Tudor's in Milton was damaged in 2019 after a fire. So, when I was doing my Tudor's tour, they weren't on the list. But they recently rebuilt in the same area and reopened their drive thru.
So, of course I needed to check them off my list - we can just leave one location out there that I haven't visited. While in the area, I went through the drive-thru.
It's clear this location is bright and shiny and new. The drive thru space is a little odd - you can't get to it from the parking lot; you have to turn on the side to get to it. It wasn't exactly intuitive for me - but navigation never is.
My latest kick, as you probably know, is the Politician - bologna, egg and cheese on a biscuit. This was a solid version, too. It was huge, the proportions were good and the cheese was the perfect state where it was lightly melting all over everything. It was tasty.
Grade: A
As I get the craving for Chinese, I'm making my way way through new restaurants in the Kanawha Valley. Next on the list is Asian Wok in Winfield.
The restaurant is still closed for indoor dining, and they have a large plastic covering at the front where you pass through your payment and receive your food. I had called ahead and placed an order for honey chicken and an egg roll. They were out of a few other things I wanted to try - like whatever "chicken balls" are.
The honey chicken was pretty standard in flavor - sticky sweet, which I enjoy with the savory chicken. I only wish the breading had stood up and remained crispier. But had I eaten it there, it probably would've done so.
The eggroll was solid and standard. Heavy on the cabbage and not as much on the protein, but nice and crisp on the outside.
Grade: B
Here's my latest column for the Charleston Gazette-Mail:
You know that magical moment when you approach a clearing in woods? The sun is dripping through tall, overhead trees, and springy green moss covers stones. You see those whimsical ferns popping up from the ground with furled green fronds — seemingly from an enchanting story.
Those are fiddlehead ferns.
Fiddlehead ferns aren’t a particular type of fern; rather, they are a stage of growth. They are harvested early in the season, usually in May, before the coil has a chance to unfurl — creating a delightful and delicious vegetable.
The main species of sought-after fiddlehead fern found in Appalachia is the ostrich fern or Matteuccia struthiopteris. Ostrich ferns can be in the New England area, as well as eastern Canada. Other edible fiddlehead-type ferns can be found in other regions, such as the bracken and lady ferns of the Pacific Northwest.
The vibrant, emerald green ostrich fern fiddleheads, named so because they look like the head of a fiddle curled up, contain a trace amount of toxins, so they must be cooked before being consumed — at least for 5-10 minutes to be safe.
First, remove any of the papery brown skin by rinsing them off. Then, you can steam, braise, sauté, roast or even pickle them — after blanching, of course.
After cooking, the bitter flavor will disappear, revealing a bright, slightly sweet essence. It’s like a mix of asparagus with a grassy and snappy green bean. Because of those light flavors, it’s best to not overdress with heavy sauces or rich dressings. They’re perfect in salads, sides or pasta.
Beginning in early spring, fiddleheads can be found in West Virginia near moist river valleys, roadside patches and other forested areas. West Virginia is graced with this naturally growing delicacy — along with many others in the spring, like ramps and morels.
Using these gifts from the ground are part and parcel of Appalachian cuisine. Not only do Appalachians know how to make use of foraged foods and native plants, they also know how to do it well. That’s just one of the reasons why Appalachian cuisine is so unique — just like the fiddlehead fern itself.
One of my favorite podcasts, The Sporkful, released a new pasta shape called Cascatelli.
The podcast tells food stories, and the host has talked about the various qualities of pasta that appeal to him.
He created a small sub-series on how he went from concept to execution on a perfect pasta shape.
I really enjoy this podcast, and it was very interesting to hear about the process of getting a pasta shape made - and it's a genius marketing ploy. Was the whole series an effort to tell a story? Or sell a product? Or both.
Either way, I was hooked. And at the end, I wanted to try the pasta shape. It was backordered and so many types were sold out that I purchase the only available one available: a 5 lb. bulk bag.
"From the mind of James Beard Award winner Dan Pashman, creator and host of The Sporkful food podcast, comes CASCATELLI (Italian for “waterfalls”). Three years in the making, this brand new shape was created in collaboration with the artisans at Sfoglini. Cascatelli is designed to maximize the three qualities by which Dan believes all pasta shapes should be judged:
- Sauceability: How readily sauce adheres to the shape
- Forkability: How easy it is to get the shape on your fork and keep it there
- Toothsinkability: How satisfying it is to sink your teeth into it
Listen to the story of Dan’s quest to create this shape in a special Sporkful series entitled “Mission: ImPASTAble,” available in your podcasting app or at Sporkful.com. And try cascatelli today to experience the next chapter in pasta history!"
Have you tried it yet?
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