Dish Update

There are plenty of Irish bars to choose from this St. Patrick’s Day, but if you relish Irish food as much as their beer, try Culhane’s (967 Atlantic Blvd 904-249-9595) The party kicks off Friday, March 14th, with entertainment, an outdoor tent, giveaways and some pipe playing. The featured foods: Cornbeef & Cabbage, Reuben, Shepherd's Pie, Bangers N'Mash & Sausage Rolls
At The Grape in the St. Johns Town Center (10281 Midtown Pkwy 904-642-7111), the new featured menu item is Brie en Croute, brie baked in a rich pastry crust with cranberry, apricot and almond chutney drizzled with a Cabernet syrup. They’ll be holding a wine tasting on Saturday March 15th, from 1- 4 pm, for those who’d like to skip the beer, and taste four wines.
The Grape isn’t the only place busting out wine instead of beer during the weekend before St. Paddy’s. JJ's Bistro (330 Florida A1A N 904-273-7980) will be holding 2005 Release Bordeaux Wine Dinner at 7 pm Friday, March 14th, and Saturday, March 15th. Expect seven courses, including foie gras and monkfish. Call for reservations. $120 a person.

King Fish Grill

Just a few pictures from Kingfish in St. Augustine. Really great views with lots of yachts in the harbor. I've just had one dish there, and an event but I hope to go back soon....

Dish Update

Friday, March 7, 6- 10 pm the Chance Foundation, Inc. is holding its 1st Annual Smokin Grooves for Charity event to benefit the foundation and our community. Enjoy an evening of entertainment, socializing, with wine and hors d’oeuvres, at the upscale wine and cigar lounge Poppy Love Smoke (112 East Adams Street), while supporting an incredible cause. Tickets are $25 at the door or $20 in advance. See thechancefoundation.com/id4.html for details.

ABC Fine Wine and Spirits (5440 Beach Blvd) will be going Irish a little early on March 13th from 6-8 pm. They’ll be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in Wine Country style, with more than a dozen wines to taste, gourmet hors d’oeuvres to complement the wines, and the time to chat with their wine experts. The cost is just $5. Each guest receives a souvenir wine glass and a coupon for $3 off any purchase the night of the event

The Kingfish Grill (252 Yacht Club Drive St. Augustine, FL 904-824-2111) known for its marina view has celebrated its 2nd anniversary and has expanded one story. The spacious new private banquet space, The Harbor View, is now hosting luncheons, dinners and receptions for 30-100 guests that are ‘far above the rest’.

The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) Jacksonville’s Contemporaries are hosting a cooking demonstration with Chef Kathy Collins of Café Nola @ MOCA on Tuesday, March 18 from 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm. Learn culinary techniques from a top chef in a relaxed and artful setting while enjoying a gourmet meal with specially selected wine pairings provided by the Wine Warehouse.

Café Nola’s Chef Collins is originally from Chicago, Illinois where she graduated from the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu (CHIC). Chef Collins has been a personal chef both in Chicago and Jacksonville. Locally, Chef Collins was the Sous Chef at Pastiche in Jacksonville’s historic “Avondale” and has served as the Head Chef at Café Nola since 2005. To complement the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville, Chef Collins showcases seasonal cooking with an emphasis on locally grown and produced foods. She particularly is drawn to the bountiful supply of seafood available on the First Coast. Her Mediterranean style, Southern influenced dishes bring a fresh and innovative approach to the typical southern palette. Local rock shrimp, the freshest available fish, Maple Leaf Farms duck, local breads, artisan cheeses, and fresh greens are frequent staples.

The class is $48 per person for MOCA members and their guests (includes tax and gratuity). RSVP by March 14. Call 904-366-6911 ext. 225 for reservations. Space is limited.

Cleaning Out the Spice Rack

Letting go of spices, for me, is like letting go of a relationship that’s past its prime. Every time I use the spice I think “This could be better, it’s gotten stale. I really should toss it and begin again.” But instead, I just put it back in the cabinet. In the chaos of dinner preparation, I never remember to write down what I will need at the time. While I remember the staples compiling my grocery list later on, I have some kind of mental block against actually remembering to pick up a spice that should be replaced, but that we’re not actually out of. My husband does remember, buys new stuff and sticks it in the front. But he doesn’t throw out the old stuff. And so, the old spices languish beside their new brethren.
Sometimes I don’t throw them away because I get sentimental. (That’s right. Don’t judge me.) I have the cheesiest looking curry container. I got the stuff at a flea market, in one of those massive bins. I was poor, the plastic spice bottle was large and it was only one dollar. I used to sprinkle it over popcorn in the dorm. I still can’t bring myself to toss it. When I look at the cartoon palm tree and sunset, it somehow ends up right back in the cabinet. I don’t cry or anything. I just can’t throw it away.

Dish Update

Inside the old Heartworks in 5 Points is the new Scribes Café (820 Lomax Street 904- 738-7999). It’s run by the parent company of Heartworks. Scribes serves sandwiches and coffee, has high speed internet access and is open till midnight. According to their website: “Each table provides a private setting where a writing pad and pen are available for your thoughts and notes.” They now serve a variety of non-vegetarian stuff, such as their corned beef Ruben.
Anyone can walk in and nosh on their usual offerings as they surf the net, but you can also get a full-scale dinner there, cooked just for you (and a few of your friends), by reserving their private rear dining room. You can have up to a dozen people and you’ll need to arrange the meal in advance. They ask that you reserve at least three week in advance, because they get booked quickly. A deposit of 20% is required at time of reservation confirmation.

While you can find wine tastings and wine dinners all over the First Coast area, you won’t often find a tequila tasting. Cantina Laredo (10282 Bistro St. 904-997-6110) will be holding a tequila dinner on March 20th. Expect a four course meal, each paired with a tequila beverage. You’ll get an education in the history of tequila and what to look for as you taste it.

Vegan, Really Good!

I know there are a lot of people who live the vegetarian or vegan lifestyle and find it hard to have options when they go out to eat.

So here's a link to my review of Present Moment Café, a Raw Food Vegan place in St. Augustine, which is fantastic!

http://www.eujacksonville.com/pages/10-4-07/presentmomentcafe.htm

I would love for a place like this to open up in Jacksonville. Even the non-veggies (at least the ones that aren't freaked out by creative dishes) will love the stuff at Present Moment. The juice bar alone makes it worthwhile.

Here's a link to a great site with info on the Raw lifestyle and Raw

Restaurants, with plenty of beautiful pictures of what a well-prepared Raw dish can look like.

http://www.rawchef.com/index.php

This site will get you a respectable list of Raw Food recipes.

http://www.living-foods.com/recipes

Every Chip is a Gift from God! Or-- If it’s not Fabulous don’t put it in your mouth!

I'm an omnivore, which means, like a raccoon, I'll eat just about anything, provided I can open the damn package.

But, as someone who loves to savor things, I've come to a certain Food Philosophy that can be applied to other things in life.

If it isn't fabulous don't put it in your mouth.

Reject the mediocre in favor of an exalted experience.

We have to eat. It's required.

Therefore, wouldn't life be more pleasant if everything you ate were fabulous? So, don't bother eating things you don't absolutely love.

I also think you should be "present" every moment that you eat. Each bite of everything should be Experienced as totally and fully as possible. None of that gazing into the TV as you munch on chips.

Every Chip is a Gift from God in all its Fat Saturated Glory.

Paying attention to what you're eating not only increases your pleasure factor, it will also mean that eat more slowly and that you may, in fact eat less and get full faster.

Or that could be bullsh*t because I want the rest of the world to gain about ten pounds, skewing the average, thereby saving me from countless hours at the gym.

Whatever the case, you'll certainly have more fun in life if you cut out the things that aren't adding to the experience of personal satisfaction and pleasure.