Jan Norris: Writer, Editor, Floridian

Jan Norris writes at all hours of the day and night. To keep up with Jan, please sign up for her once-a-day Appeteaser. We have a no-spam guarantee and you can opt out of the email Appeteaser anytime you like. Of, if you're more of the RSS sort, you may subscribe to her feed.

Spoto’s Oyster Bar WPB Closes

Sorry to start off the year with a loss, but John Spoto decided to close the downtown West Palm Spoto’s Oyster Bar. Having spent many a lunch hour supping on the clam chowder or one of the fish dishes at the 11-year-old casual spot within eyesight of the water, I’m sad to see this turn of events. John Spoto is even more dismayed. [Read more →]

We Southerners typically eat black-eyed peas and collards for New Year’s Day, hoping for extra coin (peas) and folding greenbacks (collards) to fill our pots in the coming year.

I dutifully did just that, inviting a few friends over to help them prosper as well. I made some extra dishes – corn pudding, sweet potatoes and a ham to go with the meal, and my almost-famous cupcakes for dessert. (Vanilla-peppermint, and Serious chocolate.) We’re going to be rich, if the empty plates were any indication.

But chili elsewhere

Carly and Adam Steinhoff

Beans of a different sort were happening across town. [Read more →]

Tomorrow, Jan. 6, 2009, is Epiphany — the 12th Day of Christmas. In the Christian religion, it marks the visit of the Magi - Caspar, Melchoir and Balthazar - the three kings who came, the Bible says, to bring gold, incense and myrrh to the newborn babe. In some nativity displays the Wise Men have either been missing from the creche, or are placed far away at the beginning of the season, but move ever closer, and finally, around the cradle on Twelfth Night.  [Read more →]

Mark S. in St. Louis, Mo. asks:

Jan, I have been “roasting” chestnuts every since they came into season here in St. Louis. I have the chestnut knife, I buy as fresh as I can get chestnuts and I bake them in the oven. My quandary is this: Besides scoring them with the knife (I do an “x” cut) and placing them in the oven (I have tried other ways to roast them and found the oven method best) can you think of any simple way to season them up?

Jan answers:

Wish I had a fireplace here (useful as wheels on a fish) just so I could roast chestnuts and cook popcorn over the flames. It sounds so romantic.

So OK, you use the oven. Said to be the best method anyway — just remember to stir them once during cooking. This helps to pull the nutmeat evenly away from its shell and prevents charring on one side.

On to seasoning: Purists dip them in a little dish of salt, if anything. I’d use a sprinkle of sea salt, but would gild this lily by sprinkling them with olive oil before roasting (I prefer Grecian olive oil for oven work), and then sprinkling with some sea salt once peeled.

For a sweet treat instead, peel them, and while warm, drizzle (lightly - don’t drench) with pure maple syrup, Tupelo honey, or a mix of brown sugar and a bit of butter.

Buche de Noel/ photo from Betty Crocker

A chestnut puree, made with sugar, is used in the traditional Christmas “log” cake — Buche de Noel. This chocolate cake, made in jellyroll style, is rolled up after being spread with a chestnut puree, frosted with dark chocolate and then scored with fork tines to make it look like a real log. To complete it, cooks make little meringue mushrooms to set atop it, sometimes adding a piped holly leaf and berries. It’s a true labor of love and creativity — and serious tradition. You can get a version made with a non-traditional coffee buttercream filling at RecipeGoldmine.com - a great site for a number of recipes.

Sandie Cohen

After reading about the unusual latkes that take top honors at the Morse Geriatric Center Latke Cook-off, one of my readers, Sandie Cohen of Hollywood, FL, wrote to say hers are the very best “traditional” latkes around.

She shared her recipe for these crispy potato pancakes, and tips for making them. Jan’s note: Don’t make substitutions until after you try these as written. [Read more →]

CLASSES AND FOOD EVENTS IN SOUTH FLORIDA

Note: Events, teachers and times subject to change; call venue and confirm information in advance. To have your event published on this web site at no charge, see instructions at end of this calendar.

Week of Jan. 5:

Publix Apron’s Cooking School, 5050 Champion Blvd., Boca Raton. For information or reservations, call 561-994-4883 or www.publix.com/aprons/schools/Boca/Home.do

• Monday, Jan. 5: Hands-on class - Basic Knife Skills; 6 p.m., $50
• Tuesday, Jan. 6: Hands-on class - Practical Dinners for Winter; 6 p.m., $40
• Wednesday, Jan. 7: Hands-on class - Crawl Before You Cook; 6 p.m., $35
• Thursday, Jan. 8: Demo technique class - Winter Comfort Foods; 6:30 p.m., $40
• Friday, Jan. 9: Demo technique class - Celebrity Chef: Delgrosso Family; 6:30 p.m., $40
• Saturday, Jan. 10: Hands-on class - Soups for the Soul; 11 a.m., $35
• Saturday, Jan. 10: Hands-on class - Dim Sum; 6 p.m., $40

 Robb & Stucky Culinary Center, 4001 Design Center Dr., Palm each Gardens. Call (866) 206-3840. 

• Tuesday, Jan. 6: Demo technique class - National Soup Month: Ladle Resolutions; 6-8 p.m., $40.
• Thursday, Jan. 8: Demo technique class - Salads as a Meal; 6-8 p.m., $40.

Editor’s note: The date and time of the following event was changed by organizers after the item was listed. The following is now correct:

Book Signing by Daniel Boulud — Saturday, Jan. 10: Chef Daniel Boulud will host a book signing from noon to 1 p.m. at Café Boulud at the Brazilian Court. The chef will sign any of his six cookbooks and visit with guests. Café Boulud, 301 Australian Ave, Palm Beach; 561-655-6060 for more information.

  Week of Jan 12:

Publix Apron’s Cooking School, 5050 Champion Blvd., Boca Raton. For information or reservations, call 561-994-4883 or www.publix.com/aprons/schools/Boca/Home.do

• Monday, Jan. 12: Hands-on class - The Basics of Culinary - First of a six-part series; 10 a.m., $300
• Monday, Jan. 12: Hands-on class - The Basics of Culinary - First of a six-part series; 6 p.m., $300
• Tuesday, Jan. 13: Hands-on class - Old School Meets New School; 6 p.m., $35
• Wednesday, Jan. 14: Talk of the Town - Demo technique class: 3030 Ocean - Dean James Max; 6:30 p.m., $40
• Thursday, Jan. 15: Demo technique class - Light the Fuse; 6:30 p.m., $40
• Friday, Jan. 16: Demo technique class - Floribbean; 6:30 p.m., $40

Robb & Stucky Culinary Center, 4001 Design Center Dr., Palm Beach Gardens. Call (866) 206-3840.

• Tuesday, Jan. 13: Demo technique class - Pizza, Pasta & More!; 6-8 p.m., $40.
• Thursday, Jan. 15: Demo technique class - Beef; 6-8 p.m., $50.
• Saturday, Jan. 17: Ladies Night Out - Dining Al Fresco; Join Chef Christian for an evening showcasing recipes perfect for entertaining outdoors during the refreshing Florida winter weather. $10 of each ticket sold will be donated to the Florida Resource Center for Women & Children. 7-10 p.m., $65.

Slow Food Fish Dinner, Thursday, Jan. 15: Glades-to-Coast chapter of Slow Foods presents a dinner of sustainable seafood at 3030 Ocean, with Chef Dean Max. Champagne reception begins at 6:30; dinner with wines follows. $125 per person, all inclusive, with $25 going to the Slow Foods organization. 3030 Ocean, at 3030 Holiday Dr., Fort Lauderdale. Call 954-765-3030.

AREA GREEN MARKETS:

Area greenmarkets run through spring; check with the markets in spring to verify closing dates. 

            Saturday markets:

• West Palm Beach Green Market, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays, at Second Street and Narcissus Avenue. Variety of raw and prepared foods, plants and gift items. Free parking in Banyan Street Garage during market hours. Runs through April. Call: (561) 822-1515. Web: www.wpb.org/greenmarket. 

• Delray GreenMarket, 8 a.m.-1 p.m., Saturdays through May 16, Pineapple Grove on N.E. Second Avenue, just east of Old School Square in the parking lot, Delray Beach. Cupcakes, foods, animal treats, plants, more. Call: (561) 276-7511. www.delraycra.org. 

• Boca Raton GreenMarket, 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. Saturdays through April/May, South Federal Highway in the southwest parking lot of Royal Palm Plaza. Parking is located adjacent to the GreenMarket vendor site. Call: (561) 358-6875. 

• Fort Pierce Market, 8 a.m.-noon, Saturdays at East Orange Avenue along the waterway (Melody Lane and Riverside Drive). Call: (772) 940-1145. 

• Boynton Beach - Ocean Avenue Green Market, 8 a.m.-1 p.m., Saturdays until early May, the Schoolhouse Children’s Museum campus, 129 E. Ocean Ave., Boynton Beach. Market organizer Sherry Johnson is looking for new vendors to join the market including those selling baked goods, fruits, coffee, flowers and specialty foods. Call: (561) 752-8598. 

• Lake Worth - Oceanside Farmers Market at Lake Worth Beach, 8 a.m.-1 p.m., Saturday, at S. Ocean Avenue and Lake Avenue, behind John J’s restaurant, Lake Worth. Call Peter at (561) 283-5856, or e-mail: info@oceanside-farmersmarket.com. Web: www.oceanside-farmersmarket.com. 

• Pompano Beach Green Market, 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. Saturdays through April, at Flagler Avenue and N.E. First Street, Pompano Beach. For more information: http://www.pompanohistory.com/phc/market. 

• Jupiter - Abacoa Town Center Green Market, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Saturdays, Crescent and Town Center drives in Abacoa Town Center, Jupiter. Call: (561) 756-3600. 

Sunday markets:

• Palm Beach Gardens‘ Taste Of The Gardens Green Market, 8 a.m.-1 p.m., Sundays, City Complex, Military Trail at Burns Road, Palm Beach Gardens. Call: (561) 722-6435. www.pbgfl.com.

• Stuart Market, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Sundays, city hall parking lot, Stuart. Parking available at city hall lot. Call: (772) 528-8900.

 To have your South Florida food event listed on our EatBeat calendar, send it by email to eatbeatcalendar@gmail.com. Items are due two weeks prior to the event and must include a contact phone number.

The annual Morse Geriatric Center’s Latke Cook-off produced a number of very tasty latkes from the employee teams who competed earlier this month.

Seven teams of administrators and workers at the center playfully compete in the potato-pancake frying contest for the “Golden Spatula” award — bragging rights, really, till next year.

The winning latke in the “best taste” category would have taken all honors — except they didn’t bother much with presentation and that counted for one-third of the score. It was perfect in all other ways, however. The fresh dill and a nice dill-mayo dipping sauce make it perfect.

Overall winner was the Black Bean latke with a cilantro dipping cream. It was actually stuffed with foods — corn, zucchini, onions — as well as black beans, and the requisite potatoes. While it didn’t score as high as

[Read more →]

My fellow ex-Poster, Mary Thurwachter, was the knowledgeable Travel section columnist who searched out and wrote about the bed and breakfasts around the state (and elsewhere).

She just launched her own travel blog, called InnSide Florida, and because travel dovetails with food, she’s guest blogging here once in a while.

Today, she’s got great ideas for housing winter visitors — in someone else’s house!

Here’s Mary… [Read more →]

Eggnog’s one of those yes or no foods. Take it or leave it. I mostly left it as a kid: There was something about its flavor that really got next to me. Maybe it was the booze — bourbon wasn’t to my liking — back then.

My parents were nog-heads and couldn’t get enough of the stuff. They made it for years from scratch for their blow-it-all-out Christmas Eve open house. They’d serve up gallons of the creamy, thick yellow liquid laced with serious bourbon. We would fill a punch bowl several times over as guests dipped into it again and again - and finally scraped the last of it by around 2 a.m. A can of nutmeg stood at the ready. [Read more →]

While I take call-in questions from readers, and locate my latkes recipe for you, I’m turning my blog over this morning to Dan Oliver, friend and fellow quaffer. He’s going to occasionally write for me about beer and brewing and all things hoppy. Dan’s the Beer Guy who does the very nice Watering Hole series of videos on The Palm Beach Post web site.

Twas the night before Christmas…And all through the house,

Not a beer stein was empty, and the Beer Guy was soused!

     We’ll see if my impromptu poem proves to be prophetic or not. But The Beer Guy has been telepathically receiving a group “S.O.S. message from you procrastinating holiday shoppers out there, and I’m here to plant an idea in that racked brain of yours. Put your hands to your temples and close your eyes (OK, well for a second…)

B E E R!

That’s right, beer! No, not just any beer, but good beer. Maybe even great beer.

Almost everybody loves beer and those who don’t should. And you’ll never see a more sincere smile on the face of a beer lover who has just received something he or she really wants, and could really use around Christmas time.

With that in mind, The Beer Guy has compiled a shopping list for your consideration of possible stocking stuffers for the foam fanatic in your life. This list can also double for something interesting to bring to any upcoming New Year’s celebrations.

• Santa’s Private Reserve from Rogue Brewery should have sold out by now, but lucky for you it didn’t. It’s even on sale at Whole Foods in Wellington for $8.99 a six pack. The 22-oz. bottle is around five bucks. I found Santa’s Private Reserve to be an exceptionally tasty, smooth and balanced brew, not overpowering in any way. Now I know why Santa wanted to keep most of it for himself, Ho Ho Ho!

• Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale is a holiday classic, right up there with It’s a Wonderful Life and  A Christmas Story. It’s a wonderful beer, a keg of which we thoroughly enjoyed at the local beer club’s Christmas party. It’s full-bodied and aggressively hopped and always seems to make any anti-festive feelings just melt away sip by sip. It’s also on sale at Whole Foods for $8.99 a sixer. Go getcha some, I double-dog-dare you.

• Saranac 12 Beers of Winter are a safe bet for a “beer liker” on your list. You can count on Saranac to produce solid brews which don’t try to push the envelope too far. This seasonal 12 pack includes two each of six different beers, Vanilla Stout, India Brown Ale, Bohemian Pilsener, Extra Special Bitter and Season’s Best. $15.99 to $17.99 and available at most discriminating beverage outlets, including Total Wine.

• Never Summer Ale from Boulder Brewing is billed as a “big, bold winter seasonal”, but it’s not so big it should scare you. Notes of caramel come through in the flavor and the hops are subdued. It’s a good companion for some of those chilly nights to come. $7.99 to $8.99 per six.

• Prelude Special Ale is Shipyard Brewery’s veteran winter seasonal. It’s made in the style of an English ale, “rich and nutty with an amber hue” says the tasting notes. This is one I didn’t get a chance to try yet, I haven’t tried it yet, but if you do, comment and let me know what you think. It’s 6.8 percent alcohol, so it’s a winter warmer to be sure. $7.99 to $8.99 per six pack.

• For something new: Stone Brewing Co.’s beers have made their way here from Escandido, Calif., and South Florida beer nerds are excitedly welcoming them. The flagship brew is Arrogant Bastard Ale, an aggressive beer with a character matching it’s name. In fact, the brewers warn “you probably won’t like it”, questioning whether you have the “sophistication” to appreciate it. It’s incredibly popular and a good gift to give someone you want to send a not-so-subtle message to. 4.99-5.99 per 22 ounce bottle. There are many other Stone beers to choose from, including a Pale Ale and Smoked Porter, or the one I plan to open on Xmas eve, Ruination Imperial IPA (see above poem).

 And finally a couple of suggestions for some New Year’s grog:

• At 20 percent alcohol, Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA is stronger than champagne and much more interesting. Go easy though, a 12 ounce bottle contains 450 calories. As this is a seasonal beer, it may be in limited supply. Also from Dogfish, Midas Touch Golden Elixir is a combination of beer, wine and mead, created from beer goblets found in the tomb of King Midas. It’s a conversation starter for sure.

• Also consider any good Belgian Ale for the holidays and December 31st. Chimay is always popular and comes in a corked bottle, but my favorite is La Chouffe’s Strong Golden Ale. No gnomes were harmed in the making of his brew, they claim There are layers of subtle flavor in this unique beer, including orange and coriander, and at 8 percent alcohol, it’s no fairy.

Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all.

 The Beer Guy

PS: Keep the cheer through next year — drink responsibly and designate a driver!