Thought of the Week: September 28, 2013

"Excellence demands competition. Without a race there can be no champion, no records broken, no excellence -- in education or in any other walk of life."

                                                ~ Ronald Reagan

Thought of the Week: September 21, 2013

“To respond is positive, to react is negative.”     ~ Zig Ziglar

Thought of the Week: September 16, 2013

“When we listen with the intent to understand others, rather than with the intent to reply, we begin true communication and relationship building. Opportunities to then speak openly and to be understood come much more naturally and easily.”     ~Stephen Covey

Thought of the Week: September 9, 2013

“It is a good investment to spend resources to retain existing customers. Your best customer is your current customer.”          ~ David Cottrell

Dining with David: Molly's Anniversary Cooking

Molly’s Anniversary Cooking  – September 6/7, 2013

As my bride and I headed into our Anniversary weekend (and childless for first part), my wife of 25 years wanted to cook something special for me.  Our Friday night started off planned as a movie night.  What else goes great with a movie at home but a great pizza.  My special bride fixes me the ‘Molly Meatza’.  This is a fresh crust pizza she rolls out on the baking stone and cooks just right before topping.  Then on comes the best part.  She tops with gourmet pepperoni that she has quickly cooked (to reduce grease), fresh fried crumbled bacon, ham and coated with fresh cheese.  I love it when you get some small bubbles in the fresh crust and this did not disappoint.  Sitting there watching our Friday night movie together (and eating great pizza) was a great start to our weekend.

As we woke up this morning to our special day, my bride wanted to cook me breakfast; who am I to disappoint.  She whips up some fluffy Belgium waffles stuffed with fresh blueberries.  I then top with more blueberries, blueberry syrup and sprinkle with powdered sugar.  The cooked blueberries within the crunchy outside, soft inside waffle was just right.  Then add the additional blueberries, syrup and a light dusting of sugar to offset the tart berries.  Only thing to make this better was the additional bacon she fried up.  Wow, how lucky I am to be married for 25 years to this special lady.

Dining with David: Hot and Hot Fish Club (25th Anniversary Dinner)

Hot and Hot Fish Club – Birmingham, AL – September 7, 2013
www.hotandhotfishclub.com

I have been trying for years to get my wife to take me to Hot and Hot.  Finally, on our 25^th Anniversary (yes, we have been married that long), she finally takes me.  I had high hopes for Chief Hastings and all of his awards (including James Beard ).   We start out with reservations out on the patio.  It was a nice night, not hot but certainly not cold.  It started a little rough as no service but they made up for it and it was a perfect evening (how could it not be with my beautiful bride).

They start us off with some hot and fresh bread; the cheese roll was my favorite.  Then out comes a special treat to get the pallet going, a small cracker with a sweated pear & grilled onions on top.  Not something I would order but was very, very good.  They also bring out their famous Hot and Hot Tomato Salad for us.  This was some very tasty tomato slices with corn, field peas, okra and topped with smoked bacon.  I will have to say this was one tasty and light salad.  Our appetizer of Hot and Hot Okra then arrived.  Now, okra is a favorite of mine and this was the best I have ever had.  Large, nice cuts of fresh okra, battered in buttermilk and flash fried.  You got the crunchy outside and the soft (but cooked) inside.  Wow, these were wonderful (had to get more limes for my water to wash all the okra down).

Our main courses finally arrived.  Molly got the black Grouper.  It was a nice cut of fish very lightly seasoned and cooked with tomato salad and avocado.   It was very good but not the best she has ever had.  I on the other hand ordered their special ‘Chicken Fried Steak’.  Now this is not what you think.  It was a very nice cut of Wagyu beef sirloin that was hickory grilled and a very nice sauce and then the special; crispy  chicken skins layered between each slice of meat.  Now, my favorite part of fried chicken is that nice crusty part of skin with just a hint of meat.  These skins were nicely cut and flash fried with a wonderful crunchy taste that really offset the sirloin.  Normally, I want a good piece of bread to go with my steak, but not here.  Why would you need bread when you have chicken skins?  The meal also had a tomato salad, fresh potatoes and some buttermilk gravy.

At this point we are just about stuffed but said yes to dessert anyway.  We went light and got their famous Hot and Hot Doughnuts.  These were three round, fried goodness of dough with a nice mixture of local Red Mountain honey and chamomile.  Not to be outdone, there was also a milk brulee slice and a scoop of honey gelato with honey bits.

Of all the places I have been, none have lived up to the true freshness, light tasting, and just overall great use of basic food turned into an explosion within your mouth.  With my bride there of 25 years, nothing was better.

Rating: 10

Thought of the Week: September 1, 2013

“Enthusiasm is the element of success in everything.  It is the light that leads and the strength that lifts people on and up in the great struggles of scientific pursuits and of professional labor.  It robs endurance of difficulty, and makes pleasure of duty.”

                                             ~ Bishop Doane