27 August 2017

Last week was very busy. It began with qualifying for reelection to Canton City Council on Monday, a lot of client meetings and attending Georgia's Downtown Conference in Columbus on Wednesday and Thursday. The conference was very interesting, and we learned a lot about that city's turnaround, riverwalk and their man-made whitewater experience. I left inspired and thinking a lot about Canton's opportunity to make the most out of the Etowah River that runs through our city. 

On Friday, we heard through the grapevine that our newest downtown restaurant, Local on North, was doing a soft opening that night. We joined some great friends there and had a wonderful experience. The restaurant is really quite beautiful, and the food was delicious. All eight of us ordered a different entree, from crab cakes to wood fired pizza to vegetable couscous, and everyone loved their dishes. The owners were extremely friendly and attentive, and I am excited to have another great restaurant to put in our rotation. 

On Saturday, we got to the Canton Farmers Market early to get the good stuff from our favorite suppliers. Afterward, we walked over to STEEP Tea House to enjoy an incredible brunch. On the way over, we passed by two more new businesses in the process of opening, a yoga studio and an interior design shop. I am delighted that North Street has arrived, and our historic downtown loop is now a reality. In addition to other great venues throughout the city, such as Riverstone Corner Bistro and Chon Ngren Thai Restaurant, our downtown dining scene is becoming the envy of Metro Atlanta. Panera Bread Company will be breaking ground next month, and by December, the Harris Group will be ready to lease five additional restaurant spaces in the newly restored Canton grammar school and mill office buildings. There has never been a more exciting time to live, work, dine and play in Canton, Georgia!

Today, we spent some time doing chores around the house and grocery shopping for a lot of staples. We are planning a trip to Spain over the holidays, so I have been researching some typical Spanish dishes. I decided to try my hand at a potato, onion and egg tortilla, and it was very tasty. It even turned out of the skillet in the end, my biggest worry. I made a fresh tomato and pepper salad to serve with the tortilla, using the last of our Carolina Gold tomatoes from the yard. For dessert, I used the season's last peaches from the farmers market to make Tom Keller's confit of peaches with mint. It was very refreshing and delectable.

We enjoyed Sunday Supper on the Side Porch at One Britt, but or minds and hearts were, and still are, with our fellow Americans in Houston and Texas. The devastation is simply overwhelming, and I pray they will recover soon. Count your blessings, and do what you can to help others. Life is short, y'all.


The Menu:

- Spanish Tortilla with Potatoes and Onions

- Fresh Tomato and Pepper Salad

- Confit of Peaches with Mint


The Recipe – Spanish Tortilla with Tomato and Pepper Salad

Ingredients:

Tortilla:

5 medium Yukon gold potatoes 

1 white onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 1/2 tsps kosher salt, or to taste

3/4 tsp black pepper, or to taste 

1 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil

6 large eggs

Tomato and Pepper Salad:

3/4 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup diced Cubano pepper

1/4 cup sliced scallion, white and green parts

1clove garlic, minced

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Peel potatoes and halve them lengthwise, then slice them, thinly, crosswise. Pat potatoes dry with paper towels then toss them with onion, garlic, paprika, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoons black pepper.

Warm a large skillet over medium heat, then add olive oil and potato / onion mixture. The oil should nearly cover the potatoes, so add more if you need it. Cook until potatoes are fork tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Adjust heat so vegetables do not brown. Transfer potatoes and onions to a colander with a slotted spoon, but reserve 3 1/2 tablespoons oil from the skillet. Let potatoes cool for around 10 minutes before adding to eggs.

Whisk eggs in a large bowl until well combined and season with a little salt and pepper. Stir potato mixture into eggs. Spray a nonstick skillet or baking pan with cooking spray, then pour and swirl two tablespoons of the reserved oil to coat the bottom. Pour potato and egg mixture into the pan and flatten out surface with a spatula. Bake tortilla in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Remove from oven and loosen the sides with a rubber spatula before placing a serving plate over the top of pan and flipping to turn out the tortilla. 

To make the salad, toss the tomatoes, pepper, scallion, garlic and remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons reserved oil in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper, and serve over top of tortilla cut in wedges.

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