BLT Fish Shack: Fifteen Bottles of Beer

There is nothing better than an evening of beer and delicious food after a long run.

After a relaxing afternoon with Bo, we headed over to the Galway Hooker to meet Theodora and Tina for a drink.

IMG_2143 (640x480)Luckily, the bar was pretty empty, so we were able to snag a booth and hear ourselves talk without having to scream. This is a rare find in New York City during football season so we were all pleasantly surprised!

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Per Theodora and Tina’s suggestion, I started with Sam Adams Octoberfest since the bar was lacking on pumpkin beer selections.

IMG_2144 (640x480) IMG_2141 (480x640) It was absolutely delicious! Drinking regular beers is still a very novel idea for me as I used to be the “light beer” girl who would never fathom drinking a full, malty beer. This beer was malty with a little bit of spice,  luckily lacking on the hop flavor that I don’t normally like. This may become my go to beer this season since Sam Adams is normally available in most bars.

After a round of drinks and lots of laughter, we headed downtown to meet Gabriella, Rebecca, and Clare at BLT Fish Shack.  Even though this is one of our favorite spots in Flatiron, we hadn’t been to BLT Fish Shack since our Memorial Day weekend date night.

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IMG_2150 (640x480)Bo saw on Twitter that BLT Fish Shack was celebrating NYC Beer Week with a special prix-fixe beer paired menu for $40! I quickly sent the suggestion to Theodora and Tina, originally hoping we could go Friday night before I left for Philadelphia. Luckily the stars aligned and we were able to enjoy the evening together last night!

IMG_2148 (480x640)Upon arriving, we were quickly seated towards the back of the restaurant. Luckily, unlike many NYC restaurants, they were willing to seat us even though only 6 of the 7 people had arrived. This is just one of the many ways the service out did their self last night.

I love the Shack’s cute decor details such as the lobster placemats and dish rag napkins.

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IMG_2155 (640x480) Within minutes of sitting down, our waitress graced our table with their famous garlic cheese bread. It’s easy to enjoy too much of this bread at one sitting as it’s so delicious. Luckily, I was forced to share last night and therefore limited myself to only one piece.

IMG_2156 (640x480)Bo was craving raw bar and quickly asked the group if anyone could help him enjoy some oysters, clams, and shrimp. Clearly we were all more than happy to oblige his request but were taken by surprise when the large seafood tower was presented!

IMG_2157 (480x640) The shrimp were absolutely divine and could have been a meal alone!

Everyone except for Bo chose the pre-fixe special for their meal since it was such a great deal and most of the items aren’t regularly on the menu.

The first round of beers were delivered to our table within seconds of us ordering!

IMG_2152 (480x640) Our first course was a rich but delicious corn & crab chowder, paired with Blue Point Toasted Lager. This was my favorite beer of the night, going down very smooth and paired perfectly with the rich soup. The chowder was delicious but the crispy bread, especially when dipped in the chowder, was the real winner. I only finished 1/3 or so of the bowl since I knew I still had two more courses coming.

IMG_2161 (640x480) IMG_2164 (640x480) The second course included tempura fried branzino served atop braised Swiss chard and lemon jalapeno aioli paired with Lagunitas IPA. Now I know why I stick to grilled or broiled fish. While the tempura was quite as heavy as other fried options, it really took away from the flavor and was too heavy to enjoy the whole serving. The Swiss chard was delicious however and thoroughly enjoyed!

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IMG_2168 (640x480) The final course of the evening was my least favorite unfortunately.  I was excited for donuts when I saw it on the menu but disappointed to find that they were churros instead. Furthermore, the final beer was Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout, a very heavy beer that I could barely swallow. The rest of the ladies were very excited to happily pass my bottle around to share.

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The conversation flowed just as easily as the beers all night long! In fact, we may have hazed Tina at one point in the evening tempting her to double fist in true champ style!

IMG_2173 (640x480) IMG_2174 (640x480) Such a great time with wonderful food and wonderful ladies, plus Bo! He was a true champ!

After dinner I went to a friend’s house for a farewell to summer party but was in bed passed out by midnight! Beer+heavy foods+long runs=exhausted Ashley!

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An Easy Roasted Chicken Recipe

Last night was quite an adjustment. When I walked through the door at 7pm, there was no delicious aroma or a friendly face greeting me. Instead, the house was dark and the only light was the bathroom light we forgot to turn of that morning.

Yesterday, Bo started his new job. Evenings of home cooked meals which took hours to prepare were quickly forgotten. While the house was still neat, my week’s errand list still remained untouched on the counter.

Instead of missing the dinners and aroma, I decided to role my sleeves up and make my husband proud. Dining alone is not an excuse to be lazy and resort to deliver, cereal, and soup. Sometimes cooking alone can be relaxing, therapeutic, and enjoyable.

However, failing at your first attempt is no way to find inspiration. Therefore, I chose to make my favorite easy dinner last night. This main course is a perfect way to entertain a new love interest, impress your next door neighbor, or bring a smile to your roommate or significant other’s face when they smell the aroma. It takes only a few minutes of preparation but can result in at least two days worth of food! IMG_4010 (640x478)

A Healthy, Happier Bear’s twist on  Perfect Roasted Chicken

 Ingredients:

– one all natural small fryer chicken

– one cast iron skillet or roasting pan

-1 small onion, peeled and quartered

– 2 lemons, halved

– unlimited garlic cloves, peeled and quartered

– salt & pepper

– Safflower oil, or another cooking oil

IMG_3996 (640x478) Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

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2.  Unwrap chicken and remove giblets from chicken cavity. The giblets should be in a bag and easy to remove. After discarding the giblet bag, thoroughly rinse the chicken with cold water, inside and out. Dry the chicken using an old towel or paper towel, careful to dry both the inside cavity and under the skin folds. IMG_4001 (640x478) 

3. Place the onion, lemon, garlic in the cavity of the chicken. Salt and pepper the inside cavity with more seasoning than you believe necessary. It is almost impossible to over season! IMG_4005 (640x478)4. Truss (tie) the legs together with kitchen string, mostly closing the cavity opening. Tuck the wings under so the tips overlap the breast and tie in place, securing the wings to the body. I highly reference using this video to help with trussing the bird.

5. Once the chicken is tightly trussed, give it a good massage with the oil. Cover the entire bird, remembering to flip it over during the process. Follow with a healthy dose of salt and pepper all over, being careful not to over season on this step.

6. Place the chicken in your roasting pan or cast iron skillet, breast side down. IMG_4007 (640x478)

7. Roast the chicken for 25 minutes. Flip the chicken breast-side up and continue roasting, approximately 1 1/4 hours. I use a meat thermometer to check for doneness, removing the chicken when it registers between 170-175 degrees.

8. Let rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes before carving.

9. Enjoy!

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Question: What is your favorite side to enjoy with a simple dish like roast chicken?

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The Inn At Little Washington Double Date

Last night we enjoyed an Inn At Little Washington double date!

While we shopped at Eataly and The Union Square Farmer’s Market yesterday, Bo and I were inspired to cook in versus going out. The fresh summer vegetables inspired us to create a summer menu from a mix of Inn at Little Washington recipes.

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A few years ago, Bo and I discovered The Inn At Little Washington cookbook while visiting my aunt and uncle in Vermont. Her copy of the cookbook was loved and worn as she references it almost weekly for it’s delicious Southern dishes with a new American and fresh food spin.

IMG_3736 (640x478) Check out those amazing pictures!

Bo wants to cook as much as possible between now and August 15th. Instead of just cooking for ourselves, we decided that having a guest would make for a perfect Saturday night.

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Theodora and Bailey were our dinner date last night! IMG_3740 (640x478)

While Bo started in the kitchen I organized the house and made sure we had a nice dining area, fit for a delicious dinner.

IMG_3733 (640x478)Our kitchen looked like our own farmers market! There were fresh fruits and vegetables bringing color to every nook and cranny of our kitchen! IMG_3735 (640x478) A Fresh Summer Feast Menu

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Two dozen fresh Wellfleet oysters drizzled with fresh lemon juice

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Garden Tomato Salad with Grilled Red Onions, Fresh Basil, and Asiago Cheese

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Lightly fried Snapper

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Silver Corn Sauté

Unfortunately, none of these recipes are featured online but they do have some of their popular recipes on their site.

If you’re looking for a new cookbook to add to your collection, I can’t recommend this one enough. It is a cookbook that even a beginner chef can appreciate as it takes everyday ingredients, many of which are in your pantry or kitchen, to new levels. They are delicious straightforward dishes which will remind you why it eating seasonal and local meals tastes so right. IMG_3760 (640x478)

The entire meal, from start to finish, was delicious, fresh, and left us satiated.

It was such a pleasure sharing our Saturday tradition with a friend..

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