By Lesley Lassiter | Nashville Scene
Wow, it’s been almost two years since I introduced you guys to The Nashville Food Truck Junkie. Since that time, Julie Festa has been keeping us all up to date on the latest Nashville food truck news and events on her blog. And for much of this year, she’s been busy writing a book dedicated to her favorite topic. Nashville Food Trucks: Stories & Recipes from the Road features the stories of how and why Nashville’s favorite food truck operators got started, as well as recipes for signature menu items.
Among the recipes are the Biscuit Love Truck’s “Family Reserve Biscuits” and Bao Down’s Braised Short Rib. Local food truck fans will see a lot of familiar food and faces among the pages.
Join Ms. Festa this weekend for the official launch of the book this Saturday, July 12, at 2 p.m. at Parnassus Books in Green Hills. It should be quite the party; the Biscuit Love Truck, DoughWorks, The Rolling Feast and Moovers & Shakers will all be on hand to help celebrate the book release with complimentary small bites for all to enjoy.
Here at Bites, we’ve been provided a copy of the book to give away, too. Just leave a comment with what food truck recipe/dish you really hope is in the book. (If it’s not in there, maybe there will be a follow up.) I’ll choose a winner at random on Tuesday, July 15. Be sure to check back here to see if you’ve won (please just one entry per person).
After the jump, get a preview of the book with The Grilled Cheeserie’s mouth-watering recipe for their Pimento Mac’n’Cheese Melt sandwich.
Nashville Food Trucks: Stories & Recipes from the Road Signing Event
Parnassus Books
3900 Hillsboro Pike
Saturday, July 12
2 p.m.
The Grilled Cheeserie’s Pimento Mac ’n’ Cheese Melt
(Recipe provided by Crystal de Luna-Bogan)
Yields 4 sandwiches
Mac ’n’ Cheese mix:
1 clove garlic, smashed and chopped
1 teaspoon Frank’s Red Hot hot sauce or hot sauce of your choice
1⁄2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
Fresh cracked pepper to taste
1 teaspoon kosher salt (might need more depending on which cheese is used)
1 cup Hellman’s or Best Foods mayonnaise (The Grilled Cheeserie makes its own mayonnaise.* If desired, replace the mayo with 1 egg and 1 cup vegetable or grapeseed oil, just not olive oil.)
4 ounces shredded smoked cheddar**
4 ounces shredded cheddar**
1 cup macaroni pasta, cooked and cooled
1 roasted bell pepper, small and diced
*If you choose to make your own mayonnaise from scratch (good for you!), you can add the egg with your spice and garlic. In a food processor, blend together well, and while the processor is running, slowly drizzle in the oil.
**If you prefer a less smoky flavor, you can use all cheddar or any shredded cheese available, like Colby or pepperjack.
In a food processor, blend together garlic, hot sauce, cayenne, paprika, black pepper and kosher salt.
Then add mayo and shredded cheese and pulse until combined. Put mixture in a bowl and fold in cooked
macaroni pasta and roasted red bell pepper. Season to taste.
Sandwich components:
2 slices country white bread (Grilled Cheeserie uses local Silke’s bread), buttered generously
2 thick slices of tomato
1 piece bacon, diced and cooked (Grilled Cheeserie uses Benton’s bacon)
2 ounces mild cheddar cheese
To assemble sandwich, heat a nonstick griddle to about 300 degrees or medium-high heat. Place one slice of the generously buttered bread, butter side down, on the griddle. Spread about 1⁄2 cup of the mac ’n’ cheese mix on the bread, then add the 2 slices of tomato, bacon and smoked cheddar. Place the other slice of bread on top with the butter side up. Grill on both sides until the bread is golden brown.
Nashville Food Trucks: Stories & Recipes from the Road is available at Parnassus Books (in store or online) as well as Amazon.com
