I found myself in Wayne (rarely) and craving Chinese (always).
I was in luck when I saw China King Buffet. Despite the name, I went with a takeout order so I could get back on the road.
Simple order: sweet and sour chicken, fried rice, egg roll, crab cheese rangoons.
These were OK - more hard-fried than I appreciate and a bit on the oily side. But, I won't ever be too mad at a crab rangoon.
The chicken here was fine - larger pieces than normal. Fried rice was fine too - just the taste of oil dominated most of the flavor here. The eggroll was similar, but I appreciate the harder fry here.
Grade: B
Monte Alban is a Mexican restaurant in Barboursville. Located in a plaza, the restaurant has plenty of parking and it's one I drive by often so I was excited go finally stop snd check it out.
I ordered a pile of nachos, because sometimes they just hit the spot. Nachos Monte Alban come with steak, chicken, cheese sauce, lettuce, tomato, onion, guacamole, and sour cream.
This wasn't bad, though I could do without the shredduce (shredded lettuce), because it gets gross and soggy. The rest - fairly basic. OK chips and toppings. Good cheese sauce.
Grade: C
Here's my latest column for the Charleston Gazette-Mail:
You’ve probably heard of “chestnuts roasting over an open fire,” and of a chestnut-colored furniture piece. But, have you ever actually tasted an American chestnut? If you’re younger than age 50, the answer is likely no.
That is because despite the chestnut’s lingering presence in our cultural history, it has been “functionally extinct” for decades — which means that while the species still survives, it cannot reproduce.
More than a century ago, nearly 4 billion American chestnut (castanea dentata) trees were growing in the eastern U.S., according to The American Chestnut Foundation. They were not only a crucial part of the ecosystem, but the chestnuts were also a food source for indigenous people and European-Americans, as well as livestock.
Chestnuts are edible both raw or cooked and have a mild flavor that lends itself to both sweet and savory dishes. When they are cooked, they take on a soft texture and a slightly sweet and buttery flavor that is fairly mild. They are sometimes compared to sweet potatoes and can be used in soups or stews. Or, they can be used in stuffings or simmered in sugar. They can even be made into flour that can be used for baked goods, pastas and more.
That is, if you can find them.
Within the past 50 years, the American Chestnut has mostly disappeared due to the effects of blight. In 1904, an invasive, airborne fungus was accidentally introduced in New York City and spread to the Appalachian Mountains. Chestnut blight devastated the species.
“Today, there are fewer than 1,000 American chestnut trees, largely in isolated areas outside of the tree’s historical range in the eastern half of the United States, along the Appalachian mountain ridge and throughout New England,” according to researchers at Penn State University.
The Appalachian Trail runs right through the heart of the chestnut’s historic range, so some chestnut trees can still be found in the area. And there are organizations working to develop a blight-resistant chestnut tree to help restore the population. But, otherwise, most of the chestnuts we may find in supermarkets here are imported from China, Italy or Korea.
So, if you’re able to get your hands on this piece of Appalachian edible history, be sure to try them with one of the recipes here. Enjoy a bite of the past, which can hopefully return in the future.
It's been quite some time since my last visit to Arizona, so I figured it would be good to sprinkle some of my dining experiences into my blog. Let's start with Eegees, which is a chain of 25 restaurants in the Tucson, Arizona, area.
"Take it easy, have an eegee" is the frozen drink chain's slogan. So, what is an eegee? "Oh, you know… just the most craveable, silky smooth, icy treat around. It’s a true taste revolution jam-packed with juicy bits of fresh fruit in flavors so addicting they should come with a warning label. We’re not drooling, you are."
"Are you ready for the icy cold, silky smooth, fresh fruit packed deliciousness of eegee’s iconic frozen treat? Available in Lemon, Strawberry, Piña Colada, Skinny Berry and our Flavor of the Month, we’re pretty sure you’ve just been introduced to your new favorite craving."
I had to try the strawberry, which is like a smoothie frozen lemonade. So tasty, especially during a hot Arizona summer day.
They do also have grinders, subs, chicken tenders, salads and fries. The hot weather make me not quite as hungry, but I did want something salty/savory with my drink. I went with the "ORIGINAL RANCH FRIES" - savory crinkle cut fries topped with our famous ranch dressing and bacon bits.
I liked that these stayed crispy despite the ranch dressing. And bacon bits? Yes, please. Next time, I'll add cheese.
Grade: A
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