Local and Loving It

Rosewood Drive is one of Columbia's major thoroughfares. It's a retail/commercial corridor that those of us living in Rosewood and Shandon traverse and rely on daily. Our kids go to school on Rosewood, we shop at our Publix on Rosewood, we eat and shop in the Rosewood Market, treat ourselves at the Dairy Bar and Pelican's Sno-Balls, some of us even live right on Rosewood Drive. I can pretty much make my way up this street and get every errand accomplished and run into several of my neighbors along the way.

This is exactly what my friend Stephanie Bridgers identifed and banked on when she decided to open The Local Buzz at the corner of Rosewood & Shandon Street. Stephanie loves coffee.  She loves to serve coffee. She loves to bake. She loves her 4 kids and she loves all the kids they go to school with too.  So, her idea for her coffee shop took on a shape that most business owners don't consider.  It's the LOCAL buzz.  See, that's significant for a few reasons.  Obviously, she's a local.  She sells other local businesses' wares (Double Trouble doughnuts, Silver Spoon Bakeshop, Sweet Cream Co. ice cream).  But, what really sets The Local Buzz apart is Steph's vision and desire to make it a local hangout. 

And, she's been successful in achieving it. Kids and parents come in after school to tackle homework and eat ice cream. The morning crowd comes in for coffee, leaves their personal cup behind and the staff washes it and hangs it back on the wall for tomorrow.  There is a little free library.  She hosts "Rosewood weekends" where she donates some of the proceeds of Rosewood families' sales back to the PTO.  She's hosted movie nights.  And today was no different.  As the kids left school for Spring Break, they were invited in for an Easter cupcake decorating party.

The kids were given a blank "canvas" cupcake, supplied with various decorating supplies and were then given free reign. 

As you can probably imagine, the kids were in heaven.  Add in banana, strawberry and pineapple smoothies and you have a successful kid gathering! 

If you haven't made it to The Local Buzz, put this on your calendar.  Preferably on a day when you can take your time, relax on the big sofa, read a book or just chat with friends.  The coffee's great, the sandwiches and soups are homemade and the atmosphere is all community.  

Paradise.  Utopia. Shangri-La. Heaven.

Lost Horizon is one of my favorite books I was forced to read in high school!

There are many, many names to describe our definition of the ultimate pleasure, environment or experience. Some imagine waves softly lapping a sandy beach, maybe think of living in the rain forest, some think of simple things like food.  Specifically ice cream.  Yeah, you heard me.

I've been reading and hearing about Paradise Ice on Main Street. Yesterday finally presented an opportunity for me and the Vivver to check it out.  Now, Viv is an ice cream connoisseur (connoisseuse?)  Well, to be honest, she's a connisseur of sweets and desserts in general.  She knows what she likes.  Although I'm not a big sweet addict, I do know a good dessert when I taste it and I can appreciate it.  I just don't seek it out.  However...there's Paradise Ice.

We walked in and were greeted very warmly by the husband-wife owners.  As we perused the menu board, we were told to ask for a sample of anything we were curious or unsure about. Paradise Ice serves up homemade (the old-fashioned way: custard) ice creams, sorbets and Italian ice.  They use organic, fresh ingredients and the menu changes frequently.  We were focused on ice cream rather than ices.  So, from the ice cream menu, some of the choices facing us were White Chocolate Raspberry Almond, Strawberry, Cinnamon Chocolate Chip, Irish Cream and Salty Caramel.  My baby requested a sample of Irish Cream...she's 7...what prompted that?  But she loved it and ordered a scoop.  I opted for the Salty Caramel.  We chose a table up front by the door so we were in prime people-watching position.


I have to hand it to the Wunderkind.  Her Irish Cream selection was rockin'!  I'm so impressed that this flavor appealed to her.  The Salty Caramel was exactly what I was hoping for and I was diggin' every single spoonful.  Their ice cream is what you really dream about when you dream of ice cream.  Thick, rich, cream infused with flavor that you just can't and never will get from a carton at the grocery store. What we both also appreciated about the experience was the atmosphere (comfortable and friendly) as well as the art. Viv pointed out to me that the pictures of  fruit that adorn the walls 
 were actually kind of holographic.  They are really beautiful photos which complement the cheery environment of this awesome, family ice cream parlor.

So, here we are one day later and as we were out geocaching, Paradise Ice came up.  Well, that pretty much brought our caching to a stand-still. The little one could no longer focus on treasure hunting.  So, we headed over to Main Street and upon entering, the nice lady who owns the place remembered us from yesterday.  I pointed to the Vivver and said, "You have a new addict!"  I refrained today, but the little one today sampled the Chocolate Cardamom Chip, liked it and ordered it. She gave me two (very) tiny tastes and it was damn good!  I'm impressed and wish I was such a good ice cream maker.  But, sadly, I am not.

For those of you here in Columbia, this place is worth a drive, no matter where you are.  We live in the Rosewood area and a short drive to Main Street is certainly worth the few minutes to get there.  As a non-sweet freak, I can tell you this. When I do want something sweet, I'll forego cookies, soft-serve, brownies, whatever, to drive to Paradise Ice and use my calories wisely!  If you haven't checked it out, trust me and do it.  Soon.  Like first thing tomorrow.  And, as you know I love, they are local, local, local.  A super-cool husband and wife team who are making ice cream like BOSSES! 

Oh, and full disclosure, I stole borrowed all these photos from their site. :-)

Hello? Remember me?

Hello, my name is Elizabeth.  It's been 11 days since my last post.  Despite this lack of activity, I'm a food blogger.  I swear I am.  


Those of you who know me personally or who follow (eagerly) my riveting Facebook and/or Twitter posts know that on April 16, my beloved underwent a tonsillectomy.  At first, this seems pretty mundane.  But once you realize we're NOT talking about the Wunderkind, it starts to register.  <<Wait, tonsils taken out for a 44 year old man?>>  This is where the record comes to a screeching halt and everyone freezes.  That's right... 

The adult tonsillectomy.  

I've always heard how awful they are for adults versus children.  Even the doctors who examined Neil said things like "Wow, how are you even breathing?  Those suckers need to come out."  and "This is going to be an incredibly rough recovery."  and "It isn't going to be easy for you to recover and it isn't going to be easy for me to get those things outta there." That's just to name a few.  The other remarkable thing is how once this happens to you (or your spouse), it seems that people start coming out of the woodwork who also have had to endure this procedure later in life.  And, the stories are all pretty much the same.  I'd rather have my C-sections all over again than that damn tonsillectomy, I've never had so much pain in my life, Ice cream my ass, Day 5 is the worst, Then when I thought I was getting better my ears started killing me.


So, I was prepared. I stocked this house with popsicles, ice cream, pudding, yogurt, Italian ice.  I was ready for requests for broth, soup, mashed potatoes.  Well, nothing has gone according to the plan I had in my head.  The evening of the surgery, Neil was so damn hungry when we got home from the hospital, we just wanted food. I realized that he was exhibiting some post-anesthesia bravado, but I obliged and made the requested mashed potatoes.  He managed to get about half of that down before the rest of the anesthesia high wore off and the reality set in.  So, the next two days he was doing good to get a couple of swallows of yogurt down here and there.  By day three, the poor man was starving but completely unwilling to taunt fate with the pain and opted for hunger instead.  It was heart-breaking.


So, it's been long week.  Flashing back to the Grateful Dead, "what a long, strange trip it's been." After lots of pain, failed attempts at eating, crummy sleep and general discomfort, Neil is improving.  I have tried to remind him each day that in the long run, this is all going to be worth it.  One positive already, he's breathing so much easier when he sleeps. It's true what they say though.  To have tonsils removed as an adult sucks.  It's way different than kids...they are younger, tonsils are smaller and their bodies are more resilient.  If your kids have frequent sore throats, strep infections, etc. make sure your pediatrician documents it all very carefully so if it's necessary to have your child's tonsils taken out, it will be done early and without a lot of insurance hassle.  


Before I go, I'll tell you this.  I left my entire week open so I could be here to take care of my husband.  Consequently, I've had extra time in the kitchen.  This week, I've made a perfect version of Bang-bang shrimp, no-bake energy bites, skillet pizzas and various versions of nachos.  After this healthcare hiatus, I should be able to come up with lots to blog to you fine folks in the coming days.  Eat, drink, be merry and be glad that swallowing doesn't make you want to die! 

Celebration Dinner

Today I decided to make some ice cream for my sweet baby.  As I rounded a corner in Publix, I heard a kid say, "hey Mrs. Brown" and it was in fact one of Viv's kindergarten teachers, Mrs. Brown. We chatted and she clued me in that Viv had been chosen as today's "Student of the Day."  She swore me to secrecy and I headed to the dairy aisle.

Armed with the necessary ingredients, I headed home to complete this ice cream mission.  My child is one of those who actually loves and chooses vanilla over crazy, wacky, chocolaty, gooey flavors.  But, to jazz it up a little, I used my expensive vanilla and mini chocolate chips.  I was so excited about this little surprise I could hardly contain myself!  Oh yeah, that mom of the year trophy is gonna look good on my bookshelf.

After an excited recount of the Student of the Day activities, she had a kick-ass karate class (no pun intended.  Well, ok, maybe I intended that.)  Then we came home and made coconut chicken, mashed sweet potatoes and steamed green beans.  I gotta tell you...I am a sucker for coconut food.  Shrimp, curries, pina coladas, you name it.  This is so easy to make so I decided I'd share it with you.  It can be done very quickly which makes weeknights a little less hectic.  

Coconut chicken (or shrimp)

• 1 1/2 cups shredded coconut, toasted
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 Tbs sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 egg whites, slightly beaten

Cut chicken breast meat into chunks or peel and devein your shrimp (about 24 jumbos).  Mix coconut, cornstarch, salt and sugar together in a shallow dish.  (If you're not cooking for kids, adding a little cayenne here provides a nice little kick.)  Dip meat into egg white and then into the coconut mixture, pressing to adhere. 

Add 2 Tbs veg. oil to a baking dish.  Place prepared chicken in a single layer.  Bake at 400 for about 20 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and the coconut browns up.  Yum, yum, eat 'em up.

My mom cooks better than your mom

 As you can see from the Vivver, she was diggin' her meal and I'm pleased to report that she ate it all.  Afterwards, we had our homemade chocolate chip ice cream which then sent her off into a sweet dreamland.  Try this recipe when you want to shake up dinner with something new and easy.  I hope you like it as much as we do!  Bon Appetit!

Thanksgiving Prep Work

I'm not sure why, but I'm super excited about this Thanksgiving.  My little sister is expecting a baby, so that's a new, exciting thing.  My aunt Jennie is getting married, so that's a new exciting thing.  And, Vivian is really into cooking now, so that's a new and exciting thing.  I'm suspecting these factors are influencing my excitement level.  I'm a cracker-jack detective, you see.

Neil and I both have today off and have had a great day together.  It's been a long time since we've had just a regular day together.  We have pretty much gotten all of our prep done and will have a low stress time tomorrow!

Neil is the turkey man of our family.  One Thanksgiving, we were in St. Augustine with Neil's mom, Mimi and his dad, Don.  I had heard of brining, but hadn't tried it yet.  Well, Mimi brined the turkey that year and for the first time I really, actually enjoyed turkey.  We lost Mimi shortly after we got engaged and Don a couple years later.  Since then though, Neil tackled brining and instantly mastered turkey roasting.  My mom is a turkey fanatic.  In fact, it has been established that if she ever ends up on Death Row, turkey & dressing will be her last meal.  So, if Dottie says Neil's turkey is good, well... AND, for Dottie to let Neil cook it instead of her, HUGE!

So, today we got the bird in the brine and it's soaking away in the fridge.  My pumpkin ice cream turned out to be nothing short of fantastic!  (btw, if you don't have your own nutmeg grinder, ask for one for Christmas).  I hope that will be a surprise for everyone.  I have toasted pita bread for the hummus, sliced celery, made curry dip, sliced all my veggies for the Balsamic Root Vegetables.  Then, I made the "white" mashed potato dish.  Potatoes with sour cream, cream cheese and evaporated milk.  They will go in the oven tomorrow; I'm pretty excited about this, believe it or not!

Pumpkin Ice Cream

After all that, I'm typing all of this fascinating information to you  as I have a glass of Chardonnay (I'm on vacation, dammit!) and try to think of what, if anything, I've forgotten.  I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving.  


I'm thankful that you read this blog!

Thanksgiving Prep

I posted this statement on Facebook, so sorry for the redundancy.  Every year at Thanksgiving I remind myself that I desperately need a bigger fridge.  But, as soon as Thanksgiving is over, I forget about this until next year...

That's where we are today.  Currently, I have all the usual suspects: Brita pitcher, milk, wine, juice, eggs, a million mustards, jellies and salad dressings.  But, now add the new players:  13 pound turkey, bag of kale (it was a steal, I HAD to buy it), a head of romaine, bowl of ice cream custard chilling, tupperware full of jello, hummus, pie crust, parsnips and carrots.  In short, the damn thing is packed to the gills.  And, tomorrow, the turkey has to get into its brining vessel, requiring the removal of a shelf.  Guess I'll be trucking groceries over to Mom's tomorrow for temporary storage.  That or packing a cooler.  

Yeah, I wish!  Mine has about 1000X this much stuff right now!

I started prep work today.  Made 'sweet and spicy pumpkin seeds' that my girl Trudie turned me onto.  Now, I usually don't mix and mingle much with Lady M, but here's the recipe.  My sister loves pumpkin anything.  So, I'm making homemade pumpkin ice cream and will sprinkle the seeds on top.  I think it's going to work well.  And, I did REAL ice cream.  That's right...cream, egg yolks, cooked on the stove. 

Tomorrow, I'll embark on this crazy tradition from Neil's childhood..."white" mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving!  Never in my life!  But luckily Aunt Jennie is bringing her sweet potatoes so the Earth will not fall off its axis.  That reminds me; I'll have to give y'all the recipe for Jennie's S.P.'s.  If our family doesn't have these at Thanksgiving there is a mutiny. Things could get ugly.

So, here it is.  I hope you'll take the time one day to try this recipe.  They are so perfect and I think you'll be glad you tried it out.  And if you're a sweet potato and marshmallow kinda guy/girl, that's ok. Try these on a non-holiday and see what you think.  I think you'll ditch the marshmallows, but that's just me.

• 3 cups cooked sweet potato
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 stick butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2 Tbs frozen orange juice

Mash up your sweet potatoes until they are a nice, smooth puree.  Mix in all this other stuff.  Make the topping:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1 cup pecans
• 1/3 stick butter/margarine

Have the butter at room temp. Blend in the brown sugar and flour; add pecans.  


Spread sweet potatoes in casserole dish.  Spread topping on top.  Bake at 350 until the topping is melty, brown and looks right!