panini-local farm egg, taleggio, chives

Toast Paninoteca

345 West Main Street

Durham, NC 27701

919.683.2183

www.toast-fivepoints.com (link)

Simplicity and heart.  Two notions that when focused upon could lead to a very fruitful life.  This concept was instilled in me from a very early age by my grandfather Jasper Grier and this realization was reinforced to me during his passing last year.  He lived his life in full awe of his family and loved ones and gave to them at every turn to his full capacity.  Having been a successful businessman for most of his adult life he practiced restraint with his wealth, never really participating in flashy trappings but instead comfortably pursued his passions of reading, traveling, and researching his ancestry, and was always poised to support his family when the need arose.  Reserved, he exemplified to me the power of confidence that comes with the knowledge that by giving love, a life takes on meaning.  His business life too revolved around these concepts.  He opened a single Arby’s franchise back when the fast food industry was just beginning to take shape, in the days when they still referred to them as ‘restaurants’, and not ‘joints’.  In his latter years he would mention how he missed the old days of having a simple menu, consisting of a one or two types of roast beef sam’ich and fries or potato cakes.  He was distraught with how the business had changed to try and reinvent the wheel every year with new sandwiches, promotional items and gimmicks just to tickle the registers and at the compromise of quality product.  Maybe that is the reason for the reemergence of such ’simple’ based concepts such as “Five Guys Burgers”.  People are drawn to simplicity and it has its place.

Simplicity and heart.  That is what I witnessed at Toast Paninoteca in Durham.  Located downtown at the Five points intersection.  Toast was born of Kelli and Billy Cotter.  Based on a traditional Italian sandwich bar-paninoteca, Toast takes the idea of simplicity by offering seasonal local ingredients delivered in four basic forms: Panini-hot grilled sandwich, Tramezzini-cold sandwich on crust-less bread, Bruschetta-grilled bread w/toppings, and Crostini-small toasted bread w/ toppings.  The addition of daily homemade soups, some salad and warm olives rounds out the effortless menu, straight forward and done right.  The heart comes from the owners’ obvious care for not only quality product but from the manner with which it is delivered.  While I was there shooting Kelli Cotter worked the room, appreciative of everyone that entered and made it clear that she was not surrounded by just customers but by friends.  From the local architect stopping in for lunch to the ‘dude’ claiming “Toast porn!” as he noticed my gear to the homeless man who came in to use the bathroom and left with a complimentary bag and notification from Kelli that “there is enough in there for breakfast tomorrow”, it is evident that people return, in support of simplicity and heart.  Jasper would be impressed.

All content © Mark Petko Photography

warm olives with orange, rosemary, garlic, crushed red pepper

panini- tuscan kale, ricotta salata, sweet and hot pickled peppers

daily homemade soup- cauliflower puree, brown butter, capers, toasted hazelnuts

crostini (3)- 1. warm goat cheese, local honey, cracked black pepper 2. peperonata, pecorino romano 3. avacodo, lemon, parmigiano reggiano

bruschetta- roasted beets, ricotta salata, orange, mint

All content © Mark Petko Photography

Guglhupf Cafe

2706 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd.

Durham, NC 27707

919.401.2600

www.guglhupf.com (link)

Authentic domination.  Real, bona fide and true.  Some may know guglhupf as a term describing a type of cake, stemmed from the word kugel meaning “ball” or “globe”.  But if you have paid any culinary attention to the triangle area in the past decade you would know this term describing the Mecca for authentic food and atmosphere, found at the Guglhupf Bakery, Patisserie and Cafe in Durham.  Having opened it’s current location in 1998 as a Bakery and Patisserie, Claudia Kemmet-Cooper founded this German- cuisine influenced business based around her notions of ‘having food act as a measure of one’s hospitality.’  Supplying clientele with quality breads, baked goods and desserts awarded the bakery with many raves in the form of “best of” and “peoples choice” lists.  With the 2004 expansion of the business in the addition of a Cafe, Guglhupf continued its culinary proliferation by offering highly enjoyed breakfasts, brunches and lunches alongside an assortment the usual cafe fare of coffees and desserts.  Now Guglhupf continues to raise the bar by expanding the Cafe’s repertoire to include a dinner service.  ”Our goal is to incorporate elements of the casual dining that takes place in Germany in a “Biergarten” setting by offering sharing plates and small plates to be enjoyed with our carefully chosen list of German wines and beers along with some samples from Austria, Alsace and some more commonly known vineyards from around the globe.”

Heading the kitchen’s new adventure is executive chef David Alworth.  For the last decade David has been involved with many local establishments including Acme Food and Beverage, 411 West Italian Cafe, and as the Chef de Cuisine at Watts Grocery.  Chef Alworth’s menu strives to include local and seasonal ingredients prepared with “a European twist.”  Guglhupf’s head pastry chef, Antonia Manzi continues to expand the restaurants dominion by creating new and interesting desserts along with the continually served classics, such as tortes and pastries.

Seared Yellow fin Tuna w/ local Baby Turnip Puree, sauteed Chanterelles and Lingonberry Sauce

Local Herb Roasted Chicken w/ Potato-Leek Gratin, Brussel Sprouts and pan juices

Slow Braised Short Ribs w/ Potato dumplings, local Shitake mushrooms, Carrots and Pearl onions

Pepper Crusted Tuna w/ Fall Root Vegetable Medley and Baby Bok Choy

Black Forest Torte w/ Bing Cherry Compote, White Chocolate kirsch infused cream and bittersweet chocolate sauce

Pumpkin Tiramisu of Grand Marnier Ladyfingers layered with pumpkin cream & cubed pumpkin in spiced syrup.

All images and words © Mark Petko Photography

Be a part of Spoonfed (Raleigh)

Chef/Owner Tim Lyons preps a fresh-delivered local Amber Jack

blu seafood and bar

2002 Hillsborough Rd.

Durham, NC 27705

919.286.9777

www.bluseafoodandbar.com (link)

Chef Tim Lyons

When I asked Chef Tim Lyons about his reasons for moving away from a seafood chef’s oceanic paradise like the Florida Keys, his answer was immediate and concise…”about six feet of water”…must have been a question posed to him before.  Tired of dodging hurricanes and tropical storms and fighting repeated floods, Chef Lyons built his ark in the form of a seafood restaurant, sailed it 985 miles from his Key West digs to run aground near the East Campus of Duke University in Durham, NC.  ”blu” seafood and bar describes itself “as upscale, casual seafood with innovative regional classics.  In other words, our place is comfortable with great food, some local, some global, but always fresh.”

Even though I have spent only limited stints seaside, I would have to say that blu is an epitomist of what I would consider a classic seafood restaurant.  The space is unassuming from an exterior perspective, yet simply stated and casually elegant inside.  Trinkets scattered and splashes of blue adorn the dining room, sporting concrete floors and a comfortable bar.  blu also provides an enclosed patio alongside and an outdoor patio that seems a perfect spot to sample some of Chef Lyon’s plates amongst the fresh air.  What the air may lack in the actual scent of ocean, you would never know it once presented with the simple, fresh seafood dishes offered within.  Alongside it’s lunch and dinner service blu also offers, box lunches, catering for events and an ever changing oyster menu that shifts with whatever is available as the latest catch. Also be sure to check the blu events page for upcoming wine dinners, kids’ nights and specials.

Thanks to Tim and manager Eryk Pruitt for allowing me to cast a line and pull some in…

Albacore Tuna w/ Green Papaya Salad

Chincoteaque oysters on the half-shell

New Zealand Abalone Ceviche w/ Pineapple, chiles, and scallions

blu-tini w/ crystalized blueberries

Dip your toes…test the waters…and tell’em you got “spoonfed”.

All images © 2009 Mark Petko Photography