FOODIMENTARY

A little Thomas Keller to brighten your day!

noreply@blogger.com (John-Bryan Hopkins) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 02:08:00 +0000

On my way to the new site...

noreply@blogger.com (John-Bryan Hopkins) — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 16:43:00 +0000

I though you guys would like to see the origins of my "F" and the Fork

I came across this symbol font years ago:This is a rather old font I believe from the 1800's

I just love that F

The fork is my mothers wedding silver. I happend to find a full set at an antique store a few years ago

I grew up thinking that her silverware was the pinnacle of "Special" in our home

The pewter made it so heavy, the trike was so special and foreign to a little kid only exposed to the wilds of small-town Alabama.

My Mother's advice to me before leaving home for college was a phrase that has stayed with me my whole life:

"If you want something in this world BE SPECIFIC"

Those words were the best graduation present a young man could ever have received.

These two combined elements always makes me smile.

A hot dog on a stick by an other name....

noreply@blogger.com (John-Bryan Hopkins) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 13:57:00 +0000

CORN DOGS! I'LL TAKE TWO!

The corn dog, a pogo, dagwood dog or corny dog is a hot dog coated in cornbread batter and deep fried in hot oil, although some are baked. Almost all corn dogs are served on wooden sticks, though some early versions were stickless.

There is some debate as to the exact origins of the corn dog. An article in The New York Times made reference to "corn dog" stands as early as 1947.

In 300 Years of Kitchen Collectibles, author Linda Campbell Franklin states that a "Krusty Korn Dog baker" machine appeared in the 1929 Albert Pick-L. Barth wholesale catalog of hotel and restaurant supplies. The 'korn dogs' were baked in a corn batter and resembled ears of corn when cooked.

A number of current corn dog vendors lay claim that credit for the invention and/or popularization of the corn dog goes towards Carl and Neil Fletcher for when they introduced their "Corny Dogs" at the Texas State Fair sometime between 1938 and 1942.

The Pronto Pup vendors at the Minnesota State Fair claim to have invented the corn dog in 1941.

Cozy Dog Drive-in, in Springfield, IL, claims to have been the first to serve corn dogs on sticks, in 1946.

Also in 1946, Dave Barham opened the first location of Hot Dog on a Stick at Muscle Beach, Santa Monica, California.

Regardless of the origins, there remains a regional naming difference: in Texas they are "corny dogs" and everywhere else "corn dogs".

thanks to wikipediadotcom

Foodimentary..going to new web site very soon!

noreply@blogger.com (John-Bryan Hopkins) — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 22:23:00 +0000

Foodimentary Twitter Group

I have so many things to Tweet about!

There are many groups of interest that need to be represented on Twitter! Foodimentary, although successful, cannot do it all.

I realized that to satisfy a broader group and establish a foothold in this new media, I need to be specific.

So here is my list (each underlined name is linked to a specific Twitter account):

Foodimentary

An account dedicated to the World of Food; this is the place to get the National "of the Day" event, daily facts, and just some fun food finds and info.

Vegimentary

An account dedicated to all things that are the "fruits of the land." It's not just for vegetarians or vegans, though—there's information here for everyone.

Vinomentary

A wine and spirits account dedicated to Tweeting about ... well, booze. This where I get to Tweet my vast knowledge of wine. There's a wealth of information that needed a heading of its own, so Vinomentary was born.

Javamentary

This is another treasure trove of culinary information. I think of it as a great resource for any coffee lover. I'll keep the Tweets to just a few a day, and I hope to ReTweet other coffee lovers' blog posts.

Greenimentary

I think of this account as the place I can make a difference, one Tweet at a time. I would love for this to be the go-to place for the best new green blog entries, ideas, or products on Twitter. For now I will Tweet what I know and ReTweet what I find.

FoodimentaryGuy:

This account is all about me! It's where I Tweet what I like—funny things, folklore, and ReTweets. It's where I showcase my personality.

I go from site to site, Tweeting and replying (hence all the computers you can see in the earlier blog entries).

I Tweet from the time I get up to the time I go to bed.

One man, one mission: to Tweet and be privileged to capture your attention. Feel free to pass this blog entry along to others, if you like!

Comment and let me know what you think.

John-Bryan Hopkins
The Foodimentary Guy

My Twitter Motto from one of the early adopters...

noreply@blogger.com (John-Bryan Hopkins) — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 21:34:00 +0000

Well the transition to full time Tweeter/Foodimentary Guy is going smoothly. I have to say it is shocking to think that just a little over 4 months ago I wasn't even on Twitter and now its a full time job and new website and potential apps.

The the whole Shorty Awards is amazing. I was on Twitter for what seemed like a minute and the next thing I know I WON in the "Food " category!

I still can't believe I didn't get to go. If I had more lead time I could have worked it out. Oh well, not going to live in regret.

I have never won ANYTHING in my LIFE!

So I am posting a picture of my new work space.

More pictures at my personal home site: www.11bonita.com

I have it sorta figured out. Believe it or not, there is a reason for all of the screens.

1. Research only, I compose tweets on paper then make sure they are correct. My sister is a great reseacher as well, @SouthrnFoodette

2.& 3. I have 2 Tweetdecks, one for @Foodimentary, one for @FoodimentaryGuy,

I think of @FoodimentaryGuy as the place to tweet fun food folklore and quotes, the funny side of food, so to speak

4.Flock- this is where I plug in the 140 characters and keep up with Facebook Fan Page.

5.my spare laptop that is connected with a sprint card, in case the cable internet goes out. Also if I want to get away from the computers and sit on the sun porch, etc. and tweet.

I also have an iPhone Twitterific app. I will check my tweets and reply from bed at night.

My day consists of waking at 5-something and tweet, I research until 2 or 3 then I work on blogging and setting up the new site, then the evening I tweet and reply with my portable or iPhone. I get in bed around 10 read and tweet one or 2 times before I go to sleep.

...wake up the next day and repeat...

My Epicurious Q & A

It's great to have an original idea and be able to witness it's "birth " so to speak.

I feel so blessed and humbled.

BTW I have not made a cent yet!

I am dipping my toe in @Greenimentary, @Vegimentary, @Cheesementary and @Vinomentary.

My rule is that I will not tweet unless I am there to reply and respond so it will be a slow go.

Twitter is about interaction, I do not like to reply openly much because it has little relevance to the subject matter and the over 44k followers, this is out of respect above all.

I follow everyone who follows me and I humbly ask people to follow me to see if they like what I say.

Isn't this the core to what Twitter is about?

"The most overlooked fact is that I broke all the "rules" and prospered.

I just want people to read my tweets."

What Foodimentary is about...

noreply@blogger.com (John-Bryan Hopkins) — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 21:25:00 +0000

let me tell you what my day is like...

So every morning goes like this: I wake up, make a cup of coffee, walk upstairs to my office, turn on the computers, and do my first Tweet of the day on @Foodimentary. Then the real work begins: research and reading.

I have lots of lists, food trivia, weird facts, quotes, and a list called "Good Stuff." These are the potential tweets that are several sentences long that need to be trimmed to 140 characters—word puzzles with a purpose, so to speak.

Like everything in my life, things work best when rules are created. These are a few of my do's and don'ts for Foodimentary, as well as the other -mentarys.

1. No profanity. There is no need; it's food we're talking about. Sometimes I break this rule ...

2. Make it compelling, with dual meanings as often as possible. If it sounds interesting a second or third time, then great.

3. Whenever I can, I ensure that it's short enough to ReTweet. Meaning that when you RT @Foodimentary, all the info fits within 140 characters. I accomplish this about 80% of the time.

4. Be at the computer after Tweeting to be ready for the responses. This is the "I better know my s%*t moment" (see rule No. 1).

5. Reply, reply, reply via DM only! People want to know someone is behind the information, that it's not just a computer-generated message.

6. Don't open-reply unless I just can't help myself. I love to ReTweet (which I do most often on @FoodimentaryGuy), but now that I have more than 32,000 followers, most people just want to know the facts.

7. Be consistent in language and tone.

8. Ask as many people to come join the fun, and hope they like me enough to follow me.

9. Always follow those who follow me. The only exceptions? Naked people as avatars. They need not be rewarded AND they will be gone in a day anyway.

10. Be honest! If I don't know something, I'll say so. I don't know everything, but I wish I did!

Orville Redenbacher : a Brief history

noreply@blogger.com (John-Bryan Hopkins) — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 17:45:00 +0000

Orville Clarence Redenbacher (July 16, 1907 – September 19, 1995) , an American businessman most often associated with the brand of popcorn that bears his name.

In childhood, he joined 4-H, and developed an obsession with developing the perfect popcorn.

He earned a small fortune in fertilizer, but in his spare time, he indulged in his obsession.

In 1951, he and partner Charlie Bowman bought the George F. Chester and Son dent seed corn plant near Valparaiso, Indiana. Naming the company Chester Hybrids, they tried tens of thousands of hybrid strains of popcorn before achieving success. Redenbacher and Bowman initially named the hybrid RedBow but were advised by an advertising agency to use the name Orville Redenbacher to market the corn.

They adopted the advice, and Orville was suddenly everywhere. Redenbacher can be first seen on national television around 1972, long before his well-known commercial appearances as himself promoting his gourmet kernels. I

The original Orville Redenbacher labels were colored in using crayola crayons. Orville stayed original and stuck to the basic crayon colors of red, white, black, and yellow for his label so it would have a clean classy look.

He sold his company in 1976 to Hunt-Wessen foods but continued to promote his popcorn, appearing in numerous television commercials (including later ones with his grandson Gary Redenbacher), always wearing his trademark bowtie and glasses.

His wholesome image and folksy name confused many consumers, some even writing the company to ask if Redenbacher was a real person, and not an actor. He responded to this by appearing on various talk shows, professing his identity.

Thanks to:wiki

Hershey's Chocolate Company was founded: Feb 9

noreply@blogger.com (John-Bryan Hopkins) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 07:10:00 +0000

Milton Hershey - First Candy Shop

In 1876, when Milton was only eighteen-years old, he opened his own candy shop in Philadelphia. However, the shop was closed after six years and Milton moved to Denver, Colorado, where he worked with a caramel manufacturer and learned caramel-making. In 1886, Milton Hershey moved back to Lancaster, Pennsylvania and started the successful Lancaster Caramel Company.

Hershey's Chocolate

In 1893, Milton Hershey attended the Chicago International Exposition where he bought German chocolate-making machinery and began making chocolate-coated caramels. On February 9, 1894, Milton started the Hershey Chocolate Company and produced Hershey chocolate caramels, breakfast cocoa, sweet chocolate and baking chocolate. He sold his caramel business and concentrated on chocolate-making.

Famous Brands

The Hershey Chocolate Company has made or currently owns many famous Hershey chocolate candies including: Almond Joy and Mounds candy bars, Cadbury Creme Eggs candy, Hershey's Cookies 'n' Creme candy bar, Hershey's milk chocolate and milk chocolate with almonds bars, Hershey's Nuggets chocolates, Hershey's Kisses and Hershey's Hugs chocolates, Kit Kat wafer bar, Reese's crunchy cookie cups, Reese's NutRageous candy bar, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Sweet Escapes candy bars, TasteTations candy, Twizzlers candy, Whoppers malted milk balls, and York Peppermint Patties.

Hershey's Kisses chocolates were first introduced in 1907 by Milton Hershey, who trademarked the "plume" extending out of the wrapper in 1924.

thanks to: inventorsdotaboutdotcom

Ode to the Cupcake

noreply@blogger.com (John-Bryan Hopkins) — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 07:43:00 +0000

In the early 19th century, there were two different uses for the name "cup cake" or "cupcake".

In previous centuries, before muffin tins were widely available, the cakes were often baked in individual pottery cups, ramekins, or molds and took their name from the cups they were baked in. This is the use of the name that has persisted, and the name of "cupcake" is now given to any small cake that is about the size of a teacup.

The name "fairy cake" is a fanciful description of its size, which would be appropriate for a party of diminutive fairies to share.

The other kind of "cup cake" referred to a cake whose ingredients were measured by volume, using a standard-sized cup, instead of being weighed. Recipes whose ingredients were measured using a standard-sized cup could also be baked in cups; however, they were more commonly baked in tins as layers or loaves. In later years, when the use of volume measurements was firmly established in home kitchens, these recipes became known as 1234 cakes or quarter cakes, so called because they are made up of four ingredients in equal ratios; butter, sugar, eggs and flour.

They are plain yellow cakes, somewhat less rich and less expensive than pound cake due to the reduced proportion of butter. The names of these two major classes of cakes were intended to signal the method to the baker; "cup cake" uses a volume measurement, and "pound cake" uses a weight measurement.

In modern times, cupcakes are often served during a celebration, such as children's birthday parties. Additionally, they can be served as an accompaniment to afternoon tea. They are a more convenient alternative to a full-sized cake as they don't require utensils or division into individual portions.

thanks to wiki

The Great Sardine Rain..on this day in 1989

noreply@blogger.com (John-Bryan Hopkins) — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 07:26:00 +0000

Heads up!

There's all kinds of strange stuff falling from the sky: frogs, sardines, jellyfish, etc. Here are some documented cases of really weird precipitation.

Weird rain is one of the more bizarre - and still largely unexplained - phenomena that is periodically (yet continually) reported from all corners of the globe. There have been accounts of frog rain, fish rain, squid rain, worm rain, even alligator rain. The logical explanation for the odd occurrences is that a tornado or strong whirlwind picked up the animals from a shallow body of water and carried them - sometimes for hundreds of miles - before dropping them on a bewildered populace. This explanation has yet to be proved, and it can't quite account for all of the documented incidents, as you'll see below.

Here are some of the more unusual cases - a small sampling from thousands of reports over the years - that defy all rational explanation:

~ In 1966, Father Leonard Bourne was dashing through a downpour across a courtyard in North Sydney, Australia, when a large fish fell from the sky and landed on his shoulder. The priest nearly caught it as it slid down his chest, but it squirmed away, fell to the flooded ground and swam away.

~ These things don't always happen in a heavy rain. In 1989, in Ipswich, Australia, Harold and Degen's front lawn was covered with about 800 "sardines" that rained from above during a light shower.

~The citizens of Naphlion, a city in southern Greece, were surprised one morning in May, 1981, when they awoke to find small green frogs falling from the sky. Weighing just a few ounces each, the frogs landed in trees and plopped into the streets. The Greek Meteorological Institute surmised they were picked up by a strong wind. It must have been a very strong wind. The species of frog was native to North Africa!

~ In 1995, reports Fortean Times Online, Nellie Straw of Sheffield, England, was driving through Scotland on holiday with her family when they encountered a severe storm. Along with the heavy rain, however, hundreds of frogs suddenly pelted her car.

thanks to paranormaldotaboutdotcom

Feast day of St. Dorathy, February 6th

noreply@blogger.com (John-Bryan Hopkins) — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 10:13:00 +0000

Dorothea of Caesarea

Patron Saint of: Newlyweds, Brewers, Brides, Florists, Gardeners, Midwives

Having made a personal vow of virginity, she refused to marry, or to sacrifice to idols.

Tried, tortured, and sentenced to death for her faith by the prefect Sapricius.

The pagan lawyer Theophilus said to her in mockery, "Bride of Christ, send me some fruits from your bridegroom's garden." Before she was executed, she sent him, by a six-year-old boy who is thought to have been an angel, her headress which had the fragrance of roses and fruits. Seeing this gift, and the miraculous messenger who brought them, Theophilus converted, and was martyred himself.

This story has been variously enlarged through the years. In some places, trees are blessed on her feast day because of her connection with a blooming, fruitful miracle.

Willis Johnson the Great Inventor

noreply@blogger.com (John-Bryan Hopkins) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 09:27:00 +0000

Willis Johnson -Inventor of the First Mechanical Egg Beater

A patent was issued on February 5th in 1884 for a new, improved egg-beater. The Patent Office must have been a busy place in the nineteenth century for it was a time of great innovation and invention, but what was unusual for the era was that the patent was granted to an African-American. Willis Johnson was not the first ‘coloured person’ to receive a patent - that honour went to Thomas L. Jennings, a New York tailor who developed a new dry-cleaning process in 1821 – but it was hardly a common occurrence in the 1800’s for those who came from slave stock to be acknowledged in this way.

In fact, what Willis Johnson had really invented was an early mixing machine and not just an egg beater. Willis Johnson's device was not intended for eggs alone. Willis Johnson had designed his egg beater and mixer for eggs, batter, and other baker's ingredients. It was a double acting machine with two chambers. Batter could be beaten in one section and eggs could be beaten in another section, or one section could be cleaned while the other section could continue beating.

Thanks to theoldfoodiedotblogspot & inventorsdotabout

A Snickers Bar is born! Feb 4

noreply@blogger.com (John-Bryan Hopkins) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 11:20:00 +0000

Snickers~Candy Bars

In the 1930s, the Mars family introduced its second brand, Snickers, named after one of their favorite horses.

It is made by forming a nougat center into large slabs, which are cut to size once the caramel and peanuts have been added. After the centers are formed, they are coated with milk chocolate. The completed bars are inspected, wrapped, and packed for shipment.

The candy bar was first sold in the United States for twenty cents.

From 1949 to 1952, Snickers was a sponsor of The Howdy Doody Show.

The "fun size" bar was introduced in 1968, and the following decades saw more Snickers varieties introduced. Snickers were particularly popular among movie-goers during the 1970s and early 1980s, outselling some of its important competitors at movie theaters.

In the early 2000s, deep fried candy bars (including Snickers, and Mars bars) became popular at U.S. state fairs and in pubs around the U.K. and Australia, although they had been a local specialty in some North of England and Scottish fish and chip shops since at least the mid-1990s in spite of containing over 850 calories per bar when prepared in this fashion.

thanks wiki.answers

It's Setsuban. Duck!!!

noreply@blogger.com (John-Bryan Hopkins) — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 11:10:00 +0000

Setsubun ("seasonal division") is a Japanese festival held on February 3 or 4, one day before the start of spring according to their lunar calendar.

The most commonly performed setsubun ritual is the throwing of roasted beans around one's house and at temples and shrines across the country.

When throwing the beans, you are supposed to shout "Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!" ("Devils out, happiness in"). Afterwards you should pick up and eat the number of beans, which corresponds to your age.

For many centuries, the people of Japan have been performing rituals with the purpose of chasing away evil spirits at the start of spring.

Around the 13th century, for example, it became a custom to drive away evil spirits by the strong smell of burning dried sardine heads, the smoke of burning wood and the noise of drums. While this custom is not popular anymore, a few people still decorate their house entrances with fish heads and holy tree leaves in order to deter evil spirits from entering.

Thanks to japan-guide

The Ice cream scoop is born!

noreply@blogger.com (John-Bryan Hopkins) — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 19:17:00 +0000

In 1851, Jacob Fussell in Baltimore established the first large-scale commercial ice cream plant.

The First Ice Cream Scoop with Mechanical Lever Action

Alfred L. Cralle, a young inventor living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, realized the need for an easy way to dispense ice cream. He applied for a patent for his invention called an Ice Cream Mold and Disher on February 2, 1897. Eventually, his invention would be known as the ice cream scoop.

Simply designed to stop ice cream from sticking when dispensed, Cralle’s invention was durable, inexpensive and very successful. It was easy to use with one hand, and eliminated the need for two utensils when serving ice cream. His basic design could be manufactured in various sizes and shapes such as mounds, cones and cylinders.

This design is still used in the manufacture of ice cream scoops today.

thanks to loveoknowdotcom

Warhol...Soup & MOMA

noreply@blogger.com (John-Bryan Hopkins) — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:55:00 +0000

SAW THIS IN MOMA & THOUGHT IT WAS NEAT

CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ZOOM.

My choice of a midnight snack

noreply@blogger.com (John-Bryan Hopkins) — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 21:31:00 +0000

There should be no such thing as regrets in this life.

I love to sneak into the kitchen on a sleepless night and create a little bit of heaven

Baluga caviar, creme fraiche, & my favorite brand of blinis.

The Little Pearl

Honey Buckwheat Blinis

Enjoy the first days of the New Year and more posts to come.

Find me on http://www.twitter.com/Foodimentary

Great Cookbook...Mr. B's Bistro in New Orleans

noreply@blogger.com (John-Bryan Hopkins) — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 20:39:00 +0000

Chef Michelle McRaney and the original Brennan family have brought to page one of the best cookbooks from New Orlean's French Quarter .

A compelling story of the little restaurant that could and did.

Established in 1979, Mr. B's has become one of my favorite haunts.

I cherish this cookbook and you can too.

Have a signed cookbook shipped to a loved one before Christmas.

Just click on Mr. B's above. Enjoy

Ina did it again!

noreply@blogger.com (John-Bryan Hopkins) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 17:35:00 +0000

I love Ina's new Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics. Perfect for her point of view.

A great gift for the beginner cook.

No Pudge Fudge. I tried it!

noreply@blogger.com (John-Bryan Hopkins) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 15:50:00 +0000

Found this at the local grocery store, No Pudge Fudge.. I had to try is out.

There was very little to add to the mix and quite frankly I am not a "Mix" person but the promise of a fat free brownie intrigued me.

Quite, quite good. Gooey is not something I like out of my brownies and they are more rubbery actually than a regular fudge brownie. You better bet I will do it again though!

The Grape, a trusted favorite at the Summit

noreply@blogger.com (John-Bryan Hopkins) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:45:00 +0000

I think that The Grape at the Summit in Birmingham is an often overlooked pleasure

I think the wive list is rather vast, although pedantic in presentation.

Brunch is never crowded and always tastes good. This is their Benedict

Their Quesadillas are a must for first time visitors.

They now offer a trio of wine tastings that are a great value and best of all you can open a bottle for your meal and take the rest home.

Cocina Superior... Consistent, good eating

noreply@blogger.com (John-Bryan Hopkins) — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 14:28:00 +0000

I have been a fan of Cocina Superior for years. It's a great place for Sunday brunch of a not-too-greasy Mexican lunch.

In the heart of Brookwood Village.

Above all, the service is good and the food is consistent!

A nice no fuss menu.

The best chips and fresh Guacamole in Birmingham*

Believe it or not, they make a great burger. Hidden on the menu.

City Hall diner... THE breakfast spot...

noreply@blogger.com (John-Bryan Hopkins) — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 13:29:00 +0000

Their omelets are always fresh with local ingredients and never greasy

Thier smoked bacon is crisp and the pancakes are just like home

The atmosphere is low key, feels like home

I love City Hall Diner. There isn't another place in the Birmingham area that treats breakfast as an are form.

Below is the story found on City Hall Diner's website

This says it all!

City Hall Diner is located in Beautiful Vestavia Hills, Alabama next to City Hall.

We wanted a breakfast and lunch place. We've wanted a breakfast and lunch place since the 80's, when we met a man in Florida who had one and we always coveted it. Nights off with our family is a dream come true for restaurant lifers like us. But now we'll be open at dinnertime too, Thursday through Saturday until 9:00 pm.

A couple of things I've learned in my career have stuck with me. First, the food has to be good, or why bother? And along these lines, we work very hard to purchase the best raw products and we have a lot of confidence in our ability to prepare them.

Second, if the food doesn't make it to the table in a timely fashion, it's not going to matter how good it is. Especially at breakfast and lunch. In other words, the service had better be quick and friendly. Servers should be knowledgeable and helpful. So ours will be.

Some of you know us and we hope you'll visit. Some of you we haven't met yet, and we hope you'll visit too. And we're pretty sure that the food and the service and the overall feelings of joy and coolness will entice you to return often.

We also cater; give us a call to talk about your event

The Oak Bar in the Hermitage Hotel in Nashville! Authentic

noreply@blogger.com (John-Bryan Hopkins) — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 16:02:00 +0000

I loved this place! A friend of mine said that in the 50's and early 60's this room was used as a barber shop.

I am including a description found on the Hermitage website.

"Adjacent to the Capitol Grille, the Oak Bar has been lovingly restored to its original beauty, and continues to offer a private and relaxing ambiance for nourishment of the senses and the spirit. The extensive wine list and unique environment has often earned it the title of "best bar in Nashville." The Oak Bar played a significant role in the hotel's history -- The Francis Craig Orchestra entertained Nashvillians from the Oak Bar and The Capitol Grille from 1929 to 1945, the longest running hotel gig on the books. Craig's orchestra was also the first to broadcast over WSM and enjoyed phenomenal success with a 12-year show that was aired over the entire NBC network. In 1949, he introduced a newcomer, Dinah Shore, who entertained his audience with a new song entitled, "Near You."

The Oak Bar serves drinks and a casual dining menu from 11:30 am Monday through Saturday and from noon on Sunday.

Remarkable! More on my meal at Watermark.

noreply@blogger.com (John-Bryan Hopkins) — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 14:24:00 +0000

So in my previous blog entry you got the feel of the place. Now let me tell you about the food.

For an appetizer, I ordered the Grit souffle', the bacon butter sauce was wonderful, which was wonderful and T ordered a composed salad of roasted beats and goat cheese with sherry vinaigrette. They were wonderfully presented and tasted like a chef's dream meal.

To our surprise the chef sent out a complimentary dish for tasting before the main. The braised rabbit gnocchi, it was wonderful and such a great fall dish.

For the main courses I ordered the ribeye steak atop creamed potatoes with shiitake mushroom gray...to die for.

T out ordered me , as usual, and ordered the osso bucco with brussels sprouts,roasted beats, and butternut squash puree. The meat was tender and fell off the bone. A wonderful choice for a cold winter evening.

I give Watermark a big thumbs up and thank chef Dean Robb, a great friend formerly with Bottega Favorita in Birmingham, and the chef Sean Norton for providing a great evening of great dining in Music city, Nashville.

Now off to my next Nashville dining experience, Miro District, the Watermark sister ship.