Miami Food Blog

​Another year, another Beaujolais luncheon, another boast that the current crop is the best in years. "You get a vintage like this every century. Last one as good was 1947," insisted winemaker Stéphane Queralt. I didn't want to say this to Stéphane, but in spite of a positive spin on the 2008 vintage, guests at last year's gathering were grumbling that it would best be used for cooking.  Then he added, "And this time we really mean it,"  and you could tell that this time he really meant it. But how does it differ from, say, last year's batch?

He notes that getting so deep a color "after only between four and five days maturation is special." The nose "is complex", and the tannins, which this Beaujolais has in abundance, "are very very soft, like velvet or silk." It is "comfortable", "refreshing", and, most pertinently according to Mr. Queralt, "after finishing a glass you feel as though you want another glass. That's a good point for wine."

This year's theme, Rootstock: Peace, Love, & Beaujolais, meant VW hippie vans filled with recreated hippies accompanied the ritual Biker Chef brigade that arrived to fanfare at Au Pied de Cochon in South Beach (Sean Bernal, Oceanaire Seafood Room; Sean Brasel and Mickey Deshane, Meat Market; Stéphane Hainaut, Barton G The Restaurant; Carla and Luis Lopez, Soyka; Bruno Macazaga and Mustafa Filiz, Villagrande Club at Porto Vita; Kieran Masek, ONE Group-STK; Gerdy Rodriguez, MIA at Biscayne). Belkys Nerey was there too, but she didn't arrive by motorcycle or hippie van. It just occurred to me that I have been living in Miami for a long time -- I spelled Belkys Nerey properly without having to look it up.

The gathered guests enjoyed a sampling of canapes outdoors, with choice of various Georges Duboeuf wines. We especially liked a full, fruity, golden green Pouily-Fuissé 2007. I should mention that this was the first media dinner I have yet been to, wine-based or otherwise, that featured a prolonged Grateful Dead set played over the speakers.  

A Plymouth Gin Aviation

​The evening began with talk of a "vodka backlash" occurring in New York. Too many brands, too much ubiquity, too neutral a flavor. Enter gin, with its' aromatic botanicals and complex flavor -- the ideal antidote to dull cocktails. Or at least that's the world according to Simon Ford, the brand ambassador for Pernod Ricard USA -- whose portfolio is bolstered by the super-premium Plymouth Gin, produced in West England since 1793. And a beautiful world it is, especially after my sixth or seventh cocktail at Eos' gin dinner this past Tuesday evening.

Our first drink was a Floradora, the Plymouth gin mixed with ginger beer, raspberry, and angostura bitters. This is a modern cocktail usually concocted with ginger ale, but Eos' bartender added his own spin by switching to ginger beer. It tasted like a lime rickey to me, even though it contained no cherry or lime. In retrospect, I probably shouldn't have guzzled it. Passed hors d'oeurves included a grouper ceviche with essence of gin and more of an essence of chipotle. It was delicious.

My next drink was the classic Negroni, a trilogy of gin, Campari, and vermouth. Kick-ass. Dinner began.

Photo by Juan Monino

On stage at the Arsht Center: Jacques Pepin, Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert.

Jacques Pepin showed Eric Ripert a thing or two in a friendly cook-off at the Arsht Center Celebrity Chef series Friday night. With nine minutes to go on the 30-minute clock, Pepin, who found time to make dessert in addition to the two dishes he and Ripert were expected to prepare, proclaimed: "Do we have to wait until the end or can we start plating?"

After an introductory interview by Anthony Bourdain, the two French chefs were given a mystery basket with a whole chicken, a whole fish, fennel, asparagus, quinoa, cauliflower, oranges and a mango. Pepin, perhaps feeling as if he was in one of his TV shows, gave the play-by-play of everything he was doing, while a quieter (probably not by choice) Ripert looked focused. Both made chicken bouillabaisse as one of their dishes.

And while there was no winner in this cook-off, the audience got a good tease from the aromas coming out of the kitchen and a good laugh out of the chefs' candid answers to Bourdain's questions.

Continue reading for some sound bites:

Photo by Jacob Katel

​In what sounds like a modern version of a salon, 35 guests will join an artist and a chef at a private penthouse near Miami's Design District to dine, talk art and rub elbows during Art Basel. The occasion: "The Art of Gourmet," a dining and art event of three dinners and a brunch kicking off December 3.

"The concept came out of our desire to create a new underground and spotlight some of the more creative elements in Miami," said Jason Inasi, founder of the group behind the event, Penthouse2 (PH2), and creative director for The Factory Interactive.

"Combining gourmet chefs with great artists, known and emerging, is a unique way to present the concept of Miami art and the Miami gourmet dining scene."

In what Inasi expects to be the first of other PH2 underground dining events, those who get a seat for one of the dinners will be treated to a seven-course meal in the company of the night's artist. One such artist is Stephen Gamson, whose art will be featured at Scope Art Fair and Art Miami.

via Mike Torrey

Get high in the Andes.

​Mike Torrey is a San Diego based architectural photographer with a new book out called "Stone Offerings: Machu Picchu's Terraces of Enlightenment."

Mike will be in town for the Miami International Book Fair and will be on a panel with a National Geographic photographer and a pilgrimage organizer on Saturday, November 14, at 11:30 a.m. in room 7128 (building 7, first floor).

Short Order took the opportunity to ask Mike about his food experiences in Peru while he was shooting his book during the June and December solstices.

Here's what he had to say.

​Looking for work? The National Restaurant Association estimates a record $566 billion in food and beverage sales for 2009 (more than $1.5 billion per day). The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, NY, will be holding an Admissions reception at Ocean Prime (Aventura Mall) on Sunday, November 8 at 6 p.m. This is an opportunity for aspiring culinarians to meet CIA agents -- er, representatives, and to learn about the college's bachelor's and associate degree programs in culinary arts and baking and pastry arts. The evening will be hosted by CIA alumnus Cameron Mitchell ('86). Mitchell is the president, owner, and managing partner of Cameron Mitchell Restaurants, with 17 venues in six states, including Aventura's Ocean Prime. Attendees who apply to the CIA at the event will have their college application fee waived.

To learn more about the reception or to find out about available entry dates, please contact The Culinary Institute of America at 1-800-CULINARY (285-4627) or online.

Bonus CIA Quiz:
Only two people currently working in the South Florida food industry graduated The Culinary Institute of America with the highest honor accorded: The Francis B. Roth Award for Outstanding Performance. Can you name them?

First person with correct answer wins an advanced reading copy of Save the Deli, by David Sax, which was just published last week. David Sax, incidentally, will be at Books & Books in Coral Gables this Sunday, at 6 p.m.

Image via travelandleisure.com

​America's Favorite Cities is an annual Travel+Leisure reader's poll. The 2009 results are in and Miami is ranked number one for hottest people and number 29 (out of 30) for intelligent ones.

As far as food and dining goes, we ranked eighth for Big Name Restaurants, sixth for Ethnic Food, tenth for Cafes & Coffee Bars, 29th for Farmers Markets, and 25th for Neighborhood Joints.

In the farmers market category the only place that did worse was Las Vegas. For ethnic food, we were bested by New York, New Orleans, Chicago, San Francisco, and San Antonio.

The poll seems to have been conducted via the magazine's website over the summer. No tabulation info is given. Nor is the number of responses.

Photo by Lina Pabón

Chef Michael Schwartz working with John A. Ferguson Senior High School students to perfect their guacamole entry for Sunday's competition.

It's fall in South Florida, This mean your neighbors with hundreds of ripe avocados have you under siege.

"Take one."

"Take one"

"Take one."

Just shut the heck up!!!! We got a way to finally use all that fruit.

This Sunday, Schnebly Redland's Winery (30205 SW 217 Ave., Homestead) is inviting local celebrity chefs and high school students to beat the world record for largest guacamole serving.

How much guac, you ask? Well, the previous record was set in California, all 4011 pounds and 12 ounces of it -- that's enough to keep approximately 64,188 of the tacos, burritos, fajitas, and tortilla chips that you will eat in your lifetime all hopped up.

Celebrity chefs including Allen Susser, Michael Schwartz, Darren Lee, and Giancarla Bodoni will lead students from South Dade, John A. Ferguson, Robert Morgan, and Homestead Senior High.

To watch the avocado-induced madness, head over to Schnebly from 12 to 5 p.m. this Sunday, and make sure to donate to Miami Dade's Culinary and Agricultural High School Programs -- you really didn't think that they would keep all that guacamole to themselves, did you?

For more information, please call 305-242-1224 or visit the Schnebly site.

Jacob Katel

Gabriele Marewski pledges allegiance to the green.

​Paradise Farms is a premiere South Florida grower of specialty produce, certified organic micro-greens and edible flowers for the local restaurant industry. Gabriele Marewski is the head of the farm and is hosting a series of "lazy Sunday" lunches based around green themes related to the fields of work or passion of the people she invites. Interested in going? Send Gabriele an email introducing yourself to gabrieleinparadise@earthlink.net

This past Sunday's lunch revolved around people whose projects deal in green initiatives by or for the youth. Guests included members of RescueEarth.org, the Garden Club president of FIU, a young farmer from Illinois, a high school exchange student from Australia, the head of FIU's Students For Environmental Action, the Miami distributor for Cyclus, a Colombian company that turns garbage tires into shoes, and others.

A gourmet vegan meal highlighting jackfruit harvested on Paradise Farms was prepared by private chef N. Oshun Marcella.

Here are some more pictures from a Lazy Sunday lunch at Paradise Farms.

Michael Schott

It's not a burger, it's piece of mind on a plate (that tastes good, too)

​Fresh from our inbox to your computing devices, we're serving up some local food news you can chew.  Digest these restaurant announcements and offers as you make Labor Day plans:

Lifefood Gourmet now open Sundays: The place that put an end to second guessing vegan is now open from noon to 6 p.m. on the day of rest. To celebrate its inaugural Sunday service, Lifefood Gourmet is slashing your bill like it does your preconceptions about its onion fritters, nori crisps, apple fries, and signature hemp tortillas & chips.   Just mention the promotion at the register and get 10 percent off your bill. (305) 856-6767, 1248 SW 22nd Street, Miami (Shenandoah.)

Konexpress opens on SoBe: Sushi Samba Dromo rings a bell as Thrillist Miami blasts Brazilian-Japanese Konexpress into our inboxes.  But will it thrill us?  Lay down the taste gauntlet yourself on Friday when this hybrid first employs the skilled hands of Blade Sushi's former chef to roll up tasty vittles into seaweed "Kones."  One thing's for sure: Dan Akroyd would surely approve of these conical incarnations, which are offered hot, cold, and sweet. (305) 420-5809, 445 Espanola Way, South Beach.
 

​Say a hurricane smashes Miami and leaves you without power. Are you gonna get stuck eating nachos for weeks til FPL hooks you up, or are you going to think ahead, go shopping before the storm hits, and buy canned foods and produce items that you can use to make healthy food?

The FIU Department of Dietetics and Nutrition's "Healthy Hurricane/Disaster Cookbook" gives valuable insight on how to maximize nutritional intake after your car gets flipped over, fish end up in your swimming pool, and your neighbor's tree ends up in your bedroom.

The cookbook is split into 4 sections: breakfast, sides, salads, and sandwiches. To say that beans are a major component of the recipes is an understatement. There are more bean dishes in this book than there are broken dishes after a hurricane. Imagine everybody in Miami living on a diet like that. Talk about unleashing an unholy wind.

The other main recipe component is canned seafood. There are recipes with sardines, mackerel, shrimp, tuna, and salmon.

The book was released in 2004, and doesn't seem to have been updated since. Click here to read it online.

​Ferragosto was around before the death of Jesus, but chances are that you have never celebrated this holiday.

This Saturday, the Setai plans to change this with their Ferragosto Italiano. From 8 p.m. to 2 a.m., guests of the Ferragosto will indulge in food, drinks, and a fashion show.

The food promises to be a smorgasbord of Asian cuisine, from Indian, Malaysian, and Singaporean to Thai and Chinese. But don't think that the Setai has abandoned the Italian roots of the Ferragosto -- pizzas, antipasto, and mozzarella alla Caprese will also be served.

If this isn't intriguing, then the fixed price definitely will catch your eye -- all that I can say is thank goodness for Miami Spice.

With all this food at a fixed price, you would think that they would raise the price of the drinks, right? Well, from 9 to 10 p.m., there will be complimentary Negroni cocktails. After all that Asian food, a sweet, citrus-based drink is the perfect dessert.

After being dined and drunk, indulge your other senses in a fashion show by a South Florida local, Shy Figaro, and music by "the lounge pioneer of South Beach," D.J. Luca. 

The Setai is located at 2001 Collins Avenue. To RSVP for this event, please call 305-520-6400 or e-mail SetaiDining@GHMamerica.com.

via Wikimedia Commons

Inuit medicine man.

​10. Garlic for a scorpion sting - Sure you city folk probably don't have scorpion problems, but in rural Dade they do. The sulfur in garlic might neutralize toxins if you get stung.

9. Mango for heat stroke - You been outside lately? It's scorching hot. Quench your thirst and prevent excessive loss of iron and sodium chloride when you sweat by eating salted, raw mango.

8. Orange juice for kidney stones - Pissing rocks is for the birds. Studies show drinking OJ might help prevent them more effectively than even lemonade.

7. Avocados for hair conditioning - They're high in fat and will leave your wig soft and luxurious.

Here's a video of Chef Josh Wahler from 5300 Chophouse at The Blue in Doral. You may have seen him in our Behind The Line post about the Sunbox Winery Dinner he co-cheffed, you may have seen him as a contestant on Hell's Kitchen, or you may have seen him at 5300 Chophouse, where he runs the show. Chef Josh recently took the time to talk with Short Order about cooking in the International Business District and why he loves his staff. Here's what he had to say...

Home team advantage

​In a whirlwind of BBQ, BBQ, raw fish and more BBQ, Taste of the Nation was over, as it always is, too soon. Tons of money was raised for a good cause, so we can all go home feeling satisfied.

Stand out dishes included the hosting Ritz Carlton Key Biscayne's last minute switch from Tacos al Pastor to pork carnitas, which Chef Andres Parlange derived from an old family recipe passed down for many generations. Those are usually the best anyway, no?  Me thinks we need to delve deeper into this topic soon on Short Order, with both chefs and local home cooks. The carnitas were sweet and smokey, fall off the bone tender from slow braising, and delivered to the pie hole with a soft corn tortilla. Cactus salad (nopales,) red salsa and salsa verde accompanied. To set off and balance the flavors, a squeeze of fresh lime juice to finish.

image via afishcalledavalon.com

​

Jackie Sayet

Muselet chairs, miniature marvels which Christie Wolfe learned how to make over champagne and blackberries in the California garden of Iron Horse's Joy Sterling

Eat, drink and be merry.  That's the idea behind a group of wine and food enthusiasts who gather monthly for gourmet potlucks, replete with the fermented grape.  Last night's raison d'être was vintage champagne and eggs, in honor of Bastille Day.  

"The idea is to get foodies to put their money where their mouths are and to
share their cellar and culinary skills with others who get it," said Jeffrey Wolfe, who actually ran out of the bubbly prior to the event at his eponymous wine shop, owned with wife Christie.

Each guest brings a bottle along with their culinary concoction.  So where then, for folks without home collections, to buy the goods?

"Maybe at one of those other liquor stores," he quipped. 

Speaking of which, I loved the paté of chicken and pork liver with egg gelée that Jerry McGinley brought from Crown Wine & Spirits, but the favorite dish came from Andy and Karen Labarbera who curiously curdled their eggs into a "Chilled Lime Cloud." They now have theme-choosing privileges for the next fête.  Here's this one in pictures. 

Jackie Sayet

Frozen mango walnut popcorn from the nuts at the Biltmore, chef Roly Cruz-Taura and his liquid nitrogen vat

Tom Falco, Grove Grapevine

Cafe Tu Tu Tango Facebook fan page profile picture

Live for about a week, a new Cafe Tu Tu Tango fan page on Facebook logged 100 fans today, just meeting the requirement to claim its own brand URL. Other digital fan clubs exist for the chain, including one for the now-defunct Coconut Grove branch, but this is the first one open to the public and appears to have the most fans.

The page is the creation of Coconut Grove Grapevine editor Tom Falco, who claims to have first reported the artists' haunt's closing last year.

"I had lots of pics, and I hang out with all the artists who painted there," Falco explains. "We always talk about it and all have photos and stories, so I thought it would be a reunion page-type thing.  Memories..."

The restaurant shuttered just shy of 20 years old in May 2008, to rumors of loudness, lease problems with CocoWalk, slow business, and issues with its structural integrity after Hurricane Wilma. 

"People keep asking me if it will come back, and one local club actually wanted to bring back the concept," Falco adds. "The club closed before there was a chance to start it up. I would like a local restaurant or business owner to bring the concept back. Artists contact me all the time asking for a place where they can actually paint in public. They like doing that. It seems to be a very creative  thing for them -- sharing their work as it is being created live."

Asked what he thought about the space's current tenant, Crazy Pianos, Falco responds, "no comment." You can see what he really thinks on his blog.

Jacob Katel

Gerbaud's Rugeleh.

Jacob Katel

Can't Knock The Guac

Jacob Katel

Ice Cream On A Hot Summer Day

Jacob Katel

Loaded nachos: chili, guacamole, sour cream, jalapenos, sharp cheddar for $6.95.

Jackie Sayet

La dolce Nino... Mama Mia!

Four giant sparkler candles set an atlas-sized cake ablaze, as Abbracci's private party room came alive last night with the flamboyant beats of Abba's Dancing Queen.  Nino Pernetti, beaming with pride, took his position center stage and basked in the warm glow of his restaurant's 20th anniversary celebration.

"'70s music brings back my youth," Nino reminisced, looking about as youthful as the day he opened the doors, if not more dapper.  "It is the most intense, inspirational, sentimental and heart-breaking music ever made.  It is able to transport you to that happy moment."

And a happy moment it was, with 50+ supporters, including Coral Gables Mayor Don Slesnick, to share in the fanfare only an Italian -- and only Nino -- could bring to a celebration. 

Jackie Sayet

An edible retrospective

Cin Cin, Nino... to 20 more years! 


 

image via dreamstime.com

North One 10 is holding its' Special Edition Memorial Day Beer & BBQ this Friday, Saturday and Sunday (May 22nd, 23rd and 24th) -- and like those years when Easter and Passover coincidentally occur on the same week, Dewey and Dale LoSasso's shindig falls precisely on the same weekend as the Memorial Day holiday! It's, like, almost destined to be a cool affair.

Hip factor aside, why should you shell out forty bucks, not inclusive of tax and gratuity, for what is essentially the cuisine of America's poor? And why should children under twelve be forced to fork over twenty smackeroos? Don't they realize how difficult it is for kids this age to scrape up that sort of dough?

Anyway, here are some reasons why the cost is quite reasonable: If you go as a group of four or more, the table will get tastings of chicken wings with guava/habanero glaze; grilled vegetable skewers; grilled shrimp skewers; angus short rib sloppy joes; citrus braised pork shoulder; lamb spare ribs with pomegranate BBQ sauce; lemon/sage-roasted Bell & Evans chicken; wok-charred salmon with black bean broth and kimchee aioli; grilled skirt steak; corn-on-the-cob; collard greens with berries and shallots; mac & cheese; banana pudding; apple cobbler; blueberry fritters; and a partridge in a pear tree (if you go as a group of three or less, you still get to choose multiple plates).

Actually, I think there's a ten dollar surcharge for the partridge -- and on Sunday, for the same ten-spot per person, you can add a Maine lobster supplement. I'm serious about the lobster.

A couple of more good reasons: The dinner price includes selected beers for adults, and a special selection of root beers and lemonade for the kiddos. Dinners take place 5:30 p.m. until 11:00 p.m., and will also be held every Friday throughout the summer. Except this one, as noted, is uniquely holiday-ish. Call to reserve:305-893-4211.

North One 10 will be resting on May 25th and 26th, and reopening for service on the 27th.

The winning chef

Toshi Furihata, chef/owner of Moshi Moshi on Miami Beach, took top honors at the 2009 SushiMasters Regionals competition, which was held this past Friday evening at the Alliance Francaise. The event featured four South Florida sushi chefs competing on stage for best morikomi plate, best signature roll, and best of show (the highest total of votes for the two plates). The crowd not only got to witness a great performance, but were served complimentary sushi and Kirin beer during the festivities.

Contenders:
Toshi Furihata, Chef/owner Moshi Moshi, Miami Beach
Hiro Asano, Chef Abokado, Miami
Takeshi Kamioka, Chef/owner Tokyo Sushi, Ft. Lauderdale
Nestor Espartero, Chef, Sushi Bistro, Ocala

Sponsor:
The California Rice Commission. Judging by the plethora of brands they represent, one can only surmise that growing rice is second only to growing weed as the favorite hobby of those wacky west coasters.

Rules:
The morikomi plate was to have included six pieces of nigiri and one maki roll with eight cuts, with mandatory wasabi and ginger on the side. Use of produce or other condiments was optional. The signature roll plate was to contain one maki roll with eight cuts. Food cost per plate was not to exceed $12. Plateware was of chef's choice, but had to be white. Chefs were given 45 minutes to complete both competition categories.

Judges:
I was one of a quartet who scrutinized the chefs as they prepared the plates, and who then retreated to a private room to sample the results. We awarded points on style, technical skills, presentation, originality, and, above all, taste.

Winner:
Toshi Furihata of Moshi Moshi won for best morikomi plate, best signature roll, and best of show; a clean sweep. Toshi gets to continue on and compete in the 2009 SushiMasters Finals in California come this fall.
Take the jump, look at the photos, and see how you would have voted.

Stay tuned and maybe next week we'll tell you what the hell this is.

Don't drink and drive