Six Plates Wine Bar in Durham NC has been successfully using Twitter to increase business in their establishment. I chatted with Matthew Beason, one of the owners, about Social Media and connecting with their local patrons.

The concept of Six Plates involves a constantly changing menu of “six small plates” paired with wine. They have found Twitter to be an excellent way to let their customers know about today’s menu and specials. Follow them at @sixplates on Twitter.

If you stop by, make sure you say hi to Matthew and use the hashtag #sixplates while tweeting about the wine, food, service, atmosphere, or whatever else strikes you while dining.

Every year our Thanksgiving dinner is a fabulous buffet at the Clubhouse at my mom’s community. Years ago, after cooking for days, rather than spending time with her grandchildren, we decided we would try the dinner at the Club. Not only was it really good, but it offered more choices than my mom could in a single meal, even cooking for days.

Above is my plate, which included (clockwise, from the top):
Steamed vegetable medley
Prime rib with horseradish sauce
Stuffing
Turkey with gravy
Cranberry sauce
Sweet potatoes with marshmallows
Green bean casserole (I only ate the onions on top)
Squash casserole
Yellowtail snapper (in the middle)

I didn’t take a picture of my dessert plate, but I had a fruit tartlet, bread pudding and pumpkin cheesecake. All delicious.

Thanks to CC Chapman for pointing me to The Omnivore Hundred. This is a subjective list of the 100 things, some exotic, some junky, that you should eat in your lifetime. Here’s an FAQ if you questions about how this was created.

Follow these instructions to spread the Omnivore Hundred, or go to the Vegetarian Hundred if you are of that ilk.

1) Copy this list into your blog, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment here at www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results.

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

I recently posted on Twitter that I was roasting a tomato, a hatch pepper and a sweet green pepper to make salsa. A friend of mine, who saw the message as a status update on Facebook, replied wondering if I was going to add lemon juice or vinegar. Since I was not following a recipe, and actually did not even want to look one up, I replied to him on Facebook that I didn’t know I needed an acid in salsa. I suggested that I would add lime juice. He told me that was perfect.

This conversation took place because I posted what I was doing. I was not asking for help, but I had a friend ask me a question that offered me some information that he thought would be helpful. This is why I twitter what I am doing.

The above picture is that salsa after another tomato, lime juice, onion, garlic, cilantro were added to the roasted ingredients. I served it to guests who remarked how good it was. I told them it was improved through my internet contacts.

I was at a recent gathering of bloggers and we started talking about food blogging. There are lots of local bloggers who eat out, photograph and write about their meals. There have ever been local food blogger events where groups of bloggers eat and blog in tandem. Anyway this inspired me to take a picture of a recent meal (step 1), and write about below.

I am slowing trying different restaurants and shops in my new part of town (SW Durham bordering Chapel Hill). The other night I went to Peony Asian Bistro at Patterson Place. I was expecting a fast food level place, as that is more keeping with strip mall where they are located. I was pleasantly surprised to see an understated Asian restaurant decorated in reds and blacks. I was coming for takeout, so I did not have a chance to enjoy the atmosphere, but I am sure I will return for a sitdown meal.

The menu features a full complement of standard Chinese fare (with vegetarian options), an extensive sushi menu, and a small sampling of Japanese and Thai entrees. I ordered the Pad Thai (pictured above). I have already been told that takeout food does not photograph well, which I suspect relates to the fact that it has not been properly plated. It was generous portion of very flavorful noodles, vegetables, tofu, egg, and chicken. Beef and shrimp versions were also available. My only complaint was that some of the onions should have been cut into small pieces. I ate about half of it, and had the rest for lunch the next day.

I plan to go back soon and try the sushi, and other Asian cuisine.

On a side note, they need to hire a native English speaking proofreader for their takeout menu. Under the address it says, We On The Right Hand Side of The Kroger At Patterson Place.

We are home, but it is still vacation, so I made pancakes for breakfast. The kids had theirs with regular syrup, but I had mine with maple syrup.

I have noticed several products recently in the grocery store that look kind of like off-brand items, like cereal, snacks, ice cream, but upon closer inspection, what appears to be a dog mascot actually indicates that these are items for dogs. I wasn’t fooled by the cereal or snacks, as it was pretty clear that they were for dogs, but I almost bought the ice cream sandwiches. Who would have thought they make ice cream for dogs?