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

After a ride on the Silver Comet Trail, I went to downtown Rockmart for some lunch. It's a cute little main street. The street runs parallel to the beautiful park that the town built along the river. I don't have a photo, but I enjoyed my creamy red pepper soup and unsweet tea. Sweet is clearly the default in Polk County, but thankfully they have not yet outlawed the consumption of unsweet tea. The owner at Soli's was very courteous and friendly. It's a nice stop.

I used my trip to Tucson to do something that has been on my list for quite some time---revisit In-N-Out Burger, the legendary Southern California burger chain. You have to be in the West to eat at In-N-Out; the owners keep careful tabs on the freshness of their ingredients and don't allow locations to be too far from their warehouses. As you can see, the place has an old fashioned, bustling vibe. The staff is unerringly friendly and chipper. In-N-Out has an extensive secret menu. Some of the items are over-the-top but some are quite healthy. This is my Double-Double Protein Style. Double-Double is a style of burger: two patties, two slices of cheese. The Protein Style version replaces the bun with pieces of lettuce, efficiently trimmed. Protein Style was introduced by the owners to give themselves a lower-calorie option. This is a high-quality fast food burger. All the ingredients are of high quality, fresh, and tasty. The patty tastes and chews like meat (imagine th...

The Farmers and I enjoyed an excellent meal at Hacienda del Sol. As you can see, it's a lovely building. Sitting on the hills on the north side of Tucson, it also has a spectacular view. We started with a selection of bread. The amuse bouche was fun but so small that getting it off the plate required a bit of skill. I started with a raclette cheese that was roasted in a pan and served with figs, salami, and bread. I ordered the strip steak for my main course. It was served with a dollop of button on top and mashed potatoes and asparagus on below. It was good, although I did expect a little more char from the grill. Our other main courses... We tried several excellent desserts: a cheesecake, a blueberry cobbler, and a chocolate cake. Everyone loved the final chocolate truffle. It had just enough espresso infused to give that wonderful chocolate/coffee flavor.

I can't tell you about the food at El Charro due to its poor service. I talked to the hostess who told me that she didn't need my name but that she would keep me in line. 10 minutes later, after the people in front of me were seated, a different hostess appeared, now bearing a written list of people. I explained my situation and she proceeded to put me at the bottom of the list. I pointed out the discrepancy to her but she declined to recognize my position in line.

Coyote Pause Cafe is at the southern entrance to the Tucson Desert Park. It's a beautiful location and a restful place. The service here was very friendly but a little scattered. I really enjoyed my veggie omlette. Everything was well prepared. I also enjoyed my side dish: squash and corn with cheese. It's a variation on Indian themes, both healthy and tasty. I also had to try their mesquite pancake. It was quite good. The mesquite gave a tangy taste that reminded me a little of buckwheat.

Blue Donkey Coffee has set up shop at Georgia Tech. It's in the student center near the bowling alley, in the former location of Pizza Hut. As you can see, they offer some fancy pours. I opted for a brew. It was rich and smooth, a very high quality cup.

I have finally figured out how to make a thick, rich crust on a loaf of bread. The devil, as usual, is in the details. Many recipes talk about putting a few ice cubes into the oven at the start of baking. I find that isn't enough. Instead, I put a pan of water into the oven when I turn it on. This pan, which is made of cast iron, was close to full when I started and ended up about half full. The greater amount of water allows the steam to maintain itself. I cook my rustic breads in my cast iron dutch oven. The shape of the pan helps to maintain the shape of the bread. The sides also radiate some heat back. The result is this thick, tasty crust. The combination of the thick crust and spongy crumb makes for great French toast, by the way.