Something in Common

     What do Jordan, Morocco, Italy, Bulgaria, Greece, Algeria, Montenegro, and Provence all have in common?  At first appearance they all seem very different in history, culture, and government.  Yet one thing unites them with a common bond.  Each country borders the Mediterranean Sea.  And that single fact unifies them in their culinary habits.  They all share the cuisine simply known as "Mediterranean."



     This past weekend I participated in a cooking class sponsored by Sur la table.  The course was titled, Healthy Mediterranean Cooking.  I learned a lot in those two and a half hours as we prepared foods like Quinoa Tabbouleh and Grilled Prawns with Chermoula.  But more than just the specific cooking instructions I began to understand the basis of the Mediterranean cuisine.  It is primarily plant based, relying on ancient grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds.  Foods are seasoned with herbs and spices and citrus juices, not salt and sugar.  Cooking is done not with solid fats like butter and margarine that are high in saturated and trans fats, but with olive oil.  Lean proteins found in fish are consumed twice a week while red meat is uncommon, perhaps eaten only on special occasions.  Eggs, dairy, and poultry are a regular part of the diet but only in smaller portions. And desserts almost always include fruit, or can be just the fruit itself.


     Moreover, the meal in a Mediterranean household is a social event, consumed at leisure with family and friends.  "One of the basic tenets is the enjoyment of food, and respect and pleasure of food." So says Nicki Heverling, program manager for the Mediterranean Foods Alliance.  "When you're in the Mediterranean, your meals are three hours and you savor your food."

     It's no wonder that life expectancy in Mediterranean countries is among the highest in the world.

     Tomorrow, an insight into Mediterranean cuisine and their food pyramid.

Saving the Best for Last

     The Las Olas Food Tour was quite a culinary event!  I was introduced to a wide variety of ethnic and cultural delights as we walked the beside the canals of "The Venice of the US."  But little did I know that the last stop would be the most impressive.  Located next to the intercoastal waterway bridge, BAO Bar + Asian Kitchen is a unique restaurant.  Not only does it have parking for both cars and boats, its menu also harmonizes the diverse flavors of the biodiverse Asian continent.


     As I settled in to the restaurant with its teak dining furniture that affords a intimate view of the open kitchen I read their statement describing their approach to meal preparation.  It states:


     "The upscale and relaxed dining ambiance of BAO compliments every dish that is created in house from scratch, where only the freshest, finest ingredients are used...Our unique menu and atmosphere creates a truly enjoyable and culturally authentic dining experience for meat lovers, vegetarians, and gluten-free diners alike."

     And it further states that they use only hormone free chicken, grass fed certified angus beef, and antibiotic free kurobuta pork.  The menu was indeed Pan Asian with items such as:

Charred Octopus

Saigon Chicken Wings

Korean Street Tacos

Szechuan Eggplant & Beef

Hong Kong Style Calamari

Thai Papaya & Mango Salad

and KFC (Korean Fried Chicken)

But I must admit that the Scottish Salmon on the menu did surprise me a bit...

I thoroughly enjoyed the triple fried rice that blended chicken, shrimp and pork.

And for dessert an Asian riff on a French confection, Beignets!



A Well Bread Bakery

     

     We knew we were in for something good on our next stop on the Las Olas Food Tour when we caught the aroma of freshly baked bread wafting out the doors of the Gran Forno Bakery.  Specializing in artisan breads the bakers of this Ft. Lauderdale institution begin each day at 4am to produce 800 ciabatta loaves daily.  The best restaurants and hotels are the customers who take pride in serving a vast selection of delicious baked goods.  

     In addition to their commercial customers the Gran Forno Bakery also operates a retail counter with shelves piled high with freshly baked loaves of bread.  Even more tempting are the cakes, tarts, pies, cookies and cupcakes that are arranged in the display case along side croissants and muffins.  One of their special breakfast treats is focaccine dolce topped with fresh berries.

 And they also make sandwiches to order for those with a discriminating palate.  We were each treated to an immense slice of foccacia pizza!



When Inside is Outside

     Continuing on the Las Olas Food Tour our group once again crossed the boulevard and made a bee line to Sweet Nectar Charcoal Grill.  In their webpage they describe themselves as "a local neighborhood spot with a relaxed atmosphere, natural environment, friendly conversation and a well-thought-out dining experience."  But what caught my attention was that the restaurant/gathering place had no walls.  What they described as being inside was really outside!  

     I always look forward to favorable weather here in the Keystone State so I can enjoy the luxury of meals on the patio , or eating al fresco to use a fancy term.  But in south Florida that is an everyday event.  Sweet Nectar has community tables under cover with additional "boulevard tables" made of sustainable and reclaimed materials out in the open.

     What makes this restaurant unique is the custom designed charcoal grill that uses lump wood charcoal to prepare their menu items employing a traditional Japanese cooking method.  Charcoal, they claim, provides a healthy heaping of aroma compounds and adds a special flavor to food.  Their description reads like a medical school manual...

     Aromas are released when you bite into your food.  They travel up your retronasal cavity and light up your olfactory receptors.  That neurological signal mixes with whatever your taste buds are saying and tells your brain what's going on in your mouth.  

Translation:  cooking over charcoal makes your food taste like bacon!  While that may be a singular taste, there is no shortage of items on the menu that makes its way to the charcoal grill:  asparagus, squid, prawns, lamb, octopus, chicken, oysters, short ribs, sweet corn, and mushrooms are but a few.  But we enjoyed something off the menu, char-grilled chorizo:



A Sweet Treat

     As we made our way down Las Olas Boulevard we crossed the street and walked into Hoffman's Chocolate Store.  It was like returning to my childhood!  A delightful candy shop with a display case loaded with just about every kind of mouth watering confection known to man.  That man, by the way, is Paul Hoffman who 40 years ago wanted to open a family business.  He and his wife and children did what they do best, make candy using the "finest and freshest ingredients from around the world."

     Currently they create 70 different varieties of confections at their one and only factory in Greenacres, FL and sell them in their south Florida stores located in Boca Raton, Hollywood, Palm Beach and Lake Worth in addition to their flagship store on Las Olas Boulevard in Ft. Lauderdale.

 

     Their goal is to "provide premier chocolate products of uncompromised quality."  And their award winning confections are a testament to the family's dedication and devotion to their craft.

     Our tour group was treated to some of their handicraft as we were offered a chocolate covered pretzel in either dark, milk or white chocolate.  A sweet treat indeed!

 



A Taste of Italy

     We waited a few minutes for the last few members of our tour group to arrive and then our guide provided us with a brief history of Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale.  Nick-named "the Venice of the U.S." the area is lined with man made canals that lead to the ocean.  The main road over the waterways was originally a straight shot to the beach until the town fathers decided to slow the traffic down.  A grassy a median was created and  traffic lights at every corner encouraged a high-end clientele to take their time and frequent the businesses and shops that occupied the space that became known as Las Olas.

     Pan'e Dolci was a great place to begin our tour.  It is an authentic Italian bakery, and as the name suggests, serves bread and sweets.  The glass enclosed shelves display such delights as cannolis, biscotti, croissants and various styles of bread.  But what caught my eye was the menagerie of vibrant colors of gelato.

     But we began our tasting tour with a sample of one of their sandwiches made with their homemade, freshly baked bread.  It was a delightful combination of prosciutto, tomato and provolone that we enjoyed al fresco.  

     Then it was on to our next stop, Hoffman's Chocolates.

7 Hour Layover

     After conducting my 6 day culinary research in the Caribbean I was sadly heading home.  My research vessel docked at the Port of Ft. Lauderdale and I reluctantly disembarked just before noon.  But my subsequent flight home was not scheduled to depart until 7:30 pm.  That gave me 7 hours to do some exploring with hopes of discovering some interesting food venues in south Florida.  And as luck would have it, there was 1 spot remaining on a walking foodie tour of a section of town known as Las Olas.

     

     Meaning "the waves" in Spanish, Las Olas is in the riverfront part of Ft. Lauderdale and runs from the Elbo Room Bar at the water's edge to the Museum of Art.  The local Chamber of Commerce boldly describes it this way..."It is 17 blocks of sidewalk cafes, world class shopping, internationally acclaimed art galleries, fine dining, sizzling nightlife, and more..."  It is home to glitterati past and present the likes of Johnny Weissmuller, Connie Francis, Lee Majors, Sonny & Cher and Gloria Vanderbilt.

     As I made my way to the meeting place of the walking tour it was difficult for me to comprehend that prior to 1917 Ft. Lauderdale was little more than a dirt road that crossed swampy wetlands and serious commercial development of the area only began there after World War II.  I met the rest of my tour group, and the guide at Pan'e Dolci, an amazing Italian bakery on Las Olas Boulevard.  And that is where I began a memorable and tasteful culinary sojourn to 6 unique and amazing food venues.



Sweet Salsa

     All of us have enjoyed snacking on salsa and chips.  It goes well with almost any activity from watching sports on TV to easy entertaining or a pot luck appetizer.  We are familiar with the combination of diced tomatoes with chopped onion and chili peppers.  But in salsa class I learned of a dessert salsa that was unlike anything I had tried before.



     If you want to be a salsa maestro like myself, try this recipe:

Mexican Dessert Salsa

Ingredients:

1/2 mango, melon, or pineapple, chopped

1 Tbsp chopped apple

1-2 Tbsp Rompope (Vanilla liqueur)

1 Tbsp coconut

Directions:

Mix and chill.  Serve over ice cream.

A Mexican Favorite

     During my brief stay in Mexico I attended a cooking class to learn the art of making salsa. One of the six different styles of the fresh, uncooked salad that I created was Pico de gallo, or as it is translated, "rooster's beak."



     Also known as salsa fresca  and salsa picada, pico de gallo is made using chopped tomato, onion, cilantro and fresh serrano pepper and sprinkled with key lime juice.  Other ingredients can also be included to personalize the mix.  They include shrimp, sausage, squid, avocado, cucumber, radish and mango.

     Many Mexican nationals prefer to refer to pico de gallo as Salsa Bandera, literally "flag sauce" in honor of the national flag whose colors match the red tomato, white onion and green cilantro.

Cooking Afloat

     On a "fun day at sea" to use the phrase of the Carnival Cruise line, I attended a cooking demonstration in The Point Steakhouse on board ship.  The instructors were the restaurant chefs who taught us the finer points of creating some of their favorite menu items.  Having a front row seat I was able to watch closely how to make things like Mushroom Cappuccino, Baby Leaf Spinach & Fresh Mushrooms, and Broiled Supreme of Free Range Chicken.  But what intrigued me the most was the dessert item, Tiramisu.



     Their version of this Italian invention has a Caribbean connection, as you might expect since we were sailing over the waters of the Gulf of Mexico.  Roughly translated, Tiramisu means, "pick me up" in Italian and is a coffee flavored dessert made with ladyfingers dipped in coffee, layered with a whipped mixture of eggs, sugar and mascarpone cheese and flavored with cocoa.  It is a relatively recent addition to cookbooks worldwide having its origin in the '60s around the region of Veneto, Italy.  But a difference of opinion remains as to whom the credit actually belongs for its creation.

     Countless variations now exist in cakes and pies.  The Carnival Conquest version includes Kahlua, the coffee flavored rum-based liqueur from neighboring Mexico. Below is their recipe:

Tiramisu

Ingredients                                                          Syrup Ingredients

Egg yolk                             6 oz                            Instant coffee              1 1/2 Tbsp

Sugar                                 4 oz                             Sugar                            4 oz

Heavy cream                     1 cup                         Kahlua                          6 Tbsp

Mascarpone cheese          4 oz                           Water                            1/2 cup

Marsala wine                    1 oz

Grand Marnier                 1 oz

Lady finger cookie           1 package

Whisk heavy cream till it forms soft peaks and regrigerate it till use.  Cream yolks & sugar till smooth and add in cream over a double boiler whisking constantly till coating consistency to make a sabayon.  Cream the mascarpone cheese till smooth & fold into sabayon.

Gently fold Grand Marnier, Marsala and whipped cream into the sabayon and refrigerate till the mixture sets.

For syrup, dissolve instant coffee in hot water, mix sugar, Kahlua, and refrigerate to chill.

Soak lady finger cookies in coffee syrup & arrange in three alternating layers of cookies and sabayon mixture in tiramisu dish.

Serve garnished with cocoa dust.   

To Hell and Back

     Grand Cayman is an interesting place.  As the largest of the 3 Cayman Islands, it is also the most populated with the most wealth and investment potential.  The capitol city, Georgetown, is clean and modern, bright with the colors of the Caribbean painted on many of the buildings.  Driving past the Governor's Residence on the island's western coast there are numerous luxurious seaside hotels with access to beautiful 7 Mile Beach.  And on the northernmost corner of the island is Sting Ray City where tourists can frolic with the docile sting rays in the warm waters.

     But few tourists are aware of a very small village on the island located on an out-of-the-way road.  It is quite literally the road to Hell.  Hell, Grand Cayman, that is.  A natural formation formed from the earth has the likeness of what we might imagine Hell to look like.

     Our driver drove us to Hell to take a look around after we had visited the sea turtle farm and the Rum Cake factory store.  And wouldn't you know it, some clever entrepreneur manages a gift shop there and dresses up in a red cape and horns as he greets people who stop by.

  And I was able to have my passport stamped to prove that I had been to Hell and back.



Piece of Cake

     Continuing in my study of the dietary habits of the residents of the Caribbean, my research vessel, the Carnival Conquest, pulled into Georgetown, Grand Cayman, the capitol of the Cayman Islands.  Prior to becoming a British Overseas Territory the Cayman Islands in the 17th Century were home to pirates, refugees from the Spanish Inquisition, shipwrecked sailors and deserters from Oliver Cromwell's army in Jamaica.  It was in 1670 that England took control of the 3 islands through the Treaty of Madrid.  Today they are a major offshore financial center and the islands have no income tax, capital gains tax or any wealth tax at all.

     It is interesting to note that the #1 export of the Caymans is something that has a connection to the islands' British heritage.  Tortuga rum cake is the modern day version of figgy pudding, a sweet treat of Shakespeare's day that was also alternately called Christmas pudding.  In a report on NPR's "All Things Considered" Dorie Greenspan described it this way, "It's sweet and fruity, spicy and boozy, sturdy, generous, filling, and in its own simple way, exotic."  It can be baked, steamed in the oven, boiled or fried and while called a pudding is actually more like a cake.  Dried fruit is soaked in rum for months, then added to dough that is prepared with sugar which has been caramelized by boiling in water.  While it is similar to fruitcake, it has a lighter texture.

     There are many versions of rum cake but the Tortuga brand is by far the most popular, and the most alcoholic with more than 5% grain alcohol in the mixture.  No wonder all of us were smiling after sampling some at the factory store!

 



A Critter Fritter

     Finding freshly minced conch might be the most difficult item in the list of ingredients.  But it you come across some, here is the recipe:

Conch Fritters

Ingredients

1 cup all purpose flour                                     1/4 cup finely minced white onion

1 tsp sugar                                                        1/4 cup finely minced red bell pepper

1 tsp baking powder                                         1/4 cup finely minced carrots

1 egg, lightly beaten                                         1 clove garlic, minced

6 Tbsp buttermilk                                            3/4 tsp Creole seasoning

8 ounces conch, finely minced                        Vegetable oil, for frying

1 jalapeno, finely minced

     Pour oil into a small frying pan or deep skillet, so that it comes at least one inch up the sides of the pan.  Heat oil to 350 degrees F.

     Meanwhile, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, an egg in a large bowl and stir well (the combination looks shaggy).  Add the buttermilk to create a thick paste (the mixture should be the consistency of muffin batter).  Stir in the conch, jalapeno, onion, red pepper, carrots, garlic, and seasoning, making sure that the ingredients are evenly distributed.

     Using spoons or a cookie scoop, drop one inch balls of batter into the oil.  Fry, turning with a slotted spoon, until golden brown, about 2 minutes for smaller fritters, up to 4 minutes if you made them a little larger.  If you need to, work in batches so that you don't over-crowd the pan.

     Use a slotted spoon to transfer the fritters to paper towels to drain.  Serve immediately.

Recipe provided by Browned Eyed Baker

http://www.browneyedbaker.com

Inspired by a Mollusk

     The conch (pronounced "conk") is a marine gastropod mollusk.  Plainly put it is a sea snail.   It is eaten raw in salads or cooked into fritters, chowder and gumbos.  But did you know that it is also the symbol of a very small and controversial nation?

     The Conch Republic was conceived in 1982 when on April 23rd Key West and the other islands of the Florida Keys seceded from the United States.  That move was caused by a blockade of US Route 1 by federal authorities in an attempt to intercept illegal drugs and undocumented immigrants to prevent them from entering the mainland.  

 

     Under the leadership of then Key West Mayor Dennis Wardlow the Federal Court in Florida was petitioned to seek an injunction to stop the federal blockade which threatened commercial interests in the Keys by discouraging tourism.  But when all legal channels failed to end the action Mayor Wardlow declared war on the United States after a proclamation of secession was read at Mallory Square at noon. One minute later the mayor surrendered and then applied for 1 billion dollars in foreign aid.

     And while the event was tongue-in-cheek, it did raise the very real issue of federal vs states rights.  The inspection station blockade was soon removed and life returned to normal once again.  But the Conch Republic still exists in the hearts and minds of residents of the Keys.  A national anthem was composed, appropriately called, "Conch Republic" and was recorded by the Key Lime Pie Band.  All residents hold dual citizenship to both the United States and the Conch Republic.  The independent country issues its own passports that are recognized by 13 other Caribbean nations, Germany, Sweden, Cuba, Mexico, France, Spain, Ireland and Russia.  And the republic's motto is: We seceded where others failed.



Just for the Sport of It.

     My ongoing research into the food options of those living near the water's edge last week took me beneath the surface of the Gulf of Mexico in a semi-submersible vessel to view life under the sea.  One fish that caught my eye quite literally was the tarpon, known for its bright silver scales.  It is a common fish of the western Atlantic coast with a habitat that ranges from Virginia to Brazil, including the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean.  It can grow up to 8 feet long and weight 355 pounds and is adapted to survive in oxygen-poor, brackish waters by way of a modified air bladder.



     Intrigued by this impressive fish I looked for a recipe that provided a means to prepare it.  Here is a recipe I found on the website smokingmeatsforum.com:

Grilled Tarpon on a Plank

1 Tarpon-80 pounds

1 plank the length of the fish, preferably a soft wood like pine

Olive oil, salt, pepper and paprika to taste

Pre-season the plank with the ingredients listed, making sure to coat it all evenly.

Place the tarpon on the plank.  Wrap the tarpon and plank in aluminum foil.

Place it on coals.  Allow to cook for 45 minutes.

After 45 minutes remove the foil and toss tarpon in the trash.

Plank serves up to 10 people.

     The website goes on to say, "No one eats tarpon.  They are way too bony and too much trouble to prepare.  You'll just get frustrated and dump the fish anyway, so why kill it?"  Wikipedia is a little more restrained in their assessment.  Of the tarpon they report, "They are a bony fish and their meat is not desirable, so most are released after they are caught."

     However, Bahamians do eat tarpon.  They grind the flesh up with the bones, season it with whatever they have on hand and fry it like a fish cake.  Those who have tried it describe the flavor as being like a funky carp.  I'm not sure what that is exactly but I don't think I want to find out.

 



Seasonal Feast

     My first research project on my culinary investigation of the dietary habits of those living by the water's edge occurred at The Rustic Inn Crabhouse in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.  Happily acknowledging that the Florida Stone Crab was in season I ordered up a plateful of the crustacean's claws for examination.

     Menippe Mercenaria thrive in the waters along the eastern coast of the United States and can be found from Connecticut to Belize and into the Gulf of Mexico.  They are brownish red with grey spots and characteristic disproportionately large claws that have black tips and make up half the body weight of the crab.  Those claws can exert extreme pressure, up to 19,000 pounds per square inch!  In the food chain stone crabs eat oysters, other small mollusks and occasionally carrion and sea grass.  And in turn they are eaten by the horse conch, grouper, sea turtles, octopus, and of course, humans.



     Stone crabs are in season from October 15 to May 15 and during that time only one claw of the male can be removed.  Egg bearing females are not permitted to be declawed.  The crab will then grow a new claw that will reach legal size for harvesting in 12 to 24 months.

     The claws are considered a delicacy and are commonly served cracked and chilled with a squeeze of lemon or lime or dipped in melted butter after being steamed.  My research confirmed those reports!



A Fish Story

     It is a known fact that 71% of the earth is covered by water.  And of that amount 96.5% is contained in the world's oceans.  That's a lot of water!  So it was a daunting task for me to attempt to do an in-depth culinary study of such an abundant supply of food that we extract from those waters.  There are many different species of fish that are caught for food as well as delicious crustaceans like crabs, lobsters and shrimp.  And if you are so inclined you can also enjoy some tasty mollusks that include clams, snails, oysters and octopus.

     I began my study by flying to Florida and from there boarded a research vessel to examine (and taste) my way through the waters of the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico.  Our itinerary included the Conch Republic, a Commonwealth of the British Empire, and Mexico, in addition to the Florida peninsula.

 

     For the next few days I will report to you my findings of this intense and exhausting 6 day  survey of aquatic food.