Tyler’s Taproom

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Much like Asheville, NC (Beer city 2010), Raleigh and the Triangle are fast becoming a city that is known for it’s breweries (5 or 6 at last count) and its great drinking establishments with impressive beer lists.  Recently several bar and grills have opened in the area, but only one has really piqued our interest. Although the beer selection was important, there were a couple of items on that tipped the scales in the favor of Tyler’s Taproom.

Easy as Pie: Dinner at Piebird

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There’s something about winter that just makes you want to hole up and hibernate. I have never been one for cold weather and even the mild winters in Raleigh have me bundled up like Ralphie’s brother in “A Christmas Story.” It’s no surprise then that I turn to homey comfort foods in the winter; lots of soups, stews, and pot pie. We have heard about the delicious desserts at Piebird (618 N. Person St Raleigh, NC 27604) for a while, but I needed a piping hot pot pie on a particular chilly night.

Chicken ‘n’ Waffles at Dame’s

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I really did find the combination of fried chicken on top of waffles to be an odd combination when I first heard about it. I love waffles and fried chicken, but it never occurred to me that these two things would be great together.  But after years of hearing about how it was a local soul food delicacy of sorts (and driving by Dames), we knew that we had to just go for it.

Fair Play: 2011 NC State Fair

It’s here! It’s here! Ask anyone in Raleigh what they are doing from 10/13-10/23 and you’ll get one answer: I’m going to the fair! Matt and I look forward to the fair every year. We have our favorite haunts (Oddities tent, anyone?) and always find something new to discover.

Everything’s Better Deep-fried: NC State Fair 2011

Make Us the Deep Fried Ambassadors – My Fair Ladies: Kamikaze Edition

If one Deep Fried Ambassador is good, imagine how tasty 3 would be! Introducing the blogging trio “My Fair Ladies”.

Giving you three unique perspectives on the 2011 NC State Fair, we three fabulous ladies will cover the full gamut of food, rides, entertainment, competitions, exhibits and fun “only at the Fair” odd bits. Telling the story through photos, videos and, of course, wildly entertaining words, this gaggle of gals is sure to make everyone want to come out to the Fair.

• Kamikaze – aka Becca – “Julia” of RDUGonnaEatthat – Nothing stops this Fair enthusiast. No food will be left uneaten, no ride unridden. Put a plate before her and she will devour it. Beat: Food & Rides
• Fairly Odd – aka Dawn A Crawford– Fun just got a little funky at the State Fair. Get a backstage look at the music, the best of our state’s produce and livestock and side-shows. Exploring the entertaining, wacky and downright odd parts of the Fair. Beat: Competitions & Entertainment
• The Wrangler – aka Valentina Garcia-Gerdes – Armed with sunscreen, family meet-up points and a purse of non-sugary snacks, this mom knows how to make the Fair fun for all ages. Beat: Family Activities & Exhibits

And here is my story of why I want to be a Deep Fried Ambassador:

It’s that time of year; I’ve been spinning in my desk chair for hours to prepare for the Gravitron, pouring powdered sugar on everything I eat, and studying about the differences between a Charolais and a Red Angus. It must be State Fair time.

The State Fair is like the leaves changing color, when I see the ads for it, I know that Fall is here. It’s a great way to start the season; walking in the crisp air, seeing the sights, snacking on an oversized turkey leg….or two. Ever since I moved to North Carolina, the State Fair has been one of the things I look forward to the most out of the year. It’s been great to see a whole community come out and experience something together.

What grabbed my attention the most when I started going to the Fair was of course, the food. I am a sucker for anything deep-fried, sugary, meaty, and bacony. Really, only at the Fair would I be able to find something to snack on that incorporates all of that (Krispe Kreme burgers and chocolate covered bacon, anyone?) Even when the crazy experiments don’t work out (*cough*redKool-Aidpickles) I know there’s something awesome around the next corner.

What goes better with a stomach full of snacks than a few roller coasters? I’ve always been a bit of a ride-freak and the State Fair is my favorite time to let loose. The faster, the higher, the dizzier, the better.  I try to hit everything, from the fun houses to the classic Ferris Wheel. That scream you hear from the top of every ride? It’s probably me.

Even better than the food and the rides though is the time I get to spend with my friends and family there. One of the highlights of the Fair one year for me was simply playing ping-pong bingo with my parents until we ran out of quarters. There always something to talk or laugh about and going over my pictures of years past brings back a ton of happy memories. Going through my pictures and seeing the sometimes crazy sights again is already getting me revved up for this year.

As the “Kamikaze” member of my trio of adventuring ladies, I pledge to leave no Ferris Wheel un-ridden, no Oreo un-fried, no Ghost House un-screamed! I embrace the State Fair experience and can’t wait to see everyone there.

Pub Life: Early tasting at Joel Lane’s Public House

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Isaac Hunter’s Tavern, probably Raleigh’s most historical tavern, has decided to branch out, focusing on food this time. I love a good pub, anything combining good food and local beer has my seal of approval, so I was excited when we found that Joel Lane’s was having a pre-opening tasting. The question before this place is of course, can it meet Isaac Hunter’s reputation?

Chapel Hill’s Famous Time-Out Chicken

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As newcomers to the Triangle in 2007, one of the first areas we visited was the always awesome city of Chapel Hill.  It was then that we first stumbled on Time Out Chicken, but at the time we fairly clueless about the area and did not even get a second look.  It took a long time and a Man Vs Food feature to realize that Time Out was a something of big deal to college students and Chapel Hill locals alike.  We had since been meaning to try it, and we finally got the opportunity when we ended up in Chapel Hill way too early for the Southern Season yearly sale.

Triangle Foodie Tweet-up: Strolling around Raleigh

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We love going to the Triangle Tweet-ups, it’s always a great way to meet new people, see friends, and have some great food. However, I’ve been hoping for more Tweet-ups in Raleigh. I feel like we have some great local places and so many of the tweet-ups have been outside of Raleigh. . I thought May’s partnership with Taste Carolina Food Tours was a great idea. We would walk and take the bus to several locations around downtown Raleigh to try different foods around the area. Don’t get me wrong, I have loved every single tweet-up, but I wanted Raleigh to get a chance to shine.

In a Pickle at Mt. Olive

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Growing up, we would beg my Mom to bring home a gallon jar of Mt. Olive Kosher Dill pickles every time she went grocery shopping.  I don’t know what it is about pickles, but I have always been a fan of everything salty, sour, or tart. When we moved to North Carolina, I knew that Mt. Olive wasn’t too far away, but never went to Pickle Valhalla until the recent Mt. Olive Pickle Festival.  There were some surprises along the way, some less pleasant than others (Pickle-flavored shaved ice, anyone?)

Skol! Experimenting with Norwegian Aquavit.

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After having a very Norwegian Christmas last year, I came home to North Carolina psyched up about the possibility of cooking some of my family’s native cuisine.   Well, let’s just say I have been eager to try some things, but my motivation level was a lot lower than I thought.  It took all of about 4 months, but I have finally gotten it together enough to try my first Norwegian creation.