The Food Pope at Melt: A Microvideo by David Maynard

Fabulous Findlay Pizza!

Enjoyed a wonderful pizza at Jac N Dos in Findlay last night and the only thing left was the cardboard tray and crumpled napkins.  Thanks Findlay for a wonderful meal!

Light and Lemony Eggplant Spread: A Summer Delight

For a tasty, light lunch, look no further than a couple of eggplant, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, and French bread.

Start with several long eggplant and slice them lengthwise in two.  Eggplant is notorious for absorbing large quantities of olive oil, so brush both sides generously.  Grill until tender.

In a blender or food processor, combine cubes of the grilled eggplant (with skin), several tablespoons of tahini (available at most grocery stores and Middle Eastern markets), lemon juice (fresh is always best but bottled works well in a pinch), and several cloves of garlic.  The Food Pope likes the spread to have some bite, so 5 cloves of roughly chopped garlic are added to 2 eggplant.

Blend until a thick spread is formed.

Bake slices of French Bread at 350 degrees for several minutes and top with the spread.  Enjoy!

Afternoon Tea

While enjoying afternoon tea at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, I realized that a very similar afternoon tea can be served at home at a fraction of the price.  Scroll down for suggestions on how to prepare your own high tea at home!

Start with a tasty bread that you enjoy for sandwiches and spread cream cheese on one side of each slice.  Top with cucumber, turkey, ham, or smoked salmon.

Cut off the crusts and cut into triangles or squares for petite tea sandwiches:

Serve with scones, biscuits, fruit, strong tea, and a small glass of sherry for a delicious afternoon tea!

Bacon and Brie Burger

A recent visit to Bareburger in Columbus inspired a new burger: the bacon and brie burger.  1 quarter pound grilled burger + applewood smoked bacon, French brie, and a pretzel bun = HEAVEN

Zucchini Parmigiana

For a fast, inexpensive grilled treat using summer produce, try grilled zucchini parmigiana.  Cut a medium to large zucchini in half and scoop out the seeds.  Brush olive oil on and grill both sides before filling the hollowed-out section with mozzarella cheese and topping with your favorite tomato sauce.

Summer Salads

With the abundance of fresh local produce, salads are a wonderful addition to summer fare.  Here, a basic salad includes queso fresco, grilled carrots tossed in sesame oil, chopped capers, beets, and bibb lettuce.