12.30.2009

TPA Pit Stop #2

It's a readily known fact, I'll risk missing a flight to stop at Alessi's on the way to the airport. I had to stop myself from Alessi A.D.D. - I wanted to get a deviled crab (or 3), a Cuban sandwich, cupcakes, guava turnovers, Napoleans and eclairs... I settled on 1 deviled crab and a few mini-eclairs.

Please, please TSA, do not confiscate my foodie booty until the last bite.

TPA Pit Stop #1

Florida Girl heading back to DC plays games with TSA... Stopped at Publix to pick up 2 loaves of Casino Bakery Cuban bread. I've stuffed it in my duffel bag and am praying it makes it back to my freezer in DC to provide me with breakfast Cuban toast for weeks to come.

12.29.2009

Best Bites Emeritus: Tampa Bay

Over lunch today, Tampa Tribune food writer Jeff Houck and I were reminiscing about great Tampa food over the ages. Here are the ones that stick out in my memory. A few are even still around...

Alessi Bakery
Alessi's has been a staple of my foodie life in Tampa. Still located on Cypress (though massively expanded), Alessi's has great cubans, deviled crabs and sweets as far as the eye can see. My standard order was the Cream Horn and my brother got Napoleans. It's a great stop on the way to see the Bucs play... or heading to the airport as I am tomorrow. (I plan on buying Cuban bread and smuggling it past TSA to my freezer in Washington, DC)

Babe's Pizza

Double decker pizzas, giant red plastic glasses of coke and a train running around the ceiling are my memories of Babe's growing up. This was where everyone went in Brandon after baseball games... back when there was nary a chain restaurant in Brandon (to think at one time, the pinnacle of foodie bliss for me was when Bennigan's opened on Highway 60!)

Crabby Bill's
When my birthday rolled around each year and I got to pick where I wanted to eat, Crabby Bill's in Indian Rocks Beach, FL. The original, old school Crabby Bill's was a great dive across from the beach where people crammed together at picnic tables. I'd order up a bucket of crabs and dig in.

The Columbia

The Columbia's been a tradition in my family for a LONG time. It opened in 1905 and my parents went when they were growing up. It was considered "fancy"... our schools took field trips there to eat paella and watch flamenco dancers. Every year, they roll back the prices to their original 1905 rates on a few items (this is when my family would go!) and people stand in line for HOURS. I'm not a fan of any of the locations except the gorgeous original in Ybor City. And, no Tampa food list of the ages would be correct without it.

La Teresita
I've been around one year longer than West Tampa staple, La Teresita. I miss the quaint old supermarket/cafe now that they've built a huge new restaurant, but the same family runs it, the same great old Cuban men frequent it, and they serve up quality Cuban food.

The Old Meeting House - CLOSED
As a kid, both sets of grandparents lived in South Tampa. (We had moved to Brandon... which was like another planet back then...)

When we'd come in to visit, my brother and I would beg to go to The Old Meeting House on Howard Avenue. I loved climbing up on the stools and ordering sundaes, cones and milkshakes. I don't know why, but I remember Nana's favorite was coffee ice cream and I was shocked that I liked it (I hated coffee back then... pre-Starbucks addiction.) I've linked to the site selling their formula to restaurants and distributors, but sadly, there's no way for fans to get access... YET. (Listen up Whole Foods!)

Seabreeze Restaurant - CLOSED
My dad used to take me down where the boats came in to Tampa bay and get piping hot fresh deviled crabs from The Seabreeze Restaurant. They were wrapped in paper and I'd dip it into hot sauce on the side. I think I realized it was gone on a visit from college and I was so bummed. Several places make a decent stab at this in Tampa still, but nothing comes close to those Seabreeze deviled crabs. The great thing is that in researching this post, I learned that there's a cookbook with the recipe that exists. I emailed the author and am hoping to buy the book ASAP! (Hyperlinked in the Seabreeze title if you'd like to do the same.)

The Original Silver Ring - CLOSED
This was the gold standard for Cuban sandwiches while I was growing up in Tampa. It closed for a decade and then reopened. I hear it's not the same, but worth a shot on my next visit when I blog my quest for the Best Cuban in Tampa Bay. (Readers have suggested Brocato's, La Septima, Tropicana, La Segunda, Wright's Gourmet House, Hugo's & Carmines... I clearly have my work cut out for me.)

What'd I miss?

12.27.2009

Florida Farmers Market, December 2009

Where I grew up in Florida is near a lot of farms. Let's put it this way, we got off of school for the Florida Strawberry Festival... , so a Christmas Eve drop-by of a roadside farmers market was a fun photo excursion for this DC gal that has to wait for markets on the weekend.

Here are a few of the items that were for sale:


L to R: Avocados, Grapefruit, Strawberries, Kumquats, Okra, Potatoes, Peppers, Sugarcane, Tangerines, More Peppers, Fresh Strawberry Milkshakes, October Beans, More Strawberries, The Front of the Market

Christmas Dinner 2009

I planned and cooked Christmas dinner for 8 this year. It all worked out pretty well (aside from the *dramatic* oil spatters that greeted our guests as a tossed cauliflower, which apparently still had water on it, into hot olive oil!) Here was the menu:

STARTERS
Harvest Hummus & Baba Ghanoush with Pita Chips & Carrots


SALAD
Arugula, Pomegranate & Goat Cheese with Balsamic Vinaigrette


MAIN COURSE
Grilled Salmon & Asparagus


Butternut Squash & Vanilla Risotto


Pan-Roasted Cauliflower
* This was super easy and the lemon hint is amazing.


Creamed Spinach


DESSERT
Wesson Oil Chocolate Cake & Strawberries

12.25.2009

Creamed Spinach

This one's an ode to the Creamed Spinach at Smith & Wollensky which made me stop turning my nose up at the green stuff... I took pieces from recipes by Emeril, someone knocking off Boston Market and my intuition (ie heavy on the cream and cheese).

Creamed Spinach

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons margarine or butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan/Romano cheese
2 small shallots, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 to 2 tablespoons butter
2 packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
panko or breadcrumbs
salt and pepper

1. Combine flour and butter in saucepan; heat and stir to make roux.

2. Add heavy cream and cheese to the roux.

3. In another pot, saute shallots and garlic in butter until they start to turn transluscent; add spinach.

4. Cook 8 minutes, or until spinach is hot.

5. Add white sauce and mix thoroughly. Add salt and pepper.

6. Place in casserole dish and top with breadcrumbs & sprinkles of cheese.

Note: You can make this ahead and reheat in a casserole (sprinkle with buttered bread crumbs).

12.24.2009

Wesson Oil Chocolate Cake

This may be the worst name for a cake that tastes good, but this is an easy staple from my Mom's kitchen that looks gorgeous.



Wesson Oil Chocolate Cake
3 c flour
6 tbsp cocoa powder
2 c sugar
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 c cold water
3/4 c Wesson Oil
2 tbsp vinegar
2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. Add liquid ingredients. Combine until smooth.

2. If using glass pan, bake at 325 for 50 minutes. If using a metal pan, cook at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. [Note: I used 2 9 inch metal pans to make a layer cake, but you can also do in a 13 inch rectangle pan.]

Icing
2 squares chocolate
2 c sugar
1/2 c milk
1/2 c butter
2 tbsp white syrup (Karo)

1. Mix ingredients for icing together in a sauce pan. Bring to a low boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and drizzle over cake. Let set.

* May be made ahead. Which is fabulous for a Christmas day dessert!

Anyone ever eaten Buddha's Hand?

What do you do with it?

Here's Chowhound's thread... readers say there's not much fruit but you can use it like a zest, make a marmalade, or an aromatic liquor like lemoncello (Buddhacello?) or citrus infused vodka (via WhiteOnRiceCouple.com)...

12.23.2009

Spinach Artichoke Dip

This one of the easiest recipes that I've been whipping up for parties since college.

Spinach Artichoke Dip
1 can artichoke hearts, diced
1 package frozen, chopped spinach - drained well
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1 cup parmesan cheese
Bag of tortilla chips or pita chips, crackers or cut raw vegetables for dipping

1. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

2. Transfer to a baking dish

3. Cook for about 20 minutes at 375 degrees until top is bubbly.

4. Serve with chips, crackers or vegetables on the side for dipping.

12.20.2009

Sweet Potato Panko Patties

On snow day #3, a survey of the pantry uncovered the following ingredients



I decided to save the acorn squash for another day and whip up some Sweet Potato Panko Patties. Here's how I did it:

Sweet Potato Panko Patties
1 large sweet potato (makes about 4 cups of shreds)
1 onion (I used about half of a large white onion)
2 eggs
1 c panko bread crumbs
safflower oil
salt
pepper

Using a vegetable peeler, remove the skin of the sweet potato and shred. Place shreds into a bowl and toss with freshly ground salt & pepper. Dice onion and mix in with the sweet potato shreds. Crack 2 eggs and scramble. Add to the sweet potato & onion mixture. Add 1 c panko breadcrumbs to the mixture. Combine.

Heat frying pan with safflower or other high heat oil to medium high. (Depending on your oven... you want it hot enough to immediately start bubbling and browning the patties... but if the first one burns, turn it down a notch.)

In another bowl, add dry panko breadcrumbs. Form patties with the shredded mixture and cover them in panko breadcrumbs on the outside.



Drop hand-formed patties into the oil.


As the edges turn brown flip them over. Remove from heat and set aside on a paper towel covered plate. They are ready to eat as the cool, but also re-heat well in a toaster oven if you have any leftover. (My batch made about 18 total)



Serving suggestion: These are great as a snack or appetizer. You could pair with a sour cream on the side to dip. Mine are going on the side of some baby-back ribs. Enjoy!

Snowday Menu: May Be Harmful to Your Health

I like to think I'm an adventurous home chef, but there's something about a record snow storm that brings out the sloth in all of us.

For 24 hours, nary a vegetable nor protein was consumed.

It started out Friday night... As flurries fell, my BF hit Harris Teeter and came home loaded up with Krispy Kremes, coffee, candy, chips and Velveeta mac-n-cheese. My higher brow palate was simultaneously celebrating my friend Ginger's birthday at West End Bistro. When I saw the first snowfall, I called the server over and ordered a mac-n-cheese to go and my bill.

I present you with our Saturday Snowday Menu:

Breakfast: Dunkin Donuts original blend, accompanied by a duo of Glazed and Chocolate Glazed Krispy Kreme donuts.


Lunch: Mac-n-Cheese from West End Bistro

Dinner: Mac-n-Cheese from West End Bistro, followed by dessert of Nerds


Champs. Thanks the Lord that 8 farmers made it to the Dupont Circle Farmers Market today. If you're anything like me, the only thing you want more than someone to shovel your car out is a giant crunchy salad.

12.19.2009

Things Floridians Love: Snow Days



Don't get me wrong, in four days I'll be happily in Florida wearing bikinis and flip flops... but a nice fluffy snow day to play in once in a while is fun!

I equate snow days to hurricane days. Sure, they can be dangerous and messy... but you usually don't have to work, and as long as the electricity stays on and you have food & booze, they are a lot of fun. Occasionally.

PS. Awesome job by the US Postal Service also... nor rain, nor sleet, nor snow...

12.17.2009

Sushi & Champagne

One of my favorite pairings is sushi and champagne. Cheers to celebrating my friend Stacy's birthday... And enjoying a lil Moet & Current Sushi.

Also cool. A sushi chef with a blowtorch:


Current Sushi, 1215 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC Reservations: Open Table

12.13.2009

Things The Psychic Said

For what it's worth, here was the gist of my palm reading today. I'm a skeptic, but she got a lot of things right.

1. I'm going to live a long life.
2. I'm traveling soon (me: for the holidays[, duh]... her: yes, but then also in January[, smart ass]). Advice: Make sure to do what you want to, not just what others want you to do.
3. This vegetarian thing is apparently going to be lifelong, but I have to make sure I get enough iron.
4. I'm going to have one pregnancy, but possibly 2 kids. I'll be fertile til 43.
5. I'm not done with my education.
6. I'm going to have 3 careers (cool - what's next after politics and communications!?!?)
7. Spring is gonna be complicated, but things will even out in the summer.
8. I had a "divorce", but am now with my soulmate.

I'm definitely going to be watching to see what comes. But, it was a fun experience and I felt like in addition to nailing some things that I didn't think were obvious, she gave good advice. Great idea for a girls gathering!

Source: Psychic Readings by Crystal in Georgetown, DC by appointment 202-841-6936

Gift Guide for Vegetarians

Longer term readers know that I've been committed this year to eating more locally sourced vegetables. It's been a fun, healthy journey that's brought me closer to my community, made me more aware of what I'm eating and introduced me to a whole new world of tastes.

As a Southerner, I still revere anything that involved cheese and bacon... and as a Floridian, I still eat a LOT of seafood... but I'm now much savvier about asking the source of any meats that I eat. And I've found that contrary to most of my 30-something year mindset - I actually do like vegetables. It matters that they are fresh and how you cook them. So, as I look to grow my veggie skills, here are my most wanted gifts for aspiring vegetarians:

The Conscious Cook by Tal Ronnen

This best seller has been given the stamp of approval by everyone from Oprah to Epicurious. I'm hoping for a copy to expand the range of vegetarian recipes & techniques that are crowd-pleasers to non-vegetarian palates.

Spice Rack & Grinder

Spices make a huge difference in the taste of vegetables and vegetable-centric cooking. I love the idea of this snappy little rack that has built in grinders... fresh ground spices smell and taste so much better!

The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone

Vegetarians I know have been raving about this book. I'm hoping that in addition to 3 levels of "veg" recipes, I'll learn more about the food industry and keep me on course for eating less meat - for my bod, and for the environment.

Ceramic Knives

I'm no expert, but I'm hearing good things about ceramic knives. The advantage, they say, for vegetarians is that the ceramic doesn't brown vegetables. Either way, this pink one from Kyocera is downright adorable and has the added benefit of helping the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Win-win!

Clean Food: A Seasonal Guide to Eating Close to the Source with More Than 200 Recipes for a Healthy and Sustainable You by Terry Walters

If there's one thing that's changed the most about me in 2009, it's been my increased focus on eating local. Let's put it this way, in 2008, I'd never heard the word "locavore", didn't write a food blog, and mainly went to the farmers market to buy flowers. This promises to be a great resource to keep growing my knowledge of locally sourced ingredients and recipes.

Mandoline

Getting vegetables into the right size and shape is more fun and appealing with one of these sweet mandolines. A rookie like me can't slice and dice like a pro... this bad boy would come in QUITE handy for my farmers market escapades.

12.12.2009

Risotto 2 Ways

Got two different tastes to feed? Try making risotto and mixing in the ingredients - right at the end in each individual serving bowl.

On the left (mine), with parmesan cheese, portabello mushrooms, kale and grape tomatoes. (I just tossed the vegetables over medium heat with olive oil and cracked pepper for about 3 minutes)

On the right (his), with soy chorizo and crumbled feta cheese. (Heat the chorizo in the pan after you take the vegetables out.)

Gift Guide: Statement Rings

What is it that I love about these rings? The whimsy, the conversation-starter, the fun, the ridiculousness? Either way, I love the extra punch whether I'm wearing a t-shirt & jeans or an LBD. Here are a few of my faves that I've seen lately:

Kimberly Baker's Octopus Ring

Source: KimberlyBaker.com Retail $358

Kenneth Jay Lane Snake Ring

Source: ShopBop.com Retail $220

Rachel Roy's Lips Ring

Source: Macys.com Retail $38

Robert Lee Morris for Elizabeth & James Twig Cluster Ring

Source: KristaK.com Retail $395

Noir Iguana Ring

Source: Cusp.com Retail $!50

Forever21 Wild Daisy Ring

Source: Forever21.com Retail $4.80

12.10.2009

Gift Guide: Cruisers

As I've previously blogged, I'm obsessed with cruiser bikes. Yes, I know it's impractical in winter in DC... but I'm a Florida girl and *dammit* girls love impractical, fabulous gifts (or at least I do!)

Here are a few of my faves with their sources in case you're lookin' for one for your gal. (Also, the Arlington Farmers & Antique Market on Saturdays has a used bike vendor that sometimes has great deals on cruisers.)


The Electra "Betty" 3 Speed Cruiser




By Cynthia Rowley


Paul Frank Cruiser at Target.com (they also have a pink Hello Kitty one! Yes, I'm 30 something - don't judge!)

Sources: Electra, Beach Bikes & even Target!

BONUS POINTS for a bell and a basket!

12.09.2009

Israeli Couscous with Soy Chorizo, Feta & Veggies

Trader Joe's Israeli Couscous has become a staple of my pantry. It's quick, easy, inexpensive and tastes fantastic with just about any veggies, cheese or proteins that you mix in. By tweet request (thanks for reading @tagmut), here's the recipe for today's version:

Ingredients:
1 box Trader Joe's Israeli Couscous (this couscous is more like pearl pasta or risotto mouth feel than a grain mouth feel)
cubed or crumpled feta
kale (would also work with arugula, spinach or other greens)
mushrooms (any kind are fine)
grape tomatoes
soy chorizo - you can get this at Trader Joes or in the vegetable aisle at my Giant... if you don't see it, ask your grocer to order... it's AWESOME (or other protein)
salt
pepper
olive oil
vegetable broth (could use just water, but I think the broth adds more flavor for the couscous to soak up)

Directions
Drizzle olive oil in 2 quart sauce pan and crank medium hot heat. Add couscous and stir. Continue cooking until it starts to brown (about 5 minutes). Boil vegetable broth (I just popped it in the microwave for a couple of minutes while I was stirring). Slowly add broth to couscous. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover. (Resist urge to continue stirring and leave it alone.) Cook down for 12 minutes.

In a saute pan (or frying pan) on medium heat, drizzle olive oil. Cut veggies into bite sized pieces and add to the pan. Cook 3-5 minutes until the colors really pop. Set aside. Add chorizo to the pan, heat thouroughly, set aside. Crumble feta, set aside.


Sorry for the blurry Blackberry photo. I promise to get a proper camera and learn food photography in 2010.

Once your veggies, cheeses and proteins are ready to go... it should be just about time for the couscous to be done. Scoop a hefty portion of couscous into a bowl and add your "sides" to taste, plus a little fresh ground salt & pepper.

Enjoy!

12.08.2009

The Great Whiskey Debate: Scotch v Bourbon



Last night it was the Scots vs the Yanks at The Great Whiskey Debate. Hosted by Beam Global Spirits & Wine and Agraria Farmers & Fishers to benefit Operation Homefront, lucky attendees like myself got to sample whiskey cocktails, sip single malt scotches and taste Kentucky's finest bourbon.

My deepest experience in this debate was my Kentucky grandmother giving me whiskey, lemon & honey for a cough... or possibly an FSU game day cocktail mixed with Diet Coke.

Taking the time to smell, experience and taste each of the whiskeys gave me a much greater understanding of what I prefer. Some that I thought had too strong an alcohol scent actually went down quite smooth.

Here is the Farmers & Fisher's mixologist's original recipe for my favorite (and the one pictured above):

Farmer Jon
2 oz Knob Creek
½ oz curacao
¾ lemon juice
½ oz simple syrup

Preparation: Place ingredients in a mixing glass, fill with ice and shake. Strain into a sugar-rimmed old-fashioned glass filled with ice. Garnish with an orange zest.

Those of you who followed my live Twitter feed that night probably got TOO much information. Thanks for talking back to me and sharing your stories too!

PS. With all of the uproar about the Founding Farmers article in the Washington Post, I have to say that the servers at their sister restaurant were quite precise about sourcing ingredients. Trust me, I was asking A LOT of questions.

12.07.2009

DC Holidays: Mini-Donuts!!!

The mini donut man is pumping out fresh donuts at the Penn Quarter Holiday Market. Coffee and a small donut bag (about 7 per bag) is only $4!

The Holiday Market is right outside the National Portrait Gallery on F Street NW. Donut guy is on the corner of 9th and F.

Enjoy!

Gift Guide: Instant Gratification 2.0

I miss old school Polaroids, but I admit I've gone digital. This cute litte Fuji Instamax mini 7 is a good second camera to have on hand for party candids and nights on the town.



It rings in at about $80 and gives you instant credit card sized prints that are ready in minutes. Snap that.

12.01.2009

Gift Guide: Wine Knot, Why Not?



Love this funky wine storage (they call it a Wine Knot) from Tabletop in DC's Dupont Circle.


Tabletop, (1608 20th St., NW; 202-387-7117; tabletopdc.com)

Via Washingtonian Gift Guide