Copper 29 - Bar Bites & More

As is our tradition for our anniversary, we head to Miami at the end of October each year to celebrate. This past October was no different. In years past, we have hosted little gatherings at our apartment there, but with so many dear friends to visit, it’s sometimes easier to gather at a bar or restaurant to catch up.  With the proliferation of so many cool, happening hangouts cropping up all over Miami the question was where do we go.

For this night out we wanted to keep it centrally located for all parties by staying in Coral Gables.  The Gables is an old historic area of Miami known for its Mediterranean Revival style architecture with streets lined by the famous banyan trees. It's home to such landmarks as the Venetian Pool and the Biltmore Hotel, along with the popular and most noted street; Miracle Mile. And that was exactly where we were headed to try out Copper 29 Bar recommended my our friend, Stephanie.  This Coral Gables bar is reviving the idea of the perfect cocktail. Using the art of mixology paired with bar bites to create a relaxed atmosphere of food and drink, which was what we were looking for.

Stephanie ready to eat, drink and be merry.

Especially, given that we hadn’t seen each other in awhile, and our goal was to chat and catch up with each other’s lives. However, that was not quite what we got. Well, at least not on a Friday night.  Don't get me wrong, it's not because the place wasn't cool.  It was cool with an interesting mix of decor including an entire wall of plant life.

But when we opened the door, the music was pumping and the place was jamming and we thought we might not hear each other breathe.  

Silly of us to think that a relatively new hangout on a Friday night would be a quiet place to chill. We were told that the owner recently decided to make Friday nights a Happy Hour with DJ music pumping.  That said, the music mix was a fantastic groove, prefect for dancing and keeping it interesting for a proper happy hour.  If we hadn’t wanted to talk this would have been an ideal spot. And on any other night there, we could have done that.  However, Friday’s are made for letting go after a long week of work.  So we stuck it out because the vibe was happening, the atmosphere interesting and the menu looked promising. (Spoiler Alert:  We were all glad we did!)

Some of us started off with Moscow Mules served in cool copper mugs which keep the drinks nice and chilled. If you enjoy a spicy drink, this one delivers. The ginger beer brings that bite while the mint is refreshing and surprisingly light.  

The rest of our group ordered Martinis and Old Fashioned and they were like a good ole fashion should be…good.

From there, we began ordering a dish at a time, each as good as the last.

Martini, dry, shaken with olives

Good Old Fashioned... good

Jalapeño Corn & Cheese Biscuits

These are decadent balls for yum.  Crispy exterior, doughy middle with whole pieces of corn throughout served with a Bourbon Honey Syrup that has even your biscuit begging you to dip for more.  I loved watching everyone's expression as they popped these in their mouths.  

Eyes wide and then the expressive smile that gleamed; 'what did I just eat and is there enough for everyone else?'.   Only wish there was a bit more jalapeño in these biscuits.  The Bourbon Honey Syrup provided enough sweet that they could have used a bit more heat…  at least for my, and everyone at the table’s taste.  Even with that slight spice suggestion, we would order this again in a heartbeat.

Glistening with honey wonder.

Tuna Tartare

Classical and good balance.  Slight hint of heat that was a nice play off the creaminess of the avocado.  Served with chips for scooping and enjoying each bite.  Well done.

Kale Salad

We’ve all eaten tons of kale salad.  The key is the cut of the kale. The chop on this one rendered the kale tender, and manageable to eat.  The Caesar dressing was creamy but not overbearing and softened the salad just the right amount.  The Parmesan cheese in nice big shards added the salty sharpness we all want. Then there was the addition of radicchio and sunflower seeds that were subtle while still imparting an effective crunch and earthiness. And last but seriously not least; the croutons, which were more like lightly grilled garlic toasts.  Much better than the average crouton who would be ashamed to show up in a salad against this king of crouton. Would you guess that everyone thoroughly enjoyed this salad?  Good guess.

Mac n Cheese

Creamy with lovely Fontina and a deep truffle flavor that perfumed the entire dish.  Sprinkled with bread crumbs and pancetta, this is a dish worth the calories on a Friday night.  And with the music playing,  there is no need for guilt since you can get up and dance some of those calories away.

Looking dark and sultry, this mac n cheese was just that.

Short Rib Sliders

Oh the juxtaposition of these pretty, almost dainty little sandwiches that deliver a fun rollercoaster ride of flavor.  The short ribs were tender and juicy, layered on top of the surprising and interesting addition of polenta.   Caramelized onions sweetened the pot while the alioli had a horseradish note that provided the right kick. Needless to say, these were devoured by our group.

Key Lime Pie in a Jar

Tart and Tangy and Luscious.  Topped with grapefruit that was a surprising, refreshing touch, this dessert was right on point.  Team vote:  Approved. Team goal:  Polish this off.  Goal: Accomplished.

Oreo Cookie pie in a jar

This dessert was decidedly too sweet for my palette and everyone in our group but for those with a true sweet tooth it might just hit the mark.

Music getting our table moving in our seats.

A very cool vibe, as if you were hanging out in your own cozy, stylish lounge.

Overall, the joint was jamming.  A great spot for a Friday night Happy Hour if you want to move to the groove of hip swaying music, enjoy good drinks and upscale bar eats.  If you want to chat and have a quieter evening, I would highly recommend coming on a weeknight to work your way through the menu and have the mixologist blend you up some cocktails.

The food, good service and overall vibe are definitely worth the trip.  So with winter still brewing here in the Northeast, this might just be the right time to head south for more reasons than just the sun. 

Cooper29 is located at 206 Miracle Mile, Miami FL / 786.580.4689

Creamy, Cheesy Cauliflower Dip

Creamy, steamy, cheesy and delicious cauliflower dip

Cauliflower:  the big, white, bulbous veg that is so versatile.  It can be crunchy when roasted, or creamy when pureed.  It's nutritious and delicious. (and even facilitates my propensity to rhyme.) Seriously, what more can you ask of it.  But I did. Please can you be a creamy, cheesy dip for my cocktail party? And the answer was, Sure Thing. 

Since this dip was such a hit for my post Thanksgiving cocktail party I thought it only fitting and quite appropriate to bookend the year by posting another cauliflower dish.  I started this blog with the simple but versatile Faux Creamy Cauliflower Soup and I end the year with another simple but this time decadent cauliflower dish that will help ring in the New Year's Eve.  There is no faux in the creamy nature of this dip. It's real, alright.  And it's cheesy, gooeyness is completely sanctioned when one is kicking out the old and cheering in the new.

Just as with the soup you can add a variety of extras as you desire.  You can even play with different spices, too. This is was my first attempt at asking my cauliflower to be dippable so I didn't venture too far into the experimental.  That said, we did just fine.  Here are the basics.

Ingredients

1 head of cauliflower
1/4 c shallots, minced
1/4 c onion, minced
2 small cloves garlic, minced
Magic 3 (oil, salt, pepper)
1/8 t red pepper flakes (optional, if you like a little heat)
1/2 c sautéd escarole (optional, I had some leftover from the Escarole Rolls so I tossed it in)
2/3 c fontina, grated (or cheese of your choice, Gruyere would be yummy)
Crusty bread, for serving
Endive, gluten free option for serving

Instructions

Break up the cauliflower in pieces and boil it in salted water. 

Remove, reserving 1 cup of the liquid for pureeing.  Set cauliflower aside while you sauté the onion, shallots and garlic, seasoning as they get nice and soft.  Then add the cooked cauliflower and let it get coated with that flavor.

Next step is to make it creamy.  Place the mixture into a food processor and puree, adding a little of the reserved liquid as needed to get the consistency you want.  Remember, you can always add but cannot take away, so go slowly to determine whether you want it chunky or super smooth.  At this point, please taste and adjust your seasonings as you see fit.  As I mentioned, since I had some leftover sautéd escarole, after I removed the mixture from the processor, I folded it in.

cauliflower puree

leftover sautéd escarole

The mixture awaiting it's cheese partner.

Place the mixture into an oven proof baking dish that can also be used to serve. I bought the one pictured from Despaña.  They have terra cotta cazuelas in a variety of sizes, and this one is perfect.  Then comes the best part, the CHEESE. Did I say I like cheese?  If you know me, you already knew that.  Add the cheese into the entire mixture, plus sprinkle some on top. Bake at 350 until nice and bubbly.  

Serve warm with crusty bread, endive or any other vegetable for dipping.  

Here's to ringing in the New Year with Health & Wealth of heart, body and mind.  May you reach for the stars, touch them and be electrified to do great things.  May love and peace show up at your door each day.  And may you know when to have faux creaminess and when it's absolutely necessary to have the real thing.  

Thank you all for your support and onto new food bites in 2017!

Smoked Salmon with Pickled Fennel

You may recall that I mentioned being inspired by a couple of dishes we enjoyed  when last in Miami. Last week's post provided my version of a Meaty Ragu, so this week is my take of the other dish featuring salmon and fennel. I also figured that with the holidays approaching and New Year's Eve around the corner, this no cook, fast assemble appetizer might be helpful.  It is an austere dish with just two stars but each one has its own strong identity.   

Ingredients

Smoked Salmon
3 c fennel, shaved or sliced thinly
5 T rice wine vinegar
2 T sugar
3 T honey
1/2 t salt
Lemon Zest
Fennel Fronds for decorating the plate (optional)
Lemon slice for decorating the plate  (optional)
Rye or Pumpernickel bread for serving (optional)

Instructions

Melt the honey and whisk together with the vinegar, sugar, salt.  Add the shaved fennel and set aside to marinate and pickle for at least an hour.

Thin slivers of fennel.  I love using a mandolin, but please watch your fingers!

Fennel slices bathing in vinegar, sugar, salt and honey

Once your fennel is pickled to your liking, you can begin to assemble your platter.  This is one of those dishes that can be assembled ahead of your party and kept covered in the fridge until guests arrive.  If you liked my idea of using the fennel fronds for color and decorating the platter, go ahead and place those as your base. Then roll up the salmon slices and arrange standing up.  Gather up a bunch of the pickled fennel and tap with a paper towel to remove any excess liquid before placing on the platter.  Arrange your plate any way you like.  Finish by grating some lemon zest a top the entire platter.  That is it.  I told you it would be a no cook, easy app!

Design your platter any way you like.  I like using the fennel fronds to decorate.  It adds color and architectural elements.

Use a good smoked salmon, as it is the star of the show here.  I would recommend having it hand cut in thin slices. Pickling the fennel really brings out the crunch and adds that acidic element which is balanced with honey so as to not overpower the salmon. This dish was part of a cocktail party.  Knowing that the other plates on the buffet would provide hearty options I served this dish just as is, but had bread, crackers and endive on the buffet table.  However, if you wanted to make this a more substantial plate or serve this as a first course, you could present it with some creme fraiche and pumpernickel or rye bread.  I think that combination would be wonderful and perfect for a holiday party or New Year's Eve cocktail event.

Ideal for brunch, or as a starter to a dinner party. Hey if you are so inclined to have a party with pass around plates, this would fit that bill.  Refreshing and light but bold with just two stars shining.

Meaty Ragú - A Bowl of Hearty & Wholesome

A huge bowl of hearty meat ragu

On a recent trip to Miami, Juan Carlos and I happened upon an Italian bistro and retail shop, Made in Italy, on our way to the Design District.  I was in my absolute glory because these types of places simply make my day.  I'm like a kid in a candy store. Maybe it's because I wish I owned one, or maybe because I love shopping in curated, specialty stores. (Ok, maybe it's both.)  It was so quaint that we decided to delay our original destination a bit and stay to have a glass of wine and a bite to eat.  JC ordered a bowl of Bolognese sauce with crusty bread and I ordered Salmon with fennel.  Little did I know how fate by way of a detour would intervene that day and present us with two dishes that would inspire me months later to create my own take on them.  

If you had a chance to read last week's post, you already know that we hosted a Post Thanksgiving party which meant I needed food options.  So guess what?  A big bowl of meat ragú was going to hold a place on the buffet table.  I wanted it to be hearty like a Bolognese but didn't want to add the milk.  Folks, I kid you not, this couldn't be easier. It does take some cooking time though, so it all can bubble together, bouncing around and reducing down.  But cooking time doesn't require any effort on your part, so easy peasy.

The main line up of ingredients

Ingredients

2.25 lb ground beef
1.25 lb ground pork
2 28 oz cans of plum tomatoes
2/3 c dry white wine
2-3 T olive oil
1/2 c onions, small chop
1/2 c celery, small chop
1/3 c carrots, small chop
3-4 cloves garlic
grated fresh nutmeg
1.5 t salt
1 t pepper

Instructions

Sauté the vegetables, season with salt and pepper and let cook until super soft.  Then using a potato masher (or a fork), break them down to create a paste or at least to mash up the bigger chunks.  

Add all the ground meat, breaking up the larger pieces.  You want to create pea size pieces, cooking until all the pink is gone. Before adding the tomatoes, make sure the whole plum pieces are cut up a bit into smaller ones. Pour it in, add the wine, grate fresh nutmeg, stir around and cover.  Let this baby cook over low heat for hours. And I mean hours.  I let mine cook away while I was prepping and photographing 4 other dishes for the next blog posts. That's a LONG time. The idea is to allow some of that liquid cook off to create a dense meat sauce that lovingly swims in a sea of sweet tomatoes.

I made this the day before, and thankfully it was an enormous pot full because my hubby tasted it and loved it so much he made a meal of it.  The amounts in this recipe make a boat load so there was plenty for our guests the next day.  I warmed it up and spooned it in a soup terrine for serving. Offered it up with some toasty, crunchy bread and spaghetti torts.  It was a hit.  

Cozy, fireside comfort food that was a lovely complement to some of the cold appetizers and vegetarian options we had. Oh, and another great aspect of this big pot of heartiness... if this amount is too much for your small group, fear not. You can freeze it in smaller containers and enjoy it again and again on a cold winter's night served over a bowl of pasta. Now that is heaven in a bowl.

Thick spaghetti with rich, hearty meat ragu.

Full Frontal Coverage - Aprons, of course

Aprons, an array of color and personality

Oh the apron.  This swath of cloth was worn by women in bygone years as they cooked away in the kitchen. My grandmothers were among them, either wearing an apron or a house dress while they were in the kitchen.  And although I cooked along side them, I never used to wear an apron.  I'm not sure why I didn't back then but have recently come to understand and appreciate their true value.  I especially believe in their power when I am sautéing or frying.  Seriously, who needs be oil splattered?  And when it comes to baking... let's just say I'm pretty adept at making a mess with flour!

I own a few aprons, each with a purpose.  I have two that I solely use for catering gigs.  These are more utilitarian, black and gray striped and not very exciting. The one I use in my kitchen is a treasure because it was given to me by my dear friends, Emily and Lorne, as a guest gift at their wedding.  They got engaged in Venice, Italy and their wedding had a clear and decidedly Venetian focus.  So it came as little surprise that they would share this Italian-style love by giving their guests monogrammed aprons; La Cucina di Dana!  Every time I wear this apron I think of them and what a thoughtful gift.  Well, especially for me, since I love food and cooking so much.

I have noticed that aprons are coming back in fashion. Full on, full frontal.  Different styles can be found in shops of all kinds.  I like the ones that harken back to olden days.  Maybe it's because it reminds me of my grandmothers.  When I think of the kind I wear for my catering gigs, thick and almost amour like, I can't help to giggle a little when I realize how paper thin the ones they used to wear.  How would those really protect their clothes?  But they wore them anyway and seemed to do the trick.  I guess all you really need is full frontal coverage of some kind.  So why can't it be fun, and functional.  Sassy and make a statement.

With that in mind, and in remembrance of my grandmothers, I coerced, ah hum, I mean I recruited my mom to help me make some aprons.  She helped me get started and gain confidence, like she always does. Now I'm on my own creating hand sewn with love, one of a kind aprons.  Each one is different.   Each made with an wild and eye catching combination of vintage materials, antique trim and lace and other interesting finds. Each to help keep you clean in the kitchen. So, if you are in need of some splattering protection, or for a gift, click the SHOP button here or on the main menu to see my first round of Full Frontal Coverage; the apron reinvented with a bit of fun, lots of color and a big, bold "Here I am".  Check out some of the looks below.

Gabrielle, gorgeously modeling Muted Floral Greens Apron.

Muted Blues Apron

Florals: Aqua & Blues Apron

Bold Brown Florals Apron

Bold Reds & Florals Apron

Hope you enjoy keeping yourself neat and clean and looking stylish during your next kitchen adventure.

Gabrielle making modeling look easy as she shows off Nautical Strips & Paisley Apron.

Please note that these are all one size and come with a complimentary dish towel.  Why, you ask? Because when I cook I like to have a towel tucked in a pocket or around my waist tie so I can easily wipe my hands when needed.  Since I thought you would find it helpful too I included one with each purchase.

Also, I want to give a big thanks to my stunning niece, Gabrlelle, for modeling my aprons and to my talented nephew, John who photographed each of them.   What would I do without my "kids", always enthusiastic supporters of all my endeavors.

Post note:  Since these are one of a kind and are made with a variety of  materials, if you see an apron you like that is out of stock, please email me directly as custom aprons can be made.