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

http://buyingclub.farmtofamily.com/

Note link on small farming in FL

www.floridasmallfarms.blogspot.com

NEWS FROM SLOW FOOD GAINESVILLE

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

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

Try this recipe for Zucchini Marinara

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

TV 20 reports that Cafe Gardens is closing its doors

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

Fish Sauces explained. My secret ingredient

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

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

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!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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

www.ourlocallife.com

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

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

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.