Dinner in Paradise

Thanks to the folks at Driscoll's (thank you, Alicia and Kim!), I tried something completely new. It was sheer coincidence that I ended up having dinner at Paradise Farms, a 5 acre certified organic farm in Homestead, Florida. I was skeptical at best when, upon my arrival, I saw the handpainted "no cigarettes, no meat" sign at the farm entrance, but I ended up having a beautiful evening despite the fact that I was leaving my worldly comforts behind.

Paradise Farms sells their bounty only to local chefs. They grow edible flowers, vegetables and fruit using no pesticides. Upon our arrival, we were treated to an assortment wines from Schnebly's Redlands Winery. I had been to the winery before- and was looking forward to tasting the sparkling lychee wine again. It is semi-dry with a tropical perfume nose. There were a few beautiful displays laden with Driscoll's berries, and it was all I could do not to dig in, but I didn't want to ruin my dinner. Driscoll's displayed the most incredible raspberries, blueberries, strawberries and blackberries that I had seen.



Back to the farm, we were treated to a tour of the farms and grounds and an explanation of the use of the composting toilets. Here are some of the amazing fruit trees and vegetables I saw growing as I walked along the path:





Paradise Farms' Dinner in Paradise series takes place monthly. This month, in conjunction with the South Beach Food and Wine Festival, the event was also part of The New York Times Dinner Series, and was sponsored by The Food Network, Driscoll's, The New York Times, Paradise Farms and Whole Foods. What a line up! Chefs Jeremy Fox, Andrea Reusing, Michel Nischan and Michael Schwartz all produced Hors D'Oeuvres, Four Courses and Dessert. Hedy Goldsmith created cookies, candies and confections for dessert as well. Her soft pomelo gelled candy was one of the most heavenly things I have ever eaten.

First Course: Paradise "Farm to Fork" Leaves, Herbs, Flowers, Roots and Shoots with Panisse (Jeremy Fox). With Chenin Blanc 2006 Heller Estate, California (100% Certified Organic Grapes)



Second Course: Heirloom Tomato Salad with Shiso and Shallots. With Sauvignon Blanc 2007, Mason Cellars, California (100% Certified Organic Grapes)

(Photo by Ian)

Third Course (my personal favorite): Ancient Grain and Root Vegetable "Risotto", Golden Chioggia Beets, Rainbow Carrots, Purplette Onions, Micro Greens, Roasted Almonds. With Chateauneuf-du-Pape, LaBernardine 2005, Michael Chapoutler, France (Biodynamic Farming)



Fourth Course: Pan Roasted Local Tilefish, Spiny Lobster Panade, Saffron Nage, Micro Cilantro. With Pinot Noir, Estate 2006, Bouchaine Winery, California (Sustainable Farming)



Dessert: Paradise Farms Basil Infused Panna Cotta with Strawberry Consomme. With Riesling, Graacher Himmelreich Spatlese 2006, S.A. Prum, Germany (Sustainable Farming). Hedy Goldsmith's Cookies, Candies and Confections.

(Photo By Ian)

I am certain that this is the freshest food I have ever eaten, and I have to admit I could taste the love and effort along with the unique flavors of everything! I especially enjoyed the grain and root vegetable "risotto" third course, which had the advantage of being something hardy, refined and absolutely bursting with enormous flavor. With the exception of the cilantro, everything else was indeed unique and fantastic. Seeing as Driscoll's was a sponsor of the event, I was curious as to why berries weren't more prominently featured on the menu- they are so versatile and can add much to savory dishes. Nonetheless, it is hard to complain about Dinner in Paradise! It was such a lovely experience. I highly recommend the dinner series- step outside your comfort zone and step into a little piece of paradise...and the eggs.

Sharing Bubbles

Some things are too good to keep to yourself. I'm coming out of blogtirement once in a while when something deliciously momentous happens. Last night was one of those times. The Perrier-Jouet BubbleQ at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival was luxurious, elegant and as fabulous as could be.



On the beach behind the Delano Hotel, the gargantuan tents held well-known chefs from around the country with their crews, cooking and serving the most original and varied barbecued items imaginable. We sampled everything from tender buffalo steaks to succulent lamb to melt-in-your-mouth beef with every degree of smoke and heat changing from chef to chef. It was a whirlwind education and I kept on learning with every new plate.

There was Al Roker and his dish.







One of the best was Peter Vauthy's beef- mmmmmm.mmmm.mmmm.  

There was one chef who blew my mind with his dish for the evening. Ilan Hall, winner of Top Chef season 2, created a crispy barbecued chicken skin with pickles sandwich served on fresh, soft rye bread. On the side was a bacon-wrapped matzo ball! A small puff of matzo ball hugged by a strip of bacon? Genius. Although I have to admit that a small bite of the sandwich would have given me as much pleasure as eating most of the sandwich did, I was happy to have too much. I will dream of this sandwich for the rest of my life.  I took the picture when I realized I shouldn't/couldn't eat any more of it but I needed a visual memory of the thing.

 

Tom Colicchio's barbecue was fine- not a standout but not bad- but his mac and cheese was heaven. The best I have tasted.



Did I mention the champagne?  Riedel representatives distributed glasses and beautifully decorated bars were strategically placed throughout the event.  Anytime the glass was in danger of being empty, all one had to do was waltz on over to one of the bars and in seconds, it was full again.  Like magic.

We walked from table to table, sampling dishes and saying hello to the chefs- from time to time we recognized others in the crowd.  We saw Gail Simmons, Top Chef judge and Special Projects Director for Food and Wine Magazine, enjoying herself sampling barbecue at Tom Colicchio's Craft tent.  Some former Top Chef contestants milled about, as did a few Food Network personalities.  I am sure missed a lot of people because we were too busy just having fun.   TLMM saw Rocco as we walked past him, so we stopped to say hello.  He made us promise to attend his food demo later in the festival, and was really very friendly.   Oh okay!  I admit it!  I love him- I didn't tell him- but I think you can see it in my eyes.  I think he might love me a little bit, too.



The night was so full of highlights, I will have to mention the low-lights for levity.   The event is on sand, so wear comfortable shoes or find a secret hiding place for your shoes and remember, you are going to drink copious amounts of champagne, so hide them somewhere they'll be easy to find later.   The bathroom situation was tricky because there were only two women's stalls.  The event was nearly impossible for anyone in a wheelchair or with a walker to navigate.  It's on sand.  I am sure they'll do something to accommodate, but again, it's on sand.

It makes me uneasy to be critical of any of it, but with such a high ticket price (thank you TLMM for such a generous Christmas gift), they should work out the kinks.  

There is so much more to say.  I met and chatted with restaurant owners and food enthusiasts from all over the country.  I met Alicia, the Convention Coordinator for Driscoll's, who was kind enough to invite me to tonight's event- Dinner in Paradise at Paradise Farms, an organic farm in Homestead, FL.   I anticipate my next blog entry being about just that!  So hi everyone, I'll be here from time to time so don't forget to check back.  I've missed you...and the eggs.

PIG ROAST!!!

WARNING: GRAPHIC PHOTOGRAPHS THROUGHOUT THIS POST.

It was a beautiful, clear December day in Rockledge, Florida, near Cocoa Beach, on the day of Heather and Jorge's pig roast! Roasting a pig is a latino tradition at Christmas and New Years. We enjoyed ours just before Christmas at the lovely home of TLMM's cousins Jackie and Glenn. Their son-in-law, Jorge, is an expert pig roaster, and the cooked pig that he made was easily the most delicious pork I have ever tasted in all of my years on this earth.

Jorge ordered the 75 pound pig from Publix, and they ordered it from Sysco. It would yield approximately 30 pounds of meat, which would feed 70 people. He started by simmering the ingredients he would use to inject into the meat. Saute a head of cleaned garlic in 3/4 a cup of olive oil. Add a few sliced onions. Let it simmer for 10 minutes and add 1/2 a bottle of Mojo Seasoning. Using a hand blender, blend the ingredients, and put the resulting sauce in an injector. Inject generously in several places into the meat of the pig.

Jorge uses a Caja China- readily available in South Florida.  It is designed perfectly to transfer the heat from the charcoal which will be on top of the cooker to the inside for slow, even cooking.  We had 70 pounds of charcoal but had 2 bags left.  Better to have too many bags than too few.

Cover drip pan with aluminum foil.

Pig.  Jorge attached it to the rack before he injected the mojo into it.  

Place pig in cooker.

Secure grate.  

It's a dirty job.

Jorge placed the charcoal around the perimeter of the grate to start- because the thickest meat of the pig is concentrated on the outer part of the cooker. Light charcoal.

As the charcoal heats and begins to break down, add more.  Let the pig stay in the cooker undisturbed for three hours for a 70 pound pig.  

After three hours, open the cooker and enlist a lovely assistant to flip the pig.  Jorge's assistant that day was JAM, by brother-in-law.

Remove the charcoal grate and put it on a non flammable surface.  Remove the pig and put it on a clean surface.

This is what happens when you put a grate full of hot charcoal on the grass. Homeowner might not be happy.  Give him a beer or a glass of wine- it eases the loss.

Flip pig, put it back in the cooker and then cover with charcoal grate.  Load up with more charcoal and this time fill the center of the grate with coals too- keep the heat coming.

An hour before you want the pig to be cooked, load up the center with coals for an extra blast of heat.  This will ensure a very crispy outer skin, and worked like a charm.

Time for the unveiling.

Oh yeah, baby.

The chef!

Place the pig on a clean surface.  Pull off pieces of the pig's ear and crispy skin for the onlookers.  C'mon, have some.  The first time that flavorful, crispy meat touches your lips, you will get over the gruesome scene.  Well, at least I did.

Since you have bought a few large aluminum containers, cut the meat out of the pig and place chunks and pieces in the container.  The feast begins the minute it is carried to the table.  Our feast consisted of the pig, rice and red beans, salad and rolls.  Glenn and Jorge made Usinger's sausage during the day- several varieties (from mild to spicy) ordered from the famous Milwaukee outfit.  Glenn first parboiled them with beer and then put them on the grill.   Sliced and placed on the buffet table, they were warm and wonderful and helped curb our hunger as we waited for the main event.  

Hanging out with Chef Jorge and taking notes and photos was great fun.   I also ended up with a chunk of the chef's treat on my plate.  A piece of meat from above the rib.  There are no words to describe the simple yet complex taste and soft warm texture of the meat.  It was unbelievably good.  It was heaven.  

Since my food journey started with a bite of ham at age 11, it is only appropriate that my blog should end with this post.  A flawless Florida day surrounded by family, simply wonderful food, good rum and much good cheer.   

Thank you for reading- now go make your own food memories...and the eggs.