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June, 2009:

A Drunkard’s Brunch: Mitchell’s Deli

Jun 29th, 2009
by M. LaVigne.
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On Sundays I don’t often feel like venturing out into the world before noon. By then, finding sustenance is a priority. There are plenty of places in East Nashville for brunch, and if I haven’t visited most of them by now, I’m sure I will. This week I checked out Mitchell’s Deli at 1402 McGavock Pike.

Dave serves up sandwiches at Mitchells Deli

Dave serves up sandwiches at Mitchell's Deli

I have to admit the decision was strongly influenced by tales about the proportions of their bacon. I was not disappointed. At Mitchell’s the bacon is cut thick. For 75 cents you get a triple-thick slice off the hot bar that is so intensely flavored that one or two slices is more than enough.   All of the other items offered on the hot bar were sold by the pound, making it a great option for getting only as much as you want at a fair price. The homemade sausage was good and I definitely will have to give their gravy a try next time. We also sampled some of their home fries, which were a mixture of regular and sweet potatoes seasoned with just enough salt and pepper to accentuate the sweet and starchy combination. The biscuits and the eggs were passable at best, but I’m extremely picky about biscuits and there isn’t much that can be expected from scrambled eggs off of a steam table.

While I was there I also had to sample something from their deli counter because it seems a bit ridiculous to go to a deli and not try their sandwiches.  I love bagels with lox to the point that I crave it once a week, so when I see it on a menu, I can’t resist putting it to the test. Served closed style, this sandwich was pretty traditional: cream cheese, red onions, capers, and tomatoes. I suspect their lox was actually smoked salmon, but it was quality, so I’m okay with that. The bagel was crusty and fairly dense; I don’t know why anybody would want it any other way. I wasn’t specific about my order, but being a full service shop, I’m sure they can customize.

The rest of the deli offerings looked appetizing and included roast lamb, sopressata, and mortadella, a wide variety of cheeses, and fresh breads. I think I even saw some olives. Overall, Mitchell’s isn’t the kind of place that makes a big show, but given the quality of food and the laid back atmosphere, which includes outdoor seating, they’ve established a strong foothold as East Nashville’s deli.

Check out the Mitchell’s Deli Myspace page here. Follow Mitchell’s deli on Twitter here.

Mitchell Delicatessen on Urbanspoon

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FOOD INC. Opens at Belcourt This Weekend

Jun 25th, 2009
by Jason Kirk.
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We’re hoping to get a look at FOOD, INC., the new documentary about the food industry that’s playing at Belcourt tomorrow. In the meantime, here’s the trailer for the film:

Read about the film in the Tennessean’s article from today. Visit the Belcourt’s website here, or follow them on Twitter here.

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Fresh Baked Tradition: Sweet 16th Bakery

Jun 22nd, 2009
by M. LaVigne.
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Few foods compare with the comfort of fresh baked goods with their warm smells wafting from the ovens, the visceral experience of going to the bakery, peering into the cases and having to decide between a variety of texture and flavor combinations. For me, the experience sparks fond childhood memories of visiting my grandparents when they would often take me to the local bakery in their town. Granted, as an eight year-old, my selections often consisted of doughnuts, but still, those experiences ingrained in me the notion of the bakery as a communal institution.

Sweet treats to eat at Sweet 16th

Sweet treats to eat at Sweet 16th

Offering a wide variety of treats and savory items, Sweet 16th bakery in East Nashville is continuing that tradition. At Sweet 16th, the goods are baked fresh daily and the variety of choices is excellent. On our first visit, we selected lemon, vanilla and currant scones and a large piece of chocolate and beer bread pudding and neither failed to satisfy. The scones were near perfect, light and crumbly, yet dense enough to hold and eat without making an enormous mess at the table. The flavors blended well, slightly tart with the mellow aftertaste of vanilla which was not overpowering.

The bread pudding tasted as good as it sounds, if not better. Dense, rich, and weighing in at nearly a pound for one piece, this is definitely an item to share. The hedonistic and often overlooked combination of beer and chocolate provide this delectable with its characteristic flavors. Though I imagine they’d be reticent to reveal trade secrets at Sweet 16th, I tasted both milk and dark chocolate flavors mingled with the malt of a stout brew. I must admit here that I am allergic to chocolate and only make an exception for Mole Poblano. I believe I now have two exceptions. Sure to please both the chocolate lover and the beer aficionado, the chocolate and beer bread pudding is a winner.

Located at 311 N. 16th Street, be sure to make Sweet 16th a regular stop on your East Nashville ramblings. Their menu changes regularly, including daily soups, so there are always new options. (I also picked up a vichyssoise for lunch while I was there, which was great on such a hot day.)  Sweet 16th also accepts call ahead orders so consider them for special events; though, if you are considering a sampling of their menu for Sunday brunch, you may want to visit them on Saturday as they are closed on Sundays and Mondays.

Sweet 16th - A Bakery on Urbanspoon

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East Nashville Farmers Market Wednesday

Jun 10th, 2009
by Jason Kirk.
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Every Wednesday - East Nashville Farmers Market

Every Wednesday - East Nashville Farmers Market

It’s Wednesday, so we headed over to the East Nashville Farmers Market to shop and take in the sights on this beautiful, hot afternoon.

The Howling Brothers provide musical goodness.

The Howling Brothers provide musical goodness.

While browsing, we took a moment to sit on the haybales and listen to the Howling Brothers play a little old-fashioned southern folk music.

Tangy salsa!

Tangy salsa!

We got free samples of a nice, tangy salsa from Gracias Salsa – a new addition this week. Cheila Eagan, whose husband makes the stuff, told us that they use the salsa for everything from a dip to a marinade at their house.

A crowd at the Delvin Farms booth.

A crowd at the Delvin Farms booth.

The Delvin Farms booth was hopping as usual, with people picking up their CSA shares as well as browsing the popular farm’s offerings.

We liked their pork chops so much that we came back!

We liked their pork chops so much that we came back!

This week we opted for ground lamb from Peaceful Pastures instead of their pork chops, which we’ve already determined are delicious. We also got a full bag of the sugar snap peas from Foggy Hollow Farm in Joelton that we sampled last week, which we’ll probably use in this week’s Market to Table.

The Farmers Market closes at 6:30 today, so you’ve still got time to get over to 210 S. 10th Street and get some fresh food – if you hurry!

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Wrangle Up a Catfish Tomorrow at Shelby Bottoms Park

Jun 5th, 2009
by Jason Kirk.
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If you’re feeling frisky tomorrow, grab the kids and head down to Shelby Bottoms Park for the Seventh Annual Catfish Rodeo and Water Festival. According to the hosts, the free Catfish Rodeo is:

…all about our connecting children to our local waters. The Cumberland River Compact and Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency partner each June to offer Middle Tennessee youth the opportunity to fish for free. No experience necessary! The day involves 2,000 pounds of catfish stocked in Lake Sevier, an exciting flight of fishing, educational booths and activities for children and parents. Our educational booths at Shelby Bottoms Nature Center involve fishing, scavenger hunts, boating and water education activities that all ages can enjoy.

The actual Catfish Rodeo starts at 8:30 a.m. and is open to the first 600 registered juniors aged 5-16. That puts us a bit out of the eligible range here at EastNashvilleBlog.com, but do let us know if one of your kids happens to win this thing so we can tell everyone!

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Market to Table: Dang Good Eastside Pork Chops

Jun 5th, 2009
by Jason Kirk.
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We mentioned on Wednesday that we’d picked up a few things at the East Nashville Farmers Market. Tonight we took some of that food from market to table, and it was so tasty we thought we’d share it with you.

For your own Dang Good Eastside Pork Chops, you’ll want to visit the folks from Peaceful Pastures at the Farmers Market and pick up two pork chops. Then gather all these items together:

  • 1 small sweet onion, finely diced
  • a few squirts of lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 3-4 tablespoons oil
  • 1/2 cup Southern Comfort
  • hot sauce (to taste)
  • salt (to taste)
  • pepper (to taste)
  • 2-3 teaspoons brown sugar

Mix all the above ingredients together in a saucepan and simmer until the onions begin to cook. We used Dave’s Gourmet Insanity Sauce for the hot sauce; if you use it, just a few drops are necessary for the whole recipe because this stuff is hot. Drop the pork chops in the pan and simmer them until they have a nice sear.

While they’re cooking, you can prepare a side dish of green beans; we got ours from the folks at Delvin Farms. Trim the ends off the beans and drop them in a pot of boiling water until they’re your desired texture – we like ours crunchy, but you might be different. Drain the water and lightly coat the beans with olive oil. Add a splash of lemon juice, and salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste.

When you finish, your tangy, spicy meal should look something like this:

Dang Good Eastside Pork Chops

Dang Good Eastside Pork Chops - click to see full-size image

If you keep your portion sizes fairly small, you’ll have room for a treat later in the evening. Tonight we’ll be enjoying our Chipotle Colby from Kenny’s Farmhouse Cheese with a 2006 bottle of Sebeka Shiraz Pinotage Cape Blend.

Enjoy!

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East Nashville Farmers Market Is Grrrrrrreat!

Jun 3rd, 2009
by Jason Kirk.
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Earlier today we were puttering around the house and realized that it was Wednesday afternoon, which meant the East Nashville Farmers Market was up and running over on 10th Street. We put the puttering on the back burner and took a quick drive to check out what’s on offer this summer.

There was a bit of light rain but that didn’t stop a healthy crowd from showing up. Under a tent in the middle of the market was a three-piece acoustic bluegrass band, complete with stand-up bass. There were a number of non-food vendors selling handmade soaps and jewelry. For those who couldn’t wait to eat some of the goodies the fine folks from Moose Head Kettle Corn had plenty of tasty treats available. (For those of you who Twitter, check out @MooseHeadCorn.)

East Nashville Farmers Market

Several vendors had already sold out of a few choice items before we arrived, but there was still plenty to look over for our next week’s meals. Delvin Farms had three different kinds of kale, including a neat-looking one called Dinosaur Kale, not to mention shiitake mushrooms. The only seasonal fruit we saw was strawberries, though that should change in the next few weeks or so. We got the chance to sample some delicious sugar snap peas from Foggy Hollow Farm in Joelton – they’ll be on our shopping list next week for sure.

In the end we bought a pound of green beans from Delvin Farms, a pound of pork chops and some dog treats from Peaceful Pastures, and a block of chipotle colby cheese from Kenny’s Farmhouse Cheese. That ought to tide us over until next week, when we plan to get there at 3:30 p.m. so we can scope out everything that’s available for early birds.

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