December 28th, 2009
In the past I have told you that all the beach towns, from Lewes to Ocean City, Maryland, are within driving distance from each other. Fenwick Island is a half way point for some of us that get together for dinner from time to time. Fenwick Island is right on the Maryland/Delaware line.
One popular restaurant in this beach town is Nantuckets Restaurant. This restaurant has two seating options. You can choose to sit in their more formal rooms or you can choose the Tap Room. The Tap Room is the one I am going to be reviewing because I like it the best.
Nantuckets is located on 601 Coastal Highway (Rt. 1), Fenwick Island, DE 19944. Tel. is 302-539-2607. The website is www.nantucketsrestaurant.com. The e-mail address is info@nantucketsrestaurant.com.
I have to be honest with you, but I really don’t think that often about this restaurant. I have had both good and o.k. meals in the past years. You might have a different opinion, but I have gone enough times that I can certainly say it. Remember, this review is my opinion only.
It is in their Tap Room where I have had the best meals. I think that particular side of the restaurant is cozy, great for lite fare, even though you can get full entrees. And don’t worry because if you are a sport aficionado there are t.v.s to keep up with the scores. Definitely a room with atmosphere.
Right before Christmas we met Ross and Cindi. It is becoming our annual Holiday dinner before it gets hectic. We have been getting the same table in the corner of the room. Full view of who is coming or going.
We did not know they had a great special that day. I believe it was around $19 for a lot of their entrees. I was originally going to get their steak salad, which is, by the way, the best. Instead, I got the strip steak which was delicious. Cindi got the crab cakes, which Nantuckets is known for and Ross got chicken, which he raved about. My husband, on the other hand, decided to order the soft shell crabs. I would not have ordered them, because they are frozen this time of the year. He said they were o.k. We really did have a nice evening, and plenty of laughs, which are the nicest things about sharing meals with friends.
Nantuckets has on-line shopping. Visit their website if you would like to order some of their specialties like the Quahog Chowdah, Lobster Mac N’ Cheese, Crab Cakes, Eastern Shore Crab Meat, and Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette.
Chowdah?, Chowdeur? or Chowder? Anyway you say it will be fine and Nantuckets has a good one. Thick and rich.
Another dish to try is their lobster claws. It is big enough for an entree. Tasty and sweet.
The restaurant has the space for large parties. For more info. give them a call.
Since 2009 is coming to an end, Nantuckets offers New Year’s Eve fare. And, if you go by 5:45 p.m. you will get $5.00 off.
About 10 years ago, I got the following recipe from Nantuckets:
Lobster and Scallops Dijon
2 (1-1/2 lb.) lobsters
1 lb. bay scallops
4 tblsps. butter (or margarine) I like butter the best for this dish.
3 tblsps. chopped green onions
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/2 cup cream sherry
1 cup cream
4 tblsps. Dijon mustard
Cook lobsters in boiling water for 10 minutes; remove and let cool. Remove lobster claws, crack and clean out meat; reserve. Split lobsters from head to tail; remove meat and all the “goodies”; add to reserved claw meat. Slice lobster and save.
Note: To save time have your store steam the lobsters.
Saute onions with thyme in 2 tblsps. of butter. Add sherry and reduce liquid by 1/2. Add cream and mustard; bring to a boil. Boil 1 minute; remove from heat and keep warm.
Pat dry scallops and sautee them in remaining 2 tblsps. of butter for 4 minutes. Add lobster meat and cream sauce; mix well. Cook 3 minutes.
Serve immediately over wild rice.
Serves 4.
Note: Please adjust this recipe to your liking and make it your own.
Talk to you later… I am almost finished with the 15 lb. rib roast I prepared for Christmas Eve. Now it is in the stew stage…
December 17th, 2009
We managed to get together again Tuesday evening. It was so nice of Donna to open her home to us. We all brought appetizers to eat and some wine as well. It really turned out so well because some of us had not seen each other in a long time and we were able to catch up in a comfortable setting instead of a restaurant.
The topics of conversation were varied and interesting. It was an all women’s soiree, what can I say?
Donna’s house was fully decorated for the Holidays. I love the traditional colors and her house had all those beautiful reds and greens; so pretty and festive this time of the year.
I decided to make an Asian Noodle Salad that has been pretty popular for some time. The recipe was given to me a long time ago by Mary Jo. I used to make it a lot but then I took a break from it. I thought that for our get together it would be the perfect dish since it is easy to assemble and it is served at room temperature. So, here it goes:
Asian Noodle Salad
1 lb. fresh or dried Asian wheat noodles. I used regular thin spaghetti.
8 ounces snow peas cut on the diagonal into rectangles
1 cup finely chopped green onions, including some green tops
1 cup coarsely chopped unsalted dry roasted peanuts
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
1 cup chopped poached chicken breast, roasted duck, or cooked shrimp (optional)
Asian-Style Vinaigrette:
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce (I use reduced sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
1 teaspoon minced or pressed garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2/3 cup cooking oil, using equal parts sesame oil, vegetable oil and hot chili oil
In a bowl or covered jar, combine rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, salt and pepper. Whisk or shake well to blend. Add the oils and, again, whisk or shake until emulsified. Use immediately or let stand at room temperature for as long as overnight.
In a large pot, bring water to a rapid boil; drop in noodles and stir. Cook, stirring frequently until barely tender and still quite firm to the bite. About 1 minute for fresh noodles or 5 to 8 minutes for dried. Do not overcook. Drain; rinse quickly under cold running water and drain again.
Transfer the noodles to a large bowl; add about half of the vinaigrette and toss well. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally to keep noodles from sticking together.
Bring water in a large saucepan to a boil. Add the snow peas and cook until tender-crisp, about 1 minute. Drain, then plunge into ice water to hald cooking and preserve color. Drain well.
Add the snow peas, green onions, peanuts, and cilantro. Then add chicken, duck or shrimp, if desired, and remaining vinaigrette to the noodles and toss gently but thoroughly.
Serve at room temperature.
This recipe will serve approximately 10 people as a salad course and about 6 for a light main course. It is the perfect entree to take to someone’s house, just like I did.
Note: To make this recipe a day ahead, omit snow peas, onions and peanuts when tossing. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature; add snow peas, onions and peanuts. Toss and serve.
I would like to mention that you may be able to make this recipe gluten free by using rice noodles or any other gluten free noodle and wheat free soy sauce. You will also have to make sure that the peanuts do not contain any wheat.
So, enjoy it and make it your own….See you later….
November 26th, 2009
I love the smell of the turkey cooking in the home on Thanksgiving Day. I also like to have a gray and cooler day. I have tried different ways of cooking turkeys and bought the organic ones, the free range ones, the different brand ones but one of my favorites has been the turducken.
I have also have bought the turducken from a few companies but my best one has been from a company called the Cajun Grocer, from LaFayette, LA. Their website is www.cajungrocer.com. Besides being delicious, it is also a conversation piece.
A turducken is a semiboneless turkey stuffed with a deboned chicken, stuffed with a deboned duckbreast. In between each bird a Cajun dressing is placed to create 6 layers of stuffing. Different varieties of dressings are available.
As you sliced the turkey, you will get a taste of all the different birds.
Its funny when you start thinking what to do with the turkey leftovers. Sometimes I really don’t have that much leftover; maybe for one more meal. But, if you do have leftovers, here are a few recipes that you might enjoy.
Quick Curried Turkey
3 cups hot cooked white rice
1 medium green pepper
1 medium red pepper
4 cups turkey, either chopped or shredded
1 tblsp. ground curry powder
2 tsps. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. salt
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 can (14 ounces) light coconut milk
1 can (24 ounces) pineapple chunks in juice, drained
2 tblsps. chopped cilantro leaves
Chopped peanuts or toasted coconut
Prepare rice according to directions.
Cut peppers. In a bowl, combine curry powder, cornstarch, ginger and salt; mix well. Add turkey and toss to coat evenly.
Heat a 12 inch skillet over medium heat until hot. Lightly spray pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add turkey and garlic. Cook and stir about 5 minutes. Remove f rom skillet.
Add peppers and cook for a couple of minutes. Stir in coconut milk, pineapple and turkey and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer over low heat about 10 to 15 minutes or until sauce thickens. Add cilantro and mix gently.
Serve over the rice. Sprinkle with the peanuts or toasted coconut or both.
Note: To toast the coconut, just spread it on a cookie sheet and put it in a 350 degree oven and keep watching it because it will toast before you know it.
If you do not have enough turkey, you can substitute chicken. If the turkey or chicken is raw then add more minutes to the cooking on the skillet.
Serves 4.
Sweet ‘n’ Sour Turkey Sloppy Joes
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 red pepper, finely diced.
3 scallions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, sliced (optional)
1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. black pepper
4 cups turkey, shredded or finely chopped
1 can (8ounces) tomato sauce
1/2 cup bottled barbecue sauce
2 tblsps. sugar
4 hamburger buns or soft rolls
In a medium size skillet heat oil over medium heat. Add red pepper, scallions, garlic, Italian seasoning and pepper. Cook for about 4 minutes or so.
Add turkey and cook until well heated.
Stir tomato sauce, barbecue sauce and sugar. Simmer about 3 or 4 minutes until slightly thickened.
Remove from heat and spoon into hamburger buns or rolls.
Note: If you don’t want to have the rolls then serve it with tortilla chips as a dipping/salsa sauce.
Serves 4 with rolls and a few more if used as a dipping sauce.
Note: The above recipes can easily be adjusted to be gluten free.
Have a Great Day!! Happy Thanksgiving or Feliz Dia de Accion de Gracias!!
November 22nd, 2009
When I was growing up in Puerto Rico, mojo was a side sauce for dipping sorullitos de maiz, which are like a hush puppy with cheese inside, fried plantains, and chicharrones de pollo, which are fried chicken pieces. You could really put mojo on anything, including fish, grilled chicken or meat.
A basic mojo is made of garlic, herbs, olive oil and lemon juice. But, believe me, there are plenty of variations.
I hope you enjoy the following recipe:
Shrimp with Cilantro Garlic Mojo
2 cups fresh cilantro, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 lbs. medium size shrimp (frozen, cleaned and easy to peel)
1/4 cup green onions, chopped, some of the green part included
4 ounces tomato sauce
1 Tbs. butter
1 Tbs. olive oil
Put the first 4 ingredients in a blender. Push pulse until it has the consistency of pesto sauce. Set aside or if not using right away, put in the refrigerator.
Peel shrimp. In a frying pan, preferably non-stick, put butter and olive oil to heat on medium. Add the green onions and then the shrimp and stir fry them for about 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and the mojo sauce and heat them up for another 4 minutes or so. You want them hot but make sure you don’t over cook them.
That’s it!!!
You can serve them over rice, angel hair noodles or wrap them in a flour tortilla, burrito style.
Serves 4 for an entree or 8 for an appetizer or tapas.
Remember to make the recipes your own so if you feel you need more lemon or more tomato sauce or less garlic, please go for it and enjoy.
See you soon…
November 12th, 2009
A little wind? Are you kidding? It is a Nor’easter!!! It has been blowing and raining since yesterday. In case you do not know what a Nor’easter is or think that I have misspelled the word, let me tell you that these are storms that usually happen between October and April. Northeast winds, with lots of rain and sometimes snow, depending on the month. The winds are hurricane-force, and there is a high surf, which causes beach erosion and coastal flooding. And, that is what has been happening.
But for these 3 friends it did not matter. We met a t GreenMan Juice Bar & Bistro on Wilmington Ave., in Rehoboth. I wrote a post on this restaurant on September 11th, in case you want to read more about it.
Again, it touches my heart to realize how lucky I am to have so many friends. I won’t mention their names since I don’t know if they would be happy about it. Some people are more private than others.
There was only another table occupied, so immediately we took over, talking and laughing and catching up. We have known each other for a long time and our own children are friends. Yeap, one native and 2 locals.
But, as usual, the conversation gravitated towards food. Being that is was so nasty today, we talked about meatloaf. I told them that another friend, Roberta, and I had found some years ago a very good recipe for meatloaf in the Southern Living magazine. It was different and very tasty.
So here is the recipe and I hope you really like it.
Sweet ‘n’ Saucy Meatloaf
For the Meatloaf:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 lb. pork sausage
1 cup fine breadcrumbs
1 large egg, beaten
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 cup milk
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbs. chopped fresh parsley
1 tbs. curry
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
For the Sauce:
2 tbs. butter
1 small onion diced
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup beef broth
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tbs. instant coffee
2 tbs. rice vinegar
2 tsp. lemon juice
Combine: First 11 ingredients, shape into loaf and place in a lightly greased pan.
Sauce: Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Add onion and saute for 5 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup ketchup and remaining ingredients.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Bake: Put meatlfoaf in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 30 minutes. Pour half of the sauce over and bake another 45 minutes.
To serve: Cut and make sure you pass the extra sauce around. I usually serve it with rice and a green vegetable.
Until later…keep dry…
November 9th, 2009
Over 4 years ago and by word of mouth, a friend told me about Collado’s Gourmet Market. I have bought from them ever since. I have also seen it grow into a fullfledge market. The address is 3416 S. Federal Highway, in Delray Beach. Just south of Lindell Blvd. The telephone is 561-276-1866 and the fax is 561-276-5613.
The market has an extensive menu and it is open 7 days a week. You may order from their ready to serve gourmet display. Just like in the picture.
Or, you can browse over a full line of fruits and vegetables. Something worthy of mentioning is that this market ships fruits. For more information please e-mail them at colladosgourmetm@bellsouth.net, or give them a call to the above number.
Some of the items on the menu are:
Hot and cold subs and wraps, using Boars Head Meats. Vegetables subs like grilled veggies, eggplant cutlets, sauteed spinach or fresh veggies.
Homemade Salads and specialty salads. Soups like chicken soup, matzah ball and pasta fagioli.
Deli meats by the pound and as I mentioned above they have Boars Head Meats.
An assortment of waters, teas, wine, beer and the best is always freshly squeezed orange juice.
Don’t feel like cooking or no time to cook, for that matter; guests dropping by, then you can get full lunch or dinner entrees ready to reheat later. 
One of my favorites at Collado’s is the grilled asparagus. They have that grilled taste and they are cooked perfectly.
If you are hosting Thanksgiving and don’t have enough ovens to cook everything then order the turkey from Collado’s or order the trimmings from the market and you cook the turkey. I have done it and it was delicious.
Collados has catering available so please contact them for more information.
At Collado’s market you will find Gelato at Collado’s.
This is a separate business but it is inside the market. The telephone is 561-278-5555, and the e-mail address is gelatoatcollados@gmail.com. The website is www.gelatoatcollados.com.
When I stopped there the other day, I noticed this new addition inside the market. I had a few tastings of the mango and the vanilla and they were so good. Definitely you could taste the mango and the vanilla, and so refreshing. 
Gerald was at the counter and he told me that the owner, whose name is Rick Consolo, makes the gelato and when mangoes are in season, he is able to make it with just picked mangoes from his own tree.
Besides the gelato they have gelato pies and cakes, fresh filled cannolis, all fruit smoothies and an espresso bar.
In case you are not familiar with gelato I would like to tell you that it is the plural for gelati. It is Italy’s version of ice cream. It is made with some of the same ingredients, but unlike ice cream, gelato often does not contain eggs. Gelato has less than 55% air, resulting in a denser product. Its history dates to the 16th century.
Note: The gelato info. was taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/gelato
I thought I would pass this information on, just like someone gave it to me once. I hope it makes your life easier if you are visiting, living, boating or beaching in Delray Beach or the Boca Raton area.
Talk to you later….
November 4th, 2009
Knowing that there are many reviews available on-line, I chose not to read any for this particular restaurant. I just wanted to feel the experience of just going in with a blank slate and then put it into words.
Last night was one of those beautiful full moon evenings in Delray Beach; a light wind and the ever present palm trees swaying in their own unique way. One thing that separates this town from others is the availability to eat outdoors. And, last night was the perfect night for such a thing and in my household, the mood was beef.
I have not been to Cut 432, even though this restaurant has been in Delray for about a year and a half. The address is 432 E. Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach, FL 33483. The tel. is 561-272-9898 and the fax is 561-272-9797. The website is www.cut432.com.
Brian Albe, Brandon Belluscio and Chef Anthony Pizzo are the owners of Cut 432. Even though these owners are fairly young, between them are many years of experience in the restaurant business.
My husband, son and I arrived with no reservations and they sat us right away on one of their outdoor tables. For a Tuesday evening, it was comfortably crowded.
The restaurant and the bar inside have modern lines, but the chandeliers give it sophistication.
Johnny was our waiter and I cannot tell you enough how professional he was. I had so many questions for him regarding the menu and he was able to explain the ingredients and make suggestions. Definitely, he is an asset to the restaurant.
If you have read my blog in the past, you will know that my husband has to eat gluten free. It was so refreshing to see the eagerness of Johnny to put us at ease and go back to the kitchen and ask the chef if the creamed spinach could be made without the breading or make sure a particular sauce was gluten free. And even nicer was the fact that the restaurant wanted to accommodate us, as well.
So, in that respect I want to say Gracias a Johnny por habernos atendido tan bien, and thanks to Cut 432.
The menu is very well presented and easy to read. You should visit their website above mentioned because you can read their menu, check when the catering menu will be posted, read the bios, look at the pictures and see what this company is all about. You can even download their award winning wine list.
A couple of cocktails that attracted my attention were the Pumpkin Pie, which is a pumpkin infused vokda, cream and candied pumpkin. The other was the Jalapeno & Pineapple Margarita, which contains Gold Tequila, slice of jalapeno and pienapple juice.
The menu is divided into Raw Bar, Cheese Bar, Soup and Salads, Appetizers, Cuts, Fish, Potatoes, Sauces, Vegetables and Entrees. Desserts? Don’t worry, they will be discussed at the end of the meal.
Okay, I was looking at the menu and when I saw that for an appetizer I could have a grilled cheese; I knew what my choice would be. It was so delicious, but this was no ordinary grilled cheese. It had truffled gouda, short ribs and heirloom tomato soup. The actual sandwich was cut in two and the tomato soup could be use for dipping or just eaten with the spoon. Can you imagine? Of course, I dipped and double dipped.
My husband had the Local Ceviche, Peruvian Style with Aji Amarillo. Served in a Martini glass with the fish being grouper, it was very tasty; sweet with the right amount of heat.
Since my appetizer was quite a portion, I decided to go with the Sea Bass, which is one of my favorite fish. It had a Miso sauce that complemented the lightness of this fish so well. My husband had the 8 ounce filet and my son had the 12 ounce one. Both raved about their choices; cooked to perfection.
All side dishes are family style so the portions are big. They are served on cast iron cassouletes. Our choices were the Pancetta Brussel Sprouts, Creamed Spinach and Potato Gratin. All went perfectly well with our dishes. I was tempted to order the Buttered Edamame, since I never see it as a side dish, but to tell you the truth, we had a lot of food already.
Cut 432 is one of the restaurants that I have found have the key ingredients to make a successful restaurant:
Quality of Ingredients – If the restaurant has the money, they should buy the best.
Culinary Competence – This is the chef responsibility; to make the best with the ingredients he has available.
Service – Prompt; anticipating what you need.
Ambiance – Tranquil and relaxing.
Price – Cut 432 is pricey, but after the service and the food we experienced, it was worth it and, really, a cut above the rest.
With all that said I hope that visitors to this beautiful Village by The Sea will take the opportunity to pay Cut 432 a visit and experience it for themselves.
Until next time and writing from Delray Beach….talk to you later….
October 30th, 2009
Word of mouth. It is the best advertisement. That is how I found out about the Kee Grill. My friend’s mother, Marilyn, once suggested I stayed in the town of Delray Beach. We liked it so much that we have had a place here for years. Then Marilyn’s friend, Flo, who lives in Boca, took Scott, Marilyn’s grandson, to the Kee Grill. Scott, then proceeded to take his mother, Shelley, and I to the restaurant. I liked it so much that my husband and I pay them a visit every time we find ourselves in the area. That’s how word of mouth works.
The Kee Grill is located on 17940 North Military Trail, Suite 700, Boca Raton, FL 33496. Tel. 561-995-5044 and Fax 561-995-5024. If you know Military Trail, it is very close to Lynn University; in a strip mall.
It does not matter what season it is, it will be crowded. I have gone there plenty of times without a reservation, but to be on the safe side, a reservation should be made. If you get there without one, then by the bar, there will be tables availabe and you might be able to just slide through.
The outside of the restaurant looks best in the evening, once the palm trees are all lit up. Inside it is appealing with an open kitchen. 
I can tell you that the wait staff is so professional and helpful. Last night, our waitress went to talk to the chef several times to make sure that my husband’s dish was going to be gluten free. And it was. He had the pan seared yellowtail snapper and they changed it a bit by caramelizing onions on top.
The Kee Grill has a full bar with plenty of seating. I was glancing through their martini list and a few caught my eye. Being in South Florida how could they not have the following martinis?
Key Lime – VanGogh Citroen Vodka, VanGogh Vanilla Vodka, Licor 43, Rose’s Lime Juice and cream
Key West Sunset – VanGogh Orange Vodka, VanGogh Mango Vodka, VanGoh Coconut Vodka, organge juice and Rose’s Grenadine
This restaurant specializes in fresh seafood. I was debating if to order the Oriental Chilean Seabass that had a sesame soy glaze or the Oriental Glazed BBQ Salmon. I had the Seabass and believe me, it was a great choice. For one of my sides I chose their Spinach Maria, which is like creamed spinach and it was served in a crock with broiled crumbs on top. It is, actually, a local favorite.
In the past, we have had Tristan Lobster Tails and they are incredible. These lobsters have an amazing sweet succulent taste and a texture like no other. They are from the deep, cold waters of Tristan Da Cunha in the South Atlantic, the most remote inhabited island in the world.
Some of the other items on the menu are:
The Palm Beach Snapper, which has a Provencale sauce, artichoke hearts, mushrooms, and hearts of palm. Provencale means that it is a thick sauce of tomatoes, garlic and seasonings cooked in olive oil and dry white wine.
The Sweet Potato Encrusted Grouper with a mango-remoulade drizzle.
The Kee Grill Cioppino. This dish has shrimp, scallops, fresh fish, clams, mussels, lobster, pearl pasta in a spicy seafood broth.
Besides the many seaffod entrees, they also have veal rib chop, certified Angus Beef – Strip Steak and Rib-Eye, crab cakes and a lot of other things, including a variety of side dishes, appetizers and salads and of course, the sweet ending desserts.
Soooo, now is my word of mouth to you…if you are around South Florida, near Delray Beach, pay them a visit; you will enjoy it.
Note: Information on Tristan Lobster Tails was taken from http://www.livelob.com
Writing from Delraly Beach, I will talk to you later….
 
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