Frame: Happy Easter!
lamb!
Have a Happy Easter, hopefully filled with friends, family, and food!
Frame: To Do List- 10 to Cook
In case you thought I forgot – I know I still have two of four lists to complete in my 40 by 40 series. Today’s list: 10 to Cook. It’s not just that I want to make these ten dishes before I turn 40, it’s that I want to master them.
To put this list together I thought about two things: what I really like to eat, and what I really like to serve. Eating alone is often just necessity, but feeding your friends or your family, watching them enjoy what you make, or teaching them how to cook it themselves is when food becomes fun. To that end, if anyone would like to teach me how to make any of the following, I’ll be over in an hour, and I’ll bring wine.
1) Birthday cake: When someone had a birthday in my house, my mother would make us anything we wanted for dinner and dessert. As a bit of an eccentric kid (not to mention adult), I would paw through her cookbooks and pick the most labor intensive cake I could find, usually including ingredients found only in far-flung specialty shops or grown on a lily pad in Istanbul. While gifted with none of my mother’s baking talent, I still feel like I should know how to make at least one type of cake really well.
2) A turkey: Or a chicken. As a child I was never that excited about white meat, but I’ve learned that a moist, well-seasoned bird can make any day memorable, not just Thanksgiving.
3) Bread: Often, my favorite dinner is bread, antipasto (cheese, olives, meat) and wine. If I could learn how to make my own baguette, this combination could reach the level of sublime.
4) Coq au Vin: Coq au Vin is a French chicken stew that usually includes bacon and a bottle of wine in the recipe. I feel like the name probably makes it sound harder to make than it really is – all the more reason to have it in my repertoire.
5) Homemade pasta: I’m sure this isn’t a surprise. Since the percentage of my meals that include pasta is probably higher than most of the US population, and since I often find fresh pasta too gluey, I feel like I should master my own noodles.
roast chicken at Prune
6) Osso Bucco: This is one of those crowd friendly Italian meals that you can make for a holiday, a casual dinner party, or just a rainy evening, but you need the right proportion of different ingredients to get the sauce to the perfect silky consistency. Of course, I’ll have to figure out where I can get bone-in veal shanks first.
7) Pork Belly: I love any iteration of bacon, and pork belly is particularly enticing. This month’s Food & Wine has a recipe for Crispy Pork Belly Sandwiches with Meyer Lemon Relish – I think that’s a good place to start on a quest for perfect pork.
8 ) Grilled cheese: There’s just something about a really good sandwich, and I want to have a “signature” grilled cheese. Maybe it has bacon, maybe it has mustard, maybe it has arugula. Whatever it has, I want it to be the kind of sandwich you can make in ten minutes to put a smile on someone’s face.
9) Chilies Rellenos: There are different versions of Chiles Rellenos, and I want to make the kind stuffed with pulled pork and raisins, not just fried and filled with cheese (though there’s nothing wrong with those). If I could make them myself I wouldn’t have to suffer through bad Sangria at Ole, though I would miss out on their guacamole.
10) Pancakes: When I do make time for breakfast, I’m usually not quite awake enough to cook it for myself. I can do one thing with a fair amount of proficiency – over easy eggs on an English Muffin with prosciutto, arugula, and truffled cream cheese – but that’s it. So I’m going to end this list with pancakes. I want to be able to make them, flip them, and optimally not burn them.
Voila.
Feast: Alex’s Chimis
It’s not a secret that the best meals are usually made with just a few ingredients, allowing the unadulterated taste of each food to shine through. It’s not a secret that slow cooked, time-tested recipes are always winners. And it’s not a secret that when you walk into Alex’s Chimis on Centre Street in Jamaica Plain, you’re going to eat some of the best chicken you’ve ever had.
A friend of mine, born and bred in JP, recently took me to Alex’s. She explained that when the small, spare restaurant first opened, they were hoping to become well-known for their namesake – “Chimis” – Dominican-style hamburgers that feature prominently on the menu. But it turned out that their simple roast chicken was what kept the crowds coming back. For our lunch, we had one whole chicken and one big delicious mess of sides.
The chicken was plucked from a row of birds waiting in a metal cage, and sectioned as we waited. My friend ordered the accompaniments: batata, yucca, platano maduro, and tostones (see menu chart below). They were all delicious, but my favorites were the yucca and the batata- both fried perfectly, and not greasy.
I’ve never been much of a rice person – I’m Italian, we eat so much bread and pasta there’s rarely room for other starches. But the rice at Alex’s Chimis had a well-blended, nutty taste mixed with mild spice notes. It was fluffy but not sticky, fragrant, and dotted with pigeon peas.
- photo credit: Alex’s Chimis website
And then of course, there was the chicken. I’m far from the first person to comment on its long list of stunning attributes, but I think The Improper Bostonian said it best: “The skin is vigorously treated with garlic and spices and cooked to a crackle, while the flesh is as soft and moist as if it had been stewed in butter.” I couldn’t have said it better myself. Check out Alex’s Chimis for the sides, the Chimis, and the rice. But don’t leave without trying the chicken.
Food: Browned Butter Brownies
I think I might make brownies my new project. While no recipe will ever compare to my mom’s, brownies in general are just easier for me to make than, say, donuts. The basic paradigm is chocolate (can be in the form of chunks, chips, or powder), butter, eggs, flour, and sugar. Add a twist like peanut butter, peppermint, cream cheese, raspberry, coconut, coffee, meatballs, etc., and the options are endless. While a truly great brownie is not just stumbled upon, pretty good brownies are pretty easy to make.
For my first trick, I recreated Bon Appetit’s Cocoa Brownies with Browned Butter and Walnuts. How could I resist, with a name like that? They turned out to be “one pot” friendly, meaning everything was melted and stirred and beaten in just one pot, which makes clean up easy and SB happy. The resulting brownies were nutty tasting and not overly sweet, but chewy and with a full-bodied chocolate flavor.
The best thing about brownies that aren’t too sweet? They taste even better with ice cream, and especially good with my newest obsession: Batch. I first discovered and wrote about Batch – a small ice cream company running out of Jamaica Plain – last fall, when I was whining about the hordes of people at the Boston Local Food Fest. The best part of that event was being introduced to one of Batch’s six flavors, and now that I’m going to be dabbling in brownie experimentation, I plan to pair as many chocolate squares with as many Batch flavors as possible.
Food: Easy as Kentucky Derby Pie
The Kentucky Derby falls on May 7th this year, and on that day thousands of people will wait to see which proud horse will lunge to victory. Several weeks later, those same people will watch the Belmont and then the Preakness Stakes while placing bets, drinking mint juleps, and wearing big hats. Much like at the start of football season, the Stanley Cup finals, or any event having to do with throwing a ball into a basket, I will look on with the bemused smile of someone who just does not care.
But this year, I will have something to contribute during racing season. While others will recite stats from previous races and stories about how this year’s hero horse overcame a homeless mother and a drug-addicted father, I will talk about Kentucky Derby Pie.
Did you know, for example, that Kentucky Derby Pie was originally named “Derby” pie, and it was not named after the famous race? The pie was created by several members of the Kern family, but because they couldn’t agree on a name, they put a bunch of slips in a hat and the relatively boring moniker that came out was “Derby.” Over the years, the Kerns would have this name trademarked and endure several court battles from chefs and publications using the same name for, what they felt, were inferior pies.
Official Derby pie is supposed to be made with chocolate chips lining the crust, but plenty of variations exist – some use pecans instead of walnuts, some put bourbon in the batter or in a whipped cream on the side, some top with butter cream or cream cheese icing. Most agree that Derby pie tastes best once all of the ingredients settle in together, so you can make it a few days before your Kentucky Derby Viewing Party. Below, an easy recipe from the New York Times- the only ingredient you might not have is pie weights, but dried beans work too.
Fannie Lou’s Thoroughbred (Almost Derby) Pie [serves 6]
1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust
4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
3/4 cup semisweet-chocolate chips
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the crust in a pie plate and prick the bottom with a fork. Cover lightly with a sheet of foil, pressing it gently into the crust and making sure the edges are covered. Place weights (metal pie weights or dried beans) on the foil to weigh down the bottom and hold up the sides of the crust. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove foil. Continue baking until the crust is firm and has lost its sheen but is not browned, about 5 more minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the butter, eggs and vanilla extract. Add the brown sugar and flour and mix until thoroughly blended. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the walnuts and chocolate chips.
3. Pour the batter into the crust. Bake until puffed and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and place on a rack to cool. Serve warm.
Voila.
Food: Italian Wedding Soup
I’m learning that good comfort food can take a long time – days of simmering, braising, melding, marrying. But, if you know what flavors you’re looking for, you can fake hours of preparation fairly convincingly. Yesterday I woke up craving Italian Wedding Soup, a chicken soup with meatballs and spinach, usually located between “minestrone” and “pasta e fagioli” on Italian-American dinner menus. The most time intensive part of this meal is the meatballs, but you don’t need to fuss with The Meatballs for soup, you can get by with a quick version. Likewise, you don’t need to spend hours making actual stock, good old College Inn (or any other broth) will do just fine. If you have one hour and the inclination, you can have pretty close to great Italian Wedding Soup.
Pretty Close to Great Italian Wedding Soup
Meatballs:
3/4lb ground beef
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
3/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1 tsp salt
1 egg
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl with your hands until combined, do not over-mix. Shape into bite sized balls. Heat a large saute pan (you are going to add broth and noodles to this later), add a few tbsps olive oil. Add meatballs, turning with a spatula and cooking on medium heat until browned on the outside.
Soup:
2 x 32oz containers chicken broth
3 tbsps lemon juice
1 1/2 cup Pastina noodles
2 cups baby spinach leaves
1 cup grated parmesan
Add 1 and 1/2 containers of chicken broth to the pan with the meatballs still inside. Simmer meatballs for 45 minutes. Add pastina (or orzo, or acine de pepe) to broth, cook for ten minutes. Add more broth from second container, if needed/desired. Add salt to taste. Spoon soup into bowls, add spinach (it will wilt and cook itself in the hot liquid, almost immediately) and cheese to taste. Voila.
Feast: Vinny’s at Night
As a devoted Italo-phile, I feel comfortable placing Italian restaurants/food into three main categories:
Authentic: You would find this in Italy.
Italian-American: Twists and innovations Italian-Americans have made to Italian food, like chicken parm, wedding soup, or olive oil on the table for your bread (you can find none of those things in Italy).
Ghetto Italian: That bottom range occupied by Chef Boyardee, grocery store hot bar pasta, and any venue with more than one Italian flag or “red” sauce on the menu.
On my scale, Vinny’s at Night falls squarely between Ghetto and Italian-American.
Earlier this week, a FoSB told me she’d been wanting to go to this “hidden gem,” and in preparation, she read some reviews- here are snippets from Yelp, CitySearch, etc.:
-“From the chicken parm to the stuffed eggplant to the arancini everything is so delicious. Go to Vinny’s at night. Take your menu, close your eyes and point.”
-“Reasonable, if not inexpensive prices. Did I mention they have ostrich, and rabbit?”
[Me: Ostrich? In Medford? Must have!]
-“They have a cat named Rambo!”
It’s all true.
Go on a Tuesday night at 7pm and the place is empty. But, instead of feeling forlorn, the atmosphere is quiet and welcoming, if for no other reason than Rambo is snoozing on a bar stool near the entrance to the dining room.
Rambo, after his nap.
Once we sat, however, we were greeted with a horrible surprise.
Eh, I wanted pasta anyway. And when I found out that they not only had red sauce, they had PINK sauce, well, forget it. Homemade fusilli with pink sauce, please, but not before starting with Arancini. Their risotto balls had the perfect gluey consistency of ghetto Italian food, rife with peas and sitting atop Vinny’s (actually quite refined) red sauce. The pasta arrived in massive quantities, and while I wouldn’t call the price “cheap,” the homemade noodles were absolutely worth it.
In truth, Vinny’s is no Rino’s, (which I would put between the Italian-American and Authentic categories on my scale). But, the mob activity at Vinny’s is much less pronounced, the parking is easier, and I’m a sucker for sauces named for colors. Thanks Vinny’s, I’ll be back.
Feast: A Quixotic Burger
One might call it foolishly romantic to travel to a different city and a bohemian dive bar to eat a burger you vaguely remember – from years and years ago – as being the best you’ve ever eaten.
But I call it a delicious adventure, and one well worth the mileage.
Food: Earthquake Cookies
I don’t usually find cookies exciting. Sure, chocolate chip harkens back to our childhood and oatmeal raisin reminds us of our grandmothers, but does anyone really put cookies in the category of thrilling? In fact, most attempts at elaborate cookies just end up being a jumble of undecipherable sugar. But there are exceptions to every rule.
The Earthquake cookies at Sofra, Ana Sortun’s bakery/cafe, are just the tiniest bit mind-blowing.
photo of Sofra pastries from Gourmet.com
Sofra, and her big sister Oleana, are two of my favorite places in Cambridge. Sortun’s command of Turkish spices and local produce from Siena Farms makes both venues simultaneously exotic and embracing. But it is Pastry Chef Maura Kilpatrick’s expertise that gives the Earthquake cookies their brilliance. Chewy, dense, rich with layered flavor, these chocolate drops are reason to pass up trays full of extravagant cakes and tarts.
I’ve been craving these cookies lately, but, unable to make a trip to Sofra, I put my previous baking failures behind me and looked up recipes to make my own batch. Fortunately, Earthquakes don’t require fancy ingredients, expensive kitchen appliances, or an extensive amount of time. And they are pretty foolproof – they would have to be, as mine turned out to be a pretty close facsimile to Ms. Kilpatrick’s on the first try. Admittedly not as rich or as dense as those purchased at Sofra, my batch was still worth sharing. Try them for yourself, but be sure to have a glass of milk on standby.
my batch
Frame: To Do List – 10 US Classics
The first of four lists in my 40 Before 40 series was a little light on the good old USA, but this post will even the playing field.
For my 10 Regional US Classics to Eat Before 40, I’m craving authenticity from foods that just doesn’t taste the same anywhere else. Sure, you can order New England Clam Chowder in Texas, but why would you?
I want time-tested classics, not something Adam Richman would eat. I can pass on the Krispy Kreme – bunned burgers, any regional delicacy containing spam, or pizzas the size of my car – I want foods like real Maine lobster rolls, cioppino from San Francisco, and Philly cheesesteaks (all of which I’ve had).
The below list is a little skewed towards the south, mainly because I haven’t spent much time there- things like “crawdads” and “hush puppies” are still mystical to me. The list is also heavy on foods whose appeal I don’t necessarily understand- I think if I taste them in their native habitat, they’ll make much more sense to me.
10 Regional Classics to Eat Before 40
The South:
1) Sweet Tea: What is all of the fuss about sweet tea? It’s tea that is … sweet? What am I missing?
2) Fried Chicken and Waffles: I like fried chicken, but I don’t love it. Is it just that I’ve never had “real” fried chicken? And the waffles- they seem like an odd bonus, but I could see how their subtle sweetness might enhance the whole affair.
3) Gumbo: This is something I never order because it just looks like a mess in a bowl. But I imagine if I had it in the right southern state, I could enjoy it.
4) Grits: Yes, I’ve had grits before. And 99% of the time, I don’t like them. I want to eat real, serious, Southern grits and see why anyone would choose them over, say, french fries.
Fast: On Not Feasting
Let me start by saying two things:
1) I think I’ve made it abundantly clear on this blog that I like to eat everything. And often.
2) I don’t really believe in dieting, but I do believe in eating a healthy diet (despite my proclivity toward baked goods and bacon).
I also believe in fasting. I started juice fasting when I got into the natural food business, and now I try to do it a few times each year, usually at the change of seasons. And I’ve found that something I used to regard as truly crazy is actually pretty rewarding.
There are different thoughts on juice fasting, but most programs recommend a period of 1-3 days, during which you eat just the juice of fruits and vegetables (and water). The idea is that the juice is so quickly digested and burned off, it kicks your body into a detox. In my case, the detox rids me of all of the pork, wine, and cake I’ve been consuming over the winter season, and gives me a fresh start for spring.
I like this kind of cleanse because it doesn’t involve taking supplements or buying a lot of extra stuff. It’s incredibly simple, and natural- all you need is produce, a blender, and willpower. By the morning of the fourth day, if you can make it, you feel accomplished and energetic. (And ready to eat massive quantities of anything solid.) Below, a brief guide to what to expect- good and bad – if you decide to try a 3 day juice fast:
What To Expect When You’re Juice Fasting:
Some programs recommend drinking juice steadily throughout the day, but I prefer to have three juice “meals.” I also prefer to schedule my juice fasts for a period of time when I’m not planning to go out to dinner or be around a lot of good looking food – there is no easy way to request a smoothie for dinner at say, Hungry Mother. I also try not to schedule any heavy athletic activity- a nice walk or some light yoga is good if you need to move around, but any prolonged running or sports will make you way too hungry to keep up a fast. Remember, this isn’t 3 days of anorexia- it’s a gentle detox. Don’t set yourself up for failure by planning a fast two days before your 10K race or during the Thanksgiving binge season.
Day 1:
Start your morning with your first dose of juice- delicious! You’ll be surprised at how quickly your body kicks into detox, especially if you are a coffee drinker. That’s right- when I said just juice, I meant it. No tea, no coffee- no caffeine. And to be clear, when I say juice, I don’t mean Odwalla or any of the packaged, sugar-laden smoothies out there. You need to either find a smoothie made from just fruits and vegetables – Whole Foods has them in their Produce departments – or make them yourself.
At about noon on the first day you’ll still feel pretty good. “Look at me being healthy!” you’ll think. But in two hours you’re going to feel really hungry, and really tired. This is the point at which some of my fasts have derailed, so plan to have some juice close at hand at 2pm. You’re also going to get a headache, especially if you are a coffee drinker, so have plenty of water- try not to take painkillers.
For most people, myself included, dinner time is the worst on a fast. The evening can seem like a long stretch of time without food, so I recommend planning some kind of activity so you’re not just staring at a wall dreaming of macaroni and cheese (not that I do that). See a movie (run past the popcorn), read a book at the park (not Starbucks), or take a long nap and then go to bed. That last one is actually not a joke- you’ll be really tired.
Day 2:
The best part about Day 2 is the scale- it’s normal to lose 3-4 lbs the first day. The worst part about Day 2 is the results of the detox. I won’t get too graphic, but check out some of the side effects here. However, if you eat fairly healthfully most of the time, the worst you’ll probably get is more headaches/body aches and some teenager-ish skin issues.
Of course, not feeling very well doesn’t really help when you’re fasting and can’t soothe your pain with a snack. Which can lead to just the tiniest bit of crankiness. On Day 2, much like when Mercury is in retrograde, the moon is full, or you wake up with an itchy nose, you should avoid serious conversations with loved ones or the signing of any legal documents.
Around noon on the second day you’ll start to realize just how much you had been eating. You’ll think things like “this is normally when I have my third cup of coffee and some candy from the jar on my desk.” Later, you’ll say “damn, I can’t have my usual 3pm muffin break” or “ugh, I want my pre-dinner snack, and also dinner, and also dessert, and maybe something afterwards.” This is what I appreciate most about the fast- it reminds me where I might have gotten off track with my eating and makes me much more aware of where I may need to cut back.
You will still be tired on Day 2, though not as exhausted as Day 1. For dinner on Day 2 I usually splurge and eat actual fruit instead of juice- it just feels good to chew on something by that point. Plan to go to bed early on Day 2 as well.
Day 3:
Yay for Day 3, the best of all days. Not only is it the LAST day, but the side effects from the detox will start to lessen and you’ll actually begin to feel good. You will be far less hungry, but you’re still in the danger zone- you might start rationalizing.
“Oh, but I already did 2 days- that’s a LOT. I should just eat today.”
“Well, this fast probably isn’t that good for me anyway. I should just eat.”
“I’m sure I’ve gotten all of the benefits I can out of this already. I’m just going to eat.”
And frankly, there are plenty of people who only do two days, and it’s perfectly ok to stop here. It’s perfectly ok to stop after 1 day as well. But from experience, I know that I feel really accomplished when I make it through three days. Remember- it’s just one more day, and the worst is over. Keep it up, drink your juice, grab some flavored seltzer (not the kind with added sugar or sweetener) for a treat. Don’t quit now!
Day 4:
Day 4 is not a fasting day- this is the day that you finally get to eat! I mention it because it is on this day that you will feel great- energized and excited. I wrote at the beginning of this post that by Day 4 you’ll be ravenously hungry – that’s not really accurate. The truth is that you’ll want to eat, but won’t be dying to break your fast with a dozen Krispy Kremes. Your body will be craving fruits and vegetables at this point, and be much less reliant on refined sugar. You’ll be excited for food, but much more cognizant of what you’re eating, and why.
So there you have it. It might seem insane, and I don’t blame you for thinking so. But after a juice fast you really do feel more energetic, more aware of your body and what you eat, and more committed to a healthy diet. And all it takes is three days and a blender.
Frame: To Do Lists
I’ve been around the block a few times. I’ve eaten at famous restaurants, tried unusual and challenging foods, cooked a million batches of flat cupcakes – but I still have plenty of culinary milestones left to reach. And if there’s one thing I love as much as food, it’s lists- to do lists, in particular. I love making them, I love crossing items off one by one, I love starting a new lineup. I was inspired recently to think about the things I want to accomplish before I turn 40, and while a comprehensive life list would be too much to post on this blog, I do have the makings of 40 Food-Related Goals. But just one list? That’s no fun. I’m doing four, and trust me – limiting each to just 10 will be no easy feat.
10 International Restaurants to Visit
10 Regional U.S. Foods to Eat
10 Dishes to Cook
10 New/Exotic Foods to Try
= 40 Foods By 40
I’ll start with 10 Restaurants, a list which also feeds my travel wanderlust. Some of these have been in my sights for years, others are recent additions.
10 International Restaurants
1) The French Laundry, California: Thomas Keller’s iconic home, I’ve wanted to indulge in its tasting menu for years, ever since I read Anthony Bourdain’s description of his meal in A Cook’s Tour.
2) El Bulli, Spain: Chef Ferran Adria has made the controversial decision to close his #1 in the World rated restaurant, but it is slated to reopen as a culinary academy before I turn 40. I bet I can get a meal out that academy somehow.
3) Noma, Denmark: Denmark has come out of nowhere as a culinary powerhouse, and I’d like to taste for myself.
4) Alinea, Chicago: I’ve always wanted to visit Chicago, and after reading about Grant Achatz’s battle with tongue cancer (what worse trial for a chef than to lose his sense of taste?), I put Alinea on my list. An interview with Achatz also taught me that one’s palate becomes deadened to the same taste after 5 bites, which has led me to favor small plate dining. And to begrudgingly give up on greasy/tasty bar food after 5 bites.
5) Le Chateaubriand, France: This Paris restaurant is lauded for eschewing typical French fuss and tourist level prices, and focusing on the “bistronomy” movement: reanimating bistro classics with a well-trained and respectful young hand.
6) D.O.M, Brazil: Chef Alex Atala used to be a DJ, so I bet the music is as good as the food.
7) Il Canto, Italy: Really, I’d just use any excuse to go back to Italy, and I won’t care where I’m eating once I get there- every whole in the wall trattoria is fantastic. But if I’m going, I might as well try the world-famous Il Canto.
8 ) Hibiscus, UK: London has gotten a bad rap for their food scene in the past, but when I visited a few years ago I found plenty of great options. In particular, the top -rated Hibiscus appeals to me with its vegetable-focused menu.
9) wd-50, New York: I’m still not quite sure how I feel about molecular gastronomy- it’s great to look at, but is it really want you want to eat? Somehow I think Wylie Dufresne’s Eggs Benedict could help me make up my mind.
10)Le Quartier Francais, South Africa: It’s always rare to find good hotel food, but this is a world-famous restaurant in a world-famous hotel.
My new passport just arrived in the mail, now all I need are reservations.
Feast: The Ashmont Grill
I’m sick of the cold, I’m bored of my sweaters, and both my waistline and my psyche are getting pretty desperate for the end of comfort food season. But, for one last gravy- smothered hurrah, I made a return trip to The Ashmont Grill this week. The Ashmont, for all of its Caesar salads and turkey pot pies, is the perfect transition from winter to spring- while the food can be rich, it is refined and not over-indulgent. Macaroni and cheese just doesn’t feel as sinful when it’s made with with sun dried tomatoes and Moody Blue.
train wreck fries
Frame: We (Finally) Have a Winner
Well really, it would be embarrassing if this place didn’t win best key lime pie, right?
Key Lime Bistro touts their pie as “award-winning” and claims it has been featured in Bon Appetit. And it is certainly photogenic.
The flavor was excellent, though I could have used just a touch more acid. The texture, though probably not as authentic as Doc Ford’s, was my favorite- it was thicker than most, almost cheesecake-like in consistency. The crust was very good, and the extras were perfect. Great fresh whipped cream, and the sauces on the bottom of the plate added the acid that was slightly lacking in the filling. While it was a tough call between Key Lime Bistro and Doc Ford’s, I’ve got to give it to the Bistro.
And now, my belly distended from condensed milk, I am thoroughly sick of writing about, talking about, thinking about, and eating about key lime pie. Until next year, KLP.
| Sunset Grill | Doc Ford’s | Bubble Rm | Cantina C. | KLB | |
| Taste | 3 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 4 |
| Texture | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
| Crust | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Extras | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 |
| Total | 15 | 17 | 13 | 14 | 18 |
Frame: More Key Lime Pie
Cantina Captiva has excellent, authentic-ish Mexican food. The shrimp and fish tacos are great, the guacamole fresh, the frozen margaritas refreshing. Order a Chile Relleno and you will be full for days. With prices very reasonable for its tourist town location, CC is a must-go for lunch or dinner when you’re on Captiva.
The key lime pie, however, is not the star of their show. Which is totally understandable if we are respecting the restaurant’s clear preference for authentic Mexican, but not ok in the eyes of this contest.
The texture was excellent, but the filling was over-sweet and lacked acid, there was almost an absence of lime flavor. The crust was a good chewy/crunchy graham cracker base, and the whipped cream was fresh, but the drizzle on top seemed to be a bland sour apple. An extra 1/4 cup* of lime juice would make all the difference for this pie.
| Sunset Grill | Doc Ford’s | Bubble Rm | Cantina C. | |
| Taste | 3 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| Texture | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 |
| Crust | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
| Extras | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Total | 15 | 17 | 13 | 14 |
*Give or take a cup. I’m not much of a baker.
The Best Thing Since Sliced Bread 