tur-duc-hen

Yup! Thats what was on our table this Thanksgiving, a Tur-Duc-Hen! This is something my dad has been dreaming about since we were little and finally took the leap of faith. John Madden, the famous football announcer has apparently been serving up this treat for years. So, before we go into how it was, lets go into what it is. The first thought that came to mind was that it was some sort of hybrid animal a turkey mated with a duck and had an affair with a chicken, and then a TurDucHen was born! I am blonde so that is definitely not the case and not possible, go figure?! What it really is is a chicken stuffed with a duck and stuffed into a turkey. The birds are a creole cajun creation which you can choose to stuff with cajun cornbread stuffings or order crawfish rices and other sides to have a Louisiana themed Thanksgiving.

The cooking instructions were perfect nearly 5 hours in an oven with no basting or fussing around just pan, bird, oven...thats it. Turkey was moist and delish and duck and chicken were cooked to perfection! I think that it was a fun way to mix things up (literally) but, in the future I'll take my traditional Turkey.

If you want to try one for yourself you can order online at http://shop.tonychachere.com.

a frustrated foodie's guide to giving

With the Holidays approaching kinda like a freight train, the pressure is on to shop. Somehow when pressure and shop are in the same sentence it isn't as fun as it might sound. But, don't fret my pets I am here to help out with some gift ideas for those frustrated foodies in your life!

Practical
The Vinturi aerator for red or white wine was once gifted to me and it is only fair to share this gift idea with you because I always use it! Basically, it subtracts the "breathing of the wine" element so you don't have to wait and you can drink up!
Price: 39.95  Purchase: www.vinturi.com

Fun

The Foodie Fight game is a fun gift that can be brought out after a few drinks at a dinner party. It has over 1,000 food questions to test your kitchen knowledge. 

Price: 18.95 Purchase: www.westelm.com

Gift That Keeps Giving

A years subscription to Food and Wine Magazine is a thoughtful gift idea that keeps giving all year long. Plenty of appetizing recipes and photos to get any ones inner foodie inspired. 

Price: 19.99  Purchase: www.foodandwine.com

Mix and Match

The Filling Station in NYC's famed Chelsea Market location is a unique way of gift giving! Order over the phone and have shipped to you various flavors of Olive Oil, Vinegars, Salts and Sugars. Order as many or as little as you like. I suggest Fig Balsamic Vinegar, Pink Sea Salt, Truffle Salt, Herb Olive Oil, Vanilla Sugar, etc. etc. take a look at the website for menu of flavors and categories.

Price: ranges Purchase: www.tfsnyc.com

Plant a Seed and Watch it Grow

The Buzzy Window Garden is a cute idea for those with a window in their kitchen. Herbs and Strawberries growing fresh in your kitchen is pretty cool! The tin planters are rustic and official looking and would fit in just any ones decor.

Price: 26.99 Purchase: www.Target.com

Happy shopping!

wine bistro high 5

 

Do I have great news! Found*** a 555 star restaurant, actually a bistro and wine shop (what a happy marriage this makes). I say its 555 star not only is that the name Bistro 555 (the restaurant) but, from a scale from 1-5 the service was 5, food was 5 and ambiance is 5. Location continues on to be a 5, off of 6th and Jefferson in South Beach. General concept is a 5 actually, my point system doesn't really matter but, what does matter is this place is GREAT! Yessss! Finally, finding this is like finding a diamond in the rough and this one sure does sparkle and shine baby. 

So the Wine Depot (the wine shop) works that you can buy a bottle of wine and leave or you can buy a bottle of wine and stay and eat yummy tapas or a full meal and pay a 7.50 + corkage fee. Up too you. I suggest you stay and eat yummy tapas or a full meal and pay that small fee. We ate Lamb Shank "tangine style" (this was on the specials menu), pan con tomate y arugula or something on perfectly chewy crunchy golden olive oily toast, crispy rice with duck (from specials menu) and duck rilletes with sweet onion confit and cornichons. All food was served smartly yet rustically to present the fresh tasteful dishes. Lastly, we tried a fig tart with vanilla ice cream for a fresh and delightful end to my new favorite restaurant! 

www.winedepotmiami.com

vino e oh no

Here it goes....another attempt at finding greatness in a city that is culinarily (if this is a word?) inclined to failure on several levels but, there has to be something said to those that are still trying their hearts out! Cheers to you and here's to a review that is rather disappointing so my sincere apologies but, someones gotta be the bad guy.

Vino e Olio in the Design District was something that I was looking forward to trying and before you trash my blog for being a hater let me start out with some of the highlights! The location is great I love the DD. Place or rather, structure, beautiful you walk in and there is a DJ jamming some cool tunes and a lounge area outside that for this time of year is heavenly. Nice bar, bad drinks but, who's paying attention anyways to a bad Martini...wait, a bad Martini? Who screws that up? Oh yeah, this place. So anyways, back to some positives...that was it.

Now, on too the not so positives an unappetizing menu, absurdly over priced (soup for 18 dollars? apps for 20, mains for 40?) and lousy service. 3 of us tried the butternut squash soup (18 dollars) with ricotta cheese and wild mushrooms. The ricotta was 2 huge cold globs in the middle of the soup and the wild mushrooms were some where in there I may have fished out 1 or 2? Main course there was naked ravioli on the table, who the hell wants spinach and ricotta with butter sauce and no pasta?! Obviously not a winner. I had a pasta with sweet peppers and chili (not served hot) and it came drowning in a pink sauce, I never remember this being on the menu. Octopus served salty as hell but, well cooked so they killed it with salt, almost had it! Needless to go on....not good.

Here is what I had in mind and the chefs to consider....with a name that is so bold in the ingredients Vino e Olio 2 of life's greatest pleasures and earths gift to mankind. Both sacred and holy elements to our daily diet why don't you INCLUDE them in your menu. Risotto made with Barolo? Red wine braised short ribs? Pasta and fish in a white wine sauce? Fresh ingredients used that are highlighted with full bodied olive oils from Tuscany? Its Italian food people simple and delicious. 

So unless your going for a glass of wine and sitting outside in the lounge area. Don't waste your time nor your well earned cash. 

www.vinoeolio.com

crazy about...

Crazy about the prices, crazy about the food, crazy about the ambiance, crazy about the location but, not crazy about the name but, too much goodness to make up for this detail! Crazy About You is a new restaurant opened by the same owners as My Name Dolores but, you can call me Lola or something like that in Brickell, another terrible name for a restaurant. Crazy about you is located in the Mark building on Brickell where several restaurants have opened and soon after closed. The location is so great because it is right on the water, rare in Miami which is strange, I know. Prices are unreal 15.75 or 19.75 you can choose from either column and an appetizer anyone you'd like is included! I mean, crazy!!! Portions are not stingy either, healthy helpings leave you satisfied! If this isn't enough 2.50 for amazing desserts, like Message in Bottle where a kit is brought to your table and a gigantic dish where you can assemble your own brownie ice cream sundae! Wine is 13 dollars for a bottle of house, Really?! Yes! Ambiance is cool, calm and cozy! Love it! 

GO! GO! GO!

What are you waiting for??? Its a cheap date! 

www.crazyaboutyourestaurant.com