The Smokehouse

We saw the Smokehouse while driving by it one weekend through Old Town Culpeper, VA, so we made plans to visit soon. And so we did. BBQ places always interest me, not only because I love BBQ, but because BBQ artisans are so adamant about making a mark on the world with their special twists on seasoning and preparation.

Ambiance: The Smokehouse is tame by day, but has the looks of a wild evening hang-out, with the makings of a modernized country sports bar. The walls were lined with flatscreens, each with a different sporting event. Not really my thing, but if the food rocks, who cares about an over-saturation of sports?

The friendly wait staff greeted us and sat us quickly, and gave us menus. Oh, what's this? Fried pickles - a fav of ours, so we ordered some, and a salad. For my meal, I ordered the Chicken Salad Sandwich, and my wife ordered the Pulled Pork Sandwich, and it was to be offered Carolina style, with a vinagar based sauce. I'm more of a St. Louis or Texas guy, so I wasn't psyched, but my wife loves Carolina style.

Cuisine: The food was delivered hot and promptly, and the salad was really fresh. I was happy about the salad being fresh, because as of late I've been noticing restaurants including past-date/browned leaves into their salads. Is it a sign of the times? I hope not! Definitely not at The Smokehouse, kudos on fresh salads!

Anyway, back to the food;) The fried pickles and mayonaisse-based dipping sauce were amazing. To the skeptics, definitely try fried pickles, you won't be disappointed. My wife loved them too, as well as her pulled-pork sandwich. I have to admit though, I wasn't really into my Chicken Salad sandwich.

Normally I wouldn't criticize a dish, but I feel like this might only help. Firstly, they hyped up a "secret recipe" for their Chicken Salad in the menu, so I was hoping for something with an amazing, complex flavor profile, something that would compliment their BBQ menu. There are some amazing chicken salads out there! Unfortunately, the chicken was very dry, and I am pretty sure the "secret" is seasoning salt and way too much celery seed. Definitely a bummer.

Although, on the upside, good chicken salad isn't rocket science, so I'm sure at some point the recipe will improve to something that will better compliment their menu of BBQ items.

Cost-effective: Not really - it was kind of expensive for a lunch. However, my wife was happy with her food, so it wasn't a complete wash.

Return Visit: Yes, I want to try something else on their menu, based on the merit of other successful menu items!

Food Muser
http://foodmuser.blogspot.com

The Copper Fish

My wife and I visited The Copper Fish today for lunch. We were intrigued when we saw the small restaurant in Old Town Culpeper, VA on a previous day visit.

Ambiance - Amazing, Mediterranean fisherman-meets-historic Culpeper feel. Excellent, warm lighting. Lots of daylight from the plate glass windows in the restaurant front.

Cuisine - The food was fresh, flavorful, and the servings were generous. The attentive wait staff will bring you a fresh in-house made corn muffin, incredible. My wife and I ordered the Fresh Corn & Bacon Hush puppies (because who wouldn't?!). These come in a set of 4, and they are slightly smaller than a tennis ball. The slightly savory/slightly sweet taste lended back to the corn muffin, but had the added smokiness, courtesy of the chunks of bacon.

I ordered the Fish Tacos, which come with the fish of the day - Tuna. These are served as a set of 2, on flour tortillas, with pico de gallo, avocado, lettuce, and a tzaziki-like sauce. As a side that comes with, I ordered the Potatoes Gratin with fennel. The tacos were good, I left one tortilla behind, so as to muscle down the remaining tuna and avocado. The potatoes were the star though...a delicate taste, a slight sweetness brought on by the fennel, with a very silky cheese sauce baked with scalloped potatoes, slightly al dente - very nice.

Overall, I'm definitely a fan. My wife was too, after her Jerk Chicken Sandwich with Pineapple and Mango Chutney.

If I were to offer any criticism, it would be to reduce the amount of oil and deep frying used in the preparation and cooking. I was a little surprised that the tuna on the taco was deep fried, when I'd assumed it would be grilled. The hush puppies, while amazing, needed significant blotting. The flavor profile of amazing food should always be the star.

Cost-Effectiveness - A little pricey for lunch, but definitely well-worth it, especially for an adventurous day of spoiling my wife. We'll be back:)

Food Muser
http://foodmuser.blogspot.com

Italian Chicken Meatballs

Last night, I decided to try a making Italian meatballs with ground chicken, and Megan said that it was one of the best things I've ever made, so I thought I'd share the recipe with you!

Italian Chicken Meatballs

1 lb ground chicken
1/2 wheat panko breadcrumbs
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 med onion (diced)
1/2 tsp of equal parts Italian Seasoning (oregano, rosemary, cracked red pepper, basil)
1/2 tsp of House Seasoning (equal parts granulated garlic/salt/black pepper)

Combine ingredients by folding in with a spoon, adding the 1/3 cup of water gradually. After ingredients are combined, form into meatballs, slightly bigger than a ping-pong ball, but not too big. Put the meatballs on a broiler pan into oven with broiler on Hi or Med.

Watch the meatballs until they get browned. When they get brown, flip them over, and brown the other side, and then turn brolier down to low, then let watch for 5-10 mins. Then test to see if they are cooked through.

Use for spaghetti, or slice up for lasagna.

Matt’s Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole

It's been forever since I've posted. There has been good food, and I'm psyched so keep an eye out for posts and pics!

This morning I woke up, and the first thought in my head was that I wanted to make breakfast for my wife. I've been wanting to try a breakfast casserole. I've had some awesome breakfast casseroles in the past. They are definitely a favorite for weekend retreats, usually because you can prepare them in advance, and they are portable. Just send along a few pans full of awesomeness, and business is taken care of!

When I set out on my breakfast casserole mission, I wanted to focus on making the best one I possibly could. I believe that there are big flavor, good texture, and making it a little more healthy. You know though, there's really no way to make a breakfast casserole healthy, unless you use tofu, egg whites, and take out the salt. But, this recipe kind of meets at a middle ground with some mindful moves, including using a few lower-in-fat ingredients.

Matt’s Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients:

1 lb bag of shredded potatoes or sweet potatoes

½ Onion (sweet or Vidalia)

6 Eggs

½ roll of Jimmy Dean Maple Sausage

1 cup Wegman’s All-Natural Creamy Mushroom Soup (in the box)

½ cup 2% milk

1 tsp Smart Balance

½ cup Parmesan Cheese, grated.

½ cup Shredded Cheddar/Monterey Jack Cheese

2 slices Cooper White Cheddar, diced

2 slices Velveeta American Cheese, diced

1 tsp House Seasoning (equal parts Salt, Garlic Powder, & Black Pepper)

½ tsp Onion Powder

¼ tsp Emeril’s Essence

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Cook ½ roll of maple sausage on med heat. While sausage is cooking finely dice the ½ onion. When sausage is browned, move to a bowl lined with 3 paper towels to absorb the grease.

Using the same pan with minimal sausage drippings, sauté the diced ½ onion on med heat. Add in a few random pinches of House Seasoning. When the onions become translucent and slightly browned, add in the 1 lb bag of shredded potatoes. Add a little Smart Balance so the potatoes don’t stick to the pan. Allow them to cook and slightly brown for about 5 mins, tossing occasionally.

While the potatoes and onions are cooking, crack 6 eggs into a med-sized mixing bowl; add milk, mushroom soup, Emeril’s Essence, House Seasoning, Onion Powder, and cheeses. Whisk ingredients together.

Take potatoes and onions and spread them out loosely into a cooking-sprayed 3qt casserole dish/pan. Take the crumbled, blotted maple sausage, and spread it out evenly over the potatoes and onions. Then, take the egg-mixture in the mixing bowl and pour it over the potatoes/onions and sausage, making sure to evenly distribute the cheeses, using a batter spatula as the mixture pours.

Cover the casserole dish/pan with aluminum foil.

Put the casserole into a 350ºF oven, and cook for 1 hour.

When casserole is done, allow to cool for 5 mins, and then serve!

If you wanted to go a step further in the health factor, you could go for some low-fat cheeses, and use turkey or chicken sausage. I tend to think that low-fat cheese is a little artificial tasting and rubbery, so take that as an option, but not really as a recommendation! Although, turkey and/or chicken sausage can be pretty flavorful if you get the right brand and flavor option (jalapeño, apple, sweet italian, etc). There are some good ones out there, and I'm thinking as I write this that I may give those a shot in the future.

I hope you enjoy this breakfast casserole, a solid breakfast for all walks.

Recipe from the Food Muser: Garlic BBQ Pork Loin

I've actually tried out a few different marinades for pork loin in the last few months, thanks to some great recipes inspired by friends. However this pork loin marinade, I actually came up with myself, and I am proud to say...it is pretty awesome! So here we go:

Garlic BBQ Pork Loin
2 Pork Loins, 1 LB each
1 CUP Apple & Eve Mango Passion Juice
1/3 CUP Yoshida's Asian Marinade (Teriyaki sauce/honey is a good substitute)
2 TBSP Minced Garlic
1 TBSP Worcestershire
1 TBSP French's Mustard
1 TBSP Jack Daniel's Dijon Mustard
1 TBSP Paprika
1 TBSP Onion Powder
1 TSP Kosher or Sea Salt
1 TSP Allspice
1/2 TSP Cinnamon
1/2 TSP Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1/2 TSP Ground Ginger

Add marinade ingredients into a steel or glass mixing bowl and whisk until all ingredients are mixed in well.

With a fork, perforate the pork loins modestly to allow the marinade to soak in a little more. I know they say not to do that, but yes, it actually works. Put both loins in a big freezer bag, then pour in the marinade. Seal bag almost completely, and then carefully squeeze out the air, making sure not to let any marinade escape, then seal completely. Allow pork loins to marinate refrigerated for at least 4 hours - more is always better. As a matter of fact, if you can begin marinating the pork loins late the night before, you are looking at maximum potential for awesomeness.

Preheat your oven to 350˚F. When oven is preheated, grab the bag with the pork loins out of your fridge, and put the pork loins into a long casserole pan, a 12"x 20" is ideal. The pork loins should be well saturated with marinade with the minced garlic sticking to them. Feel free to add some of the marinade into the casserole pan and if you can, scoop up some of the excess minced garlic from the marinade and apply it to the pork loin. If you have some House Seasoning (equal parts Salt, Garlic Powder, & Black Pepper ground), sprinkle a modest amount over the pork loins.

Put the pork loins into the 350˚F, and allow 45-50 mins cooking time. When time is up, take the pork loins out, and allow 10 mins resting time before cutting into the meat.

Garlic BBQ Pork Loin serves nicely with Hashbrown Casserole, Homemade Mac & Cheese, Roasted Red Potatoes, and/or Roasted Asparagus. Enjoy!

There is power in foods with intense aroma and flavor, friends. This pork loin has both, coupled with the unavoidable taste and after effects of comfort food enjoyment. Folks of all walks should enjoy this recipe, and then a movie.

Roma Family Restaurant

n., hole in the wall.
A small, very modest, often out-of-the-way place.

I am a huge fan of family-owned, hole in the wall eateries. I have a top five, and three of those five are in Northern VA. One hole in the wall eatery that has become special to my wife Megan and I, is Roma Family Restaurant in Woodbridge, VA. We have frequented Roma probably more than any other restaurant in Woodbridge.

In the tradition of some of the best hole in the wall eateries of Northern VA, Roma serves a variety of Deli, American, Italian, and Greek food, all with this amazing comfort-food quality. A menu with a pretty wide selection combined with a comfortable, family-friendly atmosphere makes Roma a great place to be. Roma also recently upgraded there interior to enhance the guest experience and ambience.

My go-to's on Roma's menu include, the Turkey and Cheese Sub served hot w/ onion rings, the Steak and Cheese Sub w/ fries, Meat Lovers Pizza (pepperoni, sausage, ham, ground beef, bacon & extra cheese), or The Gyro Sandwich. I have occasionally stepped out of my go-to zone, and ordered anything from Chicken Parmigian, Eggplant Parmigian, to Spaghetti and Meatballs, which all offer the taste and comfort of family food. Roma offers an amazing in-house marinara sauce with a few variations, including a sweeter sauce and a more savory version. Whether it's a pasta entree or an appetizer like Calamari or Mozzarella sticks, the marinara sauce is a signature taste of Roma.

There are a few things that make Roma special for us. We were first introduced to Roma by a dear friend from our church, Matt Glomb who, sadly, has since passed on. Roma was one of Matt's favorite places to eat, and whenever we'd eat together, it would always be there. Roma is a tradition for quite a few folks who go to our church, and has also hosted some of the most memorable fellowship times with the praise band and the youth group. Whenever the words "Pizza Night" come up, Roma is the winner every time!

Roma has become a great tradition for great food and for being a place where great snapshot memories with family and friends can be made. It's a tradition that begins with a great family with a vision for bringing the best of their family cooking to folks of all walks.

*Thank you Answers.com for the best definition to hole in the wall!

Ozzie's Corner Italian

Many who live in Northern VA are familiar with Great American Restaurants - they are the company who brought us amazing eateries like Sweetwater Tavern, Arties, Silverado, and Coastal Flats. I have always been a fan of these places, because they bring a focused menu of culinary offerings at a decent price and consistent high quality. The most recent addition to this tradition is a modern spin on Italian food at a place called Ozzie's Corner Italian in Fairfax Corner, conveniently located across from Coastal Flats.

My wife Megan and I had the opportunity to visit Ozzie's Corner Italian this past Friday night. We arrived around 9:45pm, which is a usually a good time to arrive at a GA Restaurant for quick seating (check out their call-ahead seating if you go earlier!) The lighting was low and ambient, and the staff offered a friendly greeting with instantaneous seating. The decor had a traditional retro metropolitan feel, dark leather booths, dark woods with elaborate designs and mirrors. I tend to favor places that are lowly lit, with a relaxing vibe.

As I looked over the menu, I noticed modern interpretations on traditional Italian dishes, although nothing that would convey unfamiliarity. The menu also includes some slightly Italian-ized American offerings like Short-ribs with Mascarpone Polenta, and a Cheddar Cheeseburger served on Panini, to name just a couple. The dish that caught my eye was a new offering called Pasta Amatriciana with Shrimp and Bacon, which sounded amazing, so order it I did - and promptly. Megan ordered the Tagliatelle and Jumbo Lump Crab, which almost made me second guess my decision, but sorry - bacon wins.

As we waited, the waiter brought us some bread, with the staple Ozzie rolls (featured at other Great Am Restaurants) and Ozzie's version of Focaccia bread. Both were fresh, and tasted awesome. If you are watching your weight, you may want to avoid the Ozzie rolls, because they somehow (deep fat fry) cram 200 calories into one roll, which is just slightly bigger than a donut hole. The Focaccia bread was very tasty, slightly oily, but a guilty pleasure nonetheless. Imagine a pan pizza crust with an aromatic Italian herb combination.

After a not-so-long wait, our entrees arrived, plated aesthetically and hot. The presentation of the Pasta Amatriciana with Shrimp and Bacon was awesome, and the first thing I noticed was the aroma of bacon and the tomato cream sauce, an awesome indicator that the shrimp was fresh. If you can ever smell the shrimp, look out. The fettucini pasta was slightly rustic and very fresh. So, in I go...I picked up a bite with some perfectly al dente pasta, bacon and shrimp and wow...incredible. The sauce was a nice balance of sweet and savory, a slight creaminess, not overbearing, followed by a slow rising heat provided by a little red pepper flake. The shrimp was tender, cooked perfectly, and completely complimented by the bacon. Ahh, bacon, will I ever be able to adequately sing your praises?

I could also see that Megan was enjoying her Tagliatelle and Jumbo Lump Crab. We'll usually have a taste or 3 of what we have on each other's plates. As she sampled the Amatriciana, I sampled a bite of the Taliatelle - totally amazing, as well! The pasta was resting in a white wine-garlic cream sauce with shiitake mushrooms and very thin, lengthwise slices of asparagus. The lump crab was cooked perfectly and was very fresh. All of it together was amazing, and I would probably order this dish in the future...perhaps with some added bacon??:)

I can't say enough great things about GA's Ozzie's Corner Italian. It is an eatery that fits with the rhythm of GA's culinary standard, yet offers something unique. Ozzies offers a chef-prepared taste at a great price, and I can't wait to go back. There is no doubt in my mind that Ozzie's will remain a fixture in an area where there are people of all walks looking for good food.

A Food Muser is Born.

Welcome to my food blog called, Food Muser. Anyone who knows me knows that I like food. If you don't know me, my name is Matt, and welI...I like food. This blog is sort of the product of conversations I have with my wife Megan and friends about food. I talk about food sometimes in detail, sometimes during an episode of The Office, sometimes she'll pause the episode and listen to my description, which is pretty cool. She said that I should start putting some of my ideas down in a journal, because sometimes I come up with cooking ideas similarly to how I come up with music, which seems like a plus, but we shall see.

The word "foodie" has come up a lot in the last year in the media. I'm not sure if I am a "foodie" or just a cook who sees food as an extension of artistic expression. Seriously, some of the stuff that shows up on a plate is art, albeit temporary... However, sometimes the taste speaks louder than the presentation.

My Food Muser blogs come from a glass-half-full perspective, and any light criticism I offer will be constructive and lacking of shock value. Most importantly, they will happen at the encounter of tasty food. Most of the time I'll write about food from different places, but, since I tend to eat at the same restaurants, I'll occasionally review menu items from those frequented places. Sometimes I'll be eating at a place that a little more gourmet. Maybe since I have this awesome new smart phone, I'll post quick notes about something I'm eating at that very moment.

Occasionally, I will post a successful recipe from Megan's and my kitchen or from the kitchens of friends who have inspired me to cook from those recipes or create flavorful variations. If I post a recipe of my own, I may tell you to cook it at your own risk. I love to cook, but sometimes the stars just aren't aligned.

There is so much awesome food out there, and it's possible that it could be the death of me. However, to avoid that, I'll endeavor to post healthy recipes that I find out about, or places that make healthy food in addition to the unashamedly fat-rendered and flavorful offerings.

I hope you will enjoy and post!