Our Generation Florida

Long before garlic became a staple in many American kitchens, the city of Gilroy in Central California, located about 30 miles south of San Jose, was celebrating the food’s virtues at the annual Gilroy Garlic Festival. And believe me when I say that your nose will know you’re close to Gilroy before you see the signs. Read More »

Florida Seafood Festivals in 2008

Get those sea legs ready. Florida seafood is plentiful and so are the festivals which are held around the state. Check out the following locations and dates. Web sites are also listed.

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By Sandra Friend

Sitting in my rocking chair on the second floor veranda, reading with a good book as live jazz drifts up from the front porch below—it doesn’t get more relaxing than this. Well, okay, maybe it does, when I can take an afternoon nap as the lightly-draped windows let in a salt-scented breeze. Apalachicola is a timeless beauty, and it’s somewhere you can get lost in time. But I’m on a mission, too. I’m in search of the Holy Grail, the oyster. There are none better than those that come from Apalachicola, or so I’ve discovered from years of haunting seafood restaurants along the Gulf. Now, I’m finally at the source. Read More »

What: The 24th Annual Pompano Beach Seafood Festival is three days of seaside fun with arts and crafts, continuous Live Entertainment, cold drinks, hot sun and of course, lots of seafood prepared by South Florida’s finest establishments. Read More »

In the past decade or so, the neighborhood grocery store has evolved into a tremendous source of fresh and specialty items. I remember the days when I would have to go to an Asian market for fresh ginger, a Latin market for mangoes, a Greek deli for feta cheese, you get the idea. Read More »

The leading cause of most food-borne illnesses is improper food handling, preparation, and storage. Follow these tips to ensure good seafood quality and safety:

When Shopping

• Only buy seafood from reputable, commercial sources.
• When you are food shopping, purchase seafood last and keep it cold. Ask your grocer to pack your seafood on ice for the trip home.
• Fresh fish, shucked oysters and scallops have a mild, fresh sea breeze odor. A strong, fish odor generally is not acceptable.
• Clams and oysters should be purchased alive. Shells of live clams and oysters may open naturally but will close tightly when tapped, indicating that they are alive. Discard any dead ones.

Storage at Home

Store seafood in leak-proof containers for up to two days in the coldest part of your refrigerator at 32-38 degrees F, or three to 10 months frozen. Shelf life will vary depending upon product form and species.

Never store live (in the shell) oysters or clams in air-tight containers. Place them in a container with a lid that is slightly ajar and refrigerate for no more than five days. Oysters and clams will naturally open during storage. Tap the shell lightly. If it does not close, it is dead and must be discarded.

Preparation at Home

• Thaw seafood in the refrigerator, never at room temperature. To use frozen seafood immediately, thaw under cold running water (1 to 2 hours per pound of seafood) or use the microwave defrost setting.
• Prevent cross-contamination between raw seafood and other food products.
• Wash your hands with hot soapy water before and after handling raw seafood.
• Do not drip seafood juices on counters, utensils or other foods.
• Thoroughly wash containers that held raw seafood before using them again.
• Always marinate seafood in the refrigerator, never at room temperature. Discard the marinade after use.
• When in doubt, throw it out! Do not taste a food if you even suspect it might be spoiled.

SOURCE: Florida Department of Agriculture

The sincerest love is the love of food. ~George Bernard Shaw

Serves 4 – 6. About 1 hour prep and cook time.

3 dozen fresh clams, steamed with clams removed and juices saved (or 2 large cans whole clams with liquid)

1 can chicken or clam broth

2 carrots chopped

2 celery stalks (tops included) chopped

1 small onion chopped

1 medium potato chopped into small cubes and pre-cooked

1 tbs fresh thyme chopped (removed from stems)

1 tbs fresh parsley chopped

1 tsp hot sauce (Louisiana or similar)

1 tbs fresh lemon juice

4 tbs unsalted butter

3 tbs flour

1 can corn drained
½ cup heavy cream

salt and pepper to taste

TIP: Appearance matters. Try to chop your vegetables evenly. In addition to cooking evenly, chowder will look really nice.

TIP: As for the liquid, whether you choose fresh or canned, the combination of broth, clam juice needs to be about 2 cans.

TIP: Use heavy cream do not substitute otherwise soup will be watery. If you want soup to be thicker, adjust flour quantity.

Cook in medium saucepan over medium to medium low heat.

1. Saute onion, carrots, celery in butter until soft, about 10 minutes.
2. Stir in flour until paste forms
3. Incorporate broth with whisk and cook until thick, about 10 minutes
4. Add thyme, parsley, potatoes, lemon juice, hot sauce, cook about 5 minutes
5. Add clams corn and heavy cream, cook about 5 minutes