May-June 2016
This travelling Summer Foodie is back on the road with my wonderful, hardworking husband, Bobby. I am still waiting for his company to send him some place exotic, like Brasil or Dubai. In the meantime, I have been fortunate to travel to beautiful states such as Tennessee, Ohio, and Kentucky.

Most recently, I met up with my hubby in Cincinnati and spent eight days visiting museums, street scenes, and historic sites. As it was Memorial Day Weekend, we spent Sunday at the Newport Aquarium, followed by lunch along the river at Mitchell’s, a restaurant in the Landry group. We were married on Memorial Day weekend, so we make it a habit of celebrating the date, the day, the nights — really, we do celebrate our life together each and every day, but I don’t want to make you gag! After all, this is about food and life, but I do want you to be able to keep your food down.

Oysters, of course, for Bobby, followed by a seafood trio of shrimp, scallops, and salmon. I pordered the cedar planked salmon with goat cheese on a bed of grilled veggies. With all that, and craft cocktails, diod we need dessert? No, but our gracious hostess and waitress sent out vanilla bean creme brulee, gratis. Hog heaven. Soo-ey! Great views of the Ohio side of the river (Ohio) and the foot/traffic bridges that many locals cross by foot to frequent restaurants and happenings in downtown Cincinnati or OTR (Over the Rhine area).

On Saturday, we ate our way through Taste of Cincinnati. We weren’t really impressed until we happened upon Alfio’s (Italian-Argentine cuisine) booth; the brisket and 5-cheese ravioli was a giant housemade puff of pasta crammed with shredded beef reminiscent of my Grandma Dearie’s “gravy beef,” marscapone, romano, mozzerella, ricotta (?), and parmesan (?). I hope memory serves  me on the cheeses, but marscapone was definitely present. We walked by the booth to tell them how great their food is, and Scott introduced himself and thanked us profusely for our feedback. If I return to Cincy this summer, I hope we can make time to visit onsite for dinner.

RECIPE TIP: When Bobby and I cook fresh fish, we soak cedar planks overnight so they won’t catch fire and burn. We rub the fish with different salts and spice mixes of hubby’s fabrication. A lifelong fisherman, Bobby will tell you there are few restaurants that cook fish well, meaning not overcooked and dried. Once the fish loses its glossy opacity, pull it off the heat!