Chocolate Bourbon Cups

Let's chat bourbon. Better yet, let's chat about putting bourbon in your baked goods. 

For reals though -- you can't go wrong.

What can I say? I love booze with my sweets. 

On Super Bowl Sunday, I made my first batch of these bad boys inspired by the ones that Minimalist Baker made a few days before. This week, I made a few tweaks and gave them as gifts to my preceptor and the other student I was on rotation with. Often I go a little overboard with the alcohol/sweet combo (evidence = Car Bomb Cupcakes), but with these I stayed a little more reserved since they're a tad on the rich side. Feel free to modify the filling as you see fit.

Chocolate Bourbon Cups

What You'll Need (for ~18 large cups)

• 16 oz. semi-sweet chocolate (I have baking squares and Trader Joe's Semi-Sweet Chips -- I prefer TJ's chips because they melt faster and are pretty inexpensive. I keep a couple bags on hand)
• 1/2 C unsalted, raw almond butter (I use Woodstock -Foods' All Natural Raw Almond Butter, unsalted)
• 1/4 C creamy peanut butter (I use Jif's Natural Creamy Peanut Butter)
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. maple syrup
• 1 1/2 tbsp. bourbon (I use Bulleit Bourbon)
• Sea salt or kosher salt for garnish
• Cupcake liners and cupcake pans
• Melon ball scoop and measuring spoons

How To Make Them

• Line your cupcake tins with liners and set aside.
• Combine almond butter, peanut butter, maple syrup, salt, and bourbon with a rubber spatula or whisk in a medium-size mixing bowl and set aside.
• Melt your chocolate using a double boiler or the microwave method (in 20-30 second increments). 
• Spoon 1 and 1/2 tsp. of chocolate into each cupcake liner. Place your tins on top of a towel and tap on the counter a few times to ensure the chocolate is evenly distributed. 
• Place your tins in the fridge for about 10-15 minutes, allowing the chocolate to set up.
• Next, using your melon ball scoop or 1/2 tbsp. measuring spoon, place 1 scoop of nut butter mixture onto each chocolate disc. Using the back of a spoon, spread out nut butter mixture almost to the edge of your liner.
• Pop in the fridge for another 10 minutes -- during this time, make sure your chocolate has not hardened. If so, pop back in the microwave and melt. If your chocolate is looking a little low, add a little more to it and melt.
• Now you're ready for your last layer of chocolate! Spoon 1 and 1/2 tsp. of chocolate over your nut butter mixture or enough to cover the nut butter. Tap on counter to evenly distribute chocolate and sprinkle a little kosher salt on each cup.
• Place tins back in the fridge for 15 minutes, allowing the chocolate to set. 
• Remove from fridge and store in wide-mouth jars or in a tupperware container!

Feel free to change up the chocolate based on preference (dark, milk, white, etc.). You can also modify the filling and the type of bourbon you use. A lot of fillings use a peanut butter, confectioners sugar, softened butter combo -- I wanted to keep them as 'clean' as possible, so I opted for the method above.

I was able to fit five cups in a wide-mouth pint jar, made a simple tag for the top, and gave them as gifts! You can download the jar topper here.

Enjoy!

-Sue

Bratwurst Pizza with Caramelized Onions and Balsamic Reduction - BMB Knockoff

Hey there! 

Been a little off the grid lately -- super busy doesn't begin to explain the past month or so of my life. Mostly involved things like exams, Easter, family time, the Monument Avenue 10k, brewery visits, cooking a few yummy meals here and there, trying not to cut jerk my nose off my face because of the pollen that decided to finally make its appearance this year, andddd a whole lot of other boring stuff for the in between moments -- ya know, like sleeping, driving, etc. 

So I mentioned breweries (a whole post to come with deets). Last weekend I paid a visit to Devil's Backbone Brewing Company, Bold Rock Cidery (officially in love -- cider is about to be the new craft beer -- mark my words), and Blue Mountain Brewery. If you're not familiar with these, that's ok. Their beverages are yummy, but their views are even better! Seriously -- this part of Virginia is one of, if not my absolute favorite (mountain momma at heart, remember?). 

From what I gather, once breweries have been around for a little bit, it's only natural to introduce food/restaurant flare into the mix of things. This can be good and bad, depending on the person in charge of your menu/kitchen. I didn't taste anything at Devil's Backbone {besides beer}, but by the time I made it to BMB my tummy was ready for some yummy. I got the crab dip and it was pretty decent. I definitely want to feel a fierce presence of crab in my crab dip and I didn't with this dip -- nonetheless, still good. 

After finishing off the crab dip, I continued to peruse their whole menu and stumbled across a pizza (Bratwurst w/Apples and Onions) that kept me coming back -- I seriously considered ordering it over and over. I didn't order it but I did snap a pic of the description so that I could make it at home. 

Monday evening came and here's the result:

Bratwurst Pizza with Caramelized Onions and Balsamic Reduction - BMB Knockoff

What You'll Need

• Pizza crust -- I bought mine from Whole Foods because I needed easy, not hard (work smarter, not harder).
• Sauce -- also purchased from Whole Foods -- ditto on the easy.
• Two bratwursts (or a package) -- I bought two from the case at WF becuase I cannot control my actions when I buy bratwurst, and would put them all on the pizza if I were forced to buy an entire package.
• 1 package of mozzarella
• 1-2 oz. of cream cheese
• Blue cheese crumbles
• Pepper
• 2-3 tbsp.vinegar (white or white balsamic)
• 1/2 - 1 C regular balsamic vinegar
• 1 yellow onion
• Olive oil

How To Make It 

• Rub olive oil on a pizza stone and roll out your pizza crust on the stone.
• Slice yellow onion and sautee in a bit of olive oil until caramelized.
• Preheat your oven to 400F.
• Next, you'll make a blue cheese whip. That's right. I said whipped blue cheese. Mine was more of a sauce than a whip becuase I didn't want to pull out a food processor for just a little bit of whip (if you do want to go all out, then follow this recipe for the whip). 
• So for my whip/sauce -- Just put an ounce or two of cream cheese in a bowl and melt it in timed increments in the microwave. Then add blue cheese crumbles to the warm cream cheese (however much you want) -- stir to melt/distribute. Add a dash of black pepper and white vinegar (about 2 tbsp to the mixture). Stir and heat again if needed. Honestly, just make this to taste and to the consistency of your choosing . . . or not at all if you're not a blue cheese lover addict. 
• Squeeze your brats out of their casing into a skillet, separate into crumbles and brown until almost cooked through (kinda like ground beef for spaghetti).
• While you're cooking your brats, pop your pizza crust in the oven for about 8 minutes.
• Next, put ~1/2 C of balsamic vinegar into a sauce pan and heat over medium heat (don't boil) to make a reduction (like this).
• Once crust has cooked for about 8 minutes, take her out and dress her up! 
• Spread sauce over somewhat cooked crust, sprinkle mozzarella over sauce, sprinkle brat crumbles over mozz, add dabs/drizzle blue cheese whip, place onions all over pizza, then finish with balsamic reduction drizzle.
• Pop her back in the oven for about 20 minutes, broil for 1 minute before taking her out.
• Enjoy!

I don't know how BMB's pizza is, but I'll have to order it next time so that I have something to compare my own to. 

I promise -- deets to come about the breweries.

-Sue

Meatballs and Marinara Monday

The day after Christmas (read: the best shopping day of the year), my mom and I headed to Stony Point Fashion Park to burn a little Christmas moo-lah. It was raining pouring like you wouldn't believe. While I usually wouldn't be down with shopping at an outdoor mall in the rain, I was all about it this day. Why? A cold, dreary day with relentless downpours (while family are still in town) = hardly any people shopping.

We hit up Sur la Table where I got these baking dishes for a steal, as well as the cutest oven mitts (this one and this one). Then we headed to Anthropologie. I wanted all the house ware items which is to be expected. My mom got this presh cake/book stand, while I got these measuring spoons and Aida Mollencamp's book, Keys To The Kitchen (seriously discounted).

This cookbook is more than just a cookbook. It has everything you need to know about most foods! Like breaking down a chicken or appropriate internal temperatures of meat - the list goes on. It's basically a comprehensive book of food, so if you're new to cooking or a well-seasoned chef, it's the perfect book to have on hand! And the food photos are pretty delish. I should maybe stock up on a few and give them as housewarming gifts?!

Anyhoo - a couple Mondays ago, we had a dreary one. The kind that demands sweats and comfort food. What better food? Do I even need to ask? Meatballs and marinara! I followed Aida's recipe for meatballs and Jenna's recipe for the marinara (recipes below). Whether you're having a dreary Monday today or not, you should probably make this. You'll thank me.

Itai-Style Meatballs (from Aida Mollencamp)

What You'll Need

• ½Red Onion, minced
• ½ CGrated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese
• 3 tbsp.Toasted Pine Nuts
• 3 tbsp. Sun-dried Tomatoes, minced
• 1 tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
• 2 ½ tsp. Kosher Salt
• 1 ½ tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
• 4 cloves Garlic, minced
• 2 Eggs, beaten
• 1 pound Ground Chuck Beef, chilled
• 1 pound Ground Pork, chilled
• 2/3 C Panko Bread Crumbs
• ¼ C fresh Flat Leaf Parsley, minced
• 2 tbsp. fresh Oregano, minced

How To Make Them

• Heat the oven to 375 F and position a rack in the middle of the oven.
• Add the onion, cheese, pine nuts, sun-dried tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, salt, red pepper flakes, garlic and eggs into a food processor and process until very smooth.
• Transfer the mixture to a large bowl along with the beef, pork, breadcrumbs, parsley and oregano and gently mix together until everything is thoroughly combined.
• Divide the meat into 12 equal parts (I got a few more than 12 and they were huge) and roll each between your palms until you have a ball. (Keep in mind these are huge meatballs, about the size of a baseball!) Put the meatballs on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Bake until the meatballs are firm and just cooked through, 25-30 minutes. Eat alone or eat with tomato sauce or with spaghetti.

Meat Sauce (minus the meat)

• Follow this recipe for the Meat Sauce, just leave out the meat. 
• This sauce is the bomb dot com. 

Cook noodles of your choosing, place a couple meatballs on top, ladle sauce over, don't forget freshly grated cheese, and eat up!

If you're cooking for one, you could either halve both recipes or make what the recipe calls for and freeze what you're not going to eat (both would freeze beautifully).

Happy Monday (I haven't found anything happy about this one . . . yet). I know people usually follow the "Meatless Monday" route, but not this girl, not today.

- Sue

PHOnomenal Friday

Hey everyone! Hope you've had a great week this week! I'm heading to work for a half day and then celebrating my cousin's husband's 40th birthday tonight - should be a lot of fun, per the usual with that side of the fam :)

Let's talk Pho.

Sorry this isn't the best picture. It certainly doesn't do pho justice, but just trust me! I posted this on Instagram and Facebook and a lot of people gave me feedback, so I felt a last minute post was necessary.

Getting down to business. Ever had pho? Yes? Good. So glad you're on the pho bandwagon. No? C'monnnnn! Jump on that already will ya?!

What is it? The best way I can explain it is via a math equation: noodles + meat/no meat + broth + garnish(es) = Pho.

I have to say, the only place I've had it in the Richmond area is at Made In Asia (which is actually in Chesterfield if we're keeping things PC around here) so I don't have many tips to offer on how the pho is in this area. Made In Asia only serves their pho at lunch on Sundays, so definitely check with them before going in and expecting the deliciousness, as that may not still be the case. Either way, everything on their menu is to die for. Their sushi and crab rangoons are my go to, but their rice dishes and General Tso's are also out of this world. A girl that I work with actually recommends Pho Saigon (also in Chesterfield). The first time I ever had pho, it was from Pho 78 in Virginia Beach and it was delicious. Additionally, if you're in the Charlottesville area, Kath recommends Moto Pho Co. Having a bad experience could probably ruin it for you and we certainly don't want that.

Now that you know where to go, go get some! Orrrrr you could venture out and make a pot at home. I promise you wont regret it.

I like chicken versions the most, so that's what I went with. You could easily make this a beef version with beef broth and flank steak or shrimp, or use mushroom/veggie broth and tofu and make a vegetarian/vegan version of this. Since you're using rice noodles, that eliminates gluten, and depending on the broth you use (I prefer Pacific), you could make your Pho gluten free (all their broths are gluten free). This is a perfect dish for an intimate gathering of friends with various special diets. The possibilities are endless and it's basically tailored to your preferences if you make it at home.

PHOnomenal Pho

What You'll Need

• Follow this list here, plus bean sprouts, cilantro, mint, lime wedges, and sriracha (all optional garnishes, but they totally make the dish). And baby bellas to add in with your bok choy.

How To Make It

• Essentially, I followed this. What can I say? Jenna knows her stuff. Here are a few things I modified. I didn't use chicken breasts because they usually toughen/become dry when reheating multiple times. I was also facing a time crunch, so I picked up a rotisserie chicken from Ellwood's and just pulled it off the carcass and set aside. I also added baby bellas in with my bok choy. Lastly, I opted for Low Sodium Organic Pacific Chicken Broth, but still added the 1/4 tsp of salt. Other than that, I did things just like Jenna.

Putting It Together

• Once you have everything made, add your noodles to your bowl, put some chicken on top of your noodles, ladle broth all over (however much you want), add bean sprouts, cilantro, mint, squeeze lime wedges over top, and drizzle sriracha all over. That's it! Try not to lick the bowl, but if you do - no judgment here!

Hope y'all have a PHOnomenal Friday!

-Sue

Birthday Pie - Proper Pie Co.

Last Sunday was my momma's birthday and I had quite the idea planned.

When I got to town last Friday, my dad told me he would be gone for the weekend hunting with friends. All I heard was, "You and your mom should veg and be lazy." Soooo we did. My mom made it home and we vegged by the glow the Christmas tree. We watched all of our guilty pleasures (reality TV) and ate pizza. 'Twas was so nice. 

Saturday morning, we I slept in, woke up, had coffee, and started helping my mom make cake pops for a Christmas party we had planned to attend that evening (more to come about these). In passing, I mentioned this new pie joint that had opened downtown and kinda explained what kinds of stuff they had. She said she hadn't heard of it, so I didn't really mention anything else about it . . .

Until Sunday afternoon. When I showed up at the house. With eight different kinds of pie for her to feast on for her birthday! 

So what's this place that serves only pie? It's Proper Pie Co. in Church Hill. Their Facebook gives you a daily run-down on their selection, their Yelp reviews sing their praises much like myself, and Richmond BizSense has a thing or two to say about them (the owners) as well. rvanews had a little somethin' somethin' too - can you say food cart?? 

If you're looking for a homey place where you can get hot, meaty (or not) delicious pies, or a slice of {pie} heaven for a mid-sunday-afternoon-just-because, then look no farther. Proper Pie Co. is your place. O - and their company logo is pretty much the peaches to my cream too. Love. It. 

Alright. Enough talking. Here's some pie for ya. {Happy Birthday Momma}

I have to tell on myself a little bit here. Once she realized she had about eight different kinds of pie to feast on, there was no "gently taking everything out of the packages." With that being said, I just took everything out as I grabbed it from the bag, not paying attention to the fact that I had the savory pies laying upside down! Silly me. For that reason, the pictures won't be nearly as pretty as these - that and we had to get a few tastes in before I could take any pictures, thus why they're half eaten. HA!

 

Spinach, Blue Cheese, and Mushroom

 Steak and Cheese

Chicken and Kumara

-Not pictured . . . Sausage Roll. Which. Was. Phenomenal.-


Blueberry and Apple (momma's fave)

Pear Almond (my fave)

Banana Coconut Cream (so light, so much like a fancy banana pudding)

Lemon Meringue

 

So tell me, would you like eight kinds of pie on your birthday?

-Sue

Peach Pancakes

Happy Friday y'all! Yesterday was my last day of working full-time at the hospital until probably Christmas. Some might think, "O wow, what a vacation." It's really not though. I'm trading in 8 hour shifts for 19 hour shifts (this is my last didactic year, this is my last didactic year - I've got to keep telling myself this). With that being said, I decided sleeping in and a luxury breakfast were long over due. 

I'm really not a sweet breakfast kinda gal - savory is usually my route, but this morning I had a hankering for peach pancakes. My mom has been carb loading the evening before her long runs, so she's had Bisquick Complete on hand - a whole grain version of Bisquick, minus all the hydrogenation (and yes, she carb loads with banana pancakes haha). I used the Bisquick, a fresh peach, and some pure maple syrup to make these babies.

What kind of breakfasts do you prefer - savory or sweet?

Hope everyone has a wonderful and safe Labor Day weekend.

-Suze

Everybody's Got Some Country In Them

Doesn't flyin' down an old back road give ya, a sweet taste of freedom?

And that worn out favorite pair of blue jeans - yea ya' just gotta love 'em.

And you can never resist that sweet tea and fishin' til the sun goes down,

Everybody's got some country in them.

And you can't tell me that you don't like a campfire, every now and then.

Riding in the back of an old Ford - hair blowin' in the wind.

It doesn't matter where you're from, who you are, or where ya been,

Everybody's got some country in them.

Some Country - Emma Lynn White

I get that country music isn't for everyone, but this song pretty much nails it. Never heard of Emma Lynn White? Me either - until recently. She's actually from Gum Spring, VA and is studying music at a school in Nashville, TN - pretty much living the dream right? Here's her Facebook, iTunes, some of her music vids, and an old blog of hers. (Her song Nashville is such a fun song and her song Train even incorporates her lil bro's banjo talents! Talented family much?) Totally supporting locals when I can :) 

Where am I going with this? I bought her song sampler Friday night, packed my bag for Charlottesville/Staunton, and read a little of Gone Girl before heading to bed. Saturday I woke up to . . . rain. Boo! I made the best of it though. I arrived in Charlottesville to learn that my girlfriend lost her wallet at Sweet Frog the evening before. We re-traced her steps without much luck, so we headed to Staunton - The Queen City of the Shenandoah, for a breather. 

Pretty much any outlying area within 25-35 miles of Charlottesville is going to be small. Really small y'all - so be prepared. Growing up, my youth group at church used to go to Ingleside Resort for weekend conference trips. We would snow tube, commute to Wintergreen/Massanutten for skiing and snowboarding, and then partake in awesome music and festivities in the evenings.

Why is The Queen City so cool? Well, Woodrow Wilson was born here, it's home to Mary Baldwin College, and has tons of Shakespearean roots - like this theater and this cottage.

I had a few things in mind that I was looking for, so we parked and walked around. This was the only time during our day that we wouldn't experience complete and total downpours. 

At one point, I mentioned to Amanda that Beverly Street (the main street in downtown Staunton) reminded me of High Street in Morgantown - she totally agreed. I love small town feel. I really do. There's still a small part of me that clings to places like Richmond and Philly though - I think its the artistic/urban nature of things. Places like this are artistic in their own special way.

Here's the store I was in search of - Worthington Hardware (here's a documentary that a UVA student made about the store/family - very worth it to watch - it will warm you head to toe). Hands down, it was the coolest store. This older gentleman owns it, and his daughter makes certain that there's no haggling haha. They had tons of old Nabisco cracker boxes, GE fans, vintage soda bottles, worn Remington casing boxes, and more than you could ever imagine. I wanted all of it - my purse nor my car were big enough.

These were what I came for - project post coming soon! P.S. Who knew old plates could be so pricey? The owner's daughter explained that folks will restore old vehicles and they come looking for plates, authentic to the time of the vehicle - makes sense now - totally unbeknownst to me.

Then we went in Queen City Marketplace where I found this. When I say I would loved to have had this riding home in the backseat - I mean I realllllly would have loved for this to have been in my back seat. Maybe no one will ever want it?! HA!

Upstairs I found this ancient Maytag Washing Machine. How lucky are we nowadays?

Since starting pharmacy school, I have accumulated quite the collection of old pharmacy-like goods. Last fall, when driving through Delaware, my roommate and I stopped at this very unique antique store where I purchased an old Rheumatic Fever Remedy bottle for just $10! Things have kinda taken off from there. Also in my collection are quite a few old-school mortar and pestles. At this point, I'm totally running with it. In Queen City Marketplace, I found this gem - an old kit used to remove snake venom for just $9.50! (Not sure if this has been used or not - I'm gonna go with no because the Iodine and Ammonia were still in tact.)

I also found this old Ex-Lax tin for $4. {Fist pump} Two points for Susan!

 We browsed a few more stores on Beverley Street. One store had this neat creation for sale.

When's the last time you've seen a movie theater window look like this?

We made it to the end of the strip of shops when I told Amanda, "There are literally no cars driving down this road. That's when you know you're in small-town USA." She was like, "Stand in the middle and snap that baby up." So you know I couldn't pass that up. While standing there, Emma's song flashed back through my mind. My girlfriend is from WV and she knows all about small towns, but thrifting isn't really her thing. She tagged along though and totally embraced my quirks. Maybe you are from a small town, or perhaps you're from a big city - either way, anyone can identify those precious moments, the simple ones, the country ones, and allow them to totally bless you.

Just over that hill is Mary Baldwin College.

Before heading back to Charlottesville, we decided lunch was in order. We decided on Shenandoah Pizza. Three words - Promise You'll Eat. Seriously. Promise me! Hands down the best pizza I've ever had. We ate, then headed back to Charlottesville to address the wallet sitch. Then, in normal fashion, we hit Anthro and Target. Found this signage near the travel books in Anthro. Absolutely love it! Gonna have to recreate a version for myself. (Post coming about "Things I'm Loving.")

O! On Friday I mentioned I'd get to see a cute little boy named Ryder - well he is cute and he is a boy! He's a nine week old Black Lab. Hims the sweetest yittle man. He's a squirmer - excuse the blurry puppy love.

That evening, Amanda and I hit the downtown mall in Charlottesville. We walked waded into Urban Outfitters because the rain was absolutely relentless. Then we made our way to Citizen Burger Bar for some local meaty goodness. There's just something about local meat, local buns, local shrooms (you get the idea) that just feels - right. Local is seriously a good thing.

At this point, it's no secret that Charlottesville/Staunton rank high on my list of favorite places/things to do. On Sunday, as I made the drive back, I used that time to think and reminisce. It used to be that Amanda would make trips to visit me in Richmond during the summer, and we would make day trips to Charlottesville for shopping/vineyard love. Now, it's the opposite - and I don't hate it one bit. As I was thinking, my eyes couldn't help but wander to the rearview mirror, taking in the beautiful mountains and fog. It hurts my heart a little bit every time I leave, but ya know what they say though . . . once a Mountaineer, always a mountaineer. 

What's your "some country"? Is it campfires, driving down backroads, slamming screen doors, wide front porches, or maybe it's something else?

-Suze

Sunsets, Craft Beer, Food Trucks, and Cupcakes

Happy Friday! I would just like to say, hasn't the weather been absolutely perfect in Virginia this week?! I mean really - August is never like this in Virginia. I'm gonna soak up every ounce of it though. This week has gone by far too fast for me. Next Thursday is my last day at work and I'll be making the small move back to the beach for school during Labor Day weekend - can you say horrific traffic? It's ok though - I can usually bypass it fairly well. 

On Wednesday afternoon/evening I found myself in a mood funk. I was just downright . . . down. Leaving work I realized that the weather was perfect for sitting on a patio somewhere. I had to turn my frown upside down, so I texted my girlfriend Brittany (my sushi date girlfriend) and asked her if she was down for dinner somewhere. We threw around the idea of Bonefish Grill, but settled on The Boathouse at Sunday Park (many of our friends have actually gotten married here and they used to have a pretty spectacular Fourth of July fireworks show). The best part? The Boathouse at Sunday Park is a mere 12 minutes from me and has some gorgeous sunsets - win!

I arrived at Sunday Park and took the scenic stroll past Daniel Butler's gardens (I had my senior pictures taken here) before putting our names in for a table. There's something about Black-Eyed Susans that I'll never be able to pass up.

I rounded the bend and this view was waiting for me - instant mood funk sucked away.

Brit had a glass of Beringer Moscato with Carolina Jumbo Shrimp and a bowl of Eastern Shore Crab and Vegetable Soup. I had their Steamed Pei Mussels and a Baby Iceberg Wedge Salad. I also ordered a bottle of the Jefferson Vineyards Pinot Gris (they do sell it at Whole Foods here in Richmond), had a glass or two, and re-corked for the ride home. It's my favorite wine and it's half off on Wednesdays! Mood funk still being sucked away.

We were dining and chatting when something pranced over and landed near us. This little praying mantis decided to chill at our table with us for a little while. It looks like he's actually praying, or maybe he's thanking Him for this beautiful view. Either way, my mood funk had officially vanished at this point.

Yesterday was a pretty chill day at work and it was beyond needed. O! Did you know that . . .

Borrowed from Star Hill Brewery's page

Yep. August is Virginia Craft Beer Month. So what's a girl to do? How about Food Truck Court at Hardywood Park Craft Brewery? Why yes, I think I will.

Last night, my girlfriend Kelly and I ventured over to Hardywood after work to check out the food trucks, some brews, and to enjoy another beautiful evening in Richmond of course! If you don't know anything about food trucks, I'm certain this show might give you an idea. Some of the food trucks that participate in Food Truck Court actually set up camp around the hospital downtown. They sell their delicious goodies to hospital, city hall, and capitol employees, as well as regular 'ol city patrons. Their food is delicious and pretty inexpensive. Can you say score?

Here's a peek at our evening.

Dressed and Pressed.

Thai Cabin, Chupacabra, and Mister Softee Soft Serve.

Boka Tako.

Kelly got Lettuce Wraps from Thai Cabin.

I got "The Gauntlet" from Boka Tako. It was awesome. Left = Asian, Right = American, Top = Mexican (I think).

 We ventured inside for some brews.

1. Singel   2. SB 604   3. DIPA   4. Bourbon DIPA 

The Singel and the Bourbon DIPA were my favorites. I had really wanted to try the Virginia Blackberry, but they were out. 

Found some of this clever signage while waiting for the restroom. Beer Master. "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." - Benjamin Franklin

Suggested Receptacles for the Drinking of Beer.

Can't wait to try their Mocha Belgique (and their Farmhouse Pumpkin and Gingerbread Stout)!

Sitting at the picnic table enjoying beers, weather, and company - Flynn's has Sweetater Fries!

The evening was a blast! Such a family friendly event. If brews aren't your thing, Food Truck Court also visits the Virginia Historical Society on weeknights.

To round out the evening and to compliment my Bourbon DIPA, I had to have this guy. A Cinnamon Pumpkin Spice Cupcake (Fall, in your mouth) from RVA Vegan.

Some other food carts in attendance last night: Station 2, Pizza Tonight, Rooster Cart, and Sustenance. Maybe if craft brews are your thing, you could also check out Star Hill Brewery, Blue Mountain Brewery, or Beach Brewing Company - all in the beautiful state of Virginia!

Have a wonderful weekend! I'm headed to Charlotesville/Staunton to hang with my girlfriend, her man, and a presh yittle boy named Ryder!

-Suze