You have to see this! Food is always good, but when it looks cool, it's even better. Check out these recipes and how-to-videos as you start planning your holiday menus.
If you like what you see, click here for more recipes.
"It was so good."
That could be my whole blog, but I guess you need a little more detail.
My friend Kelly and I are both avid runners and exercisers who have slightly fell off the wagon lately and are trying to get back on the healthy eating and exercising track. We decided that for one night we would just be carefree and not worry about what we ate. She has a 10-mile race coming up and I, well, I just want my pants to fit.
Back to the subject of good food.
My beloved friends are scattered all over Central PA and beyond. Many of them are close enough that we can meet in the middle for dinner, which I do often.
In fact, tonight I am meeting my best friend Kelly who lives in Palmyra. Even though it's not quite in the middle (it's closer to her but who cares), we decided on the Lancaster Brewing Co. on Eisenhower Drive in Harrisburg (yes, it's in Harrisburg).
I met my other Palmyra-based friend there earlier this year and it was TASTY!
Check back tomorrow to see how the meal goes. It's her treat. She made me promise I wouldn't order a chicken sandwich or turkey sub. That shouldn't be too hard. Look at the menu.
I don't write about chains in my biweekly column because there are just too many local gems to waste time writing about large cookie-cutter establishments.
But it's hard to ignore Sheetz as a cheap eat.
Apparently, I have something in common with President James Buchanan.
We both love(d) sauerkraut.
I'm not sure if he would approve that I eat it cold out of a can, but he might. Who knows?
Anyway, to celebrate the former president's love of the rotten cabbage, Wheatland in Lancaster County is holding President Buchanan's Second Annual Arts & Sauerkraut Festival from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 27 and noon to 4 p.m. Sept. 28 on the Grounds at Wheatland, 1120 Marietta Ave., Lancaster.
You can eat sauerkraut, listen to music or watch the sauerkraut cook-off which is sure to feature some crazy recipes like the chocolate sauerkraut cake from last year. The competing chefs have to cook on site over a charcoal grill. Sounds like fun. The cook-off begins at 1 p.m. Sunday.
Festival admission is $5; children ages 8 to 11 are $3; children under 8 are free. For details, call 392-8721 or visit www.wheatland.org
Microbrew fans passing through my hometown in Chester County make a point to stop at the home of Victory Brewing Co.
Hidden in an industrial block in Downingtown, the brewery isn't very pleasing to the eye from outside, and the parking lot leaves much to be desired; however, recent renovations to the restaurant, bar and menu make Victory worth the hour-and-a-half trip from York County.
M.I.A. makes better music than Miley.
No double entry necessary this time, despite the long weekend.
I ate dinner at the new downtown restaurant MB & Company Thursday night. I put on my fancy pants and fliffed. (I used that phrase way too much when I started the roundups, so I retired it temporarily. But I missed it a little. Consider it back in action now.) It was a little strange to dine at a place where I didn't have to order at a counter, but I managed to keep it classy...at least for one night.
LaMotte's Restaurant and Bar in New Freedom is touted as having some of the best crab cakes in York County, but the rest of their menu is just as worthy of notice.
Friday night, Nate, my husband, and I went to LaMotte's for dinner. We were celebrating a few career achievements for both of us, so we were excited to have a memorable experience.
The menu at Lamotte's has so many interesting dishes, that it's really hard to choose. We started with the General Tso's Style Calamari ($7).
I am sad to report that the Hess station on Route 83 removed the Blimpie and replaced it with Dunkin' Donuts.
I know, it's a sad day for sub, hoagie, grinder, hero (or what ever you call it) lovers. That was the only Blimpie in York County that I knew of. Sadly, I found out about this from my family, who lives very near a Hess Station in Southern Lancaster County.
I was driving by the old Cafe Bennett building near York Hospital and saw that there is a sign for Rissho Sushi coming soon. Another sushi restaurant in York! AWESOME!
