The on-going chronicle of all things related to the George and Laura Roediger House (c. 1905) in the historic Holly Avenue Neighborhood of downtown Winston-Salem, NC. More info and pictures can be found at RoedigerHouse.com. [Mobile users: CLICK TO SEARCH the blog.]
Sat 17 Oct. I’m often seduced by supper simplicity, as happened last Saturday night. After a full and challenging week working out of state, I gravitated toward the idea of herbed baked chicken thighs and two sides, which on that occasion included some canned green beans tucked away in the cabinet and easy stovetop stuffing. It was tender and juicy and flavorful like dark meat promises to be, and there was more than enough of everything to pile the plate high and mighty.
Sun 11 Oct. Our rainy weekend, while the dregs of Hurricane Isaias passed ever-so-slowly over the area, drew to its inevitable close Sunday a week ago, and once more it found me packing my bags...this time for a full week up in Virginia. But lunch was called for before I departed, and it let me use up some leftovers for yet another version of a wrap. On that day, the call coming from the kitchen gods said we needed to see what we thought of a bacon ranch chicken wrap, and our unrepentant response to that call was one of gustatory gladness.
Dressing adapted from "Chicken Bacon Hot Honey Ranch Quesadillas," by Nick Nesgoda of Burnt Pellet BBQ. [Posted 10 October 2025]
When I found myself heading into a full week on the road Sunday before last, I had some heavy cream that was not going to survive my absence, according to its use-by date on the carton. And who doesn't love ice cream? So I dug into the archives and brought out double chocolate liqueur ice cream, a nudge more chocolatey than called for, and slightly sweeter so that I'd find it more sensational, it proved rich and creamy and decadent...and a special container was left for the latest Wednesday visit by the dear and delightful Amy. I have sometimes served it along with some other dessert, like cake, but why? It pretty much stands on its own, or else we risk being completely overwhelmed when asking it to ride shotgun with something else.
"Double Chocolate Liqueur Ice Cream," by Kita Roberts. From her Pass the Sushi blog. [Published 09 August 2012 / Updated 11 June 2024]
Sat 10 Oct. The long day and night of cool temps and unending rain while the remnants of Hurricane Isaias gallivanted about the region sure put me into a soup mood, and the house had just the right amount of broccoli to turn into broccoli cheddar soup. The veggies got spiced, herbed, and roasted, and the mirepoix proved an excellent starter, and the chicken broth and heavy cream brought flavor and a silky reservoir for all the rest of it to ride around in. Plenty of freshly-shredded cheddar and a garnish of the previous day’s fried thick-cut bacon made the bowls look and taste pretty.
"The Best Broccoli Cheese Soup (Better-Than-Panera Copycat)," from Averie Sunshine of Averie Cooks. [Published 09 January 2015 / Updated 15 July 2025]
One of the latest first-of-the-season hurricanes on record worked itself into a named-storm frenzy while churning over the Gulf of Mexico in early October, coming ashore near Destin, Florida, last weekend with a Category 2 rating. After that, it sort of sauntered.
It managed to cause quite a bit of destruction and inconvenience, and sadly also a handful of deaths, in the Sunshine State and neighboring Alabama. But we’ve all seen much worse and can be grateful for what it didn’t become or do.
Still, it packed an enduring punch once it shattered into a disorganized mess, putting a damper on most of the eastern United States as its pieces and parts fanned out and brought plenty of rain.
It showed itself capable not only of settling in but also in drawing in enough enduring moisture that kept the rains a-coming, albeit often more drizzly than drenchy.
Bands nonetheless passed over with a more pronounced intent, and we were glad that this was not one of the occasions where the house showed itself as not impervious to precipitation.
This is a house with pooches, of course, and we still had to head outside to take care of pooch business. Fortunately, sometimes it was just sort of spitting or sprinkling in between all those windy drenching downpours.
I still got out and did an evening stroll...
...enough to get me across the finish line on my daily move and exercise goals as mandated by my Apple Watch.
By Sunday morning, we were still getting the effects here in Winston-Salem:
That was the day I got wind of why, which was a clash of weather systems that stalled out the movement:
And then (and it seemed at long last!), the clouds parted and blue sky returned and the warming rays of an October sun finally burst through:
Sat 10 Oct. The Saturday of Presidents’ Day Weekend was gravely dampened by the passing remnants of a tropical system that came ashore along the Gulf of Mexico, but the Roediger House was brightened by the visit of a film crew of students from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. They are evaluating the usefulness and adaptability of this grand domicile and, if they decide this can work for them, they’ll come take over the place in early November. I wanted to have something to offer while they were here working, and that put me onto the trail of lemon sugar cookies. They seemed to like ‘em pretty well and even took extras along to share with roommates and significant others. That pleased the chef, no doubt!
Also, when I was in Stafford, VA, I caught sight of this license plate on the last day of September that I’m sure remains an unknown message for most folks who might see it up there. As for me, I read it immediately as “Fighting Pickle,” which is indeed the mascot of the UNC School of the Arts.
"Lemon Sugar Cookies," from Melissa Stadler of ModernHoney.com. [Published 21 March 2016 / Updated 06 September 2018]
Fri 09 Oct. Once I’d decided I didn’t want to have to run to the store last Friday, I turned to a couple of packages of bacon that needed to be fried. My trusty electric skillet moved that project along to a speedy enough conclusion, and then those crisp slices were ready to be joined by slices of sharp cheddar cheese on brioche buns for a tasty sandwich supper.
Thu 08 Oct. Before heading to Virginia for a couple of days of work at the front end of October, I had some remaining chicken thigh fillets that I’d vacuum-sealed for longer storage in the fridge till I got back. Those were perfect once I returned and headed into meal-making mode last Thursday. Spiced and herbed, but first rubbed with olive oil, they baked up flavorful and juicy and were welcomed in abundance. All that was needed with ‘em was spiced roasted broccoli, and a fine meal was had by all.
Mon 05 Oct. It was another day where I worked up a lunch meal before tossing all my gear into the car to hit the road for a few days of work in Virginia. That meant something simple, ‘cause that’s how I’ve gotta roll. Taco-seasoned ground beef was the centerpiece of a sheet pan of nachos, with more than enough cheese, black beans, onion, and dollops of sour cream to boot. Then I propped my eyelids open for the drive north, ready for wonderful collaboration with school leaders in two different school districts in our neighboring state to the north (although the 90-minute shut-down of I-95 north of Richmond was not in my plans!).
Sheet Pan Nachos seriously modified from "Loaded Sweet Pork Sheet Pan Nachos," from Elyse of Six Sisters Stuff. [Published 14 March 2018]
Taco-Style meat depended partly on "Crispy Beef Tacos," by Hilah Johnson. From HilahCooking.com.
"Homemade Chili and Taco Seasoning," from Jamie Lothridge of MyBakingAddiction.com. [Published 03 February 2011]
Sun 04 Sept. After an earlier experiment with pan-frying spiced chicken thighs in a shallow pool of grapeseed oil not long ago, I was ready for another round. On mixed fresh greens with the last of the latest batch of homemade creamy Caesar dressing, this supper hit the spot as the first weekend of October wrapped up.
Sat 03 Oct. While the weather on the first Saturday of October didn’t exactly call for an evening of grilling, my taste cravings did. Digging deep under the mattress to find enough money to afford the ground beef, it was a supper of mushroom and Swiss burgers and a sizable mound of kettle chips for this guy. With high hopes that I could make it less overwhelming by pressing the patty down to a lower profile, it nonetheless maintained a hefty diameter even after grilling…and it was all a wonderful messy handful and required a spirited attack to keep it all manageable for the consumption. It sure is convenient to have a wetbar sink close by to un-burgerslime my hands.
Adapted from "Grilled Juicy Burgers," originally from Pillsbury Classic Cookbooks recipe magazine, July 2003 [Updated Online 03 February 2011], p. 52-53.
Dateline: Summer 2026. Here’s another backlog blog item that is getting posted today as part of my obsession with chronicling the goings-on of the Roediger House. This past summer brought a new pest to my yard, and to my awareness: boxelder beetles.
I don’t need to know where these have been all my life but once they started invading the space, they quickly grew into teeming hordes. (We also had a brief invasion of kudzu beetles—also a novelty for me—but that proved more short-lived.)
Once I did my internet research about these boxelder beetles, I first tackled them with the insecticide that I had handy. After that I went with a more natural beetle deterrent, and for quite a few weeks it was my regular mission to stomp them everywhere they were spotted.
That went on for a while, mind you, although after my initial full-frontal attack on them, the pesky remnants who thought they’d be allowed to live quickly learned of a different reality. By late summer, they gave all indications to make me believe we’d achieved full eradication, but I’m sure I’m just fooling myself.
Dateline: Mon 28 Sept. September’s end represented a four-day work trip to Virginia, and there was just enough leftover chicken shawarma available before I left that Monday to throw together an easy and increasingly frequent (and varied!) lunch meal: chicken shawarma Caesar wraps. In addition to that well-spiced and nicely diced chicken, there was shaved Asiago and parmesan, some crushed croutons, chopped Romaine lettuce, and the crowning touch of just enough homemade creamy Caesar dressing. As I have practiced and improved the roll-and-tuck of large flour tortillas, and decided the right technique for finishing these in a skillet, a rather pleasing simple meal emerges and offers up an enduring satisfaction.
Dateline: Sun 27 Sept. After a most enjoyable weekend of houseguests at the end of September, it was nice to wrap up the gorgeous day that Sunday afternoon with an early start to a Mookie evening. It’s always a good time with that rascal, even if we had to endure him without his better half, Kristen. For our supper, knowing I had to clean out the fridge before heading out of town for the week, we fell back to a faithful new favorite: sheet pan chicken shawarma, with plenty of garlic and red onion. I’ll jump on any excuse to thrown in roasted spiced broccoli and cauliflower, so those were the tasty sides.
"Oven-Roasted Chicken Shawarma," by Sam Sifton of New York Times Cooking. [Updated 23 January 2024]
Dateline: 26 Sept. The annual pilgrimage of dear friends Margaret and Tathy to Winston-Salem to fully immerse themselves in the Bookmarks Festival of Books and Authors had the bonus not only of dinner together on their final night, but also the special fall-anticipating dessert we had: apple crisp cheesecake bars. This is one of those special-occasion dinner appenders that brings such satisfaction, both to chef and diners. We partook of these while visiting post-supper in the north parlour, part of a great evening of conversation and catching up.
"Apple Crisp Cheesecake Bars," from Meghan McGarry of ButtercreamBlondie.com. [Published 03 October 2014 / Updated 09 December 2023]
Dateline: Sat 26 Sept. The end of September is a mixed bag for me: we have moved officially into Fall and sometimes the cooler weather gets an early start. But the final weekend of the month was so glorious and mild and sunny that we could not have asked for the annual Bookmarks Festival of Books and Authors to be any more perfectly timed. And that’s what brings the yearly joy of visiting festival-goers Margaret and Tathy, who use the Roediger House as their homebase while they fully immerse themselves in writers and what those authors have to say about the words they’ve written and the thoughts they have thunk.
We revel in the chance to supper with them, and the change of seasons put me right back into a mood for Brunswick stew. It was hearty and soul-satisfying, and well-accompanied with sweet skillet cornbread.
That was the afternoon when Scarlett made her 4th rat kill, as this little bugger tried to dash for safety across the rear property line and she was on him in a flash.
Meanwhile, Sumner was keen to cling to me at various times of the day, such as this pre-dinner moment when he let me know our papa-son solitude was to be a centered on a fully-invested belly rub.
Brunswick Stew derived some inspiration from the following:
Sweet Southern Cornbread adapted from "Golden Sweet Cornbread," from bluegirl on AllRecipes.com.
Dateline: Fri 25 Sept. It only took a small sale price to entice: then into my shopping cart went the value-pak of chicken thigh fillets. When it came time to decide on supper for the final Friday of September, I got a hankering to herb and spice those rascals and pan-fry them in grapeseed oil. They turned out great! Once the salads were dressed with homemade creamy Caesar, these tender morsels brought a satisfying flavor punch that suited all comers.
Dateline: Thur 24 Sept. As long as I’ve been messing around with making burrito-shaped wraps, mostly for chicken Caesar wraps, I figured I’d try it out for a breakfast-style burrito. That’s what the early meal was back on September 24: scrambled eggs, a pan-seared sausage-onion mix, a bit of cheese, some black beans, and a smattering of corn to bulk it up, all rolled up in an oversized flour tortilla that was skillet-toasted and then greedily consumed. With a bit of salsa.
Dateline: Wed 23 Sept. On the Wednesday before last, the amiable Amy made it a joyful evening, with her weekly visit and a chance to see if she doesn’t mind tasting whatever the latest offering is from the ol’ Roediger House kitchen. And thanks to a late afternoon meeting for me, we had to go with one of our faithful stand-bys: Cuban pork sheet pan nachos. Now, mind you: we do not scrimp on these. They are abundantly cheesed and also sport plenty of black beans and shoepeg corn, along with fresh-chopped onion. And did I mention all that cheese? But it’s still not enough dairy, because my sour cream dollop is always sizable, and plural.
Sheet Pan Nachos loosely inspired by "Loaded Sweet Pork Sheet Pan Nachos," originally credited to Elyse Ellis and updated by Steph Loaiza of Six Sisters Stuff. [Published 14 March 2018 / Updated 17 December 2024]
Dateline: Sat 19 Sept. The time was ripe for a return of UNC chum Chris a couple of Saturdays ago, and it was yet another fine visit. After our supper together, I wanted to offer up a special dessert of some sort, and I used this as the excuse to try out a butterscotch bourbon praline ice cream...with butterscotch sauce to boot. It’s not anywhere near my most favorite ice cream but every wild once in a while something like that has to make it into one of the dessert offerings. And as long as we were running this track in the ice cream circuit, why not go the extra mile with homemade butterscotch sauce?
Slightly adapted from “Butterscotch Bourbon Praline Ice Cream," from Rebecca Blackwell, who blogs at Of Batter and Dough. [Posted 30 May 2017 / Updated 28 July 2026]
"The Best Butterscotch Sauce," from Barry C. Parsons of RockRecipes.com. [Printed 21 August 2016 / Updated 27 March 2026]
Dateline: Sat 19 Sept. It was a second night in a row for a reunion of UNC Tar Heels around the table, back on Saturday the 19th. Fellow alum and fellow Golden Fleece argonaut Chris was amenable to a return journey over to the Triad for a delightful evening of visiting and hanging out and, of course, some suitable grub. Without heading to the grocery store, I realized early in the day that I could pull this off with a bacon Swiss Gruyère quiche, with a base of caramelized onions, along with sliced tomatoes as a cool and refreshing side. It was all helped along, methinks, with a harbinger of the coming fall: apple cider doughnut loaf cake. This sweet side-ride has only shown up here a couple of times before, but it is appreciated with each return.
Also: this dear little hellion Scarlett is a mess:
Recipe based on "Bacon and Caramelized Onion Quiche," from Kelley Epstein of Mountain Mama Cooks. [Published 11 April 2011]
"Apple Cider Doughnut Loaf Cake," by Sarah Jampal. In Bon Appétit, September 2020, p. 56, 57, 76. [Published 14 October 2020]
Dateline: Thur 30 July. You may ask yourself: who is this deputy sheriff and why does she look so angry as she pounded on the back kitchen door?
So I’m digging back into the archives to tell about this unusual development from the summer. It was an evening that, as bedtime approached, the pooches were getting their last run around the driveway and yard before heading in for the night. We had just gotten them to the crates, and the front doorbell was ringing, and the back door was getting knocked on, and then the back doorbell was ringing.
As I discovered later, after looking at the security video, the property was swarmed by deputies from the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office.
This was during the International Black Theatre Festival, which it’s an honor for Winston-Salem to host every other year, and there is always a heavy presence of law enforcement while it’s happening. Apparently, these deputies had either spotted or had reported to them that a drone was flying over what they said was “restricted airspace” over downtown, and they were absolutely certain that we were the ones doing it.
I could only laugh. I don’t even play video games, much less have a remote control for drone flying over places that no drones are supposed to be flown. The angry deputy at the back door could not betray her disappointment that she had not marched straight up to the scofflaw’s doorstep, and I’ll tell you: she wasn’t very nice at all. But the bearded gent who talked to me at the front was perfectly decent. I had to laugh again when they asked if I knew of any neighbors who had drones. We ain’t that kind of neighborhood, as I made clear when rattling off the catalogue of who actually dwells on this block.
