Adam’s Southside Gems
As a native born lowegian and lifelong purveyor of all things pork related, I hold the vaunted pork tenderloin in high regard. So I was excited to discover an establishment on the South Side that had been dedicated to this culinary gem for more than 70 years. Stepping inside the small diner was a quick blast to the past...grill, fryers, and shake machine behind a sit down counter welcomed me along with a matronly woman asking "What can I get you hon?". The menu is purposefully limited. They know what they are good at...tenderloins, burgers, fried things, and shakes...and leave the rest to your local chain jack of all trades.
The tenderloins come in 2 sizes, queen and king. I have yet to finish a queen in one sitting.
There is some variety in presentation if you are feeling adventurous...taco, chili, and vegetable.
And if you are wondering, as Meghan and I were, the vegetable is not some Impossible Tenderloin. It just means if you crave health, you need to specify "vegetable" to receive lettuce, tomato, pickle and onion on it. Needless to say, I go the healthy route. The tenderloin itself is a fantastic iteration of this lowa classic. Crispy breading, moist and tender pork cutlet on a quality bun. Pair it with a freshly made, perfectly thick strawberry milk shake and you will not regret it. I found Smitty's to be an absolute delight that obviously perfected their craft decades ago and have never waivered from delivering the results.
Let spring come quickly and kindly! with breath and gratitude,
- Meghan
Amy's Corner - Retro Recipes and Shenanigans
Have you noticed all the retro recipes popping up on our Instagram and Facebook feeds? It all started when Meghan stumbled upon a vintage cookbook while decorating The Draper.
Suddenly, we were whipping up every jello recipe imaginable, recreating classic ice cream cocktails, and experimenting with all sorts of intriguing dishes from the past. And while we are cooking up these blasts from the past, we are also sprinkling in some real estate tips and tricks!
Our latest culinary adventure? A retro Campbell's Frankfurter Crown Casserole for our Super Bowl party. Let's just say it wasn't the prettiest dish, but we all gave it a try! I took it home and my husband happily devoured it all week for lunch (though the kids wouldn't touch it based on looks alone!). If you're not following along, you're missing out on some seriously interesting recipes, valuable real estate insights, and a whole lot of laughs.
- Amy