July 27, 2011

BBQ at The Pit & Book Recommendations, Please!

54 comments

Hello friends!

Matt is doing well after his wisdom teeth surgery yesterday! Well, you know, as well as you can after having 4 teeth pulled out. Thanks for the recipes/meal ideas — I fed him smoothies (no straw!), green veggie juice, yogurt, ice cream, veggie broth, and chocolate milk yesterday and today we’re graduating to oatmeal, mashed potatoes/cauliflower, cold soup, etc. He was hilarious yesterday after coming out from the anesthesia — apparently told the nurse to “look for the really pretty blonde” in the waiting room when they asked how to find who he was with, haha. He also asked about 400 times if he could have his teeth. We told him the tooth fairy had stolen them 😉

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Hehe.

Thankfully, we had a good weekend of eating before his surgery! Matt’s parents were in town visiting/helping Matt’s brother Chris and his wife Jess move, and they took the four of us out to dinner on Saturday and Sunday nights. On Saturday we went to an AMAZING place in Chapel Hill called Elaine’s on Franklin (so wish I had brought my camera), and on Sunday we hit The Pit in Raleigh for BBQ!

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I love me some BBQ, and this place was really good! Although I have to say my BBQ loyalties still lie with Kansas City BBQ — it’s seriously the best 🙂 (Fun fact — I was born in Kansas! I only lived there for less than a year, but went back a couple times after college because my family was living there again.)

Anyway, I had the collard green, baked beans (LOVE), and pulled pork. Delicious!

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The baked beans included black beans and kidney beans, which was fun and unique I thought.

Matt got the collard greens, cheesy bacon grits, and RIBS — don’t these look insanely intense?!

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Um, yeah. We had some serious leftovers.

The best part of my meal, however, had to be this skillet pumpkin cornbread that we got as an appetizer. The BBQ was good, but this was INSANE.

006 Dear awkward lighting — thanks for making my photos not cute

I seriously ate half of the cornbread myself. Must try to recreate this at home!

Delicious dinner. Thanks to Matt’s parents for treating us all weekend 🙂

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—

I’m off to my very last day at my public health summer dietetic internship (today we’re teaching a pickling canning class!)! To celebrate the arrival of my 3 week summer break, I just bought a bunch of new books to enjoy. The one I’m most excited about is The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom. I hear it’s awesome! Have any of you guys read it? (Gina, I know you have — thanks for the recommendation!)

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What are your favorite books lately? I’m always look for good ones and you guys give great recommendations! On my last book-related post (My Recent Favorite Books from earlier this year — check it out!), you all recommended “The Help” by Kathryn Stockett and “American Wife” by Curtis Sittenfeld, both of which I absolutely loved. Thank you!

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Before I go, I have two announcements:

Have a wonderful Wednesday, friends!

- anne

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54 comments
  • Hi Anne! This is my first time commenting on your blog, but I've been reading it for a while :) Right now I am reading The Violets of March by Sarah Jio, it's awesome! I also recently finished A Friend of the Family by Lauren Grodstein, which I should be posting a review about on my blog soon!
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    • I just finished Violets of March based on Jenna's recommendation, and was going to pass the rec along - good book! I'll second Immortal Life of Henrietta Lack, too. Another good book I read awhile aog is Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer, and if you haven't read My Life in France by Julia Child, it's a must for a food-lover!
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  • That looks like a fancy BBQ place. I mean, you ate off real plates and everything! If you ever get a chance you should check out Prissy Polly's in Kernersville, NC (right near W-S). It's about as down home as they get (with a table of free Bibles as soon as you walk in, if that gives you any idea), but it's so worth it! They have Eastern and Lexington style sauces and crazy tender ribs.
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    • Oooo! Hole in the wall places like that are the best. I also really like Allen & Son here in Chapel Hill!
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  • That's incredible! It's always a fabulous rush after an event is successful (I'm still on high from my bachelor auction 2 weeks ago...we DOUBLED what we raised last year to fight ALS-Lou Gehrig's disease)! It's an amazing feeling that makes all the stress, exhaustion, worry and frustration melt away and be replaced with a huge sense of accomplishment! $100 for your bars is great (and the $26k is incredible)! Glad Matt is feeling better! Here's to a speedy recovery!
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  • I LOVE Kansas City BBQ, too! My fiance is from Topeka and everytime we go visit his family, I beg for a BBQ night!!! Try reading The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks...it's about how HeLa cells came to be used for thousands of scientific breakthroughs. Don't worry, it's like on the science and focuses more on backstory. It's a great and quick read!
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    • I was actually looking at that book at the store the other day and almost bought it! Now I will have to since you say it's good :)
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      • i second the recommendation
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  • I loved the Help! I'm so excited to see the movie soon! And if you haven't already read Rebecca it's SO worth it. It's a classic and a wonderful summer read. (Also, The Lincoln Lawyer and Little Bee are my most recent reads and I loved them both!)
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  • Hi Anne! I just received Anthony Bordain's Kitchen Confidential in the mail yesterday. I'm taking part of the CPA exam today - can't wait to dive into it tonight though! His very sarcastic wit isn't for everyone but I love it :)
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    • Oooo I "read" that (listened to it on CD during a long car trip) and it was SO good - very funny/crazy. Good luck on the CPA exam!
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      • Thanks!!! The book came highly recommended from a friend that is a cook he says can't wait to hear what I think :)
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    • Good, good luck on the CPA Exam!! What part are you taking?
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      • Thanks!! I took REG yesterday. I've taken all 4 parts so far and passed 2 of them. So a year worth of studying and test taking and I'm halfway there! I feel good about yesterday's test so hopefully 3 down 1 to go :)
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  • I read Loving Frank not so long ago, and it was really good! I just finished The Help and loved it. Glad you liked it too. :)
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  • They gave me my wisdom teeth that they pulled so I guess it wasn't really that weird of a request. I still have them. I don't know what to do with them. I feel a little weird throwing them away but the husband is not a fan.
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    • It was just hilarious that he would ask, they would tell him no (they were already in the biohazard bucket), and then a few minutes later he'd forget and ask again, haha. Gotta love coming out from anesthesia.
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  • I'd second Maddie's recommendation for Rebecca. Also, I just finished Cormac McCarthy's The Road, and it is a new favorite. A nice light summer read is A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Also, City of Thieves by David , Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safeon Foer, and too many others to name!
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  • With your food background/interest, I PROMISE YOU that you will LOVE "The Dirty Life' by Kristin Kimball. It's her story of starting a full-diet year round CSA in upstate NY with her husband-- but it is also just a love story, and beautifully written. It's where I am lucky enough to get my food each week, so of course I'm biased, but every single man and woman I have recommended it to has really loved it. It was one of Amazon's Top 100 Editor's Picks of 2010. Easy, quick read, too.
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    • Ooo I'll definitely put that one on the list!
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  • Love the Kitchen House! Just read "Before I go to Sleep" and I couldn't put it down. "India Passion" is another AMAZING book (true story too of a Spanish Dancer who gets bought by an Indian maharajah in the early century). It's a harder to find book, but Amazon sells it (just be careful not to buy the Spanish version). "The Room" was also really good. And of course the whole Hunger Games and Girl With the Dragon Tattoo trilogy (not sure if you read them yet).
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    • Yes, I have read both those trilogies - SO good!!
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  • Enjoy the book! If you haven't read Secret Life of Bees, that's an oldy but goody too that I loved :) I'm reading Drowning Ruth now after Jenna posted a review of it and I noticed my mom had it at home. Totally snagged it and loving it now.
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    • Oh I LOVE Secret Life of Bees. Bitting recommended that one to me when we were roommates :)
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  • You need to read "Still Alice" I do not give recommendations frequently but this is worth the read. My book club just finished it with rave reviews...
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    • I'll check it out! Just read a review - sounds sad :( But I bet it's really good!
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  • Hi Anne! I've read your blog for a while but this is my first time commenting (I think?). Love your blog! Around the time you moved from DC to NC, I moved from NC to Baltimore - interesting. Anyway, I wanted to see if you could offer some travel / sightseeing tips for DC? My hubby and I are going Friday-Saturday (and seeing Wicked Fri night!). Trying to decide what would be the best things to see in such a short period of time (I've never been to DC and he hasn't been in years). Thanks!!!!!!!
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    • Hey Julie! So fun you're going to be in DC! I have a ton of DC restaurant/running/biking recommendations on my FAQ page: http://www.fannetasticfood.com/faq/. And in terms of what to see, just walk through all the monuments! They are wonderful. Georgetown is fun to walk around, too.
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  • Loved "The Kitchen House"! I listened to it on audio. Recently finished "Atlas Shrugged" (also on audio) and highly recommend it.
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  • Congrats on the FB page Anne! That's exciting. :) I am loving anything and everything by Suzanne Brockmann. She is my absolute fave. For a light summer read, check out her books--she writes about Navy Seals and her books are suspenseful, witty and there is a good deal of romance thrown in. Great beach books!
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  • I adored A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron - not even really a dog person and I loved it, whole thing was told from the perspective of the dog so it was funny and really different. Also just finished Divergent by Veronica Roth, it's a futuristic storyline that totally sucked me in - unfortunately is first in a trilogy and the second not out until next year though!
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  • If you're looking for an easy beach read go for the Southern Vampire Mysteries by Charlaine Harris (the tv show TrueBlood is based on them). Its a series (there's 11 so far) and they're so addictive!
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    • I love those books! They are amazing!!
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  • that pumpkin cornbread looks so good! That's a combination I could have never came up with. yum.
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  • So far, the best book I've read this summer is "The Forgotten Garden" by Kate Morten. It's SO good. It takes place in Australia and England and spans several generations, and it's told from a different characters' perspective each chapter (a bit confusing at first but not once you get to know the 4 or 5 main characters). I also just finished "Gap Creek." You might find it interesting because it takes place in the late 1800s/1900 in the mountains of North and South Carolina (and I think the author is either a prof at UNC or graduated from there). It's very interesting to read about all the things they had to do to survive but I thought the story was just kinda meh. Happy reading!
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  • Ha, oh man, that wisdom teeth stuff is NO FUN! I'm reading "RUN!" by Dean Karnazes right now - he's such an inspirational writer. Can't say enough good things about his entertaining tales as an ultramarathoner :) I'd recommend this one, or his first book "Ultramarathon Man".
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    • Oooo YES been wanting to read some of his stuff! Which book is better if I just want to start with one?
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  • Whoa, that BBQ looks seriously good. Mmmm. Glad Matt is doing better!
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  • it isnt new, but one of my favorite books most people havent heard of is "The Shadow of the Wind" by Carlos Ruiz Zafón. I also recommend "Mountains Beyond Mountains" if you havent red it before--it is the perfect public health book.
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  • I Love collards and cheese grits more than anything in this world. I read The Help and I liked it very much. My favorite books are historical novels and suspense. I don't have time to read much lately but my husband gave me a Kindle for my birthday so maybe I will do better.Matt looks well
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  • The Kitchen House is on my list of books to read! My mom recently recommended Mud Bound to me. I recently really liked The 19th Wife. Other good ones are A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (oldie but a goodie! my fave!) and The Glass Castle
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  • I just finished the Violets of March too :) it was pretty good! congrats on all those followers! I know I love reading this blog everyday!!
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  • That's my next book to read! PLEASE read 'The Art of Racing in the Rain', by Garth Stein, it is narrated by a dog and the best story you will read. Definitely the best book I've read this summer. Also, a heavier one is 'The Book Thief', great, great story though.
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  • Hi Kiddo. All the best to Matt as he recovers. I remember having that done many years ago, and it's not fun. Uncle D
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  • In the past week & a half I read ALL of Emily Giffin's books! I couldn't put them down! They don't have a real "order" but I'd suggest starting off with Something Borrowed, Something Blue, Heart of the Matter, Baby Proof & Love the one your with! Hope that helps :)
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  • I HIGHLY recommend the Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows. Set in Europe right after WWII. Very witty, very well written, it's really fun and has a bit of romance. ;-) Also I really loved Major Pettigraw's Last Stand by Helen Simonson. It's set in England, with more mature characters but again, a very run read w/ a bit of romance.
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  • I was so intense that they give me my wisdom teeth, I almost felt like one of those hoarders on TV, lol. Painkillers can have that effect, I guess!
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  • Have you read Divergent? It's like the Hunger Games Series...I loved it. Warning...it's the first book in a trilogy that doesn't have the rest of the books out yet...which I found out after I read it and was frustrated. I guess I will have to put my patient hat on :-)
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    • Hmmm no I haven't heard of that! I'll have to check it out. :) Although I hate waiting, too, haha. Maybe I should not read them until they are all out!
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  • Hi Anne, I didn't read all the posts for book recommendations but I highly recommend The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton. Our book club loved it. Also The Book Thief was a very good book by Markus Zukas (I think that is his name) Also a few of the girls in my book club highly recommend The Glass Castle. I have not read this yet but it is in my to be read pile. Love reading all your blogs!
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    • Thanks! I love The Glass Castle, too :)
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