Jennifer Biggs
Food and Dining Editor
Jennifer Biggs is a native Memphian and veteran food writer and journalist who covers all things food, dining and spirits related for The Daily Memphian.
There are 1348 articles by Jennifer Biggs :
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September 2018
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After years of hopeful rumors followed by a confirmation then speculation and delay, Trader Joe’s is here, it’s near and you need to get over there. Anyone who was making the 400-mile round trip to the closest Trader Joe’s in Nashville can’t really complain too much about driving from Midtown or East Memphis when now we can travel a few miles out Poplar instead of hauling down I-40. It seems to have caught on already. -
Recipes Recipes: Pear Skillet Cobbler
Some folks can whip up a cake on a whim, but I don’t have a baker’s touch. It’s a production for me, something that requires following a recipe, hauling out a mixer and cleaning up a mess. -
Food Food Network’s ‘Big Food Truck Tip’ winner takes home $10,000
The Memphis episode of Food Network’s “Big Food Truck Tip” aired Wednesday night and viewers found out which of the three featured food trucks received a $10,000 surprise in the tip jar. -
Food News Pete & Sam’s, from the ashes, celebrates 70th anniversary
In 1948, Sam Bomarito was back from the war, settled back in his hometown and had about $3,000 to put in a business. His cousin, Pete Romeo from Chicago, had about the same. They teamed up and opened Pete & Sam’s, but Pete wasn’t long for a sleepy river town. -
Food News Porch & Parlor plans lush interior and early 2019 opening
The opening of Porch & Parlor in the former Bar Louie spot in Overton Square has been pushed back a bit, from late 2018 to early 2019. -
Recipes Bar Talk: Drew Wooten at Alchemy
It’s worth a little trouble to turn out a good cocktail. The Burnt Caipirinha at Alchemy requires a bit of prep ahead of time, but after you’ve made an oleo-saccharum and grilled your lemons, well, then there’s nothing to it. -
Reviews Pete & Sam’s still serves up the favorites, but it does it better
Pete & Sam’s celebrates its 70th anniversary this year in a spiffed up restaurant, thanks to the Bomarito brothers taking on local investor partners and a late 2017 fire that caused the place to close for almost five months for cleaning and updating. -
Food News Tickets on sale for Andy & Michael’s 10th anniversary party
It’s hard to believe that it’s been 10 years, but Halloween marks the 10th anniversary of Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen, the restaurant that started the five-restaurant empire for Andy Ticer and Michael Hudman. To celebrate, they’re throwing a big party with some mighty fine culinary company from Memphis and around the country. -
Food News Two new Grisanti’s restaurants to open within days
Two new Grisanti restaurants are days away from opening. Ronnie Grisanti’s Italian Restaurant at Regalia is scheduled to open Sept. 28 and David Grisanti’s Italian Restaurant in Collierville is ready—but waiting on the cable company. -
Recipes Moroccan stew great all year, but good on chilly night
My friend Peggy Burch frequently makes the stovetop version of Melissa Clark’s Moroccan stew, and one bowlful of it was all it took to convert me to soaking and cooking dried garbanzo beans. Then Clark’s cookbook “Dinner in an Instant” came out, and I switched to this version, close but not exactly the same, that I make in my Instant Pot (I’ve used pressure cookers for years and cannot recommend them enough). -
Food News Elwood’s Shells is coming to Cooper-Young
Cooper-Young is getting a new restaurant and it’s one Memphians have been waiting on so long they might’ve forgotten about it: Elwood’s Shells will open at 916 Cooper in the former Jasmine Thai & Vegetarian Restaurant by the end of the year. -
Biggs: Lunch at 117 Prime, P.O. Press to open soon
People have emailed me since we launched last week, wondering if we planned to start having Friday lunches again. -
Reviews $10 Deal: Rock’n Dough Pizza + Brew Co. makes one of the best pizzas in town
Almost everyone loves pizza, and Rock’n Dough Pizza + Brew Co. makes, hands down, one of the best in town. From the USA! USA! (always known in my family as LISA! LISA! because of a boxy font used at the closed Poplar and Highland location) to plain pepperoni to the superb and odiferous Garlic My Pie, the pizzas are solid from the crust up. -
Recipes Bar Talk: Whiskey at McEwen’s
Bert Smythe likes whiskey so much that he keeps a selection of 185-plus bottles behind the bar at McEwen’s, the restaurant at 120 Monroe he owns with partner John Littlefield. -
Food News David Parks joins bar staff at Restaurant Iris
David Parks, a popular longtime bartender, has gone to work at Restaurant Iris. He’s joined the team that includes bar manager Larin Culp and Jacob Leonard, bartender at The Second Line. -
Food News New Eats: Ronnie Grisanti’s Italian Restaurant opens to public
After a couple of weeks of serving a limited menu to invited guests, Ronnie Grisanti’s Italian Restaurant opens its big mahogany doors and its full menu to the public Friday, Sept. 28.
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October 2018
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Biggs: October brings festival weather to Memphis
When October comes around, so do the festivals and dinners. You can stay busy from now until the end of the year with good food and drink if that’s what you like – and I’m guessing you do. Coming up soon (more later in the month): -
Food News Donuts and pizza? Garibaldi’s will open next to Gibson’s
Soon a tiny strip mall in East Memphis will offer all the basics: Garibaldi’s Pizza is opening next to Gibson’s Donuts on Mt. Moriah. -
Food News McEwen’s, Curry N Jerk both temporarily closed after fire
Neighboring restaurants McEwen’s and Curry N Jerk on Monroe are both closed after an electrical fire. -
$10 Deal: The Farm Fowl
About two years ago, Sear Shack showed us how good simple can be. The restaurant opened in Collierville with three items: Burgers, fries and shakes. Sure, you could customize a little—a single or a double, add bacon, put cheese sauce on your fries—but the core menu was limited. -
Recipes Bar Talk: Harold Cook and oysters at Sweet Grass
Harold Cook, the head bartender at Sweet Grass and Next Door in Cooper Young, turns to gin and muddled aromatics when asked to pair a cocktail with the oysters at Sweet Grass' oyster bar. This one holds up to the brininess of the oysters, but is light and has a bit of a kick from the chile pepper, too. -
Another one: David Grisanti’s opens in Collierville
No one can complain about lack of new dining, particularly on the East side of the county. Raven and Lily opened in Collierville in August, P.O. Press Public House and Provisions opened last week, Ronnie Grisanti’s at Regalia opened a day before P.O. Press, and now David Grisanti’s is in full swing at the former Ronnie Grisanti’s spot in Sheffield Antiques Mall. -
Reviews P.O. Press expertly provisions Collierville
P.O. Press Public House and Provisions opened in Collierville on Monday and it’s fair to say that owners Jimmy Gentry and Chris Thorn have pulled together an excellent team and created a top-notch fine-dining restaurant with reasonable prices. -
Food News Rendezvous legend Jack Dyson was waiter to the stars
Jack Dyson was an iconic figure at Memphis’ most iconic restaurant, a 48-year veteran of the Rendezvous, the waiter to big shots and celebrities who took it all in stride. -
Food News Funeral arrangements set for Rendezvous waiter Jack Dyson
Visitation for Jack Dyson is Friday, Oct. 12, 4-7 p.m. at Bethel AME Church, 2011 Alcy Road. The funeral will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 13, at Brown Baptist Church, 7200 Swinnea Road in Southaven, and burial is 1:15 p.m. Monday, Oct. 15, at Forest Hill Funeral Home and Memorial Park East, 2440 Whitten Road.
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