Food

FOOD TASTE OF TUSCALOOSA

What We’re Eating (and Wish We Were Eating) Right Now

BY SHEENA GREGG

Sheena Gregg is a registered dietitian and local “Filipino Foodie.” Follow her adventures at www.afilipinofoodie.com.

I don’t know about you, but the extended time at home sure has put food on my mind more than normal. Sure, I’ve enjoyed making from-scratch biscuits for my family more often, but there’s something to be said for enjoying the atmosphere of our delicious restaurants in Tuscaloosa and Northport. I don’t normally like loud places, but I promise you once this quarantine is over, I can’t wait to eat in the hustle and bustle of DePalma’s, Avenue Pub, and FIVE restaurants. And trying to balance seeing patients from home while wrangling a boisterous toddler is making me more antsy than ever to get out of the house. I know I’m not the only one. So, I decided to chat with some other Tuscaloosa folk to see what foods they’re eating and what they can’t wait to eat soon.

MARY HARMON YOUNG

I miss Chuck’s Fish for a date night. We love their Uptown Shrimp and Uptown Beef. I get the Donkey Sushi Roll and it’s so good. My husband, Jay, is counting down the days for a dinner at Evangeline’s. He loves the atmosphere there and switches back and forth between the filet and the pork chops. Our son, John Thomas, misses Heat Pizza – he loves eating on the patio and getting to play in the grass and throw pennies in the fountain. Our daughter, Sadie Grace, misses Hokkaido. She loves their soup and eats all the veggies and mushrooms she can get.

JACOB SUMMERS AND LINDSEY MCCUTCHEN

NIKKI RICHARDSON

During the quarantine, we’ve been focusing on mostly healthy/ reasonable cooking. I still try to eat about 4000 calories a day, and Lindsey eats less than 2000. We both have to fuel our goals and our fitness routines. When this is done, Lindsey really wants to sit down at Hokkaido and enjoy some sushi. Personally, I’m just eager to sit down some place where I can eat my weight in protein – some place locally owned, like Hokkaido where I can get steak, chicken, and shrimp. More than anything, we both want to be able to go to one of our local bars (likely Black Warrior where we know some of the patrons and staff) and to sit down and have a cold beer with friends. We also miss Sunday brunches. Another Broken Egg, Brick & Spoon, or Avenue Pub might be on the menu.

As a family of six, we have varying tastes in food. However, one of my favorite things about this time of self-quarantine has been falling in love with eating at home again. Some of our favorite lunches or dinners at home have been soup and sandwiches/ wraps, a quick protein (fish, chicken) with a big salad, or a light pasta dish (we sub zoodles for pasta when we can) with a pesto or a quick and easy tomato sauce.

We’ve made it a priority to have lots of fresh produce on hand, so if we make an iffy choice for a meal, there’s some balance. We’ve talked a lot to our kids about debits and credits when it comes to nutrition. Nothing is off limits, but we need to seek a balance at the end of the day.

My husband and I both share cooking duty, so some of our favorite dinners have been tuna steaks (all four kids love fish, especially tuna) and chicken fried rice. We have eaten 90% of our meals at home, but we’ve enjoyed being able to order from some of our staple favorites like LaBamba, Gourmade Kitchen, and Southern Ale House. One meal our family can’t wait to enjoy again is a sushi night at Chuck’s – that’s something we all miss.

Top Left: These days, you can find Sheena Greg frequently practicing facial expressions getting ready for Zoom appointments with clients.

Middle Left: The Richardson family has been trying to focus on healthy meals while in quarantine.

Bottom Left: Mary Harmon Young and her husband, Jay, are dreaming of a date night at Chuck’s Fish soon.

Right: Jacob Summers and his girlfriend, Lindsey McCutchen, are ready to hit up the local breweries as soon as possible.

DCL Recipes for May: Easy Veggies At Home BY AMY POORE

Hi all. Given that we’re all at home these days, I suspect we’re cooking more than ever. If you want to give your kitchen a bit of a break, whip up this cucumber, tomato, and onion salad. It takes just minutes, and it’s a true classic on any Southern table. If you have some cauliflower on hand, try dressing it up a bit by baking it. The cheese, sour cream, and onions really add a wonderful compliment to this veggie.

I hope everyone is doing well and taking a little time to gather around the dining room table as a family these days. Great cooking just makes everything so much better. Bon Appétit!

Amy

CUCUMBER, TOMATO, AND ONION SALAD

3 cucumbers, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick 3 tomatoes, chopped 1 onion, sliced 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1 cup water 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar 1 Tbsp. fresh, coarsely ground black pepper 2 tsps. salt

Place all the ingredients into a large bowl and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours. Serve chilled.

LOADED BAKED CAULIFLOWER

1 large headcauliflower(cut into small florets) 2Tbsps. melted butter Salt and pepper to taste 2/3 cupsour cream 1/4cupheavy cream 2cloves minced garlic 1 1/2cupsshreddedcheddar cheese 6Tbsps. bacon bits(cooked) 1/4cupchoppedgreen onion

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a large bowl, toss cauliflower with butter and season with salt and pepper. In a small baking dish, place cauliflower in a single layer and roast in over for 15-20 minutes, tossing halfway through. In the same bowl used for the cauliflower, mix sour cream and heavy cream until smooth. Then stir in garlic, half the cheddar cheese, half the bacon bits, and half the green onions. Remove cauliflower from oven when done roasting and add the sour cream mixture. Stir to coat. Return to baking dish and top with remaining cheese and bacon bits. Bake for 5-10 minutes or until cheese melts. Top with remaining green onions. Serve immediately.

Amy Poore is a Tuscaloosa mom, a wife, and a foodie. To see more of Amy’s delicious recipes, visit her blog, Poore Amy, at pooreamy.com