Atlanta etc.: Marilyn Wolf's Food Blog and Restaurant Blog

Baba's Food Truck is a relatively new entrant on the UNL food truck scene. The owner is very welcoming and the food is tasty. I am a big falafel fan and this falafel sandwich was a big hit with me. Thank you, I will be back!

I was in the mood for huevos rancheros for breakfast, which of course calls for green sauce. I decided to save my remaining Hatch chiles and bought a few at Super Saver. I roasted them under the broiler and peeled their skins. I also roasted an onion. I blended everything with the stick blender. I didn't completely puree it, mainly out of laziness but I enjoyed the texture. This quick sauce gave a great bite to my breakfast.

I saved a little over half of my Thanksgiving turkey to make a turkey pot pie. The filling was made with plenty of root vegetables and my homemade chicken stock. I thickened it with a roux made from the very dark fat that I saved from the smoker. The result was darker than I typically make but very tasty. Add a crust and bake. The result was a tasty, filling meal and several more. I am happy and grateful.

Friday night is steak night. What to do when the weather is too poor to grill outside? Steak au poivre is the answer. Steak smothered in cracked pepper cooked in a cast iron pan. Add cream sauce, home fried potatoes, and asparagus. A wonderful meal for which I am grateful.

El Chaparro is a few blocks from the Nebraska state capitol. It was bustling when we arrived, always a good sign. Luckily we didn't have to wait long for a table. We started with chips and a tangy salsa. A bottle of Coke is a special treat. My tamales were excellent, hearty and comforting with great flavor. I really enjoyed my lunch but my next visit will be to try their breakfast. Thanks, folks!

Guy Kaku, near the Moscone Center, was a great place for dinner and discussion. They seem to be a national chain. The atmosphere was lively and the service very gracious. Japanese BBQ gives plenty of time to enjoy food and talk. The fire gives great flavors. Thanks, folks!

Rhodes Family Bakery on Cheshire Bridge has closed permanently, the victim of development and its attendant construction. This was a classic Southern bakery that lasted for 90 years. I had occasion to enjoy both their cheese straws and caramel cake, two Southern classics that will be missed. Their location on the north side will remain open. But your in-town location will be missed.

I've walked past John's Grill for decades and never gone in. The allure of a meal near Union Square made this the night. John's is famous for its mention in Dashiell Hammett's The Maltese Falcon . But that isn't the only reason to go---the food and service are very good. The meal started with this wonderfully crusty bread. I went with the salmon, very flavorful and moist. My friend reported that his steak was excellent. Our service was attentive and gracious despite the bustling crowd. I will not wait another have century to return. Thanks, folks!

My friends and I enjoyed lunch and discussion at Amber near the Moscone Center in San Francisco. The atmosphere was welcoming and service very helpful. We enjoyed the food and seeing each other. Very enjoyable and a great antidote to San Francisco's chilly weather. Thanks, folks!

Sears Fine Foods is a San Francisco classic. It was my go-to breakfast spot for my visit. The staff was wonderful, atmosphere was eccentric and fun, food was great. The Swedish pancakes were my go-to item. They are a different presentation for pancakes. The lingonberry sauce combines tart and sweet in a welcomingly different way. And the coffee kept coming. Thanks, folks!

A trip to San Francisco gave me the chance to visit Scoma's, one of my favorite restaurants. As with all San Francisco restaurants, the staff checked my vaccination card at the door. Once inside, the service was outstanding and the view wonderful. Dinner started, of course, with some excellent bread. My main course was their "Lazy Man's" Cioppino. It was chock full of seafood. All sorts of flavors and textures mingled in the bowl and in my mouth. Bread allowed me to sop up every last drop. The mixed vegetables were hearty and delicious. And how could I pass up a cannoli and coffee? I enjoyed the view of the wharf as I ate. A great meal and a great experience. Thanks, folks!

Tina's was hopping when I arrived for dinner. It was great to see everyone again after a long time absent. My breakfast was great, topped off by one of their patented cinnamon rolls. Thank you, folks!

It's been awhile since I ordered a pizza at Mellow Mushroom---my typical order is a salad. This thin crust with green pepper, mushroom, and fresh tomato was excellent. Sharp cheese highlighted the flavors. Service was great. Thanks, folks!

Brisket sandwich, beans, cole slaw. Couldn't be better. Thanks, folks!

Which is the better breakfast fruit: apple or banana? Of course, these competitions are silly but let's discuss. For decades I always used bananas as my breakfast fruit in oatmeal, french toast, pancakes. In the past few years I have mixed things up a little. I now often serve apples with all of these breakfast dishes. In the process, I have come to enjoy apples immensely. The texture of a cooked apple offers sublime pleasures as it mixes firm and soft. But the texture of a banana has its own pleasures and doesn't require a lot of morning thought to eat. Apples are more subtly sweet. The sweetness of a banana pops; it pairs very well with the tart sweetness of strawberries. Luckily, I don't have to choose between them. I can have one this morning, the other the next morning. And maybe even mix in the occasional mango...

Winter is soup time. I really enjoy a hearty soup this time of year and squash soup is one of my favorites. Here is my pot early in the process: roasted squash, chicken stock, leeks, apples. The cream came later. Tasty and hearty. I am grateful for these simple pleasures.

I was in the mood for pastrami. I considered going to New York for a nice hot pastrami sandwich. That option would have been a lot quicker and easier, arguably not that much more expensive. Instead, I made my own. I used Guy Fieri's Primetime Pastrami recipe except that I couldn't source juniper berries. My order was lost and no local store carried them. Otherwise, I used a whole bunch of spices that smelled great. A week-and-a-half later, I was ready to smoke. I used my PK Cooker rather than the Pit Barrel Cooker. That worked well except that I didn't install a sufficiently large grease catching pan, resulting in a cleanup job later. The result was great. Eating it straight off the grill was tempting but resulted in a very salty taste. The salt rub definitely contributed. Steaming helped mitigate the saltiness to leave the robust flavor of the pastrami. Nice, strong flavors complement this meat.

Excellent brisket sandwich. Superb corn fritters. Thanks, folks!

I was excited to try Lo Sole Mio and I wasn't disappointed. Their food is great and their service is welcoming and gracious. Dinner started with bread, of course. My salad was flavorful and hearty. The croutons were great. My eggplant parmesan was just what I hoped---warm, comforting eggplant enrobed in a rich tomato sauce with some cheese on top. I drove home happy and satisfied. Thanks, folks!

A-Dong is still take-out only. The owner was out front as usual. I ordered and waited for my food to arrive. I then took it to my car to enjoy. I decided to try something different, tofu with noodles. Hearty and tasty, the crunch bits were great. Thanks, folks!

I haven't been to Masti in quite some time. I enjoyed a great lunch along with friends. The service was great---the staff kept the food coming. Thanks, folks!

Salad at Mellow Mushroom has re-entered my lunch rotation. Their salad is hearty and tasty. And Mellow Mushroom was founded by a Georgia Tech alum. Thanks, folks!

A day at home is a good day to make stock. This is a pot of chicken stock. A sister pot of beef stock was at its side. Beef stock cooks for a longer time than does chicken stock, according to The Professional Chef , so that's what I did. Homemade stock is richer, better tasting, and healthier than the store-bought variety. And all it requrires is a pot and a little patience.