Southern Delaware and its restaurants!! You find them up and down the coast line. I always say “Good Food, Will Travel”. The Flying Fish is located at 300 Coastal Hwy. in Fenwick Island, Delaware. From Rehoboth Beach, where I live, it is only about 20 minutes. Depending on the time of the day and the season it could be more.
Right before you get to the intersection of Rt. 54 and Coastal Highway the cluster of red buildings is called Village of Fenwick Shoppes. You have arrived then!!
Reservations are a must for dinner. The restaurant is small. Tel. 302-581-0217. Have in mind that it is worth going.
I am trying to catch up with the restaurants before Memorial Weekend arrives. It is the official opening of the summer season. This year promises to be a very busy one.
I was dying for some Sashimi. It is my favorite. For some, having raw fish is not their thing but The Flying Fish has plenty for everyone.
I started with a Seafood Ceviche of squid, octopus, crab, scallop, fish and shrimp. It was served on a bed of greens. After eating the ceviche I asked our server if I could have some of that ginger dressing and it was perfect!! That ceviche was marinated in just enough of sesame line ceviche oil to give it a very light and tasty flavor. My friend, Sharon, decided to get the Gyoza Dumplings with a homemade dipping sauce. The Gyoza is a thinner dumpling wrapper and more finely chopped stuffing. Delicious, by the way.
I got the Sashimi Sampler which usually has the chef’s choice but since I love sashimi scallops I asked if that could be included and they obliged. Everything tasted so fresh. Loved it.
If you see on my plate there is wasabi. Well, in reality what it is usually served at sushi restaurants is horseradish that has had coloring added to it. It is strong, almost too strong and it really takes away from your rolls and fish. Fresh Wasabi is amazing. It has a slight sweetness to it. It is an expensive delicacy and most restaurants add a couple of dollars to your dish. Please try it and you will taste the difference. Where have you been all this time? Haha
Sharon’s roll was a the Mexican. It is a roll that has been around for a long time. Topped with crab meat.
As you can see, she also ordered fresh wasabi.
It was a nice dinner. Time to catch with a friend. And off we went to drive around Bethany Beach and tour Rehoboth Beach’s neighborhoods at night.
Have a great weekend. Remember that AboutMyBeaches has its own Facebook Page. Let me know how the Flying Fish was. Thanks.
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There is my fig tree. Isn’t that a beauty? Once you see their leaves, you recognize them everywhere. Too bad they lose the leaves during the winter. They are so pretty.
My figs start ripening in September and once they start they seem to do it quickly. So my friends with Italian ancestry always are there to help me out in the consumption of this delicious fruit.
I picked those figs a couple of days ago. Wait until you see the recipe. If I must say so myself, it turned out so well.
My love of figs started over 20 years ago. In Southern Delaware there are plenty of us with fig trees. I know where they are. Shhhhhh, a secret!!
I love them fresh the best. They are just so sweet.
A few years ago I went with friends to Italy. In the town of Terracina which is to the southeast of Rome and a vacation spot for locals I immediately spotted one growing on the side of the street. Check it out.
Of course I had some. They were there for the taking. In the Island of Capri I had a Fig Smoothie. Loaded with figs and very refreshing during hot weather.
On the search put Fig Stack. The recipe is very easy. Last night I decided to make the recipe again and here it goes.
A couple of green tomatoes (or as green as you can get them this time of the year)
A couple of ears of corn
4 slices of thin bacon cut in half
Corn starch
Salt
Pepper
Butter
Honey
2 cups or more of figs cut in half (I like a lot of them)
Balsamic reduction (you can make your own or buy commercial one)
Cook the bacon in a large frying pan. Place on paper towels. Keep the drippings.
Cut the corn off the cob. Set aside.
Cut the two green tomatoes in slices. This recipe served 2. You need to have 3 slices for each person.
Get a plastic bag and put about 1 1/2 cups of Corn starch. Season with salt and pepper. Place tomatoes in the bag and shake gently to coat.
Heat bacon drippings and add some vegetable oil. You do not need a huge amount of oil. Fry the tomatoes, turning them over once. You want them to have a nice honey color. Place on paper towels.
In a small frying pan put a little bit of butter and cook the corn for a few minutes. Take them out and put in a bowl.
In the same pan put another tablespoon of butter and add the figs. You want them to cook some but not to let them get mushy. Add about a tablespoon of honey or even a bit more. Check the photo above. The figs are in the back burner after the cooking process.
Get two pretty plates to start making the Stack. First put corn on the plate. Spread it a bit in order to place the first fried tomato. Then 2 pieces of bacon, then spoon figs with juice on. It can drip to the sides. That adds to the allure of the dish. Repeat the process, finishing with the third fried green tomato on the top. Spoon figs around the corn. The final touch is a drizzle of the reduction of balsamic vinegar. Yes, I did make this reduction some months ago.
Voila!! This is Fig, Fried Green Tomato Stack. This dish has the texture, the tang, the finish; yes, the everything. It is totally delicious and you just need a nice cup of wine and enjoy!!
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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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In 1997 my children went to Worcester Country School in Berlin, MD. Since then the school is now known as Worcester Preparatory School.
Over the years a lot of parents were involved in the school and I was one of them. Book fairs, galas, Christmas Programs, Reading Programs, Teacher Appreciation Luncheons, etc. etc.
Years before my time the school had published a cookbook called A Collection of Recipes. It was as I mentioned above 1997 and the Parents Association decided to do another cookbook called A Collection of Recipes II.
As you can see the book has been used over the years. I was the Chairperson on this journey that took many months with parents giving us their best recipes. It took a school not a village to complete this project.
I don’t think the book is available anymore. Parents supported this book and it was a great success. The book is probably in your cabinet, but I keep my handy because the recipes are really good. I still feel strong about those words in the dedication that said “But food not only nourishes our minds and bodies. Food serves as a way for people to come together — sharing ideas, experiences and cultures”.
Tonight I made a recipe from this book called Pickled Shrimp. I was invited to a friend’s house. Pickled Shrimp is an easy recipe and it is usually liked by everyone. You can serve it year-round.
1 pound medium shrimp, uncooked
1 tablespoon pickling spices
1 tablespoon Dijon style mustard
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 white wine vinegar
2 green onions sliced, including the greens
Pull shrimp from shells. Discard shells. I bought shrimp already peeled and I just pulled the tails out. Make sure if you buy frozen shrimp to defrost them.
In a 2-quart saucepan, cover shrimp and pickling spices with water. Bring to a boil; simmer over medium heat about 2 minutes. Strain water leaving spices on shrimp. Set aside.
In a small bowl combine mustard, horseradish, oil, salt, celery salt, vinegar and onions. Pour over drained shrimp. Cover and refrigerate 6 hours or overnight. The longer you marinate it the better they taste. Pour in a pretty bowl with the sauce and enjoy. Serve cold.
This recipe could easily be doubled, as well.
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Good for the whole family. That was my first impression. Neighborhood feel restaurant located at 18701 Coastal Highway, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971. Tel. 302-313-5029 Check the menu at http://www.crustandcraftrehoboth.com
Love the restaurants on Coastal Highway. At this time of the year parking is hard to come by so the restaurants on this main road at the beaches have plenty of parking.
I had not been to this restaurant for a long time. New ownership by SoDel Concepts since this past year.
Crust & Craft is modern, lots of lights, open kitchen concept…..see the wood fire oven right there past the counter.
It was around 2:00 p.m. when we arrived. We decided to share a salad and a pizza. The pizzas are 12 inches; perfect for sharing. They have plenty of beers to choose from.
We ordered the Wood Roasted Brussels Sprouts. It arrived looking beautiful with butternut, Moody Blue, Apple, a maple vinaigrette dressing, pumkin seeds topping the salad. Great combination of flavors.
It was not until later that I was thinking about this salad and looked at the photo closely. I remember there was something missing. The salad was to have the brussels sprouts wood roasted. They were not really roasted. That roasted flavor was not there. We ate it and did not complain. All in all, it was really good but it would have been better if they would have been roasted.
Our choice of The Funghi Pizza did not disappoint. Parmesan Bechamel, Kennett Roasted Mushrooms, House Cheese Blend, and delicious caramelized onions. It was delicious!! The perfect size for two people.
Having had good service, good food and an affordable price, I can tell you that I cannot wait to go back.
Remember to check my Facebook page AboutMyBeaches.
Hope you have a wonderful rest of the Summer 2019!!
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“Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are.” anthelme brillat-savarin
Everyone’s is a food critic these days. I find that the experience comes from eating out often. It is actually very personal. You might love the restaurant and then someone will come back saying; what were you thinking?
The more relaxed you are while eating, the best it will be for you and your dining companion.
Kris Etze and I chose The Station on Kings located at 720 Kings Highway, Lewes, DE 19958. Tel. 302-645-0300. You can reserve tables online and the restaurant has plenty of parking. They are open from 8 a.m. until 9 p.m. Early morning coffee and baked goods are served. Every day you can enjoy lunch and dinner. Website? http://www.thestationlewes.com
Kris is a well known local personal chef. If you would like to know more about her…..she gives cooking classes too, please check her website http://www.abracadinner.com.
I love to see a beautiful plate full of colorful and well seasoned food. Kris can dissect how perfectly cooked a dish is. A pro at what she does.
The Station on Kings is a one stop shop. Beautifully displays of food, baked goods, home accessories.
Our server was very attentive. We ordered some wine and then jumped into the appetizers.
Have you ever had Blistered Shishito Peppers? Or, even know what they are?
Up close and personal…here is the photo. They are great for snacks. Easy to “blister” too. They are from Japan and sweet. But, caution is in order. 1 in 10 peppers are spicy. Don’t worry, nothing extreme. People that are in the know like Kris, will probably tell you that high heat and quick cooking is what you want. You want them fairly firm but with charred blisters on all sides.
My expert told me they were perfectly cooked. And me, the eating expert, will tell you that they were mild. The dipping sauce of kimchi aioli was also very good.
There is plenty to choose if you are vegetarian or have to eat gluten free.
Kris chose the Vegetarian Risotto. This dish was composed of farro, grilled corn, shaved fennel, house ricotta and chives. It was a nice portion and Kris really commented on how good it was.
I really do love octopus, so every time I see it being offered I order it. You want it to be firm but not dry and chewey and at The Station on Kings it did not disappoint. Perfectly done!! It was served with smoked potatoes, romesco, chorizo jam and salsa verde. Romesco is a tomato-based sauce that originated in Tarragona, Catalonia. The sauce was made by fishermen and should be eaten with fish.
Our choice for a sweet ending was Stone Fruit Frangipane Tart. A frangipane is made with almonds or almond flavoring, butter, sugar and eggs. The combination of cherries and roasted apricots was delicious. Cardamon almonds, brown butter caramel, and rum toffee ice cream. What can I say? Awesome!!
I am looking at these photos and I am salivating. Summer 2019 has brought the local restaurants to bring the best of what they have. Just yummy!!
Check my FB page AboutMyBeaches and comment if you have made it already to The Station on Kings.
Until then, Relax, You are at The Beach.
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It was early evening and once in a while I get on the band wagon of writing about Meatless Monday. It is a global organization trying to get peopple to eat a little healthier even if it is one day per week.
Sadie, my Rescue, was sitting outside guarding. I had the ingredients to make Cabbage and Celery Casserole. I was not doing a thing. It is Monday, what can I say.
But a few times I make it my own recipe, adding a little bit or this or a little bit of that. The recipe really belonged to my late mother in law, Louise Merryman. She was a fabulous cook. Years ago she made a recipe book for the girls in the family called Recipes Begged, Borrowed and Stolen. And, every Christmas she gave us inserts.
This recipe is an old one she had for many years and even though she said it fed 6 to 8 people, if my late husband, John, was around that was not the case. John loved it.
Tonight I fixed the recipe just like she gave it to me. If you have a gluten allergy it would be very easy to convert.
I hope you like it. Here it goes:
2 cups sliced celery
6 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
4 tblsps. butter
In a large frying pan, melt butter and saute celery over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Then, add cabbage and saute for another 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. Place in a fairly shallow bakig dish or casserole.
The baking dish I used was a Pyrex 9 x 13 inch one. You don’t want a deep dish.
Make the Cream Sauce:
4 tblsps. butter
3 tblsps. flour ( If you want to make it gluten free used a different flour)
2 cups milk ( I had non fat milk)
1/2 tsp salt
Dash of red pepper
1 small jar of chopped pimento
Dry Bread Crumbs are optional. I did use them. Again, if you want to make the dish gluten free you will have to adjust that.
Melt the butter in a pan, add flour and stir constantly for a minute or two over low heat to blend ingredients and take away the floury taste. You are, actually, making a roux. Then, gradually add milk, stirring and cook until mixture thickens but not too heavily thickened. Add salt, pepper, and pimento, including the liquid in the jar. Mix well and pour over the vegetable mixture in the baking dish. Sprinkle with dry bread crumbs and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes. If you want it a little more brown on top then just broil it for a bit. But, watch it.
The exact proportions of celery and cabbage is not important. Use what you have or prefer.
I decided I needed some color on my plate. So, local tomatoes and grilled asparus was another easy thing to add.
All I had to do is serve wine and sit outside.
Deliciously good and so satisfying.
I love the following saying: “Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.” How true.
Follow me on AboutMyBeaches on Face Book and Instagram.
Summer 2019 is flying by!!
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At times when you do not plan anything and just go with the flow or wing it, you have the most fun. Long summer days, not rushing, is part of living here at the Delaware Beaches. Believe me, I know I am lucky to live here and never take it for granted.
Debbie and I took off towards the Big Chill Beach Club. This is located south of Dewey Beach, Delaware, and probably closer to Bethany Beach. The actual address is 27099 Coastal Hwy., Bethany Beach, DE 19930. It opens at 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. every day. Website? http://www.bigchillbeachclub.com
You can have the server sit you at a table or you can take a seatt at the bar looking out, which is what Debbie and I did. That was our view, sipping a little wine. We checked the menu and it actually looked good. Have not tasted the food so let me know if you do.
As we arrived it seemed there was a yoga class. This yoga studio in Rehoboth Beach, SoulFire, was celebrating with a class their 1st year anniversary. Very popular as you can see. SoulFire Collective Yoga is located at 176 Rehoboth Ave., #2a, in Downtown Rehoboth Beach. Website? http://www.soulfirecollective.com
The sun was setting and being high up you could capture how pretty it was.
Summer 2019 is expected to be a very busy one. The Delaware Beaches are year round resorts. People want to get out of the city. They want to experience that total physical and mental inertia. Refresh, really. Rehoboth Beach has a sign as you enter the city that says “Relax, You Are at The Beach”.
Finding parking might take all that physical and mental inertia by the wayside so Debbie and I continued to Misaki Sushi in South Bethany. Parking, good food, great service and very affordable.
Misaki has been around for many years. The location is at 34444 Coastal Highway, York Beach Mall, Bethany Beach, DE 19930. It opens at 5 p.m. Tel. 302-539-0500. You can find them on Facebook as Misaki Sushi Bethany Beach. You can also find them on Instagram.
A shout to our server who was attentive but not intrusive.
Debbie and I started with two salads. The Seaweed Salad for Debbie, which was marinated seaweed and sesame seeds. And mine was the Lighthouse Salad which I found delicious. Seared tuna, avocado and sweet miso.
I love scallop sashimi so when on the menu, I do order it. My roll was the special of the evening.
For Debbie the Bam Bam, salmon, scallop and avocado.
We chatted, caught up with each other, and laughed…..what are friends for, right?
The Art of Sipping & Dining, a way to relax, enjoy and reconnect. Talk to you later.
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