Family Pizza Night:

“Dining with one’s friends and beloved family is certainly one of life’s primal and most innocent delights, one that is both soul-satisfying and eternal.” Julia Child

As much as I love food and the rhythm of a kitchen, my true love of food is rooted in who I share it with. This past week my family celebrated my dad’s birthday with a build your own pizza night. What I love about the concept of build your own pizza is that it gets everyone in the kitchen. Sure things might get a little chaotic and messy, but food cooked together tastes so much better than going it alone.

We had an unbelievable spread with enough toppings to cover each person’s specific pizza preference. From tomato sauce and pesto, to the classics of pepperoni and olives to the toppings that pushed the boundaries of pizza making such as figs, we had it all.

My new favorite pizza: spicy pineapple. Take your pineapple and sauté it with a dash of cayenne and red pepper flakes. Spread an even coat of tomato sauce on your dough, sprinkle mozzarella, throw a few pepperoni on if you so choose, and the next step is where the magic happens. Top the pizza off with your spicy pineapple and jalapeños. If you’re a lover of all things spicy then this is the pizza for you.

You know what’s funny about make your own pizza nights is that people’s true personalities come out through the ingredients they choose. What I love about the ability to personalize my own pizza is that it lets me be creative and come up with new and interesting combinations, whereas others will never stray from the classics, or there are those that will just throw every ingredient on the table on their pizza just hoping for the best.

SO what are you? Are you a tomato sauce kind of person or pesto all the way? A little secret, I was a NO sauce person when I was younger.

Sauce or no sauce, it’s the people at your table that matter. Sit down and share a slice tonight.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAPA!

Second Bar + Kitchen:

The new buzz around Austin is all about Second Bar + Kitchen. Located in Austin’s suave Second Street District and sister restaurant to Congress, Second provides an approachable experience to creative and dynamic dining. Just looking at the menu excites me. Second uses seasonal ingredients and local artisan products, such as artisan cheese from Antonelli’s Cheese Shop, to create a menu of diverse flavors and spins on American classics. From the chic industrial design to Monte Python playing above the bar, it’s hard not to have a fun and inspired dining experience.  

What immediately caught my eye was one of their signature cocktails, Gin + Jam. I am a gin lover. While I will always love a classic G&T or gin martini, I’m always looking for new ways to drink gin. And lucky me, with vintage cocktails making a comeback, it seems as if gin is back by popular demand! Handcrafting each cocktail with fresh fruits and juices (sour mix is not allowed on the premises) at Second, you can expect a good cocktail to be delivered. The Gin + Jam cocktail is just that, gin over ice with a spoonful of blueberry fennel jam. What’s great about this cocktail is that the jam is not too sweet, it simply brings a subtle fruitiness to the drink while allowing the earthy flavor of the gin to shine. But what’s more fantastic is the beautiful hue of purple the jam turns the cocktail, making it hard for anyone to resist this cocktail.

The cuisine at Second truly makes use of all the senses, making it a dynamic dining experience. From the texture component of a fried avocado atop the ceviche, to the artful display of veal meatballs in a cast iron skillet, one wonders what will come through the kitchen doors next.    

But let me back up, the veal meatballs . . . I honestly don’t know if I have words to describe them other than “to die for.” The tenderness of the veal makes these bite size meatballs melt in your mouth. The only complaint, the portion size: they were so delicious I wanted a mound of them on my plate!

 While Second is a great place for a full dining experience, Second also provides a great atmosphere for an after work happy hour. Enjoy some drinks and bites out on their wonderful outdoor patio. I would highly suggest ordering the blistered shishito peppers, a mild pepper that leaves a subtle burn running down your throat. The buffalo fried pickles also seem to be a popular menu item.

The masterminds behind Second Bar + Kitchen have truly thought of everything. From snacks to small plates that can be shared to full entrée large plates, there is something for everyone. Their dessert menu is just as dynamic and innovative as the dinner menu. And while it might be hard to even think about dessert after stuffing yourself with meatballs, well no worries just order one of their dessert bites. As a sweet lover, but often too full to order dessert, I think this is an ingenious concept. Their dessert bites allow you to finish your meal off with sweet decadence. Choose from oatmeal cookie sandwiches with foie gras buttercream or brownies with a smoked ganache and orange pop rocks. However, feeling more indulgent, go for a full plate of chocolate sticky toffee pudding with bacon ice cream. Let the sweet and savory combination transport you to another dimension.    

Second Bar + Kitchen, approachable dynamic dining and a new Austin must.