Fathers day brunch: The Market: Italian Village

Carrie took me to brunch for Father's day since the kids aren't with us. I decided on a restaurant we've been wanting to try for months, The Market: Italian Village.

They were fairly full when we arrived for our one o'clock reservations but we were quickly seated.  The Market is a classic small market/bottle shop, with coolers and shelves of wine along the outer walls, and a deli counter in back by the kitchen.  They atmosphere was friendly and warm, and we'll likely be back soon.

We started with bacon wrapped dates, today filled with blue cheese and plated on top of an espresso creme and maple syrup.  Damn they were good. I could have eaten 20-30 and called it good but there were other temptations on the menu.

My main course was Biscuits and gravy, which today was lamb sausage gravy over za'atar seasoned savory biscuits. Amazing flavor and seasoning in the gravy, and nice crunchy biscuits with great flavor and soft centers. Maybe the best gravy I've ever had over biscuits.

In all it was a great meal with my beautiful wife, and a new favorite restaurant to add to our go-to list here in Columbus. 

It's Tuesday, so of course I found brunch on a downtown food truck in Columbus, OH

In the category of "it's a small world" we have today's lunch.I was out for a walk exploring downtown Columbus, Ohio and spotted a food truck in a parking lot down a side street.You know how I love food trucks, so I had to at least see what they had to offer.

Turns out the truck is owned and run by a Portland native who graduated from Western Culinary back in the last of the classes before it was sold to Le Cordon Blue.  He calls his truck "Broke Johnny's" and he just bought it a few weeks ago, but if he keeps serving breakfast like this he's going to have to change the name because he won't be broke for long.

I had a chance to try two items from his menu today his breakfast sandwich and what he tells me has become his signature dish, the Ham and Cheese waffle.

The breakfast sandwich from Broke Johnny's

​The breakfast sandwich is simple perfection. Thin sliced ham is thrown onto the flattop to heat up and get some caramelization. It's thrown onto toasted sourdough or marble rye, with a nice medium egg and American cheese. The beauty is in the quality of the ham and a perfectly cooked egg that is just a little runny making mayonnaise unnecessary.

Broke Johnny's Ham & Cheese Waffle  

The master stroke though was the Ham & Cheese Waffle.  A perfectly crisped waffle is spread with whipped butter then topped with cheese, chunks of fried ham, and then smothered in Johnny's bacon-bourbon sauce with big chunks of bacon.  The combination is truly amazing.  If I hadn't already had the breakfast sandwich he tells me that it's even better when you have a nice egg over the top of it (and what brunch isn't).

If you're in Columbus, track him down and give his brunch truck a try.   

Dinner Time - Kentucky French Toast with Bourbon Candied Bacon

I wanted something warm and tasty for dinner tonight, and started thinking about new ways to cook bacon.  Once I decided on candying it with bourbon and brown sugar I started thinking about what to cook with it.  Eggs and pancakes seemed to easy.  I decided on a bourbon and cream french toast that I am calling Kentucky French Toast.  Freaking amazing!  Give this little taste of fatboy heaven a try!

Bourbon and Brown Sugar Bacon

Sometimes bacon needs a little dressing up, like when it is served for dinner. This is a simple way to change it up and still get the salty fatty goodness that only bacon can provide.

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INGREDIENTS

• • 1 lb Bacon
  • 2 oz Bourbon
  • 1/2 cup Brown Sugar

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INSTRUCTIONS

• 1. Preheat oven to 350
  2. Mix bourbon and brown sugar to thick paste
  3. lay our full slices of bacon on baking sheet lined with parchment paper
  4. spread brown sugar mixture over bacon
  5. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes until bacon is crisp but not burnt

Kentucky French Toast

I saw a recipe for Irish Toast on AllRecipes.com and decided to change it up with my favorite cooking bourbon instead of irish whiskey.

YIELD

 6 servings

ACTIVE TIME

 5 mins

TOTAL TIME

 50 mins

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INGREDIENTS

• • 1 (16 ounce) loaf French bread
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 fluid ounce Bourbon whiskey
  • 3 fluid ounces half and half
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tbs pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/4 cup butter
  •  confectioners' sugar for dusting

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INSTRUCTIONS

• 1. Cut the bread into 12 slices. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, bourbon, half and half, and vanilla extract until well blended.
  2. Heat some of the butter in a skillet over medium heat until the butter is hot and the foam has disappeared. Press each bread slice into the egg mixture, then fry in the hot skillet until nicely browned on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Add more butter to skillet as needed. Brush each slice with butter, and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

Bacon Night! - Alsatian Pork and Kraut

Alsation Pork with Sauerkraut

An amazing one pot meal. A great combination of flavors and textures that will please everyone in your house. Prep takes a bit, but the results make it all worth it.  The sugar and aples take away all of the sourness usually found in kraut, and leave a nice soft flavor from the fermentation.  

Come on, how many dishes have Pork, Bacon, Sausage, and fermented cabbage?  This is a great dish, and makes for amazing leftovers as well.

You can find the recipe here.