100 Best Dishes: Heaton Pecan Farm’s Pecan Pie

Posted on June 27, 2011 Written by Leave a Comment

Boy, this is a hard writing gig…all this eating pecan pie and cheese biscuits and other delightful dishes ;) Seriously, my girls and my husband and I have had the best time trying out the fabulous dishes in our journey to eat all 100 Best Dishes in Alabama. Of course, many of these dishes are not new to us – we have loved Alabama food for a LONG time and many on the list are our personal favorites as well. But we have also discovered some really delightful new dishes that we’d never tried before. This week we were introduced to Heaton Pecan Farm and their oh-so-yummy pecan pie.

While I’m not usually a huge fan of pecan pie (I much prefer lemon thank-you-very-much), I was pretty impressed with the Heaton’s pie. The crust was homemade and perfectly cooked. The filling was syrupy sweet and just the right texture – not to runny or sticky. And the pecans were the best part. They were meaty and delicious, without even a hint of bitterness. The Heaton’s make a good pie, y’all.

I’m sorry that’s the best picture I got of my piece of pie. It really was much more delectable than that picture represents. You see, the sweet little lady who cut it for me had the most gosh-awful time trying to get it out of the pan. It was a new pie, and mine was the first cut piece. Any of you who have ever tried to get the first piece of pie know that it’s darn near impossible to have the first piece look pretty. She apologized profusely that my pie didn’t look good. I made such a fuss about her not worrying about it, that I didn’t have the heart to pull out my big camera in front of her for fear of making her even more upset about it, so I just took a quick shot with my phone when she wasn’t looking. If she knew I was showing it all over the internet, she’d probably die of embarassment, but honestly, the pie tasted just as good in two pieces as it would have in one.

When we pulled up I saw a sign advertising that Heaton’s will ship their items to you. On their website, you can order pies, bulk pecans, fudge, or some of the most decadent-looking candies made from their pecans.

We also saw that they ship Belgian waffles, and we got to watch the ladies making those through a glass window that looks directly into their kitchen.

Heaton Pecan Farm is located in Clanton, Alabama, at exit 208 on I-65. If you are headed to the beach and want a sweet treat for the trip, stop by Heaton and enjoy a piece of pie.

Filed Under: 100 Dishes, Travels

100 Dishes in Alabama: Jim ‘N Nick’s Cheese Biscuits

Posted on June 22, 2011 Written by 2 Comments

After a hot and tiring morning at the splash pad, Pitter Patter and I stopped by our favorite BBQ joint in town for a quick bite to eat.

Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q has locations all over the southeast, but of course we like the original ones in Birmingham the best.

Their cheese biscuits earned them a spot on the 100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama Before You Die list, but it could have just as easily been anything on the menu. That’s the reason Jim ‘N Nick’s is one of our favorites – everything is REALLY good. Of course, they are known for their BBQ. From pulled pork to smoked chicken, to ribs, it’s all scrumptious. The catfish rivals any place else in Alabama. But it’s their famous cheese biscuits that won them a spot on the list.

They bring out a basket of these little babies with your drinks. They call them “biscuits”, but they are so much better than a standard biscuit. They are cheesy, but there’s a hint of sweetness, too. They aren’t really dough-y like some biscuits can be. I ate three yesterday, but feel like I could have eaten a hundred. Some people might not agree with me, but I like them best dipped ever so slightly in one of Jim ‘N Nick’s tangy BBQ sauces.

While the biscuits were divine, I needed some “real” food, too. I would usually order the BBQ chicken sandwich with either the baked beans or hand-cut french fries. But yesterday I wanted something a little lighter. I opted for the greek salad with smoked chicken. Y’all, it was a good choice. It was a very traditional greek salad with lettuce, red onions, whole black olives, grape tomatoes, etc. But the dressing, oh the dressing!! I’m accustomed to more of a vinaigrette on my greek salad, but this dressing was creamy and spicy and tangy. It was to-die-for!

Y’all, I’m not kidding. Every-dadgum-thing they serve at Jim ‘N Nick’s is good. Little Pitter Patter even ate every bite of her grilled cheese. How can you not enjoy a lunch like that?!? Especially when the scenery across the table from you is this cute!

To see all of my “100 Dishes” posts, please click on the “100 Best Dishes” category on the left-hand side of my blog.

Filed Under: 100 Dishes, Family, Recipes

100 Dishes in Alabama: Half Moon Cookies and Marinated Cole Slaw at Full Moon BBQ

Posted on March 25, 2011 Written by Leave a Comment

We have eaten at Full Moon BBQ thousand or more times, but I never knew about their half moon cookies until they were included in the 100 Things to Eat in Alabama Before You Die list. I have eaten their marinated cole slaw often with a delicious BBQ sandwich. It is, indeed, a yummy dish. I like cookies, so I gave them a try the next time we went for BBQ. They take a homemade chocolate chip cookie and dip one half of it in chocolate – hence the name “half moon”. I really like Full Moon BBQ, and I wanted to give them a fantastic review on their cookies. I hate to say it, but I was a little underwhelmed.

Now, don’t get me wrong. We love Full Moon BBQ and we get the marinated slaw often because it is really good. I could, in fact,  eat their BBQ salad everyday of my life. And the cookies are good – but they are JUST good. Not fabulous. Sorry, Full Moon. Don’t hold it against me. I’m a big fan of your BBQ and had you been included on the list for it, I would’ve given you high praise. But I still love you and your cole slaw!

Filed Under: 100 Dishes

100 Dishes in Alabama: Throwed Rolls at Lambert’s Cafe

Posted on March 24, 2011 Written by Leave a Comment

Spring break was a week of fun traveling for 3/4 of the Hills (1/4 of us stayed home to work). We spent several days on the Alabama Gulf Coast, which gave us an opportunity to try out several of the dishes from the 100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama Before You Die list. One of the more lively and fun places on the list is Lambert’s Cafe in Foley. If you’ve ever been to Gulf Shores or Orange Beach, you’ve most likely driven by Lambert’s. They are known as the “home of the throwed rolls.” I would describe it as Cracker Barrel with a kick. Lambert’s is a Southern cooking gem. They serve many favorite dishes like fried catfish, country fried steak, pot roast, meatloaf, and chicken and dumplings. Their side dishes are always my choice, though: mashed potatoes, fried okra, baked beans, homemade mac and cheese, and fresh turnip greens. I usually opt for the veggie plate. If you love southern country cooking, you will love Lambert’s food.

However, although the throwed rolls are good, better still is the atmosphere of the restaurant. If you are looking for a nice quiet dinner, you better look someplace else. If you want loud music, waiters who sing and dance, and a staff who plays tricks on the customers, Lambert’s is your best bet. And in case you are wondering, they really do throw rolls at you. Every few minutes two strapping young lads roll out a cart full of piping hot rolls. If you want one, you yell out “roll!!” In a few minutes, a waitress comes around with homemade apple butter or other “pass arounds”. Our pass arounds were fried okra, cabbage, and pinto beans fresh from the kitchen.

Lambert’s is a festive option, especially when you have the kiddos with you. They get a big kick out of the roll throwing and the tricks. Lambert’s is great for good, clean family fun.  And the food ain’t half bad, either!

To see all posts on the 100 Dishes to Eat in alabama Before You Die, click on the 100 Dishes in Alabama labal at the bottom of this post.

Filed Under: 100 Dishes

100 Dishes in Alabama: Hope’s Cheesecake

Posted on March 18, 2011 Written by Leave a Comment
I have been going to Gulf Shores since I was a little girl, and since 1996 I have been driving right by Hope’s Cheesecake to get to my parents house. Every time I see it I think, “Someday I need to stop in there and check it out.” When it garnered a spot on the 100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama Before You Die, I knew I had been missing out on something. Since the girls and I were at the Gulf this weekend, I pulled into Hope’s on my way back home. Oh my!! Y’all, I had no idea there was a place like this in Alabama! They make their cheesecakes from REAL, quality ingredients like Kraft Philadelphia cream cheese, fresh whole eggs, cane sugar, Melipone vanilla, delectable chocolates and luscious liqueurs. I’m here to tell you, using quality makes a HUGE difference. Their cheesecakes are creamy and fabulous! Not one bit dry and crumbly or thick and chewy.
You can see from the picture above the flavors we tried. Here are the descriptions from Hope’s website:
  • White Chocolate Strawberry: This one was a good classic cheesecake with a hint of white chocolate and a yummy strawberry topping. A very classic, creamy cheesecake.
  • Cookies and Cream: One of my top picks from our entire selection. It had a cheesecake base with crushed Oreos mixed into the batter and topped with crushed Oreos. It would be hard to top this one!
  • Chocolate Kahlua: Rich chocolate cheesecake with Kahlua liqueur added. This one was my favorite! It was creamy and dreamy. A very grown-up flavor. The Kahlua was PERFECT! Try it!!
  • Chocolate Marble: Original cheesecake and rich chocolate cheesecake swirled together before baking. Favorite of my girls. The flavors are simple and classic. Really delicious!
  • Key Lime: Our original cheesecake with authentic key lime juice from the Florida Keys. This one has an authentic key lime flavor – not an imitation flavoring taste. A great summery flavor!
  • Strawberry Amaretto: This is another very grown-up flavor. The amaretto is wonderful. This one has the same strawberry topping as the Strawberry White Chocolate, but it also has toasted almond slivers.
The cheesecakes were divine! Definitely NOT your run-of-the-mill grocery store frozen cheesecake! While I was in line, there was a darling couple in front of me ordering. They said they had driven 1200 miles to have one of Hope’s cinnamon rolls. The owner told them they had just pulled some out of the oven and they were icing them now.
Y’all.
I’m still kicking myself for not ordering one of those, too. They smelled heavenly. The roll looked like a delectable combination of cinnamon, sugar, and freshly baked dough. Then the icing. Oh, the icing. I don’t know what was in it, but I could have eaten my weight in it.
Dang it! Why didn’t I get one?!?
I can’t believe I have been driving right past this place for years! From now on, Hope’s Cheesecake will be a regular part of our trips to the beach. You can buy Hope’s Cheesecakes at their store in Gulf Shores, on their website, or in several stores and restaurants along the Gulf Coast. They are available in whole cakes, slices, or cupcake sizes. If you try it, let me know! And tell the darling little owner, Mrs. Jeanne Donald that you read about it on the Hill Hang-Out.
Too see all posts on the 100 Dishes To Eat In Alabama Before You Die, click on the 100 Dishes In Alabama label at the bottom of this post.

Filed Under: 100 Dishes
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