eG Foodblog: Susan in FL - Food and Drink Celebrations

[Susan in FL]

This morning for breakfast before taking a long walk on the beach, we fueled up with room service on the balcony.

Russ's:

Mine:

Views:

The Resort's tiki bar...

And at last, what I was hoping to be able to post this week... We saw that the shrimp boats were back out there. My camera doesn't have the zoom to show it, but trust me, these are shrimp boats.

[Susan in FL]

Today on his way home Russ stopped by Publix to buy a few things we needed for dinner. He cooked tonight, and even took pictures as he was cooking, to give me the time to go through photos and compose the posts, etc. about the wine festival. Then I paused to make the salad, plate the food, take pictures of the plated food, and eat (and watch Cold Case on TV).

We had a mixed grill of lamb chop, quail, and sausage with mashed potatoes, broccoli, insalata alla Caprese, and Turner Road Cabernet Paso Robles. First, his picture of our grill, with the sun setting in the background. I like it!!

[Pan]

That's a good-looking mixed grill there!

[Susan in FL]

In the salad was the mozzarella di bufala I got from iGourmet. Wow, there's nothing like the real thing baby, and now knowing how good it is purchased from iGourmet, no reason to buy the supermarket stuff.

This week I am flying to California to visit my son. I am flying into San Luis Obispo, and plan to spend the afternoon in and around Paso Robles before driving to Lemoore. Sooooo, we've been drinking wines from the area whenever we get the chance for an affordable bottle -- thus, the choice of this wine for tonight.

Out of the pictures I took of the table tonight, I chose this one because it shows a guy who showed up at dinner time. See him in the upper left hand corner? In case you don't, I have cut and blown up a shot of him. We have these guys as visitors on our screens very often, but this is the first time one has made it into a dinner photo.

Florida dining at its best.

[Susan in FL]

Thanks, Michael. I failed to say that it was delicious, grilled to perfection.

Tune in tomorrow (later today) for the last day of this Foodblog. (And then, I'll get back to my usual habit of going to bed much, much earlier than this.)

[appreciator]

Susan... I've enjoyed your blog immensely... beautiful photos and great daily accounts as well. The wine festival looks like it was a fantastic event and the setting was incredible.

Thanks for sharing your world with us this past week.

Edited September 26, 2005 by appreciator (log)

[Abra]

This has been a fun blog, Susan, and should probably get an award for the First Blog Featuring a Gecko! Thanks for a very enjoyable week.

[Susan in FL]

Good Morning.

Whew! [Looking at watch] ...yep it is still morning. Today I enjoyed a slight variation on the coffee theme. I drank my first cup on the porch, but at the bar instead of the table. And, it was a cup of coffee, instead of a mug of coffee. I used the china that was my mom's. The sun was a bit higher in the sky than usual coffee time. The weather is beautiful so far today.

[Chufi]

I can't believe it's almost over Susan! It feels like you've just started!

Now, I know that blogging only shows a part of life.. in your case, a beautiful, romantic, sunny and luxurious one.. still I'd like to believe that this is at least partly representative of your Real Life. Please don't burst my bubble.

Oh, and I want a bar, too.

Ofcourse I would need a porch first, which might be difficult since I'm living in a 4th floor apartment.

Ah, one can always dream..

[Susan in FL]

What nice comments, thanks. The week has flown by, and Klary, I am happy to say I don't have to burst your bubble! This has been a representative week of Real Life, except that I hardly ever keep the late hours and the early rising times of this week. Certainly I don't make it a habit to attend pricey events like the wine festival on a regular basis, although I wish I could. It was a special occasion. But otherwise, this has been typical of the Florida life I looked forward to for so long.

[Anna N]

Susan,

Thank you so much for this blog. Your meals are truly inspiring and so is your view!

[Susan in FL]

We usually "lighten up" on Mondays, especially following weekends of more indulgence than usual. For Monday night dinners, we often have a pasta dish with a light sauce, a salad meal, fish, shrimp, or maybe chicken. On Mondays I frequently find myself craving fruits and vegetables, or something crispy like iceberg lettuce believe it or not.

Today, while I was cleaning out the fridge and checking on what fruit in the basket is going bad, I made a platter of finger foods. I turned on the porch TV and watched the local noon news while I ate, in hopes that Mark McEwen would mention the wine festival, but he didn't. ...Cucumber, grapes, banana, broccoli, tomato, daikon radish sprouts, Minneola orange, and ice water.

We're not sure about dinner yet. Hmmm... salad or fish are my ideas so far.

[Jake]

The wine festival looked wonderful, Susan. How nice that the food was excellent too. I have been to a couple wine tastings where, nfortunately, the food didn't measure up and it really takes away from the pairings and enjoyment thereof.

When (note the when, not if) we get to Daytona next we'll have to get your rec's for places to eat, and hopefully the company of you and Russ as well.

Great blog....again!

[Priscilla]

Wow delicious-looking quail in your mixed grill.

Susan this blog has been a treat!

[Monica Bhide]

Great work Susan. I am getting hungry looking at all these pictures. Thanks for doing this.. what a pleasure it was to watch this unfold.

[Susan in FL]

We decided on salad and fish for dinner. We're going to put the fish on top of the salad. I went to Port Orange Seafood to see what was fresh, hoping that it was grouper, and it was.

This seaford market is one of our two favorites. The other, Hull's, is bigger and always has a huge variety. When you need something in particular, you can pretty much depend on finding it there. You can rely on utmost freshness at both places.

Port Orange Seafood is small in comparison, and is more of a "catch of the day" place. They carry some frozen items, but mostly, what's available is whatever fish or shellfish has recently come out of the water.

This afternoon he was cleaning shrimp (chopping off the heads) that had just been caught off the beach. When he heard I was taking a picture, he came out holding this whole shrimp... and held a pen up to it to show how big. I got so excited, I couldn't hold the camera still. Sorry about that.

Port Orange Seafood has had a specialty of smoked fish for many years. It's is so good.

This is one of the Publix supermarkets we use. I didn't want this Foodblog to conclude without showing at least one of those.

I also went to the other of the two produce markets I use the most. It's in New Smyrna Beach. The part to the right is a place called Banana Split Republic. I want to check that out! I have yet to do so, because like today, it's usually just before dinner that I'm stopping at the produce market.

[Carrot Top]

Niiiiiiiiiiiice shrimp there, Susan!

[helenjp]

Thank you Susan - and thank you for that photo of dinner trying to fight its way out of a forest of wineglasses - a truly inspiring sight!

[percyn]

Great blog Susan...I pity the fool who's blog follows yours

[Susan in FL]

Great blog Susan...I pity the fool who's blog follows yours     

←

I've been wondering if it's you! (Not if it's you that is a fool, but if someone finally persuaded you to blog and you are next) I know you won't say, if it is, though...

I'll be signing on before work tomorrow morning to check.

[Susan in FL]

To everyone thanking me, you are welcome! It has been my pleasure, truly. I appreciate the opportunity to share in the joy of something that is so much fun for me.

I thank Russ. Given how slow I am in almost everything I do, this has taken a lot of time, and I wouldn't have been able to devote so much time to it if he hadn't done a good part of the cooking, and the dishes and cleaning up at night!!

[Susan in FL]

Tonight we used the new sparkling wine glasses I bought in that cool gift shop Friday afternoon after the manicure and pedicure.

The salad was a favorite -- lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado, and blue cheese (tonight Roaring 40's Blue) -- and the grouper on top was sauteed in our best non-stick pan (cast iron skillet).

[Makan King]

Thanks for the blog! It is an inspiration to see how your family eats - to me, it's a wonderful blend of casual yet contemplative dining. It's really nice to see you take the effort to make each meal a beautiful, considered and composed event. Lovely!

[Susan in FL]

I hope this picture of the intracoastal I took earlier tonight can served as a small token of my thanks for your kind words, comments, and questions and most off all my appreciation to all of you for reading.

I bid you good night and many good times to come. Cheers!

[Pan]

Yes, that's indeed a beautiful way to end. Time really flew; thank you for the blog. And for anyone who would go into withdrawal without more great pictures from Susan, you can see more from time to time in the Dinner! thread. Right, Susan?

Edited September 27, 2005 by Pan (log)