(Field Trip Fridays capture interesting, fun, food-related and/or fishing adventures that I like to share with you!) I adore reading food memoirs and old cookbooks — the older the better, for me. Spending time in dusty bookstores is one of my favorite things to do because you never know what you’ll find. Vintage cookbooks not…
Moringa & Basil Pesto
Moringa is a hearty tree that produces branches with small, dark, pretty leaves. In some areas, it’s even referred to as drumstick tree or horseradish tree because of its long, narrow, triangular seed pods. It originated in Himalaya but it’s also grown readily in the Philippines, Malaysia, India, and Central and South America. It grows…
Scallop Ceviche
Ceviche is a perfect summer appetizer. It’s light, bright, refreshing, and doesn’t require use of the stove one bit. Even famed food writer MFK Fisher agreed when she wrote in With Bold Knife and Fork that it’s “very good in hot weather.” So I, not being one to disagree with such a refined palette, take…
Kale and Cashew Salad with Miso Dressing
My recent trip to Napa Valley was not only an inspiring culinary adventure, it was simply a beautiful experience overall. Napa has been on my and my husband’s list of places to visit for some time, and we’re so happy that our friends’ wedding was the catalyst to get us there! Travel offers many benefits,…
Bay Scallops Casserole
My friend Karen, along with her family and friends, recently went on a scalloping trip to Crystal River, Florida. During scallop season, a steady stream of folks head there to snorkel and collect as many scallops as they’re allowed to get. Apparently there was a bumper crop this year, ’cause the Johnson clan came home…
Grilled Summer Peaches
Summer is all about stone fruits — peaches, plums, apricots, cherries and nectarines. I love them all, but I especially love peaches. To me, there’s nothing better than biting into an in-season peach that’s so ripe the juice runs down your arm and you have to run to the kitchen sink or hang off the…
BLTF (Bacon Lettuce Tomato FISH!)
The BLT – crispy/salty bacon, cold/crunchy lettuce, juicy tomato on toasted bread (there’s no compromise here – it MUST be toasted), smothered with creamy mayonnaise. This classic sandwich is one of my favorites. The best one I ever had was in Charlotte, North Carolina. I had moved there for a job transfer and was anxious…
Lychee, Mango, Avocado & Shrimp Salad
This article (and recipe) titled Seasonal Summer Treats in Florida was originally published at Visit Sarasota. Please follow them on their website or through social media: VisitSarasotaCounty Instagram, VisitSarasota Facebook, VisitSarasota Twitter. Summertime in Florida offers an abundance of fruits and vegetables, and visiting farmer’s markets is a culinary treat, with all the colors, shapes and smells…
Field Trip Friday – Lionfish Derby
(Field Trip Fridays capture interesting, fun, food-related and/or fishing adventures that I like to share with you!) Be honest, the first time you saw this fish you probably thought it was just something for your exotic saltwater fish tank, right? I really didn’t know what to think when I saw Lionfish for the first time….
Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies
My recent summer road trip to Massachusetts was especially great because my husband had never been there. One of our best days was our drive through Cape Cod to enjoy beaches and lighthouses. We didn’t have lodging, so it was a daring adventure during peak season. What were we thinking? But my husband has a…
Flounder with Brown Butter, Garlic & Lemon
I sent my husband off yesterday to go Tarpon fishing, then got busy on blog work and the 100 or so other things I seem to do every morning. When he got back he was excited to tell me about his trip, so I assumed he had caught a Tarpon or two. “Oh, no” he said….
Sriracha, Makrut Lime & Ginger Shrimp
I LOVE savory appetizers, don’t you?!? They definitely whet your appetite for what’s to come during dinner. Shrimp offers so many options, especially when it comes to appetizers. And every time I work with shrimp, I think of the scene from the movie Forrest Gump when Bubba lays out all the wonderful things you can do…