Art and Photography Blog

Photos of Southern BBQ Part Six

Here is the sixth installment of our BBQ tour of the US South. This road trip includes three BBQ stops. This post picks up with samples from Alabama, South Carolina, and Mississippi The first one covered Louisiana and Texas. The second post covered Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina. The third covered North Carolina and eastern Virginia. The fourth part covered western Virginia, Alabama, and Georgia (by way of Vermont). The fifth covered Alabama, South Carolina, Mississippi, and Georgia. This is a very unscientific sampling taken from doing a search on the likely places we might stop for a meal. We consulted the Southern BBQ Trail and Our State Magazine (NC), as well as doing simple searches. The post in the series will cover New Orleans. The research is just beginning.

Dreamland Bar-B-Que in Alabama provides great ribs. It is a well regarded local chain. On a prior a trip we ate at Dreamland BBQ in Tuscaloosa, Alabama the original Dreamland Café, located about two miles from the intersection of Hwy 82 and Interstate 59 just south of Tuscaloosa. 5535 15th Avenue, East
Tuscaloosa, AL 35405
(205) 758-8135.  On this trip we tried their branch in Montgomery and had excellent ribs and cole slaw. They were great and some of the best I have ever had. You can see below that we did the whole rack in one sitting. It is located in a renovated part of the old down town. 101 Tallapoosa Street, The Alley Montgomery, AL 36104 334-273-7427 (RIBS)

   

Marie’s BBQ House is just over the border from Georgia. It has a wide variety of excellent sides and was started in 2005 by Grover and Marie Robinson.  A number of Marie and Grover's family work at the restaurant including daughters Glenda and Sandra, Granddaughters Jessica and Chelsea. We had pulled pork and chopped beef with fired squash, fried green tomatoes, and fried corn on the cob, as well as a baked potato.  It is located at 1414 Almon St, Heflin, AL 36264 (256) 463-3636

        

Stonewall BBQ is a local chain in Southern Mississippi. Tony and Angie Smith opened the first Stonewall’s restaurant with a friend on Highway 53 South just outside Poplarville, Mississippi in an old barn in 1995. Their sauce and rub are original recipes. Their barbeque is never precooked; it is cooked throughout the day of serving. We had excellent brisket, flavorful ribs, cheese potato casserole, mac and cheese, some of the best tamales I have had, and chicken and sausage gumbo. All were worth repeating. We went to the location at 1020 South Main Street, Poplarville, MS 39470 (601) 403-8555.

          

 

Photos of Produce to Paintings in Samos Greece

This is the last of a ten part series on photos of dining on the Greek island of Samos. I have now been there three times for stays of a month or more in the mountain village of Mytilini. I have painted on each stay. Some of the paintings were inspired by the local food. I showed some in the first post on Dining in Seaside Villages and the one on dining in Mytilini. Below are a number of acrylic paintings of local produce proceeded by the food that inspired them. The first four are 1o" square and were done in 2014. The next two are 16" x 20" and were done in 2012. The last one is a fish about to be cleaned that my friend painted in watercolor in 2013. 

                          

Photos of Food Providers in Mytilini, Samos Greece

This is the ninth of a ten part series on photos of dining on the Greek island of Samos. I have now been there three times for stays of a month or more. I have painted on each stay. Here is a link to the last ten paintings I did in 2014. This time has also has given me a chance to sample many of the great restaurants on the island. The first three posts look at the smaller mountain villages and seaside towns. The larger towns are now be covered in individual posts. I started with Mytilini, the largest of the mountain towns and then Karolvasi, Pythagora, and Samos Town.

The island also has great local produce, meat, and fish and we did a lot of cooking at our friend’s home in Mytilini where we stayed. The series would not be complete without sharing some of the many sources for local food, both commercial and non-commercial. Around the corner from us was an excellent bakery run by a German woman and her Greek husband who was the baker. We often got breakfast pastries as shown in the last post, as well as fresh bread.

        

We got fresh fish from a man who drove a truck with his daily catch by our house each day. He announced his catch through a loud speaker. We did not know the Greek words but could just pick out our choices from the iced selection in the back of his truck. Some of his offerings were covered in the last post.

  

There was an excellent produce store where we got the tomatoes shown in the last post and much more including the onions below. The town also had a meat market and comprehensive grocery and general store, as well as a wine cooperative. A number of people raised their own goats. There were few sheep on the island but many goats as they are more self sufficent. They roast goat stuffed with rice for Easter in a wood fired oven as shown in these scenes from 2012 near Leka. They also roast goat on a spit like many of the other islands. I had the honor for turing the spit for a few moments. After roasting they stripped the meat in a pulled pork style. 

                     

Occasionally, a produce man could drive through town and we could buy fresh fruit and vegetables from the back of his truck. Another man sold cheese from the back of his truck.

    

Wine grapes were grown in the surrounding hills, as well as a few in town. While it is an inland village many fisherman live here. Here is one working on his trap.

        

Right in town there were many orange and lemon trees. We had friend who supplied us from their trees in the April-May season. There are also numerous fig trees, many just growing wild. We found an unattended one that supplied us during the September season.

        

Above town were a number of olive orchards. We often walked up there so see the changing light at sunset and have view of the town and Turkey and the sea in the distance. They cut the brascnhes back every year so the olives do not get too high on the tree. The trees develop very thick trunks for their short size as shown in the grove just outside town.

      

Photos of Dining at Home in Mytilini, Samos Greece

This is the eighth of a ten part series on photos of dining on the Greek island of Samos. I have now been there three times for stays of a month or more. I have painted on each stay. Here is a link to the last ten paintings I did in 2014. This time has also has given me a chance to sample many of the great restaurants on the island. The first three posts look at the smaller mountain villages and seaside towns. The larger towns are now be covered in individual posts. I started with Mytilini, the largest of the mountain towns and then Karolvasi, Pythagora, and Samos Town.

The island also has great local produce, meat, and fish and we did a lot of cooking at our friend’s home in Mytilini where we stayed. There was a grill in the back and a full kitchen. Below you can first see eggplant and calamari on the grill, then the results. Next there is grilled zuchinni. Then there is a photo of another grilling of chicken and potatoes and the results. We got fresh fish from a man who drove a truck with his daily catch by our house each day. He announced his catch through a loud speaker. We did not know the Greek words but could juts pick out our choices from the iced selection in the back of his truck. Here you see a fish about to be cleaned. The calamari also came from him. We found several videos on how to clean them on YouTube. You can see him and his truck in the next post on food providers.

              

The fish below came fromt he fish truck and was grilled. the pork came from the local meat market as did the chicken above. The pork below had garlic from the produce store embeeded in it and was grilled with onions. 

  

There was a wonderful bakery just around the corner which is shown in the next post. We often got breakfast pastries. The bread shown was sliced and grilled. The pastry is served with some fresh peaches we got at a roadside stand. There was an excellent produce store where we got these tomatoes and much more. I made paintings from many of the fresh fruits and vegetables. The last post in this series shows the produce and the paintings they inspired.  Occasionally, a produce man could drive through town (shown in the next post) and we could buy fresh fruit and vegetables from the back of his truck. 

   

Many people have their own chickens. We also made a quiche fromn the fresh egggs we got from a friend's chickens. The island produces the best tasting potatoes I have had anywhere. They became the source for a number of dishes inlcudidng the garlic and onion fried potatoes shown below. Below these are one of the fresh eggs with left over fired potatoes and an eggplant tomato cheese pie made from all local products. 

      



 

Photos of Dining in Samos Town, Greece

This is the seventh of a ten part series on photos of dining on the Greek island of Samos. I have now been there three times for stays of a month or more. I have painted on each stay. Here is a link to the last ten paintings I did in 2014. This time has also has given me a chance to sample many of the great restaurants on the island. The first three posts look at the smaller mountain villages and seaside towns. The larger towns are now be covered in individual posts. I started with Mytilini, the largest of the mountain towns and then Karolvasi and Pythagora.

This post covers Samos Town, the capital and largest town on the island. The Town of Samos was built in the middle of 18th century as the port of Vathy, the older town locate dup the hillside to protect it from pirates. The houses of the newer town are built to amphitheatrically formation, around the bay. In front of the settlement is the port of Samos with wharf of more than 150 meters length. It is place where large cruise ships come in. There are in the process of redoing the harbor front to make it more attractive with cafes and trees.

We had two lunches there. The first was is in a garden café. We had a eggplant spread, nice bread, and a seafood combo.

        

The next place was just off the main street in an open courtyard. We had fried eggplant, garlic spread, zuchinni fritters, pork with fries. You can also see the harbor from above. 

          

Photos of Dining in Pythagora, Samos Greece

This is the sixth of a ten part series on photos of dining on the Greek island of Samos. I have now been there three times for stays of a month or more. I have painted on each stay. Here is a link to the last ten paintings I did in 2014. This time has also has given me a chance to sample many of the great restaurants on the island. The first three posts look at the smaller mountain villages and seaside towns. The larger towns are now be covered in individual posts. I started with Mytilini, the largest of the mountain towns and then Karolvasi.

This post covers Pythagora, a yacht harbor on the south coast. It is the most upscale and tourist oriented town on the island with many large yachts in the harbor. The harbor is lined with restaurants and bars that canter to the more upscale tourists. You can many signs advertising traditional Greek food. In the smaller towns this is assumed. There are also some fishing boats and many tour boats going to other places in Samos or nearby islands. I preferred the smaller towns but there is still some good food here. At one place in 2014 we had mussels and lamb stew with a nice sweet to conclude the meal.

        

At another in 2013 we had a Greek salad, grilled bread with three sauces, and a seafood platter.

    
    

A nice lunch in 2012 consisted of a simple salad, bread with chick pea spread, fried calamari. 

      

Photos of Dining in Karlvolasi, Samos Greece

This is the fifth of a ten part series on photos of dining on the Greek island of Samos. I have now been there three times for stays of a month or more. I have painted on each stay. Here is a link to the last ten paintings I did in 2014. This time has also has given me a chance to sample many of the great restaurants on the island. The first three posts look at the smaller mountain villages and seaside towns. The larger towns will now be covered in individual posts. I started with Mytilini, the largest of the mountain towns. It is where we stayed.

This post covers Karlovasi, the second largest town on the island. It has a working harbor and nice old section up on a hill over the new town. It is located on the northwest side of the island. The School of Sciences of University of the Aegean  is located in the town. It was a flourishing tannery and tobacco manufacturing centre in the early 1900s. Many magnificent neoclassical mansions can be seen from that period as well as the remains of the large stone-built factories at the "Ormos" seaside.

Dionisos is an excellent restaurant in the middle of the new town at Plateia 8is Maiou, Below you can see some of their offerings. They include: fava bean spread, sautéed field greens, grilled cheese, cheese pies, goat in tomato sauce with fries, and chilled cherries for desert.

            

We also went to a fish market where you can order fish cooked to pick up in the afternoon. You see some of the selected and the two grilled fish we enjoyed for lunch.

        

There is a great restaurant just outside Karlovasi in a small hill town. It is called the aristocrat in Greek. Below you can see some of their offerings. They include a salad with lemon mustard dressing, pastry with honey, stuffed onions with tomato sauce and cheese, pork stew with fries, mousakka, and pork with green beans in a lemon mustard sauce. 

              

Photos of Dining in Mytilini, Samos Greece

This is the fourth of a ten part series on photos of dining on the Greek island of Samos. I have now been there three times for stays of a month or more. I have painted on each stay. Here is a link to the last ten paintings I did in 2014. This time has also has given me a chance to sample many of the great restaurants on the island. The first three posts look at the smaller mountain villages and seaside towns. The larger towns will now be covered in individual posts. I start with Mytilini, the largest of the mountain towns. It is where we stayed.

There are several restaurants in the large old town square off the main road. The one on the far side has the most varied menu. It also has wifi so we went there on many occasions for wine and snacks and a few meals. Here are some samples. We liked the eggplant rolls best as they used eggplant as the wrapper around a nice cheese sauce with meat. There are also zuchinni fritters, fish roe spread, grilled cheese, Greek salad, pork steak with fries, the grilled bread that came with many dishes, roasted goat in tomato sauce with fries, and a complementary sweet. Sometimes they have music jam sessions on Sunday afternoons.

                      

The Rooster is on the side near the main street. It is known for its grilled chicken but there are other good selections, especially when festivals bring larger crowds In 2013 they provided live music.

                    

The local movie theater is another source of fine food. It is located under the starts in a walled garden. There are tables and chairs instead of the rows of attached movie seats. Beer and wine are served along with pizza, as well as Souvlaki and fries are served. There are two intermissions to get refils. During the second intermission they serve a complementary sweet like the restaurants. in this case it is always Lukomates shown in the painting I did below inspired by their offerings. 

      

 

 

 

 

Photos of Dining in Samos Greece Southern Mountain Villages

This is the third of a ten part series on photos of dining on the Greek island of Samos. I have now been there three times for stays of a month or more. I have painted on each stay. Here is a link to the last ten paintings I did in 2014. This time has also has given me a chance to sample many of the great restaurants on the island. This first post looks at three of the smaller seaside villages. The last post covered the northern mountain villages. The larger towns will be covered in individual posts.

Paghondas is located in the south central hills. It has wide town square skirted by the main road. We ate at the place on far side as you enter. We had stuffed tomatoes and mousakka.

      

Myloi is located just below Paghondas and has a beautiful town square away from the main road. We just had a snack there, at the first place in the square, of wine and fried potatoes but we were told the restaurant has a limited but reliable menu.

        

Drakei is located at the end of long road around the west end of the island. You can only proceed by foot beyond Drakei. It located high on a hillside overlooking the sea. We ate at open terrace on the second floor of a restaurant. It had a nice view of the sea. We had wonderful fried calamari, some vegetable fritters, and small fired fish.

        

Photos of Dining in Samos Greece Northern Mountain Villages

This is the second of a ten part series on photos of dining on the Greek island of Samos. I have now been there three times for stays of a month or more. I have painted on each stay. Here is a link to the last ten paintings I did in 2014. This time has also has given me a chance to sample many of the great restaurants on the island. This post looks at three of the smaller mountain villages on the north side of the island. The next one will look at the south and west sides. The last one covered smaller seaside villages. The larger towns will be covered in individual posts.

Vourtiates is a mountian village with several fine restaurants. The best one is loacted by the spring on the rgiht as you enter town. It has awider menu than mnay of the other village places. Below you see roasted peppers, rabbit with fries, zuchinni fritters, phyllo covered meat, and an eggplant casserole. 

          

Manolates is a very picturesque hill top art colony overlooking the sea. It is next to Vourtiates which has the better restaurants. However, there is good food at Manolateds. Below you see chicken with carrots and a Greek salad. Seated at the table is one fo the many eager cats found in most dining establisments on the island. 

      

Platanos is at the top of winding road with a greta view over to the Mount Kerkus region. The main goes right through the town square which is rare. We ate at the Parthenon restaurant. It is the smaller of the two. The waiter took us back to the kitchen to make our chocies, tzaziti, stuffed tomatoes and meat patties with tomatoe suace and fries. The square has a well known spring fed by montain waters.