nourish the beast

Renegade Resto / Legit Legends

2012-01-22T13:10:00.000-05:00

I must admit - I'm intrigued. I purchased my ticket for The Legend Series almost two weeks ago, and tonight is the night! I've been anticipating great things since Cari Sanchez-Potter and the gang first described their concept of "a series of 'renegade' dinner events - that will include some of the Southeast’s best chefs as well as local artists, musicians and artisans." The list of participating chefs is enough to set off Niagara Falls in your mouth. I have visions of great food and art and music weaving together to create a memorable evening. I got my email this morning revealing the uber-secret location of tonight's feast, and I'm pretty sure I should be able to sneak out a few tweets during the evening - so look for posts via Instagram, pushed to Twitter with the hashtag #Legendseriesjax - If you don't hear from me again for awhile, it could be that I dove headfirst into a vat of bouillabaisse. There are worse ways to go.

Ring In The New

2012-01-01T13:23:00.000-05:00

"One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well. ~ Virginia Woolf

A new year has dawned. After well upwards of fifty of these I confess I'm somewhat jaded by the whole fireworks and champagne popping, Dick Clark and Lady Gaga ball-dropping business. I approach New Year's Eve as a time for personal reflection and appreciation for all the good things the passing year brought. This year was no exception. I marked midnight with friends from around the world on Instagram and Twitter, followed up with a few "likes" and comments on Facebook, all while snug in my comfortable bed.

This time last year, I was in Ohio visiting friends and family. New Year's Day dinner with BFF Kiki was a spectacular Thai feast from Bangkok City in Buckeye Lake, Ohio. Chef-owners Danny and Molly Armonyard are so welcoming and genuinely friendly, a visit to their place has become a must-do on every Ohio road-trip.

I have fond memories of fishing at Buckeye Lake with grandma and grandpa, my sisters, mom and dad. We'd pack the trunk and make a day of it. What little patience I now possess I learned from my grandpa Lowe - sitting on the banks of Buckeye lake, learning to catch fish. To this day, I carry a fishing pole in the trunk of my car. I haven't been fishing in years. That's not why it's there.

A lovely jaunt to Savannah in February brought friends and family (in this case Kristeena's family) closer together. The V-Jewels painted the town pink that weekend - and we're making plans to do it again in 2012, with a few new friends sprinkled in for more flavor. Forming close bonds with old friends and meeting (virtually and IRL) so many new friends as a result of social media - these are my most pleasant memories of 2011.

The scent wafting out from the Choucroute Royale that will feature in tonight's New Year's "Good Luck Food" dinner at our new casa reminds me of a more sophisticated version of pork belly, field peas and greens I ate at the Augustine Grille at the Sawgrass Marriott in my adopted hometown of Ponte Vedra, Florida. I was invited there last year, along with my friend Jodi from EatJax, for a Bite Club event where we had the pleasure of meeting and dining with Scott and Denise Francis from Twinn Bridges Farm, and other local purveyors who toil so that we can still enjoy real food with little or no chemical adulteration. I still run into Scott and Denise at the Beaches Green Market on Saturdays when I make it out there. The pork belly dish took me back to countless walks to the butcher shop with my grandma Lowe, shopping for cuts of meat few people in the Lady Gaga generation have even heard of. Fatback, salt pork, chicken gizzards and livers - my grandma made use of all of them, and my mom has faithfully adhered to her methods through the years (although I can't recall the last time she purchased a chunk of salt pork).

Several "meet the farmer" style events made 2011 a banner year for Slow Food on the First Coast. There was also a spectacular "Meet the Winemaker" event at Salt - the flagship restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island, where I met and dined with Jed Steele of Steele Wines.

The fish course at that meal had a savory lemon zabaione creme that had me wishing it was kosher to lick one's plate in polite society. I'm pretty sure I stabbed the waiter with a fork when he attempted to clear it before I could lap up the last of it.

A special shout out is in order to Cari Sanchez-Potter of Cari-Vicarious - for all she's doing to nurture the local Slow Food movement. Expect great things from this one. Check out her recent mouthwatering culinary adventures in Spain on her blog.

We had a conversation about pork belly last night, mom and I. She didn't see the point of it. I don't see how it differs much from the aforementioned fat back, except that it comes from a different spot on the pig, so it gets less, um, exercise during the pig's lifetime, which contributes to its melt-in-your-mouth tenderness - when properly cooked.

I sense our friend Amie from The Veggie Bin cringing in disgust upon reading that. She's a recently reformed vegetarian, and still a little squeamish about our food-centric view of pigs, cows, delectable sea creatures and such. But we love her because she brings us all those fabulous boxes of veggies from our farming friends.

Which brings me to my New Year's Resolutions. I only made two this year. One I carry over from year to year, and it is a reflection of where I've been and what I've done in my life.

Enjoy Life - This is NOT a Dress Rehearsal.

The other is indicative of the dire shape my body is in due to all this excessive consumption, and it will be my philosophy for 2012:

All Things - In Moderation.

"I think it's time for you to start to seriously
consider salads." ~ Tony Soprano

I plan to eat more fruits and veggies, incorporate more raw foods in my diet, and consume less fried things. Larger variety, smaller portions. STAY HYDRATED. That's a big one for me.

I want to live a healthier life, but I don't see myself going on some dramatic food regime and obsessing over each choice, each ingredient, each pound. You won't be seeing any of those "wow - look how big my pants used to be, now I fit in one leg" kind of posts from me.

Nor will I flood my Facebook feed with grass clipping and seaweed smoothie recipes, or videos on the dangers lurking in a can of Diet Coke or box of McDonald's French Fries. I like those things. I may, from time to time, consume them. Hopefully less often than in the past. All things in moderation.

In 2012 I plan to focus on the things that nourish my inner beast - good friends, great food, art, nature, - and run the gamut from the grand passions to small observations about life and love that make me who I am. I hope you'll come along for the ride. Thanks for being part of my life. I wish you all the best in 2012.

2011-11-24T10:17:00.001-05:00

Cook This.
Happy Thanksgiving, y'all!

Empty Bowls

2011-11-05T09:42:00.000-04:00

The 27^th Annual Empty Bowls Luncheon, presented by Bank of America, will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2011, at the Prime Osborn Convention Center. Doors open at 11 a.m., with the one-hour luncheon scheduled to begin at noon. Tickets are $25, and all proceeds benefit Second Harvest North Florida.

The Empty Bowls Luncheon demonstrates community support for those who are coping with hunger in North Florida. All proceeds benefit Second Harvest North Florida, its member agencies and our neighbors who need food assistance.

For more information about the event, or to order tickets, tables or sponsorships, visit:

http://www.wenourishhope.org/events/2011/27th-annual-empty-bowls-luncheon

First Coast Fabulous: Food Day At Intuition Aleworks

2011-10-23T22:34:00.002-04:00

Arugula (sourced from The Veggie Bin),
Proscuitto, and Honey Caramelized Peaches

October 24 is Food Day - a national grassroots campaign promoting healthy, affordable food produced in a sustainable, humane way. On the First Coast, we celebrated a day early with a Moveable Feast - a yard to table tour of the gardens of Riverside / Avondale with freshly prepared delights along the way, culminating in a Slow Food Demo sponsored by Slow Food First Coast, Intuition Aleworks, The Veggie Bin, SeaCow Confections, 29 South, the Jenks House Bed and Breakfast, the Jacksonville Dietetic Association and FoodDay.org

Chef Scotty Schwartz explains the
concept of eating locally sourced food.

I must confess I skipped the bicycling, touring portion of the program, and instead made a beeline for Intuition Aleworks where Chef Scotty Schwarz of 29 South presented a simply prepared fresh meal of REAL FOOD.

In his own words, Chef Scotty advises that when you want to start cooking locally sourced foods, a great way to start is to "shake the hand that feeds you." Get out to your local farmer's market - meet the people who tend the field at your local farm, the cheesemaker at your local dairy, the beekeeper who supplies you with fresh honey from their local apiary.

If you are too busy to make it out to farmer's markets or the farms themselves, check into produce delivery services like The Veggie Bin. It's a great way to introduce new veggies and fruits into your diet, and get creative finding new recipes for favorite ingredients.

Summer Truffle Chianti Sausage,
Chef Scotty's Kale with Whipped Ricotta

Another revelation of the evening was Chef Scotty's Fresh Ricotta. I recently learned first-hand just how easy and rewarding it is to make your own ricotta - one of my all-time favorite culinary experiments! Once our weather turns for real, I am planning to make a rich, delicious vegetable lasagna with home-made ricotta. Who needs bechamel?

Topping off the evening's repast was a Spiced Seminole Pumpkin popsicle
from Sea Cow Confections. The icy-fresh chunk-o-punkin hit all the right notes. Subtly spiced, not too sweet, creamy without being cloying. A tasty spiced ginger "snap" cookie rounded out the flavor profile nicely.

PJ and Jaime Pawelek from Sea Cow Confections

PJ Pawelek is the owner of Sea Cow Confections - a small St. Augustine business making handcrafted, artisan sorbets and popsicles, using locally and regionally grown fresh fruits, nuts, and sugars, mostly from local area family farms. Any fruit he uses which is not grown in Florida is certified organic and fair trade. All of their products are vegan and dairy free, with no chemical stabilizers, artificial coloring, or preservatives. Their packaging is 100% biodegradable and compostable. You can see why they received the Slow Food Snail Of Approval from First Coast Slow Food!
Last Christmas I picked up some great confections from them, and tonight I chatted with Jaime about my order for this year. I've been dreaming about their chocolate covered almonds all year long. She tells me they are a best seller. I can attest to their being the best chocolate covered almonds I've ever eaten. Not sure any got into gift stockings though... Cheeky Santa!

This year when you're holiday shopping, be sure to patronize your favorite purveyors of REAL foods - the makers, bakers, chefs and farmers whose personal connection to and passion for food is 100% worth celebrating!

Cheers to hosts Cari S. and the crew at Intuition Ale Works - did you hear they were recently named Jacksonville's BEST NEIGHBORHOOD BAR. Woot!

Inconsistent Experiences at Indochine

2011-09-26T01:50:00.000-04:00

When the sexy urban-chic Indochine opened on East Adams Street in Jacksonville's urban core, it seemed like Jax diners could at last be in for a great Asian restaurant experience. I've never wanted to like a restaurant more. I crave Thai food, and I appreciate a restaurant that puts such an effort into creating a beautiful space. I purposely didn't go immediately, while it was the talk of the town. I gave them more than enough time - almost a year in fact - to settle in to the restaurant they would be for the long haul. In the meantime I read many glowing reviews on Urbanspoon.

I was more than ready when the opportunity presented itself to go for lunch with a couple of co-workers. We were seated immediately, and our waitress found her way to our table shortly afterward with water and menus. We found the atmosphere attractive, but the noise level during a half-full lunch service was a little high for our tastes.

Green Curry - Lunch Portion

This was a particularly hot summer day, and the large, open room was a bit warm, but I managed to get by with a couple glasses of water from our table's water bottle, a nice and practical touch. When it came to ordering (or a refill on that water, for that matter) it was another story.

Two tables were seated after us, but ordered and were served before us.Our waitress apologized in advance explaining some staff had called off and they were shorthanded. I was pretty sure I couldn't use that as an excuse back at my office.

I'll have mine with extra cabbage please...

Our food, when it finally arrived, was adequate. I enjoyed a small bowl of green curry with some very fresh vegetables in it, not the usual stewed melange. It almost looked as if the sauce had been ladled in and the crisp-fresh veggies laid on top of it. The heat level was a perfect #3, as ordered.

One of my table-mates chose the vegetable stir-fry and asked for extra vegetable in lieu of a protein choice. Her entree, while beautifully sauced, seemed to be topped with copious amounts of cabbage. She professed to enjoy it, but I would have been disappointed in the dish.

The biggest issue was the table service, or lack thereof. Our waitress was nowhere to be found once our entrees came to the table. We eventually managed to flag her down for more water and a soda refill, but these things never made it to our table. We wrote it off to a possible short-staff situation and I vowed to come again before forming an opinion or stating my feelings about the place. I usually dine somewhere 2-3 times before writing a review here or on Urbanspoon.

My next visit was during Eat Out Downtown. My friends and I were happy to see that Indochine hadn't changed their usual menu for the annual promotion. We dreamed of which savory delights we would enjoy, and booked far in advance, an early seating so we could get some light for snapping pics.

Aside from a brief brush with the law, we had no trouble getting there on time or finding convenient parking. We were seated immediately at a table near the back door and kitchen area, a bit warm as they were keeping the doors and windows open for cross-ventilation. With an outdoor temp in the 80s, I noted again that this wasn't the coolest of spots.

As you can see, the appetizer platter was less than appetizing, with some clammy, lettuce filled summer rolls, a couple of crab rangoon oozing with a piping hot, bright orange liquid filling, some quite ordinary fried calamari and the greasiest, most overcooked spring rolls I have ever seen. Each of us ordered this dish, and two of us got the sauce pictured here, while the third got a bright red mess that looked like standard Americanized sweet and sour. No explanation was given regarding the different sauces.

One bright note was an appetizer of Stuffed Chicken Wing. It was appropriately seasoned, a sort of pork-alicious filling with a crispy panko style crust, and came to the table at a perfect temperature. I would order this again. In fact, with a glass of wine, it would make a nice meal.

Our waitress was April, the same woman who had waited on us during my previous visit. She copped a surly attitude when we asked her to check if a particular dish was available, noting it wasn't listed on the promotional menu. She took an almost instant disliking to us, despite our attempts at remaining congenial and upbeat.

Our dishes were tossed at us as if we were a pack of hungry dogs. At one point, we managed to flag her down to refill our long empty water bottle. She took it and abandoned us altogether. When much later she managed to reappear for our dessert order, we asked her to please bring our water. It was then I recalled we had the same issue with her the last time. Be forewarned. If you get April, it could be May or June before you see your beverage refilled. Order accordingly.

And word to Indochine, when your server goes AWOL on a table, you are losing revenue from potential drink refills. I'm certain I would have ordered another glass of Steele Shooting Star Aligote - it's so infrequently found on local wine lists, and it pairs perfectly with spicy sweet Thai food.

Surly, dismissive service notwithstanding, we would still have been happy campers if the food had been up to standard. My chicken stir fry entree was tasty enough, but having ordered a #3 spice level, the same as at lunch, this time I didn't detect any heat in the dish. I assume they thought we didn't know better. Cari ordered her entree super spicy though, and it did pack the heat she expected.

And then there was Jodi. It was her first trip to Indochine, and she had been looking forward to the experience. She ordered the Shrimp Pad Thai, #1 spicy. She calls it the "canary in the coal mine" of Thai cuisine. Hard to screw up a dish as elemental as Pad Thai. As it turns out, not impossible. Her dish appeared to be coated with and swimming in oil. The greasy noodles came with the usual condiments, but the shrimp were not evident at service. With some careful excavation she was able to find four small translucent shrimp, which she was afraid to eat, they looked so far undercooked. Complete. entree. fail.

Dessert was part of the package deal for Eat Up Downtown, and we planned to each order one of the three options. When the lovely April came to take our order she informed us they were out of the chocolate lava cake. This was day two of Eat Up Downtown, early in the evening, at that, and they were already out of one of the three, the one any first year kitchen manager might assume would be the most popular, despite it not being in keeping with the restaurant's Asian theme. Planning fail.

I ordered Coconut Creme Brulee, J and C each ordered the Mango Sticky Rice. The creme brulee was delicate and sweet. Score. The girls' Mango Sticky Rice dishes, however, came out looking like two totally different desserts. One was topped with a sliced mango, the other with an oddly cobbled together slab of mango colored.... custard? flan? orange cream jello? It was and remains a mystery. Of course April didn't mention a thing about the dueling presentations. The other, more critical issue with the sticky rice was that it seemed to be more crunchy than sticky. Another failed dish.

I might return to Indochine, but probably only at lunch or for a cocktail and a snack, and only if I have plenty of extra time. I didn't find it to be worth the extra coin for dinner service. I do hope they make a go of it, though, and I especially hope they address the poor service and inconsistencies in presentation.

Indochine
21 E Adams Street Ste 200
Jacksonville, FL 32202
(904) 598-5303
www.indochinejax.com

Adventures in Jacksonville's Urban Core

2011-09-24T09:06:00.000-04:00

Let me begin by saying downtown Jacksonville has such potential. The urban core boasts a fair amount of architectural charm. It's accessible, fairly easy to find a space to park (especially at night), there are decent restaurants, nightclubs, a theatre, hotels, and a fabulous new library.

So why aren't we flocking there in droves? Maybe it has to do with the lingering perception that it isn't safe there after dark. Consider my recent foray into the area on the occasion of Eat Up Downtown - a showcase of downtown eateries sponsored in part by Downtown Vision.

I parked my car in a safe and well lit (it was still daylight) lot by my restaurant of choice for the evening, Indochine. As I was settling into my parking spot, I saw a JSO officer chase a middle-aged woman across the lot. He flagged her down, they had a brief conversation, and he returned to his cruiser. As he was exiting the lot, he pulled up beside my car, threw his cruiser into park, and approached, jesturing for me to roll down my window. While my mind started cataloging my possible offenses (unpaid parking ticket? backing into the parking space?) I rolled my window down JUST enough to hear what the fine officer had to say.

"Do you come downtown often?" he asked. Beads of sweat were popping out on my forehead at this point. What answer was he looking for? Did he mistake me for a middle aged, overweight hooker?

"Yes - well - not really" was my non-committal response. My mind was racing.

He edged closer to the car and handed me - a government issue pamphlet. "We're giving folks some tips on staying safe. There's a lot of people coming here for the first time with that Eat Up Downtown."

"Yeah - that's actually why I'm here, I'm headed to Indochine" (I pointed to the restaurant in plain view, some 50 yards from my car). "Has there been a rise in the crime rate downtown or something?"

"Oh yeah, It gets pretty bad down here at night, especially with the homeless and all" he suggested.

I was sixteen different kinds of offended by this. To begin with, I have, actually, spent many evenings in downtown Jacksonville over the years. I have had interaction with, but have never felt threatened by the homeless population seeking shelter and sustenance there. Also, we were within walking distance of the Sulzbacher Center - offering "the way home" for homeless men, women and children. If you suffer from the ill-conceived notion that homelessness is somehow a criminal offense, please visit their website and learn more about the wonderful work this organization does for the most vulnerable among us. And if you want to support their cause while learning more about what they do, consider attending their annual fundraiser, Transformations, October 6.

The officer must have spied another potential victim of crime, and bid me farewell about the same time my friend pulled up. We warily made our way the few short steps to the restaurant and waited for our friend to arrive so we could get our fill of some Thai food...

Next post - Indochine.

Florida Staycation - Salt and Steele

2011-08-28T23:01:00.009-04:00

"The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears or the sea." ~ Isak Denisen

My Florida Staycation took a swanky turn recently, when I was invited to attend a Winemaker's Dinner at the Ritz-Carlton resort at Amelia Island's flagship restaurant, SALT, featuring Jed Steele of the Steele Winery in California's Lake County. They didn't have to ask twice. I was so there...

Crossing the intracoastal waterway and winding my way through the hammock of Live Oaks, I handed Charlotte the Prius over to a valet and soaked in the effortlessly elegant ambiance of the oceanfront resort.

It's always a pleasure to dine at the Ritz-Carlton. Earlier this year my food-loving friends Jodi from Eat Jax, Cari from Intuition Ale Works and I were invited to a Meet The Farmers Dinner at their Cafe 4750, and we enjoyed every single detail of the evening.

A savory creme brulee

This dinner would also begin with delicate appetizers and pleasant conversation, and end with me following the moon and stars home to my own little stretch of beach.

The food and wine were superb, and the service impeccable, but it was the company that elevated the evening into one of the most pleasant experiences I've had in some time.

A whimsical note was struck early in the evening with an appetizer you in part squirted into your mouth through what the server described as a syringe. A lovely counterpoint to the fresh seafood, the little vial of chilled soup took playing with your food to a new level. My host and I shared a laugh at the concept of "injecting" food into our mouths, and my mood was elevated along with my palate.

With the Hors d' Oeuvres we tasted two lovely wines. The Steele Cabernet Franc Rose (Lake County, 2009) paired perfectly with a savory-sweet bite of steak, strawberry and asparagus spear.

The crisp, clean, tart and sweet Shooting Star Aligote (Washington State, 2009) has become a favorite since an earlier tasting I attended in Ponte Vedra, during which Mr. Steele explained that the little-known Aligote is actually the fourth most planted wine grape variety in the world. In America it usually ends up blended into Chardonnay, which is why we don't hear much about it here. I'm glad he decided to bottle it by itself. Under the Shooting Star label, Steele produces their lighter, "everyday" wines, and showcases a few fun, lesser known varietals. The booming popularity of Chardonnay has long overpowered Aligote, but we are seeing it on more local wine lists, and during a recent visit to Indochine I discovered it pairs nicely with spicy sweet Thai food. It's my new summer wine obsession, one that I expect will stretch well into fall.

Custom Blended Salts - a Fume, cold smoked using
Steele Winery's oak barrels, a Citrus Blend and one
infusing the lees of Steele wine grapes.

As my host and I arrived at our table, Salt's excellent Maitre’ D, Isabelle, introduced each guest by name, a lovely and gracious custom. I was privileged to enjoy the company of a sweet-natured local coffee shop owner and her beautiful daughter, a wine distributor and his lovely wife, my charming host, and Mr. Jed Steele himself. The dining room was full, but our little group settled in at one quiet end, where the sun streamed pleasantly across the table and the surf seemed close enough to lap at the window.

Salt is probably the only restaurant on the First Coast with its own Salt Sommelier. Our server explained the custom blended salts for the evening. We sampled each on its own, and they were all amazing, but the dishes were all so expertly seasoned they were rarely called into play. The fume and grape lees infused salts were both lovely parting gifts, and have been gracing my table, enhancing steaks and salads ever since.

An early triumph of the evening was the first course of Georgia Quail, cooked sous-vide for ten hours and plated with hard boiled quail egg, shaved summer truffle, a cherry, tart creamy goat cheese, marcona almond crumbles, pickled celery, and garnished with a tuft of micro-greens. I checked into the clean-platers club, and sipped the accompanying Steele Pinot Noir, Carneros, 2008.

The fish course was one of the most beautiful and impressive dishes I've had all year, and it has been a good year for food. Striped Bass rested on bright, tender pillows of Basil Gnocchi and Chanterelle mushrooms in a Steele Chardonnay reduction, napped with an impossibly creamy lemon zabaglione, and topped with a salty-sweet Serrano ham chip and fresh basil.

I fear I may have outright guzzled the Steele, California Cuvee Chardonnay (2009) at this point as I became the the foursquare mayor of the Salt clean-platers club. At some point in the evening's festivities, our wine-merchant friends also busted out some private stock of Steele Durell Vinyard Chardonnay (Carneros, 2006), made with grapes grown in a vinyard Steele had taken a liking to during his days at Kendall-Jackson. A glass or two of this sleek Chardonnay may have rolled around my tongue as I savored every bite of that fish dish.

Incidentally, Steele Chardonnay was the wine of choice at my wedding reception at the not nearly so posh Myrtle Beach Yacht Club in 1996. Steele Wines had only been on the scene since 1991, and since we were tying the knot on the east coast and not California wine country, I credit Kiki, proprietress of Ruby Magnolia Vintage and Home, my San Francisco muse and MOH, for suggesting it. AND since most of the crowd were beer drinkers, she and I probably polished off most of it. Good times.

Winemaker Jed Steele

But I digress. Fast forward fifteen years, and I'm sitting at the big kids table drinking their private stash. Life is good. And strange. Good and strange.

While I pondered what an odd trajectory my life has taken of late, Jed (he just seemed to down-to-earth to refer to as Mr. Steele at this point) shared a story about a recent excursion in which he had come across a colorfully woven bag of the sort that is used to carry salt in Afghanistan. To our surprise and delight, he pulled it out and explained that he bought it as a present for Isabelle, our Maitre 'D. It was a sweet and thoughtful gesture and she seemed genuinely charmed.

While the sun set, our next two courses made their way to the table. An Entree of Lamb in Variations - succulent braised lamb-filled ravioli and perfectly pan-seared rare lamb loin, served atop a deconstructed ratatouille of sorts - sweet and sour eggplant and heirloom tomato, a cool, subtle cucumber gremolata, olive, and bold mint pistou. The result was a study in contrasts of textures and temperatures, somehow drawn together into an artful composition. (Forgive the photo quality here - due to darkness setting in I had to revert to flash.)

At a certain point I was having trouble keeping up with
all this wine, but I'm pretty sure none of it went to waste.

The lamb was paired with not one but two wine selections - Steel Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Hills Vinyard (Lake County 2007), and the reason I jumped for joy on receiving the invitation to attend this event, the Steele Stymie Merlot (Lake County, 2007). I usually leave the wine descriptions to Master Sommelier Kris Chislett at Blog Your Wine, but given my intense interest in this wine I will take it upon myself to cut and paste from the Steele Wines website to inform you that Stymie Merlot is a rich, well-structured wine with layers of ripe red currants, anise, chocolate-covered cherries, a peppery mid-palate, and just a hint of coffee. I couldn't have said it better myself. Especially with my nose thrust deep into my wineglass as I inhaled aromas of chocolate, jammy fruit, tobacco and pepper. OK that was another cut and paste, but seriously, I fear I couldn't do it justice. If Steele Chardonnay is sweet seduction, Stymie Merlot is steamy hot sex in a glass. I'm pretty sure we also sampled a bit of Stymie Syrah as well, but don't tell the others - it might just have been a dream. I was two-fisted drinking at this point, I'm pretty sure.

AND then the desserts started rolling out of the kitchen. If you've eaten at Salt you know you're likely to be served not one or two, but a seemingly endless array of sweet little treats at the end of your meal. I think these are designed to get you to linger just a little longer at table, and quite possibly in this case, sober up with a cup of coffee at least.

A deconstructed Peach Melba featured Tahitian Vanilla Panna Cotta with a deep red raspberry consomme, a Berry sorbet and "dots" made from a reduction of Steele Late Harvest Chardonnay, which was the pairing for that particular dish as well. A slice of deep chocolate served to intensify the Stymie Merlot, which I was still savoring at this point. Good luck finding the Steele Late Harvest Chardonnay, Sangiocomo Vinyard (Carneros,1997) anywhere. It is quite possible we drank the last of it.

True story - as I was driving home it suddenly occurred to me that I had neglected to taste the "dots" which had been so carefully reduced down and placed on my dessert plate. It might have required licking said plate though, and I just couldn't see myself doing that - in public anyway.

My thanks to everyone at Salt and the Ritz-Carlton for a truly memorable evening. I hope to return to in October for another of their Farmers dinners, and I will most likely savor more of Salt on an upcoming special occasion that shall remain nameless but may or may not be my birthday.

Salt
4750 Amelia Island
Fernandina Beach, FL 32034
(904) 277-1100

Full disclosure - my participation in this event was complimentary - and while this post is
my personal and honest point of view - it is not meant to be a critical, unbiased review of the restaurant.

Florida Staycation - Breakfast and Breakers

2011-07-10T10:47:00.007-04:00

They say its the most important meal of the day. But who the heck are they, and what do they know? American breakfast standards bore me. Give me the continental breakfast buffet at my local motel, and I'm good to go with yogurt and a banana.

Hold the eggs, bacon, grits, biscuit and for GOODNESS SAKES hold the sausage gravy - what in the name of all that is holy IS that, anyway??? It's like library paste thinned out with motor oil and a cup of salt. Non, merci. Here are a couple of lovely breakfasts I've enjoyed in and around Jacksonville and the Beaches area.

At least once a week I like to stop in at Bakery Moderne for a cup of coffee and pastry or a mini-quiche - they make at least two varieties of quiche fresh daily, and the scones are lovely, crumbly soft and laden with fresh fruit.

Bakery Moderne
904-389-7117

869 Stockton St
Jacksonville, FL 32204

Late breakfast at Culhane's involves Bangers and Mash, and yes, frankly, a pint of Guinness as well. Don't judge. You know you want it.

Culhane's Irish Pub and Restaurant
904-249-9595
967 Atlantic Blvd
Atlantic Beach, FL 32233

One of my favorite spots for breakfast is Biscotti's in Avondale. The atmosphere there reminds me of Cincinnati - can't tell you why. Anyway, they have some slightly awesome breakfast offerings, including some over the top french toast, and this quiche, that has an unusual but awesome crust.

I was obsessed enough after eating this one that I made my own for another couple of weeks - until I decided it was easier and more rewarding to go out and enjoy it at Biscotti's.

Biscotti's
904-387-2060
3556 Saint Johns Ave
Jacksonville, FL 32205

Check out Mi Pueblo Bakery on Beach Boulevard for a latin twist to the grab-and-go breakfast. I wrote about them in my Serious Sandwiches segment last year. The Buneulo gets my vote for a quick bite. Savory cheesy goodness, Charlie...

Mi Pueblo Bakery
904-619-0153
10771 Beach Blvd Ste 107
Jacksonville, FL 32246

And while we're talking Latin influence - one of my absolute favorite pastries in Jax is this Guava Pocket from Edgewood Bakery. Sweet tart guava jelly loaded with sugary glaze, piled into a crispy layered pastry square.

Edgewood Bakery

904-389-8054
1012 Edgewood Ave S

Jacksonville, FL 32205

OK - that's enough! I need to go walk on the beach and shed some of these virtual calories!

I hope it is sunny and warm where you are today - enjoy your summer. I'll be back soon with more from my Summer Staycation. Woop-woop!

Florida Staycation - Lunch at The Floridian

2011-07-03T01:33:00.003-04:00

One great feature of living at the beach in north Florida - it's a great place to visit - AND I already live here, so the travel time is minimal - more time for shopping, sipping adult beverages and finding new and novel ways to beat the Florida heat. I'll be posting some of my summer adventures here in the coming months - day-trips and short jaunts, new spots or favorites revisited - it's all part of my Florida Staycation!

Recently my friend Alison popped in for the weekend from St Louis. We enjoyed acting like tourists, snapping pics at Ponte Vedra and Jax Beach, and during the requisite daytrip to St Augustine we grabbed a delicious and healthy lunch at The Floridian.

Since it opened last September it has been on my Urbanspoon wishlist. It's the kind of place I love. Casual ambiance and a seasonally rotating menu featuring fresh, quality ingredients, sourced locally and regionally, prepared creatively and presented simply. It's real food -with real flavor. Remember flavor?

The essence of summer shines through in every sip of chilled Watermelon Lemon Basil Soup. The first impression is watermelon - not too sweet though - and the other flavors open out as you taste each bite.

Scarlett O'Hara wouldn't wait another day to sample the Southern Belle - lovely to look at and loaded with charm - crisp cool local lettuces, sweet South Carolina peaches, Sweetgrass Dairy's Crossroads Bleu, toasted pecans and roasted sweet potatoes in a lemon-basil vinaigrette.

Alison enjoyed the Summer Salad - a hearty plate of Georgia blueberries, spiced garbanzo beans, carrot, white cucumbers, quinoa, goats' cheese and lettuces in a Honey-herb vinaigrette. The cucumbers were a little tough, so they mostly got scooted to one side of the plate, but she enjoyed everything else in the mix.

We let our enthusiastic hosts describe every item on the dessert menu, and though they all sound amazing, we were full from the generous salads and had to take a pass.

Another great thing about Staycationing - when you find a place you love - there's no need to wait another year to return!

I'll be introducing more friends and fam to The Floridian, I'm sure. Next time I'm going for the Banh-Mi sandwich - my latest obsession. I'm sure you'll see it on Urbanspoon or Instagram. It's the real deal, Beasties. See you there!

The Floridian
39 Cordova St.
St Augustine, FL 32084 www.thefloridianstaug.com

FOODFIGHT to Benefit Second Harvest of North Florida

2011-06-01T23:05:00.017-04:00

Fine food and spirits – along with a festive battle for best culinary presentation – are what's for dinner on Thursday, June 9, during the 21st Annual Jacksonville FOODFIGHT™ at EverBank Field’s Touchdown Club East.

The event – sponsored by EverBank – will bring together more than 50 of the First Coast's finest restaurants, caterers and beverage wholesalers for a friendly competition. FOODFIGHT has raised more than $1 million to help fight hunger in Jacksonville over the last 20 years and hopes to raise at least $100,000 in 2011 - with all proceeds benefiting Second Harvest North Florida.

Tickets are $60 for general admission and $100 for VIP access, both of which include tastes of dishes prepared by the city's top restaurant chefs, various adult beverages and live entertainment.

VIP admission gets you a private reception with access to all restaurants on the upper level from 6-6:30; a private seating area available throughout the event; automatic entry into a prize drawing for a variety of special items, including a bicycle, hotel stays and tickets to special locations; a commemorative FOODFIGHT wine glass; and exclusive access to the Jaguars Suites level.

Isn't that Don from Tacolu? Woot!

A raffle features the winner’s choice of one of three exciting prizes – a new 2011 Harley-Davidson Sportster Forty-Eight motorcycle, provided by Adamec Harley-Davidson; a pair of “his and hers” Yamaha 125cc scooters, provided by Beach Boulevard Motorsports; or $5,000 cash. Raffle tickets are $100, and only 300 tickets will be sold.

Hunger is serious business on the First Coast. Food distribution at Second Harvest has risen dramatically in recent years, from 6.62 million pounds in 2007, to 19.3 million in 2010, with 2011 projections at more than 22 million pounds.

For every $1 donated, Second Harvest is able to generate seven meals for people in need. If the FOODFIGHT achieves its goal of $100,000 it will allow the Food Bank to supply 700,000 meals for north Florida families in need.

To order tickets or purchase sponsorship packages, visit www.JacksonvilleFOODFIGHT.org or call 904.739.7074.

A Taste of Sunny Spain in the Windy City

2011-05-22T22:46:00.005-04:00

A recent business trip to Chicago provided just enough free time to enjoy a few meals on my own.

After hours spent "virtually" eating my way through the city via Urbanspoon and several enticing local blogs, I narrowed my search to three or four likely candidates.

Not willing to fight the crowds at Top Chef Stephanie Izard's white hot Girl & The Goat, I was in search of a unique dining experience, preferably within walking distance of my hotel, hoping to feed my iPhone picture taking habit while also getting some sorely needed exercise (I consider it way to beastly hot to walk more than a block outdoors in Jacksonville most of the year).

I settled on Iron Chef Jose Garces' Mercat a la Planxa in the recently renovated Blackstone Hotel, where the signature offerings are Catalan tapas and grilled to order seafood and steaks. Two words: GOOD CHOICE.

These days, the mod Michigan Avenue spot is in the capable hands of Chef de Cuisine Michael Fiorello, who just days after my visit was crowned Chicago's "Porc Prince" at Cochon555 Chicago. Chef Garces does make the odd return visit as well, I'm told.

Serrano ham and fig salad ($8)

Settling in to my table on a Friday mid-morning, I felt instantly at home in the space. As the lunch service began I perused the menu and made my selections.

Arriving in record time, the Serrano Ham and Fig salad was beautiful to look at AND one of the best salads I've eaten in recent memory. The flavors melded well, yet each stood out on its own.

Sweet, salty Serrano ham was arranged as petals over a bed of baby spinach, studded with firm bits of smoky lardon and chewy fig.

Subtle, creamy Spanish blue La Peral and a nutty, tart sherry vinaigrette rounded out the flavor profile. I am pretty sure I licked the plate clean.

Choosing a main course was simple once I saw the words Potato Croquette, Hanger Steak AND Braised Short Rib - on the same dish... Add in a Mushroom Escabeche? I was perplexed as to how this dish was ever going to come together. When it arrived, all packaged neatly in one layered piece, it all made perfect sense.

BLACK ANGUS HANGER STEAK, POTATO CROQUETTE,
BRAISED SHORT RIBS And BEECH MUSHROOM ESCABECHE ($13)

A healthy portion of Black Angus Hanger Steak is grilled to order, and tops a satiny short rib braise, which in turn rides atop the long, crisp plank of potato. The mushrooms are sprinkled on top of that, and the whole thing is dusted with herbs and plated with brightly colored infused olive oil. This is a great dish for lunch but would also be easy to slice up and share as tapas.

The ambiance at Mercat at early lunchtime was one of warmth and relaxed elegance. Light streamed from the tall windows and made sihouettes of nearby diners.

The service was impeccable, and I felt like I was on my own little island, where I was welcome to relax and stay as long as I liked, eat as much as I could hold.

Eventually, however, meetings beckoned, and I reluctantly surrendered my cozy corner table and eased out into the brisk March air for the short 11 block walk back to my hotel, snapping pics of buildings and their fabulous architectural details all along the way.

I probably drove my friends crazy posting all the pics on Facebook and Instagram, but I was inspired. Maybe it was the cool crisp air. Or maybe it was the meal. It all just fit beautifully together into one lovely visit to one of my favorite cities.

I love Chicago. Next visit, I'll most likely stay at the Blackstone.

I hear Mercat has a great brunch.

Mercat a la Planxa

(312) 765-0524

638 S Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL 60605www.mercatchicago.com

Welcome Golf Fans

2011-05-08T12:25:00.004-04:00

palm valley fish camp - tucked away on roscoe road

One week a year our little beach town plays host to a big-deal sporting event - THE PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass. A1A, our one main thoroughfare, gets a steady stream of visitors to and from the course, and locals hunker down to defend their favorite watering holes, or head to parts unknown to wait out the onslaught.

I may not know a lot about golf, but I do know where visiting fans can get some decent chow and a glass of beer around here. So without further ado, I present my not the least bit comprehensive guide to Ponte Vedra and Palm Valley restaurants and night life - with apologies to the locals for outing some of our best kept (not) secrets.

aqua grill - a stone's throw from the course.

SHORT JAUNTS
Assuming you're staying in Ponte Vedra, and looking for something outside your hotel, but close to the action, Sawgrass Village staples Aqua Grill and Caffe Andiamo are two excellent choices.

"Aqua" is a well established, locally owned and operated upscale-casual, come as you are kind of place, with good service and something for everyone on the menu. There is a large locals crowd in the bar - and they can make a roar, but they won't bite. C'mon out and meet some good people. A great choice for seafood, bar bites, outdoor patio, and casual hang-time. At nearby Caffe Andiamo, skip the dinner menu (mediocre at best) and head straight to the bar. Grab an adult beverage, then order the artichoke appetizer and their wood-grilled pizzas. THIS is some of the best pizza in town. They have a small patio but it has a view of the parking lot.

pork belly - augustine grille

FINE DINING
The Augustine Grille at Marriott Sawgrass is not dishing out your typical hotel fare. If you're looking for the white tablecloth, upscale dining scenario, this is your go-to joint. If you can't get in, or just want to get out, make reservations at Restaurant Medure, just south of Sawgrass. Excellent locally owned, one of a kind spot, with live music in the lounge most weekend nights. If you don't have a chain steak house back home and simply must feel the magic, Ruth's Chris Steakhouse is searing up some pretty good stuff a few doors down. But for my money, Medure is the much better choice.

crab cakes - palm valley fish camp

SEAFOOD FAVORITES
If you are in the mood for some seafood (and who isn't) you are in the right place.
Palm Valley Fish Camp on Roscoe Road is the sure-fire favorite when it comes to fish and seafood. Every place has crab cakes on their menu, no one has crab cakes this good. Fresh ingredients, simply prepared. Casual atmosphere. Make a reservation - but if you happen to be driving by and get the urge - if there's an open parking space, take it and get in there!

WATER WATER EVERYWHERE

the bridge waterfront bistro

If you want to enjoy some waterfront scenery while you dine, but you don't have a membership to the beach club, make your way to The Bridge Waterfront Bistro. Good choice for lunch, and for the view. Mixed reviews on Urbanspoon about their dinner service, but I can say the fish is outstanding and I've never gotten a bad meal there.

PLAY OFF
Come the weekend, we'll all hang on every swing to see who's going to win it all. Will Tiger play, won't he, will the hometown fave make it all the way, how many people we know will get tossed off the course for crude behavior? If you are without tickets but don't want to miss a shot, check out Ponte Vedra's only true sports bar - Bogey Grill. They've got the NFL Sunday Ticket, and a cajillion TVs, so you won't miss a bogey, shot, putt, drive, eagle or ace. Food is average sports-bar fare.

BAR BITES
There are plenty of places to wet your whistle here. A few stand out for one reason or another. Restaurant Medure has a great $5 bar bite menu in addition to their regular appetizers. And they know how to stuff an olive.

Or head north on A1A and swerve in to Urban Flats for some inventive flatbreads and seriously good salads - another casual fave with a decent selection of wines-by-the-glass.

PIZZA PIZZA

Al's Pizza (on A1A) is generally regarded to be the best pizza in town. The dining atmosphere, however, is very... family friendly... so I usually place my to go order at the front, head to the bar for a glass of wine, and by the time I've finished sipping I've got a piping hot fresh pizza ready to go.

JUST DESSERTS
Want to indulge in the sweet life? Make your way down A1A to JJ's Liberty Bistro, where the cases are full of fresh made gourmet dessert options. JJ's is a great choice for french fare at lunch or dinner, but what we mostly love about it is the cheese selection and the decadent desserts.

And in the interest of full disclosure - nobody paid me anything to feature these places, no free food, no email pitch from their publicists. Just my own humble opinion.

See you in Ponte Vedra, Beaches!

Slow Down with Slow Food First Coast

2011-04-23T07:35:00.003-04:00

Intuition Aleworks - Friday, April 29

Celebrate the end of the work week with locally-crafted brews and delicious appetizers featuring fresh, local ingredients from some of Northeast Florida’s finest small family farms prepared by excellent local chefs.

Participants include:
Restaurant Orsay - Chew Restaurant - Bakery Moderne - Taverna - Bistro Aix -
29 South - Marker 32 - Sweet Grass Dairy - KYV Farm - Black Hog Farm - The Veggie Bin - Bold City Brewery - Eat Your Yard Jax - Bold Bean Coffee Roasters - Seacow Confections - Trad’s of Jacksonville Garden Center Grassroots Market - Blue Bamboo - And of course - Intuition Ale Works!

Food, Brew & Prizes Too!
Admission is just $5 and raffle tickets for some really awesome swag are just $1 - prizes include:
- Gift certificates from partnering restaurants and businesses
- Produce baskets from KYV Farm and The Veggie Bin
- Cool merchandise
- And more!

In addition, Intuition Ale will be donating $1 from every pint sold to Slow Food First Coast!
Come out and meet the folks behind Slow Food First Coast, and get to know where your food (and drink) comes from!
For more information, visit Intuitionale.com or www.slowfoodfirstcoast.com

Farmers Are The New Black

2011-04-17T13:01:00.002-04:00

"Meet the Farmers" said the invitation. Be our guest. At the Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island Luxury Resort, yet.

I didn't wait a minute to let it sink in, I didn't even check my calendar for prior engagements (that's a joke), I just hit reply and said thank you, of course I accept your kind invitation!

I had just met some of our local and regional farmers at a recent event at the Marriott Sawgrass Resort in Ponte Vedra, and I was still playing over in my mind how great the food was that night. The Slow Food First Coast's Tour De Farm was on my calendar, and I was (and still am) looking forward to another upcoming Slow Food farmers / chefs event at Intuition Aleworks.

Ever quick to spot a trend (at least one that has been happening for a couple decades nationally), I have come to the realization that farmers (move over, celebrity chefs) are the new black.

It was my first trip to the resort, and I wasn't sure what to expect. Any thought that this was going to be a stuffy formal event went out of my head the minute we walked into the lobby.

A group of soggy children draped in beach towels were chasing after a young lady dressed as a pirate, holding a rather large colorful parrot! Oddly, I felt right at home.

After a private session (aka press conference) to meet the farmers we were ushered to the patio outside Cafe 4750.

We sampled Snoqualmie Naked organic wines - the 2009 Riesling was a peachy crowd-pleaser, and the Chardonnay was lovely as well.

Hors d’oeuvres were passed on shovels (adorable, right?). We shoveled them in, too!

The farmers on this evening were more regional and national purveyors than local small-farmers, but they had in common a passion for their field of endeavor and a commitment to provide the Chefs of the Ritz-Carlton with the highest quality ingredients.

Can you spot the farmer in this group?

They were invited by Ritz Carlton Executive Chef Thomas Tolxdorf to share some of that passion with diners at the sold-out "Meet the Farmers" dinner at Cafe 4750.

In attendance were Marvin Wilhite of Cahaba Clubs Herbal Outpost in Odessa, Florida; Matt McLean of Uncle Matt’s Organic in Clermont, Florida; Farmer Lee Jones of The Chef’s Garden (playing the Green Acres shtick to the hilt - clad as he was in denim overalls, red bow tie and suit coat); and Gary Reed of Gary’s Seafood Specialties in Orlando, Florida, who was our tablemate at dinner.

Chef Thomas shared that having a personal relationship with these vendors and purveyors is essential to his philosophy. “We visit farms first hand to see how they grow their produce. Now our farmers and fish purveyors gather at our restaurant to experience how their product looks on a Ritz-Carlton plate” he explained.

Thoughtful little touches of farm-themed elements appeared throughout the evening - such as adorable edible centerpieces of micro-vegetables and dips served in canning jars, and a whimsical farm-truck sculpture of baked breads that occupied a place of honor on the cheese service.

micro-basil on caprese - a brilliant and whimsical touch

Once we were ushered to our seats, the dinner service began. Appetizers were served buffet-style. Marinated vegetables, local cheeses and honey, house cured meats, local fish and seafood were plentiful and attractively presented.

There was such a gracious plenty that more than one diner thought they WERE the dinner. Not so. Entrees were served family-style, another brilliant example of how the cozy-down-home theme was threaded throughout the event.

The hit of the evening for many of us was the local triggerfish. It was perfectly prepared and the very essence of fresh. It was adorned with hydroponically grown micro-greens from Cahaba Clubs, and served with tiny roasted veggies from the Chef's Table.

I don't know what the sauce was, but it was heavenly.

There were three variations of Berkshire Pork, of which the smoked pork was a melt-in-your-mouth stunner, and farm fresh vegetables.

While the room was packed with over 140 diners, each table was an oasis unto itself, and the conversation flowed with the wine.

We were so caught up in conversation we were surprised by the arrival of our dessert course - a trio of citrus-themed selections featuring Uncle Matt's goods. Of these, a fresh, bright grapefruit sorbet atop a pastry crust was my favorite, though I cleaned my plate like a good Girl Scout.

And after dessert - they brought out coffee and MORE DESSERTS! I am officially in LOVE with the Ritz-Carlton and taking applications for a sugar daddy to support my new obsession.

Speaking of sugar daddies - the head pastry chef at the Ritz-Carlton has literally written the book on pastries and desserts. Seriously, you can buy his books at their store.

As uber-fabulous as it was in every detail - the price was just $75 per person, plus tax and gratuity, and included a lovely swag-bag of mini-veggies, cheese, organic oranges and more - and complimentary valet parking.

Keep your eyes and ears open for a repeat of this sort of event this coming fall - you'll probably see me there, snapping away with my iPhone and posting the delicacies on Facebook.

If you just can't wait - check out Cafe 4750 for Sunday Brunch - Adults $39 ~ Children (ages 5 – 12) $11.

Also not to be missed - SALT - the signature restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island is hosting a cooking school series. I'm thinking about going to one of these too. I'll keep you posted if I do.

Sports fans will want to check out the resort's Eight Burger Bar and Sports Lounge - with specials during most major sporting events.

If you just want to go and be pampered - they've got you covered! The Ritz-Carlton Spa, Amelia Island, was named one of the top spas in the world by the readers of Conde Nast Traveler.

AND - If you need more reasons to get to Amelia Island - I've saved the best for last...

LIFE'S A BEACH -
See You on the Island!

Thanks to our gracious hosts, and the chefs, growers and farmers who made this event such a memorable experience.
And thanks to my friend Jodi at EatJax for loaning me some of these swellegant pictures! My camera does great outdoors, but some of these tasty indoor food glam shots here are hers.

Full disclosure - my participation in this event was complimentary - and while this post is my personal and honest point of view - it is not meant to be a critical, unbiased review of the restaurant.

NASA Space Shuttle Program 30th Anniversary Celebration

2011-04-13T02:57:00.004-04:00

NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden

There aren't many things I get geeky about, but space exploration is one one of them.

So when my friend Anne and her hubs Roger invited me to the Kennedy Space Center for NASA's Celebration for the 30th Anniversary of the Space Shuttle Program, I answered HELLZ Yeah!

This was my first visit to Florida's Space Coast, so I did a little sightseeing. I'll post some of the pics on Instagram.

The "top brass" was there - NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden addressed the crowd of NASA employees, contractors and friends. Earlier that day he announced that the Space Shuttle Atlantis would be "retiring" to the Kennedy Space Center!

The crowd of NASA employees, contractors, families and friends applauded the choice.

There were astronauts and former astronauts and a band called "Space Connection" but the big finale of the event, the icing on the cake, if you will, WAS a cake - but not just ANY cake.

Buddy Valastro - AKA The Cake Boss

Buddy "The Cake Boss" Valastro, Master Baker and Cake Decorator from Carlo's Bakery in Hoboken New Jersey was on hand to present an awesome Space Shuttle cake they made for the occasion.

Frankie Amato JR (left) and crew transport the cake.

The crowd snapped pics as they
transported the cake from it's
air-conditioned staging area to the
Shuttle Plaza for the big presentation.

There were some special effects components to the cake as well -

but I'm not gonna spoil it for you - you'll have to watch the episode of
The Cake Boss when it airs.

I did get a closeup of the cake for you though! The melted area on the lower left rocket booster might give you a hint of what's to come on The Cake Boss.

Thanks a million to Anne and Roger for including me in the celebration! Nice to see Anne again and to meet Roger and neighbors Lane and Bill.

I've posted more pics on my Facebook.

Puttin' on the Ritz

2011-03-30T22:31:00.000-04:00

Just got word of an upcoming Farm to Table gig that sounds like a must-do!

Meet the Farmers Dinner - Friday, April 8, 6:30 p.m. - Café 4750 at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island - meet and mingle with their supplying farmers, seafood purveyors and chefs - nibble to your heart's content at the appetizer buffet of shrimp and other local seafood, farm-fresh vegetables, regional meats, honey, and house made charcuterie. Then enjoy the seasonal menu served family-style - including local trigger fish, Berkshire pork, and fresh vegetables with house made dips. Columbia Valley organic wines will be paired for the dinner. Each course is introduced by the chef and a grower. Dessert will be something citrusy and tasty from the fabulous pastry chefs. REASONABLY Priced at $75 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Complimentary valet parking. Reservations are required - call 904.277.1100, ext 1010 to make yours today!

Farm To Table Fresh at the Augustine Grille

2011-03-16T02:29:00.003-04:00

At The Augustine Grille in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, Chef de Cuisine Brett Smith runs a class operation with a simple concept - seasonally influenced, fresh local ingredient-focused cuisine.

Sourcing ingredients from farms, creameries, ranches and vinyards where the people care deeply about the quality of what's coming to the table, he and his crew are creating honest, balanced dishes with integrity and genuine flavor.

On a recent visit with the Folio Weekly Bite Club, we were treated to a sample of the best of the seasonal menu.

I'm still raving about it, and I can't wait to return to taste my way through the menu before our quiet beach town becomes the PGA Tour Golf fan zone. Welcome, The PLAYERS Championship visitors!

Freshly grown beets taste of earth and sugar and the minerals they draw from the soil. Peppery arugula and the beets came from Fresh Start Hydroponics - growers Chip and Connie Foy were seated at the next table. Before dinner, over cocktails and appetizers in the grand lobby, they treated us to a display of hydroponically grown lettuces, and explained the advantages of their technique.

Tasting was believing - wearing a light coating of shallot vinaigrette and a sprinkling of cracked pepper, sweet heat met earthy ripe Truffle Tremor Chevre - a particular favorite of ours from Cypress Grove Chevre in Arcata, California. On any given night, I could make a meal of this one plate, a slice or two of that bread, a glass of wine, and be perfectly happy. But on this occasion, we moved on to ecstatic.

On the DelKat Family Farm in Hilliard, Del and Kathy Conner are raising all natural premium Berkshire pigs,without the use of medication, antibiotics, or growth hormones.

Sweet and supple, the simple cut my grandma referred to as "fat back" and relegated to seasoning stews and pots of boiling potatoes was elevated to a gastronomic delight in this small plate of Pork Belly, Red Pea, Andouille and Greens.

This was my single favorite dish of the evening. There is nothing more to say here - I'm gonna let that picture tell the tale.

The greens came to the table from Twinn Bridges Farms. I was seated next to farmers Scott and Denise Francis whom I'd had the pleasure of meeting recently at our local Beaches Green Market at Jarboe Park in Neptune Beach.

I had just purchased a beautiful bunch of rainbow chard from their stand the Saturday prior, and it was a pleasure to break bread with them at the Augustine Grille over such a wonderful meal.

Every course was a special treat - house-baked fresh bread with sweet creamery butter followed an amuse bouche of fresh crab salad nestled in a crisped wonton wrapper in a playful take on crab rangoon.

Mayport shrimp, grits cake, greens and tasso gravy made their way to our table via Safe Harbor Seafood from Mayport, Florida, and Anson Mills (grits).

The shrimp were perfectly cooked, but mine were much too salty - my only complaint of the evening. The sweet grit cake held its own and soaked up the assertively spiced tasso nicely though.

A respectful hush fell over the crowd when the next course was served. House dry-aged, prime, natural strip loin, gnocchi, brussels sprouts were treated with the reverence afforded a PGA Tour superstar addressing the ball on the famed Island Green at 17.

Creekstone Farms Black Angus beef is dry-aged on site for sixty days - concentrating the flavor and enhancing the tenderness. Nutty sweet baby Brussels sprouts and pillow-soft gnocchi stylishly accompanied. There was not a scrap left on my plate.

Successful wine pairings were offered throughout the meal, and the red that accompanied this steak was a particularly nice house red from Long Meadow Ranch. It made perfect sense, supporting but not overpowering the meaty rich strip loin.

Dessert. Crunch, Pot de Creme, Truffles. Silky cool vanilla pot de creme was contrasted by the heat of Graham's Tawny Port, lending notes of raisins and almond to the dish as it was sipped. The understated star of the show was the Crunch bar - a chocolate pastry crunch shell with a rich ganache topper that we lovingly referred to as an "Adult Kit-Kat." It was the topic of many a tweet that night and in the days following. If you have the opportunity to dine at the Augustine Grille, do not, I repeat, do not skip dessert.

When our dinner service was done, the chef brought the entire kitchen and front of the house crew out and introduced them to our group. We actually lept to our feet and gave them a standing ovation. I kid you not. I can't imagine dining there without doing that now, but I will endeavor to maintain a dignified exterior posture while my tastebuds are doing somersaults and backflips.

Thanks again to our hosts at the Augustine Grille, the Folio Weekly Bite Club, and all the purveyors whose life's passion was represented at our table. It's easy to see why Slow Food First Coast has awarded the Augustine Grille with its "Snail of Approval." Check them out and plan to join us on the upcoming Tour De Farm.

The Augustine Grille

at the Sawgrass Marriott

1000 PGA TOUR Boulevard,

Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082

Jamaican Me Happy

2011-03-06T11:27:00.000-05:00

Jacksonville, as it turns out, is teeming with Caribbean restaurants - but one of the newest to arrive on the scene has got my goat - um, I mean, vote.

Actually, I mean goat. Curry Goat. And Stewed Oxtail, Curry Chicken, Ackee and Saltfish, Jamaican Beef Patty, Plantains, Festival, and the list goes on.

Caribbean House Restaurant opened in February - taking over the property once briefly occupied by Bungalow on Park - a well liked but short lived operation whose demise left more than a few of us wondering how people can get a place opened but can't stay in business, despite good food and a halfway decent location.

Curry Goat - small lunch portion - $7.95

Caribbean House seems to have made a solid start - with good food, simply prepared, reasonably priced, and friendly, fast service. It's like good, soulful home-cooked food, if your home is Jamaica.

Curry Goat - when I saw this was on the menu I made a beeline to the place. Let me tell you - they knock it out of the park! Succulent and tender - old school preparation - chunks of bone-in goat with an assertive but not overpowering curry, accompanied here by white rice and an oddly pedestrian vegetable melange.

My first lunch at Caribbean House also included a sampling of Green Banana - (presumably a young plantain) which was more grey than green, tasting like nothing more than starch, and looking like a dis-membered, well, member, on the plate. I've cropped this pic to feature the goat, but you can see the odd bit protruding upper left. While I prefer the sweet ripe plantain in all its various presentations, I have come to understand and appreciate the prevalence of bland, starchy foods in the Caribbean diet. One needs something to balance the Scotch Bonnet, jerk, curry and other bold flavors.

Stewed Oxtail, Steamed Cabbage, Macaroni Pie

Menu items at Caribbean House may change from day to day based on availability and demand. Entrees can be ordered in small, medium or large portions, and accompanying sides are your choice, and there are many options. One I recommend you do not miss is the cabbage - this is NOT your mama's steamed cabbage (unless your mama is a jammin' Jamaican cook).

Stewed Oxtail - $6.95 small portion (shown here) - had me eating like a wild child - with both hands and my whole face involved. It was all I could do to order anything else once I tasted these. I'm going back for dinner to get a couple large portions as take-out. Accompaniment here is the Macaroni Pie (a custardy mac and cheese, basically) and that awesome Steamed Cabbage. I am still raving about this simple yet delicious meal.

I'm not a fan of Jerked anything, so when I was in the mood for chicken I went back to the curry, despite having already sampled the Curry Goat.

Curry Chicken, Steamed Cabbage, Fried Plantain

Curry Chicken $7.95 medium lunch portion (shown here) lets the curry shine through. Moist chunks of chicken (some breast meat, some back and thigh, bones and all) are coated with a pungent yellow curry.

I found myself wishing I had ordered some rice to sop it up. And there was that cabbage. Wilted just enough to move from crunchy to cooked. Fried Plantains were appropriately sweet.

I've never been to the Caribbean, but this next dish seems like something I grew up eating.

Ackee and Saltfish is known as Jamaica's national dish (I Googled it - ours is hamburger, hot dog, apple pie)... So we get MickeyD's, while Jamaicans get the fruit of the Ackee tree, boiled and sauteed along with prepared salt cod, possibly with peppers and onions (although none noticed in Caribbean House's preparation). I loved the tender, pillow-soft Ackee fruit (tastes a little like scrambled egg) and the salty bits of fish.

I would have liked some fresh scotch bonnet or even some onion and green pepper with it, but I doused it with hot sauce (the way my mom eats eggs - and just about everything else, come to think of it) and it was delish.

Boiled Dumpling

Accompaniments this time were more of the bland and starchy variety - Yellow Yam tastes like its cousin the potato, and Boiled Dumpling is a thick, doughy disk the size, shape, and roughly the same consistency as a hockey puck - and I was assured this is just the way they serve it in Jamaica.

I'm not sure if it is cassava based, or what, but the taste was bland and the texture just really didn't work for me. I felt a little like a tourist in my own town, and I tried to justify it as culinary research.

I was able to slice into the thing with my knife, and gamely sampled a few bites. Let's just say I won't be ordering it again. The yam, however, was a more familiar, foodlike texture, and just the right taste to offset the saltiness of the cod.

I'm coming back for more Ackee and Salt Fish at breakfast, but it made a lovely light lunch, outside in the courtyard.

And because this meal was so light (dumpling excluded), I was able to fit in a slice of Blueberry Cheesecake. Wow. Just. Wow.

Before I forget - WHEN you visit Caribbean House, be sure to sample one of their daily special fresh juices.

Pictured is the Cucumber - a sweet green refresher. I can also recommend the Ginger Beer - way better than Ginger Ale, and you won't miss the bubbles - this one has an effervescence all its own.

Caribbean House is open Sunday through Thursday for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Friday breakfast and lunch only, and closed all day Saturday. It's definitely worth checking out! See you there, Beasties.

Caribbean House Restaurant
2782 Park Street
Jacksonville, FL 32205
904.437.0365

Would You Recommend...

2011-02-13T11:40:00.006-05:00

"Sharing food with another human being is an intimate act that should not be indulged in lightly." ~ M.F.K. Fisher

I'm always flattered when someone asks me for a restaurant recommendation, but then a sense of responsibility rushes in and reminds me that my opinions won't necessarily be the same as the next person's. If it's someone I know, I'll usually make a few suggestions and ask for feedback on their experience if they go anyplace I've recommended.

Mezze Plate - Papa Zuzu's - Mt Pleasant, SC

If I don't know anything about the individual's preferences or lifestyle, I'm usually not comfortable telling them where to take their spouse for a special 25th anniversary dinner. I don't do the fine-dining scene all that often. I will tell you where you can get a really good taco or some bangin' tapas, though. If you want to know where to get some juicy Pernil Al Horno, or sweet Chicken Adobo, I'll tell you where I've enjoyed it. That doesn't mean you will.

When I'm selecting a place to eat, especially when I'm traveling outside my home city, I do my homework first. Consumer review sites such as Urbanspoon give me an idea what type of experience I'm in for, as well as what's good, what to avoid.

Hibachi Chicken - Shiki - Mooresville, NC

I love reading about places and creating a wishlist on Urbanspoon before heading to a new city, but I'm always willing to stray from the list when a friend suggests a favorite spot I may not have noticed. I'm mining for hidden gems when I'm dining solo, but when I have fellow diners to consider, I'm more likely to pay attention to the popularity quotient, and comb the reviews for local diners opinions.

Home or away, I do have a few standard criteria upon which I rate a restaurant. They are based on my personal preferences. I'd love to hear what you look for in a good restaurant experience as well.

THE FOOD

Is the concept at all original? Is it fresh? Properly cooked? Is it real food, or did they rip open a plastic bag of sauce, drizzle it on some frozen protein, plate it with frozen veg medley and heat it in the micro?

Jibneh - 13 Gypsies - Jacksonville, FL

Do the flavors meld and enhance the experience, or is some seasoning or ingredient so predominant it blows your tastebuds out of whack? Does it look appealing? Are the textures pleasant? Temperature appropriate? Would I order it again? Is the cost in keeping with the value?

Are the ingredients locally sourced, and does the menu change with the seasons' bounty? A plastic covered menu is an early indicator to me that the food might be... institutional. I'm leery of those "glamour shots" of food on the menu. Put those on your website to lure me in. Once I'm there, let me imagine how the food is going to look, and be pleasantly surprised when it exceeds my expectations, not the other way around.

THE AMBIANCE

Here's where it gets a little subjective. I don't go for starched and formal. I seek out spots where I a feel welcome and comfortable - as if I'm visiting a friend (who happens to be a chef) in their home.

The Blue Fish -Jacksonville, FL

While I appreciate and prefer good interior design, I am not generally a snob about ambiance. I don't mind if the decor is less than stellar as long as the food quality makes up for it. I am willing to pay more for food if it served in pleasant surroundings. Just sayin'... But I would eat in a shack if the food is really good.

Similarly, cleanliness is essential, but I've eaten in places that were neat as a pin inside and out where the food was just one step above Alpo. I like a clean dining room, but my number one pet peeve in restaurants continues to be staff vacuuming or sweeping the floor while I'm eating nearby. If I can hear you sweeping, the particles you are stirring up are most likely going to make their way into my food. Let fallen french fries lie until the section is closed.

Am I comfortable in the room? Are the chairs, tables, etc. clean and in good repair? Is there an off-putting odor? (Out the door, pronto. I've learned that lesson.)

Spinach Pizza - Libretto's - Jacksonville, FL

How is the noise level? Is the lighting adequate? Are their fresh flowers on the table or some dusty plastic arrangement? Are the plates and cups clean and free of chips, cracks, residue? (You'd be surprised how often that answer is no.)

I also consider the crowd. Are my fellow diners young, older? Hip? Conservative? What's their general mood? I like a diverse crowd, it tells me there's something to appeal to everyone here. When I'm searching for a good representation of cultures other than my own, I consider the ethnicity of the diners as well as the staff. If you're eating Mexican food and the other diners are Mexican, you know it's because they've found a taste of Mexico on the plate. If the language of the table talk around you matches the ethnicity of the place, you may be on to something.

THE SERVICE

Am I greeted soon after entering? Does someone acknowledge my quest for a seat? Will the wait be long, and if so, what are my options? Did the staff ask about seating preference? Did they honor my request for a light, sunny table?

Danny and Molly Armonyard - Owners
Bangkok City - Buckeye Lake, OH

While I am a fan of great service, I am also a student of human nature, so I am often entertained even when the service is less than adequate. Rude service, however, is never appropriate.

In my opinion, great service may help me accept a less than stellar meal, but bad service can't be helped by good food. If you put me in a bad mood before the food comes, how am I going to enjoy it?

Does the proprietor, GM or chef visit the front of the house, or do they lurk out of sight? If I'm a regular, do they greet me by name?
_________________________________________________

So that's pretty much it. If this system works for you, use it. If not, use whatever does. And if you want to discuss who makes the best tacos, pizza, Thai, seafood, barbeque or sandwiches in town, I'm your gal! INCIDENTALLY - all the pics in this post represent favorite foods and places that were recommended TO me by friends and family! THANK YOU ALL for each and every suggestion - and keep 'em coming!

Tapas and Table Envy - at Barcelona

2011-02-12T11:45:00.004-05:00

When several friends from several states tell you a place has good food and you're going to love it, it's likely they are on to something. Which is how I ended up in barcelona - during a recent visit to German Village, in Columbus, Ohio.

Confused? Don't be. German Village contributes to the gastronomic import of Columbus in ways other than hot pretzels and sauerkraut balls - particularly if you look past the obvious tourist attractions and seek out the locals' faves. As if oompah bands and sausage wielding waiters in lederhosen weren't doing enough to stimulate the local economy, there are actually quite a few hip eateries and food related businesses in this barely-suburban enclave.

Barcelona is among the most popular of these, having captured the interest of Columbus diners since 1996, when it shook off the old bier stube decor and reinvented the space that once held GV mainstay Diebel's.

On their website, Barcelona bills itself as "a culinary fusion of metropolitan chic and Old World European charm." The room buzzes with an elegant city vibe, and the fresh decor does balance nicely with the traditional warm brick walls, tin ceilings and wide plank floors.

By all accounts the award winning extensive patio is an oasis of calm and greenery, but on the night of my visit the greenery had given way to ice and snow, and the patio was battened down for the winter.

That didn't stop our hosts from seating us there, however. They wrapped the entire thing in a plastic bubble, blew in some heat from a noisily humming pump, and filled the place with diners.

A helpful bartender alerted me to the half-price bar happy hour from 5-7, so I had a charming cocktail and soaked in the ambiance indoors while I waited for my friends.

Once they arrived, we were whisked out to the patio and seated in an out of the way back corner, (in - big shock, patio furniture) where we could peer in at the diners in the cozy and grand private dining room. The effect was slightly less glamorous than the pics of that lovely patio in summer would have suggested. Granted, these accommodations weren't ideal for our party of five, but we soldiered on, endeavoring to enjoy light conversation over the honing of that heat pump.

Single Cheese selection - 6

Salads and a cheese plate were considered. I ordered one of the cheese selections, and was surprised at how little six dollars bought me - a spartan arrangement of an index finger-sized strip of rather ordinary cheese, two thinly sliced rounds of what could have been yesterday's toasted baguette, and a lovely square of quince paste, or was it fig? Can't recall, sorry. None of the romance that I associate with tapas was present on this plate.

Tomates Y Mozzarella - 7

Our dear friend the motion picture historian casually noted that one could procure all six of the chefs current cheese selections at Trader Joe's. I laughed, taking down a mental note not to order the cheese plate here again.

Salads were lovely though, and appropriately dressed for the evening. Oven roasted tomato slices joined soft, fresh mozzarella cheese and field greens in a honey balsamic reduction with smoked paprika sea salt.

Ensalada Verde Con Higos - 7

Having spent the afternoon sampling pastries at a nearby shop, Barcelona's Spanish inspired small plates held my interest more than the larger entree offerings.

Grilled Foie Gras Tapas

I was thrilled with my selection of the the Ensalada Verde Con Higos - spiced marcona almonds adorning a plate of field greens with dried fig and soft goat cheese in a bacon vinaigrette, and this perfectly grilled Foie Gras - accompanied by a garnet red precise brunoise of roasted beets and an herbal garnish of some sort - I confess I can't recall - pea shoots, or water cress?

Paella Barcelona - 27 (plus lobster)

It seems as good a time as any to mention that the menu changes weekly, and although some entrees stay on for the season, this foie gras is not currently featured. If it is back when you go, treat yourself.

Our resident epicure and patroness of the arts had her heart set on revisiting the Paella, a signature dish at Barcelona (although this one looked to me to be very unevenly cooked - a criticism I had heard earlier that day from a local chef when mentioning our impending visit to Barcelona). They added a lobster tail at her request for an additional cost - so would-be diners, take note.

Pollo al Ajillo - 22

Style guru Kiki ordered the Pollo al Ajillo, a pan-seared chicken breast with garlic, olives, onions, potatoes, roasted pepper and gorgonzola.

She enjoyed the dish but felt it didn't quite live up to the memory of the first time she tasted it. Possibly the lighting in our plastic bubble wasn't as conducive to romancing the plate. Or possibly the buzz about Barcelona is somewhat true - inconsistencies have seeped in and diluted the initial excellence of the place. That can happen over time. Passions cool, chefs come and go. I can't say, as this was my first visit, but there did seem to be some rough edges to the experience which I wasn't expecting, given the rave reviews from my friends.

Vieiras - 25

The mayor's wife (a hoot in her own right and one hell of a fun dinner companion) enjoyed a large plate of Vieiras - a concoction of pan seared sea scallops, bacon, mushroom, baby lima beans, dates, chili flake and cream.

I'm skeptical of ordering seafood in landlocked towns, and my concerns were heightened when this steaming plate landed on the table next to me. The scent of the dish didn't do much to qualm my fears, but our friend seemed to enjoy it. I was offered a taste and asked to help identify the flavor components. Avoiding the scallops and limas (not my favorite bean) I sussed out the chili flake and cream, and the waitress informed us that the sweetness, which quite permeated the sauce, came from dates. All in all, it wasn't a bad dish, I just don't know that I could eat a whole plate of it. It seemed to cry out for some rice, or better yet, grits... (OK, polenta).

Our desserts were the kind you sip in a glass, so no pics there, but Barcelona does serve some lovely sounding desserts, if you have room for them after your meal. So there you have it. The best part of the evening was spending it with good friends old and new, and the bit where they FINALLY turned off that annoying heat pump and fired up the space heaters instead. We actually cheered.

If you're going to Barcelona and want to sit outside, wait until the patio is back in bloom. If I return, it will be on a Monday night when they feature a half price tapas menu. I could really go for some jamon and manchego and a glass of sherry right about now.

Barcelona

263 E Whittier St
Columbus, OH 43206
www.barcelonacolumbus.com
(614) 443-3699

Global Cuisine in German Village

2011-01-30T12:00:00.003-05:00

Schmidt's Sausage Haus - German Village

Many moons ago I lived in a magical land called German Village. OK, actually its a suburb of Columbus, Ohio, and reportedly also the largest privately funded restoration project in the country, but to me it is utterly magical - and I am transported to a bygone era each time I return.

Strolling along streets of brick and cobblestone, there is an old-world look and feel to the warren of charming little shops and avenues that belies its proximity to downtown Columbus.

Festive, unique restaurants abound, and a sense of neighborhood exists there that is sorely lacking in many other places I've lived.

my house was that little one on the left
it was blue at the time, and quite magical

Last month I returned to my old stomping grounds, and spent a day immersing myself in German Village, Victorian Village, and Short North areas of Columbus - quite literally looking up my old address.

Lindey's

I love my home near the Atlantic, but there are times when I would very much love to be back in German Village, in my cute little cottage on Beck Alley, sipping a glass of wine and getting ready to meet my friends for a bite at one of our favorite places.

The Old Mohawk

Back then it was Tony's for pasta, Lindey's for brunch, Old Mohawk for a chicken salad quesadilla.

The old-school Clarmont was our go-to for good steaks in a retro-kitsch setting, Max and Erma's (the original) for juicy big burgers and cheesy french onion soup, and of course Schmidt's Sausage Haus - for the incomparable spicy delicious Bahama Mama, tangy warm German potato salad, red cabbage, and creme-puffs as big as your head!

On this occasion, I was in search of a little shop I'd read about on Urbanspoon. My mission - to procure some lovely macarons for a New Years Eve celebration at the home of my dear friend Kiki.

Pates de fruits - Pistacia Vera

World-Class Parisian Pastries
and Desserts at Pistacia Vera

Pistacia Vera is a self-described "dessert boutique" - and the description fits the atmosphere nicely. Siblings Spencer Budros and Anne Fletcher's team whips up world-class dessert and pastry offerings in a charming, sunny space on German Village's 3rd Street.

Fresh Croissants - Pistacia Vera

There are enormous, flaky fresh-baked croissants ($2.50 for classic all-butter, $3.50 for pain-au-chocolat) like you've never tasted (outside Paris) and locally sourced jellies to slather on them. I stashed a couple of croissants away for our breakfast the next morning, and I'm still dreaming of them today.

They are famous for their world class macarons, and just one taste confirms why. But who could have just one? Not I, said the cat. I managed to scarf down two - coconut and chocolate (a STEAL at $1.25 each) a chocolate fudgie meringue cookie AND a cherry Kirsch pate de fruit ($1 each). I tucked an assortment of macarons into a bag for our party. They were a big hit.

macarons, chocolate fudgie, pate de fruit

Snapping pics left and right, I felt like a tourist for the first time on this culinary journey. It was as if I were in the Tiffanys of patisseries, only the prices were surprisingly affordable for these edible gems!

Open daily from 7am to 7pm, they cater to the lucky few who can wrestle a seat in the small dining area. The rest of us are content to hover near the window or the coffee service area and wait for a seat to open, or take our haul to go, in a swank shopping bag. If you can't make it to German Village, they'll ship to you! Check out their website for details, and a delicious feast for the eyes as well.

Pistacia Vera prides themselves on their attention to detail, their classic European techniques and recipes, and their ability to create their own style of unique, edible art - at affordable prices.

Pistacio Red Currant Dacquoise

This Pistacio Red Currant Dacquoise is just one of their many gluten-free offerings, and features layers of almond and pistachio meringue cake, pistachio buttercream and red currant chiboust. (mini $6/ small $24/ large $39)

The Passion Fruit Chambord Truffle (mini $6/ small $24/ large $39) features gluten & nut-free layers of chocolate flourless cake, passion fruit curd & black raspberry buttercream topped with premium Valrhona Araguani (72%) chocolate mousse and chambord chocolate glaze.

Vanilla Bean Sables

And since it's only eight months until my birthday, and eleven months until Christmas, should you be searching for the perfect gift for your favorite blogger.... but then, why wait for the big-name holidays, really? One could celebrate, say, Groundhogs day, for that matter. Hey - that's coming up next week, isn't it?

Next stop on the Midwestern Global Cuisine tour - Barcelona - also conveniently located in German Village! See, MAGIC!

There's No Place Like Home

2011-01-23T23:36:00.009-05:00

If you're lost, you can look, and you will find me, time after time. ~ Cyndi Lauper

I recently returned to Ohio to visit dear friends over the holidays. I lived in Ohio for twenty plus years. I can't say my roots are there - but Ohio is definitely where I began to branch out and grow. Dropping in at old-school fave places (and experiencing some new faves) got me thinking...

What does "home" taste like to you? Is it your grandmother's traditional holiday cake, the weekday casserole you wolfed down in record time so you wouldn't be late to rehearsal? Spiced peaches - straight from the jar, served in a pressed glass dish, because they remind you of a dear departed one? Whatever our prowess in the kitchen today, in our hearts we keep the recipes for those simple moments long since past, when our lives were orderly and somewhat carefree. A taste of home.

Maybe that's what my parents had in mind in 1969, when they moved us from the shores of Long Beach, California to a slower paced life in Lancaster, Ohio. We settled in to our new home and began to adapt to its unique tastes and traditions. Farewell to real Mexican or Chinese food, hello to German and Dutch food. Chile was now "chilli con carne," soupy, with beans, and strangely sweet. Bell peppers were called "mangoes" in the store - before many Ohioans had the opportunity to taste actual "fruit mangoes." Farms, roadside stands and backyard gardens yielded fresh tomatoes, zucchini and "row-sneers" (roasting ears) of sweet corn.

Our Ohio family had their own food traditions. Aunt Rose Ann brought five bean salad to our family gatherings. I love my aunt, but I always felt that was four beans too many. My grandmother (on my dad's side) introduced us to home-made whoopie pies, and she even made a chocolate cake with sauerkraut. My new friends came over for tacos, enchiladas, ribs on the grill and my grandmother's side-of-the-box recipe for macaroni salad with black olives.

At their homes I sampled a whole new world of culinary delights. Pasta was baked with ground beef and tomato sauce, topped with cheddar cheese and called "Johnny Marzetti" after a relative of a Columbus restaurant chef from decades earlier. Home-made noodles or dumplings simmered slowly on the stove with chicken for a stick-to-your-ribs comforting dish. Tuna met its mac, and life was good. My Swiss mother-in-law made the best scalloped potatoes ever, and shared her recipe for a broccoli-cheese casserole that I crave to this day.

Used to live in this house on
Neil Ave. in Victorian Village.

Despite a friend's warning that the big city was crime-ridden and hamburgers cost five dollars for heaven's sake, my young husband and I moved to Columbus. I can trace much of my passion for learning about food back to that move. I loved combing my new surroundings for their culinary treasure.

With weekly forays to specialty markets and ethnic restaurants, sampling an array of foods that had never graced our table while I was growing up, I was in culinary heaven. Each subsequent move to another city solidified my passion for seeking out the best local foods and ethnic specialties.

So on my most recent visit I spent a day cruising around my old "hometown" - stopping in to visit some classic faves and mapping a trail of new discoveries via Urbanspoon.

The North Market - Columbus, Ohio

First stop, the venerable North Market - Columbus’ only public market, home to dozens of unique, independent merchants and farmers, a grand central food destination that has grown gracefully into its location in a turn-of-the-century farm implements warehouse. During the growing season they host a farmer's market on Saturdays. Year-round the market is a great place to sample a wide variety of locally grown, locally made foods, shop for cookware and accessories, and share a meal with friends.

If I lived in Columbus, breakfast and shopping at the market would be my Saturday morning ritual. Since I was just in the neighborhood for the day and had lots of ground to travel, I settled for a self-guided tour and some strategic snacking.

One standout was this savory pierogi from Hubert's Polish Kitchen. The gregarious Hubert Wilamowski talked me through the trays of scratch-made Golabki, kotlets, sausages, and sauces, and his passion for his craft was evident. It took all the willpower I could summon not to order one of everything. This little cheese, potato and onion filled gem, glistening with melted butter, reminded me that there are whole cuisines I have yet to fully explore.

A treat from Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams was a must - despite the winter's chill. I enjoyed tasting my way through their artisan ice creams and sorbets, but I settled on two favorites - Queen City Cayenne, a rich chocolate ice cream with a sweet spicy hit, and the lovely, rich Cherry Lambic Sorbet - tangy, tart cherries blended with sweet, crisp cherry lambic beer. Together they reminded me of an over-the-top Black Forest ice cream cake. I loved it so much I snapped up a few gift certificates to treat my local friends and family to their own cones.

The North Market is where Jeni got her start - Jeni Britton Bauer and husband Charly Bauer co-founded the company in 2002. Together with their small team, they make every batch of ice cream that is served in their stores in Columbus or shipped to doorsteps nationwide.

After reveling in the treasures of the market, I cruised up High Street through my old stomping grounds in the Short North. A few standards remained, but most of the shops and restaurants were new to me. Armed with my Urbanspoon wishlist
I navigated Charlotte the Prius to my next destination - a block off the beaten path in Pearl Alley.

TASI Café is a friendly, casual spot featuring seasonal, all natural, healthy food. Its just the kind of place I wish were in my neighborhood.

A spin-off of sorts to one of the area's flagship restaurants (Rigsby's Cuisine Volatile), the cozy urban-chic TASI suits the Short North perfectly.

TASI Cafe - Short North

TASI serves breakfast all day, but also dishes up lunch and dinner, with dine-in and carry-out options. Prices are super-affordable. There are only five parking spots, so it took a couple trips around the block before rock-star status was achieved, but once inside, a warm bowl of the soup du jour was my reward - a perfectly seasoned butternut squash puree accented with smokey-sweet roasted marcona almonds. If and when I'm back in Columbus I hope to sample more of their menu.

Next stop on the "My Ohio" culinary road trip - German Village.

Five Years And Counting

2010-12-27T08:10:00.013-05:00

My little blog is five years old now! I'm still loving writing it, and people tell me they enjoy reading it, so I'm signing up for another five year hitch.

The BEST part about what is ultimately a solitary activity, is the great people I've met along the way - new friends like Jodi K from EatJax, the ViCARIous Cari S, Caron S at Bite Club, Kris C at Blog Your Wine, George S from the Jacksonville Fine Dining Examiner, and many more fellow travelers - friends and family with whom I've shared food experiences, and scores of restaurant / food / culture creators and commentators I've come to know and respect greatly.

Photo courtesy of Cari Sanchez P

The highlight of the year - of the five years, really, was introducing my nephew and niece to his food-idol Guy Fieri, thanks to the kindhearted Chef Howard at 13 Gypsies.

Thanks to all of you who've graced my life with your friendship, readership, and kind words of support for my humble efforts.

I hope you have been inspired to go out and spend some time (and money) exploring the culinary treasures where you are. And thanks to everyone who dined with me over the last few years and gracefully offered up their plates to be photographed before devouring the contents!

And thanks also for the subtle kick in the pants from those who've suggested I might want to "do something" with this blog someday. Clearly, these individuals are not artists. While I appreciate making money as much as the next guy, that's never what this was about. I'm in it for the experience.

You don't see ads here, and I'm not asking you to buy my book (which I so would if I had written one).... I'm just a participant / observer sharing my experiences here. I'm content to evolve at my current rate of speed, and my blog will continue to reflect that evolution. I hope you'll excuse the grainy cell-phone snapped pics and my less than AP Style ramblings, and hey, feel free to leave comments here - I love to hear from everyone!

If you just can't get enough of me (there's plenty to go around, believe me), come play with me on Urbanspoon, or follow me on Twitter.

Aloha - I'm off on another culinary adventure!

Libretto's Pizzeria - Authentic NYC Style Italian Fare in St Johns Town Center

2010-12-10T13:35:00.000-05:00

Mike Libretto’s passion for food comes from growing up in New York preparing traditional Italian dishes with his family.

“Mom would start the sauce at daybreak,” Mike explains. “Before you knew it, the entire family was in the kitchen – my brother and I cutting and chopping ingredients, while my father rolled out homemade meatballs.”

With memories of food and family as his inspiration, Mike opened Libretto’s Pizzeria and Italian Kitchen in the Murray Hill neighborhood of Manhattan ten years ago, where it continues to thrive as a neighborhood favorite for pizza and classic Italian fare. His next two locations were a little further south - like, say, CHARLOTTE NC - my "kind of" adopted hometown!

It was the Charlotte connection that made my heart beat a little faster when I was invited to their pre-opening party at their FIRST Jacksonville location at St Johns Town Center.

They are next door to the new nightclub "Suite" on what I call Maternity Row - because there are like three maternity shops right there. I guess that's a good combo - shop for maternity clothes then head over to Libretto's for some Baked Ziti!

My mouth is watering just thinking about that Ziti - and the Penne alla Vodka - and the Chicken Parm - and of course - the star of the show (in my book) - the PIZZAS. Thin, crisp crust, great sauces and topping varieties, not too greasy.

They are doing pizza right over there. Granted, they are cooking with stone-lined gas ovens, not wood, but as Mike pointed out, once those ovens get a little seasoned they will be imparting even more flavor to the already great crust.

I'm not Italian, and I didn't grow up in or around NYC, so I'm not one to judge whether this is the best, most authentic Italian food in these parts, but my friends who ARE, like Jodi over at Eat Jax, do seem to agree that this place makes them very, very happy!

Libretto’s hours are 11 a.m. until midnight Sunday through Wednesday. On Thursday nights they are open until 2 am, and on Friday and Saturdays they will serve up pizza to the ravenous hordes pouring out of the surrounding night clubs until 3 am.

Mike's Mama would be proud of the crew in Jacksonville. They are dishing up third generation family-style Italian classics like Penne alla Vodka, Spaghetti Bolognese, Chicken Parmigiana, Meatballs (out of this WORLD good, as my mom would say) and Dan-the-Man's favorite Sausage and Peppers, Pizzas, Calzones, Calamari, and some bangin' desserts - including "Homemade" Tira Misu and the best Cannoli I've tasted in recent memory. Check them out for lunch or dinner while you're finishing your holiday shopping!

Libretto's Pizzeria

Authentic NYC Pizza and Italian Kitchen

(904) 402-8888

St Johns Town Center

4880 Big Island Drive, Suite 1

Jacksonville, FL 32246

www.librettospizzeria.com

Old Friends in the Ancient City

2010-12-04T22:07:00.002-05:00

"One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating." ~ Luciano Pavarotti

I am blessed with friends and family who indulge me in my food chronicling behaviors. Some of them live nearby, some I only get to visit with for precious few hours or days as we swing by one-another's home turf on life's journey.

In this instance it was my friends Alison and Dan from St. Louis, who, on a recent vaca to Florida, parked their deluxe camp-o-rama vehicle at the KOA in St Auggie long enough for us to get caught up on friend time over late breakfast at the Sea Oats Caffe - a sweet little spot in the Anastasia Publix shopping plaza on A1A.

We chose this spot precisely because they claim to have the fluffiest, tastiest buttermilk pancakes on the Island" - but by the time we arrived (10:30 AM) they were already 86ed from the menu for the day!

Although disappointed, Dan, who doesn't eat eggs, settled instead on the Strawberry French Toast (shhh - don't tell him they are drenched in eggs before frying). He seemed satisfied with the outcome, but then I've never heard Dan complain about anything. It certainly looked lovely, with a healthy sprinkling of fresh strawberries.

Alison avoids wheat altogether, so her breakfast choice was a lovely omelette with home fries - which they were also out of, but the nice man behind the counter offered to make her some to order anyway. Score one for excellent customer service.

She asked for some fresh fruit to substitute for toast and the waitress told her they didn't have any - despite the obvious strawberries that go with the french toast, the ubiquitous orange wedge that adorns every plate, AND a lovely bunch of bananas sitting on the counter. 86 that excellent customer service score.

We laughed it off and she chose to try grits instead. Although the grits at the Sea Oats Caffe looked lovely and creamy, she's still not a fan. I ate a pretty decent orange-cranberry muffin and a couple of fried eggs. I'll spare you the pic. Coffee was forgettable and served in one of those stoneware mugs covered in ads for neighboring businesses.

I guess if I was staying nearby I might try this place again, but only for early breakfast before they have a chance to run out of their specialty items. Truth be told, I'd probably just grab a muffin from the counter and head over to the neighboring Starbucks for a Cinnamon Dolce Latte.

Sea Oats Caffe

(904) 471-7350

1075 A1a Beach Blvd
St Augustine Beach, FL 32080
www.seaoatscaffe.com

A lovely food related surprise in our all day shopping - gabbing - catching up fest was this awesome shop - The Spice & Tea Exchange where they hand-mix spices and seasonings with their own proprietary recipes right there in the store. Alison had just told me about a lovely tea infuser mug she had purchased on a bike-trek but had subsequently been broken. She was thrilled to find the exact same item in this store - and snapped it up post-haste!

I bought a few things for my holiday food-coma inducing rituals, including a packet of my favorite English Rib Rub - which makes the PERFECT succulent salty-sweet crust on a beef rib roast. Tried it out on chicken and it was great that way too! BTW - the St Augustine store is the original, but they do franchise, so seriously check them out - if you're in a well trafficked area where they haven't established a store yet - go for it!

The Spice & Tea Exchange

(877) OLD FLA 1 - (904) 826-3770
59 Hypolita Street
St. Augustine, FL 32084
www.spiceandtea.com

Just as we were noticing a general grumbling in the tummy area, we turned the corner onto St George Street and beheld a wondrous sign.

Alison and I used to go for lunch together often when I lived in St Louis. In the decade since then (where does the time go?) we've been known to share "virtual lunch" via email, and more recently, facebook. On this occasion, we shared an actual face-to-face lunch - IRL.

Now, for someone who is avoiding wheat and gluten, sandwiches are out of the question, but TACOS and NACHOS can really hit the spot.

Luckily for us - these weren't just any tacos or nachos...

The Burrito Works Taco Shop serves up freshly prepared tacos, nachos, burritos and more. There's even a concoction they call "Ninja Nic's Mexicake" but we were not that adventurous. Prices are reasonable and the service is fast!

Alison settled on Nachos, which she claimed were the best she's ever had.

We all know I can't resist a taco, so I had two! One shrimp, one pork, both Baja style with cabbage, onion, cilantro and lime.

LOVED the baja, and the fillings. Fresh and tasty, cabbage was crisp and the creamy sauce was a great accompaniment. The tortillas were less than stellar - white corn and not steamed or the freshest - but they got the job done.

The decor is college funky and the walls are covered in graffiti - they even hand out sharpies to diners so they can make their presence known.

I passed on that but Alison was happy to find a little spot in the corner to leave her mark. Would I return to the taco shop? Heck yeah! Snack central!

Burrito Works Taco Shop

(904) 823-1229
114 St George st
St Augustine, FL 32084
www.burritoworks.com

Our ultimate destination on this voyage was "The Hyppo" - a charming little shop on Hypolita -( hey, think that's how it got the name?) where the owners are purveying the ultimate in hipster-cool trend-forward dessert items - the humble Paleta.The establishment had been on my Urbanspoon Wishlist for some time, and I was thrilled to share it with my friend from the midwest.

On this Florida fall day (bright sunshine, temps in the high 70s) the treat was a welcome respite. The flavor options on these chilly gourmet goodies range from the basic to the sublime.

Being the hothead that I am, my selection was the Mango-Habanero. Silky smooth and sweet with a spicy back-beat and a touch of peppery heat. It was love at first bite.

Traditionalist Alison opted for the Pumpkin Cheesecake pop - a creamy dream of holiday festivities with just a touch of decadence. She liked it so much she returned the next day with her hubs Dan and enjoyed The Hyppo's fabulous Paletas all over again!

As for me, I'll be back - again, and again, and again.

See you in St Augustine, Beasties!

The Hyppo

(904) 217-7853

15 Hypolita St.
St Augustine, FL 32084

Intuition Ale Works - Hip Hops - Hooray!

2010-11-20T11:55:00.008-05:00

Now Brewing in Riverside

Jacksonville native Ben Davis shares his new line of locally made brews with you at the tap room at his Intuition Ale Works - which opens to the public today at 720 King Street in Riverside!

Come celebrate the Grand Opening - Saturday from 1:00pm to 10:00pm - with a variety of draft and cask ales - and wood-fired pizzas from Pele’s Fire Catering.

Sign up for the Intuition Ale Works Mug Club while you're there - benefits include discounts on beer and merchandise, special access to limited release brews, invitations to exclusive Mug Club events, and a bag of Intuition Ale Works gear.

After the Grand Opening on November 20th, the Intuition Ale Works tap room will be open from 1:00pm to 10:00pm Wednesdays to Saturdays. Takeaway kegs and growlers will be sold from the tap room. Pele’s Fire Catering will be parked outside the brewery Wednesday to Friday from 4:00pm to 10:00pm and Saturday from 1:00pm to 10:00pm and will sell pizzas, dips and salsas from their mobile wood-fired oven. (Y'all - no lie - these wood-fired pizzas and their dips and salsas are amazing - and what goes better with beer - right?)

Intuition Ale Works has teamed up with Movember Jax to support men’s health throughout the month of November.
On November 24th the brewery is hosting a Stache Bash and will donate 50 cents from every pint sold in the tap room to Movember. Donations benefit the Prostate Cancer Foundation and LIVESTRONG, the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

Here's the IAW lineup:

People’s Pale Ale
IAW's flagship beer is an American-style pale ale inspired by the hoppy pale ales of the West Coast. Features two-row malted barley, caramel malt, and wheat malt. Magnum hops for bittering and the traditional pale ale hops of Centennial and Cascade for flavoring and crisp, citrus aromas.

King Street Stout
This is a Southern-style imperial stout brewed with two-row malted barley, a variety of roasted and caramel malts, and brown sugar y’all. (I got a sneak peak of this one last week - It's sweet and mellow like a caramel macchiato, only better, because this one's made with BEER!)

Wild Child Wheat
This is an easy-drinking wheat beer influenced by the Wits or “White Ales” of Belgium. Brewed with Belgian Pilsner, flaked wheat, malted wheat and flaked oats. Czech noble hops compliment the traditional Wit spices of coriander and bitter orange peel on the nose of this incredibly delicious beer.

I-10 IPA
The West Coast comes to Jax with this extremely hoppy, true India Pale Ale. Our two-row malted barley and caramel malt come to life with a ?@!#-ton of Northwest hops. It’s music to your nose.

Imperial Red Ale
An aggressively hopped, high gravity red ale. Brewed with two-row malted barley, caramel malt, and chocolate malt. Magnum hops for bittering and Simcoe hops for flavoring, aroma, and dry-hopping.

Pollo Tropical Comes to Town Center

2010-11-17T22:33:00.002-05:00

Pollo Tropical, famous for its citrus-marinated grilled chicken and Caribbean flavors, is bringing a taste of the tropics to Jacksonville with the grand opening of its restaurant at 4863 Gate Parkway at the St. John's Town Center.

Be one of the first customers in line November 22, starting at 10:30 a.m., and receive a free voucher for a Family Meal - featuring a whole grilled chicken, choice of two sides and rolls.

Chicken lovers can take advantage of free Pollo Tropical offers by texting "POLLO104" to 30241 or logging on to www.pollotropical.com/contest to sign up for Pollo Reward$. Everyone who signs up between November 20 to 29 will be automatically entered for a chance to win Free Chicken For a Year.

Serious Sandwiches - Pork Arepa - Mi Pueblo Bakery

2010-11-13T15:01:00.011-05:00

If you haven't been to Mi Pueblo Bakery on Beach Boulevard - you're missing some mighty fine fresh pastries, breads, etc. - Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, Columbian, they've got it. GREAT prices, friendly, knowledgeable proprietors.

We stopped in this morning for a breakfast treat. LOVE their Pork or Chicken Arepas and Empanadas, but my favorite is their Bunuelos.


Love soft, warm, cheesy buñuelos? Your search ends here, mi amigo!

Guava and cheese filled pastry

They have many regional specialty pastries and cookies.

Empanadas de Carne are filled with warm shredded beef and soft potatoes.

Mi Pueblo Bakery

11969 Beach Boulevard
Jacksonville, FL 32246

One Fish, Two Fish, Lunch Returns To Blue Fish!

2010-11-12T12:22:00.000-05:00

Woot! Great news!

The Blue Fish in Avondale is

resuming lunch service

Monday November 15!

11:00 - 2:00 Monday - Saturday.

See you there!

Celebrate: National Donut Day!

2010-11-05T11:24:00.000-04:00

It's National Sandwich Day! Eat UP!

2010-11-03T15:58:00.004-04:00

Creating a Stir - 27th Annual Caring Chefs

2010-10-30T08:17:00.003-04:00

Wow. Last weekend was one for the books. The 27th Annual Caring Chefs event at The Avenues Mall in Jax - featuring scores of tastings from local restaurants - raised $104,220 for the children and families served by the Children's Home Society of Florida's Buckner Division. Want an idea of how many people it takes to get a project like this event off the ground? If you were there - congrats for a job well done. If you missed it, get it on your calendar for 2011. Seriously! Check out their list of sponsors and participating restaurants!

I love this event - I always find new places (and old favorites) to visit based on who we met and what we tasted there. Because they cared enough to take time out of their busy weekends to really embrace the spirit of this event, I am looking forward to my next visits to culinary standouts Bistro Aix, Blue Bamboo, bb's, Cafe Nola, The Grape, Galangal Thai, The Reef, Soul Food Bistro, Tacolu - and more!


Chef Tom Gray and the Crew from Bistro Aix served a luscious lamb risotto with butternut squash puree - a pure taste of autumn.


Roy's Hawaiian Fusion delighted me by bringing along my new fave appetizer - Golden Lobster Potstickers! According to a fellow taster - it's like a little lobster doused itself in butter and exploded in your mouth.

The folks from The Grape brought these amazing lamb chops and their killer Lobster Mac & Cheese. I almost had to wrestle someone to make sure my friend Jodi from Eat Jax got a taste of this. If you haven't tried it, run, do not walk to The Grape, at the St Johns Town Center.


Shellfish stew from The Reef was salty-sweet and generous. LOVED the brothy, briny goodness.


Taco Lu was out in full force with a fabulous beef taco - such great, fresh flavors. GREAT to see the BEACHES rep'd so nicely there!


Tacolu gets into the spirit with their Dia de los Muertos display. Looking for a place to honor and celebrate lost loved ones this weekend? Taco LU!


bb's proffered this elegant bite of braised meat with pearl barley and pomegranate "risotto" - another harbinger of fall.


Galangal Thai offered tastes of their Chicken Yum Salad and lovely Steamed Sea Bass.

Blue Bamboo's Dennis Chan was serving his Hip Asian Comfort Food - I loved the sweet heat in this cold noodle salad.


Jacksonville Golf and Country Club chefs brought their molecular gastronomy exhibit, and among the standouts in the dessert category was this little semifreddo cone - flash frozen on demand. Yum!

See you next year, beasties!

Farm To Table Dinner - Supporting Beaches Local Food Network

2010-10-29T11:29:00.002-04:00

There are a few spots left - Join the Beaches Local Food Network at their Farm To Table Dinner Fundraiser to support their proposed Children's Gardening Program!

This celebration of local foods will be an evening to remember. The five course meal will be created by five outstanding local chefs using locally-sourced ingredients. Also included are hors d' oeuvres and organic wines and the opportunity to get to know your farmers personally!

Check out the lineup here

Saturday, November 6th

Augustine Grille, Sawgrass Marriott

$150 per person
Supports: BLFN's Children's Gardening Program
Contact: Gretchen Ferrell, beachesgreenmarket@yahoo.com; (904) 270-0273

Mambo's Cuban Bistro - Eat Your Heart Out, Fidel.

2010-10-23T21:18:00.002-04:00


Thanks to Amy Lyn for recommending this great new Cuban joint in Jax Beach! LOVED the Media Noche De Pierna - I'll be back soon to try the Cuban Sandwich!

Smoke 'em if you got 'em!

2010-10-21T08:56:00.000-04:00

Octoberfest at RAM

2010-10-16T09:28:00.004-04:00

I'm off - to stalk (in a nice way, natch) Celeb chef La Moulton at the Aetna Healthy Food Fight cookoff at the Riverside Arts Market

PLUS - it's Octoberfest, so BEER ALL DAY at the market - the good kind, too!

Woot - see you there, Beasties!

Aloha Roy's - My New Happy Place

2010-10-11T13:03:00.002-04:00

Aloha Hour at Roy's - Fresh Hawaiian Specialty Cocktails are $5 each!

Earlier this week, someone suggested that blogging about food must be a glamorous job. First, let me say, the food is great, but sitting alone at the keyboard, nibbling on toaster pastries and trying to conjure up the words to describe last night's dinner is far from glamourous. And then there is the fact that this isn't actually my job. While some people do make a living at this, I am not one of them. That having been said, it is not without its rewards. Like the opportunity to visit with a friend while we sample our way through an entire appetizer menu, sip some swanky cocktails and snap pics of absolutely everything without fear of our fellow diners looking down their noses at us.

Even better, nirvana, in fact, is when each and every item we sample is spot on super-fabulous. The highlight of last week was just such an experience - courtesy of the fine folks at Roy's in Jacksonville Beach.

General Manager JP Diedrich and Chef Patrick "Opie" Crooks made us feel like a couple of culinary queens as they treated us to a taste of Aloha - samples of every dish on their Aloha Hour menu - specialty cocktails, glasses of featured wines and menu items for just $5 each - served Sunday through Friday 4:30pm - 6:30pm in their bar. My thanks to them, the amazing Jodi behind the bar, and the whole Roy's crew for a great, dare I say even glamorous experience! From the minute the invite came, we were hotly anticipating the event - in large part because two of the items feature one of our favorite ingredients - the humble LOBSTER. Yes, it deserves all caps.

LOBSTER California Roll sounds sweet and luscious - and it is just that. Beautiful little rolls of sweet chilled LOBSTER filling, smooth avocado, the cool crunch of cucumber - the textures combine to create a great little bite. As is true of most of the items in this post, but let's just say this once, this and a cocktail would make a great light meal.

HOWEVER - you might want to go with both sushi offerings on the Aloha Hour menu - just to experience the great contrast in texture and tastes.

The Tempura Crusted Ahi Roll is so rich - still slightly warm from the fryer - the soft, savory crunch of the crust and the sweet sticky rice, the richness of the Miso butter sauce - I'm looking at my watch right now and wishing it were closer to Aloha Hour.

Crunchy Golden Lobster Potstickers, Togarashi Miso Butter

Once we got through with our "sushi course" a lovely duo of Calamari and Crunchy Golden LOBSTER Potstickers graced the table. Pardon my use of all caps when referring to LOBSTER. Have you ever ordered a dish with LOBSTER as a featured ingredient and finished it wondering where in the heck they stashed it in the mix? This is definitely NOT one of those dishes. It's a mouth full of buttery, delicious warm LOBSTER. When I got my first full taste, my eyes flew wide open and my mouth sang the Crustacean Chorus. The only disappointment is that they come three to a plate, which is plenty because they are so rich, but when you're sharing, the temptation to stab your table-mates with a fork to keep them from nabbing that last one is just too great. Luckily my friend Jodi from EAT JAX was resourceful enough to suggest we split it. They are just that good. Seriously, if you love LOBSTER as I do, get your own, and guard it with your cutlery.

Sharing the next dish was much easier and quite enjoyable. The Salt and Pepper Crisped (fancy culinary speak for fried) Calamari surprised us both with its light, tender texture and the savory, citrusy sauce that just coats it without collapsing those lovely crunchy rings. It was billed as "Unique Hawaiian Fusion Sauce" so naturally we were compelled to ask for details.

Apparently the sauce can change with the season and may be different from location to location as well. Chef Opie makes this one with a combination of lemon and lime juices, fish sauce, Thai chile sauce and water, then hits it with some sliced red onion and an herb chiffonade. I was more than pleased with the result but I won't be attempting to recreate it at home any time soon, since I can just pop in to Roy's at Aloha Hour and get more!

Roy's Exhibition Kitchen - it's like porn for foodies!

One of my favorite aspects of Roy's is the open "exhibition" kitchen - glowing and sleek - it is the heart of the room. I love to watch my food being prepared whenever I have the chance - it gives me a deeper appreciation and understanding of the dish.

Our knowledgeable bar manager Jodi (I didn't get her card, so I don't know if I'm spelling her name right) walked us through most of the preparations and suggested pairings from the extensive wine and specialty cocktail list. Indulgent offerings, yes. Expensive? Not during Aloha Hour! At just $5 each, most of the specialty drinks are more than half-off from 4:30 - 6:30 pm. I'm seriously putting Roy's on the rotation for at least a weekly pop-in.

Szechuan Grilled Beef Tenderloin Skewers, Kim Chee

Should the dishes described thus far leave you wondering "Where's the beef?" - this next section is just for you.
Roy's Szechuan Grilled Beef Tenderloin Skewers rest on a little pile of freshly prepared Kim Chee - and the meat is some of the tenderest tenderloin you'll ever taste. Savory and sweet from the light glaze, they are complimented by the peppery-hot-salty-tangy bites of Kim Chee. I'm thinking a robust red wine or a craft beer would make a great pairing here. I polished it off with a Pomegranate Patrón Mojito - Tangy pomegranate shaken with Patrón Silver Tequila and mint.

Wagyu Beef Sliders with Garlic Sweet Potato Fries

Lastly, as if we had room left in our stomachs at this point, came the tender and flavorful Wagyu Beef Sliders with Caramelized Onions, Chipotle Aioli and Garlic Sweet Potato Fries. The beef in these little gems just melts in your mouth. Here I go again, but for $5 - this is a meal in and of itself. I couldn't help thinking "suck it, Mickey D, I'm eating Roy's Waygu beef sliders from here on in." Ask for some extra Aioli for the perfectly cooked and seasoned fries - it takes them over the top.

Well, what's left to say about the whole Aloha Hour experience? Just get there and get yourself to a happy place. Don't worry about trying to choose the right thing - they are all good - or as Jodi put it - "there's not a clunker in the bunch." It had been a while since I've been to Roy's, despite the fact that I live close by. Yet always in the back of my mind lurked the pleasant memory of Roy’s Original Hawaiian Martini - with those luscious infused Maui pineapples, SKYY Vodka, Stoli Vanil and Malibu Coconut Rum. The Aloha Hour menu will keep me coming back.

Treat yourself to a taste of Aloha soon, and say Aloha to your friendly neighborhood blogger-chick if you see me in there sipping and munching away - and you will.

Roy's
2400 3rd St S
Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250
www.roysrestaurant.com

27th Annual Caring Chefs

2010-10-04T12:15:00.000-04:00

THE food-tasting event that started it all!

Proceeds benefit the Children's Home Society of Florida.

Visit more than 50 of the best restaurants in town all in one night - Besides some great food and wine, there's much more entertainment including three live bands - be there or be a dodecahedron!

Sunday, Oct. 24, 2010

7-9:30 p.m.

The Avenues Mall

Get your tickets NOW!

2010-10-03T09:30:00.000-04:00

Lunch At Jackson's - Go Big Or Go Home!

2010-09-27T22:07:00.006-04:00

A welcome addition to the lunch and dinner options on King Street in Jacksonville's Riverside neighborhood is Jackson's.

When I lunch I'm not always watching the clock, so I've come to consider Jackson's a place to come and relax for a leisurely lunch. I read or catch up on my active Words With Friends games and enjoy the relaxed ambiance.

Service is friendly and the kitchen pumps the food out fast enough considering its all made from scratch on the premises.

Let's start with the burgers - 8 oz of handcrafted USDA Black Angus beef - served with all the fixin's and a piping hot side of fries - it's to die for.

I love the Blue Cheese Burger - $7.75 Thick and delicious and stacked with fresh toppings.

The "NY Style" Reuben (pictured above)is a bargain at $7.95

For the Chicken lover - there is a seriously HUGE Chicken Salad Sandwich - $7.95 and something called the Snow Bird - with thick slices of chicken breast and avocado.

Salads, soups, wings, rings and fried 'shrooms round out the pub-grub menu.

On each visit I've been treated to a lagniappe - usually a tasting portion of their "guaranteed" chicken gumbo. And every time, I really want to like it. But it breaks down like this - thick, brown roux with the occasional shred of chicken or sliver of onion. The flavor is "brown" and texture is what I imagine concrete to be like before it is set. We ordered a cup of it on one visit and couldn't get even halfway through it. Not that it's bad, its just too, well, beige. No matter - the real star of the show at Jackson's is their delicious sandwiches.

The building renovations at Jackson's have revealed a warm interior with exposed brick walls and mosaic tiled floors. Warm wood tones, black tablecloths and prints of vintage sports teams complete the urban casual look and feel of the place.

They were open for breakfast for a brief stint, and we hope they will be again some time soon. Until then we'll settle for lunch at Jackson's - meet you on King Street!

Kentucky Hot Brown - A 1920's Classic!

2010-09-27T00:00:00.000-04:00

The creation of Chef Fred Schmidt of the Brown Hotel in Louisville, KY, the Hot Brown is an open face sandwich featuring turkey and bacon, smothered in Mornay Sauce and cheese, then baked or broiled until bubbly hot and browned. Tomato adds a light note to this truly decadent and SERIOUS SANDWICH.

Special thanks to old friend, photographer extraordinaire (and fellow foodie) David Francis of Lexington, Kentucky, for this mouthwatering photo of a classic Hot Brown from Spud's Tavern in Lexington.

Apparently the Hot Brown is the American cousin to the Welsh Rarebit. I first encountered it when I lived in Cincinnati - where it was referred to as a "Kentucky" Hot Brown. I gather that in Kentucky they just call it a Hot Brown. I call it over-the-top cheese-a-licious.

2010-09-24T14:47:00.000-04:00

Serious Sandwiches

2010-09-24T14:06:00.005-04:00

Seafood Summer has come to an end, although it is still pretty warm here in Ponte Vedra, and let's face it, seafood is always in fashion at the beach!

My new favorite thing to obsess over is: SANDWICHES!
Who know there were so many great ones out there? I'm gonna do my best to share some of my faves with you - and I hope you'll do the same!

Jacksonville and the Beaches - Where do you go for a great sandwich?

And for my out-of-town friends - If the beasties came road-tripping through your area - where and what is the one sandwich they should seek out?

Saucy Mama's Cubanitos

2010-09-15T23:33:00.003-04:00

Just for fun - we entered an online recipe contest and developed these delicious party noshes - a take on the traditional cuban sandwich, using not one but THREE Saucy Mama products from the folks at Barhyte Foods and the Saucy Mama Cafe! The pics were a hit on facebook so we thought we'd share here. Enjoy!

A saucy take on a Cuban classic starts with slow roasted Saucy Mama Peppered Pork Loin

3 + pounds boneless pork loin

1 bottle Saucy Mama Cracked Pepper Marinade
juice of one lime

Puncture meat all over to create openings for marinade. Pour one bottle of Saucy Mama Cracked Pepper Marinade and the fresh lime juice in a large plastic zip top bag along with the pork loin, close and shake to coat. Set the bag in a shallow pan and marinate overnight in the refrigerator, turning a few times to allow marinade to permeate. When ready to cook, bring to room temperature.

Remove pork from the bag and place in a shallow glass baking dish. Pour on the remaining marinade and bake in a 350 degree oven until internal temperature has reached 165 (approx. 2 hrs.) Remove from oven and allow to rest until meat is cool enough to slice. You could do this a day ahead – If so I recommend thinly slicing the meat, returning it to the pan to absorb the juices and brown peppery goodness, then storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you are ready to use. Bring to room temperature before you proceed.

Assemble the sandwiches.

Cuban Sandwiches

3 + loaves Cuban Bread
2 lbs thinly sliced deli ham
2 lbs sliced Swiss cheese
1 Jar Saucy Mama Chipotle Mustard
1 Jar sliced pickles - your favorite
1 Jar Saucy Mama Jalapeno Stuffed Green Olives
24 small wooden skewers

Authentic Cuban loaves work best but if you can’t find them, French baguettes will do.

Slice the loaf lengthwise and flatten both halves slightly with your palms or a heavy skillet. You may want to remove some of the white bread from the inside top of the loaf, to allow more room for the delicious fillings. Brush each cut side liberally with Saucy Mama Chipotle Mustard, and lay them cut side up on the board. Line with fillings –sliced swiss cheese, peppered roast pork, sliced ham, then the pickles. More cheese on top, then pull the two halves together and cut into two equal pieces (to get into the press or skillet).

Toast sandwich in a panini press or large skillet (oil if needed for your cooking utensil – I don’t add any and it comes out fine as long as you watch and don’t scorch it). You just want a good crunch on the bread and melting of the cheese. Once it is toasted to your liking, remove the halves to the cutting board and skewer them through the top with short skewers topped with a Saucy Mama Jalapeno Stuffed Olive. Each half loaf can be cut into four small slices of sandwich – each with a skewer to hold it together.

For 24 pieces you will need to use 3 whole loaves of bread – but I caution you – you’ll want leftovers!

OMG Sara Moulton Coming To Jax

2010-09-07T09:29:00.000-04:00

Are you America’s healthiest cook?

PROVE IT!

Healthy Food Fight Jacksonville

Riverside Arts Market
Riverwalk under the Fuller Warren Bridge, Jacksonville, FL
October 15 and 16
Friday 4 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Saturday 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Riverside Arts Market (RAM) will feature the Aetna Healthy Food Fight’s regional competition, showcasing two full days of food preparation competitions and celebrity chef judge Sara Moulton!

(I'll be there - not cooking healthy, just stalking la Moulton!)