(Field Trip Fridays capture interesting, fun, food-related and/or fishing adventures that I like to share with you!) My trip to one of the most iconic places on Earth — New Orleans — was pretty darn great. I was attending Plenty Retreat, a conference geared to writers and food industry professionals focused on sustainability, and decided to…
Summer is Here!
The approach of summer in Florida has telltale signs including afternoon rains, high humidity levels and pesky little Lovebugs that fly into our hair, stick to the grills of our cars, and generate exclamations of ‘Yuck, it’s Lovebug season already?!?’ Those little pests are also harbingers for fishermen who know that when they show up,…
Rosemary & Lemon Shortbread Cookies
Rosemary is a beautiful, fragrant herb known for remembrance and friendship. It’s also a source of iron, calcium and B-6, and even has ancient healing roots for ailments like muscle aches, memory loss and hair loss. This stuff has it all! Because it thrives in a sunny climate and loves rain (we’ve been having a…
Fish in Parchment with Thai Flavors
My friends recently fished in the Bahamas and came home with a big Wahoo. Turns out they thought they had a pesky Barracuda on the line but, after a hard fight, were pleasantly surprised to see it was that Wahoo. Needless to say, it was a happy day. And if you’re lucky enough to have…
Crispy Corn Fritters
Cinco de Mayo! It’s the day Mexico commemorates its unexpected victory over French forces in 1862 during the Battle of Puebla (I just learned that). Here in America we join in the celebration by enjoying all those tasty treats that run deep in Mexican heritage and I, for one, will be enjoying cold margaritas, (many)…
Field Trip Friday – Suncoast BBQ (and Chili) Bash
(Field Trip Fridays capture interesting, fun, food-related and/or fishing adventures that I like to share with you!) I love chili, so when my friend Bill called and asked if I’d like to be a judge for the chili contest at the 2018 Suncoast BBQ & Bluegrass Bash in Venice, I said ‘YES!’ This fun event…
A Big GREEN Salad
Sunday, April 22 is Earth Day. It’s also my wedding anniversary! Yup, it was 13 years ago that I married a wonderful guy in a lovely beach ceremony, surrounded by dear friends and family. When we set our date, we weren’t thinking about Earth Day, but we’ve been glad to share our special day with…
Crispy, Crunchy Chickpeas
On Monday morning I pulled out my old juicer with the intention of dedicating two days to a fresh juice fast. I wanted to do something different to start my week, determined to only consume fresh vegetable and fruit juices, and I’ve heard health experts and nutritionists say it’s good to do periodically, so…
Strawberries, Black Pepper, Balsamic & Basil
Strawberries with black pepper. If it sounds to you like an odd combo, you’re right. But food scientists tell us it’s a magical combination that actually makes sense. Simply put, black pepper brings out flavor in strawberries, making them extra sweet and more strawberry-y (my term, not the scientists’). And you don’t really taste the…
Field Trip Friday – Tampa’s Buddhist Temple
(Field Trip Fridays capture interesting, fun, food-related and/or fishing adventures that I like to share with you!) My hubby and I took a drive to Tampa with our dog Libby, who simply adores car rides. We headed to a place that’s only open on Sunday mornings so, while this doesn’t officially qualify as a “Field…
Family Time
I married into a big, fun, loud and wonderful family, and my husband and I love to have them visit us in Florida. During this chilly Spring Break week, we’re hosting loved ones from Manhattan and Chicago, laughing a lot, and enjoying big family dinners, like this one. Still can’t believe we squeezed twelve people…
King Salmon with Creamy Leeks
It’s an understatement to say that King (Chinook) Salmon is prized in Alaska. They love it so much that in 1962 they proclaimed it their official state fish! It’s the largest of all Pacific Salmon, has the highest amount of Omega-3 oil, and offers a distinctly rich, red flesh bursting with succulent flavor. It’s so…