Sunset Picnic at the Beach

One of my favorite places to eat in Sarasota is at the beach, about an hour before sunset. As a local, this is something I don't do often enough. There are so many places to dine in Sarasota, but there is something about a picnic on the beach that just can't be beat.

When we don't make our own food, we like to pop in to Morton's Gourmet Market on Osprey Avenue to pick up some of their lovely prepared foods. To complete it, you only need a couple of chairs or a blanket, a bottle of wine (keep in mind that glass is banned on the beach), and a nice spot on the beach to sit back and enjoy the view.

Sietsa Key Beach (voted Travel Channel's "America's Best Beach 2003") is the most popular in the area, but Lido Beach is closer to our house, and less crowded, making it the ideal spot for a picnic.

Creative Use of Left Overs: Panko- Couscous Chicken with Blue Cheese Gratin Potatoes

We interrupt the regularly schedule travel blogging to bring you TONIGHT'S DINNER... With the current economy suffering, you don't have to break the bank to have a really nice meal. Nor do you have to spend hours slaving over a hot stove. For the following two recipes, all of the ingredients were already in my kitchen - with the exception of 2 chicken cutlets and 2 Idaho potatoes.

I had a basic idea on how I wanted to prepare the chicken: the final product was a combination of a Delia Smith recipe along with my step mom's chicken cutlets and Audrey Sweeney's much raved about chicken bites.

• I first marinated the chicken in 3 eggs with a sprinkle of salt and a good pinch of herbs. My choice was Herbes de Provence, but anything you have on hand will do. After 30 minutes, coat in bread crumbs. This is where i got creative: I didn't have enough panko for the chicken, so I had a look around my fridge. There was some leftover couscous from the weekend, so I decided to give that a go. I mixed equal parts panko to couscous, added a small pinch of salt and some more herbs. Once the chicken was coated, i fried in a shallow amount of olive oil for 6 minutes each side. Once finished cooking, let sit on a paper towel for one minute to absorb oil.

• While the chicken was marinating, I went on to the side dish... My side dish was a creative use of leftovers to make one of my favorite dishes: Gratin Potatoes. We had some leftover Roquefort cheese sauce. As this came out of a dried packet, it was very economical. If you don't have (or like) Roquefort cheese sauce packets, any sort of cheese sauce will do. I mixed the left over sauce with some whipping cream, left over blue cheese crumbles, and a little milk just to thin it out a bit, all in a sauce pan over medium heat. I then added the two potatoes, thinly sliced, and let simmer for 10 minutes. This all got dumped into a backing dish and baked in the over for 35 minutes at 350F.

It didn't tale a lot of effort to make, not did it take a lot of money. Instead of cooking vegetables, I decided it was a good idea to use the little bit of salad that was left over. You know that stuff, that little bit that gets left in the bag that you forget about and end up throwing away? I then drizzled a little of my homemade vinaigrette (also made from cupboard staples) over the lettuce and grabbed my fork.

Yum! Not only was it a satisfying meal, it was satisfying to know I was using things up in my kitchen, not letting them go to waste.

When in France, Phone Before Driving Up Narrow Roads for Lunch, But Not When Walking in Alpine Meadows (10/02)

Our agenda for the day was to have lunch once again at Châlet la Pricaz and the have a nice leisurely walk through Alpine meadows. We drove all the way to Forclaz, up the steep and narrow mountain road, only to discover that they were closed. Despite the fact that it wasn't their scheduled week day to be closed. This is a valuable lesson my friends: while in France, if you don't like steep and narrow roads, please do phone and check an establishment's agenda for the day before making the trek up.
I was gutted, but it gave me time to visit the Cows.

The Tarentaise cows are one of the breeds whose milk is used to make Reblochon cheese.

We also spotted this, Montbéliard. This is a well known dairy breed that is mainly used for making cheese.

The cows were lovely, and so was the location, so we decided to move on for our Alpine Meadow walk in hopes of finding lunch on the way.

Lunch at Châlet Rosiers (10-01)

My sister-in-law joined us on Wednesday morning. We popped into Doussard to the Shopi and une boulangerie to pick up some essentials, then went back to Châlet Rosiers for lunch.
As figs were in the height of season, my sister-in-law taught me how to choose the perfect fig: they should be soft (like a peach), but not too mushy.

We also had some ham that my mother-in-law cooked and some French salami.

My sister-in-law made her speciality: tomatoes with a sprinkling of sea salt, chopped garlic and a drizzle of salad dressing.

I was tasked with making the salad dressing for the two weeks, which was a big honor as my father-in-law is the master and had originally taught me how to make it years ago. Following the ratio of three parts olive oil to one part vinegar, I add a sprinkle of sea salt and sugar, one tbsp of Dijon mustard. This particular time I also added one clove of chopped garlic and a couple pinches of herbes de Provence.

This was also the first time I had tried a fresh fig, so I'm glad she was an expert at selecting them. She also showed me how to prepare and eat them. I was a little apprehensive of eating the skins, but they are very soft, not unlike peach skin. Not a huge fan of the Newton, I was pleasantly surprised by the taste. The taste was similar to a peach mixes with strawberries.

It was a very simple lunch, easy to prepare, but J and I agree that it was easily one of the most memorable meals of our trip. The sun was shining, the sky was blue, we were sitting outside on the balcony and it was so nice to catch up with my sister-in-law. We don't get to see her nearly as often as we like, so we always enjoy each minute we get to spend with her.

Annecy - Lunch at L'Auberge du Lyonnais (9/30)

After a busy morning shopping at Annecy's lovely market, we were ready for lunch! At the recommendation of my in-laws, we chose L'Auberge du Lyonnaise. Located in the Old Town of Annecy on the bank of the Thiou Canal, it was an ideal spot to have lunch during the week when we normally would have been at work. We reserved a lovely table in the shade on the pavement at 12:45 for lunch.

The sun had broken through the haze and it was turning into a very warm day, so we chose a cold bottle of Apremont. It couldn't come quickly enough and it was accompanied by a plate of jambon pastry pinwheels.

We opted for the week menu which offered two starters, two main courses (one fish and one beef), and two deserts to chose from.

J and I chose the Tomato and Feta Cheese in Filo Pastry Shell. Drizzled with a little olive oil, it was sublime! With dishes like this, it can be so tempting to add too much to it, a drizzle of Balsamic Reduction - or other sauce, I was so happy that they didn't. The sweet, rich flavor of the lightly roasted tomatoes went so well with the salty, creamy feta. This was proving to be a very good choice for lunch...

... then came the main course: Faux Filet, à point. Now if I could scream it from the roof tops: I LOVE FRENCH BEEF!!! This was just a simple steak: good quality beef, cooked well, seasoned with a little sea salt. So simple, so perfect. America is known for it's steak houses, but the best steaks I've ever had have mostly been in France. Even my favorite local steak is at a French restaurant. I LOVE FRENCH STEAK!!! Ok, regroup... The steak was joined by:

...creamy, smooth mashed potatoes drizzled with a little jus, and my favorite, haricot vert.

Dessert was something chocolaty that didn't impress me enough to take a photo, and didn't really leave much of a memory. To be fair though, I was a state of food bliss from the preceding courses, not to mention also very full, it would have taken something insanely amazing to live up to all of that.

~ L'auberge du Lyonnais ~

9 rue de la République

74000 Annecy

contact@auberge-du-lyonnais.com

Tél. 04 50 51 26 10 Fax. 04 50 51 05 04

For more info on the restaurant and hotel, along with beautiful photos and their menus, please click the following link: http://www.auberge-du-lyonnais.com/

Annecy - Traiteur Pauvert (9/30)

In the heart of Annecy, Traiteur Pauvert has been around for six generations, providing high quality, reliable products in their boutique and through catering. They have a fantastic selection of prepared salads, sweets, and meets, which completely made me miss having Morton's Gourmet Market in Lakewood Ranch.

The Galette aux Courgette looked divine. Sadly, we passed, but this is yet another recipe I'm going to try to concur in the upcoming months.

Boudin a la creme is a creamy pig's blood sausage. We decided to also pass on this, but for different reasons. The residue on the knife just didn't do it for me. But to be fair, with the exception of Toulouse, I'm not really a sausage fan.

They had a lovely selection of prepared dishes, quiches, and tarts.

Colorful, gelatinous fish dishes.

Le salades

Le sweets

TRAITEUR PAUVERT

4, rue Grenette 74000 ANNECY

Tél. : +33 (0)4 50 45 01 56 - Fax : +33 (0)4 50 45 64 50

For more info, please click the following link: www.traiteur-annecy.com/

Annecy - The Market (9/30)

Wishful thinking pup!!!

Heaven!

Je T'aime Les Légumes

...and I was horrified when I bought my first chicken in England and the scaly bit of the legs were left on...

You can't really tell in this photo, but the beet root in the right hand corner is the size of a brain!

Purple beans? C'est bon!

Richard Belzer (Law & Order SVU) in disguise?

Lunch at Châlet la Pricaz (9/29)

Our first full day there, we drove into the mountains to have lunch at this lovely restaurant with breathtaking views of the lake. The restaurant was Châlet la Pricaz and is located in Forclaz, which offers these stunning views of Lac d'Annecy:
The most popular dish that day seemed to be the Tartiflette: a Savoyard gratin consisting of potatoes, cheese, and some kind of meat such as bacon. Traditionally, the cheese in tartiflette is Reblochon*, and it is believe that the dish was launched in the 1980's by the Reblochon trade union in an attempt to increase sales of the cheese.
Châlet la Pricaz's presentation was brilliant, a simple piece of wood, with the dish of baked gratin, a sealed jar with nicely dressed salad greens, and a couple slices of jambon fumé de Savoie that were the best I've ever tasted: nice and thick with an earthly smoked flavor.

This was our first official "proper" meal out in France, and I was not disappointed. The presentation, coupled with the flavors and view created a perfect afternoon in France that I will always cherish. It will definitely go down as one of my all time favorite food memories.
Now I'm not sure if it is traditional of all tartiflette, this one was topped with thinly sliced bread. Here is a close up for you to enjoy... in the upcoming months, I will try to perfect my own version and will post the results when I do.

J opted for the meat platter: Again, I was so struck by the simple presentation: luscious meats, massive cornichons, and a dab of butter - all served on a plank of wood! While J's parents and I opted for a nice bottle of Apremont, J opted for a local brew:

* Reblochon is a nutty tasting, soft washed-rind cheese French cheese from the Alps region of Savoie, made from raw cow's milk. The cow breeds best for producing the milk needed for this cheese are the Abondance, Tarentaise and the Montbéliard. The owners of Châlet la Pricaz make their own Reblochon nearby from the milk of their Tarine cows. (photos of the cows to be added to this posting in the upcoming week)

For more info (including a menu and more photos) of Châlet la Pricaz, please click the following link: http://www.lapricaz.com/

Our Menu Choices:

Me: Gratin de la ferme, jambon fumé de Savoie, salade de saison 18.00€

J: Ecorce de charcuterie, confiture d’oignon jaune paille, beurre de ferme 16.00€

Chalet La Pricaz Restaurant avec vue panoramique sur le Lac d' Annecy depuis le Col de la Forclaz

Tèl: 04.50.60.72.61 Fax: 04.50.60.71.31

E-mail:lapricaz@aliceadsl.fr

MIA: We're on Our Way (9/27-9/28)

I am always a nervous traveler: once I get to destination I'm fine, but getting there is a bit of a mess. The hardest part is the fact that the older I get, the more afraid I am of flying, then pair that with leaving little Harry: we have such a routine together that I miss him terribly when I'm away. Usually on travel day, I wake up early feeling as though someone has beaten me in the stomach. This morning was no different: I woke up early, feeling horrible, only to find an unwelcome visitor in my pool:

Yes, I know, he barley looks larger than a worm, but it's still a snake. All of this seemed to unlikely to be a coincidence, and I was certain that it was a sign that we shouldn't travel.

Luckily, we had a fantastic driver on the way to TPA, who recommended a place to eat in Miami to help pass some of our 4 hour + lay over. By the time we got to MIA, I was absolutely drooling for some Cuban food and set off to find La Carreta. Our driver had really talked it up, so I was completely disappointed when I saw that it was a cafeteria style diner and not the luxurious, sit down establishment that I had envisioned. Once over my disappointment and the slightly off putting photos on the wall of their menu, we pressed on. First glimpse of their ropa vieja and all prejudice had vanished: it looked divine! It is honestly one of my favorite dishes and La Carreta certainly did it proud. The place was absolutely packed with what appeared to be locals and several pilots and flight crew - which is always a good sign. The staff were friendly and I will look forward to the opportunity to have another extended visit to MIA. The portions were huge, so it was lucky that J had only ordered a Cuban Sandwich and was able to help out...

After returning home, a friend at work who is from Miami said that La Carreta is actually a popular restaurant, with several locations around Miami.

With lovely food filled bellies, we headed back to our terminal for a few pre-flight-nerve-calming drinks. Just after the security check was part of the AIDS quilt. I had never seen it in person before, but it was quite profound. The most overwhelming square that caught my eye was all brown with a black and white framed photo of a dog in the center. It was a photo of the man-that-died's dog that he had left behind. Strangely enough I didn't get a photo of that square, but here is a glimpse of what I did see:
After that, we moved on to the Sam Adams Brewhouse and heard that sad news that Paul Newman had passed away. Sadly, I'm more familiar with his food products than I am his work in films. Several excellent Gin and Tonics later - and one spotting of a woman who looked very much like the lady in the 1997 BT advert whom cheerfully squealed "we're going to Mex-EEE-co" - i was ready to take on that horrendous flight.

Horrendous it was, and I will spare you the details but it was all worthwhile as I was in FRANCE! My favorite place in the world - and I was going to experience different parts that I had never been to before.

Our first official day consisted of a 6 hour drive to Annecy, stopping for a cheerful lunch at the Autogrill. The long, uncomfortable flight was completely worth it once I laid eyes on this automotive gem:

Yes, my friends, you are seeing this correctly: it is a Bon Jovi addition VW! I have heard of their existence, my sister-in-law had one (not by choice, might I stress) in the late '90s. This spotting made my trip worthwhile on day one. I had seen all I needed to see and didn't mind if my trip had to end. That was until we got to our gite and I saw the view: