Gamekeepers Taverne - Chagrin Falls

Gamekeepers is located in the heart of beautiful Chagrin Falls.  If you are not from the area I suggest going while the weather is nice and plan on staying awhile.  There is a park, falls viewing area and cute shops.  There is not a lot of parking and it's spread out, but I did not have a problem finding a spot on a Wednesday night.  Gamekeepers is a old, cabin like building.  There is a large patio in the back and I think there is a lot of seating, but it's broken up into smaller intimate rooms making it hard to tell.  The menu is small but impactful.  There are some non-gamey items if you prefer (or go with someone picky!).  I met my parents there while TBG was at work.  My mom got the special which was seafood over black rice and mixed veggies with a wasabi asparagus sauce.  It was good.  I had never had black rice before and it was surprisingly sweet.  The sweetness was offset by the wasabi in the sauce.  It definitely was a pretty plate.  My dad got a burger with fresh chips and spicy coleslaw.  He said it was good quality.  He does not like much other than hamburgers, so quality is all that matters to him.  I got the wild boar short ribs over mashed potatoes and asparagus.  It was great.  The boar was so tender and moist.  The fried onions on top cut through the sweetness from the BBQ sauce and added much more to the plate than I thought they would.  The portion sizes were perfect for all of us.  The service was good, she was able to answer all the questions my picky father had.  The wine list was good, but expensive.  There were a lot of bottles I would have ordered if TBG was with me.  I will definitely go back.  There is also a more causal place next door owned by Gamekeeper's that I would like to try.  Good for date night, or a special occasion! 

Service____ 8 Chipps

Food____9 Chipps

Atmosphere____7 Chipps

Beer List____5 Chipps

Wine List____7 Chipps

Value____7 Chipps

Basil!

If you grew basil in your garden this year, chances are you have A LOT right about now.  I love basil and grow it every year.  After adding it to every recipe I make in the summer I always still have a lot growing in the backyard.  Here are some things to do with it so you have have "fresh" basil all winter. 

1. Freeze it
I have an ice cube tray specifically for basil so my normal ice does not taste like basil.  Pack as much washed and cut basil as you can into the cubes.  Fill the rest of the way with water and freeze.  As soon as the cubes are frozen, empty into a freezer safe bag.  You can just throw these cubes into anything you want, or melt them in a bowl and take the basil out if you don't want the water. 

2. Make Basil Butter
One of my favorite things to do with Basil.  You can use this for sauce over pasta, on bread then broiled, served with rolls, in sauces with veggies, or on meats.  I usually make a lot when I do this because it's just as easy to make a ton, and you only have to wash up once. 

3c basil          4 cloves garlic
1lb butter       Fresh ground pepper

Throw it all in the food processor and blend until smooth.  Transfer to an airtight container or make balls with a small ice cream scoop.  Put balls on a cookie sheet and place in the freezer.  Once frozen transfer to a freezer bag and freeze to use all winter!  Not only are they delicious, but they are pretty too!

3. Grow more

I have not tried this yet, but it worked for my mom!  Put a sprig of basil in water on a windowsill and it will grow roots. This way you can have a small plant in the house all winter.  I think I will try it, even though it will be hard not to use it all at once!

Let me know your favorite thing to do with basil!

Nosh Eatery - Hudson

Nosh is located in a strip mall on Rt 91 South of downtown Hudson.  There is a decent size parking lot in front.  The atmosphere is urban coffee house.  There are not a lot of seats, but everything is clean.  There is a counter to get coffee or something out of one of the cases.  We sat down and ordered coffee since we were there for breakfast.  The coffee was good, TBG said he would come just for that.  The specials sounded pretty good, but we both ordered off the menu.  I got the pistachio french toast topped with fresh fruit and goat cheese whipped cream.  It was amazing.  The pistachio crust was nice and crunchy while leaving the inside fluffy.  The toppings added a sweet touch.  TBG got the Wake and Baked breakfast sandwich.  It had eggs, ham, bacon, tomato, lettuce, Boursin cheese and white truffle on sour dough.  He loved it.  Everything tasted freshly made and carefully put together.  We will definitely be back.  The service was good, but there are not many tables in the whole restaurant.  The prices are good for the quality of food.  The portions are not huge, but were big enough for me, and TBG finished mine anyway.  They serve breakfast, lunch and boxed dinners so get there early and get your Nosh!

Service____ 7 Chipps

Food____9 Chipps

Atmosphere____7 Chipps

Beer List____0 Chipps

Wine List____0 Chipps

Value____8 Chipps