Stella's

If you like Greek food and you're looking for a current hot spot in Richmond, I highly recommend checking out Stella's.  Stella's reopened a few months back and since then I've heard nothing but rave reviews from my friends.  I was there on Tuesday night and the restaurant was filled people and it appear that everyone was thoroughly enjoying themselves.  If you're not willing to take your chances and possibly sit at the bar, they do take reservations online.  The atmosphere was warm and very inviting and appeared to be the perfect place to not only grab dinner or brunch but you could easily meet up with some friends for a drink.  The menu mainly consisted of traditional greek goodies but there were a few items that vary away from what I call traditional.  I always go for the basics when trying a new restaurant and I wasn't disappointed...the food was delish!  We ate at the bar and the server was very attentive towards our needs and she did a great job of making suggestions of both food and wine.  We started the meal by splitting the baby endives and the Avgolemono (Traditional, Greek egg lemon soup with chicken & rice).  I loved the addition of citrus to the endives and the feta rounded the flavor perfectly.  My only disappointment with the meal was the  soup...simply put, it was lacking in the amount of flavor that I desire. For the main meal, we decided to split the Pikelia plate with my friend, which consisted of  Pork souvlaki, tiropita, spanakopita, kreatopita, dolmades, served with tzatziki.  My 2 favorite dishes of the night were without a doubt the souvlaki and the tiropita.  The souvlaki actually melted in your mouth.  The tiropita was hands down the best that I have ever tasted.  It was the perfect ratio of cheese and phyllo.  There are several items including but not limited to the moussaka and the braised lamb shank that I am anxious to try and I look forward to going there again soon.     

Looks can be deceiving...

When starting this blog, I vowed to myself that I would post both the good and the bad experiences that occur in my world of food/drink.  I have been baking my whole life and while I am thankful that most of my recipes turn out...it isn't always the case.  This post will show that looks can be deceiving.  I attempted to make from scratch cheesecake last week.  I've used this recipe numerous times with no issue but this time, I missed a very important detail....bring the cream cheese to room temperature.  The taste was perfect but the consistency was a bit chunky, which was very disappointing but it shows the importance of thoroughly following baking instructions.  There is a difference between cooking and baking and the difference is how accurate you have to pay attention to the recipe.  Baking is an exact science, not to be altered.  I will make this recipe again, very soon and I am hopeful that it will be successful this time.  If successful on my next attempt, I will post the recipe.       

All about Cast Iron



I can't believe how long its been since the first Dishing with Dawn and I've yet to post on the night!  Shame on me and I promise to post more frequently, starting now! 





I had the best time during the first DWD .  The evening was my idea of perfection filled with my favorites- good food, good company and good wine.  When reviewing the night, I quickly picked up on its unsung star...the cast iron skillet.  Each dish made during DWD was created in this extremely versatile pan so I'm going to review some important tips to keep in mind when using a cast iron skillet:

Shrimp and Grits

Today's cast iron skillets can be found pre-seasoned, which omits the difficult step of seasoning the pan.  I recommend the brand Lodge Logic, which can be found locally at Pleasant's Hardware.

Cast iron takes longer to warm than other surfaces but retains heat remarkably well and diffuses it evenly.

Do not attempt to boil water in the skillet, this will cause the pan to rust.

Never apply soap to a cast iron skillet.  Cast iron is porous, and these pores are sealed with cooking oils. Not only does this create the non-stick surface and prevent rust, the "seasoning" of the pan adds flavor to your food.

Although the heat of cast iron cookware will kill any germs, I always clean my skillet using ONLY hot water and elbow grease using a cloth, nylon scrubby, or other very mild scrubbing tool. 

Never place the skillet in the dishwasher. 

Clean the pan while it is still somewhat hot from cooking, dry thoroughly and lightly grease using oil or bacon grease to prevent rusting.

To protect against rusting, store the skillet with the lid off. 



Blackberries simmering in skillet for the cobbler



Please feel free to ask questions, request recipes or give feedback.  Stay tuned for upcoming tips and recipes and as always, Happy Dishing!

Hello and welcome to my blog!  I am a firm believer that good food coincides with good company.   This belief led me to my new endeavor, Dishing with Dawn.  "DWD" is an evening shared with good friends, good food and good wine!  The concept is simple: recipes, tips and wine pairings will be shared during the cooking presentation with the finished product to be enjoyed by all attendees. 

 I have been cooking with and for my friends for as long as I can remember.  My love for cooking began when I was merely 4 years old.  I have vivid memories of helping Grandma fry chicken, can veggies and "help" make her famous biscuits that she made twice a day, every day.   Yes, my Grandma was a true Southerner.   To this day, I love reading cookbooks, sharing recipes with family/friends and attempting to replicate restaurant menu items.  I love cooking classic comfort cuisine and baking but I also enjoy challenging myself by attempting healthier dishes, Italian, Thai, Mexican and French cuisine. 
 
This week's menu:
Fresh Caprese Salad with Fried Okra
Shrimp and Cheesy Grits
Skillet Blackberry Cobbler
 
DWS's blog will include recipes that are tried and true, new recipes that are attempted, cooking tips and failed attempts, kitchen must-haves, restaurant recommendations and anything else that brings good food and people together.  Happy Dishing!!!