SudsFest 2010 at The Florida AquariumUpdated: Thursday, 10 Jun 2010, 9:15 AM EDT
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I Love Produceby Chef Nikki Bowen
I love produce. For as long as I can remember, I have. As a kid, my parents would take me to the farmer’s market and the smell of fresh corn, basil, tomatoes, and even string beans would intrigue me. My mom (who never considered herself a foodie or even a good cook) would carry home summer-ripe cucumbers, slicing them and dressing them in a light, and slightly creamy, vinaigrette. The firm flesh of the cucumbers mixed with the acidity of the vinaigrette created the most amazingly refreshing salad, the perfect complement to any summer meal. I was brought back to my childhood summers today while preparing to teach a cheese-making class at Datz. To complement the mozzarella the class was making, I prepared panzanella. For those not familiar, panzanella is Italy’s gift to the world. Don’t misunderstand… I love a good marinara, and there is no substitute for fresh pizza, but in the summer months, there is no comparison. Ripe, sweet tomatoes, refreshing cucumbers, and peppery basil are tossed with hot, toasty bread squares and then drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil and white wine vinegar. I saved this incredibly aromatic mixture for the class and added their fresh mozzarella. I never tire of seeing the reaction of first-time fresh mozzarella consumers, and this experience was particularly rewarding. The taste of their mozzarella mixed with the freshness of these summer treats was an overwhelming onslaught of taste sensations. Produce, bought in season and locally, is awe-inspiring. How many hours until the farmer’s market opens? |
Easy, CheesyFor the third time this week, I am pouring a glass of wine while my curds gently soak in their water bath. Already sliced on the plate are some green zebra tomatoes I stumbled upon, champagne mangos (where have these been hiding my whole life?), flaked pink salt from the Murray River in Australia, tender treviso and a basil vinaigrette made with white balsamic vinegar. In less than five minutes, I¹m going to have fresh mozzarella. In ten minutes, dinner. Not just any grocery store mozzarella. No. No. No. We’re talking fresh mozzarella. The creamy, slightly salty tang and gentle toothiness of hand-pulled mozzarella. Mozzarella that I’m making myself. Sometimes a few simple ingredients come together to create something spectacular. The individual elements compliment each other so well that, when combined, the results are so delicious they border on magical. Think bacon and eggs; chocolate and strawberries; brats and beer; mango and mozzarella. Moist, sweet and soft, with a springy yielding texture unlike any other cheese, the process of making fresh mozz is very simple, and the results are blissful. Indeed, the fresh cheese classes at Datz are among the most requested.
Start with a pound of fresh mozzarella curd and three quarts of 150° water. Don¹t believe me? Take the class on Sunday May 16 ($25, 6 pm) and find out. Mango Caprese with Basil Vinaigrette
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Beer will be Flowing for Big Brew Day!Dear Datz: I received the Big Brew Day flyer in my email inbox this week, and it looks great, but I¹m a little confused. Can you tell me more about Brew Day and Special Hoperations? Mark
Mark! I was glad to learn of your interest in our Brew Day and I’d love to yell you more about it. Brew Day is being held and run by the newly formed South Tampa homebrew club Special Hoperations. Datz has been great and supports us whole heartedly, and they don’t hesitate to host our club meetings or events. So Datz is really our de facto headquarters. The May 1st Brew Day will be Special Hoperations first event. As its also National Homebrew Day, we are centering the day on the three beer recipes that the American Homebrewers Association encourages brewers to make. However, don’t feel locked on to this. If you want to come out and brew something of your own choosing, please do! Our goal is really just to get together in the fellowship of craft brewmaking. You do not have to RSVP for Brew Day, but I encourage you to come to our next Special Hoperations meeting. We hold meetings the 2nd and 4th Mondays at 6:30 p.m. at Datz, so our next meeting will be Monday the 26. As an experienced brewer we would absolutely love to get you involved with us! Dues for membership are a whopping $15 a year. With membership, Southern Brewing Supply offers 10% off their grains and hops. Oh, and make sure to bring some of your beer to our meetings! We all try to bring in something for everybody to sample/critique. As for brew day, bring whatever equipment you need to make a batch of beer, including ingredients. Datz will supply us with a water source, but otherwise its on the individual to bring their own equipment. One great thing about a brew day is to inspect what other brewers use and see how they do things. We are starting the day officially at 11 a.m., but most of us will probably get there by 10 a.m. to start setting up. For more information about the AHA Big Brew Day and for a copy of the recipes, log onto the American Homebrewers Association website. Special Hoperations also has a fledgling website: www.specialhoperations.com. It’s only about a week old, so there is not a lot there right now, but go back often. Again, Mark it was great to hear of your interest and we look forward to meeting you. Please don’t hestiate to contact me with any other questions or comments. Cheers! Danny Reid President, Special Hoperations |
Fiddleheads for you and for me!When I was small, maybe 7 or 8, my mother instituted the rule that every Friday night was New Vegetable Night. The childhood burden of new and strange vegetables did not fare well in our household. Unfairly blamed on my mother’s cooking, my brother and I took to pouting and temper tantrums to avoid eating anything green. It wasn’t long before New Vegetable Night became Pizza Night instead, and peace was restored in the Lee household. Twenty years later, no longer so closed-minded, a new vegetable appeared on my plate on Friday night. And strangely, I ate it with wonder and abandon. Well… perhaps not so strangely. This was culinary school, and the lesson at hand was fiddleheads. Fiddleheads, the tightly furled shoot of the Ostrich Fern first discovered by the Maliseet and Mi’kMaq tribes in Eastern Canada, are a springtime delicacy all the way up the East Coast. Until that night, I don’t recall ever having seen them, but they tasted like I imagined they would – like asparagus. (They smell and taste of the earth in the same way that fresh scallops taste of the ocean.) They were crunchy and earthy and green tasting and paired well with the pappardelle, crispy prosciutto and salty Parmigiano-Reggiano also on my plate. It’s one of the few things I miss about living in the northeast – these succulent signs of spring. Asparagus. Ramps. Fiddleheads. <sigh> Desperate for a harbinger, Chef Jason Dame and I ordered them from Sid Wainer, but just the other day, I found them at The Fresh Market. (You’ll have to wait for a new shipment because I bought them all.) Jason and I served them alongside wild mushrooms in a ragout topped with a mammoth diver scallops. Oh! And finger limes. Today, I’m using up what’s left in a spring risotto – asparagus, fiddleheads, meyer lemon and creamy cana de cabra (because that’s what in the fridge). And I’m thinking that maybe my mother was on to something after all. FIDDLEHEAD FAQ Want to know more about fiddleheads? Here are the basics on stalking, preparation and storage: What do they taste like? They taste like asparagus. How can I tell if a fiddlehead is ready to eat? In the field, you can tell the fiddlehead is still young by how tightly it is furled. If the furl is loosening into a fern, it’s gone by. How long will a fiddlehead stay fresh? Most chefs like to use them the same day, but you can blanch or steam them for less than a minute, lay them on a cookie sheet and freeze them solid. Then you can keep them in a bag in your freezer. What’s a simple way to eat a fiddlehead? Steam or blanche the fiddlehead for three minutes, douse them with butter and lemon, and serve as a side dish. How long is fiddlehead season? Fiddlehead season lasts about three weeks. Since the timing varies from Virginia to Canada, you can usually order them for about six weeks from somewhere.
NOTE: Not all ferns are edible, so stalkers should arm themselves with information or get a knowledgeable partner to go out with. Also, don’t be too greedy. Stalkers ask that people take no more than a third of an outcropping so the crop can be sustained |
Hop to it Datz: Vote Now!Calling all beer geeks and Datz foodies! It’s time to hop to it and vote for the name of our new beer created exclusively for us by Cigar City Brewing. We received nearly 400 entries to name the Datz pumpernickel rye beer, but after making some tough decisions we narrowed it down to the top three.
So vote for your favorite in our web poll. Fifty percent of the vote will come from you and the other 50 percent will be judged by a panel of Datz judges. The 1st place winner receives: The 2nd place winner receives: The 3rd place winner receives: |
Home Brew How-ToIf you’re a connoisseur of fine beer, the day may come when you’ve grown weary of sampling the creations of others. If you can no longer satisfy your cravings, you may want to take the plunge and try your hand at brewing beer of your own. Many people are afraid to start brewing their own beer because they think the process is intimidating, but the truth is: it’s far easier than you may think. The equipment is not complicated or expensive. Plus, following a recipe for beer is much like following your grandmother’s favorite recipe for baking a cake from scratch. Measure this, boil that, and Voila! You’re drinking your own beer and impressing your friends. That said, there’s any number of places you can get how-to information. YouTube has come great videos, and the internet is a wealth of (sometimes conflicting) knowledge. The best books out there are The Joy of Homebrewing by Charlie Papazian, and How to Brew by John Palmer. They walk you, step-by-step, through the whole process. Further, How to Brew has its own website where you can read much of the book for free! (Check it out at www.howtobrew.com.) Of course, the best way to learn (in my humble opinion) is for you to come out to Datz for free classes! In a little less than two hours we’ll walk you through the process, actually making beer while we talk. And as an added plus, a few short weeks after we make the beer, come in and pick up a free bottle of the very same brew we made together! No matter what route you decide, the next step is always the same: buying the “stuff” to make it happen. Luckily there is a most excellent homebrew supply store here in Tampa. Southern Brewing Supply is located up on Busch Boulevard and has everything you need to start brewing. They are open Monday through Saturday and are extremely helpful to both the novice and expert alike. If you walked in and said “I want to make beer, but don’t know how,” they’ll square you away. If for some reason you can’t make it out to Southern Brewing, try the internet. There are a “gazillion” brewing supply stores on the web. Now, I don’t want to make a giant list here (because heaven knows it would take me a while to type a gazillion of anything), so again I recommend talking to Mr. Google. However, if you would like to see a good one, try www.northernbrewer.com. Very good prices on everything and shipping is only $7.99, no matter how much or what you buy. Finally, you’ll need ingredients. Again, Southern Brewing or a nice web based company has everything you need. Start out by buying a ready-made kit. Homebrew shops will already have everything you need put together and will come with a handy little “recipe.” Too easy. And that, in a nutshell, is all you need to know. Just go get a little smarter on it, and then dive right in. Again, we’d love to have you come out to Datz for the Homebrewing 101 class. Just go to the events page on the Datz website. Scroll down and find a homebrewing class that still has availability and register! It’s free, it’s easy, and I promise to make the class as fun as possible (which is pretty dang fun.) As most people like to sip a beer while we making the beer, the class gets even better and more fun as the night wear on. As Ben Franklin notably said, “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” So get to brewing! -Danny Reid |
Hold Your Nose, and Thank the Monks!There is only a slight difference between B.epidermis, the bacteria found on cloistered regions of the human body, and Brevibacterium linens, found on the skin of a washed-rind cheese. At least when it comes to aroma. So why then do we trust and enjoy, a cheese that smells like body odor, but not body odor per se? For enthusiasts of washed-rind cheese, its bodily odor activates our “cheese pheromones.” Indeed, the cheeses with the funkiest smell ((i.e. Epoisses, Taleggio, Cowgirl Creamery’s Red Hawk, all of which are available at Datz, by the way) often have the sweetest centers that melt like a dream. Their earthy funk adds flair to mild foods, and as they cook, the silkier ones form a sauce that coats food in a film of smooth, creamy luxury. These are cheeses that inspire cooks. You can thank the monks for this lovely discovery. During the Middle Ages, Trappist monks in Europe began rubbing the beer and spirits for which their establishments were celebrated on their cheeses to keep the rinds from cracking. The fact that the practice only made the cheese more delicious was simply fortuitous. Because washed rinds were traditionally Trappist cheeses, it is not surprising that they pair well with beer. The monks who make these cheeses are also master brewers and would naturally want their two creations to taste good together. I like them best with Trappist beers, but they go well with Belgian beers in general, whose slight sweetness plays off the flavors in the washed rind’s interior. Pairing with wine is simple, too. Aromatic whites are generally the way to go. Off-dry Gewurztraminers, Rieslings and lightly oaked Viogniers work like Belgian beers to highlight the cheese’s sweetness. If the cheese is European, it goes especially well with the wines of the region. Epoisses loves pinot noirs and chardonnays from the Burgundy area where it grew up, for example. So hold your nose if you must, but try not to judge a cheese by its odor. If it’s too strong for you on its own, try easing into a good washed rind with a recipe that incorporates it into a classic dish. Like grilled cheese, for instance. In honor of Grilled Cheese Month (April), we present the following recipe: Tallegio Grilled Cheese with Caramelized Onions and Arugula. In this sandwich, melted Taleggio makes one of the creamiest grilled cheeses you will ever taste. Offset by the sweetness of the caramelized onions and peppery arugula, the flavors are perfectly balanced. The crunch offered by country wheat and walnut bread only sweetens the deal.
Makes 2 sandwiches
Directions:
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Hop to it Datz: Name Our New BeerIt’s no secret we love beer at Datz and want to that passion with you! Whether it’s the smooth, unfiltered Blanche de Bruxelles, hoppy Stone Ruination IPA, Victory Storm King Russian imperial stout or limited releases like Bell’s Hopslam and Dogfish Head 120, Datz rotates 28 taps of incredible beer. Still, we’ve been left wondering… what’s missing? Is there something more we can possibly do? The answer, it turns out, was right in front of us at our weekly homebrew class – brewing our own beer!!! So we’ve paired up with Tampa’s best – Cigar City Brewing – to create Datz Pumpernickel Rye. Datz beeroisseurs and Cigar City brewer Joey Redner are crafting the recipe and brewing will start soon, but guess what? We don’t have a name!
That’s where YOU come in. We’re asking you – our fellow beer geeks and foodies – to “Hop to It” and help name our brew! What’s in it for you? Well… The 1st place winner receives:
The 2nd place winner receives:
The 3rd place winner receives:
Official Hop to Datz: Name Our Beer Contest rules:
1. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Participation in the Contest constitutes full and unconditional agreement and acceptance of these Contest Rules, which are final on all matters relating to the Contest. 2. Contest Period: The contest begins 8:00 a.m. ET, March 15, 2010 and ends 5 p.m. ET Wednesday, March 31, 2010. 3. Eligibility: The competition is open to everyone 21 years and older. Employees of Datz Restaurant Group, LLC or Cigar City Brewery (and their immediate families and those with whom they are domiciled) are not eligible to enter. 4. How To Enter: Email: Hoptoitdatz@datzdeli.com your best name for a pumpernickel rye porter by Cigar City Brewery. Place your suggestion in the subject line. One suggestion per email. 5. Receipt of Entries: To be eligible, entries must be received during the contest period. Entries which are incomplete or are illegible are null and void. Datz and Cigar City accept no responsibility for entries which are lost, misdirected or delayed for any reason. Nor is any responsibility assumed for incomplete entries, incorrect or inaccurate capture of e-mail. Entries received from persons under the age of 21 will be null and void and no prizes will be awarded. 6. Multiple Entries: Multiple entries are acceptable but no more than one entry can be included on a single email. 7. Judging: Entries will be judged on Thursday, April 2, 2010. The top 3 winners will be notified and moved on to the final round of voting to take place on April 3, 2010. The winners will then be judged by a panel of Datz judges (consisting of 50% of the vote) and on a web poll on posted on www.datz4foodies.com (consisting of 50% of the vote). Winners will be posted on Datz website and other social media outlets as well as press releases being sent to area news and t-shirts being produced using new beer name. In the event that two or more entrants provided identical entries that are judged to be the winning entry, the winner will be decided by a coin toss. The other winning entries will automatically become the runners-up unless there are more than two in which case the runners-up will be decided by a coin toss. 8. Decisions of the judging are final: By entering the contest, each entrant agrees to be bound by these rules and regulations and all decisions Datz, which decisions are final with respect to all matters relating to the Contest, including (without limitation) the selection of prize winners. No correspondence will be entered into other than notification of prize winners. 9. Use of Entries: Datz reserves the right to use any of the names submitted in any way whatsoever. Attribution may or may not be made. Datz retains the right not to use the winning entry, or any entry as the final product name. Datz also shall have the right to use the winners’ names and/or likenesses in any way it chooses in connection with this competition or with promoting the beer or Datz. 10. Evaluation Criteria: Entries will be judged on creativity, appropriateness in keeping with Datz’s style, context and characteristics of the brew. 11. Claiming Prizes: Winners will be required to show proof of identity and be subject to age verification. 12. Liability: By entering the Contest, entrants agree to hold harmless and indemnify Datz Restaurant Group and Cigar City Brewery against any and all liability, damages or causes of action (however named or described) with respect to or arising out of either: (i) entrant’s participation in the Contest; (ii) the receipt or use of the Prizes awarded herein; or (iii) the administration of the contest (including winner selection) and distribution of the prizes awarded herein. |
A Steakhouse TrifectaThere’s not much I love more than a nice juicy steak, except maybe a nice juicy steak paired with decadent side dishes, a great Napa Valley wine and good company.
Around the Chef’s Table at Datz February 28, a group of diners gathered to enjoy the pleasures of Chefs Heather and Matt Stalker’s classic steakhouse recipes with a contemporary twist.
Like all good meals, it started with a warning – a 7 ½-pound slab of Flintstones-sized meat kind of warning.
As Chef Matt (also a meat cutter at Publix) drew his 6-inch boning knife across his steel, he walked the guests through the break down of a rib section sub-primal. In what seemed like minutes, the hunk of giant beef was deftly portioned into cowboy (bone-in) ribeye steaks, prime rib roast and back ribs.
With guests quite literally licking their chops, Chef Heather stepped in with the first succulent course – blistered tomatoes and whole roasted garlic smeared on crusty crostinis with a wedge of Gabriel Coulet blue cheese. So simple, yet so elegant.
Sommelier Jennifer Bingham from Global Wines Distribution poured a Beaucanon Estate Napa Valley Chardonnay to complement the second course – balsamic glazed sticky ribs.
While most would expect red wine with beef, the gentle heat from the cayenne-infused sweet balsamic glaze needed something a little different.
Carefully crafted with the aromas and flavors of vanilla, lemon, pineapple and coconut, with hints of rosemary and limestone, the medium-bodied chardonnay was the perfect pairing for the ribs and the iceberg wedge salad with warm bacon and blue cheese dressing.
Already groaning with expanding stomachs, one whiff of the juicy Prime Rib Au Poivre and the guests were clamoring for more. Done in a traditional steak au poivre manner, the medium roasted prime rib with served with a decadent brandy cream sauce that Chef Heather made a la minute, and served the 2-inch thick slices against an equal sized portion of creamy two-potato gratin. Jennifer paired this course with a bold Beaucanon Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Franc, whose aromatic bouquet of blackberry, red cherry and dried rose petal lifted the dish to new heights.
And, as if that weren’t enough, the final and possibly most delicious steak was a cowboy ribeye with grilled Meyer lemon and rosemary with creamed rainbow chard, paired with a Bordeaux-inspired Beaucanon Estate Napa Valley Red Wine Trifecta.
After such a carnivorous feast, thoughts of dessert were fleeting, but the scrumptious bananas foster (seventh course) was petite sized, and the parting sip of Marguery Historias dessert wine was, in fact, a fabulous digestif.
Eat this post: Chefs Heather and Matt will recreate Steakhouse Favorites Saturday, March 27 at 7 p.m. ($125 includes a seven-course meal + wine). Click here to register. |
