eG Foodblog: Dave the Cook - Beachcraft

[Genny]

Wow Dave, this vacation looks so much fun! And to have such a competent sous as Caitie!

Caitie, very nice write up! And a beautiful cake too! The bananas on top suggest this was a chocolate banana cake, is that correct? Was this completely from scratch or did you get an assist from Betty Crocker?

Great Job!

[Dave the Cook]

Wow Dave, this vacation looks so much fun!  And to have such a competent sous as Caitie!

Caitie, very nice write up!  And a beautiful cake too!  The bananas on top suggest this was a chocolate banana cake, is that correct?  Was this completely from scratch or did you get an assist from Betty Crocker?

Great Job!

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Thank you. The bananas were actually just added for the photograph effect. The cake looked a little plain for the photo so it was what I found. It was actually a fudge marble cake with sour cream chocolate icing. I actually made it from Duncan Hines and I must say that it was much better than any Betty Crocker cake I've made or tasted. So, I say go for the hines if you aren't making it from scratch.

Could your charming amenuensis be cajoled into sharing the recipe for her very first cake? What a professional-looking job!  Because of the garnish I'm guessing bananas figured in the filling.

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Thank you. I have to give a lot of credit to the people at Duncan Hines though. Heh. The bananas however were my idea of making a cake look better for it's eGullet debut. It was a fudge marble cake with chocolate sour cream icing. Very tasty indeed. But the continuing comments on the bananas have given me the idea of actually making a banana filled cake.

-Caitie

[snowangel]

I'm seeing a lot of great recipes here (hint).   Those crab things would be great at the pickin.

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I hate it when people don't put in their recipes.

There should be some kind of law.

I always do what Marlene tells me to. Dave, well, he's got alot to learn.

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A certain Angel will come to the rescue, yet again. Ahem.

[maggiethecat]

Ms. Caitie:

I know your Dad is doing all kinds of fantastic stuff food-wise, but I keep remembering my very first cake, which wasn't nearly as pro-looking as yours. Wasn't it cool to be the pastry chef, and have your family scarf up dessert? Brava.

Should you ever decide to get serious about baking, banana cake and sour cream frosting, there's a terrific recipe here:Banana Cake with sour cream frosting.

And Duncan Hines beats Betty any day.

[Dave the Cook]

Lots to catch up on. I apologize. Family vacations probably aren't that best times to volunteer for blogging.

Yesterday, we went over to the Destin docks. It was our intention to capture the recreational fishing atmosphere, visit a restaurant that's been a traditional visit for a couple of decades, and see if we could get a peek at Sexton's. We were about as successful as can be hoped for on an expedition with such high hopes.

The Destin docks, which service an interesting amalgam of commercial and recreational fishing interests, were ravaged by Hurricane Opal in 1995. They were rebuilt within a couple of years to accomodate tourist traffic, without compromising the essential nature of the docks' purpose. Subsequent tropical storms, while leaving their mark, haven't seriously affected activity on the docks.

First, we surveyed the catch from deep-sea excursions. These are paid expeditions: tourists hand over $300 to $500 for four hours in the deep Gulf waters. As we strolled down the docks, we checked out what was running:

Lots

and lots

of red snapper (the gray fish on the extreme right is a trigger fish; if you have a chance to sample this, take it).

But there was also a fair catch of scamp (remember our Friday-night dinner) and grouper:

and an assortment of other fish, predominantly king mackeral, but jacks:

and yes, a shark or two:

Typically, the catch is butchered right at the dock:

and packed in iced bags for personal consumption (that's not a cable guy or a plumber; it's a mate from one of the charter boats):

But as often as not, the catch (or part of it) is declined by the charter customer. In these cases, the fish are often sold to a wholesale purveyor. In Destin, the largetst of these is Sexton's.

[Smithy]

But as often as not, the catch (or part of it) is declined by the charter customer. In these cases, the fish are often sold to a wholesale purveyor.

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The heathens!

I'm glad somebody gets to partake of the bounty, but...but...what are these people thinking, that they don't want their catch? Why bother going out?!

[racheld]

This is getting better with each installment. Kudos to Caitie for that gorgeous cake and all that ingenuity of garnish.

Just to remind you---there's only one night left after tonight to go sit and contemplate the ocean. This won't be complete unless there's at least one midnight fanny-print in that sand when you depart for home.

[snowangel]

Know anything about the knives the fish guys were using?

[Dave the Cook]

But as often as not, the catch (or part of it) is declined by the charter customer. In these cases, the fish are often sold to a wholesale purveyor.

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The heathens!

I'm glad somebody gets to partake of the bounty, but...but...what are these people thinking, that they don't want their catch? Why bother going out?!

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Sometimes, the meaning is in the doing, no? How many times have you prepared something for a meal that wasn't lauded in proportion to the effort expended to produce it? You have to take you satisfaction from the craft of preparation, don't you? I believe that if you take a fish from the sea, it's your responsibility to make sure it's consumed -- if not by yourself, then by others. The mate on a recreational tour will often sell the remaindered fish to local restaurants. This nets (alomst always) him a few extra dollars, and provides some choice spots with excellent raw product. Otherwise, the surplus gets sold to a fish wholesaler. Sexton's, for instance, waits for the overcatch --as well as the haul from commercial boats, especially shrimp boats.

Dennis blew out the sign, but the institution remains. The place was too busy for us to talk on Sunday, but we got a few pictures. In contrast to what's on the docks, Sexton's offering reflects the commercial catch.

Whole flounder:

Grouper, scamp, yellowfin tuna (over which I have personally witnessed Asian tourists arguing), and black grouper:

On the right are Florida lobster tails. which resemble Maine lsobster tails in name only. Better to think of them as an extremely large version of a crawfish tail (we're talking less than an ounce to at least 1/4 pound.

Large whole flounder (unlike the ones shown previously, these are 2- 3 pounds each) and whole black grouper (in the 30 - 40 pound range):

and more sizes and variety of shrimp than I've seen anywhere outside of a Chinatown emporium:

We didn't buy anything, because the best-looking things were those that we'd seen already (the scamp), and because we were planning to have dinner out that night. If there's still flouder or grouper -- or something exotic -- available on Tuesday (or even some really good-looking shrimp), we might give in.

[Dave the Cook]

Between the docks and Sexton's, we had lunch at AJ's, a Destin institution:

or, as it's known post-Dennis, simply A 's:

It's the archetype of a beach/harborfront restaurant: lots of tables, lots of ceiling fans, a view of the docks, and a menu that emphasizes seafood (mostly local), but has something for just about everyone:

I started with a mojito, which, IMO, would be more aptly named the Fouled Propeller:

For all that mint, it was mostly lime and sugar.

Lunch proper was a grouper sandwich for me:

and a blackened mahi-mahi sandwich for Caitie:

Both were good, decent food. AJ's is a safe bet, though alittle pricy: two sandwiches, a mojito and an iced tea were $31, including a 15% tip.

[Dave the Cook]

Dinner that night was at Goatfeather's. We started with a dozen oysters and a half-pound of crab fingers. Everyone has been telling us that the oysters are coming from Appalachicola, and I expected them to be watery and flabby, from the warm water and usual post-spawning slackness. To be honest, they weren't the best oysters I've ever had, but they were far from the worst.

Just for Monica, here's the crab-finger money shot:

These, of course, were not as good as mine.

The Greek (their description) salad was great:

Three lettuces, decent tomatoes, red onion, a mild feta, and pepperoncini, with a balsamic vinaigrette that was so good that we forgave them the canned olives.

Going around the table --

Zak insisted on king crab:

He was disappointed, and of course his Dad used it as an object lesson in local sourcing. Some day, he'll probably figure out that king crab, which can be great, isn't local to anyone.

Grandma had scallops (also not from these parts). I didn't get a picture, but she said they were great.

Alan had more oysters (sorry for the picture quality; I was shooting across the table without a flash):

Peggy had grilled shrimp (the photo was too blurry to post).

Caitie had what were billed as "lump crab cakes":

That is one violent-looking remoulade. The cakes weren't made from lump meat; or if they were, the lumps had been demolished in the making. The cakes were dense and gray. The taste was passable, though texturally boring (Caitie is big on texture).

I had grilled amberjack, which can be screwed up in only one way, and that's to overcook it, which they did:

Overall, dinner was a disappointment. The service was slow and incomplete: appetizer trays and plates weren't bussed before the mains; a glass of wine was brought instead of a bottle, and much of the food felt and tasted like it had sat under heat lamps for quite a while -- this can be a kitchen or a service error. Goatfeathers has some great stuff in their fresh market, but they aren't treating it properly in their kitchen.

[Dave the Cook]

Know anything about the knives the fish guys were using?

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They're stamped blades. I've never seen anyone use anything expensive, and I've never seen anyone use a steel or a stone. My guess is that they get something with out-of-the-box sharpness, and replace it when it gets too dull to be effective.

[Dave the Cook]

Dave, I am absolutely making that casserole next week! Do you use sweet onions like Vidalias (or Walla Walla sweets in my area)?

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LMF, if the onions are going to be cooked, I think you'll find that a standard yellow (or red for presentation) will fare much better.  Cooked Walla Wallas are really hard to tell apart from cooked generics.

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Sweet onions like Walla-Wallas, Vidalias and Maui Sweets are easy to distinguish after cooking -- they're the onions with no taste. I think sweet onions are superb if you treat them very lightly, but insipid in anything cooked longer than an onion ring (which, in my opinion, might be the single best use for sweet onions).

[Dave the Cook]

Yesterday, we set off for the Bay County Farmers Market. This is an hour's drive away, on the other side of Panama City, at the Bay County Fair Grounds:

I guess both my advance information and the sign are wrong, as this turned out to be a Farmer Market -- as in one farmer:

He had some summer squash; tomatoes that were too green to be ripe, and too red to be green; a few baskets of plums (obviously purchased elsewhere, since as far as I know, no one grows stone fruits in Florida, and these had PLU stickers on them); and about a ton of okra, which looked good but held no interest for anyone but me. We left empty-handed.

On the way back, we stopped at Po' Folks:

Po' Folks is a southern chain that serves food much like Cracker Barrel, and employs the same emphasis on "down-home" charm, such as it is. The food is decent and cheap -- $70 to fill up nine people.

The highlight of the trip was spotting this vintage McDonald's signage:

[Dave the Cook]

Just to remind you---there's only one night left after tonight to go sit and contemplate the ocean.  This won't be complete unless there's at least one midnight fanny-print in that sand when you depart for home.

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We've been going out at night, but it's been raining the last two days! The only break was yesterday, when we went to the, er, Farmer Market. It started raining again as soon as we got back.

[little ms foodie]

Dave, I am absolutely making that casserole next week! Do you use sweet onions like Vidalias (or Walla Walla sweets in my area)?

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LMF, if the onions are going to be cooked, I think you'll find that a standard yellow (or red for presentation) will fare much better.  Cooked Walla Wallas are really hard to tell apart from cooked generics.

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Sweet onions like Walla-Wallas, Vidalias and Maui Sweets are easy to distinguish after cooking -- they're the onions with no taste. I think sweet onions are superb if you treat them very lightly, but insipid in anything cooked longer than an onion ring (which, in my opinion, might be the single best use for sweet onions).

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Thanks guys, will go with the regular ones. I actually really love grilled Walla Walla sweets as a side dish.

He was disappointed, and of course his Dad used it as an object lesson in local sourcing. Some day, he'll probably figure out that king crab, which can be great, isn't local to anyone.

They are local to my friends in Alaska!

[fischwlu]

Po Folks! I miss that place. Growing up, I went to one in Cincinnati, but I don't think you can find any that far north anymore. I had my first hushpuppie there... you never forget your first...

[maggiethecat]

All those pictures of that magnificent fish reminded me which I don't eat as much fish as I want to, here in the Midwest. It also reminded me of all the fish I've yet to try, like scamp, which I've frankly never heard of. Thanks for the education in all things piscatorial.

Have you mixed a cocktail that was a clear favorite this week?

[Susan in FL]

Sweet onions like Walla-Wallas, Vidalias and Maui Sweets are easy to distinguish after cooking -- they're the onions with no taste. I think sweet onions are superb if you treat them very lightly, but insipid in anything cooked longer than an onion ring...

Disagree... at least it's not the case here, unless we cooked them to death. And like Wendy, grilled is among the ways we like to eat them.

[Dave the Cook]

Sweet onions like Walla-Wallas, Vidalias and Maui Sweets are easy to distinguish after cooking -- they're the onions with no taste. I think sweet onions are superb if you treat them very lightly, but insipid in anything cooked longer than an onion ring...

Disagree... at least it's not the case here, unless we cooked them to death. And like Wendy, grilled is among the ways we like to eat them.

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I stand corrected. Grilling is a great treatment. But to me, they clearly don't work in slowly-developed dishes like caramelized onion/onion confit or braises. You want the sweetness to work in your favor, but for whatever reason (lack of sulfur, maybe?), they just sort of disappear, flavor-wise.

[Mayhaw Man]

and about a ton of okra, which looked good but held no interest for anyone but me. We left empty-handed.

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What kind of people do you vacation with? Up to now, your loved ones seemed to be pretty ok. But now, well, I think that I would probably just pack up my elaborate kitchen gear and head back to the house.

Of course, I would pass by and pick up some of that delicious okra.

[Milagai]

and about a ton of okra, which looked good but held no interest for anyone but me. We left empty-handed.

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What kind of people do you vacation with? Up to now, your loved ones seemed to be pretty ok. But now, well, I think that I would probably just pack up my elaborate kitchen gear and head back to the house.

Of course, I would pass by and pick up some of that delicious okra.

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ITA: just pm EG's Monica Bhide for the greatest okra recipes

and you'll have a family of converts.

milagai

[Dave the Cook]

Last (Monday) night, we had our first night of cooking for a real crowd (10). The first thing that somes to mind (after cool-weather dishes like stews and chili) is chicken: cheap, and in the right hands, tasty.

Alan spatchcocked a whole chicken, and arranged some additional leg quarters. He salted them early, then just before putting them into a 375 F oven, dusted them with granulated garlic, black pepper and smoked paprika. We checked the meat after 20 minutes, and decided that the oven was reading low (we had anticipated this based on earlier attempts). We put a probe in the oven, and turned up the dial to 425 F. The probe results were confusing -- one minute it read 360; a few minutes later it said 450. We concluded that we were dealing with both a bad oven and a failing probe. After an hour, we went by sight, and cut a thigh open. It was done -- which indicates that, on average, the oven was about 375.

To accompany the chicken, we made a new-potato gratin: small potatoes, quartered and simmered until not-quite-cooked. We drained them and let them cool while we did other stuff.

Like prep the green beans and carrots. We ran with a recipe based on one from Fine Cooking magazine.

Green Beans and Carrots Creole for a Crowd

2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed

1/2 pound carrots, trimmed, peeled, and cut into tiny wedges about 2" x 1/4" x 1/8"

1 onion, peeled and quartered

3 T extra-virgin olive oil

3 T unsalted butter

1 t kosher salt

3/4 C vegetable stock

1 T lemon juice

1 T Creole mustard

1. Heat the oil and two tablespoons of the butter in a really big skillet. If you're working with almost three pounds of vegetables, be prepared to do the first steps in batches, and combine for the final dressing.

2. When the butter starts to brown, add the vegetables. (It's best if you keep the volume of each batch down to an amount that fills the bottom of the pan, but not much more. You're going to brown the contents, and crowding will inhibit that.) Give it three or four minutes (a few more if space is tight) to brown a bit.

3. Toss and turn to expose the unbrowned sides to the heat. This will take two to four minutes. If you're working in batches, remove the vegetables and do the next batch.

4. When you're done with the batches, dump all the vegetables back into the pan, ad the vegetable stock, and cover. Simmer for a few minutes. If you're lucky, the stock will have evaporated down to a glaze. If you're like the rest of us, you'll still have a fair amount of liquid, and you'll need to adjust the lid to let some of the steam out.

5. When the liquid is almost gone, remove from the heat, and stir in the lemon juice, mustard and the rest of the butter. Toss well, and deglaze the pan as best you can.

6. Serve as soon as circumstances allow.

Getting back to the potatoes:

Really Simple Potato Gratin

3 pounds waxy potatoes, trimmed of blemishes and cut into 1-inch chunks

3/4 C cream

2 ounces really sharp cheddar, shredded

1/2 ounce parmesan, shredded

salt and pepper to taste

Green onions, minced, for garnish

1. Simmer the potatoes (don't use salt) until they're almost done.

2. Drain and set aside to cool.

3. Butter a baking dish and dump the potatoes into it. Using a fork, crush the potatoes slightly. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Stir the cheddar into the cream, and pour over the potatoes. Sprinkle the parmesan over the top.

5. Bake for about 25 minutes at 375, or whatever your oven is really at when you set it to 375. The top will brown, and the bottom will get all bubbly. That means you're done, exceot for scattereing the green onions over the top to make it especially pretty.

Here's how it all looked:

Caitie's meat-free plate:

the green-bean/carrot thing got raves. Here's an encore:

[Dave the Cook]

Today was sort of disjointed. Caitie and Kelsey went into town to find a present for Caitie's boyfriend, but before that, we had to discuss trvel strategy (Caitie is a relatively new driver, in a strange place), shopping strategy (what do guys really want>) and weather-realted issues (it's still raining). while we were talking, I put together one of my favorite things: a scrambled-egg sandwich. I first encountered this delicacy while helping to equip the Hotel Sonesta in the mid-70s. (It's now a Doubletree hotel, but at its inception, it was the first foray into high-end hospitality in the Buckhead area of Atlanta.)

I helped move countless matresses, TVs, desks and Eames recliners into guest rooms, rolled carpet into hallways, lobby and dining room, and finally set up the storerooms, kitchen and bar with equipment, consumables and edibles. While that was going on, the only place to eat was up on Peachtree Street (the hotel sat back from the main street by about half a block). It was there (I'm not sure it had a name) that I had my first scrambled egg sandwich. Of course, none I've made since have equalled that experience (between cakes, hush puppies and scrambled-egg assembly, we've had quite a group reminiscence), but I've never stopped trying. These days, here's what I do:

Prep two eggs: a bit of water, some black pepper, and a healthy shot of pepper sauce. (I leave the salt out until the end, relying on the theory that salt toughens the proteins, which squeeze moisture out of the eggs. I have no idea if it's actually true, or true enough to matter.)

Toast two slices of bread and slice a tomato. Usually I spread it with mayo, but we still had some remoulade:

Whisk the eggs lightly, and cook in a little butter -- not dry, but not too moist, either. When they cool a bit, you can salt them.

Settle the eggs on the toast, and apply the tomato.

You might have to add a bit more salt and pepper. Lettuce is just a distraction; don't bother.

[Susan in FL]

That simple potato gratin looks so good, and how easy -- perfect for a quick "appropriate starch" accompaniment. Will do soon!