes, cookies and more. 



Leading up to the event, folks were able to cast votes toward the "People's Choice" Chef Award by donating $5 online in support of their favorite chef. At the event, folks were also able to donate $5 in person - either cash or by dipping their card - toward their favorite chef. 



How they determined that was a few different ways - whether they were friends, whether they liked the concept of the dish or if they were able to sample some of the dishes from the chefs from the two additional plates they created for communal tasting. So, let's get to those dishes.



Chef Paul talked about Pizza Hut dinner nights and eating Buzz-Buttered Steaks growing up. So, he opted to create a jazzed-up patty melt using those same Buzz-Butter Steaks.

Chef John talked about how an Italian dish from his neighbor was near and dear to his heart, so he opted for a mushroom & lamb sausage crepe.



One item they both had to use was jicama. The secret ingredient was revealed to the chefs 30 minutes into  the competition and was selected by the public when they donated to the website. 



We judged the dishes on taste, presentation and creativity. It was a close call, truthfully. The judges went back and forth a few times. Here are some of my overall thoughts:



Chef Paul's dish was big and bright and beautiful and had some nice crunch and freshness. The ramp ranch was a lovely extra touch. His Buzz-Buttered Steak was elevated with white American cheese, fresh lettuce, tomato, onion, jicama and some mac sauce. 



Chef John's dish was really creative with housemade lamb sausage, a rich cream sauce and a lovely crunch from fried jicama fries. The sausage had a great flavor that paired beautifully with fresh local mushrooms from Hernshaw Farms and some dried morels. 



They were both delicious, but Chef John came out on top for the judge's choice, and Chef Paul came out on top for people's choice. 

But, at the end of the day, the real goal was to help support what the Ronald McDonald House is doing. RMHC provides a crucial service for families who are facing significant challenges in their lives, and a warm meal, a cozy bed and a private space can provide a world of difference. From collecting and donating pop tabs to helping to cook dinner, I have volunteered for this organization because it holds a special place in my heart and truly makes a difference for those who need it most.

When children must travel long distances to access top medical care, accommodations for families can be expensive or not readily available. The charity helps families stay close to their ill or injured children, increasing the caregivers’ ability to spend more time with their child, to interact with their clinical care team, and to participate in critical medical care decisions. That is one less stress these folks have to consider. 

McDonald’s support extends from monetary contributions and volunteerism, to cause related marketing promotions and the space to place RMHC Donation Boxes and Round-Up For RMHC that raises money for Chapters around the world. Although the McDonald’s system is the largest corporate partner,
RMHC is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation, relying on the support of the entire community and other corporate partners.

Here are some easy ways to give or click here:

Manna Meal is an incredible nonprofit that feeds the hungry every. single. day. And, they recently went mobile:



Manna Meal is on the move with a new mobile kitchen!

Our new food truck allows us to deliver nutritious meals to communities in need across Charleston. In the face of rising food costs and widespread food insecurity, extending our services to even more of our neighbors is crucial.

We’re so thankful for the support of our community as we increase capacity to achieve our mission: so the hungry can eat.

Service Locations: If you are in need of a healthy meal, our food truck will be serving dinner at the Giltinan Center from 5:00-5:30pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Located at 505 Leon Sullivan Way in Charleston.

Food truck service will occur three days a week on Charleston’s West Side in the old Save-A-Lot parking lot. We’ll be on the move, too so stay tuned for detailed schedule and locations info.



They were out & about recently to raise awareness. So I also wanted to help spread the word - including how delicious these biscuits filled with sausage are!

Here's my latest column for The Charleston-Gazette Mail:

Wineberry” is one of those beautiful, ethereal words for me that conjures up images of other delicious foods like “Cosmic Crisp” apples and “Orange Blossom” honey in my mind.

Wine? Berry? Yes. Please.

It is not, however, a berry specifically used to make wine; instead, its name is likely derived from a general Middle English term for grape or berry and reflects its deep red color.

Wineberries grow wild through the Appalachian Mountains along roadsides, thickets, trails, creeks and edges of fields. Also known as “wine raspberry,” wineberries originated in Eastern Asia and were introduced to the United States in 1890 for their raspberry-like fruit. The shrub is still used today by berry breeders but is classified as an invasive species in Appalachia due to how well it took to the region. It adapts so well, in fact, that it can crowd out other native species.

But, many beloved plants are also invasive species: Pokeweed. Dandelion. Garlic Mustard.

Wineberries have a sweet and tart, raspberry-like flavor, which lends itself well to both savory and sweet dishes, like:

Pastries: Wrapped in phyllo dough or puff pastry, wineberries could make for a sweet treat

Jams and jellies: Spread on toast or paired with peanut butter, wineberries could add a different flavor

Pies and cobblers: Replacing raspberries or blackberries in a pie or cobbler recipe could create a new favorite

Sauces: Cook wineberries down into a sauce that can be a sweet complement to savory meats

Salads: Think of the role cranberries or strawberries can play in salads and try replacing those with wineberries

Cocktails: Muddled fruit can add a sweet burst

Sorbet: Blend the berries with sugar and freeze on a hot summer day

The versatility of wineberries has been valuable to Appalachia historically, culturally and economically. They have been an accessible food source for local communities — everything from making wineberry desserts for community functions to bottling wineberry jam to be sold by small-scale producers at farmers markets.

Wineberries are a sign of summertime in the mountains. The leaves have been produced and the shrubs are flowering now. Soon, wineberries will be growing on long, thorny canes covered with fine, red hairs through August.

For many people in Appalachia, wineberries hold a special place in their heart. Whether berry picking is a beloved summer tradition or creating recipes together holds deep memories, families and friends gather together to explore the mountains and search for the best spots to harvest wineberries.

It’s a great way to get outdoors, appreciate the natural beauty of the region, while also bringing home a delicious and healthy snack. There are a lot of terms for desserts made with fruit. The following recipe is for a cobbler, but there are many other options where you can tweak things slightly and have a whole new sweet treat.

Let’s break down the differences before we get into it so you can change things up if you want!

- Cobbler: fruit dessert baked with a biscuit-style topping. It’s called a cobbler because its top crust is not smooth like a pie crust but rather “cobbled” and coarse. It’s usually dropped or spooned over the fruit, then baked. A version called “grunt” is popular in Massachusetts and another called “slump” is popular in areas of Vermont, Maine and Rhode Island.

- Sonker: like a cobbler, but made with a lot of juice and usually in North Carolina.

- Crisp: fruit dessert that has a topping made of oats, flour, butter, and sugar (and sometimes nuts). The topping completely covers the fruit and is baked.

- Crumble: like a crisp but the topping does not contain oats.

- Betty: like a crumble but rather than having the topping solely on top of the fruit, it’s layered throughout, then baked.

- Buckle: fruit and cake baked together, with a streusel topping. As it bakes, the fruit and streusel topping makes the cake “buckle.”

- Clafoutis: French cobbler, with fruit (usually cherries) on the bottom, custard, and a rough batter crust baked on top.

- Flaugnarde: like a clafoutis, but with a different fruit.

- Pandowdy: fruit on the bottom and a rolled crust on top, which is broken up to allow the juices to come through.

Fired Pie is a "fast, casual, rich in flavor customizable pizzas and salads made from scratch using fresh ingredients, just the way you like it" and found in 16 locations in Arizona.



The menu starts with two options: pizza or salad. Then, do you want a specialty type or custom. First is your crust, select sauce, then choose cheese, move onto meats, pick your veggies and finally garnish with fresh herbs. I went with a regular crust, tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, mushroom, garlic and artichokes. I love all these ingredients separately, but maybe not the best together. I think a sweetness would round out the flavors, and it was a bit mushy - maybe because of the ingredients I chose. Not bad enough to stop me from devouring it.



Grade: B

Regional chains are always fascinating to me because they often have a loyal fanbase. Sometimes while traveling, you're on a tight time crunch. But I refuse to get something I can get back at home. So regional fast food chains kinda fill that gap.

    

Blake's Lotaburger claims "The Original Green Chili Cheese Burger," which uses their exclusive variety green chile that is 100% grown, harvested and flame-roasted in Hatch, New Mexico.

     

"When WWII Navy Veteran, Blake Chanslor, flipped the first LOTA Burger in 1952 he gave birth to a New Mexico Tradition. Seventy years later, Blake’s LOTABURGER® has become a cultural icon in the Land of Enchantment. Our Signature “New Mexico Style - The best ingredients, always cooked fresh, have made Blake’s a favorite for locals & a must-stop for visitors to the Southwest. Our signature “New Mexico Style” LOTA Burger is made with two large, fresh premium beef patties, melted cheese and our exclusive, flame-roasted Hatch Green Chile."
    

I went there for breakfast, so I opted for that green chile in a breakfast burrito. Sausage, eggs, cheese, potatoes and some heat. I like my burritos oozing with cheese, where it becomes a sauce. And that acts as a foil to some of the hotness for me. This would be more preferable for someone who wants to feel those chiles. Decent flavor, yes, overall meal - okay.
     

Grade: B

"Wienerschnitzel is an American fast food chain founded in 1961 that specializes in hot dogs. Despite the name, the company does not sell Wiener schnitzel, only selling it once as a promotional item ... The chain is recognizable by the A-frame-style roofs of its older restaurants. Structures that have been converted from Wienerschnitzels into other restaurants often retain the distinctive architecture. The chain's advertising mascot is an anthropomorphized hot dog known as The Delicious One, who runs from people who want to eat him."



This building was just so interesting; it was like you were driving through the middle of a building. It caught my eye, and I was interested to check it out.



I went with one of their specialty hot dogs, The Kansas City dog, which had bacon, beer mustard, grilled onions, and Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce. This is just one of their specialty dogs that include everything from chili and cheese to sport peppers and tomato slices.



It was a decent hot dog. A lil bit on the mooshy side, even though it was a new, fun flavor combo. The texture could use a bit of improvement. But I'd be curious if somee of their hot dogs that didn't have so many toppings might be different.



Grade: B

"As we say in Spanish, “my house is your house” and we are pleased that you are paying us this visit. The history of this famous Mexican restaurant a stone’s throw from Las Cruces, NM is long and colorful. This is the original La Posta. For more than a century and a half, these adobe walls have withstood the attack of elements and man, sheltering such personalities as Billy the Kid, Kit Carson, General Douglas MacArthur and Pancho Villa. A roaring Wild West town during the late 1800’s, Mesilla was the largest town in the Southwest between San Diego, California and San Antonio, Texas. During this period, La Posta served as the Corn Exchange Hotel, a favorite stop on the Butterfield Stagecoach Line. Many years later a young, vivacious and colorful Katy Griggs Camuñez started La Posta de Mesilla Restaurant and Cantina with four tables, dirt floors and no running water! La Posta’s authentic dishes are made from century-old recipes handed down to us from the Fountain, Chavez and Griggs Families. Now one of the oldest and most recognized Mexican restaurants in the Southwest, La Posta de Mesilla still offers its traditional hospitality, fine food and spirits to all who wander here…just the way Katy would have wanted it!"



I ordered: Enchilada Plate, which consisted of rolled enchiladas - one red chile cheese, one green chile cheese and one meat with cheese (I went with red carne, which is made with achiote peppers). These were saucy and spicy. But there was a depth of flavor here that I really enjoyed.



I also ordered chile con queso, which I thought would be thick and cheesy, but this was a much thinner and heavier on spice than dairy. Really good flavor, though. It was less of a dip and more of a soup. A hearty, hot, rich soup.



Grade: B