March 11th, 2010
It’s been a busy, busy week but I wanted to share Andrew Nelson’s National Geographic article, Tweet Me in Miami.
Remember Andrew Nelson? He came to Miami over Thanksgiving; his assignment was to see Miami with the help of Twitter, or “crowd-source his vacation,” as he quotes his friend telling him. I’m now in the process of planning a trip to Toronto and I can attest to the power of Twitter — I’ve been given some great suggestions.
You’ll see many familiar local bloggers in the article, including, Frodnesor at Food For Thought, Jackie Sayet of Kitchen Interviews, Steve of Blind Tastes, Maria of Sex on the Beach, Trina of Miami Dish, Hilda of Hidden Florida and others, including mango&lime (way at the end). There’s also a photo gallery where you’ll see a pic of some of the twitterers (is that a word?) who helped Nelson.
March 8th, 2010
When we arrived at Hani Khouri’s home in Redland on Sunday, only 12 hours had passed since one of his goats, Maria, gave birth to two babies. Nearby, three baby goats napped inside a plastic igloo warmed by a heat lamp. The three – Nelly, Clark Gable and Errol Flynn – were born six days ago to Cleopatra.
The family of Nubian goats is now 13 strong (another one was born the morning after we visited) and more babies are on the way from other expectant mothers. At Khouri’s home, the floppy-eared, playful goats, which live well in warm climates and produce milk rich in butterfat, roam freely except at night and when they’re milked. The milking period for the goats is between March and September after the does (female goats) have given birth to their offspring.
Originally from Lebanon, Khouri is a multi-lingual MBA who traveled the world to places like Saudi Arabia, Dubai and Salzburg starting up businesses before moving back to South Florida with his wife Mary Lee to semi-retire. He purchased a home and bought a few goats from a friend.
Always a fan of cooking, Khouri decided to get a table at the Great Green Family Festival at the Fruit and Spice Park in November 2008. It was his first exposure to the public.
“People liked the food a lot,” he recalls. So he began going to farmers markets and developing different varieties of cheese.
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March 6th, 2010
I’m non-committal when it comes to alcoholic drinks. I’m not loyal to any one drink, not even on a given night. But last summer I discovered a cocktail that I love to go back to called Flor de España.
Served at Sra. Martinez, it’s made with Oloroso Sherry, Johnnie Walker Black, egg whites, lemon juice and all-spice honey. It has a hint of sweetness and subtle sour notes. It’s smooth and foamy on top from the egg whites. It’s just good.
Not being able to have it that often makes it all the more special, but at this bar it’s even hard to stay loyal to Flor. There are many great choices on the menu and the bartenders are knowledgeable and happy to recommend something for your taste. On a couple of recent visits when it wasn’t too busy, I left my drink choice up to Rob only to be surprised with a cocktail more delicious than the last.
It’s a unique place, this tiny bar.
Sra. Martinez
4000 NE 2nd Avenue
305.573.5474
March 2nd, 2010
©iStockphoto.com/kledge
Forgive me for just now getting to events for March. I’m still trying to catch up and recover energies after the weekend’s festivities. Check out D’s Flickr photostream for some great photos of Sunday’s events.
This month is a busy one for Miami with big events like the Winter Music Conference, Miami Film Festival and Calle Ocho Festival in town. There are also a few interesting food-related events, especially during this first week of the month.
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March 1st, 2010
At Friday night’s Wine Spectator’s Best of the Best, I was seduced by a little gem of a bite. A foie gras bon bon with quince-champagne gelee on cracked pepper shortbread. Apparently I wasn’t alone. The dish served by chef Naomi Pomeroy and sous chef Mika Paredes of Beast in Portland has gotten love from many.
While there were many other delicious dishes, which I’ll get to in a moment, I was left thinking about this 24-seat restaurant, you know, for whenever I go to Portland. Pomeroy, who was named one of the 10 best new chefs in 2009 by Food & Wine, makes her appreciation for meat clear and describes Beast’s food as simple, refined and feminine. That little bon bon was just that. It was simple but packed with rich flavor.
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