Goody Goody Omelet House, Wilmington, NC

Goody Goody Omelet House is a small, unassuming place on Market Street in Wilmington, NC and I've heard some good things about them. I've been meaning to stop by for quite some time and finally got the chance when I was passing by with a friend and we decided we were hungry.

It was about eleven on a Saturday morning and every seat was full except for a table they were cleaning off. We grabbed the table and looked over the menus. When the waitress came we ordered coffee and we both got the omelet with swiss cheese and sausage at $6.97. We had a few choices for sides and ordered the hash browns, shredded with toast. While we waited, it wasn't a long wait, a line was beginning to form by the door with people waiting for a seat. I took that as a sign that the food was good.

The omelets were very good. Nice and fluffy, large, and packed with fresh sausage and cheese. The hash browns were more like a potato pancake and perfectly cooked. The coffee was good too. Everything was just right and we left full. Yeah, that sign was right, it's a nice homey place with good food at good prices. I can see why they were crowded.

They've been there since 1977 and the same people still own it, in fact the owner was working the register. They are only open from six in the morning until two in the afternoon and they close at one on Sunday. They take cash too, no credit cards. They have a website for more information.

Tomato Cafe, Fishkill, NY revisited

We were here in June and had a great experience so we decided to try them again today. Well, they certainly lived up to my expectations and we had a great meal with very good service. Here is the link for the original review.

Chocolate Ribs recipe

To continue with the theme of cooking with chocolate let's look at chocolate and coffee ribs. This is a tasty way to experiment.

First, start with a rack of ribs. I used beef ribs for this one, but I think pork would do better.

For the rub- Take two tablespoons of brown sugar, one tablespoon of cayenne pepper, one tablespoon of paprika, one tablespoon of coffee grounds (expresso would work nice here), two tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa, a dash of salt and a dash of pepper.

Coat the ribs and leave them overnight in the fridge, covered of course.

Now get the grill going and cook the ribs using indirect heat until they hit about 150 degrees for beef or 165 for pork. The time will depend on your grill. Just be careful not to overcook the beef ribs, or to undercook the pork ribs. The chocolate gives a subtle flavor and seems to temper the heat of the cayenne. Feel free to experiment with this and let me know how it works out. I'll be experimenting myself and I'll update as I do.

Chocolate Chili recipe

If you think chocolate goes with everything, you're right. This is true of chili too and this is easy to make. Okay, I didn't use the grill for this one, but I could have put the pot there just as well as using the range.

Take about a pound of ground beef, with a bit of salt, and cook it in the frying pan. Drain and put on a chopping board. Chop the beef fairly fine and transfer to a pot.

Dice a medium hot pepper and half of a sweet red pepper and throw in.

Next, add a small can of black beans, drained of course, and add about two-thirds of a medium can of crushed tomatoes.

One tablespoon of paprika, a half tablespoon of cayenne pepper (less if you want less heat), and three tablespoons of cocoa powder.

Cook for about an hour on low heat, covered, and there you are.

Escargots with wine recipe

Escargots with wine

I don't do my snails in shells as it doesn't make sense. Think about it, you take a snail and remove it from it's shell. Next you clean it and prepare it in a shell not its own. When done you remove it from the shell to eat. Too much work. Better to simply eat them with a spoon from a dish.

Ingredients

One can of snails

Half stick of butter

Three garlic cloves (diced)

¼ cup fresh parsley (chopped)

One small shallot (diced)

One cup red wine (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir. Save the rest of the bottle for dinner)

Two tablespoons breadcrumbs (Panko would do nicely)

Open the can of snails, drain and rinse well with cold water and pat dry. Place the snails and the wine in a small bowl and add the minced garlic, shallots and chopped parsley. Cover and marinate for two hours in refrigerator.

Place the snails in a small oven safe dish and pour in the marinade. Cut the butter into pats and spread on top. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top and bake at 450 degrees for twelve to fifteen minutes. They are done when the butter is boiling.

Eat with fresh bread and make sure to soak up that delightful wine and butter sauce. Have a glass of the wine you used in the preparation while eating.

Feel free to vary this recipe as you like. I'm going to add a touch of citrus the next time with some orange zest.

Steak Sandwich from Rosy Tomorrows in Danbury