PB&J Burger at Victory Brewing- Parkesburg, Pa.

That creation above is a peanut butter and jelly cheeseburger with bacon and jalapeño rings on a sesame bun with house made pub chips. Yes, I said peanut butter and jelly. I saw this on the menu at the new Victory brewpub in Parkesburg and just had to try it. While the combination seems odd, the flavors blended perfectly to create a nice balance of taste. The peanut butter somewhat muted the heat of the peppers and the jelly added to the saltiness of the bacon. 

I paired it with a Sour Monkey, a Belgian Triple, which further added an interesting flavor note. The tart, sour taste went well with the burger. 

Oskar Blues Brewing

I came across what is one of my new favorite breweries, Oskar Blues. They are out of Colorado, but they have a brewery in Brevard, NC and when I am in my Wilmington home I do try to drink only North Carolina beers. My other favorites are Natty Greene's and Highland, as well as the eight local microbreweries within a twenty minute drive of my house.

My favorite is the Blue IPA which has just the right amount of hoppiness and a nice clean taste. I tried the new Pinner, flavored with mango and it was good. The real surprise was the coconut porter which had a slight coconut taste that didn't overpower a good porter. 

They have a few more brews, including Dale's Pale Ale that I know I can get in New York so I can have them in the other house as well. 

Bitty & Beau's Coffee- Wilmington, NC

Bitty & Beau's is a cool coffee shop located in an extinct Hummer dealership on New Centre St. The inside has been very tastefully done up in black, white, and grey with wooden tables. You get the feel of a large open space with a modern look.

The coffee is good, in fact very good. They have some nice pastries, as well as some sandwiches. Leaving it here, it would be a nice coffee shop. However, there is much more to Bitty & Beau's that make it a special place indeed.

You see, it is a not for profit company whose mission is to provide employment for developmentally disabled adults. This gives these fine people an income, and more importantly, a sense of purpose. When you go in everyone seems so happy to be working there and they take an immense pride and joy in their work. We could all take a valuable lesson from them.

Stop by sometime and see for yourself. In the meantime check out their website for more information, and check out some of the videos and press. We need more places like this.

Cast Iron Kitchen- Wilmington, NC

Cast Iron Kitchen is on Market Street, across from the Walmart in Ogden. The decor is modern Southern rustic and they are only open for breakfast and lunch. After looking over the menu I went with the chicken and waffles for $8.95 and got a side of fried green tomatoes for another $3.75. Teresa ordered the Southern breakfast for $7.25 and substituted potatoes for the grits. 

There were two large, homemade, chicken tenders that were crispy, flavorful, and moist in the middle sitting on two very nice waffles. add in a few pieces of fruit and granola with a bit of fig jam and it was delightful. The fried green tomatoes were quite nice as well. Teresa enjoyed her breakfast and we had some good coffee with the meals. 

Overall, a nice experience with excellent food at reasonable prices, good service, and a pleasing atmosphere.