Burgers, burgers, burgers, burgers, burgers, burgers, burgers, burgers, burgers.

Tired of hearing about burgers yet? (Just wait.) Smashburger, which I first told you was coming to town in august, has opened in the former Boardwalk Fresh Burger space on Colonial Drive across from Fashion Square Mall.

But before we visit Smashburger, let's take a look at another new pattie pusher, this one a nonchain (so far) and from a local restaurateur, Manny Tato, owner of Spice Modern.

That restaurant lends its name, if not all of its vowels, to Spice Burgr, which has opened in the ground level of the Plaza highrise in downtown Orlando. It's similar to a number of other burgeries that dot the landscape these days, from Five Guys to BurgerFi to Burger 21. It's a fast casual concept: place your order at the counter then take a seat (or standby for takeout) and your food will be delivered when ready. (If you take a seat, avoid the booths, which for some reason were designed to prevent diners' feet from touching the floor.)

Chef de Cuisine Mark Jeffers gives the rundown for the evening's meal at the H&H Supper Club in November.

As I told you when I first reviewed Highball & Harvest Kitchen and Bar, the Southern-inspired restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes, the name is partly a reference to a railroading term that means to go at high speed. To continue that analogy for our recent Supper Club there, H&H's engineer (chef de cuisine Mark Jeffers), conductor (manager Matt Cristi), and all the porters who cooked and served the meal had us at full-steam-ahead all night long. It was one enjoyable journey.

We started with a reception on the covered terrace overlooking the grounds of the resort on one of the most gorgeous evenings we've had lately. There the bartenders were shaking one of the lounge's signature cocktails, the Doc Holliday, which features Tito's vodka, ruby grapefruit juice and house-made ginger beer, plus blueberry jam. The jam gave me caution the first time I tried this cocktail, but it all comes together nicely, and everyone loved the copper mugs it was served in. We nibbled on pimento cheese and smoked fish dip before heading into the adjacent dining room for supper.

We're taping a fresh batch of segments for The Daily Chew today. In the meantime, here's the most recent edition with Kevin Fonzo of K restaurant in College Park demonstrating his recipe for Apple Brined Pork Chops with Stuffing. And here's a link to the recipe at icFlorida.com.

Relish a relish with nary a cranberry. Crunchy pickled red onions bathed in a kicky Latin marinade of orange juice, smoky chipotles and a swig of tequila adds a bit of sass to even the most traditional holiday menus. And you won't believe how easy these complexly flavored beauties are to create.

Without the hassle and mess of canning, the marinade performs its magic in the fridge, working to draw some of the liquid from the onion, leaving it as crisp as a fresh apple. And you can pickle to your heart's content up to two months before you plan to serve the sweet/hot scarlet nibbles (or fill an extra jar or 10 as the perfect gift for the foodies on your holiday shopping list).

Serve alongside, oh, just about everything--a swanky buffet, the humble casserole, a platter of cheeses, or straight from the jar for a low-calorie late night indiscretion.