Relishing Roswell!

The Maine House says goodbye to a charming southern dining spot. 
Miss Melissa and her family live in Alpharetta, which is nearby to one of the most charming and historical towns known as Roswell, Georgia.

 This quaint, up and coming community hosts a wonderful place to spend the afternoon strolling the sidewalks as you browse through antique shops and have lunch or dinner at some rather unique restaurants.

Roswell is also the home of three historical sites, Barrington Hall, Smith Plantation and Bulloch Hall.

 Mittie Bulloch Roosevelt, mother to Theodore Roosevelt was born at Bulloch Hall!

Dining Room where

Theodore Roosevelt Sr & Martha "Mittie" Bullock married in 1853

We have recently discovered that Relish, a Roswell favorite for contemporary Southern cuisine, announced that they closed the doors to their beloved restaurant at the end of December. “We’ve had a notable few years here at Relish,” said owner and chef Andy Badgett. “We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished and the reputation we’ve built. However, we see trends changing in suburban dining and we want to be ahead of the curve.”


Devoted friends of Relish will take comfort in knowing that the closing of the restaurant clears the way for the arrival of a new concept from The Condiment Group in late January which will be named Pico Autentico!  As the name implies, the new restaurant will offer authentic, fresh Mexican cuisine in a festive, family-friendly environment. Andy Badgett is looking forward to whipping up some of his own family's favorite foods at a price that will perform well in Historic Roswell.

Relish was famous for the pimiento cheese fritters which were little fried balls of "YUM" — crunchy with bread crumbs on the outside, soft and gooey with piquant pepper and cheese flavor on the inside. They would add a feisty tomato chow -chow to the mix, and, let me tell you.....divine!!!


This little restaurant, which was set in the old Roswell Funeral Home on Mimosa Boulevard (a little weird, indeed) received national recognition for its innovative Southern fare, featuring their Fried Black Eyed Peas on Food Network’s “The Best Thing I Ever Ate” and their Pimiento Cheese Fritters on TLC’s “Best Food Ever”. Relish will long be remembered for their Krispy Kreme Bread Pudding with Espresso Cream, a constant customer favorite, as well as their Fried Peach Pies, as were recently featured in Southern Living.


So as we say goodbye to a fine southern cuisine, hang on to this yummy  favorite!

Peach Fried Pies
3 sticks butter, cut into small pieces
12-ounce cream cheese, cut into small pieces
4 1/2 tablespoons sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt

Filling:
1 package (12-ounce) dried peaches, diced
2 cans (12 ounces each) peach nectar
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup sugar, for dusting
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 cups vegetable oil, plus more as needed for frying




1. For crust: In a medium bowl and using a mixer set on medium speed, beat butter, cream cheese, and sugar until mixture is smooth and there are no visible chunks of butter or cream cheese, about 5 minutes. Add flour and salt and mix until just combined. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half, shape into disks, and wrap each in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.


2. For filling: In a medium pot, bring peaches, nectar, and 3/4 cup sugar to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer mixture until it reaches a jam-like consistency, 30 to 40 minutes; let cool. Stir in vanilla.


3. Roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut 16 to 20 four-inch circles, gathering scraps and rerolling as needed. Place circles on a baking pan and wrap with plastic wrap; chill for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.


4. In a small bowl, whisk together egg and water. Place 1 heaping tablespoon peach mixture in center of a dough circle. Brush edges of dough with egg wash, fold dough over filling, and crimp edges with a fork. Repeat with remaining dough circles. Keep pies chilled until ready to fry. In a shallow bowl, mix together remaining 1 cup sugar and cinnamon.


5. In a large, heavy-duty pot fitted with a deep-fry thermometer, heat oil to 350 degrees F (oil should be 4 inches deep). Add 3 pies to hot oil and fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels, then coat with cinnamon-sugar. Repeat until all peach pies are fried.

Our Georgia Peaches