Survival

How many times have you ever headed out, craving that one dish from your favorite restaurant, only to arrive at an empty building with a huge and sadly permanent sign reading: CLOSED?

For a while I thought my family and I were cursed or just had really poor taste (still a real possibility), but I recently came across this study that explained things with a bit more perspective. Turns out most people think, like me, that restaurants close down at alarmingly high rates, when in reality (at least in the markets that was studied), the frequency is quite a bit lower then we think. I still want to know why it seems all of the restaurants I like close, but at least know I know it's not just me.

Regardless, another restaurant (or food-establishment), not one that we necessarily frequented but when we did get a chance to go, it was always delicious, has come and gone... or at least gone from any market that we are close to... eatZi's. They used to have at least two locations in Atlanta and one close to my old office in Maryland... but they are no more.

And how did I come to find this out - searching online for an old favorite recipe of theirs that was once published in the Atlanta-Journal Constitution - luckily, the recipe is still there, even though the only way you'll get to eat it is if you make it... which I highly recommend.

eatZi's Gemelli, Chicken and Cranberry Salad

1/4 lbs gemelli (or other short, twisted) pasta
1/4 c pine nuts
1/4 c frozen corn
10 oz chicken
1/4 lb asparagus
2 TBSP fresh rosemary, chopped
2 TBSP apple cider vinegar
Kosher salt and ground white pepper, to taste
6 TBSP honey
3 TBSP Dijon mustard
Juice and zest of 1/4 orange
1/2 c olive oil
1/2 c dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, toast pine nuts in a single layer in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove corn from freezer and set aside to thaw.

Poach chicken in a small amount of water until no longer pink. Remove from water and drain. When cool enough to handle, cut chicken into 1/2-inch cubes. Blanch asparagus until of desired doneness. Drain and cool. When cool enough to handle, slice into 1-inch pieces.

In a large bowl, mix rosemary, vinegar, salt, pepper, honey, mustard, orange juice and olive oil.

In another bowl, combine pasta, pine nuts, thawed uncooked corn, chicken, asparagus, orange zest and dried cranberries. When well-mixed, add to bowl with dressing and toss to combine.