RA Sushi's Foodies Show Heart Charity Event: Vote for Short Order

Laine Doss

The Tropical Heat Roll

About a week ago RA Sushi extended a challenge to me and other food writers in Miami -- create a sushi roll for an event at the popular restaurant. If it gets the most votes -- both online and in person -- it will be featured on the menu for 30 days -- with a portion of proceeds donated to your favorite charity.

Who could turn down the opportunity to make a sushi roll, co-host a fabulous party, and raise money and awareness for a local charity?

I couldn't, so I went down to the South Miami restaurant and worked with their chef to make a sushi roll that best represented the flavors of our city.

The Tropical Heat roll features fresh mango, avocado, jalapeno, and tuna. It's accompanied by some sweet and savory mango salsa. As a finishing touch, a drizzle of sriracha is served on the plate for people who like a little more spice in their lives.

The charity I'm playing for is Tri-County Humane Society, a small no-kill animal shelter serving  Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties. The shelter, which runs on a tight budget, rescues many dogs and cats from dire situations. Recently, they took in over 50 chihuahuas from a hoarding situation in Hialeah, where they were housed in an industrial warehouse bay.

Dora (left) just rescued and sickly and (right) after adoption.

Without proper conditions, the dogs were dehydrated, malnourished, and sickly. I adopted a small five pound female named Dora. Vets at the shelter's clinic worked on her for nearly two months before I could take her home. When I did, I found a post-it in her file that said, "Tell Dora every day that she has a family to come home to".  That's caring.

Other foodies (and their charities) include:

Linda Gassenheimer, columnist at The Miami Herald is competing for Camillus House, a full-service center that has provided humanitarian services to the indigent and homeless populations of Miami-Dade County for more than 50 years.