TidBits

small bites of local News

El Asadero Restaurant Planned on Lafayette Boulevard

By Bill Freehling

A restaurant is planned in a vacant building across from Paul's Bakery in Fredericksburg.

Project plans include renovating the existing building into a restaurant, adding a patio and walk-in cooler, and improving the facade.

Capriotti's Sandwich Shop

A Capriotti's Sandwich Shop location is planned at 2203 Plank Road in Fredericksburg.

The eatery is planned in the same new building as where Dunkin' recently opened. It's going into one of the additional 1,250-square-foot tenant spaces built into the structure.

Capriotti's, a national franchised restaurant chain is known for its cheesesteaks, turkey subs and more. I

FAM Announces New President and CEO Sam McKelvey will be the next president and CEO of the Fredericksburg Area Museum (FAM).

McKelvey was most recently executive director of the Menokin Foundation, a National Historic Landmark in Warsaw. His placement follows an extensive national search led by Good Insight. He will start June 5.

Sounds of Summer Concert Series

The Fredericksburg Area Museum's (FAM) popular Sounds of Summer concert series will return June 2 in downtown Fredericksburg's Market Square.

The series will feature live music starting at 6:30 p.m. every Friday in June, July and August. Concerts are free, and refreshments are available.

Karen Jonas Music will kick things off June 2. .

"As an experienced museum professional, Sam has the knowledge and passion we need to expand FAM's vital role in the region," said Rhonda Fried, FAM Board Chair. "His deep understanding of history and museums as living, breathing parts of the community will build upon our successful legacy and take us into the future."

Cool Cat Cupcake

No Dairy -NNo Eggs -NNo Nuts

Cool Cat Cupcake is planning to open downstairs from Olde Towne Butcher shop in downtown Fredericksburg.

The store is scheduled to open in June - likely the first or second weekend that month - in the basement of the building at 1000 Charles Street. It will be open Thursday through Sunday at first.

Cool Cat's products have long been sold at the butcher shop along with other area stores. The company features cupcakes without dairy, eggs or nuts.

"I am incredibly excited to begin my tenure with the Fredericksburg Area Museum," said McKelvey. "The museum has laid the groundwork to create an example of what a museum can mean in a community. I look forward to building on the work that the talented staff, board, and volunteers have created."

VRE Fare-FFree Fridays

No tickets required on Fridays thru September 1 !

Take a ride on the rails.

Bill Freehling, Fredericksburg's director of economic development and tourism

It's that time of year again! Make room in your refrigerator for a permanent pitcher of sweet tea and load up on the charcoal for summer grilling! Memorial Day weekend kicked off the the unofficial start of backyard grilling-inearnest. When it's ninety degrees in the shade outside, who feels like standing over a hot stove inside when you can grill outside? And there are SO many outdoor cooking appliances to choose from todayfrom a simple charcoal grill (check out the KUDU grill), to hibachi size to the Green Egg to competition-size; infrared ovens; workhorse Weber propane grills; gas and wood-ffired pizza ovens; grilling stones, griddles and rotisserie spits; complete luxury outdoor gas kitchens; tandoor clay and roti ovens; classic turkey fryers; and boilers, tops in our area for backyard steamed and Old Bay spiced blue crabs. Of course you don't need every listed appliance - with a cast iron skillet, you can fry chicken, blacken fish and keep hush puppies coming - on a grill top you can fry eggs and pancakes, grill sandwiches and vegetables, and cook that delicious pizzaand if you love tandoori chicken and flatbread, check out the YouTube videos on how to make your own oven with clay flower pots!

I have to mention the importance of cleaning your grill - before each use, preheat the grill or griddle; fold a small towel, grip with a pair of metal tongs and pour 2-3 tablespoons of canola oil on the end. Use this to oil the griddle top or grill strips to help avoid food sticking. Scrape and clean these after each use, while still hot, with a long-handled brush BUT avoid brushes with metal bristles as they can easily break off and get in your food. Save those for the times you're doing a complete cleaning and washing/scrubbing - when I do those, I put all the disassembled oven-cleaner-proof pieces in a large black trash bag, then spray thoroughly and leave overnight before washing, scraping and wiping clean. Follow directions on the can of oven cleaner - this is definitely an outside job!

JAMAICAN JERKED CHICKEN OR PORK

Jerk sauce is THE Jamaican barbeque sauce and marinade mix. Prepare the sauce at least an hour before you begin to marinate the meats as it needs time for the flavors to develop. To prepare the sauce, place about two cups roughly cut green onions or scallions, one cup thinly sliced fresh ginger, one-third cup chopped garlic, 4 Scotch Bonnet chilies or ten whole jalapeno peppers, one cup lime juice and one and one-half cups soy sauce together in a food processor and puree until very smooth. Pour into a mixing bowl and stir in the following ingredients, adjusting the flavors of soy, lime and brown sugar to your taste. One-quarter cup ground allspice, two teaspoons ground cinnamon, one cup malt vinegar, one half-cup dark brown sugar, two tablespoons dark molasses, one half teaspoon each ground nutmeg and cloves, one tablespoon minced fresh thyme, one teaspoon cracked black pepper and one cup canola oil. Mix together well. This will make enough marinade/BBQ sauce for two large chickens (each cut into eight pieces) and 2-3 pounds of pork loin (sliced into one and one-half inch steaks). Keeps well for about a week refrigerated. TO PREPARE AND SERVE - Marinate meat in just enough sauce to coat, using your hands to cover completely, for about two hours. Discard used marinade. Grill meat over medium heat, turning frequently. Transfer to a serving platter and place a small bowl of the marinade to use as additional BBQ sauce. Delicious served with grilled vegetables or grilled pineapple. This always reminds me of buying jerk chicken at roadside grilling shacks in the Caribbean!

SOUTHWESTERN BEER RIBS

Mix together the marinade in a gallon plastic bag - six large cloves of minced garlic, one tablespoon each ground cumin and dried oregano leaves, two tablespoons (or more to taste) ground ancho chili, one half-cup lime juice and a 12-ounce Mexican beer. Place four pounds beef short ribs (or pork tenderloin or chicken wings if you'd like!) in the bag and coat fully with the marinade. Refrigerate overnight, turning occasionally. Remove ribs from the bag and wipe ribs dry to avoid having burned bits while grilling. Discard marinade. Grill over hot fire, about 2-3 minutes per side. Great with grilled CORN ON THE COB Shuck enough corn for everyone, being careful to remove all of the silk tassels. Place on hot grill, turning often, until charred all around, about ten minutes. Remove from grill, brush with melted butter and sprinkle with Kosher salt.

GRILLED SHRIMP & VEGETABLE SKEWERS

Prepare the marinade - melt onehalf cup butter and add four large grated cloves of garlic, one tablespoon each of lemon juice and Cajun seasoning. Divide in half, as you will brush it on while grilling. If using wooden skewers, soak in water at least an hour before grilling. Lightly oil metal skewers. Use shrimp size 16-20 count per pound, or 21-24. Peel and devein enough shrimp for 6-8 per person, leaving on the tails. Skewer shrimp and brush on marinade. Cover and refrigerate while preparing vegetable skewers, using a mixture of zucchini, cherry tomatoes, red onion, green peppers and mushrooms. Brush marinade on vegetables - place shrimp and vegetable skewers on hot grill, brushing often with the marinade, at 3-4 minutes cooking time each side. Sprinkle vegetable with kosher salt and coarse ground pepper. Sprinkle shrimp with finely minced fresh parsley. Enjoy!

Vanessa serves up yummy recipes for every season