Two Saucy Chicks

Shrimp with Roasted Garlic Pesto Pasta

2010-10-15T19:26:00.000-07:00

Sunny Anderson, host of "Cooking for Real" on the Food Network, developed this fresh take on pesto and pasta. Read Nancy's profile of the TV star in The Miami Herald.

15 garlic cloves, peeled (about 1 head)
1 cup olive oil, plus extra for tomatoes
1 pound cherry tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
¼ cup grated Parmesan
1 cup packed basil leaves
1 pound linguine
1¼ pounds large shrimp, shelled and deveined
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Place garlic cloves in a single layer in a small baking dish. Add ½ cup olive oil to cover cloves, cover with foil and bake 45 minutes, until golden brown and fork-tender. Meanwhile, in another baking dish, toss tomatoes with enough oil to coat. Lightly season with salt and pepper and roast at same temperature until tomatoes blister, about 25 minutes.

Strain garlic cloves and set aside in a small bowl, reserving infused oil separately. In a blender, add the roasted tomatoes, roasted garlic, Parmesan, and basil. Pulse until combined. While machine is running, drizzle in ½ cup olive oil until pesto comes together. Season with salt to taste. Remove to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and reserve.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium heat. Add the linguine and cook until al dente. Drain.
Meanwhile, heat a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the garlic oil. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper to taste and saute until the shrimp turn pink and are cooked through.

Put the linguine and some of the pesto in a large bowl. Toss to coat and top with the shrimp. Garnish with toasted pine nuts and serve.
Note: There will be leftover pesto.
Serves 4.

Source: Sunny Anderson, "Cooking for Real"

After Breakfast st Tiffany's . . .

2010-10-11T11:05:00.000-07:00

Enjoying food is easier when you're healthier. We all know the dangers of cigarettes, but we also realize how hard it is to kick the habit. Here's a link to an electronic cigarette review site that can help you quit or simply reduce the damage: www.miamistyleme.com

Warm Spinach and McIntosh Apple Salad with Bacon

2010-10-09T05:37:00.000-07:00

* 4 thick bacon slices
* 1 small red onion, sliced
* 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
* 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
* 1 teaspoon sugar
* Salt and pepper
* 1 (10-ounce) bag fresh spinach, rinsed, patted dry and torn into bite-size pieces
* 1 McIntosh apple, cored and sliced thinly

In a skillet set over moderate heat cook the bacon until it is crisp. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towel and let it drain. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from the skillet.

Add the onion to the skillet and cook it, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes, or until it is wilted. Add the vinegar, mustard, sugar and salt and pepper, to taste and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring. In a serving bowl combine the spinach and apple. Add the hot dressing and toss to combine and serve.

Courtesy of Michele Urvater, foodnetwork.com

Cacio e Pepe Pasta Sauce (from "Eat, Pray, Love")

2010-09-24T05:16:00.000-07:00

Kosher salt, to taste
1 pound pasta, preferably tonnarelli or spaghetti
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper, plus more to taste
1 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano
3⁄4 cup finely grated Cacio de Roma

Bring a 6-qt. pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta; cook until al dente, 8–10 minutes; reserve 1 cup pasta water and drain pasta. Meanwhile, heat oil in a 12" skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add pepper; cook until fragrant, 1–2 minutes.

Ladle 3⁄4 cup pasta water into skillet; bring to a boil. Using tongs, transfer pasta to skillet; spread it evenly.

Sprinkle 3⁄4 cup each Pecorino Romano and Cacio de Roma over pasta; toss vigorously to combine until sauce is creamy and clings to the pasta without clumping, about 2 minutes, adding some pasta water if necessary. Transfer to 4 plates and sprinkle with remaining Pecorino and more pepper.

From Saveur

Emeril's Favorite Pastrami Sandwich

2010-09-24T05:11:00.000-07:00

Not sure this is as orgasmic as Sally's, but Emeril Lagasse swears by this one, so have what he's having.

6 ounces sliced pastrami
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
4 ounces beer
3 slices onion, rings intact
1 tablespoon oil
Salt and pepper
2 slices rye bread or thick crusty brown bread

Preheat a grill. Season onions with salt and pepper and brush with oil. In a small saucepan combine beer and mustard and bring to a boil. Add pastrami and simmer for 3 minutes. Grill onions on both sides and toast bread on a cooler part of the grill. When all ingredients are heated, prepare sandwich

Black Pepper-Honey Steak

2010-08-27T21:26:00.000-07:00

The honey really develops the steak’s beefy taste. In addition, the marinade gives the meat a deep brown caramelized exterior.

3 tablespoons dry red wine
3 tablespoons honey
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, plus more as needed
2 pounds steak (chuck, rib eye, porterhouse, T-bone, top loin, New York strip), about 1½ inches thick and trimmed of excess fat
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt

Combine the wine, honey, garlic and pepper in a shallow dish. Add the steak, turning to coat it with the mixture. Let it stand at room temperature while you fix the rest of the meal, about 30 minutes

Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch sauté pan over medium-high heat. Pat the steak dry, add to the pan and brown it quickly on both sides, sprinkling salt and grinding more black pepper over both sides as they cook. (A splatter screen will help here.)

Turn heat to medium-low and cook, turning the steak often, for about 5-10 minutes, depending on the doneness desired. Remove meat to a platter and let rest for 5-10 minutes for a juicier steak.

Serves 4

Source: How to Eat Supper, by Lynne Rossetto Kasper and Sally Swift, Clarkson Potter, $35

Kolbert's Fruit Torte

2010-08-13T06:05:00.001-07:00

There's hardly a fruit that won't work in this simple -- and simply delicious -- dessert. Use sliced plums, pears, peaches, apples or mango or sprinkle a colorful mix of berries over the batter. It's really hard to go wrong here.

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup unbleached flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
2 eggs
4 plums, pears, peaches or apples, sliced into eighths (or 1-1/2 cup mixed berries
Sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugar. Add flour, baking powder, salt, and eggs. Beat well. Spoon batter into 8-, 9- or 10-inch springform pan. Place fruit slices in concentric circles on top of batter, or sprinkle berries evenly on top of batter. Sprinkle lightly with sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon. Bake for 50 minutes. Remove and cool.

Serves 6.

Hot and Hot Tomato Salad

2010-08-07T05:14:00.000-07:00

Variety really makes this salad. But if heirloom tomatoes are not available, opt for ripe red tomatoes. The whole baby okra make for a beautiful presentation but if it is unavailable substitute the larger-sized okra and cut them into 1/2-inch pieces before breading and frying.

Salad:
6 large beefsteak tomatoes
2 large golden delight tomatoes
2 large rainbow tomatoes
½ pint sweet 100 tomatoes
3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons Balsamic Vinaigrette (recipe follows), divided
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 smoked ham hock
1 large onion, peeled and quartered
1 fresh thyme sprig
6 ounces (1 cup)fresh field peas such as black-eye, pink-eye, crowder, or butter beans
2 tablespoons peanut oil
3 ears of yellow corn, husked
6 slices Applewood smoked bacon, cooked until crisp
3/4 cup Chive Dressing (recipe follows)
6 tablespoons chiffonade of fresh basil

Okra:
4 cups vegetable oil
30 pieces whole baby okra
¼ cup whole-milk buttermilk
¼ cup corn flour
¼ cup corn meal
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

To Prepare the Salad:
Core and slice the beefsteak, golden delight, and rainbow tomatoes into 1/4 -inch thick slices. Toss the tomatoes with 3/4 cup of the vinaigrette. Season the tomatoes with the salt and pepper and set aside at room temperature to marinate until ready to serve.
Combine the ham hock, onion, thyme, and field peas in a medium stock pot with enough cold water to cover the beans. Bring the peas to a simmer and cook until just tender, 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat, drain, and cool. Remove and discard the ham hock, onion quarters, and thyme sprig. Place the cooled peas in a mixing bowl and set aside.
Shave the kernels off the corn cobs, discarding the silk hairs. Heat the peanut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the corn kernels and cook until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Season the corn with salt and pepper to taste, and remove from the heat and cool slightly. Toss the corn kernels with the cooked field peas and the remaining 3 tablespoons of vinaigrette. Set the pea mixture aside to marinate at room temperature until ready to serve.

To Prepare the Okra:
Pour the vegetable oil into a deep-sided skillet to a depth of 3-inches. (Alternately, a deep fryer can be filled with vegetable oil.) Preheat the oil to 350˚F.
Trim the okra stems and place okra pods in a small bowl with the buttermilk. Toss until well coated.
Combine the corn flour, cornmeal, all-purpose flour, salt, and pepper in medium size bowl. Drain the okra from the buttermilk and toss in the cornmeal mixture. Shake off any excess cornmeal mixture. Place the okra in the preheated vegetable oil and fry for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden. Remove okra from the hot oil with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Season the okra with the remaining salt and pepper, if needed. Keep warm until ready to serve.

To Serve:
Arrange each of the different types of sliced tomatoes on 6 plates. Place the whole sweet 100 tomatoes around the sliced tomatoes. Divide the pea and corn mixture evenly among plates on top of the tomatoes. Arrange 5 pieces of Fried Okra around each plate and place 1 slice of crispy bacon on the top of each salad. Drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons of the chive dressing over the tops of each salad and garnish each with 1 tablespoon of basil chiffonade. Serve immediately.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Makes 2 cups
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup olive oil
1 cup finely chopped fresh chives
1 cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup chopped green onions
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Whisk together all of the ingredients in a large bowl. The vinaigrette can be used immediately or stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Be sure to bring the chilled vinaigrette to room temperature and whisk well before serving.

Chive Dressing
Because of the slight risk of salmonella, raw eggs should not be served to the very young, the ill or elderly, or to pregnant women. If you are concerned about this, try adding ½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh garlic, ¼ cup finely chopped fresh chives, and a pinch of salt and pepper to a good quality, store-bought mayonnaise.

Makes about 1¼ cups
1 small garlic clove, peeled and finely minced
6 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
1 large egg yolk
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup olive oil
¼ cup crème fraîche
Combine the garlic and chives in small bowl. Add egg yolk, lemon juice, salt, and pepper and whisk to combine. Add the olive oil in a thin, steady stream, while whisking vigorously whisking. This should create an emulsion. Whisk in the crème fraîche. You may need to add a drop or two of water if dressing is too thick. Cover and chill the dressing for at least 20 minutes before serving. This dressing will keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to two days.
Serves 6

Source: Hot and Hot Fish Club Cookbook

Light Curry Soup

2010-07-31T05:53:00.000-07:00

4 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2½ cups beef or chicken stock
1 teaspoon curry
¼ teaspoon powdered ginger
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons flour
1 egg
1 cup light cream or half & half

Saute onion in butter over low heat until softened, about 15 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, then transfer to a blender or food processor. Add stock, curry, ginger, nutmeg, flour and egg, and puree.

Return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium heat until slightly thickened. Stir in cream and heat through.

Source: Capital Classics

Brussels Sprouts

2010-07-24T06:06:00.000-07:00

Robbie loves Brussels Sprouts. Nancy loathes them. But these, prepared by Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill in Miami, made Nancy a believer -- at least in this version.

6 ounces Brussels sprouts
6 orange slices
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste

Thoroughly wash Brussels sprouts and cut them into quarters. Allow to dry and then deep fry them in extra virgin olive oil until golden brown.

Remove sprouts from pan and place on paper towels to drain excess oil. In a bowl, mix sprouts with orange slices, balsamic vinegar and a pinch of salt. Combine sugar and soy sauce and drizzle over the Brussels sprouts.

Source: Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill

Cool Honeydew-Mint Soup

2010-07-09T05:39:00.001-07:00

Serves 6

You can make this refreshing soup with Persian, Crenshaw, Casaba or cantaloupe melons, too. Whatever you use, make sure the melon is fragrant, ripe and sweet.

½ large honeydew melon, seeded, peeled and cut into pieces
¼ cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves, plus mint sprigs for garnish
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon honey
salt
Paper-thin lime slices

Working in batches, place the melon, mint leaves, 3 tablespoons of lime juice and honey in a blender. Process on high speed until smooth and light, about 2 minutes for each batch.

Transfer to a container, cove and chill for at least an hour.

Before serving, season to taste with more lime juice, if needed, and salt. Ladle into individual chilled bowls and garnish with mint sprigs and lime slices. Serve well chilled.

Source: Williams-Sonoma Complete Seasonal Cookbook

MOROCCAN GRILLED PEPPER SALAD

2010-05-29T05:37:00.000-07:00

Forget the three-bean salad -- this is a bracing, flavorful side dish that features all the colors of healthy eating. Plus, once you've got the coals hot, you might as well use them for all they're worth.

• 4 green bell peppers, 5 poblano peppers or 3 red bell peppers, plus 3 Anaheim or Cubanelle peppers

• 2 luscious, red-ripe tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice

• ½ sweet onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice

• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, cilantro or flat-leaf parsley (not too finely chopped)

• ½ teaspoon ground cumin

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or more to taste

• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, or more lemon juice

• Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground pepper

Heat grill to high. Arrange the peppers on the hot grate and grill, turning with tongs, until the skins are darkly browned and blistered on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Don't forget to grill the tops and bottoms of the peppers for 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let them cool to room temperature. (No, you don't need to place them in a paper bag or bowl covered with plastic wrap. I've found no appreciable difference in ease of peeling.)

Using a paring knife, scrape the charred skins off the peppers. There's no need to remove every last bit; a few black spots will add color and flavor. Cut each pepper in half, remove the core, and scrape out the seeds. Cut each pepper into 1/4-inch dice and place in a nonreactive mixing bowl.

Add the tomato, onion, mint, cumin, olive oil, lemon juice and vinegar, and toss the mix. Season with salt and pepper to taste. The salad can be prepared several hours ahead, but taste it and adjust seasoning just before serving. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Source: Adapted from Steven Raichlen's Planet Barbecue! (Workman, $22.95).

Lamb and Lentil Ragout with Cayenne

2010-02-27T05:30:00.000-08:00

My mother would call this a real stick-to-your-ribs stew. It's a delicious Tunisian dish, rich, filling and easy to make - the perfect cold-weather meal.

2/3 cup virgin olive oil

1½ pounds boneless lamb neck and shoulder, trimmed of fat and cubed

Salt to taste

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus extra for seasoning lamb

1 medium onion, peeled, chopped

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 cups water or chicken stock

1¼ cup dried brown or green lentil, picked over and rinsed

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

In a medium-size, nonreactive casserole, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Season the lamb with salt and pepper. Brown the lamb and onion together until the onion is soft and golden, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes.

Mix the tomato paste with the water or stock, and add mixture, lentils, 1 teaspoon of black pepper, cayenne and garlic powder to the lamb. Stir and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and reduce heat to very low. Simmer until lamb is very tender, stirring occasionally, for about 2 hours.

Serves 4.

(Source: Adapted from Real Stew, by Clifford A. Wright)

Make a bid!

2010-02-05T20:02:00.000-08:00

This is special, just for Join Us at the Table fans: The good and generous people of the Young School in St. Helena, Calif., have extended the their auction to benefit the school. The catalogue of offerings is amazing (and this is just a sampling):

a collection of wines from the Spring Mountain District appellation (Barnett, Cain, Fife, Charbay, Frias, Guillliams, Hollywood & Vine, Juslyn, Keenan, Marston, Newton, Paloma, Peacock, Pride, Schweiger, Sherwin, Smith-Madrone, Spring Mountain Vineyard, Stony Hill, Togni, York Creek Vineyards)

a “burgers & bubbles” feast, an Indian feast with Indian dancing

a private tour of Napa wineries conducted by Wine Bible author and CIA instructor Karen MacNeil

portrait of Barack Obama in jellybeans

a collection of wines from 23 “red hot mamas,” women winemakers in Napa Valley (the wines include Corison, Corra, Drinkward-Peschon, Failla (Anne-Marie Failla will be our guest on our Feb. 6 show), Rasmussen, Oakville Ranch, Phifer Pavitt and more)

a collection of wines from the Howell Mountain appellation (Cakebread, CADE, Dunn, Ladera, Lamborn, Outpost, Retro,Turley)

And you don't have to head to the West Coast to bid - you can bid by proxy -- even though the initial deadline has passed. Check out the entire catalogue. You have until 2 p.m. PST to submit a bid. Send a fax to 707 967.1522; call 707 235.5929 or email Shelley.svoren@sbcglobal.net. Good luck!

Mini Mushroom Mac ‘n’ Goat Cheese

2010-01-30T05:32:00.000-08:00

Robbie and visited Benjamin Masopeh down in the Redland -- South Florida's agricultural region. Benjamin is an agricultural scientist who was lucky enough to win the green-card lottery in his native Ghana. That meant he could come to the United States to work. Long story short, he's now working with Gabriele Marewski at Paradise Farms in Homestead, FL. He's the guru of oyster mushrooms - and he shared some of his delicious bounty with us. Here's what I made. It's rich and delicious:

Mini Mushroom Mac ‘n’ Goat Cheese

4 ounces (about 2 cups) cavatappi pasta, uncooked
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound assorted mushrooms (such as Portabella, crimini, shiitake and oyster), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
6 ounces fresh goat cheese
½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

Preheat oven to 350° F. Cook pasta according to package directions.

While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add a single layer of mushrooms and cook, without stirring, for about 5 minutes or until mushrooms become red-brown on one side. Flip mushrooms and cook about 5 minutes more, until other side is same color.

Melt butter in a large saucepan and stir in flour. Cook for a minute or two to slightly toast flour. Stir in salt and whisk in milk. Bring to a low boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to slightly thicken sauce, for about five minutes. Remove sauce from heat, whisk in cheeses, rosemary and thyme and stir to melt. Stir in mushrooms and pasta and divide between four 1-cup ramekins.
Place ramekins on baking sheet and bake until cheese bubbles around edges, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for about five minutes. Serve warm.

Serves 4.

(Source: Mushroom Council and mushroominfo.com)

Oatmeal Soap on a Rope

2009-12-19T05:26:00.000-08:00

Kitchen Coach Jennifer Bushman gave us some great ideas for holiday gifts you can make in your kitchen. (Go to blogtalkradio.com/joinusatthetable -- Jennifer's on the 12/12/09 show.) Here's one that I like to make. You can't eat it, but it's the perfect way to recycle bits of leftover soap -- or just buy a bar of something that smells good and use that! Remember, it has to dry for three days, so get going now if it's going to be a Christmas gift.

½ cup oatmeal
½ cup soap crumbs
1½ tablespoons vegetable oil
1½ tablespoons water
16-inch piece of cotton rope or cord
Pulse the oatmeal and soap crumbs in a food processor until the mixture becomes quite fine. Put the mixture into a mixing bowl, add the oil and water and mix well using your hands.

Form the mixture into a ball and, with a knife, divide it in half. With your finger, make a small indentation on both cut sides of the soap. Fold rope in half and place about three inches of the cut end in the the middle of the split ball.

Gently mold the two halves back together. Let the soap dry for about three days, ideally in the sun.

(Adapted from Home Made, by Alexa Lett)

n.

Chadwick Boyd's Top 10

2009-12-13T20:01:00.000-08:00

1 – For the Wine Lover

Decantus Wine Aerator with Stand ($36.99, www.wineaccessory.com/ decantus.htm <http://www.wineaccessory.com/decantus.htm>). Wine Aerators are the hit this season…and even in my house. The by-the-glass decanting system introduces just the right amount of air into your wine as you pour the wine through the device and into your glass. Wines are instantaneously smoother and the bouquets richer.

2- For a Stocking Stuffer
Hint Mints ($35, www.hintmint.com <http://www.hintmint.com> ) – I met these guys at the Fancy Food Show, and they are like rock stars for mints. Their packaging is soooo creative. You just have to keep them around. Plus the mints, well, they rock, too! These mints come in a variety of great flavors beyond traditional mint, like pomegranate and green tea. Plus the artistry cases are something to use over and over.

3- For the Sweets Lover
Tupelo Honey Shortbread ($16.50, www.savannahbee.com <http://www.savannahbee.com>) – Savannah Bee partnered with Willa’s Classic Shortbread to create these delectable cookies. Tupelo is the “gold standard” by which all other honeys are measured. Harvested for only two weeks each spring along two river basins, it is one of the rarest honeys in the world.

4- For the Ginger Lover
Ginger Babies ($7.00, www.gingerpeople.com <http://www.gingerpeople.com>) – So much fun…and cute and delicious! Use these to add to Aged Parmesan or Gouda – YUM! Or, garnish your favorite holiday martini. They are quite versatile. Exquisite baby ginger is crafted into premium crystallized ginger shaped like adorable little ginger tots. Try this deliciously stimulating, mood-boosting treat!

5- For the Cookbook Lover
Hot and Hot Fish Club Cookbook ($35.00, www.hotandhotclub.com <http://www.hotandhotclub.com>). Southern cookbooks are hugely popular. But this one’s different…modern, yet honors the Old South, but not in a Paula Deen way. Far more than a recipe book, this book shows how the authors gather at the table to celebrate the passing seasons. With over 200 recipes organized to reflect the seasonal nature of local ingredients, the book also profiles purveyors about supplying the freshest ingredients. Menus include wine and beer parings. Lovely & Delicious!

6- For the Slow Food Lover
Lucero Olive Oils (Prices start under $5.00, www.lucerooliveoil.com <http://www.lucerooliveoil.com> )
California Olive Oils continue to dominate the olive oil industry, up-ending traditional European faves. What began as a hand press operation is three generations ago has earned adoration from the Slow Food movement. This domestic olive oil from Corning, California is made from Italian olive varieties. The oils have won quality awards year after year are of the highest quality both in taste and nutritional value. It will be a huge hit at the Winter Fancy Food Show in January.

7- For the Grill Lover
Grilling Planks (Starting at $5.99, Lowe’s & www.fireandflavor.com <http://www.fireandflavor.com> ). My favorite thing to grill on…like our Pinot Thyme Basted Pork Belly. Add robust, woodsy flavor to your fish and meats, and vegetables. These planks are all natural with no additional flavorings and unlike many, Fire and Flavor planks are certified sustainable and are select cut for optimum flavor. Use on an outdoor grill or inside with a grill pan.

8- For the Modern Cook
Himalayan Pink Salt Plates (Starting at $16.95, www.saltworks.us <http://www.saltworks.us> ) — A huge fan fave. Himalayan Pink salt is harvested from ancient sea salt deposits in the Himalayan Mountain Range, crystallized more than 200 million years ago. Ancient sea beds were covered by volcanic lava, protecting the salt from pollution, and lending to the belief that Himalayan Pink is the purest salt to be found on earth. Heated plates can be used in the oven to sear light items such as fish, thinly sliced beef or even an egg. These dense blocks cook with near perfect heat distribution. As the blocks cook, they also delicately impart a mild and full taste, providing a new level of flavor complexity to your food. Salt Plates can also be chilled in the refrigerator and used as a serving tray for sushi, cheese or gourmet desserts that require a hint of salt. Functional and beautiful!

9- Fun for the Whole Family
Bella Cucina’s Pizza Kit: Focaccia and Pizza Dough Mix and Pomodoro Pizza Sauce ($25.00, www.bellacucina.com <http://www.bellacucina.com> ) – A huge hit this holiday season…from InStyle to the Today Show. This is an easy, all natural pizza kit that honors fresh flavors with Old Time traditions. It’s ideal for those who want to spend quality time with their families, make a pizza together and add your favorite cheeses and toppings.

10- For the Meat Lover
La Quercia Prosciutto Tris ($59, store.laquercia.us <http://store.laquercia.us> ) – This award winning US-made artisan salumi is made using traditional dry curing. It’s garnered the notice of the NY Times and more. And it’s made in of all place, IOWA. La Quercia uses no nitrates, nitrites or related vegetable derived substitutes. The meat comes from neighboring farms that appreciate the extra care and effort involved in humane and organic animal production. The result is a taste that is TO DIE FOR!!!

More on the real estate saga

2009-05-04T08:18:00.000-07:00

Let me tell you - this past few days has been a frenzy of looking for, and finding, waterfront property with no fixed bridges and ocean access under $400,000.00 - WOW, they are out there. I did not find a ton but there were at least 20 or so that I previewed and about 7 that I have actually seen that fit that description. Some with tiny docks (10'), others with 85' of waterfront.

Some need quite a bit of work (one was an estate sale and the original owner did not have central air, still using window units), but had large waterfront - about 60'. One house, the owner paid in excess of $700K and it is now a short sale listed at $399K

Some of these are short sales and some are just folk ready to sell. I am loving this real estate thing - we all know things will turn around and these properties will go up again. Maybe not to the point they were just a little over a year ago, but they will go up.

Moroccan flavors

2009-03-13T15:26:00.001-07:00

Soufiane Lailani and his partners not only missed the flavors of home, they also didn't really like how Moroccan foods were presented to an American audience. None of them comes from a food background, but they sure know how to run a business, so they started on -- Alili -- and are selling the honeys, olives and oils they they grew up on. Listen in tomorrow.

Whatever floats your boat!

2009-03-13T06:04:00.001-07:00

This time, we didn't take the dog with us to canoe in the Everglades -- gator bait! -- just a big basket of delicious picnic food. I made a "pissaladiere," -- basically, a French pizza topped with slow-cooked onion, tomatoes and anchovies -- and a corn and tomato salad. Considering the water was so low in some places that we have to pole our way through because it wasn't deep enough to use the paddles! After that pleasant ordeal, a filling lunch was just what was needed -- the big, fruity Australian meritage -- Quarterback 2006 -- didn't hurt at all, either.

Nancy

Million-Dollar Chicken

2009-03-06T06:04:00.000-08:00

Ellie Mathews won the big one -- The Pillsbury Bake-Off -- and won big. Ellie, right, will tell us all about it on our March 7 show. Want the recipe for her easy Moroccan-inspired Salsa Coucous Chicken? Follow this link: elliemathews.com

Stuffed!

2009-03-06T05:42:00.000-08:00

Nancy just ate, she didn't fire up any pots. George, still channeling culinary inspiration from the trip to Turkey, hand-chopped leftover grilled lamb, mixed in brown rice, toasted walnuts, ground cumin and fennel, garlic, onion, tomato, candied ginger, raisins and a little grated grapefruit zest.* He hollowed out yellow peppers, artfully preserving the stem, piled in the lamb mixture, put on the little stem cap and roasted them. Delicious!

*Grapefruit because there there were no oranges. There were no lemons, either -- in fact, earlier in the week Nancy ended up making strawberry mojitos with grapefruit, too. Given that rum is the main event, it all worked out just fine. Recipe coming next week after one more experiment -- with lemons this time!

Growing green

2009-02-25T15:31:00.000-08:00

In Miami, winter is the growing season. That's when it's cool enough -- but still sunny -- to not have your seedlings burn to a crisp. What's in Nancy's garden? Green peppers, right, heirloom tomatoes, Swiss chard. In addition there's arugula, Russian kale -- its frilly leaves have a beautiful rosy blush -- mesclun, scallions and assorted herbs. (The spinach flamed out.) The tomatoes and peppers are well camouflaged amid the leaves, but they are slowly turning bright red.

There's nothing like home-grown vegetables. The taste stand head and shoulders above store-bought. The arugula, for instance, is far more peppery. The seeds, for the most part, were planted on Election Day -- seeds of change, indeed.

2009-02-20T15:39:00.000-08:00

Nancy's hubby, George, Nancy, Chadwick Boyd & Me

Last night Nancy, her husband George Fishman and I went to dinner with a visiting dignitary, Chadwick Boyd. Chadwick is the brains behind Atlanta based Lovely & Delicious Enterprises , Inc., a food and lifestyle branding consulting firm. Chadwick, for the past 9-months or so, has been Join Us at the Table's "roving correspondent"; we have never physically met face-to-face, but when food lovers get together, it is truly just like "old home week", we all fit like old shoes. There is no better place to break bread together than Miami Design District's hottest restaurant, Mich ael's Genuine, home of Chef Michael Schwartz.

We have mentioned in the past our fondness for Michael's and it seems that whenever someone comes to town, we wind up at our favorite spot. Our last visitor, Lynne Rossetto Kasper, host of NPR's top food show, Splendid Table, had to have a Michael's experience.

This time we noshed on, what else? Crispy, spicy pork belly (right), of course - on a bed of kimchi - simply yummy; rabbit pate, Berkshire pork shoulder served with those delicious Anson Mills grits, wood roasted Vidalia onion stuffed with ground lamb and apricots and sauteed sweet breads. Oh yes, I cannot leave out one of my absolute favorite dishes, aside from their pork belly, the wood roasted cauliflower with parsley sauce - I could just go and have a bowl of whatever soup they have for the day, a plate of cauliflower and feel like I have dined and gone to Heaven!

We had a wonderful evening chatting the night away and will see Chadwick tonight as Nancy and I head to South Beach for Paula Deen's Poker Party.

Don't forget to tune in to Join Us at the Table tomorrow morning to hear your culinary lifestylist chat with the only female Iron Chef, Cat Cora. If you miss us, just go to the archives and pull up the show. Remember, we are live every Saturday from 9:30 - 10:30 am at Join Us at the Table.

Chat with you soon.
Robbie
One of the Two Saucy Chicks

2009-02-13T13:14:00.000-08:00

I'm a happy camper this week. Why? One of my favorite food vendors has moved to town: Blue Bell Ice Cream! I was first introduced to Blue Bell in 1978 when I moved to Houston; I really was not a sweets fan at that time but a few years later I became a Blue Bell "hoover". I quit smoking and just loved that cream. I realized I was in love when my car was in the shop and I had to walk for food; I probably walked a mile in that hot Texas heat just to get my favorite: Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla. I cannot forget this story because the store was out of vanilla and that's how I was introduced to their delicious strawberry. When I moved to Florida in 1990, there was a little black wreath hanging on my freezer door - it was a sad story: no Blue Bell.

If you have not tried Blue Bell, run, don't walk to your nearest grocery. I've been told several of our local supermarkets (Publix, Winn Dixie) carry my favorite vice: Homemade Vanilla. Just to
make sure you get the right thing, here's a photo of an old love.

Happy Valentines Day!
Rob

The Title Says it All

2009-02-06T05:50:00.000-08:00

Chinese New Year was approaching -- what's a food-and-culture girl to do? Pork belly! It seems to be the new short rib as far as high-end restaurants are concerned -- cheap, fatty and delicious. And you really trick it out, you can charge a bundle for it. (Yes, I've paid that bundle -- but Michael Schwartz really , really has a way with pork belly.)

George said that he has seen pork belly at the Asian market, so that's where we headed. Fattiest piece of meat I've seen in ages. Scary fatty -- I bought two pounds.

I cut it into 2-inch cubes and marinated them in soy sauce, brown sugar, sea salt and sherry.

Next morning, I quick-browned the pork belly -- in lard (can you believe?) Added cinnamon, ginger, chiles, star anise and the remaining marinade -- threw in some orange peel, too, just like the cookbook said. A couple of cups of water and it simmered for about an hour.

The sauce thickened, the flavors were dead-on traditionally Chinese -- rich, a bit salty, spicy, gingery and unctuous.

This cookbook was more than justified. The title? Jennifer McLagan's tribute to common sense, flavor and moderation -- Fat.

-- Nancy

Sailing the Caribbean seas

2009-01-30T14:11:00.000-08:00

This week I am live and in living color on the MS Westerdam, one of
Holland America’s ships. I captured one of those great deals and am
sharing a cabin for a week with my girlfriend for under $600 per
person. We have a lovely, spacious outside cabin – our
view is a tad obstructed, but we wake up every day to the fabulous rays of the sun
and can see the ocean.
I have often visited islands in the Caribbean via air and sea but
opted for this trip to San Juan, St. Barths (aka St. Barts), Nevis and
Holland America's private island. Because I had not been to Bart's/Nevis. St.
Barths. St. Barthélemy and Nevis were new territory
to me and opened my eyes to a different culture. When it comes to St. Barths, can we say
"money, honey"?
This is the lifestyles of the rich
and famous – fancy shopping, fancy food, warm and wonderful ambiance.
I was not there long enough to get the full taste, but
this is one of those places I would certainly like to visit again. My
group headed to a known entity, Nikki Beach Club. If you know South
Beach, you are probably asking why on earth would we select a place
that has a spot on Miami Beach? Well, let’s say the experience was
suitable to the neighborhood. It was a fabulous afternoon of eating,
drinking, relaxing and chatting with friends; some of us took a swim
in the beautiful blue bay. Nikki Beach was the right place to soak up
the local environment. The euro is the currency here, and I am
positive most folk were taken aback at shopping and dining.
Rarely do I want to go back to a place, but this is one of those
islands I would like to visit again; the fact that it is a ferry ride
to St. Maarten (one of the few islands I would like to visit on a
frequent basis) may have something to do with it since I am very fond
of that island's shopping and fabulous dining experiences.
Next stop Nevis – the "ball" of St. Kitts – I learned this from my
taxi driver. It seems that if you look at a map of the Caribbean, you will
see that St. Kitts looks like a bat and Nevis appears to be the ball - of
course, this is referring to a game of cricket. We had only a short
time on this island, arriving early, around 7:30ish and getting back
on board by 3:30.
Since we kept late night hours, it was a struggle
to get off early, so I made it a point to run to visit the island for a
taste of Nevis. I was not disappointed. The taxi driver, Bentley,
assured us that if he dropped us at Pinney’s Beach we would be completely
satisfied – he was never wrong! We went to Sunshine’s. Mr. Sunshine, or Sunny as his crew calls him, fixed up the best
yellowfin tuna I have ever had – a green sauce of parsley, cilantro,
onions – let’s call it a Caribbean chimichurri sauce that coated the fish.
It was served with a fresh garden salad with deliciously crunchy long
beans and some of the best rice and peas you can find. My roommate
had the fish but also sampled the wings and could not walk away without
getting an order to go, so you know what we had after a late night of
dancing.
You cannot go to Sunshine’s and not order the signature drink:
"Killer Bee" – it was a killer! Taste just like great rum punch that
you wanted to drink way too fast.
Tonight, my friends and I will be dining in the Pinnacle Grill – the
"high-end" restaurant of the Westerdam. I forgot to tell them I snuck
away and had dinner there the other night with friends, and it was
delish – the lobster was simply outstanding.
More to come as I sail the seas. I'll share a few photos
and notes on Holland America’s Westerdam. Tune in to Join Us at the Table
at 9:30 a.m. Saturday morning as I broadcast live from the Westerdam with its two
executive chefs.

Local spots:
St. Barths, West Indies
Nikki Beach Club
PLage de St. Jean FW1 97133
590.27.64.64
Nevis, West Indies

Sunshine’s Beach Bar & Grill
Pinney’s Beach
Open 7-days a week for great food and dancing

Eating euphemistically

2009-01-08T05:30:00.000-08:00

There's a thin line between "caramelized'' and "burned,'' a short step from "smoky" to "scorched.'' I opted for the more optimistic descriptions for my poached pears. I stumbled upon Forelle pears at the market -- small, and sweet-smelling -- and thought they would be perfect for poaching in red wine. They were. I had to wing it -- 500 cookbooks and I couldn't put my hands on the recipe that I knew was lurking among them.

I poured enough red wine -- a Chianti -- into small pot to cover the pears, which I had peeled. I added agave syrup, a cinnamon stick, crushed allspice, cloves, nutmeg and peppercorns to add heat and bite. The pears simmered and tinted themselves in this deep red liquid - so far, so good. I took them out once they were tender and raised the heat a bit to reduce the liquid to syrupy sweetness.

I served dinner in the meantime -- mistake. Our guest spotted the smoke -- or was it merely steam -- first. The stuff was syrupy, that's for sure, and flirting with vaporized.

Served it anyway - it coated the pears beautifully and actually tasted rich, fruity and concentrated. The only real disaster was the Edy's. I had planned to serve a small scoop of vanilla ice cream with each pear. Forget to put in in the freezer. Hours later, when I found it in still resting comfortably in the shopping bag, I figured no one needed another beverage.

New year’s resolutions? Eat this!

2009-01-03T05:23:00.000-08:00

These resolutions are going be a lot more fun that the lose-weight, stop-smoking, exercise-more variety. These pledges are all about food – what we eat, how we make it, how we eat it and where. If you sign on to just one of these resolutions, you will commit to maybe unplugging the food processor just once, knead some dough, instead of flipping on the electric bread machine, reject frozen for fresh and eat in a different country, without leaving town.

1. Make it yourself – mayonnaise or ketchup, applesauce or sweet potato chips. You’ll cut out the preservatives and stabilizers and the dreaded transfats. Make your own sorbet – it’s as simple as freeze and puree.
2. It’s all right to eat something other than a burger and fries with your hands. Try Ethiopian. Explain . . .
3. Try something you hate – make a different way. I tried that with Brussels sprouts. Added pancetta, brown sugar – all the good stuff. (OK, it didn't help the sprouts at all . . .)
4. Find a new, non-food use for a familiar food. I found a recipe that uses all those little leftover soap scraps. Mix them with oatmeal, vegetable oil and water and you've got a great-smelling exfoliating bar. (If life’s too short, though, just buy some.)
5. Eat something raw that you usually eat cooked, and vice versa. If you have only eaten chayote grated over a salad, try roasting slices of it. It deepens and sweetens the flavor. Beets, apples, berries, pears, salad greens all reveal their greater personalities.
6. Take pictures of the food – really. Dishes you’ve made and those served up in a restaurant. So what if you’ll look like a tourist. It’s a way of recording accomplishment, keeping memories every bit as precious as those photos of the Eiffel Tower. (That's grilled octopus in Thessaloniki, Greece and pasta in pastry bowls from Da Fiori in Venice pictured above.)
7. Eat extremely local. Local growers, local producers, local neighbors’ yards. You’ll be helping local business thrive. Go to a farm. Pick your own, see where food comes from - th kids will love it.
8. Ask a fellow shopper what she’s going to do with something in her shopping cart that looks interesting. Hate to sound chauvinistic, but nosy New Yorkers talk to strangers all the time. I’m one of them.
9. Ask to talk to the chef. He might roll his eyes, but not in front of you. Tell her what you really liked, what didn't quite work -- ask what she was thinking as she created these dishes.
10. Learn something – how to carve vegetables, work with filo, fold napkins.
11. Make something elaborate and time-consuming. Be sure to share it with friends. Examples: Try cassoulet – the five-day version, not some quickie variety. I’m going to make a coulibiac one of these days – Russian fish pie in puff pastry. I already made puff pastry in 2008 -- piece of cake!
12. Just once, have a scoop of ice cream and a sip of wine before noon.

-- Nancy

Happy New Year from the Two Saucy Chicks

2009-01-02T06:53:00.000-08:00

On Christmas day friends and family joined Robbie at her home to celebrate the season. Left to right, George Fishman (Nancy's husband), Maribel Fernandez-Dillon (Catering by Maribel),The Two Saucy Chicks: Nancy & Robbie, Rene' Beal and Robbie's son, Michael Bell. All had a hand in creating a Southern Christmas brunch that was enjoyed by all.

On this day, January 2, 2009, Nancy and Robbie wish you and yours the best New You possible - may your life be filled with joy and laughter and may your table always be prepared with love and seated with friends and family.
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Join Us at the Table this Saturday...

You might think that all that fat is on your hips, but Dr. Ian Smith will tell us that it's all in your mind. In other words, the fight against obesity is as much mental as it is physical, and his new book, "The 4-Day Diet'' can help you get your mind right first. Dr. Smith is the diet expert on VH1's Celebrity Fitness Club and contributor to The View and Men's Health magazine. Listen in -- and lose weight by next Friday!

Also, Charmaine Campbell, of Chic International, knows that you only have one chance to make a first impression. When you're dining out, you don't want to be left with egg on your face according to Charmaine's new book "Money Cannot Buy You Class".

Tune in at 9:30 am to BlogTalkRadio.com/JoinUsattheTable

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We invite you to call into the show, chat with the guests and win prizes. Last week our guest sommelier, Gabriel Varela of South Miami Beach's newest hot spot the Meat Market (915 Lincoln Road) educated us to the nuances of bubbly. Not only did he educate us about the many varieties, tastes and price points, he also gave 5 Join Us at the Table listeners the opportunity to win a $50.00 gift certificate to the Meat Market.

Be sure to tune in this Saturday. Our Call-in Number is 347.677.0827 or sign on to www.BlogTalkRadio.com/JoinUsattheTable and register to enter our chat room and become a winner!!!
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Rum cake, empanadas, short ribs corn bread, chocolate bark – Nancy has a day job, so she spent much of holiday season doing some early-morning cooking. The point was to let the flavors mingle all day before "show time" later in the evening.

The most challenging? Nancy couldn't resist making puff pastry for empanadas (yeah, she could have bought the dough ready-made, but that's the coward's way out). First she had to find lard – never used it in her life. Food Giant came through. The dough itself was a minor major production: Mix flour and water, roll it out, spread lard on top and fold the dough in thirds like a letter; repeat this twice. The result: thin layers of dough that will puff up and expand as it bakes.

It worked, and Nancy can scratch it off her list of must-dos!
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Join Our Mailing List! Send us an email to Foodies@JoinUsattheTable.com
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Rum cake!

2008-12-20T05:09:00.000-08:00

Sunday night -- I'm at a liquor store in the 'hood, looking for rum. It's one of those mama-told-me-not-to-come kind of places. Emilio, the store manager seemed awfully surprised that someone wanted to bake with the rum instead of drink it.* Asked me tons of questions about it. Next time I make this rum cake, he'll definitely get a piece.

If you're from the Caribbean, then this rum cake is not dense, midnight-dark holiday black cake loaded with dried fruit -- which y'all start macerating in rum in the spring! Let's just call the one I made this week a "new classic'' -- rich pound cake that has absorbed a rum-sugar syrup. (Be sure to see my story in The Miami Herald). I remember a similar cake from the late '60s, that was part of a promo for Bacardi rum. This version is moist and firm, with an extra depth of flavor from the molasses and brown sugar. You can find potato starch in the kosher section of the supermarket or at a natural foods store such as Whole Foods. To make simple syrup, heat equal parts granulated sugar and water until the sugar dissolves.

Warren Brown's Rum Runner Cake

• Vegetable oil spray

• 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

• ¼ cup dark brown sugar

• 2 tablespoons potato starch

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

• ¼ teaspoon baking soda

• 1 cup sour cream

• ¾ cup heavy cream

• ½ cup dark rum (divided use)

• 1 teaspoon molasses

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 2 ½ cups extra-fine granulated sugar

• ½ vanilla bean

• 4 large eggs plus 2 yolks

• ¼ cup simple syrup (see note above)

Place rack in the middle of the oven; heat to 350 degrees. Spray a 12-cup Bundt pan with vegetable oil and set aside.

Sift flour into a bowl. Add brown sugar, potato starch, salt, cinnamon and baking soda. Whisk to blend; set aside.

Put the sour and heavy creams, ¼ cup dark rum, the molasses and vanilla in a separate bowl. Whisk to blend; set aside.

Beat the butter and sugar on the lowest speed of an electric mixer for 2 to 3 minutes.

With the mixer still on low, add the vanilla, eggs and yolks, one at a time, fully incorporating after each addition. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Add the dry ingredients alternately with the cream mixture in 3 additions each, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Don't wait for them to be fully incorporated between additions. This step should take about 60 seconds.

Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix on medium speed for 15 to 20 seconds.

Fill the prepared pan by depositing the batter in small clumps around it with a rubber spatula. Level the batter with the spatula.

Bake 50 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting a bamboo skewer into the center. When the skewer comes out clean, the cake is done. Remove pan from oven and place on a wire rack. When the cake has cooled 10 minutes, invert it onto the rack and remove the pan. Let it cool to room temperature.

To glaze the cake, set the wire rack over wax paper. Combine simple syrup with remaining ¼ cup rum and use a pastry brush to brush it all over the cake until it is absorbed. Makes 16 servings.

(Adapted from CakeLove: How to Bake Cakes from Scratch by Warren Brown (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, $27.50).

*True story: A good friend was buying Grand Marnier, again, for a recipe a few years back. The customer in front of her at the cashier's also had a bottle of Grand Marnier. My girlfriend chirped to him: Oh, what are YOU making with yours? He looked at her with some element of scorn and said: Honey, I'm just adding two cubes of ice and a glass.

-- Nancy

Getting to the Art of the Matter

2008-12-12T05:39:00.001-08:00

Art Basel popped up much like Brigadoon -- bursting with energy, hustle, bustle and art. And then it was gone, just like that. I walked so much through art warehouse exhibits, art shows under tents and home-decor shops that channeled their inner gallery that, by the end the day, my comfy shoes weren't so comfy anymore.

What kept me going? The fact that food, indeed, is art. George, the husband who doubled as photographer took some great shots that, like anything really yummy, I'm willing to share.
That's Kang Can's "Orexia Nervosa," from the Art Asia exhibit, above. More to come.

Nan

Chadwick's Top 10

2008-12-05T15:51:00.000-08:00

Our roving corresondent, Chadwick Boyd, right, has his eye on the most lovely and delicious holiday gifts to grace the kitchen -- onion goggles, anyone? As always, Chadwick's got the goods. Here are the who, what, where, when and why of his fabulous recs:

Martha Stewart’s Cooking School: Lessons & Recipes for the Home Cook ($45.00) – for those who want to go to cooking school, yet don’t want to pay tuition or have the time. You can log online and cook with Martha.
Tiny Bubbles: Fizzy Cocktails for Every Occasion, Using Champagne, Prosecco and other sparkling wines ($14.95) + Sparkling Sake ($16.99, Sherlock’s Wine Merchants) – for the champagne lover. 40 recipes to make a bubbly cocktail + suggested cork popping tools & techniques
Panini spreads with olive wood spreader and panini grill from Atlanta-based Bella Cucina ($12 + $69.99) – for the sandwich lover. All the fixings and tools to make beautiful and satisfying authentic paninis in your own kitchen.
Washable computer keyboards from Georgia-based WETKEYS ($39.99 + free shipping) -- for the slob in the kitchen or the gadget fanatic. Washable keyboards that allow you to watch cooking videos, access recipes AND make a mess in the kitchen. You never have to worry about messing the computer up! (I use this all the time)
Orchard Fresh Meyer lemons ($23) – the ultimate fruit that chefs & foodies love for cooking. Need I say more!
Olio & Spices Olive Oil (Olio & Spices ($19.99 + shipping) -- First-pressed, premium quality ORGANIC extra virgin olive oil. Pressed in Tunisia from whole unblemished olives done within a day of harvest. A uniquely styled half-liter barrel – looks like a galvanized oil can keeps the oil sharp and aromatic with beautiful light color.
Onion goggles ($19.95, Savor) -- for the foodie who has everything, or for something extra fun...hip design, highly functional – they keep the vapors from hitting your eyes. People swear by them and they are flying off the shelves!
Vosges Exotic Mini-Candy Bar Box Set ($25, Whole Foods) – for the chocolate lover. Exotic and delicious flavors such as Barcelona Bar with Marcona Almond Chips and Sea Salt; Wasabi Ginger; and my favorite Bacon+Chocolate!
Stainless Spring Action pepper grinders from Grind ($60.00) -- the coolest and most sophisticated gadget hands down. A HUGE hit at the Fancy Food Show.
Fromagerie Belle Hevre “The Belle & the Bee” Goat Cheese Gift Set ($70, Star Provisions) -- for the cheese lover. Cheesemaker Tazia Malakasis teamed up Georgia-based Savannah Bee to create a cheese lovers treat – handcut honeycomb with fromage blanc and a disc of chevre + Rutherford & Meyer gourmet crackers. TO DIE FOR!!!

Fruit and nuts

2008-11-29T06:09:00.000-08:00

Give Cadbury's some competition -- make your your own chocolate candy. I was captivated by Ina Garten's recipe for chocolate bark. Unlike the American version where all the goodies are mixed into melted chocolate, Garten -- The Barefoot Contessa -- in her latest cookbook, Back to Basics, presents a French version. It's a veritable throw rug of cashews and crystallized ginger, dried cherries, golden raisins and diced dried apricots. (I subbed dried pears for the apricots: 1. pears and chocolate are a divine combination and 2. I didn't feel like walking to wherever the heck the dried apricots were hiding in the grocery.)

I varied the recipe a bit because I love dark chocolate. Here are the basics: Melt 14 ounces of good-quality dark chocolate (I used 70-percent in the microwave in 30-second increments until it is just melted. Let it sit at room temperature, stirring often, until it is completely smooth and cooled slightly. On a piece of parchment paper, spread out the chocolate into a 9"-by-10" rectangle. Then evenly sprinkle on the goodies in this order: 1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger, 1 cup whole roasted cashews, 1/2 cup dried cherries, 1/2 cup diced dried apricots, 1/4 cup golden raisins. Make sure everything is stuck in the chocolate, lest a few raisins roll off like pebbles later. Let it cool for about 2 hours then cut into medium-sized pieces.

The whole thing will look like a gorgeous Turkish carpet before it's sliced. And it'll make a fabulous sweet for the holidays.

--Nan

2008-11-28T19:13:00.000-08:00

Revisit one of the Two Saucy Chicks' most popular shows: It's a familiar story – young man goes to Paris for the first time and falls in love. For Glenn Harrell, though, cheese – fromage – was the object of his desire. He's keeping love alive at his Los Angeles boutique, Say Cheese; the Two Saucy Chicks follow up a chat about cheese with its perfect accompaniment. Wine educator Barry Alberts, of Berries to Wine, tells you how to start a tasting club; former Buffalo Bill Cornelius Bennett made a smooth transition from the gridiron to the griddle, hosting his own food show on TV. He helps Robbie and Nancy celebrate football during the holiday season deliciously.

2008-11-22T07:35:00.001-08:00

We just finished our show and had a winner for a surprise gift from Eric Woods' boutique wine store, Harlem Vintage, located on Frederick Douglass Blvd. in New York City. The winner was South Florida chef, Irie Spice.
We missed Dr. Sharon Jefferson, the Jerk Queen, she is in Jamaica on a good will mission. Dr. Jefferson (right) is a dentist and she is helping children in her home country to have a brighter smile - Kudos to Dr. J.
Talk to you next week

Finally, a place to chat with the world!

2008-11-17T16:54:00.000-08:00

Great to be here, another beautiful fabulous Miami, Florida day. One of those days you just have to go out and explore and I didn't get a chance to do so today. My plan is to visit Michael's Genuine in the Miami Design District for 5 days straight and only order soup. Why, you ask? Well, a week ago I was at Michaels with a friend for lunch and had a soup that was soooo fabulous that I could not think straight. It was a simple chicken soup, Thai style; a little coconut milk, lemon grass and a smattering of veggies - it was just so yummy it made my "Scrumpterou Report".

What is the "Scrumpterou Report", I will tell you later. Right now I want to talk about two things: 1 - The Miami Book Fair International - I had the pleasure of introducing Chef Andrew Carmellini, author of Urban Italian, Chef Michelle Bernstein (Cuisine a Latina), and Food Network star, Ingrid Hoffmann who has released SIMPLY DELICIOSO: A collection of Everyday Recipes with a Latin Twist. What a fabulous hour and half. Miami Dade College campus was the setting for a packed house; the mood was very informal and absolutely friendly. The authors took the stage one-by-one and gave us a feeling they were sharing something very personal; in each case you felt the closeness, their books were a part of them. When we got to the Q&A part, the audience was alive with tons of questions to all of the authors. It was so interesting to see how comfortable Michelle Bernstein was as she managed to curl up in a standard chair (you know, the kind of metal chair in classroom) like a little girl chatting with her friends. Andrew was a hit with his story of hunting porcini mushrooms in Italy with his uncle and meeting the "ladies" along the way. Ingrid's star-power personality comes through when she takes the stage; she has a fabulous cross-cultural background: she is from Colombia, raised in the Netherlands (Aruba), moved to Miami - she represents what our show, Join Us at the Table, is all about. I was delighted to participate, for my 2nd year, in this annual event and look forward to returning next year to host another panel of food personalities.

2 - On Saturday's show I talked about my Jamaica Kitchen experience - WOW!!! Let me tell you I cannot say enough - I went twice and going for a 3rd trip. The owner, Cheryl Chin called me this afternoon to let me know her husband was cooking up the Jerk sausage (made with chicken). Let me tell you - this little spot is a hit! It has been there over 20 years and I can't figure out why it took me so long to discover it. Thanks to my friend Cynthia who lives in that neck of the woods. That's the real deal, you need friends to turn you on - I drive for food; when other people, who know their food, say you should check it out - I am on my way.

The Jamaica Kitchen is a tiny Jamaican Chinese grocery you heard me right, a grocery with 1 folding table and two counters to service the eat-in customer. They deliver and cater authentic Jamaican foods, specializing in Jamaican & Jamaican Chinese foods. Guy Fieri found it, that's how Cynthia found out about it and it was right in her neighborhood. I am ranting and raving because I have had their curry goat, escovitch fish, stewed oxtails, peas & rice and stew peas (okay, I admit, I did not know what stew peas was - I do now and love it). The Jamaica Kitchen serves

Jamaica Kitchen is located at 8736 SW 72nd St., Miami 33173 Ph: 305.596.2585 - Be sure to tell them Robbie sent you.

In light of my recent success with getting my cholesterol down - I think I am going to back off for awhile - at least 15 minutes (hahahaha) and regroup.

Talk to you soon. In the meantime, tell us about your favorite spot, we'd love to hear from you.