Knoxville!

I just got back from one of the best food-cations I've had in a while! Knoxville, people! Put it on your bucket lists!

I have been before, but this go-around was especially delicious. The Yerin-ator has been at Law School over at the University of Tennessee and while she's been there, we've taken full advantage of the free housing. This year, being her last, Pfeffer and I stopped by during her Fall Break to eat, lounge, hike, and eat some more!

Our first stop was Sweet P's BBQ and Soul House - and their smoked meats are no joke! I had their smoke & soul chicken and it just slid off the bone! And their tomato and blue cheese salad is most def something I'll be trying to replicate!

The next day, (and probably the most memorable of meals!) we stopped at KnoxMason for dinner:

The Porker-House rolls - oy. Pork fat brioche rolls. PORK FAT. Genius. And the side of sorghum butter inspired me to search for a jar of sorghum syrup to bring back with me.

I went with the chicken dish and what was so incredible about this place was they took a simple dish - chicken, farro, and arugula, and made it sing. How? They used the right ingredients. The farro, from Anson Mills, the chicken, from Ashley Farm, the farro and onions, from Spencer Mountain Farm. All local. And if you don't buy into the whole local "craze" this place will make you a believer. 

Yerin had the crispy pork belly. Yum Yum. They served it with a smashed sweet potato and bacon stewed apples.

Lunch on the last day was at Stock and Barrel - probably the absolute best burger I've had in my entire 29 years of living.

And I saved the best for last: Chandler's Deli - if you only go to one place in Knoxville, make it here for ribs and their mac and cheese. And Chandler is the nicest little scooter you'll ever meet!

Of course that's not how Yerin and I roll... we also got their fried chicken (YES), fried pickles, collard greens, mashed potatoes, chicken and dumplings, and corn casserole. NO REGRETS.

I ate everything. To the point where meat sweats were a constant problem.

It was totally worth it.