In Wine, There is Truth
The world now knows what we Delawareans have always thought it should: the Hotel du Pont rocks. Wine Spectator recently gave the Green Room its 2013 Award of Excellence. “Our second-tier award was created to give special recognition to restaurants that clearly exceed the requirements of the Award of Excellence,” according to the magazine. “These lists typically offer 400 or more selections, along with superior presentation, and display either vintage depth, with several vertical offerings of top wines, or excellent breadth across several wine regions.” In 2013, only 850 restaurants in the world have achieved this honor. See the others at winespectator.com. Then make a rezzie for the Green Room.
Keep on Truckin’
Move over cupcakes and truffle oil. Food trucks are the fastest-growing food trend on four wheels, and the most in-demand to boot. For example, Leigh Ann Tona’s I Don’t Give a Fork! food truck wasn’t even officially open for business in June 2012 when Redfrog Events contacted her with a request to feed the masses at the inaugural Firefly Music Festival in Dover the following week. “I told them I would definitely do it the following year,” Tona says. “I still had to get my health permits and everything, but I was so excited when February 2013 rolled around and they contacted me again.” See more from Firefly reporter-on-the-spot Emily Riley right here.
More Food Truck Madness
Wit Milburn, the force behind Ubon Thai restaurant on the Wilmington Riverfront, is crowdsourcing a food truck. We’d love to see more of these rolling gastronomique extravaganzas, so here’s part of his pitch: “I am known as the Thai Guy. My most renowned dishes are my homemade Thai Guy Wing’s, Momochas (dumplings), and my Yai’s Rolls (egg rolls). The food truck industry is a great way to bring my well-known cuisine and name to customers without incurring the overhead costs of a restaurant. The food truck industry contributes to 37 percent of annual food service sales, and I would love to add to that. I have already created many delicious fusion dishes that support the concept of mixing healthy Thai, Korean and Mexican cuisine into a unique gourmet flavor that will keep people coming back for more. I feel that my products will be perfectly suited for a gourmet food truck and will create a new trend in the Mid-Atlantic area. I look forward to the opportunity to bring the Thai Guy’s food to you!” Wit, we hope to see you hit the street soon.
Book Your Tea Time
The year-old Tea for Two teahouse in Dover is a big step back in time and place—and a refined, delicious step at that. Housed in one of State Street’s painted lady-style Victorians, it is furnished with period antiques and paintings, all selected by owner Paula Kinsey, and painted in Winterthur Blue and the Book Marker red of Biltmore. Speaking of Biltmore, Kinsey offers the same tea served at the famous Vanderbilt estate. See more here.
Big Shrimp
We hope you’ll agree that when it comes to delivering healthy recipes, no one does it better than Get Healthy, Delaware! reporter Shari Short. Here latest is rosemary skewered shrimp with lemon, from the good folks at Harvest Market in Hockessin. It serves four, and it goes like this:
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
3 teaspoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
¾ teaspoon hot pepper flakes
24 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
8 sprigs of rosemary with thick woody stems, 6 to 8 inches in length, leaves stripped, leaving leaves 1 inch from tip, soaked for 1 hour
16 lemon slices, ¼ inch thick
Mix all ingredients except the shrimp and lemon slices. In a shallow dish, pour the marinade over the shrimp. Cover, refrigerate, then let marinate for 15 to 30 minutes. Skewer three of the shrimp on the rosemary stems, alternating with the lemon slices.
in a decorative patterns. Grill the shrimp for two to three minutes per side, until just cooked through.
For more on good living and eating from Get Healthy, Delaware! click here.
