Jay D's Bites: Chicken Biscuit with Molasses Mustard Butter

by Chef Jenn Breithaupt
(original biscuit recipe by Chef Alex Hamman)

Everyone loves the Honey Butter Chicken Biscuits from Whataburger, but why not make your own at home?! Chef Alex Hamman from the Louisiana Culinary Institute has the most amazing biscuit recipe (seriously, they call him King Biscuit) that he makes every Friday for faculty.

I asked him if I could utilize it to make a Molasses Mustard butter chicken biscuits and he was all for it. The fluffiness of the biscuit is harmonious with the fried chicken breast and the Molasses Mustard butter sends it over the top. The biscuit dough also does very well in the freezer if you want to make a batch of biscuits and save them for a rainy day breakfast.

Molasses Mustard Butter Chicken Biscuit

Makes 15 biscuits, 3½” 

For the biscuits:
4 cups bread flour
3¾ cups cake flour
3½ Tbs baking powder
1 Tbs + 1 tsp kosher salt
3 Tbs + 1 tsp sugar
3 sticks + ½ Tbs cold unsalted butter, cubed
3¼ cups buttermilk

For the chicken:
6 chicken breast, cut in half, flattened
1½ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp black pepper
2 eggs, whisked
Canola oil for frying

For the butter:

¾ cup Jay D’s Louisiana Molasses Mustard
2 sticks unsalted butter

For the biscuits:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Keep all ingredients as cold as possible!

In a medium mixing bowl, combine both bread and cake flour, baking powder, salt and sugar from the biscuit ingredients. Using a pastry blender or your hands, cut cold butter into flour mixture until butter is the size of peas. Add buttermilk and mix with your hands until shaggy. Cover and rest for 20 minutes. Roll out dough on a floured surface and fold once (to create layers). Roll out again to 1-1¼” thick and cut into 3½” circles. When cutting biscuits out, DO NOT TWIST CUTTER. Just simply press down and lift cutter back up. Place biscuits about ½” apart on greased baking sheet and bake until golden brown.

For the chicken:
Heat canola oil to 350°F in a skillet or table-top fryer. Dredge chicken in seasoned flour, place in egg-wash, then dredge back through flour. Fry chicken until golden, brown, and delicious (about 4-5 minutes).

For the butter:
Soften butter and mix in Jay D’s Louisiana Molasses Mustard.

Open biscuit up and slather butter on both halves. Place fried chicken breast on biscuit and put the other half of biscuit on top of chicken and enjoy your chicken biscuit sandwich!

Dinner Dominicana at Red Stick Spice Company

by Jay Ducote
all photos by Jordan Hefler


The Dominican Republic is a special place to me. I've been able to travel there four times now, including twice in 2017. I've seen, or at least traveled through, the majority of the country, and I've fallen in love with the people, the food and the culture. I could go back there time and time again.

On my first trip in 2013, I had one of the most memorable meals of my life. Upon my returns to the country, those expectations have only been matched... other than in Punta Cana, where all-inclusive resort food does not live up to any sort of authenticity standards.

Presidente, the ubiquitous beer of the Dominican Republic

Last year I launched Jay D's Single Origin Coffee, a project that sources coffee beans directly from Dominican coffee farmers then roasts the green coffee with Baton Rouge's Cafeciteaux Coffee Roasters. I spoke about how it all came together at TEDxLSU.

After a trip to the coffee farms in May and then another culinary media trip  in August to Santo Domingo and Puerto Plata, I felt like it would be a great time to bring some of my Dominican bite and booze experiences back to Baton Rouge.

We've been organizing a series of dinners at Red Stick Spice Company on Jefferson Highway, so putting together a Dinner Dominicana at Red Stick just made sense!

Goat empanadas with coconut habanero hot sauce

We started the meal with an appetizer while guests were able to walk around the store and browse the selection of spices, oils, vinegar, teas and local products. Our goat empanadas were formed into yucca flour dough and fried to crispy. They were served with a coconut habanero hot sauce. This dish reminded me of empanadas available from street vendors in Santo Domingo.

Anne Milneck from Red Stick Spice speaks to the crowd at Dinner Domicana

As the group of hungry diners took their seats on the classroom side of Red Stick Spice, Anne Milneck, the store's owner, welcomed everyone. She gave them each packet of Adobo seasoning, commonly used in Latin American cooking, as party favors to take home. I also greeted the guests before the second course arrived, a Dominican beef and root vegetable stew called sancocho. 

Our second course was paired with a Santo Libre made with Brugal Extra Viejo Dominican Rum and Sprite

Back when Blair and I were in the Dominican Republic we brought back a couple bottles of Brugal Extra Viejo, one of my favorite Dominican rums, so that we could use it for a dinner like this. We used the tasty sugarcane elixir in a batch of Santo Libres, a simple beverage of rum and lemon-lime soda. Used to rum and Coke? Next time try Sprite or 7up!

Jay Ducote serving up the Sancocho at Red Stick Spice Company

The Sancocho is a thick and hearty stew of beef and root vegetables like sweet potato and yucca. It could be equated to the Dominican (and Puerto Rican) version of gumbo, and sometimes even served with rice, but it uses the starches from the root vegetables instead of a roux as the thickener. I had an absolutely fantastic sancocho from Chef Martin Omar at Hodelpa Nicolas de Ovando in Santo Domingo. All I could do was try to do that stew justice.

Pollo Guisado, Rice, Beans, Avocado, Fried Plantains

The main course of the evening was my play at the most quintessential dish in all of the Dominican Republic: pollo guisado. This is also the dish in my previously aforementioned memorable meal post. Chicken, which can be found free-ranging all over the country, is stewed in a bath of tomato and garlic then served with rice, beans and fried plantains. It is a nurturing, comfort, home-cooked kind of a meal that has slight variations anywhere and everywhere you eat it. No two cooks make it the same, and you can have great versions and some very mediocre versions, but all in all, it's the lifeblood of the nation. 

Coconut Cake with Jay D's Single Origin Coffee

For dessert, we took a trip to the more tropical side of Caribbean cuisine. Our Gov't Taco Majority Whip, Therese Schneider, took the lead on making a rum-infused coconut cake that we served with a cup of Jay D's Single Origin Coffee. I wanted the opportunity to talk about my coffee and the people in the Dominican Republic who grow the beans. The coffee, as well as all of my products, can be found at jayducote.com/shop.

Now I just need to figure out when I'll be able to make a return trip to the Dominican Republic. I'm sure it won't be long!

Jay D’s Backyard BBQ at Tin Roof Brewery

by Sophie Spring, intern

Our Bull Grill from Goodwood Hardware loaded up with meats at Tin Roof Brewing
photo credit: Jordan Hefler Photography

The Bite & Booze team was excited to throw a Backyard BBQ party at Tin Roof Brewery to help celebrate the release of their new Watermelon Wheat. The day started early, cleaning ice chests, loading red beans and Supreme Rice into the Goodwood Hardware trailer, lugging heavy cast iron pots to the brewery, cooking up cheese sauce and slicing smoked sausages. Aimee and Therese planned the schedule for smoking the chicken, ribs and sausage days in advance. The pimento cheese sauce was made with love the morning of the event, proportions of rice and beans and seasonings were calculated carefully, and lists of supplies covered tables in the office.

Grill me something mister! 📸: @jordanhefler . . . . . #jayd #hugjayd #biteandbooze #backyardbbq #batonrouge #br #gobr #225batonrouge #225 #summerBBQ #ribs #sausage #chicken #grill

A post shared by Bite & Booze (@biteandbooze) on Jul 10, 2017 at 11:20am PDT

What was on the menu for the event, you ask? Tender, fall of the bone ribs, juicy smoked chicken, and flavorful sausage. The trio of meat was accompanied by impossibly creamy pimento mac and cheese, dirty rice and BBQ beans.

Chef Aimee Tortorich shows off some Jay D's smoked ribs!
photo credit: Jordan Hefler Photography

All of which was served with an iconic slice of white bread to sop up all the juices that gather in the bottom of the red checkered trough used to serve our “Full Monty” (a plate of all three meats and each of the sides). The team used Jay D’s Spicy & Sweet BBQ Rub to season the meats, Louisiana Barbecue Sauce to mop the meats as we finished them on the grill and Louisiana Molasses Mustard and barbecue sauce were available for dipping and slathering.

What a weekend! The Jay D's Backyard BBQ at @tinroofbeer was a huge success. Sorry if we sold out before you got to taste all this deliciousness but hopefully we will be doing it again very soon! Stay tuned to find out where we will be cooking next. . . . . #backyardbbq #bbq #jayd #tinroofbrewery #watermelonwheat #summer #summerBBQ #usa #fourthofjuly #independenceday #225batonrouge #eatbr #gobr #batonrouge

A post shared by Bite & Booze (@biteandbooze) on Jul 5, 2017 at 9:52am PDT

The weather was perfect for the event, sun shining and clear skies. It was the ideal day to relax in the yard at Tin Roof Brewery, Watermelon Wheat in one hand a smoked BBQ rib in the other. As we anticipated, the “Full Monty” was our best seller. No one wanted to miss out on any of the meats or sides. We were so happy with the turnout, it felt like there was an endless line of people from the start to when we sold out of meat.

Sophie Spring and Chuck P. scooping the Supreme Rice dirty rice for service
photo credit: Jordan Hefler Photography

The team was running back and forth with hot trays of ribs and sausage, using paddles to scoop steamy dirty rice into hotel pans, pulling BBQ beans out and rushing to get them to our customers.

Sold out BBQ! photo credit: Jordan Hefler Photography

The food was gone before we knew it, and at the end of the night all we had left was the bottom of the pot of dirty rice and BBQ beans. Overall, the event was a success: beer, BBQ, and a good time!

Five Reasons We Crossed the Road to Celebrate Fried Chicken Day

by Drew Broussard

Let's be honest, given the time, we could come up with an infinite number of reasons to celebrate National Fried Chicken Day. After some deliberation, we rounded up our top five reasons to put on those aprons and get our yardbird on:

1. You can eat it all day

On the blog | We're shaking up your weekend brunch plans! Check the link in our bio for places in and around @visitbatonrouge you may not have considered, including @barcadiabr's brunch! What are your favorite brunch spots in Louisiana? Let us know!

A photo posted by Bite & Booze (@biteandbooze) on Apr 22, 2016 at 9:33am PDT

Fried chicken can be eaten at any time of the day. Don't believe me? Let’s start with chicken and syrup (with waffles or pancakes), a southern breakfast staple. The saltiness and spice of the battered chicken compliments those syrupy delights in a way that is stomach-lining and soul-pleasing.

Come lunch time, the chicken sandwich stakes its claim as another mainstay. The golden brown bird sits comfortably between two slices of bread with a couple of dill pickles to top it off. 

When dinner time rolls around, fried chicken remains a dominant presence as a family-style meal. Whether you prefer the drumsticks, breasts, or thighs, there's surely a part to please. Served along side some greens, beans, potatoes or biscuits, this crispy-skinned bird begs to be eaten. 

So really, is there a bad time of the day to eat fried chicken? Trick question, sometimes I make myself laugh.

2. It's versatile in flavor:

The real deal #nashville hot chicken from @hattiebs. I ordered the 1/2 bird hot with a "shut da cluck up" wing on the side. Video to come about that wing. But the hot: magical. "It was a pleasure to burn." - Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451

A photo posted by Jay Ducote (@jayducote) on Mar 21, 2016 at 7:35pm PDT

 

Despite having the same base ingredients, fried chicken can take on a myriad of different favors. Spicy or mild, sweet or sour, you name it and you can have it. 

While southern fried chicken is most popular, you can find an inspired take on the dish no matter what cultural background you find yourself eating from. Whether it's Nashville hot or garlicky Korean, this dish knows no bounds. There's hardly a menu I know of that doesn't have some kind of fried chicken variant.

3. At home or on the go, it's a win:

Four, "Two Piece Tuesdays" from Chicken Shack in Baton Rouge

It doesn't matter where you are, you can almost always find good fried chicken. That's part of its magic. On the road, you are never too far away from a Popeyes. While this classic Louisiana-born chain is considered fast food, it is hard to beat in the fried chicken department. They have a tried and true method that results in a greasy goodness which ranks high on my scale of life-shortening foods.

We are blessed with plenty of  fried food restaurants in Louisiana, such as the Chicken Shack in Baton Rouge or Willie Mae's in New Orleans. Both of these places are sure to please and are great to stop by for a filling, local dish.

While on-the go chicken restaurants rank up there on the "greatest thing since sliced bread," list, homemade fried chicken is one of the finest culinary treats bestowed upon humanity. It's hard to top the nostalgic experience of grandma quartering the chicken, the drenching of buttermilk, and the sound of oil popping from the dutch oven. When it's all said in done, that home cooked delicacy is out of this world! For every year that it takes off your life expectancy, it adds to your soul. Don't be ashamed, eat up.

4. It brings people together:

Sometimes @biteandbooze #officehouse leftovers is exactly what you need! Pollo frito con frijoles rojos does the trick! Okay, fried chicken and red beans, but the beans were Dominican inspired!

A photo posted by Jay Ducote (@jayducote) on Apr 26, 2016 at 6:06pm PDT

 

Let's start by picturing a corny thought. Think about the American dinner table. Families talk about their day, how work and school was as they pass around that white and red striped bucket with an old man's face on it. What do they pull from this cardboard vessel? A golden brown drumstick that lands on their plate right next to the baked potatoes, green beans and gravy.

The colonel might not be pulling rank here in Louisiana, but I can recall many after church lunches that my family picked up from Popeyes. Substitute mashed potatoes for a biscuit, green beans for their red brethren, and you are talking a family dinner, Louisiana style. It's communal, cultural, and one of the tastiest ways of catching up. I immediately feel closer to someone after we've shared fried chicken; it's science.

5. It's just darn good:

Nothing on this earth like homemade fried chicken. 🙏🏻 What are y'all having for dinner tonight? 🍗#friedchicken #frythatchicken #yummy #southernfood

A photo posted by Bite & Booze (@biteandbooze) on Apr 25, 2016 at 3:28pm PDT

Chicken is the most popular protein out there. Every menu that you come across has some kind of chicken dish. Baked, grilled or roasted, fried chicken beats them all. It just doesn't get old. It has been around since the birth of this country, and with Independence Day having just passed, there's more than enough reason to keep the celebration going.

Red, White and 'Cue: A Look Back on Barbecue Bites Past

by Drew Broussard

Oh barbecue, where do we start? At Bite and Booze, our appreciation for barbecue runs deep. Three of our products were thoughtfully considered and concocted with the beauty of this "low and slow" cooking method in mind. Whether he's competing or simply taste-testing for the betterment of mankind, Jay has eaten his share of barbecue over the years. 

While spring time in Louisiana may be dominated by seafood, people pivot to pork, chicken and beef when the summer rolls around. Now that July 4th is upon us and we are itching to hit the grill, let's take a look back at some of our favorite barbecued dishes that we've enjoyed over the past few years!

The Best Brisket from Franklin Barbecue in Austin, Texas

Brisket from @franklinbbq. @jayducote braved the line yesterday, but of course he turned it into a tailgate party. #bbq #nofilter #atx #foodporn #nomnom #seriously #beef #brisket

A photo posted by Bite & Booze (@biteandbooze) on Nov 14, 2015 at 8:03am PST

Big Basket from La Barbecue in Austin, Texas

Doing things for real at @la_barbecue in #atx! Check out that colossal beef rib! #bbq #texas #foodpics #foodporn #barbecue

A photo posted by Bite & Booze (@biteandbooze) on Nov 18, 2015 at 12:06pm PST

Spare Ribs at Arthur Bryant's in Kansas City

Brisket from the GnarBQ 2015

St. Louis Style Ribs from Pimanyoli's

Smoked Sausages from Johnson's Boucanière in Lafayette

Sausages smoking at @johnsonsboucaniere. There aren't many prettier sights. @eatlafayette #lafayette

A photo posted by Bite & Booze (@biteandbooze) on Jan 12, 2016 at 12:44pm PST

Sampler Platter from Nola Smokehouse

Say hello to the sampler platter at @nolasmokehouse. Ribs, pulled pork, brisket, burnt ends, smoked sausage, boudin, and sides! #bbq #nola #chefrob #eeeeeats #satisfeed #instayum #instafood #foodprnshare #foodporn #instagood #foodgasm #nom #nomnom #nomnomnom #foodpic #fdlmoment 

photo posted by Bite & Booze (@biteandbooze) on Jul 10, 2015 at 9:49am PDT

Team Bacon Rouge's Pig from Hogs for the Cause

We can hardly wait for this year's @hogsforthecause!Team @baconrouge is ready to rock and roll. Make sure to grab your tickets! #hogsforthecause #pork #citypork #yummy #wholehog

A photo posted by Bite & Booze (@biteandbooze) on Mar 22, 2016 at 10:11am PDT

BBQ Plate from Mitchell's Bar-B-Q in Cheyenne, WY

Doing some #BBQ research at Mitchell's Bar-B-Q in downtown Cheyenne, WY. #thestruggle

A photo posted by Bite & Booze (@biteandbooze) on Jun 23, 2014 at 1:00pm PDT

Jay D's Barbecue Venison Pizza

When @jayducote found out @indieplate carries fresh #pizza dough and @chuckp23 stocked us with venison, the @hugjayd Louisiana Barbecue Venison pizza was born!

A photo posted by Bite & Booze (@biteandbooze) on Mar 2, 2016 at 12:11pm PST

10 of Our Favorite Deep Fried Dishes

by Intern Drew Broussard

It should come as no surprise that we have a deep, oily, sizzling passion for fried foods. Heck, Jay is hosting his own show about just that on Travel Channel! With Deep Fried America set to premier tomorrow, we found ourselves reflecting on our favorite fried treats we’ve eaten over the past few years. But then we realized, why reminisce whenever you can make a list of them? Here are some of the best fried memories laid out for your mouth-watering enjoyment.

Fried Pork Chop at Salt New American Table

Now this is a pork chop. Compart Duloc pig with the loin, rib, fat and crispy skin over a huitlacoche tamale and corn relish. @larrydelgadorgv knows what's up at @saltnewamericantable in @visitmcallen! #visitmcallen #happylarrydelgadoday #texas #foodporn #pork

A photo posted by Jay Ducote (@jayducote) on Feb 24, 2016 at 7:54pm PST

Fried Boudin Balls all over Baton Rouge

Deep fried boudin balls from different restaurants in Baton Rouge

Jay's Fried Chicken

Deep Fried Burger at Phil's Grill

This deep fried burger from Phil's Grill in New Orleans is noteworthy

Beignets at Coffee Call

Chicken Fried Ribeye at Horseshoe Bay Resort

Um so this is a chicken fried ribeye with a fried egg and one helluva biscuit. @jayducote is in heaven at @hsbresort! #foodpics #texas #texas because #texas

A photo posted by Bite & Booze (@biteandbooze) on Nov 21, 2015 at 6:37pm PST

Fried Rabbit at Hot Tails

Chefs Sam and Cody Carroll kill it at Hot Tails

Deep Fried LSU Rolls from all over Baton Rouge

Fried Cheese Curds at Barcadia

Whole Fried Fish at La Salvadoreña

Snapshot of Santo Domingo: Blair's Favorite Moments in the Dominican Republic

by Blair Loup

Working at Bite and Booze is an ongoing whirlwind. I’ve gotten more out of this job than I could have ever imagined. I figured out early in my time working with Jay to never turn down an opportunity to have a good time because those times usually turn out to be unbelievable experiences.

Since turning 25 in January, I’ve dubbed this the “Year of Blair,” so when the Dominican Republic’s Magistry of Tourism invited me to travel to Santo Domingo, I couldn’t say no. 

My journey got off to a rocky start with plane drama, but after a stop in Atlanta and a gin martini at JFK, I made it to Santo Domingo. My sleepy friend and fellow travel writer/blogger Caroline Eubanks of This is My South and Caroline in the City met me in the lobby with a Presidente. 

I didn’t know it at the time, but holding a cold Presidente wrapped in a tiny white napkin was #soDR. 

Despite its rocky start, the rest of my time in Santo Domingo quickly overshadowed the previous day with bright colors, interesting characters and culinary moments worthy of this epic “Year of Blair.” Here are some of my favorite Dominican Republic experiences: 

Sancocho in the sun... 

Local chef Martín Omar González Mayí explained the lengthy process of making a traditional stew. Cooked down yucca, potatoes and other tubers combined with leaves from native plants like those seen in the pictures from the Mercado Modelo come together with different cuts of beef or pork. Typically served over rice, Sancocho isn’t too far from the stews and Cajun dishes of Louisiana. 

Chef Martín Omar's Sancocho served over rice with freshly sliced avocado.

Feasting on fried snacks in Boga Chica... 

This local gathering spot is a great way to beach bum it, enjoy a few boat drinks and get your snack on. Vendors line the street selling whole fried fish, plantains, sweet potatoes and “Johnny Cakes” (fried sheets of dough) and carry them across the street for your beach munching pleasure. 

Fried whole fish, sweet potatoes, plantains, and "Johnny Cakes" at Boga Chica.

Discovering a natural alternative to the Jolly Rancher... 

I learned Cocoa Pods contain delicious fruit that surrounds the beans. It’s super slimy but juicy and tasty beyond all reason. We got the chance to learn about the process of roasting and peeling the cocoa beans on a family's small plantation. Let me tell you, there's nothing like fresh hot chocolate!

A fresh Cocoa pod sliced open. Look at all that juicy goodness!

Drinking Presidentes at the Colmado... 

These tiny corner stores are brightly lit and carry everything from cigarettes to toilet paper. That list also includes the Dominican Republic’s answer to water: Presidente. Me and a few of the other writers had a great conversation with a lovely elderly English-speaking man sipping our beer from tiny dentist office cups while a couple danced to some Marc Anthony. Life made.

Our lovely English-speaking friend at the Colmado and our bomber bottles of Presidente.

Pollo Guisado Pit Stop... 

On the way to the Ron Barcelo Rum Distillery, we made a stop at a roadside eatery. Similar to a lunch line/plate lunch eatery you might find in Louisiana, this place had avocado salad, whole fried fish, tamales, rice, etc. I went for the Pollo Guisado, bone in chicken stewed down with tomatoes, onions and spices typically served over rice. Jay Ducote sings the praises of this dish regularly, and it did not disappoint!

A bowl of Pollo Guisado accompanied by fresh chunks of avocado and a Presidente.

This trip to Santo Doming, DR was provided through trade with the Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism.

Nick Hufft's Midas Touch: Looking Forward to More from The Merchant

by Sydney Blanchard

It seems like anything Nick Hufft touches turns to gold.

Those familiar with the Baton Rouge food scene fondly remember and dream about Curbside Burgers, and once Nick crafted the menu for Barcadia, there was nothing keeping us from drinking some beers, playing some arcade games, and chomping down on one of Baton Rouge's best burgers.

So when we heard Nick Hufft was the co-owner and culinary mind behind The Merchant, we couldn't wait to get in there and see what it was all about.

Situated near the Perkins Road overpass in the former Zee Zee Gardens building, the Merchant, or the Overpass Merchant as it's sometimes referred, opened a few weeks ago and is serving up a soft opening menu worth trying and a rotating beer and cocktail menu.

It's amazing what a fresh coat of paint and a little (a lot) of renovating can do to a place. The building looks totally transformed, the interior impeccably styled with design and comfort in mind and the exterior boasting an outdoor patio perfect for sipping cocktails and watching cars rumble down Perkins. 

Recently, Jay, Blair, Chuck, and I got to grab dinner and beers at the newly opened Merchant, and we were pretty impressed with not just the food, but the overall vibe. I'm of the opinion that Baton Rouge could always use a few more cool hangouts, and I can definitely see myself making the Merchant my new spot.

Chicken skins with local honey and Merchant hot sauce

We started with the chicken skins, topped with in-house hot sauce and local honey. These crispy little bites of savory and sweet crunch were the perfect snack to start off with.

Flatbread with prosciutto, fig jam, goat cheese, and arugula

Next, we tried the country prosciutto flat bread with fig jam, whipped goat cheese, and arugula topped with aged balsamic. The combination of the salty prosciutto and the sweet fig jam made for a tasty bite that I think would pair really well with the Merchant Mule, a frozen play on the classic. I'll definitely be ordering this again.

Broiled oysters with spinach at the Merchant

Next came the broiled oysters, which I passed on (not the biggest oyster fan). They came served in a bed with fried shallots, Tasso, sautéed spinach and Romano cheese with crostini, and the table had no problem scarfing each oyster down.

Addictive frites with garlic aioli

If there's anything I've learned from watching Anthony Boudain shows, it's to avoid fries at all costs. Normally I don't eat fries, but these frites with a roasted garlic aioli were so snackable. I found myself grabbing fistful after fistful until they were nearly all gone. 

Butter lettuce salad with bleu cheese, red onion, pecans and Steen's dressing

We tried two different salads at Merchant, but the one called salad #1 was my favorite. With butter lettuce, bleu cheese, red onion, spiced pecans, and a cane syrup dressing, this salad might make this year's Month of Salads.

Mac n cheese at Merchant

It's safe to say that I'm always down for some mac n cheese, and this one did not disappoint. With two different kinds of cheese, it's easy to see why I had to nearly fight Blair off with my fork for a bite.

A burger fit for a Chuck P

Chuck lives for burgers, and by this point we were all getting full. Chuck tackled this burger like a seasoned pro, and attested that it met all the standards we expect out of a Nick Hufft burger.

The best shrimp and grits Sydney has ever had

My favorite dish thus far was the Merchant's take on shrimp and grits. Big, flavorful barbecue shrimp came served on a pile of goat cheese grits, and I ate most of them. Normally, I don't get excited about shrimp and grits (I think it can be overplayed) but this was probably the best version of this classic I've ever tasted.

Churro with Rum Chata ganache

For dessert, we tried the churro bites with a Rum Chata ganache, and they were truly transcendent. Thankfully Blair isn't into sweets, because Jay, Chuck and I woofed all of these sugary, cinnamon-y bites down.

We try not to write about restaurants in their soft opening phase, because generally the staff and kitchen are still working out kinks and perfecting service. But if Merchant's soft opening is any indicator of what's to come, we're hopeful.

Barbecue Bites: Barbecue Chicken Tacos

Looking for a way to spruce up your go-to chicken tacos? Fresh, local ingredients can make all the difference. It's amazing how choosing the right ingredients can immediately elevate a dish.

Recently Jay made these barbecue chicken tacos for lunch using all fresh ingredients from Indie Plate, and the result was amazing! Take a look at these bad boys, cooked with Jay D's Louisiana Barbecue Sauce and Spicy & Sweet Barbecue Rub and topped with a from-scratch salsa and local goat milk feta.

Thinking about trying Indie Plate for the first time? New customers get 30-20-10% off their first, second, and third orders!

Barbecue chicken tacos, made with ingredients from Indie Plate

Barbecue Chicken Tacos

Makes 8 tacos

8 chicken thighs
2 tablespoons Jay D’s Spicy & Sweet BBQ Rub
1 tablespoon pecan oil (can use canola oil)
1 bottle (12.7 fl oz.) Jay D’s Louisiana Barbecue Sauce
8 flour tortillas
Goat milk feta cheese, crumbled

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place pecan oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.

Coat chicken thighs with Jay D’s Spicy & Sweet BBQ Rub, and brown skin side down in oil. Sautee for 5 minutes.

Using tongs flip the chicken thighs over so the skin side is up. Drench thighs in Jay D’s Louisiana Barbecue Sauce, and transfer skillet in oven for 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Once chicken is cooked through remove from oven and shred. Add some leftover barbecue sauce from the skillet to the shredded chicken, and toss.

Salsa

1 Tomato, diced
1 Tomatillo, diced
1 Serrano pepper, diced
1 Red onion, diced
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
2 limes, juiced
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Combine tomato, tomatillo, serrano pepper, red onion, cilantro and lime juice. Salt and pepper to taste.

Toast tortillas in a heated pan. Assemble tacos with shredded chicken, a scoop of salsa, and crumbled goat milk feta. Enjoy!

On Gourmet Doughnuts, Chicken Wings, and Craft Beer: A Portland, Oregon Odessey

by Jay Ducote

My soul smiled.

An hour after arriving on location for this past summer's guy's trip, I had a cold beer in my hand and a platter of fried chicken wings tossed in various sauces at my fingertips. 

"Is this heaven?" I asked myself. 

"No, Jay," my inner monologue replied, "this is Portland."

Maple Doughnuts made from a croissant inspired dough from Nola Doughnuts in Portland, OR

While Portland exists as a Mecca for all things hipster, shades of just being really freaking cool were evident at every turn. I focused my trip on a few food groups that I heard Portland did exceptionally well: gourmet doughnuts, chicken wings, and craft beer. This post represents a modest selection of my overall calorie intake on those food groups during my stay. Only the best for Bite and Booze.

Nola Doughnuts

We begin with the above photographed Maple Doughnuts from none other than Nola Doughnuts. Robert Herkes, the man seen through the donut hole, is a New Orleans/Baton Rouge transplant who found himself slinging croissant-inspired doughnuts at farmers markets outside of Portland. His apple fritters, doughnuts, and bites sell out quickly, and soon he's building a brick and mortar location for his insanely good treats. 

Robert is really onto something here. 

I ate my way around the Portland doughnut scene, and his were the best. The. Best. I need more of them in my life. Buttery layers of sweetened croissant dough flaked brilliantly under a fresh maple icing. Robert presented other flavors on the doughnuts as well, like his signature jelly or oats filled "La'ssant" and the even more magical apple fritters. If you're in Portland, track him down. Seriously. 

Blue Star Donuts

Blur Star Donuts' Raspberry Buttermilk, Buttermilk Old Fashioned, and Vanilla Poppyseed Brioche Donuts

The next stop on the sugar train with donut wheels came in the form of the award winning Blue Star Donuts. Often thought as the culinary superior but less gimmicky (compared to Voodoo) donut heavyweight of Portland, Blue Star crafts brioche-style donuts with delightful results. The soft bread-like interior is a pleasant contrast to the flavored sugar shell on the outside. We ordered a mixed dozen and tried all twelve. I didn't regret any decision.

Voodoo Doughnuts

Cap'n Crunch and Cocoa Crisp Doughnuts from Voodoo Doughnuts

Voodoo Doughnuts represents Portland's most popular and hipster doughnut joints. If you ask locals, most will tell you that while they may not be the best, a visitor still needs to check them out. Known for their promotion of the color pink and topping doughnuts with craziness, Voodoo made a splash as pioneers of the Gourmet Doughnut revolution. We tried quite a few options including their signature Voodoo Doll doughnut and their Maple Bacon Bar doughnut. I thought the most intriguing were the above pictured Captain my Captain (aka Cap'n Crunch) and Triple Chocolate Penetration (aka Cocoa Puffs) doughnuts.

Pok Pok

Ike's Vietnamese Fish Sauce Chicken Wings from the OG Pok Pok

Hands down, more people suggested Pok Pok to me than any other eatery in Portland. Why? The chicken wings. These flappers aren't just any old run-of-the-mill wing. Each order bestows up on the table a half dozen whole natural chicken wings, marinated in fish sauce and sugar, deep fried, tossed in caramelized Phu Quoo Fish Sauce and garlic, and served with a Vietnamese table salad. They were possibly, and I'm not exaggerating, the best chicken wings I've ever eaten. I've had some really spectacular Korean fried chicken wings, but these take the cake. And the trophy. And the medal. And everything else I have. To everyone who suggested Pok Pok: you were right.

Fire on the Mountain

A Platter of Chicken Wings from Fire on the Mountain in Portland

Fire on the Mountain is a great name for a wingery. It is also the first place we feasted on wings and beer in Portland within moments of our arrival. Eric, Eusebio, Brent and I got a table and placed a wing and beer order as we waited for Chuck P. to join the party. A slathering of sauced up chicken hit our table and we gorged ourselves, hungry from a day of travel.

Base Camp Brewing

S'mores Stout from Portland's Base Camp Brewing Company

Of course, beer drinking in Portland is paramount. No single beer caught my eye more than the S'mores Stout from Base Camp Brewing. Any time beer preparation starts Sandlot style ("First you roast the mallow"), said beer should always win. Add a hint of chocolate and graham in the brew, and this stout is perhaps double winning. Base Camp poured a plethora of other great beers as well, but how could you not order this beauty?

Cascade Brewing House of Sours

Figaro Sour and Apple Crisp Sour from the Cascade Brewing House of Sours in PDX

On one of our walking tours of East Portland we came across the Cascade Brewing House of Sours. I'm a man who enjoys just about anything, and sour beers fit right in that category. They can get funky and dank, but what's not to enjoy about that? Most sour beers have a nice yeasty fruitiness to them that gives you more of a sour candy lip pucker rather than a bitter beer face. If you like Sour Patch Kids and the like, you'll enjoy sour beers. We wanted to try every beer on their menu, but time ran out before we needed to get to the next bar. However, this place certainly needs to be on everyone's Portland beer crawl list.

Migration Brewing

Terry's Porter from Migration Brewing

Many, many great beers were had in Portland. I didn't fare as well at keeping track as Brent, who tracked every ounce of beer he drank in Portland (464 fl oz, he's been counting it all of 2015 so far as his New Year's resolution), or Eric, who checked into damn near every beer he drank on Untappd. I tried to enjoy a vacation and not get too carried away with documenting everything but instead just enjoy drinking great beers and eating great food. The above Terry's Porter from Migration Brewing is one of countless brews that I consumed in Oregon. It drank roasty and toasty with a great head retention. Mostly I just liked this picture, but a beer like this always make me happy. It is a beer. it isn't pretentious. It doesn't need to be double dry hopped. It is just a delicious, dark beer. Hopefully, eventually, I'll be back in Portland for another round.