My Urban Pantry

Berries

May 28, 2014Leave a comment

I’ve been wanting to get out to the U-Pick for a year or so and just missed it last year due to other things coming up. I really wanted to go and pick (and eat) sunshine warmed blackberries but they aren’t quite in season. As a little kid in the Seattle area we picked giant juicy strawberries that are an imprint on my memory. I phoned Chapman’s on Friday and they verified that blueberries are just at the end of the season but there were still lots to be had for the small price of picking them myself and a few dollars a pound. I headed out before the heat of the day kicked in on Saturday morning armed with little more than sunscreen and some cash to pay for my pickings. Chapman’s is straight down Narcoossee Road in St Cloud Florida.

As you walk in past sheds and potted plants for sale you get little direction other than to grab a bucket and go for it. Only a handful of other pickers were in the fields and I chose to go left since everyone else seemed to be right. I walked to the back corner and put my back to the sun and picked my way down a couple of rows. The berries are so ripe, so blue, and simply tumble off the bush into the bucket. I couldn’t believe how easy it was to just keep going. I listened to the birds and the breeze whispering past The solitude was fantastic. I found myself thinking it would be a shame to let any go to waste and just kept going. Then I almost started to feel greedy–something like–should I tell anyone about this? What if there are no berries left for me? What if the word gets out? I came to my senses and I got over it. I’d rather share the blueberry love. After an hour or two I took but brimming bucket up to the shed and they quickly checked me out ($24) and dumped my berries into an embarrassingly big bag. When I got home I put the bag on my kitchen scale and found I had over seven pounds! At about $3 per pound you just cant beat it They are grown without chemicals and you are encouraged to eat a few as you go–they promise not to weigh you in or out. I got home and made a small batch of Blueberry jam – about 4 hours from picked to jarred. That’s what I call farm to table. I also made a batch of blueberry Aigre-doux, a red wine, vinegar and sugar concoction that is supposed to be good with cheese and in cocktails so I’m looking forward to trying that out. So much pleasure and relaxing holiday in that sun warmed picking.

Chapmans | 75 Nolte Rd St Cloud, FL | Call Nancy in season to find out what is available and when they are open. 321.624.9482

There be magic.

May 25, 2014Leave a comment

Clockwise from top left: Cinderella Castle at Christmas time, Festival of Fantasy Parade, Balloon bundle (interestingly have changed from giant Tink balloon to all Anna & Elsa all the time!), Wishes Fireworks Show, KZ with Toy Story pals, Starbucks with Karin-and Disneyfied cups. She took a coffee on Big Thunder Mountain!)

On May 10 of last year we decided to pull the trigger–to become true Orlando-ans and buy passes to Disneyworld. We had often wanted to head over for just an evening and with tickets for a day pass closing in on $100 you mostly feel like you have to make a whole day of it. We aren’t really built for a day of it. I get tired or hangry or sad because it was all too fleeting. So, we bought the tickets. We decided it would make it a whole lot easier to come and go as we please–to go home if it was too hot, crowded or full of sad families that trigger a punch in the face reflex I sometimes have. So, we bought the tickets. Z likes Disney ok-well, sort of. He likes Disney because I like Disney and he is more accomodating that any person I know. He does mostly need a reason to go and I don’t score a park trip without those reasons (ie-specific ride, parade or thing to do.) So, I manufactured a reason for the year–to ride every ride and or attraction in the Magic Kingdom. Every. One. So, I did it. I rode all the rides, everything from Prince Charming regal carousel to the Carousel of Progress. It’s a great big beautiful tomorrow! We rode the Astro Orbiter (terrifying), the teacups (now a happy memory of friends), Big Thunder Mountain (my favorite) to every.thing.between. I finished on the last free weekend of our year with three remaining: Splash Mountain (loved it), Storytime with Belle (hokey but AWESOME for kids & princess lovers), and the Laugh Floor (Mike Wazowski!).

Clockwise from top left: KZ and Karin on Prince Charmings Regal Carousel, spicy Chicken & Waffle, the queue view at Expedition Everest (Animal Kingdom), KZ in R2 ears, Always something coming-and hidden behind walls -Starbucks!, charcuterie at the sidewalk cafe at the Brown Derby

Clockwise from top left: All Epcot: Vicky & Chelsea in Norway (Do they remind you of Anna & Elsa?) , Easter egg hunt in the rain (Z bought an umbrella in Japan shaped like a sword) , all the weird around the world pops–get the Beverly!, Flower & Garden, MagicBands, Topiary

I can’t tell you how many times we’ve ridden Big Thunder Mountain or The Haunted Mansion or Pirates of the Caribbean—so many. Our magic bands for the new year have arrived and I’m working on a new year of things to do and am torn between smashed pennies or autographs. If you have an opinion about that or other ideas, I all ‘glow with the show’ ears.

Key West, never changes. Bad old town.

May 22, 2014Leave a comment

full disclosure. The title should read, “Istanbul, never changes. Bad old town’ and is a line from a William Gibson novel. I’m not going to lie to you. I love that cyberpunk genre although I don’t read it much anymore. We went on vacation a few weeks ago–took a cruise that made stops in Key West, Nassau & Freeport, Bahamas. We aren’t what I’d say your typical cruisers are as we don’t love the food, the smokey casino or, in general, port towns. All the shopping is the same and the food is actually bordering on brutal in quantity. We love to sit on a breezy deck by the pool and consume books (& magazines) and rum punch napping at a whim and taking a break from the email of it all.

All that said, I really enjoyed our stop in Key West. It was the one part of our trip I had planned and really looked forward to. We walked off the boat and made our way to Duval street. It was about 9AM so the full contigent getting their beer on at Sloppy Joe’s were definitely not out yet. Duval is just another shopping street filled with bars. We picked up our one of our slim vacation purchases, coffees at Starbucks, and headed over to the Southernmost point of the US that is the big ole landmark that points the way to Cuba. We got our photo snapped in the tourist way by our line waiting compatriots and then headed up the street to find Papa Hemingways not-so-humble abode. After shelling out $26 (total) for the tickets we definitely jumped at the offered tour. You can chalk that up to professional and/or plain curiousity. I didn’t really know much about Hemingway prior to the visit and can’t claim to have read any of his books. It was interesting to learn of his life and get a little bit of info about the island in general. The famous cats on the island (45 at the home) are all descendants of his son’s cat, Snowball. We chased down a cat (ok, chased is a strong word, we tried to coax her out for a photo) with seven toes. Those cats own the place and have the total run of the house in that standard kitty way. I am totally inspired by the gardens at the home, full of lush green plants and a great big pool. I’ve decided I want a pool and a super shady yard. Right now I have neither and we’ll see how that goes.

We also learned about the chickens that free roam the town and are everywhere. There used to be cock fighting in the Cuban community in town and at one point they outlawed it and told everyone to release the chickens. It’s a $500 fine to pester the chickens and as a result they are like sparrows and just about everywhere you look. We saw loads of little chicks, mama’s and great big red combed roosters.

We paused at the Audubon house and briefly at the Pirate museum. I’m totally enamored with pirates. I know they were terrible and all that but I have this romantic idea of sailing ships and desert islands and tend to forget the pillaging and thievery. Audubon is a class unto it’s own and I just love the illustrations. I purchased a very small one recently (postcard size) and framed it in my office.

Key West is a bad old town that has more than it’s share of revelry and rabblerousing, oddity and audacity too. I miss the trade winds and the idea that the island is there but can’t be quite conquered.

I haven’t flown the Coop – but I’ve eaten there

May 14, 2014Leave a comment

So, I haven’t blogged for over a month. Variously I went to Houston for a conference–dined at the Coop (!)–went to Sarasota for Easter weekend–took a week of vacation and went on a cruise. As for blogging? Not so much. I’d say I’m behind but I’m not. I just haven’t blogged. No. Big. Thing. It’s not like anyone pays me for this stuff. Anyway, the Coop. It’s John Rivers new ode to Southern food. His other restaurant is a stand in line brisket joint called 4Rivers (4R) that I have blogged about a handful of times for everything from buying a brisket for Thanksgiving to cooking out of his cookbook. This is kind the same deal but a smidgen fancier and a different foodway. And when I say fancier–they still hand your food to you on a tray but first they put it on a plate. The cost is between say $8 and $12 for an ‘I’m too full’ meal. The decor at 4R is distinctly Texas with cowheads and big ole stars and such. Here the vibe is more country kitchen with whitewashed walls and mismatched tables and chairs. You still stand in line and in truth, the menu choices a little overwhelming. The menu is Southern in scope and has some depth-everything from fried chicken to pimiento cheese to hand pies and fried green tomatoes. Pretty much all things I want to eat. All. the. time. We went on a drizzly Saturday morning with some friends from work, Dustin & Jonathan. They beat us there and, full disclosure, totally let us cut in line. We still had lots of time to peruse the menu and by the time we reached the front we had all conferred what we would order so that we could maximize trying as many items as possible. For starters we tried the pimiento cheese and baguettes, hush puppies and fried green tomatoes. Best bet there is the fried green tomatoes. Vegetal, tart and fried-delish. I ordered a Fried Green Tomato BLT for my entree. Fried green tomatoes, bacon, pimiento cheese on buttered Texas toast… It got messed up somehow and ended up being delivered by none other than John Rivers. It might have taken a while but it was so delicious I’m not sure I can fault anyone. When he came with my sandwich we gave him some feedback about the portion size on the shrimp & grits (Dustin’s meal) and as it turns out he agreed and brought us a little more! Thanks John! Z had the fried chicken and mashed potatoes and Jonathan had the chicken and waffles. Probably for our future dollar the win goes to the chicken and waffles and my super scrumptious sandwich. Crunchy, full of flavor and easy to eat. I tried a mini pecan pie for dessert and Z picked up a deep fried hand pie which he ate later on in the day after wearing off some of our giant lunch shopping. It was caramel apple and seriously delicious, maybe the best bite of the day.

So, I’m not a restaurant critic. Like I said earlier, no one is paying me for my random thoughts. We eat where we want to go and love to try new things and sometimes Z tries things I’m positive he will hate. And to be honest I wasn’t sure if I loved the Coop. I liked it but I wasn’t sure that it would have the lure on me that 4R has. I wasn’t sure that I would crave it like I crave that long smoked brisket with spicy BBQ sauce. I wasn’t sure if the menu wasn’t just a bit …much. But, I sure wish I had that Fried Green Tomato BLT right now. So, the Coop for the win.

***totally forgot to take a picture …of my own food. blogger fail. 🙂

YOLO

April 8, 2014Leave a comment

YOLO is what Z kept calling this burger. I suppose because of two things.

1. The burger is called the Lola, after Mike Symon’s eponymous restaurant in Ohio and he kept thinking YOLO instead of Lola.

2. Because it annoyed me and it gives him joy when I ‘fight’ back.

Either way, this burger could totally be YOLO or Lola because of the sheer amount of stuff on there. Crazytown city. It is bunned up on an English muffin. If you haven’t used an English muffin in place of a hamburger bun-you should! It was the suggested thing on here and I thought it was a nice change. I put on a bit of butter and toasted them in the oven. The burger is so loaded with stuff that it needed the sturdy bun to even attempt at being eaten. In looking into this restaurant I see he now has taken the burger and moved it to his new burger joint, B-Spot. Lola has gone upscale from what he says in the cookbook, Mike Symon’s Live To Cook. He actually has done a couple of cookbooks after this one that I don’t have and am not so interested in but I do really like this one. I’ve cooked a number of things from it’s pages including pan roasted ricotta gnocchi and his spicy Sriracha Tomato soup. The recipes are easy to follow and I’d call them All-American in their mix of flavors and ingredients. This is stuff made of the melting pot that is the midwest. I’d like to east at his restaurants but haven’t, as a rule, made Cleveland or Detroit a destination. But, if I had a reason to go, I’d check them out.

Back to the burger, it is topped with spicy ketchup, cheddar, bacon, pickled onion, dill pickle and a fried egg. You do only live once to eat that kind of mess. It was stacked up to tipping and made me nervous as I plated it all up and got dinner on the table. It tasted good-hitting all the burger notes. Fatty. Spicy. Savory. Delicious. YOLO!