Go FOURTH and NOSH

No doubt you're either hosting or attending an Independence Day party with friends this week - so make it your own personal culinary crusade to ply your loved ones with some snacks that will simultaneously satisfy and impress - and why not take it a step further by stopping by your local Farmers' Market to gather the majority of wares for the recipes below?  Buy, Eat LOCAL!

Braised Tomatoes with Burrata and Grilled Bread - Impressive, simple, and will make your home SMELL INCREDIBLE!

What to gather:  Burrata cheese, small market tomatoes, garlic, fresh basil, olive oil, wine

What to do:   Tomatoes are rampant, beautiful at the farmers' market right now, so i's the perfect time to take advantage of the myriad shapes, sizes, and colors - procure three or four smaller varieties, braise in a tall pan with olive oil, basil, rosemary, garlic, and red wine - once softened, finish under a broiler until tomatoes are slightly charred, blistered -  then serve on a platter with creamy burrata cheese and fresh basil alongside grilled baguette - Divine!

Braised Tomatoes with Burrata

Refrigerator Cucumbers - Nostalgic, quick, refreshing

What to gather:  Sliced cucumbers, thin sliced red onion, vinegar, water, S&P

What to do:  Cucumbers are one of my favorites, and were a staple in my childhood, bathed in ice cold white vinegar, salt ,and pepper.  Even though I'm growing them myself this summer, I still buy them almost weekly at the Fayetteville farmers' market, and a muong farmer told me this weekend that if you can grow a lot of cucumbers you’ll be rich – I’m growing tons this summer, so far, NOTHING!   to make this cherished memory from my childhood in the Low Midwest of Missouri, simply layer sliced cumbers in a jar with thinly sliced red onions, draped in vinegar with a whisper of salt and pepper.

Refrigerator Cucumbers

Ozark Carrot and Chickpea Dip - Beautiful, local, healthy

What to gather:  carrots, chickpeas, olive oil, bay leaf, garlic, salt and pepper

What to do: Carrots are vibrant, colorful, delicious, and healthy - simply boil 2 pounds of chopped market carrots with garlic and bay leaf - once soft to the touch, drain and allow to cool for a few minutes - add carrots, garlic to a food processor with chickpeas - puree together, then slowly add olive oil until the mixture is light, creamy - add salt and pepper accordingly - serve with raw tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, celery, and grilled bread.  

Ozark Carrot and Chickpea Dip

Don Pedro's Carnitas - SCARY Good!

I like uncomfortable social situations; those idiosyncratic moments when the inner YOU is  suddenly forced to weigh the pros and cons of flight or fight mode...what's it gonna be?  Usually, I chose FLIGHT because, well, I'm a big fat baby and don't really like the idea of endangering the people close to me, or probably more importantly, myself.  Still, those quick, brilliant flashes of fear keep the wheels turning and the heart thump, thumping away; and food is no exception - I like being scared, approaching the great unknown of some small back alley, hole-in-the-wall, greasy spoon, scary restaurant that makes something so sublime, beautiful that it can't help but garner a devoted, cult following regardless of when it's open, and where it's located - because it's THAT GOOD! 

Chef David Palos of Don Pedro's in Springdale is a badass; as a father, as a husband, and as a chef with an almost superhero knack for using every single part of the pig; in a town where carnitas are undoubtedly the most beloved, consumed food no less.  Don Pedro's is a family affair, Palos' father supplying the whole pig from the butcher shop around the corner, and his strong, hard working wife manning the front of the house...the entire operation is a well oiled, badass machine.  Don't fear Chef David; despite his tough, confident exterior, he's really a sweetheart...always ready to show you his intricate, impressive al fresco smoking design, or just to chew the proverbial fat about his pork cooking skills and passion; and trust when I say that these skills and passions are worth fighting for.       

Don Pedro’s Carnitas

Address:  300 W Sunset Avenue, Springdale, AR 72764

Hours:  Mon-Sun 10am-10pm

What to expect: 

Don Pedro’s is the newest “write-in” on the Springdale Taco Tour, promising the most fun, stylized stop of all.  Locally raised whole hogs that are broken down on premise, then prepared in a massive smoker that serves as an olfactory beacon from miles around.  And Chef David welcomes guests with a boisterous “Hello” draped in smiles, black apron, while brandishing giant knife and tongs. 

What to eat: 

The Carnita Taco and Burrito are worth the trip alone, but don’t forget about the whole smoked chicken served with rice, beans, and a chopped salad.  If you’re lucky enough to arrive when David is carving up his wares, ask for a bite of the pig intestine, coiled, tender, butterscotch-y, divine.

Charley's Taqueria - Where the Tacos Taste like Tacos, and the Snozberries Taste Like Snozberries

Tacos are quickly becoming America’s favorite food, and why shouldn’t they?  Fast, cheap, filling, and delicious make this authentic cuisine popular with the masses.   On a recent spring day, I was joined by Team Springdale and Little Craft Show founder, Amber Perrodin, as we visited several of the destinations on her beloved Springdale Taco Tour that serves as a cultural and social media vessel for spotlighting the rich, diverse, and delicious edible culture of this great Arkansas city. 

Photo Cred:  Joe Wittkop

And what can you, the well informed Metro-billy reader, expect from our tantalizing taqueria expedition?  Well, a clear and fun guide into not only what to expect, but also what to order. Loosen your belt, take a deep breath, because you’re about to embark on a journey that will not only enrich your life, but will undoubtedly make you the TACO of the town.  First up in our Springdale series is one on my favorite restaurants in this region of Arkansas:  Charley's Taqueria.

Charley’s Taqueria

Address:  1830 S. Pleasant Street, Suite F, Springdale, AR  72764

Hours:  Mon-Thur 8am-10pm | Fri-Sun 8am-11pm

Scratch, Sniff, and Lick Menus | Photo Cred:  Joe Wittkop

What to expect: 

Charley’s is one of my favorite Arkansas taquerias, boasting a walk up order counter next to a wall displaying scratch, sniff, and lick photos of menu items {the tacos taste like tacos, and the snozberries taste like snozberries; kidding, you may certainly scratch and sniff the menu, but do NOT lick any of those pictures, staff and guests alike don't like it, take my word for it.  But it is helpful to get a visual idea of what you’re ordering, especially if you have kids in tow. 

Sopes | Photo Cred:  Joe Wittkop

What to eat: 

Beaver Lake Oysters | Photo Cred:  Joe Wittkop

The tacos are great, but the chorizo and carne asade sopes are the bomb, especially when devoured near their signature Michelada cocktail made with Corona Mexican beer, tomato juice, peppers, chili spices with garnishes of lemon, lime, fresh shrimp, and a mysterious meat wrapped straw.  Charley’s is also one of the only joints in town that serve fresh oysters, finished with a whisper of minced onions, chilis, and fresh avocado. 

Corona Michelada | Photo Cred:  Joe Wittkop

Full Citiscapes Article Here:  http://flipbook.citiscapes.com/flipbook_0518/?page=74

Refrigerator Cucumbers - Missouri Childhood in a Jar

Racing my bike through the streets of my small hometown was an integral part of my childhood; always en route to morning swim team practice with a towel wrapped tight around the center handle bars, the city park to roam and play, the fair grounds that connected a series of bike trails in the dense woods on the edge of town, the Wednesday matinee where I first held a girl's popcorn buttery hand, and at least one stop a day at either one of my grandparent's homes to raid their always fully stocked refrigerator.  I could count on very specific foodstuffs, depending on my destination that day; my father's parents always had cold sliced cantaloupe, bologna, RC Cola, and frozen ice cream drumsticks covered in chopped nuts; while my mother's folks maintained a fridge chock full of cranberry juice, leftover bacon from breakfast, fresh peaches from the family orchard, fried okra and onions, pork rinds, the original Chips Ahoy chocolate chip cookies, and a large Tupperware container filled with ice cold cucumbers and onions in white vinegar.

The refrigerator cucumbers were my favorite - fresh, cold, puckering tart, and utterly refreshing in the middle of those sweltering, humid Missouri summer days.  I stood with the heavy door opened, propped against my skinny, tan legs - holding the cold Tupperware against my belly (yes, there was a time when I wore a half shirt in the early 80s) while I clamped thumb and index finger around the floating coins to plop into my mouth, one after the other.  When I had my fill, I raced back into my care-free childhood, screen door banging loudly behind.

As complicated as cooking could be for the recipes and meals devised by the women in my family, these quick pickles were surprisingly simple and easy to prepare.  Usually, the cucumbers were harvested from  the garden, layered with sliced red or yellow onion, then covered with vinegar that had been embellished with a whisper of salt, sugar, and pepper.  And that was it... 

As much as things have changed, they've also stayed the same in many ways.  I still stand mesmerized in front of an open fridge eating leftovers, drinking milk, or sometimes a cold beer in the middle of the night - but my favorite refrigerator ritual still involves standing in the glow of the intermittent light, munching with eyes rolled back on the nostalgic, tart, ice cold cucumbers from my childhood, albeit sans the half shirt, but now that I think about it, probably sans a shirt at all.    

Refrigerator Cucumbers

1 English Cucumber

2 Cups White Vinegar

1/4 Cup Salt

2 Turns Cracked Black Pepper

Technique - Slice the cucumber into thin coins - place in jar or Tupperware container - cover completely with vinegar, add salt and pepper - chill for at least two hours - then devour.