Tea.... a different way.

We have on hand at least three ways to brew coffee.  Today, let's look at the Percolator.

This thing works by heating water in a small chamber-like space, and squirting the boiling water up a tube to where it rains back down  through a basket full of coffee grounds.   It continues doing this until the whole pot is up to temperature, where upon a thermocouple trips and it switches over to just keeping the coffee hot.

Hey!  Them pipples in the 1800's were pretty schmart, ya know?

Anywho, my (Himself) folks used a percolator... because back then It Was The Way.  We use a percolator now because we like the coffee that comes out if it. It tastes traditional.  Strong, flavorful, and no apologies.

Yet, there is still room to think, learn, and grow.

Today, after the morning coffee is only a memory, we have re-purposed the percolator.  This afternoon, we make tea!

Three bottles of spring water, and three heaping tablespoons of Earl Grey loose tea.  Plug it in, and let 'er go.  As the house fills with the fantastic aroma of real Earl Grey black tea, we can almost taste the richness we'll have in 10 minutes or so.  Just in time, a nice cuppa with a dab of raw honey.  Tea so strong and full of flavor, it's almost stunning.

We buy our bulk tea mostly from Amazon, but there are many local shops too.  Any loose leaf tea will lend itself to being percolated, but be aware it must be a strong tea to stand up to the process.  Delicate herbal's may be smothered by the percolator, and are better left to being steeped a serving at a time with a tea ball.

This being a chilly day at the end of November, a cup of this tea by the fire is pure food for the soul, but what about during the Summer?

For Summer iced tea, using a percolator is a no-brainer.  Loading the basket heavy with loose tea, the same leaves can make three or four pots of tea in a row.  Blend the first strong tea with the weaker brews after it if you wish.

Using the percolator for iced tea is a snap, compared with brewing big pots of tea and straining the leaves out. I've gone so far as to line the percolator basket with bagged tea, in the iced tea making game.  It worked, but few bagged teas can hold a candle to a good dark English Breakfast blend.

Blackworth Live Fire Grill Lititz, PA

Saturday, we Dragons ventured forth to Lititz, hoping to revisit some old lairs.   That we did, but found a new one as well! The Blackworth Live Fire Grill.

A few years ago the old Wilbur Chocolate Factory was refaced and the interior remodeled. There are apartments on the backside, with shops and a restaurant on the front side. The restaurant is the Blackworth Live Fire Grill. We went for a Saturday Lunch and they were fortunately not swamped.  Still I could see how this place could get very busy.

Okay, we got lucky.  We were wandering down the street like a couple yabbo's gawking at all the shiny things, when we almost literally stumbled on the steps of this place.  Braving our fortune and pushing our luck, we went inside.  They did not.... and I repeat.... did NOT throw us out at once.  That speaks to their warmth and questionable judgement.  Let's just say we were dressed 'casually', and Blackworth sure does look purty inside!

They are tastefully decorated in brick and neutrals with soft and comfortable club chairs at round tables, and lots of windows. We were greeted by a jovial fellow, who asked if we wanted the lounge or dining area. We chose the lounge and are glad we did. You get to sit slightly above street level and watch the cars and people go buy. 

The chairs really were comfortable.  We always opt-out of bar stool seating whenever possible, and this is why.  Standard bar stools are just not comfy for a relaxing meal.  The chairs in their 'lounge' however were well padded barrel looking affairs straight out of the 1970's (IMHO).   We liked them!

We started with drinks. I had their Smoky Pom Pom. A blend of Mezcal, pomegranate juice, ginger beer, prosecco, and orange slice and pomegranate seeds. It was a little tart, a little spicy, and not too sweet. Honestly, the perfect brunch drink! It came in at $15.00.

Himself had a Founder ($15.00). That was a blend of Bulliet Rye, amaro, sweet vermouth, walnut bitters, and a luxcardo cherry. It looked lovely and the cherry I stole was delicious! 

We started with the warm olives for an appetizer and I am not sure I will ever enjoy olives cold again. Warming them completely changes the flavor profile. It helped that these were damn good olives. They were warm and briny, and well herbed. I honestly thought Himself was going to lick the bowl. He is a big olive fan. 

The main course came, and for that we went with the day's special. It was not on the regular menu. It was a turkey sandwich with lettuce and tomato, cheddar, tart cranberry relish and an herbed aioli. The gratin potatoes and the cornbread with honey butter came as separate sides.

The turkey sandwich ($12.00) was good! A soft butter roll, piled high with fresh cut white meat turkey breast. It could have done without the tomato. They are bland and out of season and it added nothing to the sandwich except to make it slippery. The cranberry spread was delicious and really pulled the sandwich together, in my opinion. It came with a pickle on the side.   A few things here.  The sammich, on arrival, looked about a foot tall.  A leaning tower of Sammich if you will.  On the plate with it, a quarter of a Kosher dill.

Now, that pickle was OUTSTANDING.  I loves me a good pickle!

That said, the sammich looked pretty lonely on the plate.   A great sandwich it was, except I 'smooshed' it a bit cutting it in two.  It might have been better served in plating by slicing it in the kitchen, and letting that cover some of the white space on the plate.

Yes, I know... I know..... 'Trendy' plating calls for isolated food to show off it's features.  But.... it looked lonely, you know?

It was worth every penny of the $12, but I would have happily paid $14 to see it come with chips as outstanding as the rest of the food was.  Like super crispy hand made chips.... MMMmmmm.

Their cornbread ($6.00) is served as individual little madeleines and it is sweet and dense. It is super moist and almost like corn pudding! It is served warm with a honeyed butter. There is a hint of spice on the back of the palate and was so delicious I likened it to a sexual experience. It was so, so GOOD!  

Their corn bread fingers WERE excellent, and as good as any corn bread I make at home.  I can swear I tasted red pepper bloomed in the wet ingredients just like I make.  That said, $2 per piece of cornbread... just a bit pricey perhaps.  I'd consider dropping the price of that appy a dollar, or adding value in some way.

Then there was the gratin potatoes ($12.00). On the menu it is described as "smoked gouda, truffle peelings, and thyme". In my pie-hole I can tell you it was described as "Holy cow this is AMAZE-balls! Stop trying to stab me with the fork and share!" It is rich and full of flavor and honestly could be a meal on it's own. 

The Gratin Potatoes.... oh man.  First of all, I can certainly see these on the 'sides' part of the menu, but the price ($12) should have clued me in.  They serve enough to make a side for three hungry people.  

The 'side' of Gratin Potatoes really belongs as an entrée, except the lunch menu doesn't show entree's.  Add a choice of diced ham or roast turkey, and I'd happily pay $15 for it as a main.

How did they taste?   To be honest, I wish I could make a gratin dish this good.   A humble potato and cheese dish elevated to eye rolling goodness.

There are a few things, I noticed about the restaurant that I feel I should point out.  While we were there for lunch and the staff was dressed low-key (read as jeans and button downs, or henleys, with man buns) this is definitely elevated casual dining.

The  menu is limited and a-la-carte, so going with multiple friends to share things and taste a couple different things would be a great idea! 

We decided we would share everything (olives, corn bread, gratin potatoes, and the sandwich), and were plenty satisfied. We did wind up bringing home some of the sandwich and potatoes as leftovers. 

This restaurant is not an inexpensive option. Drinks ran $15.00 each and the small dish of olives were $5.00. They do pride themselves on locally sourcing a lot of their food and beverage options and list those partnerships on the back of their menu, which is a nice touch.

Service was excellent and all in all it was a wonderful experience and I would 100% go back again. 

So how does Blackworth in Lititz fork up: 

5.0 Forks for flavor.
5.0 Forks for atmosphere
3.25  Forks for location. (Parking can be an issue, and if you weren't looking for it, you might struggle to find it! )
3.75 Forks for your value.
5.0 Forks for service. 

4.4  Total Forks Given

This one does not fork up badly at all! 

Savory Gourmet in Lititz..... They have moved and expanded!

 

Hoo boy , look who is back at it! Stumbling through adventures in fooding again. It is the two irascible dragons!

Like a lot of people COVID-19 slowed us down. We sat in our dragon's den with our hoarded books, cats, and Great British Baking Show and waited for things to pass. Himself made too much bread and I made too much bread pudding with bourbon sauce, in exchange. 

We got the dreaded jab and pokes as we saw fit and are now merging back into "normal" society.  Our break in food blogging was warranted, but we have missed sharing our food escapades with our reader(s). Yes, I am looking at you! That one lonely soul who actually enjoys our ramblings. We REALLY appreciate you. What else we really appreciate is some of the new (to us!) offerings Lititz has brought to the table. We will dig into Lititz with our next few blog posts! But first let's revisit an old friend in a new location! 

The Savory Gourmet, reviewed here before, has moved to a new larger location.  It was a real hike on our part to search out their new digs, but anything for a good cheese!

Okay, so seriously, Bill and Missy moved next door.  In fact, they swapped shops with their neighbor (who does something with fermented drinks I think) (It is Kombucha, something I have never tried and am frankly scared to!), and now have what looks like almost twice the space.

The new digs (Same steps!) allows them to spread out a bit, add some more significantly good treats, and accommodate the increased clientele. 

What hasn't change at all is the downright evil way they run their shop.   Listen to this.... this is how far they go.... They will let you taste all the cheese you want! 

Yeah, I know, right?  Who can stand up to that?  Those monsters!  If you show the slightest interest in the cheese they love, suddenly you are having samples thrust upon you with smiles and conspiratorial winks.  "If you like that, just try a bit of this!" (*insert sarcasm here* Oh yeah, they are such bullies!  I 100% saw them twisting your arm. HA! They are like honestly the nicest people alive, even if they are akin to my drug dealers of choice. Gimme all the cheeses, baby!)

Next we know, we are shaking hands and walking out with a bag full of astonishingly good cheese and rich little stars in our eyes as we contemplate the insanely satisfying snacking in our future.  

Today, the choices were difficult, but after many tastings and lots of expert advice from the Cheese Boss, we settled on several soft cheese's from France and Canada, an aged cheddar from Wisconsin, and a flavored goat cheese from North Carolina.  Two we bought already knowing what treasure they are, but the Brie and the semi-soft French goat cheese, for these we relied on Bill and Missy's guidance.

I'd be remiss in not pointing out that it's not a 'Cheese' shop, even though that's about as much as my addled foodie brain can deal with.

The Savory Gourmet has a wide ranging selection of things nobody else does.  Things that excite the pallet, and inflame the culinary soul. (The savory part is a wee bit of a fib too! They have some amazing sweet options as well: honeys, fruit jams, chocolates, nuts, and today I saw little cheesecake treats in the one refrigerator case)

Exotic meats from around the world are stored frozen in cooler after cooler lining the walls.  Oh, you wanted kangaroo?  No worries mate! Giraffe? Crocodile? Wild boar sausage?  Only the finest will do. Spice rubs, rare jams and jellies, amazing savory crackers, and more fill out the shelves.

The wizards who own the place can put you together whatever you need for a special meal, a romantic picnic, an impressive gift basket, or even what we do.... go home and Nom up all the goodness we can stand.

Tonight, we will be snacking our dinner with pears and warm Brie, apple splices with aged Cheddar, and a semi-sweet cranberry wine. Herself will also proudly wear the T-Shirt we purchased today with pride. 

One of the things I want to reiterate about my love of this shop, is that no matter your foodie level experience, if you go in and ask for guidance you will leave knowing a little more and have a smile on your face. Bill and Missy and the people that work for them, all take such pride and joy in the work they are doing and the knowledge they are sharing. You always feel like you are chatting with friends. People young and old walk in their doors and are all treated the same and given samples of their drug of choice....CHEESE...glorious cheese! 

Some images from today's visit: