The original videos hosted on this site were created during the summer of 2011, our brief sabbatical into the wonderful world of food media. We were exploring our passions beyond the topics we cover over at www.PleasureMechanics.com, where we teach about sexuality and pleasure. After over 10 years teaching about sexuality, Charlotte and I were both curious to turn our lens to food, drink, community, farming and artisan crafts - all subjects we are passionate about and devote much of our personal attention to! 

As soon as we began our food video projects, however, we were called back to The Pleasure Mechanics in a big way. A few big opportunities and collaborations came our way, and we heard from our customers and communities that we had way more work to do! So we donned our Pleasure Mechanics uniforms and returned to full-time devotion to our work teaching men and women how to experience more sexual pleasure and fulfillment. Interested? Please join us at www.PleasureMechanics.comThanks for your support of this site! Cheers!

One of the most delicious things about living here in the Triangle is the fact that summer lasts well into fall. These cooler days still offer ample produce at the farmer's markets, and in early September fresh corn is still in season!

Chef Sandra Gutierrez is author if the upcoming The New Southern-Latino Table: Recipes that Bring Together the Bold and Beloved Flavors of Latin America and the American South. 

She was kind enough to share this incredible summer salad - full disclosure: after filming this interview and cooking demonstration back in July, we haven't been able to stop cooking out of our press copy of her new book. Every recipe we've tried has turned out to perfection, and the fresh new takes on our favorites had many dinner guests raving. We now keep a jar of her Spiced Pepitas around at all times! 

We couldn't stop smiling during this video shoot, and after spending some time with Sandra you'll see why she is one of the most beloved cooking instructors here in the Triangle. 

Check out Sandra's website, get to know her on twitter and Facebook, and be sure to pick up a copy of The New Southern-Latino Table when it becomes available after September 22, 2011. 

Two-Corn Summer Salad

From The New Southern-Latino Table: Recipes that Bring Together the Bold and Beloved Flavors of Latin America and the American South. Copyright © 2011 by Sandra A. Gutierrez. Used by permission of the University of North Carolina Press.

• 4 cups raw corn kernels, scraped off fresh cobs
• 2 ½ cups cooked whole hominy (or one 20-ounce can, drained and rinsed) (see note)
• 2 cups quartered grape tomatoes
• ¼ cup minced, seeded, and deveined jalapeños
• ¼ cup minced flat-leaf parsley (leaves and tender stems)
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Fresh corn and cooked hominy produce an explosion of contrasts when combined in this salad featuring a deliciously addictive dressing. Every single bite features an eruption of vibrant flavors: sweet and sour, crispy and creamy, fresh and earthy. Nothing compares to the taste of summer corn, buttery and sweet; it’s scrumptious eaten directly from the cob or scraped into soups, puddings, relishes, and fritters. Fresh, in-season corn is particularly luscious when used raw in salads; its honeylike flavor is further enhanced by citrusy vinaigrettes. The nixtamalized corn of the Americas is the hominy of the South. When kernels are soaked in lye water to remove the outer germ, they puff up and soften; their texture changes from crunchy to chewy, and their sweetness is replaced by rustic and nutty flavors. The union of these two forms of corn yields a wonderfully refreshing and colorful salad. Behold summer in a bowl.

In a large bowl, combine the corn, hominy, tomatoes, jalapenos, and parsley. In a medium bowl, whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, vinegar, oil, and garlic until well combined. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the corn mixture and toss to coat. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes (or refrigerate for up to 8 hours) before serving. Serve chilled or at room temperature. 
Serves 4–6
Note: Dried hominy can be found in Latin tiendas, where it’s called mote. Find canned hominy in most supermarkets.


We'll have more videos coming featuring Sandra Gutierrez and her innovative cuisine, stay tuned!

Chef Katie Coleman has been dazzling us with her fresh, easy and delicious food and drink pairings. After we tasted her fresh tomato tequila cocktail, we had to come back for more. Katie graciously welcomed us back to Durham Spirits Company where she treated us to a symphony of flavors featuring cherries, bourbon and homemade bacon!

In these two videos, Katie first prepares a modern take on the southern classic the Mint Julep by adding fresh cherries. Then she pairs this incredible cocktail with a crostini topped with cherries with bacon, shallots and goat cheese. 

One of the things we love about Bull City Burger and Brewery is that they make everything by hand - and we mean everything: not only are the burgers freshly ground and hand shaped every day, but the mayo, the mustard, the pickles and the fries are all made in-house as well. Oh, and that delicious lager is homemade by the BCBB crew as well, right in downtown Durham, NC. 

When Chef Seth Gross decided to do burgers, he decided to do everything his way, right down to the hamburger and hot dog buns. Take a peek into the kitchen of BCBB to see the love going into every hot bun!

Stir the Pot is a fundraiser for the Southern Foodways Alliance hosted by Ashley Christensen of Poole's Diner in Raleigh 4-5 times a year. On Sunday night, August 14, there is a five-course dinner with a guest chef at Poole's. This month's guest chef is Ed Lee of 610 Magnolia in Louisville, Kentucky. That dinner is $150 a plate. On Monday night, Ashley will host a potluck dinner at her house in Raleigh (she lives near NC State). She and Chef Lee will cook a main dish, Fullsteam Brewery of Durham will be pouring the beer, and bartender Wesley Wolfe of Lantern restaurant in Chapel Hill is creating a special (as-yet-unrevealed) cocktail for the evening. Guests are asked to bring a $35 donation to the SFA (check or cash) and a side dish or dessert that celebrates their sense of place.

All of this information (and then some) is available at: http://www.stirthepotluck.com/. Reservations are required and limited for both events and can be made by calling Poole's at 919-832-4477.

Stir the Pot will happen again on September 18 and 19 with guest chef John Fleer, formerly of Blackberry Farm in Tennessee and now of Canyon Kitchen in Cashiers, NC.

We are thrilled to debut the first videos of Triangle Bites! We have been spending time in some of the finest kitchens around the Triangle, and will continue to bring more delicious bites your way. 

Now up on the Video page: Bull City Burger and Brewery, Durham Spirits Company and Chef Sandra Gutierrez!

This has been a delicious week. We've spent the whole week in the kitchens of the Triangle - from one of Durham's best burger joints to the warm kitchen of a Southern cookbook author in Cary (who? stay tuned!) we were blessed to be welcomed into the homes and kitchens of a few of the area's most inspiring foodies. 

This weekend we will be keeping the AC blasting and the editing suite humming as we create our first videos to share with you. Thanks for your early support of the series and we can't wait to share some of the delicious and inspiring videos. 

Stay tuned next week for the first peeks into Triangle Bites! 

After five years of living as devout foodies in the San Francisco Bay Area, we wanted were starting to long for a more rural lifestyle. But we didn't want to give up the benefits of urban life - especially excellent restaurants and year-round farmer's markets! 

We read an article in Bon Apetit about the Triangle's emerging food culture, naming Durham - Chapel Hill "the foodiest small town in America." The article profiles several young farmers working in the area and the farm-to-table restaurant scene that was gaining popularity in Chapel Hill, Durham, Carrboro and Raleigh. After one weekend of all-night conversations, we decided to move to the area, sight unseen. We sold or donated most of our belongings, packed up our car, and drove cross-country to North Carolina where we did not know a single soul and had never visited. We were more than happy with what we discovered here, and quickly decided to make a permanent home here in the Triangle. We now live on a 10 acre farm just north of Durham.  Triangle Bites is a video series that celebrates the food, farm and fanatics of the triangle region of North Carolina.

People often ask us if we miss the food in San Francisco. The truth is the food we have found here in North Carolina is as good as any we had in California, and usually about half the price. Year-round rainfall and fertile soil make this an ideal climate for growing and producing delicious sustainable local food. The area's chefs, food truck owners and food producers in this region inspire us with their traditions, creativity and passionate ideas. This video series is our tribute to those gifted hands that feed this region so beautifully. Thank You.