First Trip to the Riverside Arts Market this Season

RAM opened last weekend but I wanted to make sure to visit this weekend because Toyota's Farm to Table Tour kicked off at our very own Arts Market! There were herbs giveaways, Prius test drives and cooking demos. I was lucky to walk up to a chef table where I saw Brian the Chef from Orsay passing out the most delicious pork sliders with sauteed onions -- Delicious. I carried it around for an hour and a half so my husband could have a bite.

These were my other highlights today and are already added to my shopping list for next week;


Happy Trails Stepping Stones

We bought one of these stones last year for Matt's parents it is beautiful and will buy more from them. The website doesn't include all the designs that they have available. They also shipped it to New Hampshire for us so we didn't have to mess with it.


Brown Owl Designs

Has adorable onesies, blankets and headbands. I already regret not getting one of her headbands today but I guarantee it is on my shopping list for next week.

JD Beef

Farm fresh free range all natural angus beef, those eight words should leave most people salivating. I am beyond excited that this farm in Georgia takes orders and you can get your beef right at the art market. Their quarter side of beef runs between 120 -150 lbs and has approximately;

• 8 t-bones


• 4 ribeyes


• 2 sirloins


• 4 cube steaks


• 4 round steaks


• 7 roasts


• 1 boneless brisket


• 32- 2lb packs of ground beef

If you buy this much you get it for an insane $4.oo a lb! The good news is they have smaller packages available since the quarter listed above almost fills most stand alone freezers. How exciting farm to table not just for the professional chefs.

Tres Leches Desserts

The desserts at this table looked so unbelievable and fresh. I'm dying to go to their storefront in Springfield. I saw them cutting this Dark Chocolate Raspberry cake and it looked like flourless cake. There was also tres leches and a chocolate marquise that she decribed to me as cookies and cream. Not having tried anything I can't say but judging from the smells, sights and crowd around this booth everything tastes as good as it looks. Now to decide what to order from here!

The Ponte Vedra Soap Shoppe

This soap smells so wonderful when I turned into the aisle I could smell them four booths down. Fresh, clean and natural! They supply soapmakers and aromatherapists with supplies but for those of us that are lazy they also make & sell glorious handmade soaps

Just look at this List of Fresh Handmade Soap

• I Love My Oats
• Sexy Beast
• Lemongrass
• Pumpkin Pie
• Jasmine & Rose
• Blue Ice
• Cocoa Clay Facial
• Goatsmilk & Eucalyptus
• Goatsmilk & Lavender
• Indigo Lavender
• Honey Love
• Nori Seaweed
• Rose Soap
• Panache "The Fig"
• Olea Clay Facial Soap
• Rosa Clay Facial Soap
• Pomegranate
• Calamine
• Choc-O-Mint
• Dirty Hippie
• Flower Child
• Demonoid
• Snowflake
• Cocoa Clay Facial Soap
• Love My Hair - Solid Shampoo Bar
• Heads Zup - Solid Shampoo Bar
• Lemon Iceburg
• Lilac
• Grapefruit Toot
• I'm Too Sexy for My Dirt
• Secret Happiness
• The Man Soap
• Mango-Nana
• Rosemary Me
• Coconut Cream
• Amore'
• Lavender & Oatmeal

Last but definately not least this last company is coming to the Art Market every Saturday from Clearwater, Fl a four hour trek each way!

Brooklyn Knish
Armed with coolers and a small oven this booth was turning out hot amazing looking pastries. I had one look at the menu and asked about the appetizer sized knish. I will be calling Monday and having them make me 25 Ruben and 25 Artichoke, Spinach, Parmesan Cheese & Chive appetizer sized knish that I can pick up at next Saturday's Art Market. I'm having a party and while it doesn't exactly fit the theme I know they will be a hit. I'm especially excited about the Ruben since I was informed they age their own corned beef.

Menu
Aged Cheddar Cheese & Potato $4.00
Beef Brisket Knish $4.50
Breakfast Knish - Bacon $4.50
Breakfast Knish - Plain $4.50
Breakfast Knish - Sausage $4.50
Broccoli, Cheddar & Potato $4.00
Chicken Pot Pie & Potato $4.50
Classic Potato $3.50
Corned Beef & Potato $4.50
Hebrew National Hot Dog & Potato $4.50
Jalapeno, Cheddar Cheese & Potato $4.00
Kasha $3.50
Spanakopita $4.00
Spinach, Mushroom & Potato $4.00
Sweet Potato Knish $3.50
Sweet Potato, Pumpkin & Spice $3.50
Artichoke, Spinach, Parmesan Cheese & Chive $4.00

So I told myself I wouldn't go around impluse buying everything I saw but I found some wonderful unique products that I HAVE to go back for... is it Saturday yet?

Sandollar Restaurant & Marina

Oh man this takes me to a happy time growing up on the West Coast of Florida in the retirement capital of the world. The place is decorated with pelicans and all sorts of beach gargae sale items. The food is great and generous and reasonability priced, especially lunch. Try the cashew crusted grouper in curry sauce is so good and so are the green beans. I also tried the grouper palafox on another occasion and I love the buffalo oysters and peel and eat shrimp appetizers. My mom and Matt both enjoyed too so I know it is not just me. The view is great as well.

I'm not crazy about chain or italian restaurants but Maggiano's won me over

I got a giftcard for Christmas so Matt and I ventured out to the town center as a treat on a Monday. Even on a Monday @ 6:30 the wait for a table was one hour. The reason? This place is actually good quite good and super reasonable if you make the right choice. We were able to nab two seats at the bar and it was perfect because we had a bartender that made excellent wine, food and drink suggestions.

We went for the Classic Pasta selections because they offer a deal that can't be beat. It makes it almost more expensive to eat at home.

The Classic Pastas are $12.95 and you get one to eat and one is packaged to take home! That is less than $6.50 a serving.

See the selections here
http://www.maggianos.com/en/Pages/Menu.aspx#

The wine pictured below is the Ruffino Salute Amico, Red Blend Bottled exclusively for Maggiano's by the world-renowned Ruffino winery in Italy. It is delicious and is reasonably priced by the bottle.


I got the eggplant which was wonderful and I got the vodka sauce gnocchi to take for lunch the next day. I loved the eggplant, the gnocchi was ok but the eggplant was just so outstanding.

Matt got the Mom's Lasagna with meat sauce for both of his portions and he loved it. I tasted a bite and it was quite good.

Frozen Bellini Swirl

ABSOLUT RASPBERRI, Lunetta Prosecco, Peach Puree, Gabbiano Chianti
Signature Cocktails

This peach bellini was drizzled with chianti and blended perfectly together it came recommended from our fantastic bartender.

I'm no Italian food expert but I really enjoyed Maggiano's and especially loved that I could get a high end experience in a beautiful setting and pay fast food prices.

Dieses Essen ist fantastisch - This meal is fantastic!

I tend to lean toward spanish and asian flavors but the recent lows in the 20's sent me looking for the Dutch and German food of my youth.

In what can only be described as a perfect storm Jodi Kasten www.eatjax.com made a fantastic sausage from turkey and other thanksgiving leftovers and I was lucky to get some to sample. I also received oxheart cabbage and green onions from Veggie Bin http://theveggiebin.weebly.com/ this week. My brother in law works for a beer distributor and was kind enough to throw this insane Sierra Nevada Pale Ale mustard in the mix.

I browned the sausages in a frying pan (too cold to grill) then I added a can of beer and let them simmer. I sauteed the green onions with dried penzy thyme in a dutch oven. At the same time I boiled the cabbage in a cup apple cider vinegar and a cup of water for 10 minutes. After draining I added the cabbage to to the onion and thyme mixture. I boiled some wholewheat shells and made a cheese sauce from equal parts of shredded cheddar and evaporated milk. The sausage was topped with the Sierra Nevada mustard. We ate this meal Monday & Tuesday for dinner and I credit it with warming our bones, nothing but scotch or whiskey could do a better job.

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Eating New Hampshire

We went to New Hampshire in early December to surprise my in-laws and see our niece for the first time. For the past five years, everytime we go clams, lobster, harpoon and fried turkey are enjoyed this year Chi Chi and Gingerbread houses were added to the list of must haves.


Cold enough to keep your Harpoon cold. We were 45 minutes from Harpoon's Vertmont location in May we took the tour they had great food and fantastic beer of course.

We are planning to go up in July for the New England BBQ Championships and also in October for Octoberfest. They have a great beer garden menu

http://www.harpoonbrewery.com/index.cfm/pid/28596/cdid/29340

No surprise the Vermonter Panini is delightful.

I love going where food is made I have been to Stoneyfield Farm Yogurt in NH, Ben and Jerry's in VT, Hershey in PA.



Frying Turkey




Chi Chi

This drink will be the stuff of legends soon! I'm planning on debuting it at our friends Sip and See Party once her baby is born.

You may make yours right now if you'd like. Be careful it tastes non alcoholic but your toes will be tingling after one.

1/5 100 proof vodka
1 can CoCo Lopez
Large Can Pineapple Juice
frozen lemonade (made to package directions)
frozen orange juice (made to package directions)

Blend all ingredients and freeze for at least two days. When ready to serve scoop into a glass and add 7up or sprite (I would use diet since the frozen mix is quite sweet) 50/50 ratio



After my Chi Chi the Turkey was done.




Lobsters are so insanely cheap our plane tickets practically pay for themselves. I wonder what TSA's policy is on lobster transport.



Wicked fresh steamers. Boil the clams and serve with a bowl or cup of broth and melted butter. dip your clam in the broth to wash any sandy bits and follow with butter. These clams are huge compared to any I've seen in the Southeast.


Decorated my first gingerbread house.

Foodie Beer Dinner

This orientation problem sure does make a case for my easy blogger driod updates, never had this happen with my regular camera. I've reloaded multiple times and am considered computer savvy but I'm over it so sorry about the pictures below.

Cari food lover, world traveler, food blogger cari_viCARIous who also now works as Business Manager for Intution Ale Works had the brilliant idea of getting food bloggers together for a potluck and beer tasting. When food lovers get together lookout! We ate food, we talked food and we enjoyed the People's Pale Ale and I-10 IPA (I forgot to have a glass of this, so I must put it on the to do list.) I was least impressed with my own creations of swiss chard with sunday bacon and curried pumpkin soup. My taste buds much prefered tasting everyone elses offerings.

These bravo potatoes were fiery. I believe they had red pepper, garlic, beer, peppers and potatoes.



Nancy's Pork and Chiles was incredible spicy but not overwhelming. I was lucky enough to be able to take some home and the next day paired it was a slice of the slightly sweet guiness bread. YUM and perfect for this frigid weather we are so not used to.



Organic swiss chard with unccured applegate sunday bacon. Next time I would make it right before serving and use let bacon. It ended up quite soggy but lucky bacon cures most ills.



Fredrick made this guiness bread and I for one will hunt him down for the recipe. He said there was a bottle of guiness in each loaf. It had a touch of sweetness but wasn't a dessert bread. This must make an appreance at our St. Pat's potluck!

The guiness beef stew was also Frederick's creation and it was delicious I have made mine in a very long time so I don 't know if my recipe is as good. It would probably be wise for me to compare the recipe before I make it again. I thought my liquid was more like gravy and his more like au jus.

Great tablescape at Cari's

Awesome cheese plate; hard cheese, stinky chesse, creamy cheese and goey sweet topped cheese!

Datil Pepper jelly from Bistro de Leon (I need to get a jar asap), guava paste, honey comb and marcona almonds

Jodi made the most wonderful stout chocolate cakes I eat it so fast it didn't get it's picture taken. I would also love to request the recipe these would make a great St. Pat's addition.

Those that had the stout cakes at Cari's had it served with ganache, pepita brittle and sorbet!

Follow these food lovers

Nancy_White krischislett cari_viCARIous intuitionale findingfl jaxfinedining eatjax

i love veggie bin

I got my delivery from veggie bin and I was excited to cook kohlrabi for the first time. I sliced mine thin with my mandoline and then juliened the pieces. I sauteed it down until soft and slightly carmelized added salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and two cloves of garlic . It was delish

Also in this batch were juicy satsuma oranges, radishes, broccoli, argula and some great kale that I plan on sharing with some fantastic foodies at the beer pairing dinner Tuesday.

I love getting weekly fresh local fruits and veggies delivered! You can too http://theveggiebin.weebly.com/

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palm valley fish camp - scallop basket

This is fantastic but Palm Valley sources such great seafood it seems like waste to have it fried. I do remeber I was hell bent on this day for fried seafood on account of a skipped breakfast. I have not had a meal a Palm Valley that I have not been impressed with.

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palm valley fish camp - clam bellies!

Until a few years ago I had no idea what a clam belly even was but since marrying my husband who is from New England I won't touch a clam strip. A good clam belly remind me of a good fried oyster but not as large chewy and meaty and delicious. A clam strip just seems to be all fry and no clam. Clam bellies are hard to find this far south aS far as I know only Palm Valley and sister restaurant Marker 32 carry them. An appetizer portion will run you about $12 pretty expensive but worth it if you got the batch I got this day.

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palm valley fish camp - seared tuna salad

My mom gets this salad everytime we go. The tuna is seared perfectly the avocado is creamy and the sauce on the plate is sweet (eel sauce) and spicy (wasabi).

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palm valley fish camp - grilled octopus & white bean salad

This is such a fantastic dish ! The octopus is chewy and slightly crispy oh my. The white beans are large and I've never had any fresh beans like this. I put the datil vinegar that is on the table on my white beans I eat all the octopus first. The only other octopus I've had that I like as much is from 13 gypsies.

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Matthew's - Escargot

Candy and I were at Matthew's for the Jacksonville Magazine party and we couldn't leave without sitting in the lounge and enjoying this creamy escargot removed from the shell. As of late Matthew's and Orsay are my go to places if I need as escargot fix.

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Matthew's - Duo of Beef

I am blessed with the gift of ordering what is usually the best thing on any given menu. A great restaurant makes it easy because chances are they aren't serving anything you aren't going to love if you pick something with ingredients you like. This was also ordered from the Lounge the same night Candy and I split the escargot. The filet was awesome the short rib outstanding!

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Karma -Folio Weekly BiteClub

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