Allium recently re-opened under a new name, Germantown East. I didn’t notice too many changes, really just the name. The food is fantastic. Not much changed from the previous menu, they still have Potato Gnocchi (my favorite)! When I attended for the pre-opening event, I had the duck. Cooked perfectly, a tad bit fatty though. Service is great. Very comfortable atmosphere. Still my favorite restaurant in Nashville.

501 Main Street in Nashville, TN.

The Red River D Seal certifies that the beef in this package was raised without added hormones or antibiotics. Our line of organic beef products meets USDA organic standards, is produced from cattle on organic feed, and is free from/of artificial ingredients and preservatives. $6.50 / 3 Oz. at John Wayne Stock & Supply.

A portion of proceeds from this product benefits the John Wayne Cancer Foundation.

You’ve drizzled the addictively spicy chili sauce over your breakfast eggs, noodles, and French fries, but now it’s time to take your Sriracha obsession to bold, new heights. Food writer and trained chef Randy Clemens presents 50 palate-expanding recipes that make the most of Sriracha’s savory punch, such as: Spicy Ceviche, Honey-Sriracha Glazed Buffalo Wings, Bacon-Sriracha Cornbread, the Ultimate Sriracha Burger, Peach-Sriracha Sorbet, and more. $10 at Amazon.

Toss out all your knives. This is the sharpest, most durable, most precise, most wear-proof knife on the market. The Evercut Knife underwent 5 years of R+D by the family-owned Tarrerias-Bonjean, France’s leading knife manufacturer. In a truly revolutionary process, a state-of-the-art laser beam fused the ultra-hard titanium carbide onto the steel blade edge. Third-party testing by the UK-based CATRA (Cutlery+Allied Trades Research Association) assessed the international cutting standards of the Evercut against 450 knives and found it trumps all cutting records held by steel and ceramic blades. It holds its edge 300 times longer than steel blades, and 5 times longer than the best ceramic blades. The best steel blades average 17 cycles, but do not exceed 35; the best ceramic rarely go over 2,000 cycles. The Evercut blows them both away by still slicing beautifully after more 6,600 cycles. Easy to care for: the average home cook would only have to sharpen this knife every 25 years, if that. Each Evercut is unique, with its own serial number and lifetime cutting warranty. If the knife ever does require upkeep, it’s free of charge by TB, (except for shipping). Based in Theirs, TB is also the only eco-friendly cutlery maker in France with ISO 9001 accreditation. The solid-steel bolster is combined with an ergonomic handle to enhance comfort of grip with anti-slip safety. It’s dishwasher safe, too, and comes in an elegant case making it a gift to use each time. $225 at A+R.

Holds 85 cans. Stainless-steel handles with rubber grip for easy carrying. Solid steel latch securely seals contents. Rustproof, leak-resistant channel drain for no-tilt draining. Easy-to-clean base, lid and liner. $130 at Amazon.

Simplicity and class. $165 from Dean & Deluca.

Textured or texturized vegetable protein (TVP), also known as textured soy protein (TSP), soy meat, or soya meat is a meat analogue or nutritious meat extender made from defatted soy flour, a by-product of extracting soybean oil. It is quick to cook, with a protein content equal to that of the meat it is replacing, and contains no fat. It can be used as a meat substitute. It is extremely cheap and lasts forever. It is super lightweight and takes the flavor of whatever you cook it in. (Taco Bell’s ground beef is actually TVP.)

Steve is hiking the Appalachian Trail after he graduates from GA Tech (B.S. Mathematics) in May. He introduced me to TVP, as he is using it in an innumerable amount of meals that he will have along the trail.

Glass salt and pepper mills with brushed stainless steel tops. Ceramic grinding mechanism in the salt mill and carbon steel in the pepper mill, both are fully adjustable from a coarse to a fine grind. Comes filled with Salt Crystals and Malabar Peppercorns and lifetime guarantees. I searched for the perfect mills. Williams-Sonoma was my first stop, but they were lackluster. I found these at Target for about $15 each.

Owned and operated by the guys at German Town Cafe. Located at the corner of 5th and Main. I had, quite possibly, the best Caesar Salad of my life. Fantastic service. Decadent desserts, including a chocolate mousse cake and a Bailey’s butterscotch cheesecake. Reasonable prices. Review at the Nashville Scene. More info and their menu at Allium Nashville.