With a quaint atmosphere that seats about 100, there’s a “pub-style” feel to it featuring a two-story beer wall that offers over 350 types of beer, (including 250 craft beers), over 60 wines on tap – 32 of which are by the glass.
Unfortunately, there is no local beer from our very own Funky Buddha Brewery, however, that could be forthcoming.
I am a self-proclaimed ice fanatic, as is my husband, to the point that we won’t even consider buying a refrigerator with an ice maker that produces half-moon shaped ice cubes. (They get stuck in the bottom of the glass then come crashing into your face splashing your drink everywhere) Block ice, shaved ice, cracked ice, you-name-it ice, it makes a difference in the drink. Taps has 1 1/4″ solid cubes for the perfect craft cocktail-a standout!
Sandwiches come wrapped in parchment paper, an old-time pub tradition.
Northern Italian Sausage Hero and salad.
The sausage is house-made as is the Gyro meat.
Beef Gyro Tzatziki
The average price for tapas, salads and sandwiches is around $12.00. Owners Elizabeth and James DeVito say “Every day is happy at TAPS”. With happy hour from 4PM to 6PM, they offer $1.00 off draft beer, $5.00 single-liquor cocktails and house wines, and a $5.00 happy hour food menu that includes bacon wrapped jalapenos, bruschetta, fresh-baked artisan pretzels and more.
Taps Restaurant Bar and Lounge is located at 330 SW 2nd Street in Fort Lauderdale and has locations in Tampa, Orlando and Naples.
With double carbs (triple if you have bread with it to sop up the gravy) this is a heavy dish, but the farm hands needed all those carbs for energy way back when…… Great Grandma, Iretha Hunter, grew up on the nationally recognized historic farm in Carrol, Ohio known as Rock Mill.
As summer came to an end all those years ago, and the wheat crops turned the hill sides their golden hue, a crew of men who operated the threshers (a device that separates the head of a stalk of grain from the straw, then separates the kernel from the rest of the head) would show up at Rock Mill to help with the harvest. There would have to be a mighty sizeable meal put out to stave off those hungry appetites. So…. with a hen house full of chickens and plenty of flour from the mill, Great Grandma’s homemade chicken and noodles over mashed potatoes and gravy was born.
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Chicken and Noodles
Creamy chicken and noodles in a delicious gravy served over light and airy mashed potatoes, the original "comfort" food.
Place a whole chicken in a stock pot and add water to an inch over the chicken. Add onion and garlic skins, parsley stems and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook a couple of hours until pulling on the leg, it separates from the rest of the chicken. Remove chicken from stock. Let cool. Meanwhile, make noodles. (see "tender, buttery, egg noodles" recipe) After chicken is cool, take all the meat and fat off the bone and set aside. Reheat stock.
While stock is heating, make a roux by melting 1 stick of butter in a small saucepan. Add 6 T of flour. Cook until golden brown. When stock comes to a boil, add the rue and stir a couple of minutes. Add the noodles and cook 7 minutes. Add the chicken back in. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle over mashed potatoes and sprinkle with parsley.
For the mashed potatoes
Peel the potatoes. Cut into a 1 inch dice. Add to a pan. Cover with water. Cook until tender. Mill the potatoes through a food mill into a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and stir.
After Grandma grew up and got married, she purchased a boarding house a half a block away from Ohio State’s High Street where she charged $100.00/month rent. Dad decided to go back to school at Ohio State so they rented an apartment across the alley from Great Grandmas boarding house. On moving day, after hours upon hours of moving furniture and boxes, both Mom and Dad were dead tired. Great Grandma invited them over for dinner and made chicken and noodles over mashed potatoes and gravy.
Iretha Alspach Heister Hunter with Son, Edward E. Heister September 17th, 1974
Mom said “it was to die for”, “it couldn’t have been better if it was caviar or filet mignon”. This is one of many recipes my Mom remembers making with Great Grandma in her modest little kitchen in the basement of the boarding house and has passed down generation after generation. She also made wonderful “cream and sugar” pies, which is a great topic for another post.
Kaye Heister Neuman “Mom” with Henry Edward Alspach’s, (her Great Grand Father) shaving mug. Edward Alspach owned Rock Mill.
Print Recipe
Tender, Buttery, Egg Noodles
Tender and buttery, these egg noodles are the ultimate comfort food.
Sift flour and salt into a bowl. Make well and add yolks and a few tablespoons of water. Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until combined adding more water as necessary.
Mix well with hands. Dough will be stiff. Knead until smooth and elastic. (5 minutes) Let stand ½ hour.
On lightly floured surface roll out as thin as you can get it into a rectangle.
Slice 2 inch wide strips of dough and stack them on top of each other.
Then cut ¼ inch wide.
Arrange on a cookie sheet. Let dry a couple of hours before cooking. Dried noodles can be stored in a covered glass jar in a cool place.
The noodle recipe is from my paternal Grandma “nu-nu” who is pictured below.
Ruth “Nu-Nu” Cott Neuman Christmas 1957
Let’s raise a toast to Grandma’s everywhere who have passed on great family recipes for us to enjoy. Let us celebrate these moments together, where the past and the present unite to remind us of the beautiful people who have touched our hearts and souls.
Note regarding featured image: The china in the featured image is “flow blue”, a style of porcelain that originated in the Regency era, sometime in the 1820’s among the Staffordshire potters of England. The name is derived from the blue glaze that blurred or “flowed” during the firing process. These dishes are believed to have belonged to Great, Great, Grandma Clara, Iretha’s Mother.
“Dining with one’s friends and beloved family is certainly one of life’s primal and most innocent delights, one that is both soul-satisfying and eternal.” Julia Childs
The convergence of Spring, Easter, family and friends resulted in one really spectacular meal. This past weekend we celebrated Easter with tender grass-fed Colorado leg of lamb, cheesy potatoes dauphinoise, asparagus with lemony butter, puree of carrot – light as a feather and spiked with cream, and that quintessential dessert, strawberry tart, with sweet pastry cream that melts on the tongue , and heavenly strawberries spiked with orange liquor adding a surprisingly peppy note that balanced the richness of the cream.
Easter dinner guests 2014
It was finally time to taste that leg of lamb which had been roasting in rosemary and garlic with its heady aromas for over an hour. At the table we relished the sight of all the colorful dishes. I had been looking forward to this meal and the company of friends and family all week. Both elegant and colorful with flavors that pop ….. this meal is a memory maker!
Place 3 carrots in a pot. Cover with water and add 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Carrots should be tender to the point of a knife.
Drain.
Line a bowl with cheese cloth.Place carrots in a food mill and strain on top of the cheesecloth.
Tie the corners of the cheesecloth. Push a stick through it and let it hang in a deep vessel to drain the pulp of excess moisture for 2 hours.Lift and press to extrude more liquid. Use the liquid for vegetable stock in soup. Place the pulp in a saucepan. Add heavy cream, butter, salt, and pepper to taste. Heat slowly on low heat and serve hot.
I tried to find a local butcher that had grass-fed lamb but that was like trying to whip cream with a toothpick. I ended up ordering the lamb on-line from an organic Colorado farmer. For the best looking presentation, I trimmed about an inch of flesh from the shank bone. The fell is a thin outer layer of fat that you find if you buy an untrimmed leg from a butcher. It’s very tough so it’s important to remove all of it. Trim the excess fat that lies beneath the fell as well, leaving enough to enrich the meat and gravy.
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Leg of lamb stuffed with feta cheese, pine nuts, apricots and mint
The rich umami flavor of roasted lamb and mint with creamy, tangy feta cheese and the crunch of pine nuts. Delicious!
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cut six 2-foot lengths of butcher's twine. In a small skillet sauté apricots and shallots in butter 1 minute or until lightly browned. Transfer to a small bowl and mix well with feta cheese, pine nuts and mint; season to taste with salt and pepper.
To butterfly the lamb. Arrange the lamb on work surface, inside facing up. Cut through to the bone. Then around the bone on each side to open it up.
Place a sheet of plastic wrap over lamb and pound with a meat mallet to flatten meat slightly, if needed, until leg is a fairly even thickness. Remove plastic wrap and generously season inside and outside of lamb with salt and pepper.
Mound stuffing mixture lengthwise along one side of lamb; roll up lamb over stuffing, tucking in ends.
Space 5 pieces of twine under lamb roll and tie them firmly, starting at outside and working in. Tie roll lengthwise with remaining piece of twine. In a roasting pan set over 2 burners, heat oil over high heat. Add lamb roll and sear all over, about 6 minutes in all. Transfer lamb to a rack and set down in the roasting pan. Roast until brown and tender and an instant read thermometer reads 140 degrees F for medium rare, about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, basting occasionally. Remove from oven and let sit, covered loosely with foil, 10 minutes. To serve, discard strings, slice in 12 pieces and serve
Finely slice the potatoes using a mandoline and set aside in water until ready to use. Combine the cream, milk, nutmeg, garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Once boiling, remove from the heat and set aside. Strain the water off the potatoes and layer inside a small oven dish lined with parchment paper, sprinkling gruyere cheese between each layer and being sure to overlap each layer as you go. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Pour enough of the cream mixture over the potatoes to cover and bake in the oven for 45 minutes or until slightly golden on top and tender through the middle. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Weigh down with butter, cheese or any other heavy square object and set aside in the fridge to press for up to 12 hours. Reheat the potato dauphinoise in the oven set to 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Divide into portions and serve immediately as a side dish.
The potatoes dauphinoise are classic. They need to “rest” for 12 hours while under a press, so they make a great “do ahead” party dish. In the unlikely event that there are leftover potatoes, heat up a stack for breakfast with a poached egg on top.
Asparagus with lemon butter
Check out the beautiful spring-like feel to this dish of asparagus. Line up cooked asparagus spears and drizzle with lemony butter (lemon zest and butter) for an unforgettable presentation. Serve warm or at room temperature.
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Strawberry Tart with Pastry Cream
Scrumptious fresh strawberries make this a spring-time favorite.
Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a small bowl and place in the freezer for 30 minutes. Put the flour mixture in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the butter and shortening and pulse about 10 times, or until the butter is in the size of peas. Add the ice water and process until the dough comes together. Dump on a well-floured board and form into a disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Roll out the dough and fit into 4 (4 1/2-inch) tart pans with removable sides. Don't stretch the dough when placing it in the pans or it will shrink during baking. Cut off the excess by rolling the pin across the top of each pan. Line the tart shells with a piece of buttered aluminum foil, butter side down, and fill them with dried beans or rice. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the beans and foil, prick the bottom of the shells all over with a fork, and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes until lightly browned. Set aside to cool.
Before serving, fill the tart shells with the pastry cream. Arrange the berries decoratively on top of the cream. Melt the apricot jelly with 1 teaspoon of water and brush the top of the tarts. Sprinkle with pistachios, if using, and serve.
For the pastry cream
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the egg yolks and sugar on medium-high speed for 4 minutes, or until very thick. Reduce to low speed, and add the cornstarch. With the mixer still on low, slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture. Pour the mixture into a medium saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens, 5 to 7 minutes. Don't be alarmed when the custard comes to a boil and appears to curdle; switch to a whisk and beat vigorously. Cook, whisking constantly, for another 2 minutes; the custard will come together and become very thick, like pudding. Stir in the vanilla, orange liquor, butter, and heavy cream. Pour the custard through a sieve into a bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on the custard and refrigerate until cold. Yield: 2 cups
“A silence fell at the mention of Gavard. They all looked at each other cautiously. As they were all rather short of breath by this time, it was the camembert they could smell. This cheese, with its gamy odour, had overpowered the milder smells of the marolles and the limbourg; its power was remarkable. Every now and then, however, a slight whiff, a flute-like note, came from the parmesan, while the bries came into play with their soft, musty smell, the gentle sound, so to speak, of a damp tambourine. The livarot launched into an overwhelming reprise, and the géromé kept up the symphony with a sustained high note.”
― Émile Zola, The Belly of Paris
I took a journey through my taste buds last night at Whole Foods Market’s new “Cheese Night”. It was all about the complexity of flavor in raw-milk cheeses and what makes them unique. Certified cheese professional, Lynn Battels and David Hall, up and coming certified cheese professional, explained what a “raw-milk” cheese is, how it’s made, and how to taste it, with four of our five senses.
Lynn Battels displaying the Grafton Village Farms Classic Reserve Cheddar with David Hall behind her.
Looking at a particular artisan cheese can tell you a lot about the type of milk that was used to make it. Goat milk cheese, for instance, is much whiter in appearance than cheeses made from other types of milk. Look at the rind and the fissures in the cheese.
Lynn Battels with a wheel of cheese.
Then there is the smell…. A mild aroma is sometimes described as floral, perfumy, fresh, sweet, grassy or nutty. A strong aroma is described as barnyardy, earthy, funky, musty, sour, ripe or stinky. Lynn explains, if you break up the cheese in the palm of you hand and roll it between your fingers, this will warm the cheese and expose more surface area, therefore releasing the cheese’s aromas. Then take a good whiff, exhaling through your nose and viola! There you have it.
Tasting the cheese is all about being in the moment. I close my eyes and focus solely on my breathing. (in from my mouth, exhaling through my nose) Then, rolling the cheese on the back of my tongue until it melts, ever so slowly, on my pallate while thinking about the mouth-feel. Often the difference between mediocre cheese and excellent cheese is in the finish. There are eternal truths to be recognized, just as there are eternal harmonies in a Beethoven sonata. Ultimately, a cheesemakers’ goal is to achieve balance among the five human taste areas: sweet, salty, sour, bitter and umami. It is all about that universality and transcendence.
Manchego Cheese
We started with an 8 month aged Manchego cheese from Spain. Made from raw sheeps milk, this cheese has a firm consistency and a buttery texture with a kind of sour note to it. It is made in the La Mancha region of Spain from the milk of sheep of the Manchega breed. Official Manchego cheese is to be aged between 60 days and two years. The designation Queso Manchego is protected under Spain’s Denominación de Origen (DO) regulatory classifaction system and has been granted Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status by the European Union. We tasted the Ruffino Orvieto Classico with it. This is an Italian white wine produced by Ruffino in the Tuscany region of Italy.
When I think about the great cheese makers of the world, I think immediately of French and Italian cheeses, however, there are some really good artisan cheese makers cropping up all over America. Grafton Village Farms out of Vermont is one of them. We tasted their Classic Reserve Cheddar, a raw cow milk cheese with a creamy texture and the classic cheddar flavor we all love. The designation of “Raw Milk” is reserved for cheeses made from milk that has not been heated to more than 100 F. At this temperature, the hundreds of varieties of bacteria continue to thrive and interact with the milk, giving a greater, deeper flavor within the cheese. In the United States, the FDA requires raw (unpasteurized) milk cheeses to be aged a minimum of 60 days.
Vermont Cheddar
We tried the “Le Gruyere Reserve”, a raw cow milk cheese from Switzerland. Considered to be the best “melting” cheese to use in fondues and for baking. This cheese has a creamy-nutty-mushroomy flavor with the pronounced salt crystals that I so desire. It’s complexity is next to none, however, it never overshadows the other ingredients it’s married with. They can only fit 156,000 wheels of cheese in the caves of Kaltbach in Lucerne. It’s never enough is it? My favorite sandwich has to be the Croque Monsier. Made with Gruyère, bechemel and ham on a croissant, this sandwich is gooey, creamy, cheesy and comforting all at the same time.
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Croque Monsier
A delicious, crunchy, buttery sandwich made with ham and Gruyère cheese. This could be my favorite sandwich of all time!
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Melt the butter over low heat in a small saucepan and add the flour all at once, stirring with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Slowly pour the hot milk into the butter–flour mixture and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thickened. Off the heat add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup grated Gruyere, and the Parmesan and set aside. Lightly brush half the toasted croissants with mustard, add a slice of ham to each, and sprinkle with half the remaining Gruyere. Top with the other half of croissant. Slather the tops with the cheese sauce, sprinkle with the remaining Gruyere, and bake the sandwiches for 5 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the topping is bubbly and lightly browned. Serve hot.
I have to admit I am passionate about all types of cheese, from the humble ones to the exotic. Parmigiano Reggiano, known the world over as the “King of Cheeses”, is a raw cow milk cheese, some say, from heaven! The one we tasted was from Modena. There, it is an important part of the local traditional gastronomy and incorporated into antipastos, pastas, entrees and even desserts. It takes 148 gallons of milk just to make 1 wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano!
Parmigiano Reggiano Di Modena
The Parmigiano Reggiano was paired with Gran Passione Rosso, a light red wine, almost like an Amarone. It is from the Chianti Classico region of Italy and revives the old tradition of including white grapes in the blend, resulting in a softer flavor.
Gran Passione Rosso
When milk is pasteurized, the naturally occurring enzymes are destroyed. Raw milk keeps that important flavor foundation, resulting in cheeses that are more complex. I have to admit, I definately have a greater appreciation for cheese after this event, and who knows, maybe one day I’ll attempt to make my own artisan cheese!
Last night we had our annual “Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner” party to benefit The Opera Society for Florida Grand Opera. Yogi, our little 12 pound Doxi-Poo, was the official greeter. The first guest to arrive was Roy Simmons. Yogi greeted poor Roy with so much gusto that I thought Roy was going to have a heart attack! Yogi’s enthusiasm continued when Nancy and Wes Fetzer arrived with their little Australian Labradoodle named Schatzi. The two of them get along famously. Hanna and Jay Zukowski joined the party with arms opened as Yogi rushed to greet them. Tony and Mary Ann Stefanelli also joined us along with Michael Asser.
The theme of the meal was “A Trip to La Scala”. There is a restaurant in Milan named La Scala that is famous for their smoked tuna so I decided to prepare that for the first course. The preparation got a little tricky since I didn’t have a smoker and needed to jerry-rig one. On top of that, I live in a condo and the rules are, NO FLAMES ON THE BALCONY. I decided to smoke the tuna at my office. (I have plenty of outdoor space there) I used a small, table-top, Weber grill and put just enough charcoal in the bottom that it would fit one half of the grill. I wrapped the smoking chips in foil, leaving both ends open to let the smoke out. Then I filled a half-sheet foil pan with water and molded another half-sheet foil pan to fit criss-cross at one end on top of the pan with the water. The sushi-quality tuna went into that pan drizzled with a little bit of olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper. When the coals were ready, I moved them all over to one side at the bottom of the grill, then added the smoking chips, then the my concoction of water and tuna with the tuna on the opposite side of grill away from the heat source. Voila, it worked, I got a really good smoke in a short amount of time with little heat resulting in a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth, mouth feel with a hint of smoky flavor. This dish was garnished with lemon and served with a crostini, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt and a 20-year-old V.S.O.P balsamic vinegar aged in wood and reduced by half. I paired this velvety smooth dish with Whispering Angel rose from Cotes’ De Provence, a light, dry and crisp wine that cut through the smokiness of the tuna and gave it great balance.
Delicious smoky tuna with twenty year aged basalmic vinegar reduction, olive oil and lemon.
The second course was creamy pappardelle with leeks, bacon, tarragon and pernod. Preparing it is easy, finding that shape was yet another challenge. I finally found it in a local Italian specialty store. My original recipe did not call for tarragon or pernod, but since I had the tarragon on hand, I decided to go for it. This dish really has a lot of zing to it because you have the pernod and tarragon kind of playing off each other on the palate. It is the best pasta I’ve ever had. I served it with Orvieto Classico, a delicate, fruit and floral white wine, accented with hints of pears.
Print Recipe
Papardelle with Leeks and Bacon From: GalleyChef.org
Creamy, pasta with smoky bacon. This is the best pasta I've ever had!
Heat oil and butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add bacon and cook, stirring often, until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp, 5-8 minutes. Add leeks and season with salt. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring often, until leeks begin to brown, 5-8 minutes. Add cream, tarragon, pernod and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened and coats the back of a spoon, 5-8 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 2 cups pasta cooking liquid. Add pasta, Parmesan, and 1 cup pasta cooking liquid to sauce and stir to coat. Increase heat to medium and continue stirring,adding more cooking liquid as needed, until sauce coats pasta.
To cleanse the palate, I prepared a basil-mint-lemon sorbet. It’s a delicious, well balanced flavor combination that is rarely thought of. The sorbet stole the show. Everyone raved about it and I even had a few requests for seconds!
In a small saucepan, combine the water, sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sugar is dissolved, about 10 minutes. Add the basil and mint and set aside to steep for 3 minutes. Strain syrup through a fine mesh sieve and set aside to cool. Transfer to the refrigerator until thoroughly chilled, then process in an ice cream machine. Transfer to a freezer-proof container with a lid and freeze until ready to serve.
Veal Milanese with arugula, tomato, shaved red onion and lemon vinaigrette came next. This has always been one of my favorite entrees. When I go to Italy, it’s the one dish that I lean toward 4 out of 7 nights a week. For me, it’s one of those dishes that I just can’t get enough of……and soooo easy to make. My secret is in the breading, I always add Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and fresh basil to my bread crumbs. It not only gives it a flavor lift, but it also provides a really crisp texture. I served a Chianti Classico with the veal from Tuscany. It had a distinctive red berry aroma with a hint of licorice and spice.
An icy cold frozen Limoncello was served next. Limoncello is a digestive and considered to be the national drink of Italy. It is made by steeping lemon zest in grain alcohol then adding simply syrup.
Tiramisu
Last but not least, we arrived at the dessert course. When I think of Italian desserts, only one comes to mind, Tiramisu. This wonderful, creamy, coffee-flavored sweet makes everything right with the world! I have tried many Tiramisu recipes, but this one, is by far the best. And there you have it…….a meal fit for an Italian Prince or Princess. Buon appetito!
Combine egg yolks and sugar in the top of a double boiler, over boiling water. Reduce heat to low, and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly. This is your sabayon, remove from the heat and whip yolks until thick and lemon colored.Add Mascarpone to whipped yolks, beat until combined. In a separate bowl, whip cream to stiff peaks. Gently fold the whipped cream in the mascarpone sabayon mixture and set aside.
Mix the cold espresso with the coffee liquor and dip the lady fingers into the mixture just long enough to get them wet, do not soak them! Arrange the lady fingers in the bottom of a 8 inch square baking dish (or 6×9)
Spoon half the mascarpone cream filling over the lady fingers. Repeat process with another layer. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Dust with cocoa before serving
For years, Shooter’s has been a staple for South Floridians and tourists alike. It has been the go-to place for a great sandwich and a cold beer. The restaurant, located at 3033 NE 32nd Ave., was purchased along with Bootleggers in a package deal by Grateful Palate’s owners back in July of 2013. It closed in August of 2013 for renovations and re-opened on February 10, 2014.
Renovations include the demolition of the pool in order to make room for a stunning patio and outside bar. Designer Deborah Frustino created a Shangri-La with the harmonious combination of over-sized love seats, cabana chairs, umbrellas, palm trees and a fire pit with a marvelous view of the sunset.
Over-sized seating on the patioFire pit at sunset
Seemingly isolated from the outside world, time appears to stand still in this tropical paradise. Specialty cocktails include everything from a blueberry-ginger bellini made with Stoli blueberi vodka, ginger simple syrup, blueberries and champagne ($10.00) to the Shooter’s seasonal specialty margarita made with Herradura reposado tequila and agave syrup. ($12.00)
Outside seating
The sleek silver-grey dining room radiates modern elegance with hardwood floors and a streamlined “beachy chic” decor. A panoramic wall-to-wall window gives way to a view of Fort Lauderdale’s beautiful Intracoastal Waterway and additional seating along the 340 foot dock.
Kim Naimoli with Executive Chef Mo Khan
Executive Chef Mohamed “Mo” Khan has designed a versatile menu with something for everyone. He gets his culinary experience from cooking at Corbin & Reynolds, City Cellar, Onyx, Montego Bay Grill, Kasey’s, Mcquades Grill and Seasons 52, just to name a few. He obtained a B.S. in Culinary Arts from WalesUniversity in Providence, RI. One of Chef Mo’s favorite items from the Shooter’s menu is the salmon tartar from the raw bar.
Dice salmon. Add shalllots, chives, citrus vinaigrette. Spoon mix into a mold. Top with dressed frisee and potato gaufrettes.
For the Potato Gaufrettes
Criss cross peeled potato on mandoline slicer and place directly into water to prevent browning and remove starch. Fry at 350 degrees until golden brown.
The raw bar menu also offers clams or oysters on the half shell, salmon tartare and jumbo shrimp cocktail averaging about $14.00 per dish.
Clams on the half shell
The “Point Judith Calamari” is a crispy take on Pad Thai with peanuts, scallions, lime, rice sticks, and Thai chili sauce. ($12.00) Nurture your comfort food craving with the Gruyère mac and cheese ($10.00) or the signature burger made with special ground short rib, brisket and sirloin smothered in a special sauce.($14.00) There is also a Grilled Filet Mignon with truffle mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus, gorgonzola empanadas and port wine demi-glace. ($29.00)
Irish nachos
Other interesting menu items include oyster po’boys ($14.00), Irish nachos made with potato chips, scallions, bacon and sour cream, ($9.00) jerk rubbed pork tenderloin with plantains, pineapple, coconut, scotch bonnet, and tomatillo salsa ($18.00) and a culinary triumph, stout short ribs,($26.00) which is what I had – delish! Chef Mo Khan has really put his heart and soul into this dish.
Braised lamb shank with hericot vert
Dom Perignon ($295.00) and Veuve Clicquot ($95.00) are included on the champagne list, a refreshing change of pace from most restaurants. There are lots of fabulous wines to choose from with most varietals starting at around $30.00 per bottle. Beer choices are ample as well, including a draft beer from our very own “Funky Buddha Floridian” here in Fort Lauderdale.
Shooter’s “happy hour” is open Monday thru Friday from 4:30 until 7:00 with half price call drinks. Lunch is being served starting February 17th. Dogs are welcome.
Produce stickers identify GMO products that are shown in laboratory rats to cause tumors. Those little produce stickers with numbers on them are Price Look-Up numbering codes or PLU codes. They ensure that the correct price is paid by consumers at check out by identifying the product type, size, where it was grown and if it was grown conventionally, organically or genetically modified. These codes are administered by the International Federation for Produce Standards (IFPS), who maintain a list of five-digit codes (which are sometimes four digits, because leading zeroes are typically not displayed) that identify qualities associated with the product.
This is the numbering system at a glance:
Conventionally grown produce: 4 numbers
Genetically modified produce: 5 numbers starting with the number 8
Organically grown produce: 5 numbers starting with the number 9
Avocado
If you care about your health you will want to steer clear of genetically modified foods. Food that is genetically modified means that the original DNA structure has been changed. It was introduced as a way to make plants more resistant to herbicides. This way, farmers could spray their fields with herbicides killing all the weeds without affecting the crops.
A French study published on September 19, 2012 in “Food and Chemical Toxicology” shows that mice who ate genetically modified corn sprayed with weed killer were more likely to develop tumors, organ damage and die early.
Tumors in rats fed GMO corn
The two-year study, revealed that rats who were fed either a diet of Monsanto’s genetically modified maize sprayed with Roundup – the company’s brand of weed killer – or drank water with levels of Roundup similar to what is found in U.S. tap water were much more likely to die. According to the USDA Economic Research Service, as of 2011, 76 to 96 percent of corn crops in the United States have had some sort of genetic modification, depending on which state they were grown.
The study involved 200 albino Sprague-Dawley rats – 100 hundred females, 100 males. The rats where then divided into groups of 10. Six of the groups were fed varied diets with genetically modified products. Six groups – three male and three female – were fed Monsanto GM maize with Roundup weed killer consisting of 11 percent of their diet, 22 percent or 33 percent. Six other groups were given Monsanto GM maize in the same percentage amounts, but had no Roundup sprayed on them. Another six groups were given Roundup weed killer in their water similar to the levels found in U.S. tap water.
The remaining two groups acted as control groups and were fed non-genetically modified maize and water without Roundup weed killer.
The results showed that female rats were two to three times more likely to die than the control group. Fifty percent of the males and 70 percent of the females eating Monsanto GM maize died earlier compared to 30 percent of males and 20 percent of females not eating genetically modified products. Female rats seemed to be more negatively affected by genetically modified corn diets whether it was sprayed with Roundup or not.
Tumors were late-developing, large mammary tumors, and the affected rats suffered from severe liver and kidney damage. The tumors did not metastasize or spread to other body parts, but were so large they blocked organ function in the rats.
There is a new kind of genetically modified crop under the brand name of “Enlist”. It has opponents pushing U.S. regulators to scrutinize the product more closely and reject an application by Dow AgroSciences to roll out its herbicide-resistant seeds.
The corn has been genetically engineered to be immune to 2, 4-D, an ingredient used in Agent Orange that could pose a serious threat to human health. Approval by the United States Department of Agriculture and Environmental Protection Agency would allow farmers to spray it without damaging their crops, boosting profits to Dow AgroSciences.
The scientific community has sounded alarms about the dangers of 2, 4-D for decades. “Numerous studies link 2, 4-D exposure to major health problems such as cancer, lowered sperm counts, liver toxicity and Parkinson’s disease. Lab studies show that 2, 4-D causes endocrine disruption, reproductive problems, neurotoxicity, and immunosuppression.”
Some farmers have argued that the new herbicide, a combination of 2, 4-D and glyphosate, the active ingredient in Monsanto’s bestselling Roundup weed killer, is necessary to combat weeds that have become resistant to glyphosate alone. However, glyphosate is also under public scrutiny in the wake of scientific findings that demonstrate this chemical to cause birth defects in the embryos of laboratory animals. Health professionals contend that 2, 4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2, 4-D), an ingredient in the Vietnam War-era defoliant that’s been blamed for public health problems both during and after the war, poses its own risks.
So the next time you are shopping for produce, you might want to pay attention to those PLU codes on the little stickers. Unfortunately the use of PLU codes is optional so many produce items don’t have them. If genetically modified food suppliers think consumers won’t knowingly by their food, they can just eliminate the use of the sticker all together.
Purchase only items that are specifically labeled as “Organic” or SUDA certified as “100% organic” (which cannot by law be produced from GMOs) or with produce stickers starting with the number 9 to be sure you are avoiding genetically modified produce.
A loved ones birthday is always a special day. Have you ever thought about what makes birthdays so special? When you think about it, they’re a great opportunity for friends and family to get together and celebrate the birth of those people who are near and dear to our hearts. Add to that, a great meal to share with each other and you have a worthwhile gathering. Growing up, my Mother would ask me and my sisters every year what we wanted for our birthday dinner. We would always request something that we relished, like lobster or steak. Year after year she made us feel overwhelmingly special on our birthdays by carrying out this practice.
This week a good friend had a birthday. Keeping with the tradition, I asked her what her favorite meal is. “Steak” was her enthusiastic reply. That is how this birthday meal began. One by one, menu items were added to complete the perfect meal designed just for her.
We got the party started with a bottle of 2003 Dom Perignon and a birthday toast. For dinner, we started with the classic steak-house wedge salad with blue cheese dressing and crumbled bacon. Filet Mignon was the main attraction. It was wrapped in bacon and cooked to a medium-rare temperature then topped with a gremolata (garlic, parsley and lemon) compound butter.
Print Recipe
Compound Butter Gremolata
Gremolata is an Italian garnish of raw, finely chopped garlic, parsley and lemon zest.
Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Turn it out onto a sheet of plastic wrap and roll into a tube about 1 inch in diameter. Refrigerate until ready to use. When ready to use, slice off 1/2 inch piece and add to hot steaks while resting.
The steak was paired with asparagus and creamy hollandaise sauce and a big bold 2004 Groth Cabernet Sauvignon. For dessert, the cake was brought out, we sang “Happy Birthday” and a wish was made. The cake was a rich, dark chocolate sachertorte with raspberry filling and whipped almond cream flowers.
Print Recipe
Sachertorte
Dark chocolate and raspberries come together to make this dense cake a sensational hit among chocolate fanatics.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9 inch cake pan. In a bowl, combine the chocolate and butter and melt over a double boiler. Set aside to cool. In a mixer, using a wire whisk, whip the egg yolks and 3 tablespoons of sugar until light and ribbony. Beat in the chocolate mixture.
In another bowl, beat the egg whites and salt until soft peaks form. Slowly add the remaining 2/3 cups of sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Fold in the flour to the chocolate mixture and then fold in 1/3 of the egg whites into at a time until it's thoroughly incorporated. Pour into prepared cake pan.
Bake for 35 miinutes or until done. To check for doneness, insert a paring knife or toothpick in the center of the cake. It should come out dry. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack.
To make the raspberry filling
Puree the raspberry preserves in a food processor and stir in the liquor.
After the cake has cooled, slice it horizontally into 3 equal layers. S
Spread half of the raspberry filling on the bottom layer. Top with a second layer of cake. Spread the remaining raspberry filling and top with the last layer of cake. Chill for an hour.
To make the frosting
In a bowl, combine the chocolate and butter. Melt over a double-boiler. Bring the cream to a boil. Sitr into the melted chocolate. Cool until it reaches glazing consistency. Spread over and around the cake. Chill for 30 minutes before serving. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.
It is a privilege and an honor to be asked to celebrate a birthday with a friend. This is one birthday celebration that will undoubtedly go down in my book as one of the most memorable.
What are you really getting in a restaurant when you order Calamari?
Pork bung and its doppelganger calamari have been gaining notoriety all across the country. Pork bung is used as imitation calamari. Put them next to each other and eat them in a blind taste test, and most people would never be able to tell the difference between the two. Pork bung, also known as pork chitterlings, and familiar to many in China as a late night snack, is pig rectum or a pig’s large intestine.
It has a pungent urine smell when it’s fresh, however, most wholesalers will have it cleaned and bleached before packaging it. It usually comes in a tube, uncut. Before cooking, you cut across so that it’s like little rings, just like calamari.
In restaurants everywhere, right this second, people are squeezing lemon wedges over crispy, golden, rings, dipping the rings into marinara sauce, and they’re eating hog rectum. Now they’re chewing — satisfied and deeply clueless. It’s payback for our blissful ignorance about where our food comes from and how it gets to us.
There have been rumors about a multi-state pork processing company selling pig rectum – referred to, by the industry, as “bung” – as imitation calamari. Dozens of experts could not shoot down the possibility that people are ordering squid and getting pork bung instead. Dozens of Chefs have served plates of fried bung next to a plate of fried calamari. No one could tell the difference.
Seafood fraud is becoming more and more common. A recent study by Oceana found the act of seafood fraud has been uncovered both in the United States and abroad at levels ranging from 25 to more than 70 percent for commonly swapped species such as red snapper, wild salmon and Atlantic cod. Oceana collected more than 1,200 seafood samples from 674 retail outlets in 21 states to determine if they were honestly labeled. DNA testing found that one-third (33 percent) of the 1,215 samples analyzed nationwide were mislabeled, according to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines.
Samples sold as snapper and tuna had the highest mislabeling rates (87 and 59 percent, respectively), with the majority of the samples identified by DNA analysis as something other than what was found on the label. Only seven of the 120 samples of red snapper purchased nationwide were actually red snapper. The other 113 samples were another fish. Halibut, grouper, cod and Chilean sea bass were also mislabeled between 19 and 38 percent of the time, while salmon was mislabeled 7 percent of the time.
If you think you can tell the difference– or that you’re safe when visiting a reputable sushi or seafood joint – think again.
Oceana found that 44 percent of all the retail outlets visited sold mislabeled fish. Restaurants, grocery stores and sushi venues all sold mislabeled fish and chances of being swindled varied greatly depending on where the seafood was purchased.
“Our study identified strong national trends in seafood mislabeling levels among retail types, with sushi venues ranking the highest (74 percent), followed by restaurants (38 percent) and then grocery stores (18 percent). These same trends among retail outlets were generally observed at the regional level,” Oceana said in their summary report.
So the next time you are in the mood for calamari, try making it yourself, using fresh squid from your local fish monger, it’s easy. See the “fried calamari” recipe in our GalleyChef blog.
Twas the day before Christmas and all through the house, was the smell of food baking with the exception of grouse. The cookies were placed by the chimney with care, for all Christmas guests who soon would be there. OK so I’m not a poet! What I am, though, is a person who loves to cook. The anticipation of Christmas coming has always been a source of inspiration. This year was no different. In planning the menu, I wanted the food to be festive, interesting, luscious and a little over the top, yet traditional. For traditional, I decided to go with eggs Benedict, Quiche, gravlax, bloody marys and roasted chestnuts.
Chestnuts in a Jar
For festive, there were ginger bread eggnog martinis. I thought miniature cheddar grit soufflés in their own little ramekins and prosciutto wrapped figs with balsamic reduction would be interesting and what could be more “over the top” then Blueberry – goat cheese – basil pie.
Blueberry – goat cheese – basil pie
I needed a vegetable to round off the nutritional aspects of the meal so cauliflower gratin was thrown in for good measure. Oh, and one more thing, something special for my husband……….a raspberry crumb cake. He always has had a sweet tooth.
Gravlax with capers and mustard-dill sauce
With all the food on the table (except the eggsBenedict, which were made to order), family and friends gathered enthusiastically to celebrate. My daughter made a scalloped oyster dish that has been in our family since I was a small child. A neighbor friend of ours shared the recipe with my Mom and Dad that had been in her family for generations. We loved it so much, it has become a tradition. My daughter’s boyfriend contributed a scalloped potato dish with a beautiful golden-brown crusty cheese top.
What a wonderful Christmas day it was. There is always an undeniable heartfelt connection when sharing food and conversation with friends and family.
As everyone left I heard them exclaim “Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good bite !”
It sounds like you had a wonderful evening. I am sorry that we could not be there. Thank you for hosting another delicious GWCTD.