Bacon Pancakes

This is super easy to make and tastes delicious! Just cook off a few strips of bacon prior to making the pancake batter. Let it cool and then crumble the bacon. Make the pancake batter (any boxed mix will do) and dump the crumbled bacon inside. With a bit of butter and syrup, your pancakes will be sweet and savory! Every bite will have salty bits of bacon with sugary syrupy goodness. Amazing!

Health Nut

Tofu over stir fry veggies.

Terrapins

Over the Xmas holidays I was down in Virgina Beach, VA and I had the chance to dine at one of my favorite restaurants: Terrapins. The first time I went with my good friends Missy and Matt and the second time I went with my parents. Both times I forgot to take pictures of all the dishes. (What's wrong with me? I'm slippin' up!)

However - thanks to the internet I was able to find a few photos for you so that you can have some understanding of what my delightful gastronomic adventures looked like.

We begin with the first courses:

My dad had the MUSHROOM RISOTTO with local & wild mushrooms, fresh thyme

white truffle oil & parmigiano-reggiano. I took a bite (even though I HATE fungus - and I actually liked it!) Truffle oil makes everything amazing!

I had the TRUFFLE MAC & CHEESE with Vermont extra sharp white cheddar & black truffle. I convinced my mom to try it too and she loved it! Some other dishes worth noting but not featured here are Matt's PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND MUSSELS in a green curry & coconut milk broth. Delish!

For dinner, I had the BRANDT "ALL NATURAL" NY STRIP with truffle & Parmesan french fries, local seasonal broccoli rabe and thirty five year old emiliana balsamic drizzle. It was amazing! Both my parents had the same thing - they were not disappointed! BTW - truffle oil and Parmesean french fries? OMG! Where have you been all my life?! Some other dishes not shown here but consumed by us were Matt's Colorado Lamb: pan seared lamb chop loin, cauliflower puree, lemon roasted peewee potatoes, apple cider-mint sauce, smoked chile oil. Also. the second time I went I had the LOCAL ROCKFISH with pee wee potatoes, crispy pancetta, fried sage, collards & whole grain mustard sauce. Missy had the FENNEL POLLEN SPICED SEA SCALLOPS: local dave & dee's oyster mushrooms, wild mushrooms,oven dried tomato, sea beans, & truffle pan sauce.

I had a spoon for dessert - and with it I used it to taste some of everyone's desserts. This was the CHOCOLATE TURTLE: rich valrhona chocolate & caramel cream, warm butter caramel, toasted pecans, tahitian vanilla bean gelato & turtle tuile.

THE MACAROON dark chocolate mousse, rich fudge brownie, crispy french macaroon, sour cherry spoon sauce & pistachio gelato.