Christmas was good to everyone!

Christmas morning came and went.  We all sat around waiting for my daughter to open her PsP she had been wanting for 2 years now.  We got to the "big" gift and boom the shock and awe factor.  After the youngster opened all of her gifts it was the adults turn.  My wife opened all of her gifts, with smiles.  Baby clothes and a new wallet she was in heaven.  My utopia was nearing for the amazing gifts that my wife had gotten me.  The first was a Wusthof 8" Chef knife.  Man she really knows me.  The next was a recipe' creator book, for the creative and not faint at heart.  Then the book that I had been asking for since September.  "Will write for food"  man what a great Christmas.  A few days before Christmas, I took my wife and her brother to "The Pit"  in downtown Raleigh.  I must say one of the best BB-Q joints I have ever been in.  Fried green tomato's, hush puppies, real pit pork, with an aged sweet/tangy vinegar based sauce.  I loved every last drop of it.  My wife loved every bit of it and so did baby (so she says).  Her brother ate some of it but did not demolish it like we did.  After we polished off the wonderful pork, we decided to partake in one of the famous deserts "Banana Pudding".  One of the best creations I have ever ate to date.  I like to call myself a banana pudding fanatic, and I have had my fair share of this dish.  This one however was so good it made you want to call your grandma and tell her she had been doing it wrong.  That about sums up our little week of Christmas.

The Cuban Sandwich Crisis!

It has been a while since my last post and for that I am sorry.  Life has been busy for me, school, my wife and baby(It's a Girl), Scarlett(maybe).  I have ate at many different establishments since my last posting of about two weeks ago but deep inside none have been worthy enough to get a mention, until now.  The Oakwood Cafe, a nice, as my wife puts it "cute" little restaurant, in downtown Raleigh.  On first glance one would never think this is a Cuban/Argentinean restaurant, in fact it looks like a breakfast place that 70 year old men go to talk about the economy and bash Obama.  We go inside, we are met by a blonde woman, I could see in my wife's eyes "oh great, Americans trying their hand at authentic cuisine".  Then the blonde starts in on her spit fire Spanish and upon listening to her you can really hear her accent.  My wife orders the "Cuban Sandwich" a staple for most.  I order the Picadillo beef platter.  As an appetizer we order the Yucca root with mojo sauce, it a stable in Cuban cuisine.  We dig in "outstanding"  the yucca was prepared with seared outside drenched in Mojo.  We get our lunch, hers was a steak Cuban sandwich with so outstanding prepared meat.  Mine was served with Black beans and rice, the meat was marinated with olives and you could really taste the spices.  This meal was an outstanding staple in Cuban cuisine.  We will return!  After our meal, actually during we enjoyed a cup of Cuban coffee.  Man, they really know how to do coffee.

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Papa's Pizza, it really is amazing!

Today, I venture out, a little break from the homework.  I head down to the local grocery store for some items to prepare my wife a delicious bacon wrapped pork tender loin.  On my way there, I swing in to Papa's Pizza.  A little pizza shop less than a mile down the road.  Has all the makings of a typical Ma and Pop pizzeria.  When I make entry I see a collaboration of North Carolina College teams on the wall.  Do I pick the Tar Heel section?  The Blue Devil's, they have a good basketball team, or maybe the forgotten Wolf pack of NC State.  Then I see the menu of choices.  Check out this menu, Subs, Pizza, Salads, Homemade pasta.  WOW!  I will have the Philly with some of those special seasoned fries.  Load it up, sweet peppers, Swiss cheese, lettuce and what ever it is you call "special spices", Ill have it!  I get my order and I must say "Outstanding!".  The first bite hits your lips, with a stinging sweet sensation from the peppers and the meat, done to perfection.  Bite after bite, I partake in ones little known seductions called food.  As Anthony Bourdain calls it "Food Porn".  I polish off my meal with a Peach infused Green Tea.  This place is one of those little secrets you share with friends and family.  I would recommend this to anyone who is traveling down highway 42 and looking for a great meal.