annecros

LOL! I was just a tiny thing when my Uncle first introduced me to Grunt. I was scared silly of the thing, but still ate that sucker, and a few of its siblings! Thanks for bringing those memories back!

We are kind of spoiled rotten down here - now that I think about it. I used to be more excited about stone crab season than I am now. Used to catch my own spiny lobster when the mini season came in (too old and decrepit for that now) . I knew people in Georgia who used to drive to Pensacola just for the oysters. The Keys bill themselves as "The Sport Fishing Capital of the World" and if you are fishing, you certainly want to eat some - your own catch or not. I guess its just human nature to take it for granted when you live in paradise.

Thousands - tens of thousands. When's the last time you went to one that you enjoyed? We have the Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival at Amelia Island. It is a total zoo - horrible (unless your tastes run to cut off tshirts and lots of beer). Enough to give our otherwise wonderful shrimp a bad name. Whenever I hear the phrase "food festival" - it's enough to make me run in the other direction. Some street festivals - like the fall arts festival in Gainesville - are a lot more civilized (and you can get great smoked turkey legs there). Robyn ← The Goombay Festival in Key West. I like the Marathon Seafood Festival. We go to SunFest in West Palm every year, and though the primary draw is the entertainment and the boats there is always good food. Calle Ocho was last weekend, I didn't go but have been in the past. Even though it isn't your cup of tea, it is still an awful lot of people travelling for the food.

Nothing specific, just curiosity. You are obviously very descriminating in your food choices, and we travel the length of the state from time to time to visit relatives located in JAX, Savannah, Georgia and Panama City. Always on the lookout. Thanks.

Yeah-We've tried to change that for a coupla years, and I think we're almost there-maybe this will be the year! My place is just a few blocks from here, and we have plenty of parking, but we do a LOT of PR to get people here. ← I must have missed it, but where is your place and what is it like? I may have to stop in and harrass you.

This got me thinking about food festivals, and honestly Seafood Festivals in Florida are hard to get away from. Anytime I hit the road, on any of the coasts, it seems as if I run into a seafood festival. Besides that: There is the South Beach Food and Wine Festival and The Florida Strawberry Festival and COEX and SNAXPO and Coral Gables Wine and Food Festival and that is just this month, and doesn't include the big Seafood festival in Marathon, that is a huge one. There is one around every corner. With all these food festivals, isn't it logical to assume that the thousands that walk through them actually travel to get there?

Blais is gone - back in Atlanta - doing some catering (how long did he last - 6 months?). I think Van Aken is probably over the hill. At least with Norman's. I have not heard anything about his place at the Ritz Carlton in Orlando that makes me want to dine there. Quite frankly - I cannot recommend a single city in Florida as a dining destination. Although there are reasons to go to lots of locations in the state - everything from golf to diving to kayaking to art - and decent places to eat once you get here. Robyn ← robyn, Just asking, and hoping I am not too forward but curious, where do you eat in Florida?

Cream cheese. I have to dig around to find it. Just put some buttermilk in a low oven overnight. Drip through cheesecloth. ETA: OK found it. I think there are some other areas where it has been discussed. Click on me.

Boston Butt or shoulder. Yummy!

Did anybody go? I couldn't, and I want to kick myself. Hubby works for American Express, but we got in line for the cheap seats too late. Then life got in the way. Found this wrapup.

I thought Blais was back in Atlanta, things not having worked out in Miami.

Cool! You can be the disignated taster then! Please come back and tell us about it when you get by there. It would be nice to know if it is worth braving the drive, but it sure sounds good.

CaliPoutine, I stopped by Publix yesterday afternoon while I was out, and counted three displays! You should have no problem. 2 pounds for $5. I should have gone to Publix. But I was in Sedano's for something else, and they called my name.

Bernstein is welcome to wrong me anytime, and I'll pay for the privilege. Seriously though, Florida is easy to bash. When you think about it, Florida has three distinct regions, climates and mindsets. Four if you count the Keys. There really is no such thing as a cut and dried Florida cuisine. It seems kind of unfair comparing an entire state to a city. Oh man, my favorite hole-in-the-wall up here in Broward is a Peruvian place called "El Rocoto" in a very scary looking (Wilma damage) strip mall. It's opened my eyes to a whole new cuisine, and the prices were reasonable enough that I don't mind experimenting a little bit. I found your posts on the hidden gems in Miami very helpful when we first moved down from Palm Beach county.

Don't be sorry! I thought of New York first, and California was down on my list. We've got DC beat, but only in my limited experience. Illinois never crossed my mind. I think we have a fair footing with Vegas. But fair warning, and I can pull my camera out and document, the New York, New Jersey, Canadian, Ohian, Maine, Pennsylvanian and there was one from North Dakota today - liscense plates are in full bloom. That's how we tell when the seasons change in South Florida. Somebody is coming here in search of something. ← There is no place in Florida that has food equal to what you'll find in Chicago or Las Vegas - much less California. Like I said - someone is confusing the hunt for warm weather with food tourism. FWIW - all those out of state license plates don't mean doodle. You'll find tons in Fort Myers - and it isn't exactly on anyone's food radar screen. Robyn ← Well I don't know about radar screens, but I had a pretty good meal at Prawnbroker in Ft. Myers. Those out of state license plates mean no state income tax.

Heh, at least I won't have to keep my hubby away from the sea salt (I think)! We won't be dosing him with saltpeter. I know there is no scientific evidence to back up the saltpeter thing, but Anne here is not taking any chances with that stuff. Seriously though, potassium has a severe interaction with blood thinners, that a lot of old folks take. Old foks who would think lower sodium is good. They wouldn't let my Mom, prone to DVTs, eat sweet potatoes or leafy greens when she was on coumadin therapy. I think it interacts with ACE inhibitors, too. Scary.

Sorry Saltpeter is Potassium Nitrate (KNO3) ← Thanks. I should never post at night.

Just saw a commercial for Campbell's lower sodium soups, that states that they are using a lower sodium salt (sea salt? ) in the condensed soups. Now, I know that saltpeter is potassium chloride, and that it does not have as much sodium as sodium chloride, but a less saltier salt? They are saying 25% less salt, and stating that they are using "sea salt" on a green banner on the label. I was dumbfounded and didn't know what the heck to say. I am confused and skeptical. Consternated. Not making sense to me. Am I missing something?

Hello tillie! I don't know what part of the country you are in, but about 7 or 8 years ago we were having a severe drought and rampant wildfires in Florida. Restraurants were asked not to serve water to the table unless requested (I lost some lovely tomato plants that year due to mandatory watering restrictions). After the rains came back (with a vengence) most restaurants continued to skip the water glass step, or serve bottled water that did come on the bill. Not all of them, but most. The wine service, well that's the way people are trained and "how it's done" and been done for ages. May not be right, especially if you are having a business meal and you are the host, but happens all the time, and is not a slight to you personally. The best servers will take the effort to figure out what is going on at the table and use thier discretion. But they are the best, and deserve 20%+ I hate not being offered more bread, but I would probably fill up on it if I was! All that being said, I have experienced spotty service all over the place from time to time.

The Miami Herald is reporting on a new opening. Sounds interesting. Several of these high end organic places have opened up recently. We will try to get there when they are up and operating smoothly. Link to article

Don't be sorry! I thought of New York first, and California was down on my list. We've got DC beat, but only in my limited experience. Illinois never crossed my mind. I think we have a fair footing with Vegas. But fair warning, and I can pull my camera out and document, the New York, New Jersey, Canadian, Ohian, Maine, Pennsylvanian and there was one from North Dakota today - liscense plates are in full bloom. That's how we tell when the seasons change in South Florida. Somebody is coming here in search of something.

Well, there's Mark's las Olas, Primavera, Cap's Place, Tropical Chinese, Christene Lee's, Food Amongst the Flowers, Geronimo's, Pangea, Revolution, Rosies, Southern Comfort, etc., etc. What kind of food do you want to eat? If you really want to drive, we can talk Dade, Palm Beach, or Monroe Counties. Cuban, Carribbean, South American. I keep hearing exciting things about your area around JAX/St. Augustine (but haven't been that way in almost two years), and the recent pictures from a vacation somebody took in Destin gives me faith that the gulf is OK after the storms. We load up and drive to the Keys to eat dinner from time to time. Just to get away.

They look beautiful! But can someone explain to me how Fla berries are $1.99 / lb in New Jersey? I suspect that the berries in those pix are significantly riper & tastier than what we're seeing in NJ right now - I haven't seen berries that ripe, judging by appearance, in a couple of months - so maybe both are priced fairly for what they are. ← I don't know. Maybe precontracted buy before the latest freeze? I could have gotten them cheaper roadside, but this was just an impulse buy I couldn't walk away from. Those roadside guys are notoriously unreliable. You would think they drink up the profit when they sell all their berries, or something...

Ding, ding - you are correct. They are, sleep well, because you are not paranoid if they really are out to get you. It's true.

Back in the day, when I was a waitress, the most coveted section in the restaurant was the smoking section. Stayed longer, tipped better, bought more, just generally nicer people. The non-smoking section was loaded with harpys, who were cheap and mean. And who would send back perfectly good food, because they just seemed to be in the mood to do so. My personal experience. And only my personal experience.