Eats in Seaside, Florida

School's out for Summer! And with summer, comes many summer vacations. One of my favorite being a trip to Seaside, Florida. 

As the saying goes, "The new town, the old ways." And it couldn't be more true. Seaside gives the feeling of a trip back in time, an escape from time, and a grand time.

And part of that grand time comes of course with food, starting with Great Southern. One must order the Grits a Ya Ya - blackened shrimp with bacon, spinach, mushrooms, and cream served atop Gouda grits. With so many of the right combinations, the flavor of this classic dish with a modern twist is just divine. The fish of the day is always fresh and local. There's pimento cheese and Po' Boys for lunch. And for breakfast one mustn't overlook the beignets.

With all the wonderful fare, it's no surprise the place is always hopping, breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

For a more casual affair, on those occasions where your shoes are filled with sand and your clothing attire is just a swim suit, stroll on over to Pickle's located steps away from the shore. It's classic boardwalk bites like hot dogs, hamburgers, corndogs, and funnel cakes. Of course there are french fries, but don't forget the fried namesake!

Visit the rooftop at Bud & Alley's for a great view of the beach and water. It's quite refreshing, both the breeze and the drinks.

For a more casual dining affair, visit Bud & Alley's Pizza Bar right next door. The pizza is brick oven fresh and there's also nice outdoor seating on the back patio.

Or want to cook in the comfort of your own home? There's no better place than Modica Market.

The Original Bermuda Bag

It's coming back! But did it ever really leave? Not in the world of a true prep.

What makes a Bermuda bag? Two things: First, a classic wooden handle. Secondly, a removable cover. Add a monogram or totally prepster pattern - think whales, tennis racquets, anchors, etc. 

Of course I am a total sucker for the pink and green, but look at these, could you really go wrong?! They're classic, they're timeless, and they're just my style...

* Images courtesy of Mark and Graham *

Mussels at Home

I love going to a French restaurant and seeing mussels on the menu. Serve them up with frites for dipping and I'm even more in heaven. But there are those times, especially after a long day, where all you want is the comfort of home. And what could be better than some fresh, tasty mussels with extra sauce for dipping in the comfort of your own home? Yep, got me too.

Now I know what you're thinking, but yes, cooking mussels at home is actually quite easy! Mussels are foolproof, just keep it simple. Here's one way to do so:

What you'll need...
1 bag of mussels
1/4 cup of flour
2 Tablespoons of butter
3-5 shallots, minced
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil
3/4 cup of white wine
3/4 cup of cream
1 large saucepan with a lid

What to do...
Clean the mussels: Empty the bag of mussels in a large bowl, fill it with water, and add 1/4 cup of flour. Stir lightly to mix and then let sit for 30 minutes.

Drain the mussels in a colander and give them an extra rinse. Inspect each one for the following:
1) If cracked or already opened, discard.
2) If the mussel has a beard (a blackish grey string looking thing), pull it off and discard.

Melt the butter and Olive Oil in a saucepan. Add the shallots and garlic and cook to your liking.

Add the white wine and cream and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the mussels, stirring into the mixture, and turn the heat to a medium simmer.

Cover and cook for 8 minutes. Discard any mussels that do not pop open. Pour into a serving dish, or keep it casual and enjoy as is.

Serve with bread or homemade frites!

Peach Picking

As my 10-year-old nephew says, "It can't get much fresher than that."

Now off to bake a pie...

Chimichurri for your Skirt Steak

With a mix of lovely ingredients, like fresh herbs and spices, Chimichurri sauce is so cool and refreshing. It highly compliments any summer steak, but I especially like it with my skirt steak. 

The sauce is so delicious that I could eat it by the spoonful! But don't worry, I'll resist...

INGREDIENTS

1 bunch fresh parsley

1 bunch fresh cilantro *

4 garlic cloves

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

3/4 cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS

Purée all ingredients in a food processor until combined.

Use a food processor, do not use a blender (I learned this the hard way).

* For those of you "super tasters" that are convinced that cilantro tastes like soap, just double up on the parsley instead, following a more traditional Argentine method of preparation.

Food Food in Austin, it's a place

The minute you walk into Food Food you are greeted by many things - friendly staff, an aroma of fresh food, and a plethora of sweet treats. 

When it comes to food at Food Food, I don't think you can go wrong, but everyone has his or her favorites... I'm such a sucker for the Curry Chicken Salad. And the gazpacho is amazing. Favorite sandwiches are the tuna melt and turkey reuben. The King Ranch Chicken is a classic, and they make darn good tamales and empanadas, it is Texas after all. 

Aside from the readily available, each day offers different lunch and dinner specials. Wednesday night has always been beef tenderloin, and the sweet little old ladies wouldn't have it any other way.

The desserts smugly tempt you the minute you walk through the door, and once again on your way out. The smiling cashiers always patiently await your decision as to whether or not you want to add to your order. A cowboy cookie, banana pecan bread, or a macaron? Sure, why not...