Stone-Ground Grits and Nora Mill Granary

Nora Mills Granary Storefront

Nora Mill Granary Storefront

Grits are a Southern classic, made from ground corn kernels and simmered until they get thick and creamy. While usually served for breakfast, grits can also be presented as a side dish, or as part of a main course for lunch or dinner (for example, in shrimp and grits).

The most flavorful grits—way better than instant grits—are stone-ground grits. I was first introduced to stone-ground grits in college when my mother-in-law sent me a bag. My husband and I weren’t big grit eaters at the time; we had mostly eaten instant grits while backpacking, so we imagined grits as more or less a bland texture or base. read more

Banana Mocha Chocolate Chip Muffins

Banana Mocha Chocolate Chip Muffins

Banana Mocha Chocolate Chip Muffins

I always like to start the weekend off with a nice breakfast. There’s something quite satisfying about having a leisurely breakfast, in which you can really appreciate the food. This weekend I made banana mocha chocolate chip muffins, and they were wonderful.

I got the recipe from The Cheese Board: Collective Works, which is an amazing cookbook featuring recipes from The Cheese Board–a much-loved pizzeria, bakery, and cheese shop in Berkeley, California. While I haven’t visited the physical store, I have recreated many of their famous baked goods at home with the help of this cookbook. I highly recommend it for those who like to bake and love the smell of fresh bread! read more

Breakfast on the Wall – Game of Thrones Style

Breakfast on the Wall, Game of Thrones

It’s about time that I introduce some otherworldly cuisine on Flavorful Journeys and what better place than Westeros—the primary setting for George R.R. Martin’s epic A Song of Ice and Fire series and the popular Game of Thrones HBO television series. Here’s a little insight into The Wall for those not familiar with the series:

***Forewarning this comes from Season 3, Episode 6 and may contain spoilers***

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuGr7pdaRmg

As you can see the Wall is an inhospitable frozen fortification, monumental in size and scope. The Night’s Watch guard the Wall and man do they have it rough. read more