Sweet Leisure - Part 30

APALACHICOLA, FLORIDA

Tucked into Franklin County, Florida, an area affectionately called the “Forgotten Coast,” probably because it lacks the hordes of tourists found in other parts of the state, Apalachicola (www.apalachicolabay.org) is a perfectly wonderful place to visit for a truly laid-back, maybe-fish-a-bit, maybe-hit-the-beach, maybe-see-a little-nature vacation.

More village than town (only one electric street light in the whole place), Apalachicola sports an unusual amount of sophisticated restaurants. Most feature local seafood, which isn’t surprising as more than 186 species of fish are found in Apalachicola Bay, with oysters earning worldwide attention. (Here is one of the only places in the States where wild oysters are still harvested by tongs from small boats.)

harvesting oysters

Restaurants showcase Apalachicola Bay oysters in every conceivable manner, but it’s hard to beat the simple fried oysters served at Tamara’s Café Floridita (www.tamarascafe.com).

I don’t know what chef Daniel Itzkovitz does to capture such flavor…well…that’s not true. I do know. He told me:

Chef Daniel Itzkovitz

FRIED OYSTERS FROM TAMARA’S CAFÉ FLORIDITA

“Take the oysters straight from their natural liquor, coat them lightly with flour, salt and pepper, and deep-fry them at 350 to 360 degrees for one minute. Serve the oysters with a sauce made from mayo, sour cream and diced pickled jalapeño peppers.”

Made with absolutely fresh Apalachicola Bay oysters and eaten blissfully hot, the dish is succulent, crunchy, sweet, subtle and tangy all at one time. My mouth is watering just thinking of them.

Those who subscribe to the “R” rule—don’t eat oysters in months spelled without an R—or conversely, eat oysters only in months with R in the name, have a good reason to be joyful that the long, hot summer has turned into a run of R months.

LAST WORD ON ITALIAN COFFEE

I confess, I’m confused. I have been corrupted by Starbuck’s overloaded coffee terminology and can barely get my mouth around the 10-word drink options; I don’t even have the ability to order a “tall” when “small” seems so okay.

In Italy, coffee terms are more manageable (sort of). Although different places write their coffee menu in different ways (sometimes), as far as I can tell, when ordering coffee in Italy, the following will get you what you want (maybe).

A QUICKIE GUIDE TO COFFEE LINGO–ITALIANO

Un caffè: a strong as sin, electric jolt espresso. (This is the basic coffee in Italy.)

Caffè doppio: a double espresso.

Caffè macchiato: an espresso “stained” with a tiny amount of foamy milk.

Latte macchiato: steamed milk “stained” with a small amount of coffee.

Caffè marocchino: espresso with a little hot milk and a sprinkling of cocoa powder.

Caffè e latte: steamed milk mixed with espresso.

Cappuccino: espresso served in a large cup with a head of steamed frothy milk (said to be named because its color resembled a Capuchin friar’s habit—or the hood of the habit resembled the hood of the drink or…well, you get the picture).

Caffè corretto: espresso “corrected” with a shot of liquor (grappa, Sambuca, Cognac, etc.).

Caffè lungo: espresso made with more water run through the machine.

Caffè ristretto: espresso made with less water run through the machine (WOW!).

Caffè freddo: Chilled coffee (don’t expect ice).

Caffè con panna: espresso with whipped cream.

Americano: espresso diluted with hot water.

Caffè con zucchero: espresso with sugar (sensa zucchero without sugar)

¶ Posted 21 September 2009 † Susan Manlin Katzman § COFFEE § DRINKS § TRAVEL ‡ Comments Off ° Tagged: caffè, COFFEE, Italy

BEST COFFEE IN ROME-again

TAZZA D’ORO

I once watched an episode of Roseanne, in which Roseanne (Mrs. Conner) went into the bedroom that her daughters, Darlene and Becky, shared to tell them goodnight. Ignoring Becky, she sat on Darlene’s bed, looked at her intensely and said something like: “You know you are my very favorite child and I love you more than anyone else in the world.” After a pause, she moved to Becky’s bed and repeated the same words to Becky.

Tazza d'Oro Last time I posted I said that most locals considered Sant’Eustachio’s coffee the best in Rome. Today I’m saying most locals consider Tazza d’Oro’s coffee the best in Rome. Okay, let’s cut to the chase. Both are great. Both coffee bars are located near the Pantheon and both serve a multitude of customers with Tazza d’Oro larger and a bit heavy with tourists. But Tazza d’Oro wins the competition when it comes to their specialty Granita di Caffè, an icy, slushy coffee concoction served with a mound of thick, rich whipped cream. COFFEE LOVERS CANNOT LEAVE ROME WITHOUT TRYING A GRANITA AT TAZZA D’ORO.

Then again, if Rome isn’t in the near future, you can make a reasonable granita at home.

COFFEE GRANITA

Pour 2 cups hot espresso over 1/2 cup sugar and stir until sugar dissolves. If desired, add a teaspoon or two of flavoring (vanilla is one of the secret flavors used in some Italian coffee bars). Refrigerate mixture until it is cold, and then transfer to an 8-inch metal baking pan. Place pan in a freezer. Stir with a fork every 30 minutes until mixture becomes slushy; this should take from 1-1/2 to 2 hours. (While stirring, break up any large chunks that might form.) Transfer slushy mixture to a bowl and beat with a fork until crystals are a little smoother and more uniform, about 1/2 minute. Freeze until granita firms enough to be scooped, about 1/2 hour.

Serve with sweetened whipped cream.

Yield: 4 servings.

¶ Posted 17 September 2009 † Susan Manlin Katzman § COFFEE § DESSERTS § DRINKS § RECIPES § TRAVEL ‡ Comments (1) ° Tagged: COFFEE, granita, Italy, Rome

BEST COFFEE IN ROME

Sant'Eustachio

SANT’EUSTACHIO IL CAFFÈ

Many places in Rome make good coffee, but Sant’Eustachio (in the Piazza Sant’Eustachio near the Pantheon) wins local accolades for being best of the best. Here is the quintessential Italian coffee bar/ shop that does everything right including purchasing beans from a variety of free-trade growers, roasting the beans over a wood-burning fire and brewing the coffee with water sent to the city by an aqueduct built in19 B.C.

COFFEE LOVERS CANNOT LEAVE ROME WITHOUT TRYING COFFEE AT SANT’EUSTACHIO’S.

That said, coffee drinking habits in Italy are quite distinct and distinctly different than in the States, so when in Sant’Eustachio do as the Romans do. First, order the coffee and pay at the cashier. Then head to the bar (which can be two to four people deep) and hand the receipt to the barista who will serve the coffee to you. Coffee bar at Sant'Eustachio Of course, two minutes in Sant’Eustachio and you can figure out the system yourself, but what you may not know, because it is so different from other countries, is that Romans generally drink standing at the bar and gulp the intense brew rather quickly. Words of warning: in Italy, coffee consumed at a table generally cost more and Sant’Eustachio serves its coffee sweetened, so when ordering be sure to specify no sugar if you can’t abide the sweet stuff.

¶ Posted 16 September 2009 † Susan Manlin Katzman § COFFEE § DRINKS § TRAVEL ‡ Comments (1) ° Tagged: COFFEE, Italy, Rome

HEATHROW AIRPORT BREAKFAST

FULL ENGLISH BREAKFAST AT V BAR

Airport food can be dismal, but Heathrow’s new Terminal 5 provides some far-better-than-average options. I found one of the simpler outlets, V Bar, while trudging through the terminal at 3:30 a.m. Midwest time, transferring from a Chicago-to-Rome-through-London flight.

“Morning special,” lured the chalkboard outside the bar, “Bacon sandwich on thick homemade country bread. Beers on tap.” OMG, beer and bacon—gotta have it. A spa couldn’t offer better restoration from a child-packed, coach-class overnight and an in-flight breakfast of truly terrible coffee and cardboard croissant.

V bar is slightly more sleek than old-fashioned pub-like, particularly if one chooses to sit in the pleasant light-bright seating area outside the main bar. And the bar’s morning menu offered some traditional English fare updated with surprisingly “healthful” items.

I went for the full English breakfast which came with bacon (of course), cut into thin medallions like ham in the United States; free-range eggs, scrambled with fresh chives; a plump leek and turkey sausage (wonderful); two large grilled baby portabella mushrooms, a small broiled tomato and whole wheat toast.

Fruit smoothies, rich coffee and a decent selection of wines supplement the beer.

I am not saying it is worth booking through Heathrow to have a meal, but if you are stuck in Terminal 5 for any length of time, you’ll find food good enough to be grateful for the wait.

¶ Posted 14 September 2009 † Susan Manlin Katzman § AIRPORTS § BREAKFAST § ENGLAND § LONDON § RESTAURANTS § TRAVEL ‡ Comments Off ° Tagged: BREAKFAST, English, Heathrow, Terminal 5, V Bar

BEST EVER BROWNIES

Mojo My dog ate a brownie. He managed to jump on a table at a party and devour the sweet before anyone noticed. This was a disaster on several levels. As chocolate can be lethal to dogs (especially adored poodles like Mojo), I rushed him to the emergency hospital, where vets did icky things equivalent to pumping the stomach. The whole deal took several hours and we didn’t return home until hopelessly late. Needless to say, my guests had left, Mojo was shaky and I was totally drained, but the camel straw of irritants was that the brownies were gone. I confess, I love Mojo to neurotic distraction, but I also confess (this is not pretty) I was irritated that he got a brownie and I didn’t. Of course these were not ordinary brownies. Patty Padawer, a St. Louis and Los Angeles cooking teacher and one of the best cooks I know, made them for the party. Rather than beg Patty for more, I begged for the recipe, which, always generous, Patty sent immediately. Of course, I will share the recipe with you, but I will take great care to never again share the brownies with anyone who bark begs.

PATTY PADAWER’S CHEESECAKE BROWNIES

P1020190

CHEESE MIX

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 pound cream cheese, room temperature

BROWNIE MIX

4 eggs

2 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cocoa

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

ICING

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

3 cups sifted powdered sugar

3 tablespoons cocoa

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

5-6 tablespoons cream or milk — more if needed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 X13 inch baking pan. In a mixing bowl combine the ingredients for the cheese mixture and set aside. In another bowl (for the brownie mix), beat eggs with sugar. Add the melted butter, and then add the flour, cocoa, salt and vanilla, mix to combine. Pour all the brownie mix into the prepared baking pan, and then top with the cream cheese mix. Lightly spread cheese mix over chocolate, but do not mix. Bake in the preheated oven 45- 55 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Set aside to cool completely. Make the frosting, combining the butter, sugar and cocoa. Add the vanilla and 3 tablespoons cream, adding more cream as needed to spreading consistency. For cutting into neat squares remove the brownies from the pan before icing. Let icing set up before cutting. Store in the refrigerator, or freeze. They are great right out of the freezer.

Yield: about 30

¶ Posted 01 September 2009 † Susan Manlin Katzman § DESSERTS § PETS § RECIPES ‡ Comments Off ° Tagged: brownies, CHOCOLATE, dogs

CRUISE CONTROL

Crystal Serenity

DIETING ON THE CRYSTAL SERENITY

If there is anytime to dish the diet it is on a cruise where you can have food 24/7. And if any cruise overloads with quality as well as quantity, it is a Crystal Cruise, where the food is always a feast. So it is odd that Michael Falla, the hunky 24-year old, sports scientist and personal trainer on the Crystal Serenity offers terrific advice for dieting. Michael encourages dieters to: (1) eat within one hour of waking up (YES!); (2) eat every three to four hours (no problem there); (3) eat in moderation (the catch); and (4) make wise choices.

As to those choices, Michael explained his concept of hand-to-mouth eating.

“Look at your hand,” he said. “A reasonable meal should have no more than one closed fist portion of bad carbohydrates (white rice, potatoes, white bread) and two closed fists full of good carbs (whole grains, leafy greens, veggies). The protein portion of the meal should match your open palm without the digits. And you can add as many beans, lentils and the like that can sit, in one layer, on the outstretched palm without falling off. As to fat, the top of your thumb, up from the first notch is what you get in way of butter, oil, etc.—and that is for the whole meal—not just as a spread.”

I’d like to add another secret to cruise control that is especially Buffet on Crystal Serenity easy on the Serenity. Aim for the luxuries in your choices. Pick caviar over the donuts, salmon for breakfast over the bacon and eggs and the low-calorie frozen yogurt over the…well, you get the picture.

¶ Posted 27 August 2009 † Susan Manlin Katzman § CRUISING § DIETS § HELPFUL HINTS ‡ Comments Off ° Tagged: CRUISING, Crystal Serenity, DIETS, eating well

COZUMEL COFFEE SOUVENIR

If you are lucky enough to visit Cozumel, that sunshine island off the eastern coast of Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula, you’ll find, a cornucopia of souvenirs to tote home. But if you are a coffee devotee and/or want a remembrance more special than silver jewelry, onyx chess set and peacock colored hammocks don’t miss a stop at Café Optima de Chiapas (Calle 2 Norte between 5th and 10th Avenues)—a block from the main square.

This family-run shop roasts, packages and sells a special coffee cultivated in the mountain area of Mexican state of Chiapas.

Ermilo Juarez, owner Cafe Optima De Chiapas

Although you can’t tell a coffee from it’s package, you can glimpse the quality that goes into Café Artesanal by the coffee’s leather-looking cardboard containers made by orphans, widows, seniors and other’s who might find trouble finding jobs. The shop has a small coffee bar where you can taste the coffee and the artisanal brew is surprisingly served at Casa Denis, a casual, been-there-forever, authentic Yucatan restaurant indowntown Cozumel. I say surprisingly served, as the coffee is quite expensive and Casa Denis is not.

¶ Posted 25 August 2009 † Susan Manlin Katzman § COFFEE § RESTAURANTS ‡ Comments (1) ° Tagged: Cafe Optima de Chiapas, Casa Denis, COFFEE, Cozumel, shopping

BERRY STAINS

RASPBERRY BLUEBERRY BLACKBERRY

Talking of berries—no need to worry about those red and blue bruise-colored stains juicy berries leave on your favorite shirt and best table linens. Barbara Gibbs Ostmann, co-author of The Recipe Writer’s Handbook (John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2001), told me her mother’s secret for dissolving berry stains. (Disclaimer: proceed at your own risk; neither this blogger nor Barbara Ostmann’s mother will assume responsibility for anything.) Stretch the stained part of the fabric over the drain in your sink. Slowly pour boiling water over the stain. The stain will disappear. Works for me and has never damaged my clothes or linens.

¶ Posted 24 August 2009 † Susan Manlin Katzman § HELPFUL HINTS ‡ Comments Off ° Tagged: berries, stains

FABULOUS BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

Right now. Immediately. Blueberries are at their most succulent, plentiful and affordable best. Quick before the season wanes, stock up. Gorge.

My single favorite blueberry recipe comes from my husband’s grandmother, Esther Milder. Esther would be about 120 years old if alive today, which of course she isn’t, but her recipe is, and it keeps her alive in the hearts of generation after generation of blueberry muffin lovers.

ESTHER MILDER’S BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

Shortening to grease muffin cups
3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1 cup evaporated milk, undiluted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-3/4 cups blueberries
2 tablespoons butter, to make crumbs for topping
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 24 muffin cups and set aside.

Mix flour, sugar and baking powder in a large bowl. Cut in 1/2 cup butter with a pastry blender or two knives used scissor fashion (or use your fingers to squish the flour and butter into crumbs). Put one cup of crumb mixture in a small bowl and set aside. To mixture in large bowl, add eggs, milk and vanilla and beat until smooth. Gently fold blueberries into batter. Spoon batter into muffin cups. Melt 2 tablespoons butter and dribble over flour mixture in small bowl. Toss with a fork to make crumbs. Sprinkle crumbs on top of batter in muffin cups, dividing crumbs equally. Bake until muffins are light golden brown on top, 20 to 30 minutes.

Cool muffins before removing from pan.