Up until a few minutes ago I had not realized that the blog I started in 2009 is celebrating 13 years of sharing my thoughts on finding out about events, restaurants, reviews, where to shop and what to cook for dinner today. http://www.aboutmybeaches.com
No photos at the beginning until I caught on how important photos are to all of us. We are so visual.
The first post was about McCabes Gourmet Market in Bethany Beach. No longer McCabes, times have changed. Great store that we all loved for many years. Their Queso (Mexican Cheese Dip) Recipe is on the website. Click on it and put it on the Search.
My second post was Agave. The ever present Margaritas, the Avocado Martini, music, best chili, guacamole and so on.
At the time blogs were beginning to take place in our society. But, people would still smiled like saying: really? Blah, Blah, and Blah. The point of my blog was that I could put my two cents in about places that I have been to, my beloved beaches in Southern Delaware and beyond. Food, recipes and reviews. We all have different tastes, likes and dislikes but it was my diary sort of speak of. I can write when I want to and other times I just take a break and put tidbits on My Facebook page.
Since the beginning I have spoken of how good the corn is in Southern Delaware. I just took this photo the other day. White corn, but they have yellow and a mix kernel ones, as well. Freeman’s on Robinsonville Rd. in Lewes is the best. Every day it is picked and it is so fresh that you can eat it raw. I usually eat one or two ears like that. Amazing.
Lewes’ Lighthouses are something to see.
Strolling the Boardwalk day or night.
I have lived here for so many years. I am a foodie and love to eat and experience different cultures.
My blog continues and one of the best things that have happened since opening AboutMyBeaches is that I have learned so much about our area. It is not just the beaches, so much more depth. It has given my family a very nice life. I don’t take it for granted. I appreciate it.
Until then check my Facebook Page, and Instagram and stop here for recipes and information. It’s all good.
Love Crabs….these ones from Suicide Bridge.
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“Real cooking is more about following your heart than following recipes.” unknown
That unknown quote is really so true. The Tuna Avocado Salad I will be sharing in this post did not start as my own. But, I made it my own by changing it a lot. It is easy, it is healthy and perfect for the summer weather here at the beaches.
In 2009 I started my blog. So it has been 12 years. I had forgotten all about it. It is a diary of sorts and still a lot of fun to put my thoughts, ideas, experiences on paper.
This is the final look of the Tuna Avocado Salad. It was enjoyed last week. Presentation is always something I care about. It adds to the mood of the evening.
The first thing I changed was the canned tuna. Fresh Sashimi tuna is what I used. Be mindful that you can modify this salad to your liking, using crabmeat, shrimp, lobster, chicken salad or whatever your heart or tummy desires.
The second thing that happened was that I needed a cylinder in order to make a perfect round stack. Could not find it anywhere so I opened a large can that held 32 ounces on both ends. For future references this recipe says that it feeds 2 people but it really feeds 4 if you use a smaller can. We had leftovers.
Ingredients:
two large fresh Sashimi grade tuna fillets (I usually say I need 2 good size pieces)
Mayonnaise ( I only use Dukes and you can start with a tablespoon and add more, but don’t let it get too soggy.
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro (If you don’t like it, and a lot of people don’t, use fresh Italian parsley.)
2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lime juice
Avocados (They were small so I got 4 and used all of them.)
Pico de Gallo (Homemade, recipe will follow, use enough to top the stack. From 1/2 cup to a cup.
1/8 teaspoon of salt
PICO DE GALLO RECIPE
Pico de Gallo
This is not my recipe but it very easy and you can use it for so many things. Pico de Gallo is basically a Salsa. You can buy salsa at the store but why would you want to do that when it is so easy to prepare.
6 Roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 red onion, minced
3 tablespoons of chopped fresh Cilantro or Italian Parsley
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (I used bottled sliced jalapenos)
1/2 lime, juiced
1 clove of garlic, minced
a pinch of garlic powder
a pinch of cumin or to taste
salt and black pepper to taste
Combine the tomatoes, onion, cilantro or parsley, jalapeno pepper, lime juice, garlic, garlic powder, cumin, salt and pepper together in a bowl. Refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving. You will have leftovers and use it for tacos or for salsa with chips. Mind you that the jalapenos give it a kick. I do love that though.
Continue with the Tuna Avocado Stack
Dry the tuna steaks and season with salt and pepper. Heat a good skillet with a bit of oil. We only seared it, so it is rare in the middle. Of course, you can make it your way.
Take fillets out and cut them in small pieces for the stack. Not tiny pieces, just small. In a bowl mix the cut tuna, mayonnaise, cilantro or parsley and juice for half a lime. Add salt to taste and stir it together.
Peel and chop the avocados. Put them in a bowl and mash them a little bit but also leaving some of the chunks. Salt to taste.
Place the cylinder in the middle of each plate. First put avocado in and pack it in. Remember that you are making a stack so you want it to hold its shape. Then a layer of the tuna. Again, press on it gently so it stays. Finish with the Pico de Gallo salsa. Go on to the next second serving.
Always treat your stack gently when you are taking the cylinder out. You see that photo above. I was scared it was not going to work but it certainly did.
The Chili Bean Salad made it look that it was placed on pebbles. This Salad was a recipe given to my children’s school cookbook many years ago. It is very good.
Recipe
1 15 ounce can each of black beans, pinto beans, garbanzo beans and whole-kernel corn
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/4 chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 cup diced celery
1 4 ounce can chopped green chilies, not drained
Dressing:
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons leaf oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon of hot pepper sauce (I used Crystal)
Drain and rise beans and corn. Put all dressing ingredients in a jar; shake well to mix.
Combine all ingredients except dressing in a large serving bowl. Pour dressing over salad and mix well. Cover and chill 6 hours or overnight and mix it from time to time so all beans take advantage of the dressing.
When preparing your serving plates, just put it around it just like the photo shows. You will have leftovers.
Life around a table…”If the home is a body, the table is the heart, the beating center, the sustainer of life and health.” shauna niequist
This post is a little long and you may think this recipe is hard to make. I can tell you that it takes no time. I think you will love it.
AboutMyBeaches has its own Facebook page and Instagram Page.
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I laughed when I wrote Good Food, Will Travel. The traveling from Rehoboth Beach to Bethany Beach and then west to Millville takes no time. All the beaches are closed to each other. Well, in the summer it may take a bit longer during the week. You know how it is. This particular Memorial Weekend like the usual ones, the weather will not cooperate for the most part. So, what is there to do? Shop and Eat!!
I love going out on Wednesdays. It seems that it is a quieter day of the week to enjoy the local restaurants. I think at this time of the year you need to call and make a reservation for most restaurants. Also, because the lack of help some may be closed Monday and Tuesday.
Perucci’s is located at 3507 Atlantic Ave., Millville, DE. Tel. 302-829-8727. Website? http://www.peruccis.com
An old building reminiscing of a Trattoria somewhere else. I feel I have to have a Chianti every time I step into, this small and very quaint restaurant. It is a family restaurant that has been opened for many years and their family recipes are delicious.
It was crowded but we had a reservation. I like to eat late so the reservation was for 8 p.m.
A Malbec from Fableist was truly amazing. I probably could have had the wine and just the bread. OMG it was so good. Warm and accompanied with very good olive oil.
A order of Calamari Fritti for the table. Perfect portion for sharing. Flash fried, chipolte cocktail sauce, citrus aioli, and spicy chili aioli. Tender and truly lightly flash fried.
I liked their Caesar Salad and have had it before. Perfect way to get your palate cleansed if you would call it that way. To me salads prior to the entree cleanse your taste buds. They call it Knife & Fork Caesar. Pecorino and garlic croutons.
An entree of Gamberetti con Aglio e Vino. Shrimp, white wine sauce with garlic and olive. For true pasta eaters this dish was simple but impacted great flavor.
My order of Veal Scallopini al Piccata. I loved it for many reasons. The combination of lemon, capers and wine sauce was light and simple, as well. The amount of pasta was just right too. Not an over abundance but a perfect serving.
While it was storming in Rehoboth Beach on Wednesday our dinner was memorable and cannot wait to go again.
A shout to Daniel who took care of us so nicely.
Have a great week-end.
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The color on trees and bushes have been unreal. Maybe is all that rain we got in the spring. At the moment no rain. Everyone is watering their gardens. I think I have more weeds than grass. It is what it is. After I finish this post I am weeding. It is cloudy in Rehoboth Beach, but warm which is great.
When I first got these beaches in the mid 70’s at times it was hard to get certain things. Now there is plenty. Friends of mine still think there are not enough good women’s clothing stores here but what the heck there is the internet. And it is all sent to Delaware tax free.
Last weekend it was the last day we were going to cook lamb. A whole leg of lamb, bone in. If you are looking for lamb, Hockers in Ocean View, DE, near Bethany has the best lamb. They get it twice per week. Some people think the taste of lamb is not to their liking. I love it. Well seasoned, lots of garlic, lots of veggies around it. And, plenty of leftovers the next day.
The table. I like to entertain year-round and the virus did not stop me either. You wonder why I am showing you this photo. But, just give me a minute, will you?
The plates were made by Master Potter Sabie Carey. My first plates were made 20 years ago. They are oversized which is what I wanted.
These ones were made this year
Sabieware Pottery is located in Clarksville, about 3 miles or so west of Bethany Beach. I wrote a post right here about her workshop. All you have to do is put on the search Sabieware and you can check it out. You can order from her but she also has some of her things on display and for sale.
On that same table instead of flowers I have the life time candles I found at the Penny Lane in Downtown Rehoboth Beach. The name of the store is called Sea Finds on 42 Rehoboth Ave., Unit 10. I fell in love with them. They are made in Arkansas and Sea Finds is the only place that sells them in the area.
It is an oil burning candle with no odor or smoke. All handmade. Different sizes and varieties. Wicks never need to be replaced. They are perfect for your home or for gifts.
Word of mouth is the best advertisement don’t you think?
So if you are visiting check these local places for your next shopping adventure.
Have a great Sunday.
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I remember when I was young Sunday was a day to gather at my grandmother’s house. After church it was the satisfaction of gathering with cousins and with good comfort food. My grandmother was a very good cook; always cooking with the best ingredients she could fine.
Not sure why I think of Cornish Game Hens as a Sunday Supper dish. I have stuffed them, cooked them with prosciutto and figs as well. They have great flavor. And what are they, really? I found out that they are the product from a cross between the Cornish and White Plymouth Rock chicken breeds, that it is served young and immature, weighing no more than two pounds ready to cook.
We have a good butcher here in Rehoboth Beach. Hickmans!! I picked these Cornish Game Hens around the holidays. They were pretty big. Last week I made this recipe. By no means the recipe is my own, but I did give it my own spin.
They are easy to prepare. I usually do not serve a guest a whole hen even though you could depending on the size.
2 Cornish Game Hens
salt and pepper to taste
1 lemon, cut in half
rosemary sprigs (2 per hen)
olive oil
15 cloves of garlic and more if you do like garlic like I do
2/3 cup of white wine (it is a great additions to the sauce)
2/3 cup of chicken broth (I used chicken stock)
More fresh rosemary sprigs for garnish
honey
The first thing to do is to preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Then take gizzards and neck from the hens and put them aside. You will use them in the broth.
Rub the hens with salt and pepper. Place one of the lemon wedges in the cavity along with a sprig of rosemary. Also put one garlic clove in each of them. If you look closely you can see that I drizzled honey over the top. Very yummy!!
Arrange them in a heavy roasting pan. Take some of the rosemary leaves and spread them around the pan. Put the whole garlic cloves around the hens in the pan. In order to avoid the garlic to burn since you at first will be cooking on a high temperature, take some extra chicken stock and pour into the pan in order to cover the cloves a bit.
This is how they will look before going into the oven.
You are going to roast them in that temperature for 25 minutes.
The gizzards and neck that you took from the oven place in a pot and cook for 10 or 15 minutes. Once that is done, cut the gizzards, heart and set aside. This is totally optional. I just think it adds to the broth.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together wine, chicken broth, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the cut gizzards, etc.
Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Pour the broth above the hens and continue roasting about 25 minutes longer or until hens are golden brown. Baste with the pan juices every 10 minutes.
Transfer the hens to a platter, pouring any cavity juices into the roasting pan. You can put the pan on top of your burners and heat up the juices, smashing those garlic cloves which will be amazing combining them in the broth. I used a little bit of corn starch because I wanted the broth to be a tad thicker.
You can cut them in half or serve them whole. Cranberry looked pretty and appropriate with them. And, those veggies? I will give you the recipe because they went perfectly with the hens. Easy too. Next post.
Here is a photo of the hen in half. It depends how hungry your guests are. And please make sure to put a lot of broth in the plate.
Enjoy!! Talk to you later.
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In the winter there is nothing like a warming bowl of soup. It was cold on Sunday. But, today at the Delaware Beaches the temperatures will rise to the upper 40’s. I’ll take that.
Over the years I have bought tons of magazines. A lot of them have been food oriented. I go through them many times and then I start cutting recipes out and putting them in folders. With a morning coffee I go through them and if something catches my eye, I take it out.
I picked an Onion Soup Recipe that got my attention back in 2013 in a Food & Wine Magazine. It is a healthier version of the traditional French Onion Soup. Traditional soups are fantastic but making them healthier while conserving flavor it’s the trick. That hunk of bread and thick layer of melting cheese makes it high in calories and sodium. Sorry, but it is true.
For Meatless Monday and being that it is a cloudy day this onion soup might be just what you need. I made it yesterday and it is a keeper.
Meatless Monday is a worldwide organization trying to have folks like us eat meatless at least one day per week.
The Recipe
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 large onions, (sweet or regular) halved and thinly sliced
Kosher Salt
1/4 cup of dry white wine
1 tablespoon soy sauce
6 cups of beef stock or low sodium broth
Baguettes (either cut your own or buy prepared ones) I used small ones for my large bowl.
Gruyere shredded cheese. I packed that cheese on the baguettes.
In a large pot heat oil until shimmering. Add the onions and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened and just starting to brown. Maybe about 7 minutes or so. Taste the broth and add a bit of salt and continue to cook over moderate low heat, stirring occasionally until the onions are soft and golden. I would say 20 minutes?
Add the wine and soy sauce to the pot. Cook for a few more minutes.
Add the stock and bring to a boil. Then, simmer over low to moderate heat, again stirring occasionally until the onion broth is well flavored and slightly reduced. Taste again and if needed add more salt.
You can make the soup ahead of time until this point.
Then pre-heat the broiler and arrange the baguettes on a baking sheet and top with the Gruyere cheese. Broil until melted.
To serve this onion soup, ladle it into bowls and top with the cheese toasts. You may sprinkle a little bit of cheese all over the soup prior to placing the cheese toasts, as well.
Hope this will be a keeper for you too. Remember AboutMyBeaches has a FB page just in case you want to chime in.
This blog started in 2009 with the idea of offering the readers who want to be in the know about events, restaurants, reviews, where to shop and what to cook for dinner.
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To say that 2020 has been quite a year is an understatement. It has impacted so many, even our resort areas who in their second season a lot of the festivities have been canceled, including the Southeastern Delaware Artists Studio Tour right after Thanksgiving. It has been postponed until next year.
One of those artist is Master Potter Sabie Carey. 20 years ago I had commissioned her to make me oversized dinner plates. I still used the plates all the time and I don’t even have to get a salad plate because everything fits just right. My 12 inch plates also fit in my dishwasher.
I contacted Sabie to see if I could stop by her studio. It takes about 20 minutes from Rehoboth Beach. You should call her to make an appointment or just ask when she is going to be there. Next is her business card.
I am always in awe at the beautiful pieces a potter can make out of a lump of clay. Must be so rewarding and so full of accomplishment.
Her studio is small but that is all you need to appreciate her work.
It is that time of the year and even though I use my plates frequently, they really show off during holidays. Sabie has many things in her studio for you to pick and choose from. Following are some of the photos I took the other day.
There is still time to order something for the holidays.
Our talented artists in Southern Delaware make one of a kind pieces. I enjoy so very much every time I get the opportunity to engage in conversation with them. My Sabie plates I love and they are made to be used and enjoyed every single day.
Have a great week and remember that in the hands of a potter the clay becomes magical.
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“That’s My job, to lift people up with great food.” paul prudhomme
The opening of the restaurants in Southern Delaware I could not wait for. Don’t get me wrong, when you like to cook it does not matter. But what matter is the ambiance of a restaurant full of people, having fun and enjoying beautifully prepared food using local products. This part of the country is full of amazing chefs….it is a foodie’s destination in case you did not know.
I am enjoying the fact that so many people have taken cooking during the lockdown. There is nothing better when you put food in your mouth that has been cooked with love and not rushed.
It has been some time since I visited Good Earth Market located at 31806 Good Earth Lane on Rt. 26 in Ocean View, DE. Depending where you are coming from you turn on Rt. 26 in Bethany Beach, west, and go about 3 or miles and after you pass the Rt. 17 intersection continue a bit longer and it will be on your left hand side. Tel 302-537-7100 Website? http://www.goodearthmarket.com
It was the perfect evening. A full moon, low humidity. Al Fresco dining does taste better. At Good Earth Market dining outdoors is taken to a different level. You are among nature. If the weather does not cooperate, they do have an enclosed screened in porch where you can dine and still get a good view of the gardens.
Get your drinks and walk around the property. In making the reservation I called the restaurant and they gave me Sue Ryan’s number. She is the owner and so nice and friendly. At this time of limited reservations she is taking such calls.
A new menu but also their traditional menu was offered. Good wine list and attentive service.
For a first course their Crab & Avocado Salad with a side of corn tortillas was plentiful and delicious.
I had the Shrimp & Scallop Ceviche…chiles, coconut, citrus, Baywater Bibb Lettuce Roll ’em Ups. Spicy!! But I like that heat.
For our second course we had their Good Earth Wedge. Romaine, Heirloom cherry tomatoes, smoky Benton’s Bacon (so crispy), pickled shallots and creamy blue cheese. As you can see a photo says a thousand words and at Good Earth their presentation climbed up to a different level.
I love beets and can roast my own. So choosing their Roasted Beet and Arugula Salad with toasted walnut and hemp seed granola, whipped feta and a lemon vinaigrette gave it a light summery taste.
A dining experience for sure with the Strawberry Moon watching.
What to choose for our third course. Scallops I enjoy so much. This particular offering of Good Earth was awesome. Look at this photo. Pan Roasted Dayboat Scallops with smoky bacon asparagus and black garlic vinaigrette.
Shrimp & Grits…. I do have a weakness for this dish. Having it in Charleston gives it a different meaning but here in Southern Delaware they can really also prepare it well. Full of flavor and spice, Good Earth’s was delicious and enough to take a doggie bag; not really. Sadie would not like it. Haha. It had aged chorizo, tomato broth and creamy corn grits.
We did not have dessert. I think we were very satisfied. But their desserts looked very good. A sweet ending definitely.
This was such an enjoyable evening. I hope you do visit them while you are at the beach. And if you are a resident, please go.
So until next time remember “one cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well”…
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