Strawberry & Peach Shortcake

This past weekend, I attended a bachelorette party in Westhampton for one of my great friends, Kelly. Though I had never been to The Hamptons, I was psyched to mark my first trip out there and get to sound uber pretentious and chic by telling everyone that I was vacationing in The Hamptons for the long holiday weekend.

We spent Saturday being carted around in an enormous limosine and being taken to a 3 stop vineyard tour on Long Island. Luckily, Hurricane Earl brought some pretty fabulous weather and a full day of vino-drinking was the perfect way to spend the day. You can imagine the state we were in by the time we reached vineyard number 3, Baiting Hollow Farm Vineyard. Minimal food, multiple glasses of wine. The wine was locally made and tasted wonderful (it is my drink of choice, after all). But then I came upon this sign:

I mean, vino who? Bring on the specialty shortcakes please!

This shortcake was unlike any other that has come before it. Homemade whipped cream (which I could eat by the gallon), fresh peaches and strawberries preserved in their own juice, and a homemade biscuit with giant sugar granules on top made this shortcake one for the record books. And I feel confident that my love for this dessert was not solely due to a full day of alcohol consumption.

See how happy I am? And see how I'm holding and enjoying that plate all by myself?

While I suppose this wasn't a typical shortcake since it consisted of a biscuit rather than spongecake or angel food cake, the biscuit was the perfect complement to the sweet yet refreshing fruit and whipped cream. Oh, and I should mention that I was initially a bit skeptical of the preserved fruit, but as I learned it was nothing short of perfectly ripe, sweet and not too soft - all the elements for a scrumtious dessert. And the sweet ladies behind the Shortcake Bar even offered me extra peaches after I told them that I was a food blogger and would be documenting this delicious turn of events.

So there you have it. A little roundup of my favorite Hamptons eats. And if you're curious about the wine, stay tuned for more on Baiting Hollow Farm Vineyard and their awesome wine program that goes to benefit rescued horses! More on that to come!

Psst...did you know that you can now subscribe to The Avid Appetite via email? Check out the left side bar, enter your email address and receive updates on all the delectable eats we have going on here at TAA!

Yellowstone Microbrews

As I mentioned earlier this week, Shaun and I spent the last week traveling through Wyoming and Montana on a Yellowstone Park adventure with the Humiston side of the family. Breathtaking views, wildlife at every turn, and whitewater rafting dominated our week in Yellowstone, and if you have the means, I highly recommend making the trip.

But when you're distracted by views like this...

and this...

well let's just say that food isn't exactly at the forefront of one's mind...even for me. I know, how can that even be possible? But let's just say that there were a lot of car snacks.

It was, however, the land of the microbrews. Whether lagers or pale ales, the great states of Wyoming and Montana were not without their locally brewed favorites. One of our favorites was Moose Drool Brown Ale. Since I'm immediately wooed by a quirky name and had made it my mission to see this elusive animal during the trip, this was a must try and became one of our favorites of the week.

On our first night in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, we dined at the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, serving up burgers and beer. With a bison and elk burger in our tummies, we also sampled the local brew, appropriately deemed Million Dollar Cowboy Bar Beer.

And since I just had to be different, I ordered the Snake River Pale Ale, named for the local Snake River. While I always enjoy a taste test, I also realized that pale ales are just not for me as their spiciness overpowers the simple beer flavor.

Once we got into Gardiner, Montana, we picked up a Grand Teton Blonde Ale. And yes, that is a naked lady on the label. But it was the first organic beer I've ever tried!

And how could I pass up a lunchtime regional brew like Rainier, mountain freshly brewed and on special for a mere $1.

All of this is not to say that I didn't indulge in some local fare, just a little bit. With barbecue grub at every turn, could you blame me? My favorite dinner consisted of tender beef brisket, sweet potato fries and sweet baked beans. It was enough to do a body good...and sleepy.

Aside from microbrews, barbecue and some car snacks including cashews, granola bars and craisins, the food was plentiful but took a back seat. In addition to the amazing natural views, we were constantly being followed around by furry creatures like this...

and this...

Seeing them roam free was enough to make even a major carnivore like myself contemplate vegetarianism.

So there you have it. A little round up of our favorite microbrews in and around Yellowstone Park as well as some gratuitous footage from the trip since, hey, it's some pretty decent eye candy, isn't it? And speaking of gratuitous, check out this last one of Shaun and me by the Yellowstone River in Montana.

Not too shabby, huh? But what I really want to know is, have you traveled this summer? Have you sampled the local eats? It's always my mission to get a feel for what the locals frequently dine on!

*For some more microbrew fun, check out my Antigua roundup!

Dutch Pancakes at Linda's Pancakes

During our recent family trip to Aruba (where we celebrated our 2 year wedding anniversary), indulgent foods were not in short supply, whether surf and turf at Madame Janette's or decadent, buttercreamy red velvet cake at Moka's. Oh and did I mention the gooey, cheesy bagel sandwiches at Dushi Bagel? Well today I'm adding another to the list. Its Linda's Pancakes, an outdoor eatery off of Palm Beach serving up pancakes of the Dutch variety. And since it's no secret that I'm a serious sucker for a good pancake, imagine my excitement over a full dinner plate sized super thin pancake that wasn't quite a crepe yet not quite the thick, fluffy American-style concoction that we've all come to know and love. Color me intrigued. With a multitude of options and one looking better than the next, I opted for a sweet and savory combination of brie, honey and walnuts atop a giant flapjack.

I know, brie? on a pancake? And the answer is yes, a million times yes! The creamy, salty nature of the brie drizzled with sweet honey and a bit of crunch with walnuts baked right into the pancake made this one dish that I was happy to try...and subsequently devour.

But if cheese and syrup just aren't your thing (did I mention that in addition to the honey I felt it compeltely necessary to add sugary sweet pancake syrup on top?), there were a boatload of other option, both sweet, savory and everything in between. Take, for example, this pineapple pancake served with a hefty coating of powdered sugar and a shot of rum. It's the island life after all!

If rum and breakfast just scream ick, Linda's also offers traditional, plain jane pancakes or dressed up fruit pancakes like this pineapple and strawberry covered version.

And while the brie-honey-walnut version was divine, I have to take a moment for Kim's bacon and apple pancake. While it looks simple, the apple slices and bacon pieces were baked right into the pancake itself, taking that whole sweet and savory thing to a new level. Oh, and I should tell you that I've never had a better helping of bacon as the crispy yet perfectly greasy version that was being stored inside.

So there it is...yet another breakfast option on my favorite island. I swear I don't eat like this when not vacationing...