Dewey's Bakery: Anniversary Cake

My husband and I celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary yesterday. We married in an old Victorian house on 9th Avenue in Pensacola, FL just five days after he proposed. Needing a witness, Joe's grandfather stepped in as Maid of Honor and Best Man. We were young and excited to start a life together. Our families in North Carolina sent champagne and a box filled with something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a special penny for my shoe. It was a glorious November day in Pensacola, much like it was in Winston-Salem yesterday, with clear skies, and temperatures in the mid 60s. We went to the beach, enjoyed lunch and dinner at favorite restaurants, and spent the night at a local B&B as a gift from our families. It was the perfect, no-stress wedding day that we both remember fondly.

The one thing that was missing, however, was a wedding cake made by Dewey's Bakery. So many birthdays and celebrations in both of our lives included a Dewey's cake with white cake and white icing. There were local bakeries in the area, but none that could capture the flavor and the happy memories that Dewey's can with a simple cake and frosting. So this year, and every year since we have returned to Winston-Salem, we have celebrated with a Dewey's Anniversary cake. Thank you, Dewey's for being a part of our happy memories for so many years and the years to come.

Old Fourth Street Filling Station: Grilled Salmon Salad

Today was one of those rare November days where the temperature was 63 degree and the sun was shining. We opted for a place where we could enjoy this beautiful weather and enjoy lunch on a patio. The Old Fourth Street Filling Station has an award winning patio (Smitty's Notes Best of Winston-Salem), so it seemed like the best location for our party of nine.

Trying to eat healthier, (seriously, you guys have seen what I have eaten in the last 5 months) I decided to try the Grilled Salmon Salad. This a fabulous combination of sweet and savory, and it is a great portion for a lighter-fare lunch. Mixed greens, grilled salmon, goat cheese, purple onions and candied pecans. I highly recommend the balasmic vinegrette for this salad because the tangy/smokey/sweet is a perfect compliment to the salmon and does not overwhelm the lighter mixed greens. The two items that make this salad so special is the goat cheese and the candied pecans. I could have eaten just these two items and I would have been satisfied. The goat cheese was fresh and creamy, while the pecans added a sweet crunch. Finally, to give it a little extra somethin-somethin, they give you a muffin made of lemony-poppyseed goodness. This may be my new favorite item at the Filling Station. Simple and delightful.

There were several large parties on the patio today, but the service was on top of things and our large party was able to get in and out in about an hour and fifteen minutes. Enjoying the beautiful weather, I secretly wished that it had taken twice as long. :)

Rose's Deli - #8 Club Spinach Wrap

The second dish in my workweek rotation is the club wrap from Rose’s Deli. If you find yourself resistant to trying a restaurant that shares the same building as a gas station, fear not, it’s actually a really cool place with decent indoor seating and a spacious patio with heating for the winter. They have a friendly staff that knows how to move a line through, so grab a menu on your way in. All of the ingredients are fresh and I haven’t tried anything that I did not like there, however, I have settled on the #8 club sub (on a spinach wrap instead), fries and a drink.

The wrap has fresh ham, turkey, bacon, lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, and two cheeses. I don’t know how they cram all of this into a wrap, but it’s a generously portioned meal. I’m also not much of a fry person, but these fries are like crack cocaine deep-fried to crispy golden perfection. (*Disclaimer: I have never tried crack cocaine nor do I think you can actually deep-fry it. I may be wrong.)

All in all, it’s a great casual place to stop in for a quick FRESH meal that won’t break the bank.

They also have a few beers on tap and I imagine this becomes a chill evening hangout for Wake students, though I’ve never ventured back to this side of town for supper or a beer. Rose’s Deli is located on the corner of University Parkway and Bethabara Park Blvd.