July 31, 2014

1st FXBG Sandwich Invitational

Last week, I read in the local paper about an event called the 1st FXBG Sandwich Invitational.  This was right up my alley.  I wanted to go and try all the little sammiches from local town eateries.  
I paid $25 for my ticket.  I couldn't wait to go.  The tickets sold out.  (250)  The event was this evening.

I left from work and walked to the park where the event was being held.  It was just a few blocks away.  I arrived about 20 minutes before the gate opened.  I waited with all the other early foodies who were eager to try the food.  Here's some of the places still setting up.

Right at 6pm, the gate opened and we all went in to try the food.  I went to the back to start.  I wanted to try FoodE first.  I found it and then got in line.  There were only 2 people ahead of me.

I found an empty chair with a married couple.  They were really nice.  I asked if I could sit with them and they said yes.  :)


Pork Slider
Ginger Basil Lemonade


"Krustenbraten Slider" 

Pretzel bun
Braised pork belly
horseradish
crispy onions


Mini Meatloaf Sandwich
Mint Sweet Tea



"Big Bad Wolf Burger"



Slow smoked pulled pork, baked brie, broc slaw, with a coffee bourbon reduction.





Pretzel Bun
Pork

Presentation was awesome.  I did have to wait a while in line for this to be prepared.


Judges table

Live Band

Some of the crowd.



"Katmandu Sandwich"

Homemade Croissant
Tender Roasted Chicken
Peach Ginger Tea



Mexican Wrap Sandwich
Carrot, pineapple juice



"Maui Wowi Sandwich"

VA Baked Ham
cheese
Pineapple Jam

Paul's Bakery and Sprelly"

Spronut  (left)




Blackstone Coffee Company was giving out samples of their teas.

They also offered some food samples.

Cuban Slider
Lemon Zucchini Bread

The popcorn bag gave out some samples too.  I didn't stop there.
There were other vendors set up too but I didn't check them out.

Everything was tasty and it was so fun.  I don't know how Padma does it eating and trying all sorts of food on Top Chef.  I was so stuffed by the time I left.  WHEW!  :)

I had 2 favorites.  FoodE and Sprelly.  I walked up to the judges table and dropped my vote tag into a jar.   I voted for my favorite sandwich, which was FoodE but Sprelly was a very close 2nd.

I then walked back to the station to my car.  Here's another picture of the park as I was walking by.

I'm happy to say the FoodE won!!!  And people's choice ended up going to Sprelly.   Yay!!  My top 2 won!  :)  FoodE got a check for $750 for being 'Sandwich King' and Sprelly won $500 for "People's Choice".  I hope this is done again in the future.  It would be fun to go with friends next time.

July 28, 2014

New Things Monday

New Things Monday, is where I try something new and then talk about it every Monday.  Today's item is "Snapea Crisps" by Harvest Snaps.

(Image taken from google images)

I got the black pepper kind.  I tried one and I liked it.  I had my husband try them and he liked them as well.  They kinda taste like cheetos to me but they don't leave your fingers orange.  haha  They are baked, less fat and sodium, more fiber, gluten-free, and NON-GMO.  There's other flavors to chose from.....lightly salted, caesar, and wasabi ranch.  Also looks like there's lentil snaps in tomato basil or onion thyme.  I might need to try the tomato basil.

July 27, 2014

Garden Update: Week 23

It's week 23 of my garden.
Here's the container garden this morning.  It was very cloudy and rainy.

Let's see.....this week I picked 2 yellow toms.  One was splitting but I still ate it.  :)

I picked 5 chili peppers.  I gave them to a co-worker.  He said he's going to hang them and let them dry out and then crush them up.  

Here's a pretty zucchini blossom with a happy little bee.

My spaghetti squash, I picked last week had a ugly white worm (gourd worm?) in it when I cut into it and I noticed some small holes on the bottom.  I was highly disappointed.  I threw the whole thing out.  The worm made me want to gag.  Gives me shivers thinking about it.  BLECH!!!!  
I do still have this spaghetti squash growing though.  I hope it ripens for us to eat and without worms.

I turned it over so the other side can get some sunlight.  So far there's nothing but dirt on it.  I will keep an eye on it.

My cucumbers should be ready in a few days.

This is my latest sunflower earlier in the week.

Here it is this morning with some pollinators.

I have a few more that will be popping soon.

And another....with an ant.

I planted some other sunflowers later and they are in the garden.  They seem to look different that the other ones I've been growing even though the seeds were from the same packet.  I need to stake it b/c it keeps falling over.


I have some more roses on my rose bush.  The rose from last week has since died and been plucked.

I have a new eggplant growing.  So exciting!!  :)

A new pea flower.  Peas are seriously so easy to grow.  If you're thinking about trying to start a garden I would recommend that you start with peas.  :)

I saw a little pea pod that looked like it was going to explode so I picked it.

The pea inside was huge....and I ate it.  :)

My beef stake tomato plant is looking horrible and brown.  I talked to a friend at work who does a lot of gardening and she suggested picking the tomatoes off the plant to save them from rotting and then just letting them ripen in a window sill.  I did just that.  I picked all the tomatoes off.  (I left a teeny tiny one)

Here's all the tomatoes I picked.  8 total.

I put them in the kitchen window so they would ripen from the sun.

Just a few days later........This is what they look like.  (this morning)  Most are red already.  :)

I decided to do some cleaning up in the garden this evening.  I cut off old dead leaves and just tidied up the deck.  I gave each plant attention and love and inspected for bugs.  When I was cleaning the tomato plant I accidentally cut the branch that had some new healthy green growth.  :(  
We'll see if it does anymore growing.  It's probably done now.

While cleaning up the dead sunflowers I noticed a seed that had fallen onto the deck.

I inspected the sunflower and saw another seed that was poking out.  I was happy to see the seed.  I never thought about saving any of the seeds from the sunflowers I grew.  I guess I didn't realize how many seeds the sunflower held.  This was my first sunflower that I ever grew from seed so it makes sense to save some of the seeds.  :)

Here's the head of the sunflower.

I peeled back the petals exposing more seeds.

I then picked all the petals and brushed my garden gloved hand over the middle of the head of the sunflower.  Look at how there's still yellow pollen all fluffed up on the flower.

This is all the seeds I collected.

I can't wait to plant these next year.  I might plant these in ground in a row.  We'll see.

I put the seeds in a ziploc bag.  I will add them to my seed bank.

Here's the container garden all cleaned up.  :)