My 5th Year College Reunion

 Last Friday, Adam and I began our journey to Roanoke, VA for my 5th Year Reunion from Hollins University. It felt good to be back - the last 5 years flew by.

We stayed two nights at the beautiful Hotel Roanoke.

After checking in, I took Adam to the top of Mill Mountain to see the beautiful view of the Roanoke Valley. Hollins is to the right, about 11 miles away.

 I just love all the things that tell us we're in the south - like this huge magnolia blossom.

Adam took this picture of my 18 week belly. Those baby are getting big - and I just started feeling them move around!



 This is a photo of everyone from my class that attended reunion, taken right after the parade of classes.

Here Adam is chatting with some of my classmates during the Tinker Day Lunch.

The highlights of a traditional Tinker Day lunch is fried chicken and chocolate cake. Both were just as delicious as they were when I was a student.

For those of you who don't know, Tinker Day is a Hollins tradition that takes place in the fall. Students are surprised early in the morning by seniors banging pots and pans to wake everyone up. Then we all go to the dining hall in our PJs for Krispy Kremes, followed by getting dressed up in crazy costumes, hiking Tinker Mountain, having lunch and entertaining each other with skits. It's a special day that you have to see to believe!

This is me in front of a building on campus before dinner on Saturday night.

This was a beautiful spread for cocktail hour.

The tulip and lemon centerpiece for the dinner buffet was picture perfect.

And for our send off from the Star City, we had brunch at the First & Sixth Restaurant in the newly renovated Patrick Henry Hotel. It was delicious and I highly recommend it. I planned a spring cotillion in the Patrick Henry the year before it was renovated so it was fun to go back to see the changee. Below is Adam's Bloody Mary - green bean and all!

Adam and I are already looking forward to my 10 Year Reunion!

Taste of the Nation Philadelphia 2010

Once again I had the pleasure of attending this year's Taste of the Nation fundraiser in Philadelphia - a benefit featuring the city's finest restaurants and bars. The director of the event remembered my post from last year and invited me back so first, a BIG thank you to her!

I took the train to Phila. and made my way - via cab - to the Loews Hotel. I entered the lively ballroom stuffed full of people and food. Wasting no time (my grumbling stomach wouldn't have allowed it) I began tasting all the wonderful offerings.

Here is a sampling of just a few of the things I tried:

A dessert of panna cotta with a raspberry and black sesame pearls was served by 10 Arts Bistro & Lounge. The interesting texture of the seasame pearl made this Italian-Asian sweet dish screams eat me!

Then to the River & Glen, 390 Nina Way, Warminster, which specializes in serving wild, natural, organic & sustainable food, served up a special treat - a corn macaroon filled with radish cream butter and trout caviar. The sweetness of the corn and the very suble taste of the caviar was to die for! Never had I tried something quite like this. It was served with a side of pate that I didn't try :(

I had a cute little, one-bite-sized margarita cupcake from Mugshots Coffeeshouse, 21st & Fairmount Ave., Phila. The cake was moist and the icing flavorful... now I regret not trying the other unique flavors like buttered popcorn and cafe mocha!

Square 1682, 121 S. 17th Street, Phila., offered up a melon gazpacho with shrimp and avocado. This was sooo good! Since I'm not a huge tomato fan, the addition of melon really morphed the soup to add a sweet touch.

This is a caprese salad with a scoop of basil ice cream. So incredible! I loved it! Screams summer. The basil ice cream was only slightly sweet. This dish was presented by Valanni, 1229 Spruce Street, Phila.

Next, stuffed in an endive leaf, I had crab, cantelope, cucumber dill, mint, fennel & grapefuit topped with a mango-chive aoli. Another perfectly summer appetizer. So many flavors going on but they all fit perfectly together. This was prepared by Mercato, 1216 Spruce, Street, Phila.

Next was a ricotta-stuffed and fried squash bloom. The batter was very light and the sprinkling of parmesan cheese was great. Squash blooms are always a treat. This was only the second time I've had one and really enjoy the almost exotic feel of eating a blossom. Prepared by Sole Food, Loews Hotel, Phila.

On to a scallop cerviche with corn and asparagus, served with plantain chips. Cerviche has to be done just right for me to enjoy it and this hit the spot. I love the combination of the texture of the scallop and the plantain chip. Courtesy of The South Philadelphia Tap Room, 1509 Mifflin Street, Phila.

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This was a wonderful experience. This culinary benefit helps so many people buy raising money for local food banks and community gardens.

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Next year the event takes place on June 20, 2011!

Chef Staib Dinner at Harvest

A few weeks ago, I had the distinct pleasure of enjoying an evening at Harvest, a new restaurant on the grounds of the Hotel Hershey. The Hershey Harrisburg Regional Visitors Bureau sponsored my experience at Harvest because the hotel was hosting a very special guest chef - Walter Staib, Proprietor of The City Tavern in Philadelphia. I was very excited to hear that Chef Staib was going to be at Harvest for many reasons. First, my good friend Tim is a chef at Harvest and this was the first time I had the opportunity to eat at the restaurant. Second, I have eaten at the City Tavern in Philadelphia two times and had wonderful experiences there. And third, I had sampled one of Chef Staib's appetizer creations at a food event in Philly just a few months ago.

The cozy dining atmosphere at Harvest

To start the evening, I attended a reception where I had a nice conversation with Chef Staib. He told me about his upcoming series on PBS, a series of his cooking experiences at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello. A Taste of History will begin airing this fall. I was also able to try one of the Ales of Revolution - the beers served at the City Tavern. The Poor Richards Tavern Spruce Ale is based on Ben Franklin's original recipe containing hints of spruce and molasses.


On to dinner! The dishes we had to choose from are all found in Chef Staib's cookbooks. For the amuse, we had the smoked pheasant en croute. Next on to the Appetizer - I chose the corn and crab chowder and it was amazing! The rich and creamy base was very flavorful and the combo of corn and crab is a wonderful comfort soup for the fall. For my entree, I couldn't pass up the pan seared beef medallions with mashed potatoes and the General Washington Tavern Porter Sauce. Delicately tender beef and a sturdy sauce to go with it. For dessert, Martha Washington's Chocolate Mousse cake with vanilla sauce was a rich and chocolately way to end the meal.


Simulanteously, my dining partner, Jamie, enjoyed the salad of Romaine lettuce with cumbled Maytag blue cheese and a burgundy Dijion vinaigrette for her appetizer. For her main course, she selected the turkey pot pie with fall vegetables topped with puff pastry. And for her dessert, warm bread pudding served with rum flavored creme anglaise.

The kitchen team at Harvest did a phenomenal job of perfectly pulling together a night of Chef Staib's creations!


At Harvest, 80% of the ingredients used in the kitchen are gathered/raised within 100 miles from the restaurant. For example, on that evening's menu, there was a sauteed brook trout that was raised in Lancaster County. Almost all of the vegetables used at the restaurant are local, including the gatherings from a small herb garden on the grounds of the Hotel. The service, ambiance and meal was outstanding and I look forward to another visit to Harvest very soon!

The amuse - pheasant en croute

Turkey Potpie

Beef Medallions

Chocolate Mousse Cake

Bread Pudding

I would like to thank Chef Staib for the newest edition of his Tavern Cookbook. I am excited to try some dishes from your collection. A thank you to Jamie for being my dinner date and for your great photography skills. And most importantly, a thank you to the Hershey Harrisburg Regional Visitors Bureau for sponsoring my evening.

My French Birthday

So my very generous, kind, handsome and funny friends and boyfriend planned a surprise birthday evening for me last Friday! My birthday isn't until this Friday and since Adam and I will be in Cancun, Rebecca and Jesse wanted to do something for my birthday beforehand. With Adam and Bec's successful secretiveness, they were able to pull off an amazing evening for me.

To begin, I was out to lunch on Friday and got a text from Adam that said 'Meet me at the fountain behind the capitol at 5:30. No questions.' I thought, interesting, but whatever, I'll go with it. Then I get back to my office and find an email invitation from Bec that says my 'presence is requested for a high society soiree to celebrate the birthday of Mademoiselle Hope'. So I continue to sit at work as the afternoon drags on, wondering what's in store for me that evening.

I change into the 'requested' dress and start my walk to the capitol. As I round the back of the capitol, who do I see but Adam holding a mini Arc de Triomphe, Bec holding a 'Bon Anniversaire Hope' sign and Jesse waving a mini French flag! The three of them planned a French-themed evening for me!

Here you will see they brought along a baguette, brie, grapes and a delicious sparkling soda. With the help of Bec's French-teaching friend, we had some lovely little decorations!

Grapes floating in the soda.

Here we are at our little table outside the capitol enjoying our French snack. After the snack, we took some photos around the capitol (if you don't know already, Bec and I love to take pictures!).

Friends.

Me and Adam training for our their next career: modeling.

Jesse took this clever shot of Rebecca and I.

After dinner, we popped into Carley's for a quick drink and then I was swept away to Confit in Camp Hill for dinner. If you recall, Josh and I went here a few weeks ago for moules et frites and had a delicious meal. I was very happy to go back!

Bec and Jesse made us little French moustaches to wear at dinner. Oh yeah, we got lots of stares but it was fun and makes cute photos, huh?!? Nice moustache cutting skills, Jesse! Even though it's not pictured, Bec got me a beautiful apron with peonies on it, as well as a copy of The Pioneer Woman Cooks cookbook.

Bec created a game called "What the French?!" for us to play as pre-dinner entertainment. She made up little card with questions about me and the answer either had the word French or France in it or it was French-related. Like "If Hope and Adam don't use sunscreen in Mexico, they will be ____." Answer: French Fries

The boys had the Confit de Lapin.

I had the bronzini fish special - a delicately mild Mediterranean sea bass- with a corn and potatoes. Absolutely heavenly! Our server did a great job of filleting this little guy for me too!

Rebecca had the agneau roti.

Wine, bread and a moustache.


Here is a delicious little chocolate molten cake with a scoop of ice cream and a candle.

Thank you to my great friends for a WONDERFUL birthday celebration! This 25th year is starting out perfectly!

Photos by Bec.

Taste of the Nation Philadelphia

I entered a drawing to win a ticket to the Taste of the Nation fundraiser in Philadelphia from Foodbuzz, thinking my chances of winning would be few to none. Then, a few days later, I received an email saying I won a trip to the event! Very excited, I mapped out my train schedule from Harrisburg to Phila, assessed the cab ride to the hotel, and felt prepared for the event where I was in hopes of trying some of the best food the city had to offer... and I was NOT disappointed...

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After weeks of waiting, Monday finally rolled around and I ventured to Philadelphia's Loew's Hotel. A large ballroom was filled to the brim with world-renouned chefs and mixologists from Philadelphia eating establishments serving up incredible creations that reminded me of why I love food so much! I wrote down everything I sampled and attempted to take a lot of photos to help you get the feeling of this great event. The proceeds of the tickets sales, along with the live and silent auction sales, went to the Food Trust, (a Philadelphia non-profit working to make sure those in need are fed), the Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger (fights hunger through education & outreach), Philabundence (hunger relief organization) and the Pennsylvania Hunger Action Center (promotes food security).

So I enter the ballroom and feeling very overwhelmed, I didn't know where to start! I wandered past a few food displays and made my first stop at the City Tavern Restaurant where the executive chef, Walter Staib, was making some delicious shrimp topped bruschetta. Oh yum! What a great start to the evening! The City Tavern was actually the only restaurant at the event that I've eaten at before.

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Wandering more, I found the Rum Bar where they were serving custom-made mojitos. I chose to have a cherry blueberry mojito... I must say, it was a good choice.

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Mojito Buffet

I then moved on to try some truffled mac 'n cheese from the Varga Bar. Rich, creamy and woodsy. A very unique twist on the classic. Next I came across some the Twenty Manning stand where I sampled some savory escargot brouchette. Then along to try some Indian fare from Bindi. I tried a great namkeen (street snack) of a lobster corn bread puff. From PS7's, actually a Washington, D.C. hot spot, I sampled a baya sabrosa - a lovely cocktail made from Barsol Pisco, hibiscus tea, lime, blueberry puree, egg white and sumac berry powder. Yum! With it had a slice of chicken sausage with compote (French for applesauce).

Baya Sabrosa & chicken sausage and compote

I moved on to try a lobster spring roll with aioli from the Octo Waterfront Grill. Then on to try some brie, strawberries and pumpernickel bread round from the Di Bruno Bros. To wash it all down, a Maker's Mark Manhattan from the Dylan Bar was a perfect choice!

The DiBruno Bros. spread

Moving on, I tried a pork belly bun from Chifta, one of the five restaurants of the Garces Restaurant Group. Chef Jose Garces is a highly honored chef in the US since the opening of his first restaurant in Philadelphia, Amada, in 2005. Chef Garces is nationally recognized, especially after appearing on Iron Chef America and defeating Bobby Flay. I believe this my first time trying pork belly and I'm now a big fan of this savory, tender meat!

The pork belly bun with hoisin glaze, pickled daikon & carrot, and togarashi mayo

On to the Le Castagne stand where shot glasses of gazpacho topped with yellowfin tuna were being served. Since I didn't have a drink, I went to the Southern Wine & Spirits thinking I could try a red wine, but when I asked one of the pourers what would go well with the gazpacho and tuna, she said, 'when in doubt go with something sparkley!' I loved this answer! She poured me a glass of brut Domaine Ste. Michelle.

Brut with the gazpacho & tuna

How fitting that the event served exclusively Belgian beers - the three that I greatly enjoy: Leffe (Blonde & Brown), Hoegaarden and Stella Artois. Those of you who know me, know Hoegaarden (I recently found out it's pronounced who-garden) is my absolute favorite beer so I couldn't resist having a glass. I'm not sure if it was the best to have with dessert but sure enough, it tasted great with key lime and cocnut cream tarts from Tartes.

Hoegaarden & tarts (excuse the messy tablecloth - people have been eating for quite sometime at this point!)

Moving on yet again, I came across Little Fish, a restaurant serving up a crab on a pumpernickel round, topped with cucumber and egg yolk.

Then I tried something I never fathomed would go together - a fois gras covered bing cherry from Blackfish. While I wasn't a big fan of the flavor combo, I was happy to give it a try! I can see how someone would like the salty and sweet tastes together though.

Cherry & fois gras

But then I found a salty and sweet combo I loved: watermelon with feta and a balsamic reduction from The Witch. Oh how great! The feta used was very firm so it was a nice contrast to the supple watermelon texture.

For my final cocktail of the evening I tried a delicously unique creation from APO called the Aviation. Gin, Luxardo, creme de violette and lemon juice shaken together for a sweet and tangy purple treat!

The apothocary (APO comes from apothocary) jar of Aviation

To round out the evening, I sample four different flavors of Ciao Bella sorbet - blackberry cabernet, Alphonso mango, Lebanese yogurt and Valhrona chocolate. The blackberry cab and yogurt were my favorites. This was the first time I've tried Ciao Bella and I'll be sure to pick some up at the grocery store soon!

A big thank you to Foodbuzz for sending me to this great event! And to Natalie for giving me travel advise to and around the city. I look forward to going back to this fundraiser next year, but before then, I hope to have a chance to visit some of these outstanding Philadelphia restaurants soon!