Independent Public Alehouse

It’s restaurant week here in South Carolina, meaning dozens of restaurants are offering special “tasting menus.” A great opportunity to sample what the restaurants here in Greenville have to offer, many participating businesses are offering a three-course meal for significantly less than what the same meal would usually cost. Restaurant week runs through Sunday, so you still have almost a full week to try out a new restaurant or revisit an old favorite. For a full list of participating restaurants, visit the Restaurant Week SC webpage here.

 

Although we’ve tried just one of the restaurant week menus, it feels like we’ve eaten out a ton more, likely because of all the visitors we had during the holidays. After three days of Christmas cooking it was a relief to sit down at a nice restaurant downtown, and another evening we took the grandparents out to a local favorite. When my parents came in we returned to Kannika’s Thai Restaurant, which has settled into its new location and is dishing up the same delicious menu, but a highlight was the night they watched the boys and gave my husband and me the chance to try out a new local spot (neither of which are part of restaurant week, but maybe should be!).

 

I wouldn’t have noticed that the Poinsett Bar & Grill had changed ownership if not for an article in the January issue of Town. My mother pointed out the interview with Chef Daniel Dobbs, which was most memorable for the picture of the chef (formerly of The Cliffs Keowee Vineyards) with beard, apron, chef’s knife and “DoBBieQ Pig is our Gig” T-shirt. “DoBBieQ is a food concept that involves good local goods and good locals. It’s a line of smoked brisket, chicken, catfish and appetizers that incorporates a chef’s touch and some classical French methods.” Independent Public Alehouse (IPA) is the newest addition to the Greenville BBQ scene, and has the added bonus of live music.

Chef Daniel Dobbs, source: Town magazine

 

The smell emanating from the smokehouse was mouthwatering, and no sooner had we settled into a comfy booth than our server was there with menus and beer recommendations. Having settled that (there is a great local beer selection), we delved into the menu. The “smoking section” provides a choice of pulled pork, beef brisket, chicken, catfish or gulf shrimp served in a variety of ways: over grits, in a melt, on a salad, in a “Which”, or on a plate. Roberts went with the chef’s recommendation: the brisket over grits, garnished with bacon, pepper-jack cheese and green onion. I opted for a plate of the shrimp, because I was in the mood to try out several of the sides, including the featured mac & cheese. This dish changes every few days, and includes combos such as “PBR Mac,” “Quest Pumpkin Mac and Chevre” and garlic parm mac, the dish being served up on our visit.

Delicious food, great value!

 

I have this to say about dinner - this is good food, and these are great prices. On your first visit take the chef’s advice and try the grits… although the shrimp and sides were delectable, the brisket and grits was incredible. We stuck around for dessert even though we were both pretty much stuffed (because we could! Someone was watching the kids!!) and have nothing but good things to say about the fried pie. (Note to our server however, if someone asks you what fried pie is, don’t start off your description with the words “McDonalds apple pie”!)

 

It’s my understanding that IPA took over the lease of the former restaurant, and because of this must wait until the lease ends to put their name up on the building. Until then, you will recognize the spot for the appetizing smell of smoked beef and the live music, which continues even past 3am Monday through Friday. I wish the owners Michele and Alan success at this location; with local food, beer and music they have a winning combination.

 

French croissants in The South

When we moved from Greenville to France in 2010 we left a fast-changing town. I was especially peeved that as we left the country Southwest Airlines decided to come to GSP with their direct flights to Chicago. In addition, Trader Joe’s had waited until we were moving away to open a store here in Greenville; I had grown to love them and their two buck chuck while living in Northville, MI. Upon our return Trader Joe’s was still here, and a slew of other chains had opened/are opening including a Cabella’s, but there is one completely unexpected business that brought me extreme happiness to know had opened in our town.

 

It shouldn’t surprise me that there are a few French establishments here in Greenville, as the French company Michelin has its North American headquarters in our town and with it come expatriates and French nationals. There are a growing amount of Americans returning from life in France on expatriate assignments as well, ones that can discern a proper baguette from the Publix supermarket counterpart. In addition to Passerelle Bistro, the French restaurant on the Falls, Rick’s Deli and Market has also been doing business in Greenville for over a year now. The addition to the French scene that has me saying merci beaucoup! is LeGrand Bakery, the closest thing to Le Pistore, Boulangerie & Pâtisserie (the bakery downstairs from our apartment in France) you’ll find here in the Upstate.

 

We stopped in while the grandparents were in town, knowing my mother would appreciate a respectable pain au chocolat from her trip to visit us in France. In addition to the usual baguettes, croissants (plain, with chocolate and with almonds), brioches and meringues, they also have seasonal favorites such as the galette des rois and buche de Noel. We bought one of each… well, not quite, but it felt like it!

 

Everything we brought home smelled and tasted just like I remember from France. Fresh-baked that morning (as I’m sure was everything else), the croissants especially disappeared quickly. I would like to request that they make a croissant with almonds and chocolate, but otherwise have only praise for their wonderfully authentic French breads and pastries.

 

I hope to try LeGrand for lunch one day, as there was beautiful display of quiches and a salad Nicoise and croque-monsieurs on the menu, but that might have to wait for a day I’m traveling sans children in tow. On second thought, I could probably take them with; a baguette each would probably keep them quiet long enough for me to polish off a sandwich Parisien…

Saying goodbye

There are things that being an expatriate prepared me quite well for, such as: trying new foods, being flexible in situations where I don’t feel completely comfortable, and making do with what is on hand. However, considering the amount of times we had to say goodbye (to friends and family in the US before moving to France, to new found friends who were moving on to other expat assignments/back home, to friends and family who came to visit us while in France, to those same dear people at the end of return trips to the US, to all of our new friends upon our move from Clermont-Ferrand back to Greenville), I assumed saying goodbye now would be easier.

photo credit: Gunārs L.

 

The holidays have brought a whole round of goodbyes, each harder than the last. First, the house emptied of my husband’s family who had come to celebrate Christmas with us, and although I found some consolation in the fact that the next round of guests would soon be here, the boys had a much harder time understanding where all their cousins went. From a full house of storytellers, laps to sit in, buddies to chase, friends to hug, all of the sudden they had only me – overwhelmed with daily household chores that had been put on the back burner during “the holidays.”

"the tackle" photo credit: Gunārs L.

 

When we returned to Greenville after several years absence, a few friends went out of their way to make us feel comfortable and at home, welcoming us into playgroups and introducing us to other like-minded parents with children of similar ages. Our second goodbye came with the departure of one of those friends with her family for New Zealand, for the start of a new adventure. As they prepared to leave, packed and consolidated, we said goodbye; first there was the mom’s night out goodbye, the garage sale goodbye, then the Christmas brunch goodbye, the playdate goodbye… It is so very difficult to get closure but not extend goodbyes, and I found myself remembering our last weeks in Clermont with unease – saying goodbye was turning out to be harder on me than on my friend. It’s a selfish grief, stemming from that helpless and abandoned feeling from friends leaving you, with some jealousy mixed in, that it isn’t us headed to the storybook country. How to put aside all this selfishness and help our friends during the transition as they helped us? I’m afraid I failed miserably and barely managed to say goodbye without losing it completely… Sue, thanks for everything (including the bike which Lauris is getting tons of use out of!), and I wish you nothing but happiness and adventure on your journey.

Perfect sized mug for a cup of joe on a cold winter's day!

 

Then came saying goodbye to 2013, which honestly wasn’t that hard as it brought closure to an exciting year in addition to new visitors – my parents, all the way from Chicago. But they brought the final and hardest goodbye, as they got out of Dodge yesterday and headed back up north after taking an extra day or two to let the snow plows and tow trucks do their job. The house is empty and cold (literally and figuratively as South Carolina has been hit with the same cold front), and I’m having difficulties remaining optimistic not knowing when the boys/I will next see the grandparents/uncles/aunts/etc.

 

So, we jump into the mundane (the laundry, the grocery shopping, the chores of the New Year) and the not-so-mundane (the birthdays coming up require some attention…). We check in with the brother and sisters we didn’t see this holiday season, we wait to hear that the grandparents have made it home safe. And best of all, we plan. We dream about trips we might take, people we might see, places we would like to visit. We pencil in weekends on the calendar to travel and see family, and this is what eases the goodbyes; the house still feels empty and the boys are still a bit lost, but every time I pass my new bulletin board planning station I get excited about all the bonjours I’ll be saying in the coming year.

 

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First wheels!

(Such a depressing post on a happy day! Today we’re celebrating my husband’s birthday, and I would like to wish a big blog bon anniversaire to mon amour! May the next year bring you much happiness!)

Galette des rois - king cake!

Priecīgu zvaigznes dienu! We celebrated with a galette des rois, or “king cake” yesterday, as our guests are departing today for the cold and snowy north. Traditionally made to celebrate the Feast of Epiphany, the cake is popular in France during the holidays and was added to the list of family traditions during our time overseas. Some might associate galette des rois with New Orleans, where it was introduced by French and Spanish colonists and is enjoyed during Carnival, however in France it is served only several days before and after Epiphany.

As I explained in a previous post on this yummy dessert, there is a small figurine or trinket (the fève) baked into the cake – traditionally this item was a bean. The lucky person who gets the slice containing the fève is named king or queen for the day. Or, in our case, the fève remains in the uneaten portion and we get to try again the following day!

To prevent favoritism, the youngest member of the family sits under the table and calls out which person gets each slice, so that the person serving the cake cannot pass the slice with the fève knowingly to a certain person.

In Provence the King Cake is gâteau des Rois, made of brioche and candied fruits, whereas the rest of the country traditionally celebrates with the puff pastry and frangipane that we enjoyed. The recipe calls for almond meal to make the frangipane, but I have used almond flour (not as finely ground and available in many health food stores including Trader Joe's) and also almond butter (Whole Foods has a grind-your-own peanut butter section, that grinds roasted almonds without any additives).

I highly recommend taking the leftover puff pastry dough (the result of trimming the corners to make circles) and making little pīrāgi with Nutella inside. I put mine on the same pan as the king cake, and although a few burst open while baking, they were delicious.

To celebrate Epiphany with your very own king cake, you can either head to your local French bakery or follow this easy recipe, a variation on a recipe given to me by a friend in France that utilizes pre-made puff pastry that you can find in the frozen desserts section at your local grocery store. David Lebovitz just posted a delicious galette des rois recipe on his blog, but if you are looking for something simpler without the orange flower water and zest, try this. Don’t forget to remind your guests there is a fève hidden in the cake!

La galette des rois (king cake)

Ingredients:

1 package puff pastry, thawed

½ cup ground almond meal

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 egg

3 tablespoons butter, softened

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon all purpose flour

1 fève or fava bean (optional)

1 egg, beaten

1. Preheat oven to 425˚ F

2. Combine the almond meal, sugar, 1 egg, butter, vanilla extract and flour to form a smooth paste.

3. Roll out the puff pastry and cut out two large circles. Place one on a non-stick pan, and on it spread the frangipane mixture in an even layer, leaving a one inch border around the edge of the dough.

4. Hide the fève in the almond filling, and then place the second pastry circle on top, smoothing the air out from under. Press down firmly along the outer border to seal the two layers. Make a small hole in the middle of the galette so that the cake does not swell too much when cooking, and using the tip of a knife cut small slits into the top layer around the edge of the cake. Traditional galette des rois have a design etched into the top…

5. Beat the remaining egg, and brush over the top of the cake. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.

6. Allow the cake to cool for 20 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a cooling rack.

Serve with coffee and a crown!

Melding traditions on New Years

How things change! No longer is New Year’s Eve the thing of my youth, huge parties with friends from all over the US and Canada, live bands, glam dresses and fancy drinks. No, NYE is something completely different these days, much more sedate and calm. 2014 did not come with a bang for us, it was more of a slight draft that let me know the door had opened. At what point did I lose the will to party like it’s 1999, was it after Lauris was born, or even before then, once Roberts and I had gotten engaged? Because isn’t that what New Year’s Eve is all about, catching the eye of “that guy” and being the first to wish them a happy new year with a kiss?

Our celebration this year was more a mélange of traditions than it was a party, but I think that is what the close of 2013 called for. Finally recovered from the Christmas guests, we spent the day awaiting the arrival of my parents from Chicago. In the morning I put the grey peas in to soak, one of the main Latvian New Year’s traditions we keep. These particular peas are harder to find in the US, we usually get ours straight from Latvia by mail or traveling relative. They should be rinsed then soaked in cold water for 6-8 hours. Boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 1-2 hours, at which point they should be seasoned with salt and pepper and served with bacon and onions, or even leftover Christmas ham… Tradition has it, that the grey peas on one’s plate must be finished before the arrival of the New Year, because they symbolize the tears of that coming year. If all the “tears” have been eaten, there won’t be any left to cry…

On my trip to buy fruits and veggies in the morning, I noticed everyone in line ahead of me was sporting a big bundle of collards. It is southern tradition that on the first day of the New Year collard greens are eaten for “cash money” and black-eyed peas for change. One source thought this association of wealth in the coming year with collards is due to the resemblance of the leaves to folded money, but although there will surely be “greens” on the menu this January 1^st to bring us financial luck in the coming year, we’ll put off starting any new traditions for now – collards and grits are the two southern dishes I just can’t get into.

A global tradition that has made its way into our annual celebration is some sort of pyrotechnics. Although it is popular for Americans to light off all sorts of fireworks from little roman candles to giant NYE displays, my favorite since I was a little girl are the sparklers. We started off watching the neighbor boys light some more exciting stuff, but afterwards we had some fun with the small, yet magical light show more suited for their age.

Another Latvian superstition that might be more widespread than I know, is that the state of affairs during the transition to the New Year portends how things will be that coming year. For example if the house is clean, you’ll be able to keep a tidy home all next year. Be especially weary of having the laundry done, dishes washed and kitchen spotless. And if you sleep through the arrival of the New Year, why then you’ll sleep all year (you hear that Mikus?)! Putting things in order was slightly easier with my parents on the way (motivation to clean), but that was pretty much it for the Latvian customs. You can read about a few more of those in my post Happy 2012, like laimes liešana, the telling of the future by pouring molten lead into a bucket of cold water. We skipped the liquefied metals this year in favor of the iPhone app “laimes liešana” – not quite the same thing, but will do in a pinch.

I’ve always wanted to ring in the New Year in Times Square, but the one year I was in NYC December 31^st we welcomed the New Year at a burlesque show in Brooklyn. That, my friends is a story for another time, but this wish might explain why I love to watch the ball drop on TV. It serves a second purpose as well, as official timekeeper, otherwise you might miss the actual stroke of midnight (like during our celebration in France). Then, as is global custom, we raised a glass of bubbly upon the arrival of my parents and the New Year, which occurred in that particular order.

To start off 2014 right, we dined on a breakfast of plānās pankūkas. In the next few days some Rīgas šprotes (Rigas sprats) found their way onto our table, as well as Laimas chocolates “Vāverīte,” glazed wafer cake with crumbled hazelnuts. Let's hope 2014 continues in this vein...