CROSS FLORIDA FOOD: The Best of Florida from the Gulf Coast to the Atlantic Coast

Baked Pork Chops with Onions, Rum, and Archibald's Sauce

2012-01-28T10:26:00.002-05:00

I put this together last night and it came out nearly perfectly. I buy Archibald's sauce at Archibald's Barbecue in Northport, Alabama across the Black Warrior River from Tuscaloosa. They do not market their sauce except over the counter. I have a copy cat recipe that I am not ready to divulge so I recommend a vinegar/tomato sauce of your choosing. Let me know how it turns out.

Baked Pork Chops with Onions, Rum, and Archibald's Barbecue Sauce

Ingredients:

2 small onions, peeled and sliced

2 apples, sliced

4 loin chops, bone-in

3 T., dice fresh rosemary

3 T., oil
1-2 shots of dark rum
1 1/2 cups of Archibald's barbecue sauce

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Rub oil on each chop and liberally salt and pepper each one on both sides. You may add Cajun seasoning depending upon your tastes.

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium to medium high flame for 4-5 minutes. Add oil and swirl skillet to distribute the oil. Add the chops. If you do not hear a sizzle each time you add a chop, raise the temperature for the burner. You may have to do more than one batch depending on the size of the skillet.

After several minutes, lift the edge of one chop. If a nice golden brown crust has formed, you are ready to turn the chops over and go for the same crust.

When a golden crust has been obtained on both sides, place aside on a plate.

Add your sliced onions to the skillet being sure to scrape up the brown bits left over in the pan to blend with the onions. Cook until they just begin to soften. Add apples and diced rosemary and toss with onions, again scraping as you go. Cook for a few minutes until all is well cooked and fragrant. Remove from heat and add a jigger or two of dark rum and a pad of butter. Stir. Add about 1 ½ cups of Archibald's barbecue sauce or a tomato-y/mustard/vinegar sauce to substitute. Avoid sauce that is sticky, gooey and too sweet. Stir once

Spray a shallow rectangular casserole dish with cooking spray. Place chops in the casserole and cover with items from skillet. Place in oven and bake about 20-30 minutes until it is bubbly, fragrant and ready. Remove.

Serve immediately with just about anything. I like rice or grits.

MY TOP 11 IN 2011

2012-01-06T10:24:00.002-05:00

Ruby's

The Jones

East End Eatery

Satchel's

Mi Apa

La Tienda

Mac's Drive Thru

Sandy's Place

Pomodoro's

La Fortuna

Pearl's Country Store

Southwestern 15 Bean Soup from Cafe C published in Gainesville Magazine - 4 stars!

2011-12-27T15:55:00.001-05:00

FRITTATA WITH COLLARD GREENS AND MEXICAN- BLEND CHEESE: REQUESTS FOR A RECIPE ARE ROLLING IN (OK, only one, but she wants it really badly)

2011-12-18T11:35:00.007-05:00

FRITTATA WITH COLLARD GREENS AND MEXICAN-BLEND CHEESE

Left over cooked collard greens, about a cup or so
2 T, minced onions
1-2 t. of Cajun seasoning blend. Note: I make my own and reduce or eliminate the salt.
1 t, black pepper
Crystal Hot Sauce, apply liberally
Eggstirs, Publix's version of Egg Beaters or 4 real eggs
Mexican blend shredded cheese

Place 3/4 to one cup of greens on cutting board after draining. Slice up. Place greens in heated, oiled, oven-proof skillet. Cook for a few minutes between low and medium to evaporate some of the remnant liquid.

Add Eggstirs to skillet, stir once, turn heat to low and cook. As eggs begin to set or become firm on bottom, lift the edge of the eggs with a spatula so that the remaining liquid egg mixture flows under the set eggs. Leave the eggs cooking on low until just shy of being completely set.

Season with Cajun seasoning and black pepper. Add generous amount of Mexican blend cheese. Place skillet under the broiler. Cook until the egg mixture becomes golden brown. Remove and serve with generous splases of Crystal Hot Sauce.

PRODUCTS THAT ARE STAPLES IN MY KITCHEN

2011-12-16T09:46:00.002-05:00

Crystal Hot Sauce - CHS is a Louisiana-style hot sauce. No day is complete without it. Period. Don't even think of Tabasco as a substitute.

Smart Balance Buttery Spread Made With Exta-Virgin Olive Oil - tastes great and is a great alternative to butter

Chobani Greek Yogurt - Vanilla, non-fat: spectacular, smooth flavor. Manufactured in upstate NY and is the current food sensation. Knock out flavors and "numbers" that compete with or do better than regular non-fat yogurts. We buy the large sized container. I do not like the fruit-on-the-bottom smaller cups of yogurt, though my wife does. The vanilla variety is sinfully delicious.

Emeril's Creaole seasoning blend made without salt or scant salt. I mix my own which enables me to use up my seasonings so that do not become stale and flavorless. His recipe is readily available on-line or in several of his cookbooks. I reduce or eliminate the salt. I also like most to all of Paul Prudhomme's blends which I make the same by eliminating the salt. He has a line of spice blends for specific uses.

Celestial Seasonings Teas: Try any with a fruit in the name. Everything they make is delicious.

Three Crabs Fish Sauce: Lynn Rosetto Kaspar is right. Very small amounts enliven many dishes. Her ace in the hole and now mine.

SOIL SOLARIZATION OF RAISED BEDS WITH PLASTIC TARP TO COMBAT PESTS

2011-12-12T12:29:00.001-05:00

This is a good article on using plastic tarps to solarize raised beds. I plan to do mine in the peak of the hot summer. It should bake away the "unwanted" effectively.

http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74145.html

MUST-READ LINK TO INTERVIEW WITH DIANA KENNEDY, WORLD AUTHORITY ON MEXICAN CUISINES

2011-12-05T11:28:00.000-05:00

AN ABSOLUTELY MUST-READ INTERVIEW WITH DIANA KENNEDY, THE WORLD AUTHORITY ON MEXICAN CUISINES: http://www.thecookbookblog.com/2011/12/05/author-interview-diana-kennedy/

I WANT TO LIKE HARRY'S FOOD, BUT I AM MOSTLY DISAPPOINTED DURING EACH VISIT. MAYBE THEY SHOULD RE-NAME THE RESTAURANT," HARRY'S SALT LICK"

2011-11-18T09:36:00.001-05:00

I keep wanting to like Harry's food because I am a student of Louisiana cooking. The genre is varied, robust, and ranges from the proletarian/rural to the more urban, high cuisine of France. Harry's is not even on the same planet with much of Louisiana cuisine. As I say, I want to like their food, but one fine meal out of five poor ones is not enough to keep me coming back.

I ordered the special this week which was a collection of their featured seafood dishes. The seafood all tasted basically the same and was way over-salted so that the essential flavors were totally obscured. The accompanying grits cake was soggy and under-cooked. It should arrive at the table crisp on the outside and hot and moist on the inside. Mine tasted more like a sponge. The fried green tomatoes appetizer was very good, however, as was the salad.

My recommendation is to ask the chef not to directly salt each dish. Do it yourself. Harry's chefs season with heavy hands and Harry's is now more of a salt lick than a restaurant. Be forewarned and take the seasoning with salt into your own hands. Bring your own sea salt and and add salt to your own tastes.

If you find that the choice of the restaurant is not your own and your dinner companions are hell-bent to go there, you may want to consider an appetizer and a salad with a few glasses of wine. You will come out with more of your money in your own pocket and probably better satisfied with the taste of the food.

I wish Harry's would kick it up a notch and really become a fine Louisiana-style restaurant. Right now, it is a very poor facsimile of what it claims/aspires to be.

ABUNDANT EDIBLE LANDSCAPES FALL PLANT SALE AT INDIGO GREEN STORE: NOVEMBER 12, 10-1

2011-11-05T19:10:00.001-04:00

Abundant Edible Landscapes will be hosting their annual fall plant sale on Saturday, November 12^thfrom 10 am to 1 pm at Indigo Green Store, 322 SW 4^th Ave. The sale will include fruit trees, berry bushes, perennial vegetables and herbs. There will also be 5 gallon buckets of soil amendments- worm castings, green sand and organic chicken manure for sale. Oliver Moore will demonstrate tree grafting techniques hstarting at noon.

Recipe from Cookbookblog: Cheerwine Barbecue Chicken

2011-11-01T11:35:00.000-04:00

http://www.thecookbookblog.com/2011/10/31/the-recipe-cheerwine-barbecue-chicken/

The Southern Foodways Alliance cookbook is excellent and this recipe is drawing "wows" all over. Check it out.

Don't Miss This Video on How to Shuck Corn

2011-10-16T09:59:00.000-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnBF6bv4Oe4

Revised link list

2011-10-03T09:55:00.000-04:00

I have gone through my LINKS YOU SHOULD FIND VALUABLE sidebar (on the right side of this page) and have culled those links that are no longer active. In doing so, I looked at each site and was quite taken with how much improved many of the sites are. I invite you to browse this list. There are many gems there to enjoy.

NOLA.COM publishes excellent article on Jambalaya.

2011-09-15T12:36:00.001-04:00

http://www.nola.com/food/index.ssf/2011/09/jambalaya_shows_both_sides_of.html

Highly recommended article on Jambalaya.

I Do Give A Damn How They Do It In Western NY

2011-09-11T11:06:00.002-04:00

Note: For years, Southern truck stops sold t-shirts and ball caps with the slogan, "I don't give a damn how ya'll do it up North," a not-to-subtle dig directed to the hordes of tourists that descend like locusts on the state of Florida every winter. I must say that, in spite of a sympathy to these blue-collar thoughts, my ventures north of the Mason-Dixon have been illuminating. Below are my reactions to a heavenly Italian restaurant "up North."

Traveling clarifies ones view of home. Tasting the Italian food of numerous locally-owned Italian restaurants in western New York State (Rochester, to be exact) has awakened my sense of what a fine Italian meal is supposed to taste like and what I should expect from Gainesville's Italian restaurants. Our meal the other night at Mr. Dominic's on the Lake, near the shore of Lake Ontario in Charlotte NY, was like being kissed by the Mona Lisa herself.

With this post I have pictured my order that night: Pasta Josephine, a dish fragrant with mussels, scallops, and shrimp finished with garlic, seasonings and olive oil. What aroma and what taste! The flavors were harmonic and wed to each other.

The ambiance of the restaurant further amplified the perfection of the food. We were seated by the kitchen door (not always the best place to sit). I had a 3/4 view of the whole kitchen in action. Three line chefs were preparing dishes in slick, glistening skillets into which they were spooning marinara sauce, sun dried tomatoes, garlic etc over veal, chicken, and seafood. With a twist of the skillet each concoction slid out onto a china plate of steaming pasta. A steady progression of waitresses delivered these fragrant dishes to hungry clientele. Every plate went right by our table and the aromas were unforgettable. The only thing missing was a snowfall outside.

Always packed, the Italian-American aura of Mr. Dominic's was pervasive, the real McCoy. We felt like we were seated at the head of the table of the proverbial "Nonna's kitchen." Autographed photos of the owner's famous friends filled the walls. The room and staff embraced us with everything Italian.

What does this have to with food in Florida? Gainesville Italian restaurants overlook one quality of Italian food: love. The sense of family and community that is typical at Mr. Dominic's is missing from Italian dining options in Gainesville. Instead, this robust cuisine is treated as an elitist dining experience, not a robust, embracing one.

Albeit, that trend is waning and some are doing it well. Satchel's and Pomodora's, come to mind as "guardians of the love" in restaurant service and preparation. Others can learn from them and these New York purveyors of Italian food.

My advice is to "stop and smell the garlic" and create a restaurant experience that better reflects the true nature of Italian cuisine. Skip the elitist pretenses. Serve Italian dishes worthy of a Nonna's kitchen rather than a "nose in the air" substitute for the real thing.

Leave the snootiness to the French. They do it better.

Gainesville Sun has published an excellent article on my favorite local grocer in Gainesville: Wards

2011-09-04T06:46:00.001-04:00

http://www.gainesville.com/article/20110904/articles/110909889?p=1&tc=pg

THE COLUMBIA ANNOUNCES THAT GROUPER DISHES WILL RETURN TO THEIR MENUS AFTER BEING REMOVED IN 2007

2011-08-29T13:50:00.002-04:00

Grouper Back on the Menu at All Columbia Restaurants

We have new lunch and dinner menus at The Columbia! Grouper is back on our menu again at all six of our restaurants in Florida after a four year absence.
“We took grouper off our menu back in May of 2007 due to overfishing, which led to the difficulty in meeting the demand for authentic grouper,” said Richard Gonzmart, 4th generation family member and Columbia Restaurant President.

“According to the National Marine Fisheries Service, red grouper is harvested in the Gulf of Mexico, and the red grouper population is healthy and is harvested at sustainable levels,” Gonzmart said.

“We are proud to once again offer our guests classic and unique Columbia preparations of this delicious mild fish with five red grouper entrees on our new dinner menu, and two items on our lunch menu,” Gonzmart said.

New Grouper Dinner Entrees:

Baked Stuffed Grouper - Boneless fillet of red grouper stuffed with fresh lump blue crabmeat and a tropical passion fruit butter sauce. Gently baked. Served with yellow rice and fresh vegetables.

Grouper “A la Rusa” - Columbia’s signature preparation for fillet of fish breaded in Cuban bread crumbs and grilled. Garnished with chopped parsley, hard boiled egg, and a mild lemon butter sauce. Served with yellow rice and fresh vegetables.

Grouper “El Greco” - I created this recipe after many visits with my college roommate and lifelong friend, Jimmy “The Greek” Philopoulos and his family in Canton, Massachusetts. They are the multi-generational owners of restaurants, including the legendary 57 Restaurant in Boston. Boneless fillet of red grouper, grilled on a flat top with olive oil, smothered with seasoned onions, garlic and oregano. Served with yellow rice. OPA! RG

Grilled Grouper - Simply delicious. Seasoned and grilled. Served with yellow rice and fresh vegetables.

Grouper “Bilbao”- Traditional Basque preparation of fillet of red grouper, baked in a casserole with sliced tomatoes, potatoes, onions, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, and lemon. Served with fresh vegetables.

Grouper "Bilbao" and Grilled Grouper have also been added to the lunch menu.

Cooking Light Tasting Sessions: What Goes On?

2011-08-29T06:46:00.003-04:00

Thorough testing of recipes is a "must" towards ensuring the reliability of recipes published in a cookbook,on a web site, or in a magazine. The following was a post describing the tasting process at Cooking Light:

A Guide to Taste Testing at Cooking Light

Taste-testing is a daily working session in which we analyze and rate dishes for publication in Cooking Light. Here is the method, and what you can expect:

1) The TK staffer responsible for the recipe summarizes the ingredients and procedure (see "Procedures" below for criteria).
2) The recipe is discussed.
3) All participants then rate the recipe on a scale of:

3 = Superior in all aspects
2+ = A high-quality recipe
2 = A very good recipe overall
1+ = A good recipe overall
1 = A simple recipe that is sometimes just okay
Retest = Recipe with a chance of passing, but needs adjustment in
flavors, procedure, yields
Fail = Poor procedure, bad taste, unacceptable appearance,
misfit for CL.

Criteria for Taste Testing

These are the items that taste testing participants evaluate before rating a recipe with one of the above values:

1. Appearance - is the food appetizing.
2. Taste/flavor
3. Texture
4. Ease of Preparation
5. Number of Ingredients
6. Accessibility of Ingredients
7. Creativity
8. Realism (Would you make this at home?)
9. Wow factor (Would you tell friends about it?)
10. Worth (Is the end product worth the effort, time, and cost?)
11. Repeatability (Can you get the same results time after time?)
12. Context (How good is it for what it is?)
13 Amount of equipment used and how it affects clean-up time.

Procedures
Here is what the Foods staff is looking for or discussing during taste-testing:

1) The Recipe Summary
- The responsibility of identifying and relating pertinent and/or questionable parts of a recipe rests on the TK staff either during testing, taste testing, or meeting with the food editors afterwards.
- Standardized procedures facilitate testing, taste testing, editing and the reader success.
- Talking through funky procedures allows them to be addressed and streamlined.
- Preparation time is relevant when: First because of AOL, and the end product is not worth the effort; every recipe in the story takes so long or is so involved that raders might not prepare them; or if the recipe is in Dinner Tonight and Superfast.
- Ingredient amounts and procedures are important in how they affect the end product.
2. Yields
- The serving size and the yields must equal for correct nutritional info at the end of the recipe.
- Must discuss how to juggle ingredients or procedures to fit yield.
3. Ingredients
- Ingredients should be discussed when national availability is questionable, the cost of the ingredient or several in the recipe are expensive, the amount of sodium and/or fat may be too high or need to be decreased, the ingredient is not what we usually call for, or to identify ingredients that may need to fall in the Glossary.

The Participants
Anyone is welcome to attend taste-testing. The TK Director sends a Group Page alert to those who normally participate. There are some things to keep in mind:
1) This is business that is central to the magazine's identity. It is not social hour; though not a drudgery either.
2) Arrive as quickly as possible after being alerted; please don't expect a well-balanced meal.
3) Help us stay focused on the recipe at hand; whispered conversations are very distracting.
4) The majority rules on whether a recipe passes or fails.
5) Everyone should rate the recipes.
6) Diversity of opinion is welcome and expected. So is working together amicably.

http://community.cookinglight.com/archive/index.php/t-52573.html

ARTICLE ON TODAY'S DEATH OF STETSON KENNEDY

2011-08-27T11:59:00.002-04:00

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/08/27/ap/business/main20098243.shtml

GAINESVILLE SUN REPORTS ON TASTI-LEE TOMATO DEVELOPED BY UF

2011-08-17T09:26:00.002-04:00

http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/retail/locally-bred-tasti-lee-tomato-hits-publixs-produce-aisle/1186149

QUEEN OF THE SUN: FILM ON BEEKEEPING AT THE HIPP ALONG WITH TALKS ON B'KEEPING

2011-08-15T11:38:00.001-04:00

Shirley Lasseter cinema@thehipp.org to shirley

show details 11:28 AM (7 minutes ago)

Hi all,

We have another important film opening at the Hipp this Friday, August 19th. It's a great new nature film about Bees, called "Queen of the Sun".

Can you help us spread the word by posting it to your websites, emails lists and most importantly, bringing your friends and colleagues with you when you come to see it.

We have timed the film to coincide with National HoneyBee Awareness Day and because of that we have going to be hosting the visiting National and State Honey Princess and Queen at a fun and fabulous "Honey Reception" from 6:30-8:30 on the opening night sponsored by the Alachua County Beekeepers Club.

There will also be a honey bee mascot and several speakers throughout the week.

Here's a little about each speaker:
Aug 21st Sunday 4:30 show (6pm-6:50) Jerry Latner has been working with honeybees for over 50 years. This father of two is the owner of Jerry’s Beehives and has been the manager of the Dadant & Sons Beekeeping supply company in High Springs for over 40 years where he does research and development on new items for the Dadant Company. Jerry serves on the Honey Technical Council and has served on the Board of Directors for the Lake City Farm Bureau and is also a member of the Alachua County Beekeepers Club. Always willing to help a new beekeeper get started is one of his strong points.

Aug 24th Wed 5:15 (6:45-7:45) show Jason Graham: The recent honeybee declines have shown us that we should not remain solely dependent on the European honey bee for the pollination of our crops. There are an estimated 4,000 bees that are native to the United States and over 300 bees have been identified in Florida. Though these bees do not produce honey or beeswax, they are efficient pollinators. Currently these bees are providing "background pollination" and have been termed "the unsung heroes of pollination". During this presentation, he will discuss what you can do to help native bees in your area and will introduce you to some of the bees that may be residing in your own backyard. Jason Graham earned his Bachelor of Science degree at University of Delaware. He went on to obtain his Master of Science degree with the Honey Bee Research & Extension Laboratory at University of Florida. Jason is continuing pursuit of his PhD at University of Florida, majoring in Entomology & Nematology with a minor in Agricultural Education and Communication. The Native Bee Nesting Sites which are providing data for his project can be found at many places in and around Gainesville including: Kanapaha Botanical Gardens, the Santa Fe Teaching Zoo and Morningside Nature Center.

Watch the Trailer
Queen of the Sun
Buy Tickets

"Queen of the Sun" is as soulful as it is scientific, as uplifting as it is alarming. —Film.com

A remarkable documentary that's also one of the most beautiful nature films I've seen. —Roger Ebert

What it is doing, and beautifully, is making a sunny and optimistic case for why the world is worth saving, via gorgeous imagery and poetic appreciations of the bees themselves. —NPR

From the director of The Real Dirt on Farmer John comes a profound, alternative look at the tragic global bee crisis. In 1923, Rudolf Steiner, a scientist, philosopher & social innovator, predicted that in 80 to 100 years honeybees would collapse. His prediction has come true with Colony Collapse Disorder where bees are disappearing in mass numbers from their hives with no clear explanation. In an alarming inquiry into the insights behind Steiner’s prediction Queen of The Sun examines the global bee crisis through the eyes of biodynamic beekeepers, scientists, farmers, and philosophers. On a pilgrimage around the world, 10,000 years of beekeeping is unveiled, highlighting how our historic and sacred relationship with bees has been lost due to highly mechanized industrial practices. Featuring Michael Pollan, Vandana Shiva, Gunther Hauk and beekeepers around the world, Queen of The Sun weaves a dramatic story which uncovers the problems and solutions in renewing a culture in balance with nature. 1hr 23min | USA | NR

Directed by: Taggart Siegel

Featuring: Gunther Hauk, Michael Pollan and Vandana Shiva
SHOW TIMES

Fri (08/19) 6:30 8:30
Sat (08/20) 2:30 4:30
Sun (08/21) 12:30 2:30 4:30 7:00
Wed (08/24) 5:15 8:00
Thu (08/25) 6:30 8:30

WWW.THECOOKBOOKBLOG.COM: New Blog that focuses on cooking from a few cookbooks

2011-08-14T12:21:00.000-04:00

I just found this blog and love its premise. Basically, the writer focuses on cooking from a small number of cookbooks and using many (or all) recipes from each book. Right now, the blog is focusing on the Southern Foodway Alliance's Community Cookbook. Other cookbooks that the blog has "cooked from" include one of Lidia B.'s Italian cookbooks, Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art, and the revered Essential Cuisines of Mexico by Diana Kennedy.

The writer's taste in food writing is exemplary and the format of diving deeply into each work is unique and welcomed by this reader.

I feel lots of reading and cooking in my future.......

Agritourism: a new wrinkle for the small farmer

2011-06-13T04:52:00.000-04:00

The New York Times wrote about agritourism, a way for small farms to supplement their modest income. Great idea. I will be looking into how this is applied.

Read their article at: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/10/business/10tourism.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=agritourism&st=cse

or check out this web site:

www.farmstayus.com

CAFE C: "Something Tells Me I'm Into Something Good" (thanks to Peter Noone)

2011-06-05T16:51:00.008-04:00

I have heard rumors that Cafe C was a fine local lunch spot, but, for some reason I had not gone by to find out first-hand. I had been lured past the wildly colored restaurant by the loves of my culinary life: Satchel's, The Jones, Ruby's, and East End Eatery. I was way-late in trying out Cafe C and was thrilled to find another restaurant option on the east side of Gainesville. Like the above restaurants, Cafe C has the WOW factor fully in hand.

We used a Living Social coupon for the cafe that I had bought from an e-mail and Cafe C "knocked our socks off" big-time.

First, Cafe C is an off-shoot of Celebrations Catering, long revered by all who have sampled their wares at local receptions and events. Celebrations' reputation for creative, quality local food is the highest and it carries over to their cafe.

Cafe C features local, fresh ingredients that are good for you and are like fireworks of the palate. We both remarked that everything was served at its optimum freshness. Nothing was wilted, all was at peak flavor. Cafe C "takes you there."

I ordered the Tango Chicken Salad Plate which their menu describes as "our crunchy Chicken Salad...sprinkled with Toasted Almonds and Sliced Mangos, Grapes, and Flatbread Wafers." I ordered their ginger dressing on the side. It was so good that it might be a go-to dish hard to work around to savor the rest of the menu. Every dish I saw was beautifully presented and full of fresh ingredients.

Menu descriptions often over-state the case for a dish and, more often than not, what you get is not what the menu claimed you would get.

In the case of Cafe C, the chicken salad plate was way better than the menu description. It was crisp, sweet, and sophisticated. A collection of flavors in harmony. As tasteful and tasty as it gets.

The service was welcoming and embracing. Our server was proud of the restaurant and its offerings and was gleeful in turning us on to the cafe. We followed her advice willingly and were delighted that we dined at Cafe C.

The owner told us about their Sunday buffet which I am betting ahead of time that it is a knock out. We hope to try it next week end.

Make plans to go to Cafe C. I will be shocked if you do not become a regular customer.

As for the "loves of my culinary life," be assured that I will not be seduced away from you. We are just going to add another meal out to accomodate the many wonderful options for fine dining on the east side of Gainesville.

EXCELLENT NY TIMES ARTICLE ON MISLABELING OF FISH

2011-06-05T06:15:00.002-04:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/27/science/earth/27fish.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=bar%20coded%20fish&st=cse

Read this article on the health benefits of strawberries

2011-05-17T08:58:00.002-04:00

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/leo-galland-md/strawberries-for-weight-loss_b_859578.html?icid=maing-grid7|aim|dl3|sec1_lnk3|63346

OPEN HOUSE AT PAYNES PRAIRIE VISITORS CENTER TOMORROW

2011-05-16T20:13:00.000-04:00

Hi prairie volunteers and friends,

Tomorrow, Tuesday, May 17, we will be having two Open Houses at the Visitor Center

Volunteers and staff: 11am-12pm

General public: 1pm-3pm (volunteers and staff are encouraged to attend one of the sessions).

We will be displaying models and drafts of the new exhibits planned for the center, and are looking for your feedback.

This open house will give you a chance to preview the future of Paynes Prairie’s Visitor Center and provide the comments that will guide us further.

The format will be like a science fair, with models and exhibit panels set up, you will receive an introduction, then circulate through the exhibit area and have the opportunity to discuss each area with a member of the design team, or staff that have been involved in the development process. So, you can arrive anytime during the Open House, just give yourself enough time to circulate through the areas.

We hope to see you there! Your feedback is really important.

-Andi

Andi Christman

Park Services Specialist

Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park

100 Savannah Blvd.

Micanopy, FL 32667

Office (352)466-4966

Email: Andrea.Christman@dep.state.fl.us

FRUIT TREES, SEEDS, AND EDIBLE SALE THIS WEDNESDAY

2011-05-09T09:37:00.001-04:00

The Edible Plant Project (www.edibleplantproject.com) will hold a sale this Wednesday, May 11 from 4-7pm at the Union Street Farmers Market.

SLOW FOOD GAINESVILLE SHOWS OFF CEDAR KEY'S CLAM INDUSTRY

2011-05-08T10:35:00.002-04:00

We participated in a tour of the Cedar Key clam industry beginning with the clam research facility at the FWC Marine Lab and ending with a wonderful potluck featuring local clams. Thanks to Russ and Peg Hall for hosting us all and cooking up some fabulous clams. Many thanks as well to Leslie Sturmer from IFAS for her talk about the local clam industry and the tour of her "clam shack" research lab.

If you are interested in learning more about Slow Food Gainesville:

1. www.slowfoodgainesville.org

2. sign up for their Google group at bottom of their web page

3. Look for their group on Facebook

4. Or come to my blog (www.jimmyconner.blogspot.com) as I post their missives and have a link for them as well.

For more information on this aquaculture industry: http://shellfish.ifas.ufl.edu/

Link to article in the Gainesville Sun on Steamers' closing

2011-05-06T15:53:00.002-04:00

http://www.gainesville.com/article/20110506/articles/110509622

STEAMERS' CLOSES, TASTY BUDDHA ADDS A STORE

2011-05-06T15:46:00.002-04:00

I am very sorry to read a tweet from the Gainesville Sun that Steamers has closed for good. According to the article, the restaurant, in business in Gainesville since the early 80's, is owned by the same people who own Buddha Belly on 16th Ave. BB will change its name to Tasty Buddha and a second store will open under the same name in the old Cabana Cove location behind Garden Gate Nursery on 43rd Street.

Steamers did not have a long term lease and needed to be upgraded. The owner is quoted in the tweet as saying he did not want to renovate considering his lease is presently month to month.

Many students have enjoyed the loose burgers there and, more recently, the stir fried dishes served in generous quantities. My wife and I ate there on Sunday, their last day, and no one mentioned the impending closing.

Steamers will be missed and has been one of my go to local treats for years. Bon voyage, Steamers.

From Annie Pais' blog: a marvelous summary of why buying local is the best path to follow

2011-04-27T14:51:00.000-04:00

Hi Everyone:

I'm encouraged to hear from so many of you who are growing food in your yards!
I have a wonderful garden this year and am sharing an abundance of veggies!
The benefits of edible gardening-sustainable agriculture are just astounding.
We have all of the ingredients for developing sustainable food production here.
Doing so would boost our economy in several ways and offer a very basic safety protection
for our county.

Just think about these many and varied benefits:

Our Health-
*Eating local and seasonally offers year round produce at the peak of its nutritional cycle.
*Eating fresh-local means you benefit from produce picked and eaten before the nutrients are gone.
Its amazing how different they taste! (I eat by color too- a creative way to balance nutrition!)
*Gardening is good for you- body, mind and soul. It can be a fun, family project to plant and grow a small plot, raised bed or even several large containers on a balcony or patio. Kids love it- and they'll understand where food comes from.

Saves Money-
*Organic is affordable when its local. Organic produce in the stores can be expensive- but its affordable at our many Farmer's Markets, U-Pick It farms and at Wards Supermarket. Organic is more important than we even know- and gardening organically is very doable- trust me.
*The increase in oil-gas prices is now really adding to the cost of the food-when its trucked in.
*Here's my latest example: Growing green and wax beans- for the price of 2 seed packages- approx. $4. I have been enjoying fresh, wonderful string beans and wax beans for weeks- and with no end in sight! Its actually extraordinary how many beans are being produced and how easily! The difference in cost vs what I'd pay for the same amount of vegetables is off the charts in savings.
(See my latest favorite recipe at the end.)

Sustainability is so smart-
Ok, here's the kicker- sustainability is power. Its powerful to be independent. Growing our ability to feed ourselves is one of the most aware, innovative things we can do. Being prepared to self-feed our county is something our leaders have been thinking about for years!
Everything we can do to support growing and eating local food is of prime importance.
This kind of local power should be and needs to be something each and every one of us is involved with.

Economic-
Growing food, producing local food products, eating locally, developing and supporting restaurants that buy local, creating a permanent Farmer's Market store, using our yards to grow fruit and nut trees, edible landscapes and produce gardens is a way of making money and keeping it here- where it can keep cycling to support our overall, local economy.
This translates to dollars, jobs, and economic well being.
Check out and support Blue Oven Kitchens, a future incubator kitchen where we'll be able to rent a certified kitchen to produce products for use and distribution- http://www.blueovenkitchens.org/about/

Culinary Tourism-
Eating out? Please choose a local restaurant that supports and buys from local farmers.
The more we patronize local restaurants that do buy from local farms- the more establishments will open and the more we'll become known for this delectable asset!
We just finished a preliminary study, (paid for with a grant from Visit Florida) on developing Culinary Tourism here in Alachua County. This is silly- its so doable! And dumb not to...
We have a year round growing season, we produce much higher quality produce, grass fed meat, free range poultry and eggs, nuts, citrus, etc, etc. than almost every other state. We should be tapping niche markets to bring visitors here by offering a wide range of culinary tours, programs, cook offs, and workshops!!! The culinary tourism market also merges love of food with culture-art, music and performance.
Think Tuscany or Napa Valley.

Education-
When kids garden, they are healthier. Not just during school hours but in their families and community. Not just physically but emotionally. And Not just for their school years but forever. Its a gross neglect that each of our schools isn't producing its own food on a large scale with our students fully participating.- and creating total curriculum around food production....powered by solar and watered by rain water catchment- etc.
Check out http://www.edibleschoolyard.org/

Sustainability is so economically, environmentally and educationally smart.
Its also one of those essential indicators used by those we seek to attract here-
People now know to check out a community's sustainable initiatives, when deciding where to locate.

I hope I've succeeded in inspiring and engaging you.
For the month of May- during this eat local month-
We want your stories.
Send us stories about your gardens, your education programs, your favorite local products, your favorite local restaurants, etc.
Anything goes. We'll create ways to use your stories on our website and in materials.

Thanks Everyone.
Here's my recipe for Annie's Green Beans- two ways!
Send me your bean and summer squash recipes please!

I lb. green string beans or waxed beans
Snap the ends and steam for 3-4 minutes.

In a roasting pan combine:
1 Florida Sweet Onion- large diced
4 cloves of garlic whole
1 pint cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes halved
(1 butternut squash, peeled and diced into bite sized pieces- optional but great.)

drizzle olive oil over the veggies and add salt and pepper to taste-
toss to coat fully-
Roast in a 400* oven for 30-40 min. or until tender and beginning to caramelize.

In a serving bowl combine the steamed green beans with the roasted veggies
and add 2-4 ounces goat, feta or parmesan cheese and shredded basil.

You can serve this two ways- hot as it is or cooled over salad greens with a simple vinaigrette dressing.

For much more information and yummy recipes, check out:
Hogtown Homegrown
http://www.hogtownhomegrown.com/

Happy Eating Everyone and please do participate, support and initiate these great endeavors.
Annie

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http://floridaseden.org/mailman/listinfo/aaonf_listserve_floridaseden.org

Note fine article on salt in todays Times

2011-04-27T08:54:00.000-04:00

Note this fabulous article by Harold McGee in today's NY Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/27/dining/27curious.html?_r=1&ref=dining

DOM MARTINO'S PHOTOS ARE SUCH A GREAT CONTRIBUTION

2011-04-25T10:17:00.003-04:00

The late Dom Martino hailed from New Jersey and moved to Gainesville in recent years. A fine arts photographer, he put his full energies towards chronicling Paynes Prairie with his camera. I saw some of his work the other day in the Visitors Center of the park and was very, very impressed. While I never had the opportunity to meet him, my hat is off to Dom for his works of art that can only fortify a sense of pride and stewardship of those who love the Florida landscape. Rest in peace, Dom, the Prairie is better off because of you.

To view his photos, copy and paste this site into your browser:

http://dommartino.zenfolio.com/

The Pickled Pelican: An Excellent Dining Destination On the Dock in Cedar Key

2011-04-22T15:51:00.005-04:00

What a surprise, when visiting Cedar Key with our friend Kathy from snowy western New York, to find an on-the-dock restaurant that knocked us out. Quality food on the dock has been on the wane for some years now and we were delighted with our discovery.

Pay attention. The Pickled Pelican Bar and Eatery is happening folks. Fine fresh food in a restaurant with a million dollar view has returned to the Cedar Key dock. Our prayers have been answered.

I grew up traveling over to Cedar Key to fish on the dock or have supper or lunch with my parents overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. I have a virtual catalog of memories to revel in during the drive over [I was taught to fish by a man with a peg leg]. My family dined there often and our meals ranged from the informal hamburger or fish sandwich to many more elegant seafood dinners.

In recent years, my wife and I have grown discouraged at the drop off in quality of the food options on the dock. Now that we have discovered the Pickled Pelican, we intend to go over a lot more often.

The Pickled Pelican is located at 360A Dock Street (352-543-5654). We climbed a flight of stairs to the second floor restaurant, we were greeted at the door and, after a short wait (it is quite popular) were escorted to our table that overlooked their outside deck and the Gulf.

Our kind host provided us with a brief overview of the restaurant that was a laid back form of a mission statement. It was obvious from our his welcoming words that they have a clear idea of what they want to accomplish, a perseverance at carrying it out, and the drive to leave their customers happy and willing to return over and again. These owners were on top of their restaurant and were giving their heart and soul towards providing a quality dining experience. They cared and it showed.

Basically, nearly all the food is fresh and cooked to order. Living on "island time" is how they put it. If a fish that they feature is not available they will serve a frozen portion of that fish, but with full and complete disclosure. The term "fresh" applies to all the side dishes as well. At night, they feature steaks that are hand cut. Everything is made from scratch. The sides were all delicious.

The owner, Dustin Messer, grew up around the restaurant business since he was 5 and is clearly committed to providing quality to his customers. Family recipes developed over a long time in the biz are featured. Their menu features a full page just listing their beers (51) and they serve wine as well.

We started out with a clam appetizer served in a fragrant broth which I brought home not wanting to waste a drop. It was heavenly. We each had crisp salad with a homemade dressing that was perfect. My wife and I both ordered the fried flounder (fresh) that came out crispy and golden, obviously cooked in very clean oil at the right hot temperature. Kathy ordered the crab salad on a pita and ooo-ed and ahh-ed about it throughout.

You know a good restaurant by its clientele. The two men seated next to us were obviously locals and they began to evangelize to us about the restaurants menu options. They reveled us on their order of fried green tomatoes that looked marvelous. It spoke volumes that these local customers love the restaurant and obviously eat their often. You can fool a local once, but not twice.

All in all, we gave this restaurant a strong A!

Oh my goodness....I forgot to list Satchel's in my review of the east side

2011-04-22T03:56:00.002-04:00

For weddings or parties, one always lives in fear that someone will not be invited. The omission is usually someone of the highest importance too and the resulting embarassment is painful. I have done it again.

Yesterday, my review of the east side culinary scene, failed to list Satchel's Pizza, the restaurant that we patronize most frequently. Satchel's is the cornerstone of the east side restaurant scene and I will focus on it soon in a review. Satchel's is our go-to restaurant when we have friends in from out of town.

My apologies to my readers, to Satch, and to Satchel's Pizza fans.

Don't tell my wife I left out Satchel's. She insisted on stopping there on her way to the Gainesville airport when she left recently for a visit north. She will probably want to stop there again when she flies in next week.

IT'S THE SAME OLD SONG: FOR REAL FOOD IN GAINESVILLE, GO EAST!

2011-04-21T10:02:00.002-04:00

We, in America, charicature people and things we love and admire. An example that stands out to me is Martin Luther King, Jr. He was a leader who should be seen for his multiple dimensions and talents, but is more often reduced to a few sound bites. This deification distracts us from the travails he undertook to serve and understand his God. His skill and inspiration goes way beyond the sound bites that we accept from the media. Take another look. I recommend Taylor Branch's series on the civil rights era.

That same sort of deification oversimplifies other public figures that we value in the South: Marjorie Rawlings who some now see as a Cracker Scarlett O'Hara; Robert Frost who is too often thought of as a beardless Santa Claus figure walking in the snow with twinkling eye;, Will McLean, who struggled within himself and, at the same time, produced the best songs ever written about Florida and its landscapes.

The deification trap should be avoided. Delve further into each of the above-named artists and you will be enriched and encouraged to make your own contributions. You will quickly realize the obstacles that they overcame are much like your own.

We do something similar with ethnic cuisines. Our experiences with these rich and varied foodways is more often the "sound bite version" sold to us by corporate restaurants. They, more often than not,"the greatest hits" and the full dimension of these varied cuisines is never available to the Gainesville diner.

Mega corporations provide us plastic imposters of the real thing in the form of Mexican, Chinese, African-American, and Southern restaurants that serve one-dimensional dishes and only a few examples of what, otherwise, are diverse cuisines. Much of our local corporate food venues food are about as exciting as a flat tire.

My recent readings of books like Lynn Rosetto Kaspar's SPLENDID TABLE or Diana Kennedy's loving portrayals of Mexican cuisine make this disparity between the "real thing" and the impostors all the more clear. We need to use the perspectives of these food writers as the benchmark of what we can and should expect from our restaurants. The food we are served by our corporate restaurants/providers misses the target big-time.

That knowledge makes a journey down Archer Road all the more painful. By our patronage, we have contributed to the construction of a comic book gallery of restaurants serving pseudo-versions of ethnic foods. Their offerings are not prepared by a chef in her kitchen, but rather in a factory kitchen that ships frozen, over salted, preserved food kits that are re-heated or fried to resemble real food. There is nothing local, fresh, healthy, or tasty in this style of restaurant management. Besides being mal-nourished by these pseudo foods, we have been indoctrinated that these are the limits of our options and that vegetables/meat/poultry that we consume can only come out of a box and not of our neighbor farmers' fields.

I live near University and 34th Street. When my wife goes out of town, I sometimes give up cooking. I love to cook, but for one it is a royal pain. As a result, I sometimes give in to convenience and consider going out for something in the neighborhood. I always come to the same conclusion as I survey the desolate landscape of west Gainesville food. Restaurants west of NW 7th Street just plain s%ck.

THE ANSWER IS TO "GO EAST YOUNG MAN/WOMAN". When you do you will find that the palette of Gainesville restaurants is multi-faceted and a pleasure to behold. The east side features any number of restaurants whose chefs cook in-house with fresh and local ingredients. Their dishes arrive at your table have that invisible "love" factor that we all seek in a meal.

A menu of my favorite restaurants in town includes: The Jones (my number one), Ruby's (African-American par excellence), East End Eatery (contemporary, lunch fare, Sunday brunch), La Tienda (primo-Mexican), Terrell's Ribs. The east side has other establishments that receive rave reviews that I have still not tapped into. The Top and Cafe C come to mind. More are opening. All are cozy, warm places with friendly service.

If you want good food at reasonable prices you can find it in Gainesville and, in most cases, you will find it east of NW 7th Street. There is hope on the west side such as Pho Hanoi and The Gengis Grill, but when I head east in Gainesville my options are many and I am never disappointed.

So, please patronize these fine restaurants. When someone produces a tasty, wholesome product and uses locally produced foods it is good for our economy, your health, and your community. Reward these food venues with your business and avoid the fast-food pseudo-restaurants like the plague.

In short, go east, buy local.

WILD FLORIDA WEEKLY ADVENTURES POSTED. CHECK OUT WILD FLORIDA

2011-04-18T09:36:00.002-04:00

Greetings Earth Residents!

This week is Earth Week and Earth Day is Friday (www.nature.org/earthday), and we'll be outside exploring and enjoying what we have. Its also National Parks Week (16th-24th) with free admission to the National Parks.

On the local political front, Alachua County commissioners added two more properties to the Registry of Public Lands list. Sweetwater Preserve, and Watermelon Pond join Cofrin Park, Odum Preserve, and Lake Alto Preserve. What didn't get included this go around was Barr Hammock, Pfifer Flatwoods, Mill Creek, and NE Flatwoods. Something about needing to parse out road right of ways, and acreage for future county buildings. Of which I don't think was the intent of the Alachua County Forever Program that the voters taxed themselves and voted on. The last four parcels will come back for consideration within 60 days. Stay tuned.

We had excellent paddling at Cedar Key on Friday, along with magnificent moonlight on our Rainbow River paddle. And Saturday we did the Waccasassa River due to the high winds on the Gulf. Which made for a lot of water to paddle on. Got into some places that are usually not wet. The spring flowers continue to show off: spider lily, indigo, blue flag iris, lizard tail, swamp dogwood, and ti ti.

So this weeks offerings include:

Monday 4/18 - Ichetucknee River/Springs Exploration, meeting at the old south parking lot at 10 am. This trip will be a round trip, up to the head springs, and back on the Ichetucknee. That way we won't have to shuttle vehicles before getting on the water. This gives one a different perspective seeing the river twice, but from a different angle. We should be out around 3-4 hours, with stops along the way to take breaks. We usually see plenty of coots, white ibis, kingfishers, and herons. The wild rice has been putting out seed stalks, and we'll look to see what else is in flower. We'll pass by the site of the Spanish Mission from the 1600's, which we'll discuss. The Ichetucknee is one of our most pristine water bodies in the area, but its not without upstream problems. We'll observe signs of impairment and talk about the causes/effects.
Price is $40 per person and includes kayak/equipment, insurance, and guide. Own kayak owners: special! $5 per person this day only. There is also a $5 per person river/use fee for the park. This trip is a go, as I have two customers from out of state.
RSVP deadline is 5 pm today.

Thursday 4/21 - Hiking at Prairie Creek Preserve, meeting at 5:15 pm. We haven't done this trail in awhile, so I'd like to go out and see what is in bloom along this trail. It’s a mixed habitat of pine flatwoods, and mesic hammock. The trail leads to Prairie Creek.
FREE with RSVP by Wednesday 4/20 by 5 pm.

Friday 4/22 - Potano Paddle Trail Clean Up and Cookout - meeting at the park at 5 pm, set up, socialize, eat first, then paddle the edge of Newnan's Lake into Prairie Creek. Bring a potluck dish to share, your own eating utensils/plates/beverages, and I'll provide the charcoal, hotdogs/buns/condiments. If you want to eat something else, bring it, and I'll cook it. Then we'll get on the water around 6:15 -6:30 pm to paddle and do a clean up of trash along the edges of the water way. I'll have some bags, but you can bring your own. Our way of celebrating Earth Day. We'll stay out till sunset on this down and back paddle (round trip). Sunset is at 8 pm.
Price is $20 if you need a kayak, $5 if you have your own, helps cover insurance.
RSVP on Thursday 4/21 by 12 noon.

Saturday 4/23 - Lime Key Paddle, meeting at the launch site near Cedar Key at 3:30 pm. This island is on the west side of Cedar Key, and we'll launch taking advantage of the tides to paddle among interesting mangrove islands and shell bars. We'll also do our part to clean up litter along the way among the marsh grasses. This is a beautiful area that not many people get to experience. Visits to other island are also on the route. Out around three hours with stops to take breaks and observe wildlife. Optional visit to the state museum ($2) if you arrive early.
Price is $40 per person and includes kayak/equipment. Own kayak owners, $20 per person, includes insurance.
RSVP deadline is Thursday 4/21 by 6 pm.

Sunday 4/24 - Shell Mound Sunset Paddle, meeting at 5 pm. We'll finish off Easter Day and Earth Week with a sunset paddle among the islands of the Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge. This area is more remote than Cedar Key, and allows us the opportunity to see more wildlife. Possible sightings may include bald eagles, oyster catchers, kingfishers, and if back from their southern journey, magnificent frigate birds. Out around 2.5 hours on this round trip paddle, we stop along the way to take breaks on sandy beaches. Who knows, we may even find some Easter Shells.
Price is $35 per person and includes kayak/equipment. Own kayak owners, $15 includes insurance.
RSVP deadline is Friday 4/22 by 3 pm.

To reserve your spot of if you have any questions, get in touch with me soon. Please pass along to those that may be interested.

Thank you,
Brack Barker
Wild Florida Adventures
www.wild-florida.com
352-226-2251/cell

_______________________________________________

TRY THIS LINK FOR AN OVERVIEW OF CHILE PEPPERS AND THEIR ALTERNATIVES

2011-04-18T09:13:00.000-04:00

http://www.foodsubs.com/Chiledry.html

The Latest News from Slowfood Gainesville

2011-04-17T10:25:00.002-04:00

May- Take the Eat Local Challenge!
The 2011 Eat Local Challenge begins May 1st. I hope you all plan to
take the Challenge to eat local seasonal food every day either at home
or at a locally owned restaurants for the entire month of May. Here's
all the info http://www.hogtownhomegrown.com/eat_local_challenge.html

This year's Challenge will start with a Kickoff and Party at Kumarie's
Organic Garden on Sunday May 1st at noon. Music all day, cooking
demos with samples every half hour from 12-3pm, and food and garden
activities for children and adults. Kumarie will have wonderful vegan
and vegetarian food for sale and rafflle tickets by donation will
yield prizes including CSA shares. Check out the Facebook event
page: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/event.php?eid=100611423356882

Cedar Key Clam Tour: May 7th (note: date changed from original)
To celebrate eating local and back by popular demand - we will be
hosting the second Cedar Key clam tour....Come with us to learn about
the sustainable and innovative Cedar Key clam industry. A brief
presentation at the FWS Marine Lab by Leslie Sturmer will be followed
by a tour of the clam facilities and a potluck at the home of Peg and
Russ Hall featuring this local delicacy. Bring a dish to share, and we
will cook up some local and delicious clams for you to try. We will
carpool and caravan out together. Meet us at the SW corner of the
Butler Plaza near Target at12:30PM on Saturday May 7th. Please RSVP by
April 30th so we have a head-count: slowfoodgainesville@gmail.com

Food Donations
Last, but not least, we are still collecting non-perishable food for
use in a donation to a family in need in our community You can now
drop off your items to either 2530 NW 11th Ave in Gainesville, with a
note that they are for Slow Food Gainesville or you can drop them at
Henderson and Daughter's booth at the Saturday 441 market, also with a
note that they are for SLow Food Gainesville. Please note, the family
we are collecting for are vegetarian and try to eat organically.

From the authors of A SUMMER OF A THOUSAND CHEESES

2011-04-13T07:05:00.001-04:00

Russ and Peg Hall, who live in Cedar Key, write about cheeses in NY state in their book, Summer of a Thousand Cheeses. They continue to share their knowledge and enthusiasm for cheeses in their blog:

http://cheeseandrandomferments.blogspot.com/

Take a look and have a good read. If you have a chance to attend one of their presentations, you will not be disappointed.

Adams Ribs served some tasty chicken for lunch yesterday

2011-04-08T08:54:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I go out to lunch when the fridg is empty of leftovers, but the options on the west side still leave me cold. Nothing appeals to me as the choices are mostly chains with corporately prepared foods trucked in frozen, then thawed, and served with equally tasteless sides.

I must say that, on occasion, I try Adams Rib though I have not yet tasted their barbecue meats. Yesterday, I had a chicken breast with their collard greens and potato salad. All were very good to excellent. The chicken was amazingly moist, unfairly moist. My guess is that it was brined first because the flavor was tasty and moist and the skin crisp. Perfect.

The sides: The collard greens were first rate, not quite as good as mine or Ruby's, but getting there. The potato salad was home-made and very good, a little on the sweet side, but I recommend it.

Adams Rib serves a fine lunch. Maybe I will try their meats soon.

Oven Braised Ribs article in Wednesday's NY TImes

2011-04-08T08:21:00.000-04:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/06/dining/06ribs.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=braised%20oven%20ribs&st=cse

Excellent article. I do something similar with my brisket. I smoke it for 4-6 hours and then slow braise for another 7-8 hours. Marvelous.

BEST ATTRIBUTES OF ELECTED OFFICIALS

2011-03-08T12:35:00.005-05:00

We are in the midst of an election in Gainesville for the City Commission. At least one friend is running and her candidacy caused me to reflect on the many elected officials I met while working on the Lake Apopka project. They included Members of Congress, Governors, Cabinet officials, legislators, city/county commissioners, and mayors from all parties, political persuasions, and walks of life.

The following is an list of attributes culled from my observations of those men and women that might might be ones to look for when choosing a candidate to support:

Intelligence

Honesty

Big picture vision

Commitment to public service

Loves country, state, region, and locale

Skill at math (or better yet accounting)

Writes well and clearly

Knows when to talk and when to listen

Has high tolerance for excessive verbage and detail without being consumed/romanced by it. Can reach into those details and distill their essence

Makes decisions after careful examination of the facts and options. Is not afraid to make decisions

Able to forge alliances with adversaries

Able to maintain relations with all stakeholders regardless of compatibility with ones own views

Has LOTS of time for meetings and constituent service

Able to speak softly and slowly. Takes breaths and pauses when speaking

Is both charming as a campaigner and smart as a bookworm

Avoids being wishy-washy

Looks people in the eye

GATORS DOCKSIDE: HEY ITS A SPORTS BAR BUT I ALWAYS FIND THE FOOD GOOD AND REASONABLY PRICED. GREAT PLACE FOR BRINGING LARGE GROUPS

2011-03-06T07:30:00.004-05:00

Gators Dockside is what it is and, for me, accomplishes its mission well.

Basically, GD is a large Gainesville sports bar with food. My high school alumni group(s) use it for gatherings because it can easily absorb us without our renting a separate room. It is set up so everyone can table hop and catch up with old friends etc. Acoustically it is a challenge, but hey, it's a sports bar. The staff and management do a great job at accomodating our groups so that the service is timely, courteous, and patient. If we have extra needs they have always done whatever it takes to meet them.

All that being said, how is the food? Remember that GD is a very large room that must produce large quantities of food quickly and have it be memorable and tasty. They accomplish those goals. All of the meals I have had there have been a notch above sports bar fare with unique and interesting twists that take it out of the burger and fries mass production mode you might expect.

A good example is The Seabreeze Salad that I ordered yesterday at the Gainesville Gathering. I am trying to follow Weightwatchers guidelines and look for ways to minimize the damage that a sports bar can render. This salad met my needs and made my taste buds sing. Darn it was good. The salad had grilled chicken over greens with Mandarin orange segments, dried cranberries, candied pecans, crumbled blue cheese and a low-fat Zinfandel vinegarette. Low-fat dressings often taste "chalky" to me and I generally dislike them. This salad dressing,however,was thoroughly delicious. Every part of the dish worked together perfectly.

Try Gator's. Don't expect a 5 star restaurant, but once you accept the premise of the restaurant you may agree that few do it better.

GAINESVILLE'S CITIZEN'S CO-OP ISSUES STATUS REPORT; NEW MANAGER HIRED; OPENING TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED FOR SPRING, 2011

2011-03-05T10:23:00.003-05:00

The status report issued by the Citizens Co-op is self-explanatory. I am very enthusiastic about this endeavor and support it whole heartily.

For your review go to: http://www.citizensco-op.com/hello-world to read their progress report.

Good luck and thanks for all of the hard work, ya'll.

CLAIRE LYNCH BAND TO TOUR FLORIDA IN MARCH! DON'T MISS THESE FINE PICKERS

2011-02-24T09:41:00.003-05:00

Florida Tour: March 2-6 2011

IBMA's "Female Vocalist of the Year" Claire Lynch along with bandmates Jason Thomas and Matt Wingate make a run through Florida next week with special guest Missy Raines!

Wednesday, March 2nd
Tallahassee, FL
Fifth Avenue Taproom
1122 Thomasville Rd. Tallahassee, FL 32303

8:00 pm

(850) 298-8092

Friday, March 4th
St. Petersburg, FL
The Palladium
253 Fifth Ave. N, St. Petersburg, FL 33701

7:30 pm
Purchase tickets online

Saturday, March 5th

Gainesville, FL

2:30pm Workshops!
(till 4:30 pm)

Bass, Fiddle, Mandolin and Vocals

Concert at 7:00 pm

The Filling Station at Grace at Fort Clark United Methodist Church

9325 W. Newberry Rd. Gainesville, FL 32606
Puchase tickets for concert and/or workshops online here

Sunday March 6th
Jacksonville, FL
European Street Cafe
5500 Beach Blvd. Jacksonville, FL 32207
8:00 pm
Purchase tickets online

"That voice. Those songs. So fresh and so deep." -The Music City Roots Blog

NEWSLETTER FROM CINEMA VERDE: FILM FEST TO BE HELD IN GAINESVILLE, MARCH 18-27

2011-02-11T16:24:00.003-05:00

February 11, 2011

It's our biggest newsletter yet -- overflowing with exciting ways to help the environment and have fun with Cinema Verde!

UPCOMING EVENTS

Feb. 19: Volunteers needed -- Help offset Cinema Verde's carbon footprint, while petting a lemur! We've partnered with Neutral Gainesville to plant longleaf pine saplings at Alachua Conservation Trust's beautiful Prairie Creek Ranch, to help restore native forest and absorb CO2. Bring your kids! Our friends from Single more Vision www.singlevisioninc.org will be back with more of... read full story here

Feb 21: Student Exhibition deadline -- Your favorite k-12 student still has a chance to see their work hanging in the Harn Museum! We're still welcoming art, literature and conservation projects from all Alachua County k-12 students for our Student Exhibition, until Feb 21. Participating student receive a free ticket to one of our student oriented environmental films. Details at teachers.verdefest.org or email ken@verdefest.org.

March 1: Call for Artists deadline -- Hazmat Suit Fashion Show -- Design this year's Hazmat fashion statement! We're partnering with the Superfund Art Project to produce a Hazmat Fashion Show and calling all artists to submit designs by March 1. Thrill to your design on the runway at the March 19 EcoFair on the downtown Bo Diddly Plaza! In addition to the fame... read full story here

March 19: EcoFair -- Gainesville is home to a wide range of people, from college students to families, business owners to educators to retirees. Join Cinema Verde and GoGreenNation for an EcoFair that will bring together these different groups for the common cause of learning about and taking actions to improve the environment. Cinema Verde’s Eco-Fair is Saturday March 19... read full story here

Cinema Verde pledge request on KickStarter! -- Please help us bring some exciting environmental entertainment to Cinema Verde and Gainesville. We're seeking funding to bring in filmmakers, experts, artists, and musicians to help rock our Environmental Film and Arts Festival, March 18-27. Help us out and receive cool gifts! Just a $1 minimum pledge lets you start kicking.

EcoArtwalk Marches On -- We're having a great response to our March 25 downtown EcoArtwalk call for artists. We'll consider more until Wed March 16, or all the venues fill up (if you have a venue we'd like to talk to you too), whichever comes first. At which time we'll breathe a very satisfied sigh, then start getting our shoes and socks ready. More information here

Do you have the next big (or small) green idea? -- Here's your chance to tell the world, or at least a big crowd! Cinema Verde is hosting an EcoPechakucha (no, our cat didn't walk across our keyboard, it's pronounced EEK' oh peh CHAH' kuh CHAH, Japanese for "chatting about interesting green things") on Thursday March 24, 7-9pm, in partnership with Volta Coffee... read full story here

Be included in our Sustainable Business Directory -- Now is the time for sponsors to sign up so that your green business can be included in our sustainable business directory - just $25! Sign up through our Google Document. Learn more about sponsorships here and sponsorship levels here. We invite you to join us in bringing this essential environmental information to our local community and beyond.

Create a Facebook buzz about your business or organization -- Our EcoFair Director, Jackie Cassarly, is bringing "How to Create Facebook Fan and Event Pages" to Gainesville, a 3 hour session presented by Jim Spellos. More information and registration at www.planningconnection.com/jimspellos

WATCH FOR THE CINEMA VERDE LOGO PAINTED ON THE 34TH STREET GRAFFITI WALL SOON!

About us:
The 2011 Cinema Verde Festival will present a series of films, activities and events focused on the environment. This 10 day festival seeks to raise consciousness about environmental issues, educate people and mobilize support for solving environmental and social problems. Our mission is to utilize a multidisciplinary program featuring films, eco-art exhibits, eco-tours showcasing natural resources, workshops, an eco-fair and other educational activities to bring community organizations, businesses, and citizens together to help forge sustainable solutions for our future.

Please let us know how you and your organization would like to support the 2011 festival.

Festival Team:
Trish Riley, Festival Director
Jackie Cassarly, Eco-Fair Director
Ken McMurry, Arts Director

Follow us on Facebook and Tweet us on Twitter!
Facebook Fanpage: Cinema Verde
Twitter: CinemaVerdeFest

Gainesville Environmental Film and Arts Festival, Inc. DBA Cinema Verde
PO BOX 358711
Gainesville, Florida 32601

Add us to your address book

Copyright (C) 2009 Gainesville Environmental Film and Arts Festival, Inc. DBA Cinema Verde All rights reserved.

John T. Edge is at it again

2011-02-08T07:08:00.000-05:00

John T., the master mind behind the Southern Foodways Alliance and author of a number of superb books on Southern cuisine is at it again. Check out www.truckfoodnation.com for preview of a book to come out this year. I can not wait.

CRANBERRY-ORANGE SAUCE: I have received several requests for this recipe. It is a sure fire knock out.

2010-11-23T14:59:00.003-05:00

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Cranberry-Orange Sauce: try this for a sure hit on Thanksgiving

In the mid-90's, my friend, Gail Carr, prepared Cranberry-Orange Sauce at an outdoor Thanksgiving dinner at the Carr farm in Micanopy. Frankly, it stopped me in my tracks and I have prepared it for every Thanksgiving since then to consistent applause. If you do not try this dish, you will "need to have your head examined." This recipe is abundantly easy.

CRANBERRY-ORANGE SAUCE

Ingredients:

1 large orange or 2 tangerines
1 bag of cranberries, 12 oz.
1 package of frozen raspberries in syrup
1/2 cup of sugar
2 tablespoons, fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons, orange flavored liquer such as Triple Sec

1. From the citrus fruit, zest 1 teaspoon of peel and squeeze 1/2 cup of juice

2. In saucepan, heat all ingredients (except the liqueur) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook uncovered until most of the cranberries pop and the mixture thickens slightly. Stir as needed.

3. Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the liqueur.

4. Stir into serving bowl and refrigerate for three hours before serving.

Note the new site for Slow Food Gainesville....excellente!

2010-11-23T14:46:00.003-05:00

https://sites.google.com/site/slowfoodgville/

Congratulations to Slow Food Gainesville for a new web site that looks great.

Marilyn Monroe's Dressing Recipe from NY Times

2010-11-21T11:03:00.002-05:00

Don't miss this article and recipe. I will be attempting this one ASAP.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/10/dining/10marilyn.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=marilyn%20monroe%20&st=cse

Stephen C. O'Connell's Favorite Dish: clipping from my mother's files

2010-10-31T09:25:00.006-04:00

I found the following recipe in my mother's files. It is attributed to Rita O'Connell, the then University of Florida President's first wife who pre-deceased him. President O'Connell later re-married and lived a very happy life in Tallahassee where he had served on the Florida Supreme Court. I am not sure where the yellowed clipping came from, but the type face indicates to me that the Gainesville Sun was the likely source.

My mother and Rita were very good friends and spent a lot of time in our living room discussing the intricacies of academic entertaining which Mrs. O'Connell had to master in short order when Steve became president of the university.

I have known a number of First Ladies of universities and Rita was my favorite. She was always very warm and gracious (as was Steve) and patient with my budding beard, long hair, and (of course) Roman sandals.

First Ladies of universities in those days were an extremely important part of the political life of a university and supervised innumerable social events at the President's House on campus. They were unpaid for their hard work, under-recognized, but integral to the workings of their spouse's administration.

To underscore that, when looking to post this recipe, I could find a picture of President O'Connell on-line, but did not find one of Mrs. O'Connell. These women deserve a vote of thanks by all members of the Gator Nation. Greater recognition of their contributions to campus life need to be given to these women.

The world is a better place for having Steve and Rita O'Connell be among us. I smile whenever I think of them.

VEAL CUTLETS

Ingredients:

Veal cutlets, 1 per serving
Fresh mushrooms
Spring onions
Frozen artichoke hearts
Salt and pepper
Paprika
Flour
Sauterne cooking wine

Cut the veal into bite-sized pieces. Shake on salt, pepper, paprika, and flour. Brown the meat in a frying pan, using corn oil. Cook until tender.

Place in a casserole with chopped stems of fresh mushrooms and chopped spring onions, saving the chopped onion stems for the top. Add one-half cup water and one-half cup of sauterne wine, just enough to cover.

Cook the dish uncovered for about 45 minutes in a 350-375 degree oven.

Cut the thawed artichoke hearts and mushroom caps into quarters.

Add both to the top of the casserole along with the chopped onion stems. Spoon gravy over the top frequently for another 15-30 minutes. Serve warm.

from the Fresh from Florida blogger's e-mail per Rosemary

2010-10-25T09:39:00.000-04:00

Florida Herbs: Rosemary
Laura | October 25, 2010 at 9:00 am | Tags: herbs, Nutrition, rosemary | Categories: Healthy Living | URL: http://wp.me/pnlCH-1IX

With the holiday seasons quickly approaching, special meals make them memorable. Sometimes the most memorable things we take with us are the smells from these beloved mealtimes as our favorite dishes are enjoyed. The smells we equate with these delectable dishes are usually due to the herbs corresponding with seasonal smorgasbords. To help your season and mine be more memorable than ever, I looked into some helpful herbs that will make any dinner table better.

Rosemary is a beautiful herb with bright evergreen foliage. The aroma is warm and peppery with a sense of pine. The taste is has a woody, balsamic aftertaste. Rosemary is commonly used with veal, chicken, pork and lamb, and it can be added to butter, salt or pepper. Veggies in need of a little butter can be spruced up with a little rosemary as well. Salads and olive oil also go well with the addition of rosemary. Many recipes recommend adding rosemary to soups and eggs. You can find rosemary chopped, whole and ground. Unlike some herbs, rosemary can be overused in cooking, because it does not diminish with cooking. Rosemary can also be used for potpourri, and linens can be dried in the sun spread over rosemary.

Some health applications we can enjoy from rosemary are: vitamins A, E, B6, and C, a-beta carotene, niacin, folate, magnesium, manganese, calcium, selenium, zinc, omega 3 fatty acids, phosphorus and potassium. Rosemary improves circulation, stimulates your immune system, improves digestion, increases blood flow and can reduce asthma attacks. Pregnant women should be careful of this herb.

This is definitely an herb to add to your meals. I enjoy roasting veggies in the oven with this herb and find that it not only tastes remarkable but the aroma is enjoyable as well. Remember a little goes a long way with rosemary, so all you need is a little with any dish.

NY Times article shows how behavioral psychology can be applied to lunch line design

2010-10-23T06:45:00.002-04:00

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/10/21/opinion/20101021_Oplunch.html

DINING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR GATOR FANS GOING TO THE BAMA GAME

2010-10-01T06:16:00.012-04:00

I grew up in Gainesville FL, but lived in Tuscaloosa from 6th grade through my sophomore year in high school. I consider both towns to be home.

Tuscaloosa is a lovely place where Southern hospitality still thrives. Here are some dining recommendations for those traveling north for Saturday's game between the Gators and the Tide.

IN TUSCALOOSA/NORTHPORT:

15th Street Diner: reasonably priced Southern cooking. The best of down-home veggies etc. Great meat loaf.

The Waysider: Fabulous breakfast spot. Always very busy. Coach Bryant ate here a
lot.

The City Cafe (Northport): Like the Waysider, an iconic breakfast. Another Bryant haunt.

Nick's in the Sticks: Super beef filet...funky atmosphere...very tasty food and never chic

The Cotton Patch: on the road to Birmingham and is a Southern cooking landmark. I prefer 15th St. Diner myself.

Archibald's: A's is the best barbecue in T-town, bar none. They serve take out only from a block building in Northport. Not the easiest place to find. Follow the smoke.

Dreamland Barbecue: The original location is loved by many. Just ribs, white bread and tea....no sides. Very good, but should be over run by Tide and Gator fans alike.

The Cypress Inn: pricey but said to be good. They are located on the banks of the Black Warrior River and the ambience/view is great.

If you love American art: The Jack Warner Art collection is a must-see. It is located in the old offices of the Gulf States paper mill located near Lake Tuscaloosa.

IN MONTGOMERY:

Lots of chains, but good food is still available. For lunch: the Montgomery State Farmers' Market has an excellent country cooking buffet. For supper: Martin's fried chicken is revered all over the South. The Hank Williams museum is located in Montgomery for those who need to pay their respects while passing through town.

Between Montgomery and Tuscaloosa I recommend Jim's barbecue. The Twix and Tween in Centerville is not what it used to be, but they sell their sauce and I always buy a supply when passing by.

LAST TIPS: While Tide fans are the most fervent of sports fans, they are also very hospitable. Conduct yourself well and you will be rewarded with many kindnesses. Lots of yes ma'ms and yes sirs will serve you well. And, the evening meal is "supper." Lunch is "dinner."

THE GAINESVILLE SUN REPORTS THAT LOUIS' LUNCH WILL CLOSE IN NOVEMBER!

2010-10-01T04:58:00.002-04:00

http://www.gainesville.com/article/20100930/ARTICLES/100939944/1118?Title=Louis-Lunch-closing-after-82-years

Louis' Lunch burger recipe

2010-09-24T07:59:00.004-04:00

In a Yelp posting, one person claimed to have knowledge of the recipe for Louis' Lunch's burgers. They say it is: 1/3 ground beef, 1/3 ground pork, and 1/3 bread crumbs (plus spices).

If one were to jazz it up, add whatever spices you would add to your favorite meatball recipe or just salt and pepper. Further, I often add a healthy hit of olive oil when shaping the burgers. This adds a healthy fat and moisture to the finished product. Plus, it will enhance the crispy exterior that many afficianados of Louis's burgers crave.

THIS JUST IN FROM SLOW FOOD GAINESVILLE PER NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION THIS WEEKEND

2010-09-20T12:23:00.001-04:00

Slow Food USA is hosting a national day of action this weekend -
Saturday, Spetember 25th! Let’s celebrate the advent of Fall and help
our community gardens to get a jumpstart! There are two locations
that we will be working and afterward we will have a potluck lunch
(details below).

1) Building raised bed gardens for Stephen Foster Elementary School
When: 8:30 am
Where: 3800 NW 6th St. Gainesville. FL 32609
What: Bring a snack, water, gloves and a shovel if you have one, and
plan to help the school set up their fall gardens!

2) Highlands Presbyterian Church has 10 raised Gift Garden beds and
would like to invite the community to come help plant, tend and
harvest the Fall garden. All food form the garden will be used as a
community resource.
When: 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Where: 1001 NE 16th Avenue
What: Bring your water, gloves and come out to help. Highlands will
be providing seeds and seedlings for planting, however gardeners are
also welcome to bring seeds or seedlings they would like to cultivate
in the Fall garden. Highlands will have an assortment of gardening
tools available, however if you have your own hand tools, please bring
them along. If you have questions regarding this or future involvement
with the Highlands Community Gardens, please contact Rev. Alisun
Donovan (352 214 0117) or Donna Mitchell (352 328 6579).

We hope you can join us, the workdays we will be having a potluck
lunch (doors open at 11:30) at Highlands Presbyterian Church for all
foodies and gardeners interested in conversation about community food
programs, gardens and how we can reinvigorate Slow Food Gainesville by
helping out with these types of projects.

Also, I (we) wanted to let you all know that we are renewing our
commitment to keeping our Slow Food group active! After a year of
dormancy (baby, new job, etc....) we are ready to recommit to you,
Slow Food, and helping our community move the needle for
sustainability in our food system! I hope to post at least every
couple weeks to share opportunities and ideas as I did before, will do
my best to get he website up to date and keep it more active and we
want to get more invovled with these and other community gardens as
well as start hosting farm tours and potlucks again. If you have any
info or ideas and time to share, feel free to drop us a line -
slowfoodgainesville@gmail.com

See you in the garden!
Anna and Melissa

Hawaiian Pork Chops

2010-09-13T21:02:00.006-04:00

This is a new recipe I am working on. Any comments will be appreciated. We are enjoying the dish and find the left overs to be very tasty.

HAWAIIAN PORK CHOPS

5 or so large loin or boneless pork chops
Salt and pepper
Olive oil, 3 tablespoons
1-20 ounce can, crushed pineapple
1-14.5 ounce can, diced tomatoes, drained
2-3 teaspoons, Cajun seasoning,
2 tablespoons, garlic powder
2 teaspoons, black pepper
2 teaspoons, pepper flakes
2 tablespoons, soy sauce

Heat up a large skillet on medium heat. Add olive oil and allow it to coat the pan.

Salt and pepper both sides of the chops.

Place the chops in the skillet. They should sizzle when added. If not, turn up the heat.

Sear the chops and turn after they look golden brown on one side. Do the same for the back side.

Add remaining ingredients.

Bring to a boil and then lower heat to very low. Cook slowly on the stove top, semi-covered. When the pork reaches 160 degrees turn off the heat, cover, and prepare plates.

Serve with grits or rice.

Local Food Entrepreneurs: Pay Attention to Blue Oven Kitchens

2010-09-05T06:01:00.004-04:00

Go to Blue Oven Kitchens' site (www.blueovenkitchens.org) for the status of the incubator kitchen being planned (now known as Blue Oven Kitchens). Regular trainings are scheduled and everyone interested in expanding the local food industry should be take advantage of these opportunities.

The Gainesville Guardian reports on new kitchen at West Coast Seafood

2010-09-01T07:11:00.005-04:00

http://www.gainesville.com/article/20100826/GUARDIAN/8261009

The new kitchen at West Coast Seafood, a new addition to their business, is cooking to order fresh seafood from their seafood market. In other words, you buy, they fry. We will be checking it out soon.

I am always looking for more seafood outlets and I plan to go back and see how West Coast rates. The garlic crabs will be high on the to-do list.

If this article's descriptions pan out, West Coast Seafood will be one more reason why Eastside Gainesville dining is the best in the city.

Will keep you posted.

EDIBLE PLANT PROJECT: A VERY WORTHY LOCAL FOOD GROUP TO KNOW ABOUT

2010-08-30T06:34:00.002-04:00

Check out this group at their site: www.edibleplantproject.org. They are holding workshops today at 11 am at the Friends of the Gainesville Organic Blueberry Farm, 1621 SE 15th Street, Gainesville, FL.

NY Times column on food safety is a must-read. Action needed to enhance food safety

2010-07-29T07:36:00.000-04:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/25/opinion/25schlosser.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=food%20safety&st=cse

Adirondack Crescent Cheeses Extolled in New Book

2010-07-28T11:08:00.002-04:00

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/note.php?note_id=138192759538557&id=318937002745

Check out this new book by the Halls, our North Central Florida neighbors!

HOW TO DO FLORIDA: NEW WEB SITE

2010-07-09T16:31:00.002-04:00

WWW.HOWTODOFLORIDA.COM is a new web site that is now up and running. The site is run by the State of Florida ag folks and will spawn a state-wide television program beginning in the fall on Sun network. It looks good and promising. Check it out.

JUST DISCOVERED A COOL FLORIDA BLOG: PURE FLORIDA

2010-07-07T10:22:00.001-04:00

CHECK OUT THIS BLOG: WWW.PUREFLORIDA.BLOGSPOT.COM

This Rival slicer is like the one I own and use regularly. Saves $3/pound over deli-sliced meats.. Slice your own and save $$$$.

2010-06-21T10:42:00.004-04:00

FYR: Great article on maintaining cast iron pans

2010-06-14T10:13:00.003-04:00

http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/06/how-to-buy-season-clean-maintain-cast-iron-pans.html?utm_source=Serious+Eats+Weekly+Newsletter&utm_campaign=53f9805033-Serious_Eats_Weekly_Newsletter_June_14_2010&utm_medium=email

THE JELLO MOLD MISTRESS OF BROOKLYN

2010-06-10T11:29:00.002-04:00

I heard an interview with this woman, The Jello Mold Mistress of Brooklyn. Here is the link to her blog and see link to the program.

www.victoriabelanger.wordpress.com

Excellent article on upside down gardening

2010-06-05T05:40:00.001-04:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/20/garden/20tomato.html?scp=1&sq=upside%20down%20gardening&st=cse

Times article on new grassroot food vendors in NYC

2010-06-05T05:33:00.002-04:00

This article should be read by future food entrepreneurs. Lays out a view of the NYC scene.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/02/dining/02vendors.html?ref=dining

I have received several recommendations for Farm to Family. Check it out.

2010-05-17T21:31:00.000-04:00

http://buyingclub.farmtofamily.com/

Note link on small farming in FL

2010-05-17T14:52:00.000-04:00

www.floridasmallfarms.blogspot.com

NEWS FROM SLOW FOOD GAINESVILLE

2010-05-16T11:02:00.000-04:00

A few interesting things here.

1. High Springs Farmers Market is seeking a Market Manager. Consider applying if you're looking for a little extra work on the side!

* Pays $100 per week
* Weekly duties include vendor relations, setup of market booth/signs, record keeping, outgoing personality, multi-tasking skills sincere commitment to the Farmers Market and familiarity with USDA laws helpful.
* Email your resume to the manager farmersmarket@highspringsmainstreet.com

2. Vote for Florida Organic Growers' GIFT Gardens! FOG is trying to build more gardens for low income residents, this time for a proposed project in the Porters Neighborhood. Click here to sign up and vote!

3. Local Food Potluck in Micanopy for the Transition Town network in celebration of Eat Local Month! Bring a local or mostly local dish to share. It is part of a new group in Micanopy that has started a "Transition Town" right here in Micanopy! Saturday, May 22nd, 2010 from 6 to 8 pm behind Mosswood Farm Store in Micanopy. Drinks will be provided. A speaker will be discussing the benefits and sustainability of a local food diet and we will be discussing the planning of a Micanopy community garden.

--
Supporting good, clean and fair food.

Straw Bale Gardening Technique

2010-04-21T13:50:00.000-04:00

http://www.no-dig-vegetablegarden.com/straw-bale-gardening.html

Try this recipe for Zucchini Marinara

2010-04-17T09:31:00.001-04:00

http://www.proiettis.com/recipes.cfm?subpage=14122

TV 20 reports that Cafe Gardens is closing its doors

2010-04-13T23:44:00.000-04:00

http://www.wcjb.com/news/6619/cafe-gardens-closing-down

Fish Sauces explained. My secret ingredient

2010-04-09T07:39:00.004-04:00

Lynn Rossetto Kaspar of the Splendid Table radio program swears by Three Crab fish sance as her go-to secret ingredient. The following is a good article on that sauce and other Asian fish sauces. I may be trying a few out.

http://importfood.com/satc2401.html

Viva Voltaco's Spring Salad reprised

2010-04-07T06:40:00.000-04:00

VIVA VOLTACO’S SPRING SALAD

Italian angels can cook, and they work at Voltaco’s in Ocean City, NJ, a seasonal Italian sub shop on West Avenue six blocks off the ocean and the boardwalk. In spite of being off the beaten path in this popular family beach resort, Voltaco’s is jammed with locals and tourists alike. They come for the fabulous food first and the angels second.

Aromas of freshly baked breads, pungent chopped herbs, and onions fill the small shop during lunch hour. A Voltaco's sub is wrapped in butcher’s paper, doused with Italian dressing and passed to eagerly awaiting customers. Each one is a blessing from heaven.

Owners Vicky and Joe Tacarrino are open during the summer months and make enough from their seasonal business to close up during the winter months. Next summer, if you are anywhere east of the Mississippi during the summer, go to Ocean City NJ and savor their wares. They are open for supper as well and sell freshly prepared and home made dishes ready to take home after a long day at the shore.

This salad is something we tried by accident when my wife decided not to have a sub. I tasted it and loved it every bit as much as their subs. We left determined to make our own version at home and our recipe follows. Here is our take on their salad.

Viva Voltaco’s.

Ingredients:

One bag of spring mix greens
2 pared and sliced fresh pears
a handful of walnuts
crumbled blue cheese
Voltaco balsamic dressing (balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, honey, mustard)
Balsamic vinegar. 3/8’s of a cup
1 teaspoon, lemon juice
salt, a pinch
black pepper, a pinch
Creole seasoning, a pinch
Honey, 2 tablespoons
Naples Valley Hot Mustard (or your favorite hot honey mustard)

To make the dressing:

In a food processor: To the balsamic vinegar add the lemon juice, salt, black pepper, Creole seasoning, honey, and Naples Valley Hot Mustard. Pulse several times. Through the tube of the processor, drizzle 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil while continuously running the processor until all oil is emulsified with the dressing.
Chill for an hour.

To assemble the salad:

Rinse the greens and either spin-dry them or wrap them in paper towels to soak up all of the water. The water will dilute the rich flavors. Place in a large salad bowl.
Add dressing and toss to coat the leaves.
Peel the pears, core, and slice. Arrange attractively on top of the greens.
Take a four finger pinch of walnut halves or broken walnuts and sprinkle over the salad in a circular motion.
Do the same with the blue cheese.
Serve from the serving bowl into smaller bowls with two serving spoons or forks making sure to top each serving with representative quantities of the pears, walnuts, and cheese.

FLORIDA FOOD SUMMIT, APRIL 12-13, 2010

2010-04-07T04:42:00.002-04:00

Don't forget to attend the Florida Food Summit on April 12-13 at the J. Wayne Reitz Union at the University of Florida. The summit is sponsored by the UF Office of Sustainability and will be highlighted by a Fair and Farmers Market from 11 AM-3PM on the north lawn of the JWRU and talks both days.

The local food issue has been prominent in our agricultural and culinary circles. It is a boost to the movement to have attention given to this issue by UF.Please turn out.

For more information: www.sustainability.ufl.edu

Rochester's Charlie Brown's will re-open. Breakfasts are heaven on a plate!!

2010-04-06T15:22:00.000-04:00

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20100406/BUSINESS/100406014/-1/nletter09?source=nletter-business

HOUSEKEEPING: A search tool is now part of my blog; ordering through Amazon can be done directly from the blog site

2010-04-05T08:22:00.003-04:00

I have added a search function to my blog page to assist you in finding blog entries from my archives. This tool should make it easier for you and for me when looking for a restaurant review, menu, or recipe.

Also, if you are ordering books through Amazon, take a look at the books in the carousel or go there and order other books. CFF receives a small portion of your purchase to help me keep the reviews and articles coming. Many thanks.

The Jones - A+ suppers

2010-03-31T22:05:00.000-04:00

There are not enough stars in the sky to apply to the last two meals I have had at The Jones. First a water buffalo burger.....yes, you heard me right. Lean but juicy and very, very tasty. Tonight a chicken dish with shitake mushrooms, spinach, and a tomato cream sauce. I never give A + grades. This was off the charts. Heavens to Betsy!

More info to follow....

HARRY'S FELL DOWN LAST NIGHT

2010-03-31T14:21:00.002-04:00

We had out of town guests and wanted to take them to a restaurant that showed off the downtown area, but was more informal than some. I had reviewed Harry's a while back on this blog and had given it flying colors.

Last night, however, the very same dishes were not good. The shrimp and scallops over the grits cake was way, way too salty and my wife's shrimp (shrimp and grits) was rubbery and overcooked. Consistency is important in the restaurant business and Harry's fell down last night. Maybe they had a new cook.

I would have sent my back but we had already waited a long time in spite of the restaurant not being full. Plus, we did not want to make a scene. The meal last night made me very reluctant to return. It is hard to reconcile having the very same dish be fabulous one night and lousy the next.

Billy, you need to "mentor" someone on your staff.

A Must Read on the Fraudulent Adulteration of Foods from the W'ton Post

2010-03-30T04:18:00.000-04:00

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/29/AR2010032903824.html?hpid=topnews

THANKS FOR THE KIND WORDS, FLORIDA FOOD HOUND. GOOD LUCK IN YOUR NEW HOME IN ILLINOIS

2010-03-26T22:29:00.000-04:00

Series on Gainesville Restaurants on East Side

Always good to learn about another blog covering the restaurant scene in and around Gainesville.

Check out CROSS FLORIDA FOOD for a series on local restaurants on the East side of town.

Lots of good ideas here. Enjoy.

East End Eatery: The Jewel of Eighth Avenue

2010-03-24T15:45:00.005-04:00

East End Eatery (1202 NE 8th Avenue, Gainesville, FL 32601, 352-378-9870)is one of several sure-fire go-to restaurants on the east side of Gainesville. I can depend on their offerings and have thoroughly enjoyed each meal that I have had there. EEE features creative cuisine focusing on fresh,local foods whenever available. The dishes are healthful and all have intriguing tastes.

The restaurant came about after the success of its parent endeavor, Elegant Events Catering. Favorite dishes from the catering business have been incorporated into the EEE's menu. Their statement of purpose says it well: "As a locally owned small business, we strive to bring the very best of our community to you in the form of healthy, delicious and affordable lunches and carry-out. We have embraced the need for sustainability by providing Eco-friendly materials [menu and to-go packaging]. By utilizing sustainable methods in our preparation, we are doing our part to help preserve what we have -- a beautiful East End of Gainesville."

We have eaten there a number of times now. Often the menu features specials such as quiches, salads, and usually a hot dish. Their meat loaf and a beef stroganoff were definitely A plus comfort food. EEE's Mashed potatoes are better than Mama makes (sorry to the mothers of Gainesville).

Today, for example, we dropped by EEE for a quick lunch. My wife ordered quiche with a side curried apple sweet potato soup that was fresh, pungent, and with multiple layers of bright, rich flavor. The serving sizes were ample and the soup came in a large cup, much larger than normal. The quiche could have used stronger flavor, maybe a sharper cheese.

I ordered the Moroccan Chicken Salad Wrap that was flavored with oranges, dates, and cardamom. I was totally delighted with the wrap and found the meal tasty and refreshing. The side of potato salad was freshly made in the restaurant and "popped" with flavor.

This is definitely a go-to restaurant, a Percy Harvin of the Gainesville restaurant scene (along with Ruby's, The Jones). If you have not tried the East End Eatery, head on over and you will be glad you did.

GRADE: A

2010-03-08T10:51:00.002-05:00

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Green Market, formerly Greenery Square, now hosts a farmers market on Fridays and Sundays. The site, located just east of the Mall on Newberry Road, is very accessible and convenient. The public attendance was a great success. We hope farmer vendors will join in and increase their participation. This site is destined to be a great success.

Local Blog worth checking out

2010-03-04T12:14:00.001-05:00

www.ourlocallife.com

GAINESVILLE'S EAST SIDE RESTAURANTS SERIES: Civilization, was "a" bomb, not "the" bomb

2010-02-25T05:06:00.007-05:00

While starting a series in my blog on the quality/value of east Gainesville restaurants,we decided to start with one that I had not yet patronized. What a mistake!

Our dining experience at Civilization was grueling, painful, and tasteless. The only redeeming points to the restaurant were the industrial chic design of the place and the well-intentioned staff. Oh....and the toasted bread was crisp.

Basically, we spent an hour and half waiting for a table and waiting to be served. 90 minutes! When the meal finally arrived (Coq au Vin), it was pretty much tasteless without any depth of flavor.

A dish often put in the category of comfort food, this version coupled with the horrendously long wait rendered our visit to this restaurant a total bomb. If I had cooked this dish at home I would have considered what I was served to be a complete failure. My wife's flank steak was just OK and the chimichurri sauce was barely apparent.

Upon our arrival, the restaurant lot did not have many cars in the lot and we decided to give the restaurant a try. We went in and found two parties ahead of us. The hostess said we could be seated in about 15 minutes. With no place to sit, we stood at the door for about 20 minutes. We were finally offered some seats at a booth set up for waiting patrons, not diners.

Many of Civilization's flaws begin with poor table management. The restaurant needs to add more two person tables. There were many four person tables seating two people. One six person table that had been configured by sliding together one or more tables had two people seated at it. While the restaurant is small, better tabling is needed to maximize the numbers of people that can be served and the number of settings per table per evening. They will surely fail if this problem is not solved.

Several tables had customers with glassy eyed looks of having waited way too long for their food. One of the two parties ahead us, upon being seated, were quick to tell the waitress they were very ready to order. They seemed exasperated too at the long wait and had too ample an opportunity to review the limited menu.

At no point did anyone ask how our meal was etc. I had to flag down someone to request......a napkin. Finally, after we were able to pay our check, we left the restaurant passing the main counter and the hostess and manager/owner. There was not a word uttered. Nothing like "thanks" or "good night" or "we hope you enjoyed your meal."

I will not return. Why would I want to go to a restaurant where the wait is long/painful and the final dish served is tasteless and unimaginative?

Civilization needs to re-examine how they move people through their establishment comfortably and gracefully. Their food needs considerable improvement. If you are looking for good restaurants on the east side, there are many other excellent choices: Satchel's, Ruby's, East End Eatery, The Jones.

If you go to Civilization, be forewarned. I hope they can turn their restaurant around, but for now I can not give them a passing grade.

GAINESVILLE'S EAST SIDE RESTAURANTS SERIES: RUBY'S RESTAURANT

2010-02-23T19:23:00.002-05:00

To begin my series on east Gainesville restaurants, I am re-posting my review of Ruby's Restaurant. Day in and day out, Ruby's food is my favorite restaurant in town. Her cooking hits it out of the park every time.

RUBY'S RESTAURANT IS THE GEM OF GAINESVILLE RESTAURANTS

Ruby's Restaurant located at 308 NW 5th Avenue (378-0490)is flat out my favorite restaurant in Gainesville and I recommend that you rush over and support this local business. I guarantee you will love their food. The first time I visited Ruby's I felt like Columbus when he first eyeballed the New World through his hand telescope. I was on to something very important. I felt like I had struck gold.

Once in a very, very rare while, I taste a dish in a restaurant that is so good on return visits I am incapable of ordering anything else on the menu. That experience has happened not once, not twice, but three times at Ruby's. Three of Ruby's signature dishes (there are more I have not tried yet) are Dirty Rice w/ Shrimp, Blueberry De-Lite, and their Gator Burgers. "Mercy," and a shake of the head is always my reaction after the first bite of each.

The Dirty Rice with Shrimp is a Louisiana inspired plate of rice and meat with beautiful seared and seasoned shrimp on top. I may never get past this dish when presented the menu. It is tasty and no one else in town has undertaken it. I will go back again and again for this spicy rice dish.

I am not really a dessert person but a taste of the Blueberry De-Lite is as fine a dessert as there is on the planet. New Orleans' Commander's Palace's bread souffle with whisky sauce has a challenger. The De-Lite has a crunch crust on the bottom with layers of pudding, cream cheese, blueberries, whipped cream and nuts. I try not to lead you into sin, but dive in on this one.

The Gator Burger is a show stopper. I was expecting your basic good small restaurant burger. Instead I saw them put the one pound patty on the grill. It looked like a frisbee. The burger came out perfectly cooked on Texas toast. I immediately knew that it was beyond my capacity so I cut it in half and saved the other half for a buddy at the office who loves fine burgers. I can not even imagine what the Double Gator Burger must look like.

Ruby's is owned by Ruby and Johnny Moore. Both come from families of fine cooks. If I were to label Ruby's, I would call it progressive home cooking. The Moores have put together a menu that pulls from African-American cooking traditions (the motherlode of Southern foodways) and takes that cuisine to the next level with unique twists and turns that make their dishes always tasty and often intriguing. Imagination and love are clearly at work at Ruby's. Their son, Johnny Jr., works in the restaurant and charms each customer with his enthusiasm for his parent's cooking. Give Ruby's a try. You will not be disappointed.

Hogtown Homegrown

2010-02-19T06:47:00.002-05:00

Local and Seasonal Recipes, Menus and More

A periodical produced in Alachua County, Hogtown Homegrown, is well worth reading regularly. Their sidebar, What's Fresh Right Now, and other information about local food sources and production are valuable contributions to our local food community. Check it out at www.hogtownhomegrown.com.

Try out Thomasville's Sweet Grass Dairy cheeses at Union Street Farmers Market today

2010-02-17T11:17:00.001-05:00

Today 02-17-10
Sweet Grass Dairy at
Union Street Farmers Market

Sweet Grass Dairy will be at the Union Street Farmers Market today. Lila will have the following cheeses with her . Greenhill, Crossroads Blue, Lumberjack, Harvest and Thomasville Tomme.

We hope you get the chance to come visit the Sweet Grass Dairy booth later today. As always, the hours will be 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm. See you this afternoon.

Sincerely,

The Sweet Grass Dairy Gang

GAINESVILLE'S BEST VALUES ARE ON THE EASTSIDE: REVIEW SERIES TO START THIS WEEK

2010-02-16T06:16:00.003-05:00

My wife is out of town for a week and, as much as I love to cook, cooking for one person is a pain. I have been venturing out for lunch a bit more than normal and have found little to nothing in my neck of the woods (University and 34th Street area) that suits my tastes. Sometimes I just turn around and settle for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich at home.

As I have searched in vain, it quickly has become obvious to me that my favorite restaurants in Gainesville are all on the east side of town, east of 6th Street. Starting with my favorite, Ruby's, on 5th Avenue (east of 6th Street) there are many fine restaurants waiting to serve you tasty and memorable meals at great prices. A number come immediately to mind: La Fortuna, East End Eatery, Terrell's Barbecue, The Jones, The Top, Juniors, Mac's Drive-Thru, The Sandwich Inn, Blue Water Bay, along with several fine restaurants in the city center's dining district.

While it is a bit of a trek for some of you who live on the west side, Gainesville is NOT that big of a town. A drive east takes a few minutes extra and the locally owned restaurants there will welcome you with open arms. Liberate yourselves from the Chain Restaurant Jungle that clutters Archer Road and most high traffic routes on the west side. Take a ride east and your will never go back. I guarantee you will marvel at the variety of restaurants that are trying to provide meals that are closer to home-made, show their ethnic roots, and do a better job of patronizing local food purveyors.

So... I am going to begin reviewing my favorites to spur you to action. Stay tuned and I will add a new review weekly until I run out of east side restaurants to recommend. That may take longer than you might think!

Easy Pepper Beef Stew

2010-01-26T05:51:00.006-05:00

Last night, I was reading In Nonna's Kitchen, a wonderful book containing stories and recipes from Italian mothers and grandmothers. I came up with the following recipe that was inspired by one in the book. I highly recommend the book too!

EASY PEPPER BEEF STEW

3 lbs. stewing beef cut into 2 inch chunks
1 tablespoon, black pepper. Crush to release flavor.
Ten cloves of garlic, peeled
1 medium onion, chopped
1 bottle of red wine - Burgundy is a good choice
salt to taste
strong pinch of Cajun seasoning
liberal dash of soy sauce
1 pound box of sliced mushrooms
tomato paste to taste or up to one can
a healthy splash of Three Crabs Fish sauce (optional)
Ketchup, 1/2 cup

Place all in a slow cooker. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 7-8 hours. Serve over whole wheat noodles or brown basmati rice. MMMMMMMmmmmmmmm good.

Electric Table Top Roaster: Too Valuable and Too Cheap to Pass Up

2009-12-09T10:25:00.001-05:00

Our oven , already way-ancient, "gave up the ghost" just as we were arriving at our home in NY state to ready for Thanksgiving supper that we were hosting several days hence. Fortunately, before leaving our home in Florida and having realized that the oven might likely be inoperable for Thanksgiving, we spotted an electric, table-top roaster on sale at a fabulous price, 29 bucks. We scarfed it up and stored in the car's roof-top carrier for the trip north.

The roaster saved the day and we swear by them now. We popped it out of the box, bought the turkey, brined it, and away we went to a fine Thanksgiving meal. I over-estimated the cooking time, but was able to nurse the bird along and it came out moist and tasty.

Due to another miscalculation (all part of the joy of collaborative holiday cooking), we ended up with a second turkey that had been purchased too close to Thanksgiving to defrost adequately (shhhhh!). Fortunately, I never tire of turkey so we cooked the second turkey several days later and it too came out beautifully. The 20 pound bird took about 3 hours to cook. We did not brine it and it came out of the roaster quite moist and delicious. All is well that ends well.

The beauty of this device is that for a small amount of money, you essentially end up with a second oven freeing the main oven for other dishes or, our case, saving the day by being a prime baking vessel. The roaster has other uses: a steam table to serve from; large soup cooker, etc.. This week we are roasting a tenderized ham in it for seven hours and I expect (hope) that it will come out savory and falling off the bone.

I thought I had everything, but this is a device you should buy. It is too valuable and too cheap to pass up.

Bill Smith's SEASONED IN THE SOUTH

2009-12-06T20:24:00.007-05:00

Last summer, while passing through Chapel Hill, NC, we stopped at Crook's Corner restaurant (operated by Bill Smith). It was the depth of summer and the air was hotter "than your mama's stove." We had our dog, Kody, with us and we were dying to try out their two signature dishes: the tomato/watermelon salad and the shrimp and grits. We had read about each recipe in that month's Southern Living.

We needed to figure out how we both could eat and take care of Kody who was not allowed in the restaurant. To accomplish this required a creative strategy. I asked for a table for two by the window and asked that our orders come in series, not at the same time, but one immediately after the other. Our plan was to each have dinner in succession with the other sitting outside the window with the dog. We flipped a coin as to who would go first and I won!

My wife sat just outside the window with our dog and I received my order of the two famous dishes. The dinner was fabulous though I was sure to eat without undue dawdling. As soon as I was finished, we swapped places and my wife enjoyed her meal (and the air-conditioning). Our dog survived fine with cold water brought by the waiters to fill his water bowl and the affection of customers leaving the restaurant who diverted his attention away from the blazing heat.

The staff seemed touched by our efforts to enjoy their food and recommended the proprietor's cookbook to us. It included the recipes we had just enjoyed.

Needless to say, Bill Smith's cookbook is now front and center in my massive collection of books on Southern cooking. The recipe for Ham for a Crowd is an essential part of my repertoire. Easy and the perfect dish to serve for guests.

Thanks, Bill. Your book along with Moreton Neal's rememberance of Bill Neal sit near the door. If the house catches fire, I save my wife, my dog and those two cookbooks!

CFF designated as a Featured Blog on WHERE THE LOCALS EAT!

2009-12-06T10:32:00.003-05:00

I am honored that Cross Florida food has been made a featured site on WHERE THE LOCALS EAT. I hope all will visit both my blog and their site for more food info around the US. I invite visitors from WHERE THE LOCALS EAT to explore my archives and links to access the several years of articles I have posted. Thanks again for featuring my blog.

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND: Cranberry-Orange Sauce: try this for a sure hit on Thanksgiving

2009-11-21T05:37:00.001-05:00

In the mid-90's, my friend, Gail Carr, prepared Cranberry-Orange Sauce at an outdoor Thanksgiving dinner at the Carr farm in Micanopy. Frankly, it stopped me in my tracks and I have prepared it for every Thanksgiving since then to consistent applause. If you do not try this dish, you will "need to have your head examined." This recipe is abundantly easy.

CRANBERRY-ORANGE SAUCE

Ingredients:

1 large orange or 2 tangerines
1 bag of cranberries, 12 oz.
1 package of frozen raspberries in syrup
1/2 cup of sugar
2 tablespoons, fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons, orange flavored liquer such as Triple Sec

1. From the citrus fruit, zest 1 teaspoon of peel and squeeze 1/2 cup of juice

2. In saucepan, heat all ingredients (except the liqueur) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook uncovered until most of the cranberries pop and the mixture thickens slightly. Stir as needed.

3. Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the liqueur.

4. Stir into serving bowl and refrigerate for three hours before serving.

Posted by Jimmy Conner at 7:46 AM 1 comments

Crock Pot blog worth diving into

2009-10-19T07:39:00.006-04:00

Take a look at www.crockpot365.blogspot.com.

I was looking for a crock pot recipe for the stone-ground grits that I bought fresh from a mill and had found were taking a very long time to cook. A Google search led me to the above blog and rekindled my respect for the slow cooker as an important part of my cooking tool collection.

In the late 90's, my mother was ill and in her last days, my work was calling me to travel over several regions of the state, and I was cooking for care-givers. I was stressed and spread ice-thin. I allotted myself seven minutes for supper (that was the long version). I had to find ways to ease the stress of responsibilities and the little time I had to meet them.

I turned to the crock pot as a time-saver cooking tool. Soon, I was able to put together meals that were a treat, easy to make, and no-fuss at the back end (or the front end for that matter). Dan, the head care-giver, even scheduled his shift when he knew I was cooking with the crock pot!

I developed a few recipes that became favorites when served with rice and steamed veggies, but the simplest was to take Boston Butt, trim off the excess fat and squeeze it into the slow cooker. Pour a jar of barbecue sauce over the butt. Add chopped onion, salt, pepper, cajun seasoning. Put it on high for 45 minutes or so to get it good and hot and then drop it to low and let it cook all day. It was so good, I imagined accolades of "Genius, genius!"

Back to the subject: the young woman who put together her blog with the self-challenge to use the crockpot daily for a year has put together an entertaining and helpful series of entries worth reading and returning to often. As she works her way through the varieties of uses for the crock pot she parlayed the experience into a book contract and television appearances. Well worth diving deep into her blog. Take the leap.