Chesapeake, VA: Wickers Crab Pot Dine In or Pick Up

When it comes to Virginia and Maryland, the Blue shell crab is among the top of eats list pass times.   So where is a spot that you pick up a pot of steam hot crabs with old bay seasoning.   None other than Wickers Crab Pot.   

I can’t tell you about the dine in experience, didn’t do it .   However, if you are having a function and you want to spread crabs over the newspaper lined table then here is an option.

The also have several other to go items.

4201 Indian River Rd, Chesapeake, VA 23325

Hours:

Open  · 11AM–9PM

Website:  wickerscrabpot.com

Advertisements

Domican Republic: About Morir soñando Recipe

Morir soñando (die dreaming) is a popular beverage of the Dominican Republic which has made its way to other Hispanic countries, usually made of orange juice, milk, cane sugar, and chopped ice. Sometimes vanilla extract is also added, or evaporated milk is used instead of regular milk.

I recently found out this was one of my favorite people’s favorite drinks

( A toast to you-In loving memory Lloyd)

See Recipe:

https://www.dominicancooking.com/976-morir-sonando-milk-and-orange-juice.html

 

Ginger Nuts or Ginger Snaps

Sherlock Holmes eating ginger nuts

In the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, Australia, and New Zealand and most of the former British Empire, they are often called ginger nuts. Ginger nuts are not to be confused with pepper nuts, which are a variety of gingerbread, somewhat smaller in diameter, but thicker. McVitie’s ginger nuts was listed as the tenth most popular biscuit in the UK to “dunk” into tea.^[4]

Ginger nuts are the most popular biscuit in New Zealand, normally attributed to its tough texture which can withstand dunking into liquid. Leading biscuit manufacturer Griffin’s estimates 60 million of them are produced each year. This has become the title of a book, 60 Million Gingernuts, a chronicle of New Zealand records.^[5][6][7]

Scandinavian ginger nuts, also called ginger bread or “brunkage” in Danish (literally meaning “brown biscuits”), pepparkakor in Swedish, piparkakut in Finnish, piparkūkas in Latvian, piparkoogid in Estonian and pepperkaker in Norwegian (literally, pepper cookies), are rolled quite thin (often under 3 mm (1/8-inch) thick), and cut into shapes; they are smooth and are usually much thinner and hence crisper (and in some cases, more strongly flavoured) than most global varieties. Cloves, cinnamon and cardamom are important ingredients of these, and the actual ginger taste is not prominent. Allspice was used formerly to season ginger biscuits, but cloves replaced it later.^[8]

In the United States, the usual term is ginger snaps, and they are generally round drop cookies, usually between 3 mm (1/8-inch) and 6 mm (1/4-inch) thick, with prominent cracks in the top surface. One recipe for these cookies contains maple syrup.

Fizzy Palomas

You won’t flip flop about wanting to make this cocktail:

Fizzy Palomas Recipe Ingredients (for one serving): 1/2 can of Fizzy Rose 2oz tequila 2oz grapefruit juice 1/2 tablespoon lime juice 1/2 teaspoon sugar/agave nectar Salt or sugar for rim Directions: Salt/sugar the rim of your glass. Mix all of the ingredients together in your glass & stir until sugar is dissolved. Finish with ice and garnish with fruit!

Northridge, CA: Waffle Love

I can just hear Morris Day now, “Waffle Love, Oh- Wee- Oh- Wee- Oh” Now, some of you of a certain age catch the joke but others of you may need to travel to 80’s music history catch up on Morris Day and the Time.   Waffle Love is a small shop in Northridge, CA(The San Fernando Valley) located on Reseda Blvd.   Despite their proud accolades from the Food Network posted on the from the building, I didn’t have high expectations.

Dulce de Liege

However, this restaurant needs to been shown some love for specializing in waffles and doing them extremely well.  With Waffle themes of Banana Cream Pie (A waffle filled with chocolate),   the churro waffle and Dulce de Liege, you are in for a decadent treat.   If not for breakfast you may want to make this a dessert spot.

The Banana cream pie was good.  The Dulce de Liege was excellent with an incredible unique flaky and crispy texture.

About Malt Vinegar & Recipe

Featured in the bottle and often used with fish and chips.

If you’ve ever been to a place with fish and chips on the menu, malt vinegar is a good condiment to know and love. Malt is the term for germinated and dried grains of barley, used in adding a rich, nutty, toasty flavor to some of our very favorite things. Like beer. And milkshakes. And the vinegar we copiously shake onto fish and chips (which is made with beer batter and therefore also contains malt).   READ MORE

Read steps to making malt vinegar.

Van Nuys, CA: South African Cuisine at Springbok Bar & Grill

Springbok Bar brings the tastes of South Africa to Van Nuys, CA.  This restaurant is a diamond in the rough.  It is unassuming and near by the Woodley Lake Golf Course.  My dining companion and I had no idea what to expect.   But when I opened the menu, way too many things looked great.

You may think the menu does jump all over the place with style of cuisine and you will notice a heavy amount of Indian cuisine on the menu.   That is in part because South Africa has a large Indian population and the food of India has been embraced in South Africa as if it were it’s own.

Well, I enjoyed South African style samosas.  The were large and packed with flavor.  And I also enjoyed my fish and chips.   Both had a delight salad of arugula, diced tomato and drizzled with it seemed a mustard dill dressing.   Everything was delish.    Check out this spot.

 

On many days they have live entertainment from comedy to trivia to jazz and they often showing a variety of sports giants screens.

Film and Foodie: The Case for Christ

The Case for Christ is based on the the best selling book and true story of former Chicago Tribune Acclaimed journalist, Lee Strobel.   “If your mother tells you she loves you, check the facts.”  This motto sums up Strobel’s approach to life and a key reason he was passionately atheist.  Where is the proof of there being a God?   Aren’t the stories in the Bible just fairy tale?  Did Jesus really rise from the dead?  This movie and Lee Strobel ask those questions and more concerning  the deity of Jesus Christ.  His journey to discovering the answer is what The Case for Christ revolves around.

The movie is very slow in pacing.  Truthfully, I didn’t fathom this would be an exciting film.  I am very familiar with Strobel’s story.    Mike Vogel who plays Lee Strobel is easy on the eyes so it helps you get through it to a degree.  However, I kept thinking this movie is so slow.  It is great looking though with filter that gives it a rustic look.  It is a period piece set in the eighties.     Script wise, the A, B, and C storylines come together well.   The lead and supporting actors give convincing performances.

It is fair to say a believer or nonbeliever can walk away with different experiences and sentiments about the film.   The credibility of the author of The Case Christ makes an interesting bio pic.

The Foodie portion:

A theologian suggests that he and Strobel grab a cup of coffee.   If you invite a friend to see this with you then coffee shop talk suits this film well.   If this is a dvd or download by the time you check it out then maybe a Chicago style deep dish pizza since the story takes place in Chicago and often shows establishing shots of the Chicago Tribune.

Review of Bollywood Popcorn

The Trader Joe’s Bollywood Popcorn is Vegan and the flavor described as Tiki Masala.  Now if the name Trader Joe’s doesn’t ring for you.  It is a popular store in various states.

As for the taste of the popcorn,   I found the flavor to be pleasantly differnt and with spicy kick.   You will probably be in the love it or hate it camp because the taste so distinct.  The color is a butter yellow with orange spices.  I am a person who enjoy food that and spicy or has a kick so it works for me.   I could see this being a fun different offering to set out a table for an event.

Film and Foodie: Beauty & the Beast

Int. Dream Sequence- Movie Theater

All the movie staff singing “Be Our Guest” as you enter the theatre like a Caberet.  Wouldn’t that be a treat?  Well, that probably not happen but seeing Beauty and the Beast is a treat.  Let me get my one issue over with and that is the CGI for the Beast as it moves.   It so fake looking. It was way too distracting but on almost every other account I really enjoyed the film.   I actually found myself thinking that I would like to see it again, matinee of course.  But the cast is enchanting from the lead the supporting characters.  Unless you’ve read up about the film or recognize the voices, many of animated household items and furniture characters will be a big reveal when you find out who they are played by.

Although many fans of Dan Stevens knew he was the beautiful prince transformed into a beast,  Disney make up artist did a great job of doing make up in the opening party scene that allows a reveal of what he looks like  by  the end of the film. Yes,  there are people who don’t know the actor’s work, afterall is he is still somewhat a rising celeb if you aren’t a Downton Abbey fan or Legion fan.

Then their is the other cult following actor, Ms. Emma Watson of the Harry Potter franchise who play Belle.   She does a fine job but it is the supporting actors that are scene stealers whether it be Luke Evans as Gaston or Josh Gad as Lefou.   You’ll engaged in caring for   a candle stick, a clock, a pot or a chipped cup.

 

Find out more and the foodie review below: