Coming Full Circle with Some Brunch Beauties
October 25th, 2009 § 1 Comment
red velvet cupcake ($4)
It’s crazy the way things have a way of working themselves out. I began this blog in February, out of work and drawn to what I know: great food. And then something amazing happened. I was creating something of my own that people were enjoying, going out an interviewing food entrepreneurs in their elements, and I was suddenly in my element. Beyond the fact that I wasn’t bringing in an income, it felt like I had a job again. So why not get paid, too? I rang up the Miami New Times one morning on a whim and the rest is history. I had all the right chops to be one of their food writers — an English major, local industry connections, tech savvy, and the ultimate requisite , time.
Since my last entry, the next chapter has unfolded. I am employed full time for the first time since the layoff. Michael Schwartz, the James Beard nominated chef behind Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink, is my boss, and I his go to gal for most things under the sun sometimes including event planning, scheduling, food photography, paper-cutting, recipe-writing, endorsement-garnering, opportunity-vetting, press release-editing, and call-fielding. It’s a badass gig. The operation is hard-working, passionate, and detail-oriented… Did I mention the amazing lunches?
Speaking of food photography, here’s some of my most recent work chronicling Chef’s work in and out of the kitchen. The occasion? Our first brunch service today. We had some great buzz leading up to this big Sunday, including press coverage in every single local media outlet. Victoria Pesce Elliott chowed down this morning and has been tweeting (“Michael’s slammed this a.m for first ever brunch. Everyone here Inc. The China Grill Chodorows…”) Here are some favorites, which I shot and tasted yesterday in our pre-brunch staff meeting:
breakfast pizza with house smoked bacon, organic egg, green onion & jack cheese ($9)
wild salmon-fennel hash with an organic fried egg ($8)
Skyr (skEEr) is Here, Plus a Couple Short Order Posts of Last Week
August 30th, 2009 § 1 Comment
Happy Sunday everyone! Gobble up this brunch buffet while it’s hot:
Skyred Straight: Skyr isn’t going to be for everyone, but if you’re a lover of thick Greek yogurt like Fage, chances are you’ll appreciate it. Last weekend when shopping at Whole Foods Market in Coral Gables, I spotted skyr for the first time in the U.S., flagged with a yellow and green ‘New Product’ label. Skyr is apparently going national now, the next yogurt fad to come to a grocery near you and it ain’t cheap relative to other options in the dairy section. It rang a bell, as I had recently caught Andrew Zimmern sampling the real deal on the Iceland episode of Bizarre Foods on the Travel Channel – not from the Icelandic supermarket, but from a family’s home where they whip up fresh, dairy cow milk batches daily. It’s traditional to add honey and top off with a ladle of cream, to liven up plain skyr from the dense, smooth paste to something slighty sweet and decadent. Skyr doesn’t melt on your tongue because its fat content is zero, so it takes some getting used to if you don’t have Nordic blood cursing through your veins. But while this brand, New York-based Siggi’s, hasn’t quite figured out the best flavor profiles to offer (Orange & Ginger sounded good but had an aftertaste like licking a bar of soap,) blueberry and plain (jazzed up with some toasted walnuts, raisins and honey) are worth a try. Props on the pretty packaging, too.
The Great Bagel Debate: Last week on Short Order, I tackled the bagel water wars on occasion of The Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. opening up shop in Delray. How important is the water in the bagel-making process? It’s just one of the questions I posed to food science writer Harold McGee. See how he responds here.
Chocolate Soup and Other Treasures: Chef Elida Villaroel spins a delicate yet powerful web at Charlotte’s Bistro. Go to the Gables to get caught, and read the story here.
Sunday brunch buffet
April 5th, 2009 § Leave a Comment
All the news you can eat…
We were contacted by the publicist for MICHELIN-starred chef Michael Psilakis and partner Donatella Arpaia regarding an invitation to attend an April13 media preview for their yet-unnamed 15th-floor restaurant at the Viceroy Miami (in developer Jorge Perez‘s IconBrickell complex downtown.) The New York Post first reported on March 11 that the dynamic duo who own Anthos and two other hot Manhattan eateries had signed with Kor Hotel Management to launch the restaurant, which we hear will focus on seafood. Here’s an excerpt from the press release.
Christy’s Restaurant in Coral Gables will host a winemakers dinner featuring the award-winning wines and olive oils of Long Meadow Ranch paired with Christy’s classic cuisine. The family-owned winery, located in the Mayacamas Mountains above Napa Valley, is one of less than 30 organically-certified vineyards in the county. Proprietor Chris Hall will be in attendance. For full menu and to reserve a spot, contact Christy’s at (305) 446-1400. Tuesday, April 21, 6:30 p.m., $65.00 per person, exclusive of tax and gratuity.
Lifefood Gourmet is hosting its first chocolate dance “rave” party featuring the “super QPC nutritious, amazing synergy drink” and a presentation on the sacred tradition of fermented cacao and how all chocolate is not created equal. Go home happy too with a sensuous goodie bag of three original medicinal chocolate buttercups. Saturday, April 18, 8:00 p.m. to Midnight, $25.00 advance purchase or $30 at the door. RSVP here.
Patricia Jinich who teaches regional Mexican cooking at the Mexican Cultural Institute in Washington, D.C. was featured Wednesday in the New York Times (see the left sidebar for links to her Passover recipes with a Mexican flair.) Jinich grew up in Mexico, one of 40,000 to 50,000 Jews, most of them descendants of Eastern European immigrants. For her Jewish-Mexican cooking class at the Institute, she got suggestions from her family, including sisters Alisa Romano (who is a pastry chef near Miami) and Sharon Drijanski (who has written vegetarian cookbooks and lives in Miami.)
The Miami New Times featured a cornucopia of “Cheap Eats” this week, and conveniently recapped them on Friday for you here.
The Heart of a Chef Festival is Sunday, April 19, benefiting and organized by the Florida Heart Research Institute at the Tree Top Ballroom at Jungle Island includes restaurant tastings, wine seminars and tastings, children’s activities, cooking demos, and a local celebrity chef cook-off. Noon to 4:00 p.m., $25 for adults and $10 for children under 12. The purchase of a ticket entitles guests to purchase entrance to Jungle Island for the discounted rate of $12 per person. Event sponsors include Nespresso, Sonic, Whole Foods Market and MIAMI Modern Luxury. A detailed schedule of events can be found here.
Executive Chef Mark Militello of 1 Bleu at The Regent Bal Harbouris offering a five course prix fixe Easter Sunday menu, featuring his award-winning cuisine, a decadent dessert table of special Easter confections, ocean front views and a string trio. Sunday, April 12, Noon to 6:00 p.m., $65.00 per person, exclusive of tax and gratuity. Includes a glass of champagne. A children’s menu, priced at $25.00, is available for children between the ages of 3-12. Reservations are required at 305-455-5460
